After that, Mizura posted guards around Sen's home to ensure she didn't leave. However, the sly girl felt out the situation for a few nights before concocting a plan to escape and go to Madara's. Soon enough, the routine of leaving a shadow clone in her house while she stayed with Madara became second nature. One of the shinobi that Mizura left to guard her house had been a longtime friend of Sen's, and she knew even if he were to find out her escapades that he would remain silent on her behalf.

She moved more quietly around the village nowadays, slightly worried that at any minute Tobirama would confront her. The last thing she wanted was to talk to him about their marriage because once that happened, it would all feel too real. She stayed hidden in the shadows as best as she could, praying that this all would work out in her favor somehow.

The sun had just begun to break whenever Madara ran his hand up Sen's side and wrapped her in his arm. He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair, breathing in the soft sweet scent of her locks. She woke up and smiled softly. This was her favorite part of the day, whenever Madara would scoot closer to her and slowly fall back asleep for a few minutes.

She felt sheltered from the tragedies of the world whenever she was in his embrace. The past months had been hard on her, but at least he had been there through her sorrows. She thanked the gods for him for the millionth time. In all of her wildest dreams, she never imagined falling so deeply in love, and much less it being reciprocated with the same loyalty.

Sen sauntered between being asleep and awake for a while longer before her and Madara both got up and readied for the day. They sipped coffee as she sat on the kitchen counter with Madara between her knees. He sat his cup on the counter and kissed her forehead before becoming atypically soft spoken, "I really love you, Sen."

She felt every bit of the sincerity behind his words. Her smiling lips were still pressed against the rim of her coffee cup as she replied, "I really love you too."

Madara thought he would never feel love again after Izuna's passing, but every time Sen even crossed his mind, his heart swelled with the familiar old emotion. It felt strange upon its initial emergence, as if he shouldn't be giving in to his heart; however, that damn Hyuga girl had made it impossible. The clan leader knew he was wrapped around her finger, and he would be damned if he thought it a bad thing. He loved this woman and she loved him.

"Let's go watch the stars soon," she suggested with a warm grin.

He hummed in agreement before giving her another kiss on the forehead. After that, they had a small breakfast before she slipped out with a long, warm kiss and quietly returned to the Hyuga compound.

While going about her usual morning, there was a knock on her door. She clucked her tongue nervously and hoped it wasn't Mizura on the other side. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with him this morning. The steps to the front door felt like they took an eternity as she slowly turned the knob.

Her eyes widened a bit in shock as she asked, "Tobirama?"

The stern-faced man nodded and greeted her before asking if he may come in. She replied with a stutter that he could and then mechanically went to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. She sat the steaming kettle on the table and took her place across from Tobirama, who was silently watching her with his intense scarlet eyes.

"Is there something I can do for you, Tobirama?" she asked, suppressing her nerves while pouring a cup of tea for both himself and her.

He thanked her and said that he only wished to come by and become more acquainted with her, seeing as they were to be married soon. Hearing him say that made her insides twist. Her head bobbed while she was thinking of a way out of this situation. However, she couldn't think of anything that would deter the man. She could say she was sick, but it hadn't worked the last time and she doubted it would now.

"Have you been well? Mizura has seemed... unsettled... recently," the Senju spoke after a few moments of quiet.

She answered blankly, "I've been fine, and you?"

"As I have."

"That's good."

"Mhmm," he hummed.

They were silent once more. Sen broke the quiet by asking if there was anything more he needed from her. He was a bit stunned by the blunt question, but he shook his head and said he didn't come here with an agenda.

Like I believe that, she thought quickly. A pragmatist like you, Tobirama? You would never come by just to get more acquainted with a woman you don't give a damn about marrying.

She captured his eyes with hers and asked, "Do you want to marry me, Tobirama?"

He measured her carefully before saying he wasn't against the idea. She nodded and responded in a monotone, "I don't think I have to tell you where I stand on the subject."

"I gathered enough details whenever you stormed off the night of the announcement," he calmly commented. He then cocked his head a bit and continued in his deep voice, "But for the life of me, I can't begin to understand why you would be so willing to give yourself to a brute like Madara. What could you see in such a ruthless and bloodthirsty man?"

Sen sipped her tea, unbothered by his harsh words and spoke, "The Madara that I know and love is a different man than you grew up against in battle, Tobirama."

"It still makes no sense that you love him."

A shrug fell off her shoulders and she sighed with a faint smile. Her mind replayed the tender moments between her and her lover earlier in the morning. Her heart warmed at the memory and she whispered in a serene tone, "I've found that where love is concerned, reason tends to be lost."

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