An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 21

The rock he sat on was warm, just like his heart, as he watched Chikako put her clothes back on. He marveled at the love he felt for a woman he hadn't even known just four months ago. She'd transformed him from distant, and even cold at times, to a man who couldn't wait to spend time with her, both in and out of their bed. The thought put a spring in his step and he stood up to take her hand.

"I stayed busy training, but I missed you too." She squeezed his hand tightly. "Do you go away often?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Hopefully, as we barter alliances for peace that will change." He squeezed her hand back. "What other training have you done?"

"Well, Mito's been working with me on some taijustsu and a bit of genjutsu." The enthusiasm in her voice bubbled over him.

"Really?"

Chikako nodded eagerly and pulled her hand from his to form some hand signs. To his surprise the world around them shifted to a watery, thin image of the falls in Iwa where they'd first met. And then, before it could solidify into anything believable, it broke and she was blinking at him and breathing heavily. "It's exhausting, but at least I can manage a whole image now."

"Four months ago you could do nothing, ninja spend their whole lives perfecting their jutsu." He encouraged her as he led her back toward the village. "And sometimes you just need to confuse someone long enough to get away."

They spent the rest of the walk home chatting about what they'd done while he'd been away. He told her about Suna and she told him about the friends she'd made in Konoha.

Their conversation continued over dinner, with many interjections from Mito, as Tobirama told his brother more about their trip in the privacy of their home. Finally, he let the topic of his mission tail off and asked the question he'd been thinking since he'd gotten home.

"So when do I get my own home." He glanced around the table and quickly amended his question. "Or rather when do Chikako, Akira and I get our own home?"

"You don't want to stay here forever?" Mito pouted at her brother-in-law.

"It's not..." he was interrupted by both Hashirama's reply and the look of surprise and joy on both Chikako and Akira's faces.

"As soon as you and Chika choose a location I'll get the men working on it," Hashirama replied. "We can go out first thing in the morning."

He nodded and braced himself as Chikako flung herself at him. "Oh thank you!" She planted a kiss on his cheek that had him wondering what the others in the room were thinking and then seemed to think better of her public display and pulled back.

Three days later they were moving into their newly built home. Hashirama had graciously grown some of it with his jutsu and carpenters had taken care of the rest quickly.

They'd spent the morning arranging furniture they'd bought or been given, and filling the small space with their few belongings.

"I wish I had some of my mother's embroidery to hang." Chikako brushed hair back from her face.

"Dai should be back soon, and if he got the message, he'll bring whatever she sends."

The reassurance seemed to comfort her as they walked over to Hashirama's one last time for dinner. Tomorrow night she and Akira would cook their first dinner in their new home.

Tobirama's heart fell when he walked into Mito's kitchen and saw the look on his brother's face though. "What is it?" He'd been home less than a week, he didn't want to travel again. He rebelled at the idea of leaving Chikako behind after so little time with her. In a way, this would have been easier if theirs was just an alliance marriage. Instead of voicing his complaints which would only fall on deaf ears, he took the note Hashirama held out to him and scanned it quickly. His face must have shown more frustration than he'd wanted.

"What's wrong?" Chikako rested her hand on his arm, looking up at him with concern.

"Your father wants me to bring a team to leave in Iwa before he sends Dai home." He sighed heavily, wishing he could damn Hata and his formality to hell, and unwilling to curse Chikako's father in front of her, bit back the anger burning in his gut.

"When?" Despair choked her question, though it was obvious she was trying to be brave.

"He said soon." Hashirama answered for him, no doubt noting the anger he was barely holding at bay.

To his surprise Chikako shrugged. "Well, a trade of ninja was part of the agreement, right? But why does he need you there? Couldn't they travel on their own?"

He frowned at her, struggling with how to explain her father's sense of self-importance and almost relieved when she frowned with him and shrugged.

"Of course father would want you there. He can't just let lowly ninja into his village without their fearless leader, can he?" Derision filled her comment and the snort that followed it. "Well, I wanted some of mother's things, this is how I'll get them."

"Of course," he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, how many times would he leave her behind before she stopped accepting it?

"I'll start packing, when do we leave?" She sat down at the table and served herself noodles.

"Chika..." stunned disbelief washed over him. Did she think she could join them?

"You're not leaving me again, not for a peaceful mission. So, I'll have to go with you. I won't slow your team down as much as I did on the way here, though I will slow you down." Her words trailed off with doubt.

"It's a long trip, Chika." Hashirama spoke slowly.

She shot his brother a look not many would have the courage to give him and huffed. "I've made it once already. And I'm stronger than I was four months ago."

Tobirama and Hashirama looked at each other and then Mito for help.

"I think it's a great idea." Mito surprised them both with her support. "I'm sure she's missing her mother and friends. And she's right, she's a lot stronger than she was."

"I agree. And it will speak to the equality we run our village with, which I'm sure isn't the way Hata runs his village." Hashirama sounded satisfied and definitely on Mito and Chikako's side now.

"It certainly will," Tobirama muttered, "if he doesn't kill me for bringing her back."

Chikako giggled at his side. "I think you're being dramatic, Tobirama. But thank you for agreeing to let me join you. I can't wait to see my mother and Momo."