Katsuki no Monogatari [Uchiha Madara/oc]

As the sun cast its golden hues upon the clan's grounds, the air buzzed with a palpable blend of anticipation and reluctance. Amidst the lush fields and quaint cottages, a young couple, adorned in ceremonial attire, stood at the heart of the celebration that was as much a festival as it was a wedding. Their forced union was a spectacle, not of joyous unity, but of societal expectations and ancestral traditions. Though the vibrancy of the village gala adorned the scene with colorful ribbons and aromatic blossoms, the couple's eyes betrayed an amalgamation of trepidation and resignation. The ceremony, a grand affair overseen by the entire village, masked the silent anguish and unspoken desires beneath the ceremonial smiles. The couple exchanged hesitant glances amidst the buoyant music and laughter, the festivity contrasting starkly with the weight of duty they bore. The landscape, painted with pastoral beauty, stood witness to a union borne of obligation rather than choice, the couple's inner turmoil masked by the jubilant facade of the village's celebration.

The entire thing puzzled katsuki, she had to remain hidden behind a fan, too far away from the guests for them to see her face, but she still had to be layered with make-up and clothing. The Common hall was known to be hot and humid, so the hair the maids took hours preparing would be too messy to control after the ceremony, it was all so pointless. All she wanted was to get over with it.

She sat in silence as she was paraded around the settlement, people tried to sneak looks at her face, but failed to do so. She maintained her composure throughout the entire festival-like celebration, the perfectly carved mask of indifference never slipped once, even if stress was eating away at her. She was forced to watch everyone drink and dance around to the room in happiness, to celebrate her wedding, the wedding she herself was not allowed to enjoy.
The sight was uncharacteristic for the Uchiha, the compound was usually quiet and sort of gloomy, everyone was too serious and closed off, guarding their feelings with a unique custodial tenacity. Always too en garde, anxious and paranoid, but today they seemed relaxed and exceptionally loose, something she only ever witnessed from the red festival.

Not even the pouring rain dampened the mood of the Uchiha, they enjoyed the evening as it could be their last celebration.

The dainty patting of the rain on the wood faintly lulled her anxious heart as she sat across from the stranger. She stared at him expectantly, hoping that he'd make the first move and try to make a conversation with her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat for the hundredth time that day; The expensive cloth she wore ruffled with every move she made as she tried to find a comfortable position to sit in.
The pitter-patter of the rain effectively filled the silence between them as neither tried to speak first, they quietly stared at each other.

The girl played with strands of her hair in an attempt to lessen the anxiety that had continuously grown ever since the date of her wedding had been set. She attempted to speak to him, but the words died in her throat and she feared she had made a fool out of herself every time she opened her mouth to ask a question or make a comment but the sounds never came out her ceremoniously painted lips.

The male of the equation sighed, equally as lost and awkward as her, but in her mind his action registered as anger or annoyance and it instantly sent her into panic mode. She'd been warned how Madara's hot-head was paired with strength like no other, she would have to watch out for setting him off and being on the receiving end of his terrifying anger.

"Ma-Madara-san, would you like some tea?" She inquired, swallowing her fear and offering him one of the many props she'd been given as conversation-starters. "It is-"

"I've had enough to drink already."

He dept of his voice stunned her, but it was pleasant to nonetheless. All she could afford with the little confidence she was left was a curt nod. This short interaction gave foot to another ten minutes of silence and stolen glances, making the mood even more somber.

They both knew what they were supposed to do, in theory. But neither had any idea of how to do it, not even how to initiate it. Everyone had been very hush-hush about the entire theatrics, studies were limited to what goes in where and the possible -and expected- outcome of said act. Both too young and uninterested in the prospect of sex, or completely foreign to it.

Madara's ego wouldn't allow him to admit he had no idea what he was supposed to do in a situation like this, and Katsuki's fear and hesitance would not allow her to make the first move, so they continued to just sit there in expectancy.
Thunder rumbled just outside the house, causing them both to lightly flinch.

"Are you..." Madara started, annoyed at the silence and heavy atmosphere, but the words were harder to pronounce than he originally expected. "Are you... prepared?"

"Prepared?"

"Yes... I heard- I was told that women must be prepared before..."

A candle flickered and the rain slightly died down, the ambient became even more tense.

Katsuki's eyes were wide and her face reddened even more, to an impossible red; Madara tried to hide his blush with a frown and looking somewhere else. They both tried to find the proper words to say, but nothing came up. Incertitude befell over them both, as the candles continued to burn and the pressure of consummating the marriage perched over them like a ton of boulders. They both stood and faced each other, the first to move was Katsuki, she slowly loosened the robes around her body, prompting Madara to do the same.

A cry of pain left the girl and he flinched, scooting as far away from her as he could, discomfiture paired with concern flooded over him, he reached out to her only to notice the tears streaming down her face. He hastily searched for water, clumsily pouring it and handing it to her. A sharp hiss left her lips as she sat up; A thin layer of seat covered her forehead and a few beads slid down her neck and cheeks.

"I-" She cut herself off before inhaling, urging herself to continue. "I do not wish to continue..."
Her words came out more of a mumbled mess than a proper sentence, but Madara understood her perfectly, he also didn't want to continue. He had heard men speak of the experience as pleasurable and pleasant, this was neither; They were both in pain and uncomfortable.

The pair, tangled in the web of an enforced matrimony, stumbled through the labyrinth of an unfamiliar intimacy on their first night together. Neither equipped with knowledge nor experience in the realm of physical union, they found themselves navigating uncharted waters, stricken with a profound sense of bewilderment and vulnerability. As the night unfolded, the weight of expectations intertwined with the anguish of their shared inexperience, casting a haunting shadow upon the dimly lit room. The silence that hung heavy between them mirrored the unspoken shame and the ache of inadequacy. Katsuki's heart clenched with a blend of confusion and sorrow, feeling the weight of societal pressures that demanded she comprehend a realm that had been utterly foreign to her. Madara, haunted by the ghost of failure and the relentless burden of societal norms, felt an acute sense of shame and frustration, wrestling with his inability to meet the expectations imposed upon him. Their failed attempt at consummation became a bitter testament to their unpreparedness, leaving both submerged in a sea of shame and pain, their hearts heavy with the weight of a shattered innocence and the burden of the clan's judgment.

He wondered how they were supposed to enjoy something so unappealing, did all women cry? Did men enjoy seeing their partners cry? Or did they perhaps enjoy the pain themselves? Questions flooded his mind as he left the room, not wanting to sleep in the same room as his wife. Madara wasn't used to sleeping in company, and the abruptness of the situation didn't allow him to prepare himself for the fact.

"How was it?" A handmaiden asked excitedly, brushing the girl's long hair.

"What?"

"The consummation." she answered as if it should've been obvious, her voice lased with a annoyance at the girl's clueless nature.

"It was painful and uncomfortable, for both of us."

"Its supposed to hurt the first few times, Katsuki-san." The woman giggled, halting her actions for a second. "It will become bearable in the future. Either way, that is for men, we're not meant to feel good during it."

The girl's expression saddened, she thought the experience was of union and mutual gratification, like the books she had read portrayed, but she supposed it was only fiction and reality was always much more grim.

"Oh, I understand."

"Tonight you must go to your quarters and try again; the sooner you are with child, the sooner will Madara's position as heir will be cemented."

"I thought his strength alone was enough for that."

"In theory, but a strong man is able to quickly produce children, is he not?"

"I suppose so..."

Apprehension settled in her chest, causing an uncomfortable ache. Madara could quickly dissolve the marriage if she was deemed unfit, but that wouldn't be beneficial to her in the long run, she would be given the title of infertile and no man wants a wife who isn't capable of birthing a child. She would end up single and dishonored for the rest of her life.

She determined she would swallow the pain and give him children as soon as possible.