It wasn't the morning sun peeking through the shades that startled Chikako awake, it was a loud rap on their bedroom door. A voice too muffled to understand followed it.
Tobirama pulled Chikako against his hard body, stroking his hand over her hip and hummed into her ear .
The knock was repeated, louder and this time they yelled, "Tobirama!"'
Tobirama huffed and mumbled, "first night alone with my bride and they wake me up before sunrise."
The cover fell from him as he sat up and Chikako admired the view and chuckled sleepily. "It's almost sunrise."
"Come on in, " he grumbled, making sure she was covered before the door slid open.
Hashirama poked his head through, already dressed in his armor, he frowned at them. "I'm sorry to wake you so early. Ninja's in the forest outside the main gate. I need you."
The door slid shut with a snick and Tobirama leaned over her, kissing her temple. "I'm sorry to abandon you so early. You don't need to get up if you don't want to."
"I'm fine. Go do your job." She cupped his head and kissed his jaw.
She watched him dress quietly and efficiently in the early morning light filtering in through their window. As he opened the door he glanced back at her, raising one eyebrow and she nodded to him. She was fine, maybe better than she'd ever been.
As the door shut, memories of the night before flooded her. They'd returned from their hot springs break in to find Mito serving dinner. While they ate Chikako had been acutely aware of Tobirama at her side. The brush of his fingers as he passed her a dish or the tap of his knee against hers had sent rushes of electricity through her body, making her nipples hard and her core warm. She'd longed for him to hold her again, to touch her the way he'd touched her in the spring. She didn't fully understand the emotions and feelings racing through her veins, but she wasn't afraid of them either. She trusted Tobirama implicitly. Something she'd sensed but never fully admitted to herself.
Tobirama had been quiet through dinner, offering brief, often single word, answers to his brothers questions. When the meal was over he'd stood and pulled her up beside him. He stretched his arms over his head and yawned widely.
"I haven't slept well in days. Ready for bed, Chika?" He'd met her gaze with a mischievous glint in his red eyes.
She'd glanced at Mito, worried she should be helping with housework she didn't know how to do. Mito had grinned and winked at her. "I'm sure sleeping on the ground hasn't done either of you any favors. Go rest."
That was all the encouragement Tobirama had needed. He'd scooped Chikako up and nearly run to their room, taking the stairs two at a time. Once there, he'd slid the door shut and set her down with a sly smile.
"I think we have some more getting to know each other." He'd caressed the side of her face and waited for her agreement. "Unless you are really tired."
She'd answered by pulling the tie on her wrap shirt and letting it drop to the ground behind her. They'd spent hours exploring each others bodies. She'd traced the scars on him with her fingers and then her lips, relishing the moans her touch elicited. He'd covered her with kisses from her throat down to her core, spreading her legs and burying his face in her. At first she'd been horrified, but his excitement, and the sensation of his mouth and tongue on her, were like nothing she'd ever felt and she'd quickly forgotten to be embarrassed.
When he'd risen and loomed over her she had been a writhing mess, pulling him down to her for fervent kisses while he'd continued to make love to her.
Chikako stretched in the still warm bed, burying her face in Tobirama's pillow and inhaling the scent of him that lingered there. Her body ached pleasantly from the passion they'd shared last night. Her mother had told her she had to be good wife, regardless of her own feelings. Chikako didn't understand the implied warning in her mothers instruction. She'd loved every moment, every brush of Tobirama's fingers and, most especially, the crest he'd pushed her over several times. She hadn't even minded when, after holding her for a while, he'd rolled over her to repeat their lovemaking.
She'd hoped for more this morning, but she also understood the role of responsibility.
She threw back the covers with determination, shivering at the sudden cool air caressing her skin and grimaced as she reached for her clothes. With only two outfits, one of them grimy from traveling, she'd have to figure out how to add to her wardrobe, and wash what she had today.
Even those complications didn't leave her with regrets. Her father had thrust this marriage upon her, but it was turning out to be one of the best things that could have happened. Other than missing her mother she was the happiest she had been in a long time.
Her heart squeezed painfully at the desire to share how things had turned out with her mother and Momo. Perhaps she could send a letter to them with the request they would send to Dai. She was sure both of them would want to know she was not only safe, but very happy as well.
She neatened the bed and made her way downstairs where she found Mito bustling around the kitchen. When she noticed Chikako standing shyly at the door she ushered her in, setting a place at the table for her.
"Did you sleep well?" Mito's eyes twinkled with curiosity.
"Until Hashirama woke us." Chikako grinned ruefully. "It's part of being a village leader's wife, but when the call comes before the sun rises that's a hard thing to remember."
Mito sighed and settled down at the table, pouring herself some tea. "It's frustrating, I'd like to be out there with them, but Hashirama won't let me go on missions since..." Mito's eyes shuttered as she trailed off. "Enough about me, I've hardly had time to get to know you."
"I'm afraid there isn't much to know. I'm the spoiled daughter of a village leader. Until I left Iwa with Tobirama I had never been outside my village, and in the last ten years I'd hardly been off my compound." Chikako shrugged, self-conscious about her past and how she'd been raised. What Mito had said made her even more self-conscious. "Are you a ninja?"
"Of course I am." Mito's lips thinned and her eyes drifted shut as she inhaled deeply. "As an Uzimaki I have great chakra stores, and I'm fairly good at sensing chakra around me. I'm also a Jinchuriki, which is why I'm no longer allowed to go on missions." She harrumphed. "Had I known it would suspend missions the way it has I might not have taken it on."
"Chakra? Jinchuriki?" Chikako's head swirled with words she'd never heard or understood. Once again she was over her head in a village she most definitely didn't fit in. This time she didn't panic, Tobirama would make sure things were okay, but in the meantime she was done being a naive little girl. "I don't understand."
"You aren't a kunioichi?" Mito frowned at her, wrinkling her brow. "Your chakra is low and disorganized. Why haven't you been trained?"
"Kuno—" Chicago faltered on the new word.
"Kunoichi, a female ninja. Konoha is lucky to have a strong kunoichi force, not only to protect the village but to aid our offense as well, should the need arise."
"No..." Chikako took a deep breath, this would probably come as no surprise to Mito, or even Tobirama, "I haven't been trained to fight. I haven't even been trained to take care of myself."
Mito watched her for a long moment. "Is that what you want? Or is it what your father wanted?"
Chikako's shoulders hung. All these changes, and gaps in her upbringing were defeating. She sighed heavily, something that seemed to be a habit lately. "Until a few days ago, those were the same thing."
Mito growled and fisted her hands on the table. "And now?"
This was her chance to change her fate. To show Tobirama she wasn't the useless tool her father had handed over to him for peace. "Now, I want to learn everything I can. I want to have a purpose besides peace."
"That's my girl!" Mito glanced toward the noises at the front of the house and leaned over to whisper to her. "Let's surprise Tobirama with it though, huh?"
Chikako grinned and nodded her head. She'd made her first ally here in Konoha, all on her own.
"What are you two grinning about?" Hashirama settled next to Mito while Tobirama sat down beside Chikako.
"What did you find? Outside the gates?" Mito poured tea for both men and pushed the plate of sweet rolls toward them.
Hashirama frowned at her, but didn't call her on changing the subject.
"Village kids, a little training under their belts, they though it would be fun to scare the guard."
Beside her Tobirama was stiff, his voice gruff when he spoke. "This is exactly why we need a school. To train the younger ninja responsibly."
Chikako brightened, one thing she could do well was organize other people. "I'd love to help! Please, Tobirama, I need to feel useful."
He set his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "You take care of me, that's very useful, but of course you can help with whatever you want. What jutsu do you know?"
Chikako winced. "None, but I'm very good at organization, and I can teach younger children to read and write."
Relief swept through her when he simply nodded, accepting her offer without question.