6 months later
In yet another shroud of secrecy, Yukari found herself a rare opportunity where she could escape the confinements of the Uchiha compound, that is, without the company of Madara or a bodyguard. He apparently figured that she was too heavily pregnant to want to go anywhere, but he was oh so wrong. This was possibly her last chance to get out and be on her own. In a few more weeks, her fate and the fate of her child would be decided.
Early that day, after Madara had left with other Uchiha and members of other clans to deal with a problem outside the village, Yukari had been sure to send a falcon to the Hokage's quarters. She rarely had time to speak to Hashirama honestly and alone. Someone was always breathing down her neck and kept her in a constant state of fear for her unborn child. But now, at least for the day, she could speak freely with Hashirama, and maybe even see Tobirama, who had been the least common person she had seen, and with a good reason.
Her breath became visible in the cold winter air, with snowflakes falling as she trekked through the snow to her meeting place with Hashirama. As she arrived to the bench they would usually meet at when she had a chance, she found it empty. Hashirama was always here before her, not the other way around. She anxiously awaited his arrival, and tried to keep her mind busy by rubbing her stomach and watched the sky as snowflakes fell.
"I'm sorry to be late, Yukari. The duties of Hokage sure are a handful." A smiling Hashirama soon came into her version, cloaked in a dark brown cloak to keep the cold out. She returned his smile and moved to hug him, though it turned into a strange side hug due to her swollen belly. He chuckled and placed a hand on her stomach, to which he felt the baby kick. He beamed and placed the other hand there, all the while Yukari giggled. "You really do have a baby in there, Yukari!"
She laughed and placed a hand at the top of her stomach, amused with his response. "Well I'd hope so, or else I'd be quite concerned." It was his turn to laugh, and his positive attitude began to warm her cold being. She was not exposed to this kind of warmth back with Madara and it was a nice change of pace.
Hashirama stood and looked her over with a smile on his face. "Your child is strong – I can feel it. He or she is healthy too," he moved and held his arm out to her, which she took, "but what about you, Yukari? How is Madara treating you?"
She let out another breath to be seen in the cold air. "Not terribly, but this is Madara. I think he would treat me better if this was his own child, but this is the child of the man that murdered his brother. I could be in worse condition."
Her Hokage's eyes trailed down her, and took notice of the apparent limp in her step, and it wasn't due to any pregnancy. "I wish there was something I could do. He's taking advantage of you, Yukari. You are my brothers love and carrying my niece or nephew. Standing here doing nothing…"
She placed a hand on his cheek and they stopped walking. "I can handle Madara and his ways and needs, Hashirama. If I were to fight it, it would mean harm to my baby. I can't have that. This is a joining of Senju and Uchiha blood – a gift, a miracle."
Still, Hashirama shook his head, but he continued walking. "If Tobirama knew, Anju-"
"Please," her chest began to tighten at his name and the thought of what could be or could've been, "please don't, Hashirama."
In a change of conversation, Hashirama smiled. "He still lights up when he talks about you, and defends you as well. Even after these past months, he still loves you. He always will love you, Yukari, and he will understand. He would understand now if you told him."
As tempting as it was, Yukari knew it to be too risky. If she told Tobirama, she knew how he would react and there would be no stopping it. The peace they had worked so hard to maintain would be in vain. He would go after the Uchiha, and the Uchiha after Senju, and yet another warring period would ensue. And it wasn't just that at stake, but the life of her child. These were things she just could not risk. "There's too much danger, Hashirama. I want to, but I can't."
They were silent for a while, and Yukari had not been paying attention to their destination. She was merely following Hashirama, too lost in her thoughts and fantasies to care about much else. It wasn't until a rush of warm air came over her skin that she realized they had taken refuge inside. She quivered as she realized where he had taken her. "Hashirama, I can't be here! Madara…"
Hashirama smiled at her, and it was in that smile that all her worries disappeared. "I will just tell Madara I had some questions for him, but chose to get answers through you instead. Think of this as a council meeting."
The idea seemed good enough, and she was more than willing to spend more time out of the compound. She did love her clan, but being stuck in there for five months was a nightmare. She only two real friends in her clan, and the others she had made within the Senju and Uzumaki.
She one of them as she came to the kitchen, her bright red hair in two buns atop her head. The Uzumaki woman looked over, going to speak, but stopped as her eyes landed on Yukari. The normally calmed and composed Uzumaki woman dropped a pan to the floor and rushed over to give her a hug. "Oh Yukari! You're alright. I hadn't seen you in so long…" Yukari hugged the woman back as tightly as her body would allow. "I'm alright, Mito. Madara has just been keeping a close eye on me is all. He's… he's worried about me and the baby is all. First time father."
Her attempt to play it off seemed to work, for Mito brightened up and placed a hand on Yukari's belly. "I guess even Madara has a tender bone in his body. I would never have thought such a thing."
Yukari wanted to yell out, to tell her that it was a lie, but now was not the time nor the place to do such a thing. With only a few weeks left to go, she had to stay calm and not do anything rash. The life of her child depended on it.
A door suddenly slammed opened, and from it emerged a frantic Tobirama. "Mito, are you alright? I heard something and-" As soon as she caught his gaze, he ceased speaking. For a man who was hard to bring emotion out of, a lot of emotion flew over his face. His eyes widened in surprise and shock as she stood there. She didn't even know what to say. After what she did to him, what could she say?
She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and nodded to him. "Tobirama-san."
The said shinobi blinked, regaining his composure, and nodded back to her. "Yukari-san. You're looking well. Your husband treating you well?"
"As best as he can I suppose. How are you?"
Hashirama leaned over, a knowing smile on his face. "You two have some things to talk about. Mito and I will be back in a moment."
Yukari went to reach for him, finally realizing why he had brought her here in the first place. If Madara found out she was here, let alone with Tobirama, and alone with him at that, her chances would not be good. She would be dead for sure. But before she could lay a hand on Hashirama, he had fled with Mito, leaving her alone with Tobirama for the first time in months.
She turned to him, expecting him to be gone, but he still stood there, the same expression of shock written on his face. She needed to find something to calm her nerves, and caught sight of some tea boiling. "Would you like some tea, Tobirama-san?" As fast as she could, she took the tea kettle and poured two cups of tea. "It's fresh. I know you like tea, Tobirama-san," she also caught sight of some freshly cooked fished and smiled, "and fresh fish. A favorite of yours, isn't it?"
"Yukari," a hand was placed over hers and she looked into the sad and concerned eyes of Tobirama, "you talk a lot when you're hiding something. What's going on?"
Being close to him like this again was having effects on her, both mind and body. It had been so long since she had lay eyes on him and much longer since she had been within touching distance. She longed to touch him, and for him to touch her. Before she really knew what she was doing, she had placed a hand on his cheek. He leaned into her touch and wrapped a hand around the one that touched him. Oh how she had missed the warmth of his skin.
He reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and then took the kettle from her hands, placing it on the table next to them. She swallowed thickly, unsure of what his next move with be. She soon found out as he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I missed you."
At his words, she broke. She felt her knees shaking and tears welling up in her eyes. After all this time and all that she had said and done to him, he still missed her. She couldn't help herself any longer. She tilted her head and pressed her lips hard against his. He returned her actions with just as much fervor. Her hands tangled in his silvery locks and his wrapped around her waist as much as they could, holding her close. Soon, she felt her back against the counter and she was lifted up effortlessly onto the counter top. He wrapped her legs around his waist and continued the assault on her mouth until he could no longer breathe.
He leaned his forehead against hers again, panting, and she was in no better condition. "I miss you too. More than you know." She pressed her lips against his again, and in the same process began lifting up his shirt. Her sudden actions did not scare Tobirama away, and he returned her responsiveness by untying her obi. Her feelings for Tobirama, combined with her raging pregnancy hormones, were a lethal combination, and she could now see why Madara had kept her so far away from her beloved. She would have broken, and she did.
His cool hands came in contact with her swollen skin, and he seemed unfazed by the fact that she was with child. "You're still as beautiful as I remember." She gently touched his face, though she froze as he placed a hand against her stomach. "You're even more beautiful pregnant," his lips found her neck and began leaving a trail of saliva down her skin, "even if it is his child."
She gasped as he held one of her breasts in one hand and placed his lips on the other. He gently kissed and sucked and kneaded, and she could finally hold her moans back any longer. She had longed for him for too long. All she wanted was him and only him and to tell him all that had happened – to tell him she carried his child.
"Tobirama…" She cupped his face between her hands, while her feet pushed his pants down ever so slightly, revealing a generous amount of skin to her eyes. He looked at her, and in his eyes she could see the same need that she felt.
Suddenly, a loud noise was heard and Hashirama barged into the kitchen. He turned red as he saw both of their conditions, and Yukari rushed to pull herself together. Hashirama seemed to no longer care for he came to Yukari, gripping her shoulders. "Madara is here. He's looking for you."
She was frozen in fear. No. He wasn't supposed to be back until later. Hashirama said something to her and stood by her side, and from the already open door entered a raging Madara. Her body quaked with fear at the murderous intent in his eyes. "I told you not to leave the compound, Yukari. In your condition, you are putting yourself and the baby at risk."
Though his words were meant to sound concerned, she knew otherwise. It had been a huge mistake to come here. She realized that as Madara grabbed her upper arm brought her towards him. "You had me worried."
"Like I said, Madara, my brother and I had some questions and concerns, and since you weren't here, we thought we'd ask your wife. She had much input on the matters at hand."
His gaze did not waiver from her as he answered Hashirama. "I'm sure she did, but we must be going now. Yukari has another examine today."
She looked back as Madara dragged her away, a constricting grip on her arm. She half expected Tobirama to come for her, and what she found broke her heart. Hashirama was restraining him with Mito's help. He was saying something but she could not make it out.
By the time they made it back to the compound and back home, Madara was seething with rage. "What did I tell you!? You were not to be around him!" A hard slap came to her face and she leaned against the wall for support. Tears ran down her face as he grabbed her and made her face him. "I didn't know! I didn't know Hashirama was taking me there! I thought we were having lunch, just the two of us! I swear!"
Yet another hit came to her face and she crumpled to the floor. "It's not just your lies that anger me, Yukari," he yanked her up and led her away, "but what I saw happening in the kitchen. You were going to give yourself to him – again. And you were going to tell him. Did you forget about our agreement?"
More tears ran down her face as the door slammed behind them and she found herself bent over the bed with Madara behind her. "I wasn't going to! I swear Madara! I swear on my life."
He gripped her hair tightly and growled aggressively in her ear. "What you did today may just cost you your life, Yukari."
A few hours later, Yukari found herself curled up in the bed, hugging her knees as the rest of the feelings left her body. Her whole body hurt and throbbed at Madara's abuse and it was this pain that let her know she was alive.
Then, a sharp pain came to her abdomen and she cried out. The pain came again and then again, each time worse than the last. She gripped onto the bed tightly, for she knew what was coming. She looked up to the doorway, and found Madara coming to her aide. She tried to push him away, but he held her down and placed a hand on her stomach. "I've already sent for two midwives."
Fear came over her and another sharp pain came. "What did you do!?"
His crimson eyes looked into her onyx orbs as she gripped his sleeve. "It's time we find out if you get to stay, or," he smirked and leaned over her, "if you get to go."
