Finding home

Tobirama had lived with the Uchiha for two weeks now and they were the most eye opening two weeks of her life. She finally understood what Hashirama saw in Madara and why he had been willing to risk so much for a friendship with him. He was a truly good man. Not only him but the entire Uchiha clan were good people. They had all welcomed her as if she had always lived among them, shop owners gifted her little treats, and always greeted her with a smile and a kind word.

She wasn’t sure how much of her story got out, but from what gossip she managed to pick up it was understood among the clan that she had been kidnapped and hurt by the Senju, and the entire clan seemed to take that as reason enough to take care of her.

Even more surprising than the kind clan members was the way Izuna treated her, she had always known him to be hateful and cruel during their battles, often taunting her as the White Demon while they fought trying to get under her skin. But the way he treated her as Tobira? It honestly shocked her. He acted like she was a part of his family, making her cups of tea, or wrapping a blanket around her shoulders when he saw her outside sitting on the engawa. He had invited her to watch him train Kagami when he realized how bored she was sitting in the house alone. And when he found out she liked reading he had taken to escorting her to the clan library and carrying books for her back to the house. He was constantly taking care of her.

Madara on the other hand confounded her, he was always staring at her but never got too close. It always seemed like he was about to talk to her and then he would turn red and turn around. The few times they did interact he would either be entirely normal and she would be convinced she was overreacting, or so awkward she knew she wasn’t.

When they first met he was the strong confident shinobi she expected of him. But since then? He was weird.

Tajima was also a surprise. He wasn’t as welcoming as Izuna, but at least he spoke to her more than Madara. And he wasn’t always staring at her. He was strangely kind to her though, every night when they ate dinner together he would ask after her health and about her day the same as he asked his sons. She had never had such peaceful dinners before. Even when her father was away, Hashirma and her didn’t sit around laughing and joking with each other.

The whole situation left her wrong footed. She didn’t know how to handle being treated so softly. With the Senju she was treated as the weapon her father worked hard to create, with the Hatake they knew her capabilities and they treated her as a warrior. Honestly Tobirama had no memories of being treated softly, not even by her mother. A part of her luxuriated in it, she felt safe in a way she didn’t know was even possible. The other part of her was going crazy being so helpless, and it took everything in her not to lash out when someone assumed she needed help with anything.

With a sigh Tobirama began to get up from bed, she had laid there thinking for long enough. It was time to get ready for the day. She quickly brushed her hair before pulling on a kimono provided by Madara, complete with a Uchiwa on the back. It had taken a couple of days for her to get used to wearing the symbol of her clan's enemy, but by now she was used to it. She only had two outfits of her own that she had brought with her, so most of the week she was in borrowed clothing. It had also taken some getting used to wearing a kimono, most often at home she had worn shinobi blacks as she rarely went around out of armor.

Once she was dressed she folded up her futon, then climbed to her feet using her crutches to pull herself up. She hated that she couldn’t move around silently with these crutches, everyone knew she was coming. Not that she would have been trying to sneak around while here but still, it was frustrating.

Walking into the kitchen she greeted Tajima who was sitting at the kotatsu eating his breakfast, she quickly served herself a portion and sat down across from him.

“Ah Tobira, do you have any plans for the day?”

“Yes, I have to go to the healers and get my stitches removed. After that Izuna said I could join him and Kagami during training again.”

“You’ve worked with them twice already this week, try not to push yourself too much. I saw you trying to put weight on that ankle of yours. You’re going to take a lot longer to heal if you don't stay off it.”

Tobirama blushed in shame. “Yes Tajima-sama, I know. I just hate being so incapacitated.”

Tajima laughed, “I understand that, it's not a natural feeling for a shinobi to be so still, but you must listen to your body.”

“Oh do you actually listen to him? You certainly don't listen to me when I tell you to take it easy.” Izuna interrupted their conversation as he walked into the room dishing himself some breakfast as well.

“Tsk,” Tobirama responded, “that's because your advice is wrong, I am perfectly able to exercise my upper body and my right leg. You try to baby me, but I am still capable.”

“I’m not babying you, I just don't want to see you hurt again.”

Rolling her eyes she responded, “ well thank you but I can take care of myself.”

“Of course you can,” Izuna responded, though she still felt he sounded a bit condescending. “I heard you are going to the healers, would you like some company for that?”

“No, I am fine to go on my own but thank you.”

“Suit yourself, but let me know if you change your mind.”

“I will.” Tobirama promised, though she absolutely would not. Even if she did want someone to come with her she would never be so weak as to ask for it.

“Is Madara still in bed?” Izuna asked.

“No, he’s already out training. He left just after dawn.”

“I better hurry up and get out there too then, I can't let him get too far ahead of me in training!”

Conversation continued to flow as they finished eating until Izuna and Tajima both took their leave. Tobirama sat at the table for a little longer after they left, she had no pressing need to get to the healers and so she took her time to enjoy the quiet around her before cleaning up her dishes and heading out.

Thankfully the healing hall wasn’t too far away from the clan head's house so it didn’t take her too long to get there.

Knocking as she entered she called out, “Mai, are you here?”

The healing hall wasn't manned at all times, usually only when someone was injured, otherwise people would just go to Mai, or one of the other healers houses to alert them of an injury, but Mai had told her she would be there this morning making more salves and other medicines.

“Oh Tobira please come in and take a seat and we can look at your side.” Mai said, walking towards her.

She did as asked and took a seat on the nearest bed, and lifted her shirt showing the stitches.

Mai silently cut the stitches and removed them, but the silence was heavy with something unspoken. Tobirama wasn’t really sure what was on Mai’s mind but she wanted to wait and give her time to decide what she wanted to say.

Finally as the last stitch was removed Mai took a deep breath and looked up at Tobira before addressing her.

“Tobira, this is a bit delicate. But I need to have a conversation with you.”

“Of course, feel free to say whatever you need to.” Tobirama thought it might be something about Kagami, maybe she didn’t like her joining in on the lessons? She would miss them but she understood if Mai wanted Izunas full attention on her son, not the new girl hanging around.

“Okay then I will just be blunt, have you had your monthly cycle?”

Oh. That's what this was about. She wasn’t ready for that. And then the significance really set in, she hadn’t really let herself think about it but she had missed it. Which mostly likely meant Butsuma had succeeded and she was indeed pregnant. Ice filled her veins and she felt completely frozen. All she could do was shake her head in a negative.

“I was afraid of that. May I check you? I’m not much of a sensor but I’m strong enough that if I’m touching you I will be able to detect if there is another chakra presence.”

“Yes of course.”

Mai nodded and then held a hand to her stomach, a sad look crossed her face.

“I’m sorry to tell you but you are definitely pregnant. I know you didn’t come to this by choice but we do have a few options.”

“I’m keeping it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, the child is innocent in this. And I had always dreamed of being a mother. I just hadn’t wanted it like this.” It took everything in her not to cry. She hated her father more than ever before at that moment. And she hoped with all her heart that once spring hit and the Uchiha and Senju clashed again that Tajima was successful and he killed him.

“I think I’d like to go home now, please tell Kagami I will be missing training with him today.”

“Of course! Get some rest, you will need it coming up. I will get some things ready for you to help make pregnancy smoother and bring it by later today.”

“Thank you Mai, I truly appreciate your help.” With that Tobirama got off the bed, grabbed her crutches and headed back to the house.

******************

Madara had been training early every day, for two reasons, one to make sure he was strong enough to annihilate the men who hurt Tobira and also to avoid her.

He couldn’t help but lust after her and he felt so guilty for it. But seeing her in his clan colors and his clan symbol on her back just did something to him. He had never felt attraction like this before. And with the kimonos she was wearing accentuating her petite but curvy figure he just couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

He did his best to work off his lust but it never seemed to work, the second he saw her it came rushing back.

Now that it was later in the morning, and Tobira was sure to be away from the house, he decided it was safe to go home and get some breakfast, hopefully there would still be some left for him.

Walking in he dished up some miso and rice and was just about to sit down to eat when he heard it.

Deep and terrible sobs. Those could only be from one person, following the sounds he walked to her room, where her door was open and peaked in. Sure enough there she was sitting on her futon crying with her hands covering her face.

Deciding he couldn’t just leave her to her heartache on her own he slowly approached, making sure to step harder so she would hear him coming. Once she turned to look at him with tears streaming down her face he spoke to her in a calming voice.

“Tobira, can I hug you?”

With a great hiccuping sob she nodded her head. Madara was quick to drop down to his knees and pull her into his arms, her face pressed tight against his chest. He rubbed a soothing hand down her back and just let her cry.

Remembering how she had reacted to his chakra before he decided to wrap her in his chakra again. The reaction was instantaneous, she melted against him with her hands coming up to hold his shirt almost as if to keep him from moving away. Which he had no intention of doing.

Once her crying had died down to sniffles he decided to address her crying, he hoped he wasn’t about to make things worse for her.

“What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

“No one here if that was your concern. I…I found out I’m pregnant.” She said with her voice muffled from still being pressed against his chest.

It took everything in him not to let his anger seep out into his chakra. That bastard, I’ll kill him, I’ll kill them all, he thought. How could anyone force something like this on someone. He gripped her tighter against her projecting calm, safe, protectiveness into his chakra hoping it would help sooth her.

“What can I do?”

“I don't know. But I’m keeping the baby. It's mine and I won't let them take anything else away from me.”

He couldn’t help but be amazed at her conviction. If he was in her shoes he didn’t think he could do that.

Then he felt her stiffen against him. “What if they come looking for my baby, he will know I went to the Hatake, what if they come and take my baby. They don't have a shinobi force to match the Senju.”

The fear in her voice was a call to his soul.

“I won't let them touch you or your baby, I promise you that.” He vowed. If she wanted this baby he would protect them both. Maybe he could convince her to stay with him.

Once again he marveled at his own emotions. He hardly knew her, but some part of him seemed to have claimed her from the first moment he laid eyes on her. No longer would he avoid her, he would find a way to manage his feelings. From now on he would be there for her, whatever she needed.

They continued to sit like that for another half hour before she started to pull away.

“Thank you for that. I apologize for the mess I made of your shirt.”

This caused him to look down and see the wet spot her face had been pressed against.

“Dont worry about it, I’ve had far worse on my clothes than a few tears. Let me go make you some tea, I’m sure you need some after all of this.”

Nodding she went to get up to follow him but he stopped her.

“No, stay here, I will bring it back for you. You should try to get some rest.”

While Madara was in the kitchen making tea he kept think about how he would kill all of the men involved in Tobira’s assault. He wondered if he and Izuna could find a way to sneak into the Senju compound and kill them. But then he dismissed that realizing he had no idea where any of those men would be. Oh, but Tobira had told them Butsuma lived in the center of the compound. Perhaps they could get to him at least. He contemplated how that would go, maybe they could sneak in during the night? He was a sensor keeping away from the guards would be easy for him. He had gone on enough assassinations before and done just fine. But what if Hashirama and the White Demon were there. Though him and Izuna had faced them before and done fine he wasn’t sure they would be able to do it and get to Butsuma. Not to mention a fight like that would surely draw attention to more clan members.

No, assassinating him in his home wasn’t feasible. But he would make sure he didn’t survive their next encounter.

As he was finishing the tea he heard someone come into the house, he stepped out of the kitchen to see who had come in.

“Izuna what are you doing here? Weren’t you planning to train Kagami today?”

“Yes but he told me Tobira couldn’t join us so I wanted to check in on her. I have him working on his katas until I get back.”

“Ah, she's in her room. She found out she is pregnant with those monsters baby,”

He watched as Izuna clenched his fists, likely going through all the same thoughts he had. Which made him wonder, was he developing feelings for her too? He couldn't help but feel a spike of jealousy. Surely if it came between them she would pick Izuna, he had been doting on her since she came to live with them.

“Otouto, do you have feelings for her?” He couldn't help but ask, he needed to know, because if he did he would make sure to keep his feelings to himself. He would never risk hurting his brother.

Izuna reeled back. “What? No. It's been obvious since you first spoke of her that you were attracted to her, I would never think of making a move on someone you had feelings for. Not to mention I see her more like a sister. She reminds me of Akiko-nee, it's been nice feeling like I have a sister again.”

“She is very stubborn just like Akiko was. I see how you would see a resemblance. Would you like to come with me to bring her tea?”

“No, I’ll let you do that. Just let her know I came looking for her, I better get back to Kagami before he gets bored and causes me more problems.”

Madara huffed a laugh, Kagami did have a habit of finding himself in trouble. He just had so much energy and bounced around the compound making that everyone's problem, he was a good kid, he just had trouble keeping calm.

Madara brought Tobira her tea and spent the rest of the afternoon with her just talking about this or that. Providing her comfort with his presence.

Things changed for them after that. Madara had started to make a point of spending time with her every day. Sometimes it was coming from working with his father and having lunch with her. Or sitting next to her on the sofa in the evenings. It was nice. He hoped she liked it as much as he did