* TIME SKIP - A COUPLE MONTHS LATER *

Madara's eyes constricted at the sight of the letter in his hand.

Ayumi had been sipping on her tea, sitting across from him on the tatami mat floor.

She noticed how glum Madara grew over the course of the past couple of minutes.

"Is it bad news?"

Ayumi broke his train of thought, as her soft voice brought him back to reality. Madara's eyes fluttered from the paper to her lavender ones. Madara felt slightly thankful for it, as it snapped him out of his brewing thoughts.

"My letters haven't contained good news for many years." He spoke.

Ayumi's eyes fell to the floor, her fingers playing with her sleeve. Madara analyzed her expression, and he realized she had seemed almost rejected. "What about the ones I wrote you?" Ayumi pouted.

Madara widened his eyes slightly surprised. Ayumi had sent him many letters during the warring states, and a fondness in Madara's heart oddly grew for her during those times. He blew air out of his nose.

"Those were different." His palms rested on his knees.

But Ayumi didn't pry as to why he had been so visibly bothered, because she already knew. Talk was talk, and it spread rampant throughout the village. It didn't help that she would also receive stares and slurs. It was inevitable that she would hear it being the Uchiha Madara's wife.

The Uchiha clan had been growing highly suspicious of Madara, as many of them did not appreciate his brute force. And because of that, civilians had been almost convinced that he was trying to light up the coals for another war, but that was the farthest thing Madara had wanted.

All Madara wished for was that the Uchiha not to be subservient, and deep down he had yearned to protect his brethren. Yet they had wrongly interpreted his brute ardency for something else. All Madara wanted was the best for his clan.

That suspicion towards the Uchiha had unfortunately also been growing within the Senju's higher ups, specifically Tobirama. Tobirama had been adamant about keeping the Uchiha out of the affairs of the village, even though Madara had been its co-founder.

"My opinions and concerns about how this relatively new village should be built were disregarded and pushed aside." Madara flatly spoke, he looked into Ayumi's eyes. The intensity behind his eyes frightened her. Ayumi could never quite get used to his ferociousness. "The shinobi world is moving forward in accordance with Hashirama's vision."

All Ayumi could do was stare at Madara, as he sat up on his feet to look up to the moon out the shoji doors.

Madara narrowed his eyes. There has to be a way...

-

Ayumi had been preparing lunch the next day while Madara had been taking care of the crops growing outside. Madara didn't take too long though, so he decided to head back in to help his wife.

Ayumi was mindlessly staring at the soup boil as she kept stirring it, watching it motion in circles. Ayumi's back hurt incredibly so, she placed a hand on her lower back as she made the food. She glanced over her shoulder to see Madara leaning against the door frame with arms crossed.

Madara had been 10 steps ahead of everyone in his life, and this had been no exception. He knew why Ayumi had been in so much pain. Madara recalled how her hips had gotten wider, and her bosom slightly tender. The nausea, dizziness, the morning fits of vomiting...

Ayumi was pregnant. It seemed too early for her to catch on, but as her husband, Madara knew.

It also helped that he had witnessed four pregnancies growing up, and being the eldest son meant he had helped his mother with an array of tasks. Madara full well knew what it looked like.

"You doing okay?" Ayumi's voice chirped.

"Ah." Madara nodded, unravelling his arm to his sides, and he approached his wife. He eyed the sweat that had been rolling off of her forehead. Why was she working so hard even though she had been in pain?

Madara grabbed her wrist, and he mentally reminded himself to be gentle. Just his hand alone wrapped fully around her thin wrist.

"Madara?" Ayumi stopped cooking, she eyed his hand and then his face.

"You shouldn't cook." Madara said.

"Eh?" Ayumi spared him a confused look. "I'm right in the middle of it. What do you mean?"

Madara sighed. "I said what I said." Madara crossed his arms. "Why don't we get something to eat instead?" He looked at her gently, bringing a cloth to wipe the sweat away from her forehead.

Ayumi blushed lightly, perturbed by his sudden kindness. "Mm."

-

It was night now, they both laid down with their backs against the futon, both of them dully looking into the ceiling. Ayumi peeked a glance at Madara, he had been awake, and she slowly inched her hand closer to his. Madara did not resist her touch.

Ayumi couldn't lie to herself; she grew more concerned about his well being every single day. It almost seemed as if Madara's mind was clouded heavily.

Her other hand rested on her womb. She knew she was pregnant, but she wasn't so sure how Madara would take it. Ayumi decided now would be a good time to tell him.

"You haven't been yourself lately." Ayumi spoke.

Madara stayed quiet for a moment.

"Everything is fine." He started, "And you? Are you still in pain?"

She bit her lower lip.

"Actually, I wanted to tell you something."

Ayumi couldn't see in the dark, but Madara smiled smally underneath his locks. He knew what was coming, and he was glad that she caught on.

"I..." Ayumi started, not even sure what to say. Her eyes darted to random spots across the ceiling.

"Well?" He looked at her, turning his head slightly.

"I... I-" Ayumi mentally scolded herself. She didn't know why she was stuttering.

Madara closed his eyes, and then opened them again.

"I already know. You're pregnant." His husk voice rang in her ears.

Ayumi exhaled a deep sigh. "Of course you'd know." But she looked at Madara's face, and she was much surprised to see a smile grow on him.

"Madara." She suddenly stifled her tears.

Madara perked himself up on his elbows, the sheets that were covering his chest slowly slipping off.

He looked at her softly, and then eyed her womb.

I'm going to protect the both of you. He thought to himself. Madara's family was gone. His own clan didn't trust him very much. All that remained to protect were those two now.