* TIME SKIP *

It had been a little over two months since their wedding. Madara had now been slowly walking throughout the Uchiha district, on his way to pay Izuna a visit. His condition had been growing more troubling, Madara's lips mulled into a thin line at the thought of his last brother suffering yet again from the hands of the Senju.

Though unknown to her, Ayumi had comforted Madara through this hard time. He was sure he'd lose both his parents soon, and if destiny allowed it to happen, Izuna too. She was all he had left, Madara thought. His safe haven, and he would protect her with all his might.

Madara looked up to the night sky, and every time he saw the moon he thought of Ayumi. She didn't pry too much when he had to make unannounced visits to Izuna, and she often respected his boundaries. He hadn't made a mistake marrying her, Madara was certain about that.

It didn't take too long until Madara reached his old family house, sliding the shoji door. His eyes immediately fell to the piles of paper stacked neatly on a low table. Madara made his way through the shelter which had been too familiar to him, his weight slowly creaking on the tatami mats.

"Madara?" He heard a deep muffled voice, and he turned around to meet the source of it. A fond smile, though small, grew on Madara's face. He slid open the door to his room.

"Izuna." Madara sat cross legged beside his brother, who had been laying down on a futon. Izuna, though wincing in pain, had quickly sat upright.

The state of seeing his brother weak had trembled Madara's heart. "Izuna. Let me see your wounds."

"No." Izuna spoke proudly.

Madara could understand where his brother had been coming from, maintaining his dignity even though his health had been withering. "Stop being like that. And let me see it."

Izuna's shoulders slumped.

"Nevermind me." Izuna itched his forehead, his yukata slipping off his shoulders to expose his torso. "You should check up on father and mother."

"I will." Madara inspected his back, taking out the ointments he had prepared specially for wounds like his. "Right after I see you."

Izuna slightly flinched when he felt the cold ointment touch his skin, but he quickly frowned.

"Nii-san." Izuna spoke solemnly.

Madara hadn't heard Izuna call him by that for a while now.

"Ah?" Madara continued.

"I don't think I have much time left. And besides, that medicine you bring doesn't really fix what's going on inside. Just takes care of the mess from outside." His eyes cast to the floor.

Izuna hadn't been entirely that off, and that's what slighted Madara, as he frowned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I know that." Was all the Uchiha could work up to say. But if Madara could do something to even bring his Izuna a temporary comfort, he would do just that.

It stayed silent as Madara continued his work.

"How is Ayumi?" Izuna broke the brewing silence, a smile forming on his face. "You know, I really like her. Just talking about her makes me smile."

Madara had mentally agreed with Izuna. She had a way with Madara that was comforting without being boldly annoying. Madara cracked open another ointment, his movements were both practiced and swift. And particularly gentle, especially with his brother.

"She's doing well." Madara said, scooping some of the topical gel with his fingers. "What about... Naomi?" Madara hesitated to ask, but he would want the same happiness for Izuna as well.

Izuna bit the bottom of his lip, his pupils trembling for a slight second.

"I've ended things with her seeing as my life is fading by the second."

Madara continued with his movements without hesitation, but the hurt in his brother's voice touched his heart.

Madara frowned. "Understandable. I-"

"Please protect her." Izuna gripped the fabric of his yukata. "And Ayumi too. Protect the Uchiha."

Madara narrowed his eyes, staring into his brother's back. "I intend to."

-

Madara stood up, scrubbing his hands in a tub of hot water he had placed near Izuna. He dried his hands with a cloth.

"Is father sleeping?" Madara asked.

Izuna shook his head. "Most likely not. Here, I'll come with you."

Madara helped Izuna stand up.

"Ayumi is going to give me an earful if she ever finds out you're this sick." Madara held his brother's arm over his shoulder.

Izuna winced slightly. "I'm sure she'll be understanding. She's done enough for me, the both of us actually."

Madara nodded, and they continued to walk quietly throughout the halls.

Izuna looked up at his brother. "But I can even see that something's changed in your eyes nii-san. You were always so callous with others but it's almost as if Ayumi has tamed you. She's your calming force."

"Izuna..." Madara looked down at his limping brother. Madara felt sad, and that was the one emotion he felt comfortable enough expressing around his brother.

"Now's not the time for moping. I just thank you for the things you've done." Izuna said.

Madara bit the inside of his cheek, eyes narrowed ahead. He could already hear his father's muffled coughing through the shoji. But Madara swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "I wish it could have been more." Madara said.

-

"Chi chi." Madara sat beside his father, who had been laying down in a futon, a washcloth on his head. His old age had been catching up to him.

"My sons." Tajima looked at the both Izuna and Madara. "I'm so proud of the both of you."

The brothers fell silent, sparing each other a solemn glance. Tajima coughed.

"Father." Izuna grew worried, leaning in.

"Don't speak too much." Madara said.

"Always been giving orders, even when I'm on my deathbed." Tajima grunted as he brought a pained hand to his torso.

Madara sighed, it had been a force of habit, a natural streak of a clan leader.

"You should let Ayumi know. Don't hide." Tajima croaked. "My advice? Always be honest with her."

Madara's eyebrows knit at the weak state of his family members. It had become too much to bear. But his father had a point, Tajima was a man revered for his honesty despite his terrifying lineage. "I'll see to that." Madara spoke coolly.

"When Ayumi came over to let me know of your relationship," Tajima started, as he attempted to sit up. Izuna and Madara helped their father. "It was clear to me that the both of you were total opposites. She cared for the weak, meanwhile you did not. I worried that your life as a shinobi would destroy your inherent humanity. I asked Ayumi to be a sheath for your ungovernable rage." Tajima's eyes fell to the floor. "Your mother was much like that to me." He stared at his sleeping wife beside him.

Madara looked down. Maybe his father had been right.

* A BIT LATER *

Though Madara strolled in the midst of the night with a heavy heart, his footsteps were calm and he walked with intent. Madara was eager to return to his wife and coming clean, and he would be ready for a lecture on how he should have done so earlier.

-

The Uchiha slid the shoji door slowly, so as to not wake up Ayumi. He eyed her back, which had been rising and falling slowly, but it had been already too late as she turned around to meet his pained expression.

Ayumi rarely saw Madara look like this. She knew something was wrong. Her relaxed expression quickly dropped.

"Madara?" She said, leaning on her palms forward. She patted the empty spot on the futon beside her, motioning for him to sit. Madara did so, still eyeing her darkly. Her presence had indeed been reassuring to Madara already.

Ayumi's eyebrows knit as her concern grew. "What's the matter?"

"Promise me one thing." Madara said. His tone was cold and firm, and it gave her goosebumps. It reminded her of the times during the warring states.

She swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Yes. I promise." Ayumi nodded.

"You will not become angry." Madara said, looking deeply into her eyes for some sort of reaction. But unexpectedly, she laughed.

She brought a hand up to her lips once she calmed down. She looked up at him.

"You're telling me the leader of the Uchiha clan is afraid of his wife's anger?" She looked at him with one eye open.

Madara scoffed. "It's because I'd rather not see you aggrieved." He didn't like upsetting her.

"Well, you have my promise." She looked serious, and she leaned forward. "Is it bad news?"

Madara slide his arms into his yukata's sleeves, crossing them. There was no possible way to sugarcoat the truth.

"Izuna is dying." Madara looked away, "And my parents are falling ill."

Though he could not see, Ayumi bit her lip, as his words weighed heavily on her heart. She had many brushes with death in the past before, but to hear his own blood suffering affected her in a different way. Madara's deep sadness had also been hers.

"Judging by your lack of surprise, you knew." Madara looked at her.

She nodded. Madara was insightful. She had recalled bumping into Izuna at the market. "I had an encounter with him a couple of weeks ago, and I could tell something wasn't right. I thought it was a fever of some sort, I didn't know that..." Ayumi looked down, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She hated crying. If I had noticed back then something was wrong, maybe...

Madara felt uncomfortable seeing her cry, he didn't know how to console his crying wife. Should he reach out a hand and comfort her? Or just sit silently?

"We're shinobi, we never know when we'll live or die." Madara said, his tone came out more callously than he had intended. Madara wrapped his hand around her wrist, and it forced her attention back to his eyes.

"My jutsu didn't work." She stared at her palm.

"Iya." Madara flickered his palm in the air. "There is no time in pondering. You did what you could."

Ayumi sadly looked at the floor, but she suddenly got up, packing her belongings. Madara watched her.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"To your family house. I can't just sit here while they're in pain. I should do something." Ayumi moved quickly.

Madara closed his eyes smiling.

He admired her ambition. "They're sleeping. I took care of them. Tomorrow we can visit."

Her knees hit the floor, slumping, completely defeated.

"I am sorry, Madara. You really don't show it but I know this must be hard on you." She played with the hem of her yukata.

Madara sighed. "Just come here."

"Mm?" She crawled back to her spot on the futon.

Madara tugged her wrist, and he met her lips, encapsulating her into a kiss. She leaned forward.

He let go, placing a hand under her jaw. His touch was cold but his eyes were warm. Ayumi didn't need to hear it in words to know what that kiss was for. He felt gratitude towards her. Madara was thankful.

They both slid under the covers, Ayumi rested her head on Madara's chest.

"I wish I could have done more." Ayumi frowned.

Little did she know those were the same exact words Madara had spoken to his own brother.