Tobirama would have preferred to spend the morning with Chikako. Instead he was following Sadao to Hata's office.
"You missed training this morning, is everything alright?" Hata greeted him sharply.
Tobirama bristled and he narrowed his eye at the insinuation that he owed the man an explanation for his time.
Hata's smile suggested he didn't appreciate the unspoken challenge but he let it drop. "Are the six men I selected acceptable to you?"
"They're outstanding choices. Why did you chose not to send Sadao?" Tobirama thought this was a mistake. It would be helpful for Sadao to see how the Uchiha's were living in peace today.
"I did ask and he declined. He's stuck to the old ways. He is older than he looks, closer to my age. We were friends when I became clan leader and he's always stood beside me. I imagine he will retire with me when the time comes."
Tobirama let the subject drop. Older than Hata or not, Sadao needed to catch up even more than Hata did, and time spent in with Madara in Konoha, even if Sadao didn't train, might accomplish that. Tobirama kept his opinion to himself however, while he thought Sadao might benefit from the exposure, he was in no hurry to spend that much time with the man.
"Let's wrap up the final details." They spent the next hour discussing the details of the palanquin and how Maki's things would be transported. In addition to the six men Hata was sending for training, he was sending eight men to carry the palanquin on the rough road. It would be a slow return trip. "If you run into any trouble you should have enough men to help you."
"I have no doubt we'll be fine." Tobirama withheld his irritation at Hata's need to plan and control everything. He liked him but Hata was a man who liked importance, especially his own and while Tobirama held no misconceptions about his place in the world he was also not one to focus on it and make more of it than was necessary. "If we're done here and you don't mind I have something I'd like to see to this afternoon."
"Of course not. Enjoy your last day in Iwa." Hata waved him off.
Tobirama stepped out into the sunshine and breathed a sigh of relief. He was done. No more meetings with that man. He walked over to the koi pond where Chikako was feeding the fish. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her close to him as she relaxed back into him. "How is it that you never jump when I come up behind you. I know I'm being quiet and you don't hear me."
"Are you trying to sneak up on me? To scare me?" She had a chuckle in her voice.
"Not to scare you, but maybe surprise you." He chuckled back. "It's a little disappointing really. I'm one of the most feared ninja alive and I can't even sneak up on my own wife."
She giggled at him and turned to wrap her arms around his neck. "Silly man, I can feel you when you're close. I just know you're there. It's why I didn't panic when those men attacked me on our way here. I knew you were close and would come."
He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll be right back."
She watched him with curiosity as he ran back to their room, returning with a small pack. He pulled her smaller hand into his, marveling at the strength he felt emanating from her. "Come on."
When he started down the path toward the waterfall she leaned into his side, humming in contentment.
The walk was quiet, both lost in their own thoughts. As the water came into view Tobirama grinned at the delight in her eyes. Konoha had a river, but there was no waterfall for Chikako to enjoy.
He set their pack down on a large rock and pulled his armor and shirt off. "Did you want to swim?"
She looked up at him in surprise. "Did you?"
"I love to swim, it's so peaceful. I brought towels so we could dry off and no one will know what we've been up to." He started to remove the rest of his clothes.
Chikako glanced toward the path they'd come down nervously.
"There's no one around, I'd sense their chakra long before they were close enough to see you."
She relaxed and began undressing, folding her clothes carefully and setting them on the rock next to their pack. She gasped loudly at the cold water on her feet as she joined him at the edge of the pond. With a deep breath, she shut her eyes and dove into the water.
Tobirama watched her sleek body disappear under the surface and then steeled himself for the cold as he followed her in. When he surfaced she was treading water. She took off for the other side of the pond and he followed, chasing her through the chilly water as she made her way closer to the waterfall. When she stop close enough that it splashed on them but wasn't a deluge over their heads he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Chikako when your father suggested this marriage I was dismayed. I'd never thought about getting married. I was worried when you came to dinner that night and we were introduced. I assumed that you would be unpleasant and demanding, and you seemed so young." He met her serious gaze and stroked her face, planting a kiss on her chilly lips. "I can't tell you how wrong I was, and how much I love you."
"When I met Mito that first day in Konoha, she told me that she would have named you as the man in Konoha least likely to get hitched." She grinned at him. "I'm glad you decided to change that."
He laughed at Mito's description of him.
"She made me feel so welcome, right away."
"And me? What did I do?" He held her away from him for a moment.
"You made me feel safe, Tobirama. I never worried that you would hurt me. From the first moment we were alone until now I've known that I'm safe with you." She pulled herself close to him, pressing her soft body against his and kissed him.
"You're getting cold. Let's go lay on the bank. I'll warm you up while while we dry off." He grinned at her, loving the ways her eyes glowed at his unspoken suggestion.
She followed him to the shore and helped him spread the towels out, laying back as he covered her with his body, giggling when he suggested it was just for warmth.
Hours later, she lay asleep on his shoulder. Contentment filled his heart. If he could stay here, with her in his arms, for the rest of his life, he would. However, as much as he would like that, it wasn't possible. He shifted her gently, pressing kisses against her as he traced a path from the top of her head to her jaw. When he reached her mouth she groggily returned them with a gentle sigh finally pulling away.
"We should get back for dinner soon. I think father invited everyone he could find tonight. Even mother is coming." She rested her head on his arm before sitting up and pulling the towel around her shoulders. Her eyes were still sleepy and sated.
"I'd rather stay here." He stroked her arm and whispered the words, relishing the shiver they produced. "Sadly, you're right, we have obligations."
The feel of chakra coming toward them made him tense. "You need to get dressed, someone's coming."
She slid behind the rock their clothes were on, grabbing them as she disappeared.
"Whose there?" Tobirama wrapped a towel around his waist as he stood up and Sadao appeared on the path.
"We were wondering where you'd gone. It will be dinner time soon." Sadao's eyes glinted with disapproval and surveyed the area clearly looking to see who else was here. "Are you alone?"
"Chikako and I were enjoying the waterfall. We are just getting ready to head back."
Again Sadao took in what Tobirama was wearing and then he glanced around the area, frowning when Chikako appeared from behind the rock.
"Thank you Sadao, for being sure we wouldn't be late. It was so peaceful here we couldn't resist the urge to have a swim." She smiled at the older man but there was a challenge in her eyes.
Tobirama, used to dressing in mixed company on missions, dropped his towel and pulled his pants on, withholding his chuckle at Sadao's scowl. He bristled though at Sadao's next words.
"You've changed a lot Chikako."
Tobirama snapped his mouth shut when Chikako straightened and leveled her gaze at Sadao, not a hint of fear or shyness in her bearing. "If you mean I'm no longer an innocent girl who does what she's told, then yes. I have changed. I like the person I've become."
"Well, that's one of us."
Tobirama watched him stalk away. When he was out of earshot he turned to Chikako with one eyebrow raised. "Do you enjoy antagonizing him? And how did you get dressed so quickly?"
"Maybe I enjoy it too much?" She pursed her lips ruefully and pulled her underclothes from behind her. "I only put my shirt and skirt on. I didn't want him to see me naked." She raked her gaze over Tobirama's bare chest. "Something that doesn't seem to bother you. He'll tell father, you know."
"Does that worry you?"
"Not at all." She leaned up to kiss him, tracing her fingers over his ribs and around his sides. "Should I be embarrassed that I enjoy my husbands company?"
"Not at all." He kissed her back and finished dressing.