Chapter Text
"I don't know your motives in saving him, so starting your explanation by clarifying them would be a good start."
Konan found herself sitting facing the masked man, her hands sweating around the delicate ceramic where the green tea was already as cold as the drops of sweat dripping down the back of her neck, her eyes glazed over at Madara's slightest movements. The woman had spent the last two nights awake, tending to the deadly wounds covering the body of the dying blond her leader had brought in in a hurry. While changing the damp cloths controlling the terrorist's fever, the kunoichi catches a glimpse of the Uchiha's withdrawn figure watching them from the corner of the room, his chakra pathways focused on something beyond the amber eyes' current comprehension.
Sitting face-to-face with him now, the unusual behavioral signs sounded even more alarming. Madara Uchiha is an unbreakable figure who exudes respect even in the mere ordinary acts of everyday life. Tobi is a childish figure, hiding his real intentions behind silly facades. The man she was talking to now didn't look like any of the Akatsuki leaders' faces.
He looks like a child afraid of being scolded by his mother. His hands fidgeted nervously on the table, a gentle tremor in his broad shoulders, each sentence beginning with a strange curl in his voice, now a little softer than 'Madara's' and with the slight high-pitched ring of Tobi's voice. His feet tapped rhythmically against the floor, breaking the constant silence of the cave without the presence of the other members. His head turned almost imperceptibly, as if he were staring at the blonde lying on the bed and the kunoichi in search of the right words.
It was hard to admit, but these attitudes showed a side of the masked man that managed to soften Konan's heart. As if the man was finally allowing himself to be human, to express something real.
So she softened her gaze when 'Madara' sighed heavily. The cup was abandoned, her hands resting delicately on the firm material of the gloves covering the opposite hands, squeezing the area as tightly as a gentle breeze. A small smile formed on her lips as she felt the masked man's little jump of surprise. Even with that orange wall making eye contact difficult, she could sense when she had his attention.
"I'm sorry if I sounded too inquisitive... but I wanted to make it clear that, despite the context in which we live, you can trust me."
Madara is an intelligent man, and Konan is a woman of few words. She knows that her true intentions were understood when the long fingers pressed timidly against hers. A few seconds passed just like that, plunged into silence.
"He's going to kill me after that..."
That is, until the manly voice burst the comfort bubble, sounding so uncertain.
The Uchiha rose from his chair, still holding the kunoichi's battle-scarred hands. He took a step long enough to cross the small table, standing next to the azure one. Trembling, he pulled the tangle of fingers towards his lower abdomen, pressing the spot until the wide black cloak was stuck to the almost non-existent bump deforming his well-defined abdominal muscles.
Konan felt the palm of her hand burning warmly with the concentration of chakra there. The Uchiha's blazing chakra enveloped a much smaller, delicate mass of chakra, protecting a green spark that still seemed to be developing, but which was clearly perceptible with proximity.
Amber eyes opened like plates, the woman's lips forming silent, clipped words. She felt the bump, feeling the small fragment of power dancing in harmony with the energy concentrated in the palm of her hand, 'Madara's' chakra becoming less aggressive as he noticed the curiosity of the touch.
"How long has it been?"
"8 weeks."
"How did you find out?"
"Anomalies in my chakra."
"Oh dear!"
Konan counted in her head the number of dangerous missions the masked man had carried out over the last two months, feeling her body grow colder as she remembered that they were surrounded by unstable people who fought with each other constantly, especially when they combined Deidara's short temper with Tobi's constant provocations. The Uchiha was not someone who needed to be protected; his abilities went far beyond the exceptional, but the blue one is also a woman of great compassion.
Living in such a stressful environment is not safe for a pregnancy, which 'Madara' seemed willing to maintain, since he hadn't gotten rid of the fetus so far. Both of their lives were at constant risk, whether at the hands of an enemy or an angry companion. Luckily, the Uchiha's own body had adapted to the aggressive environment and decided to focus mainly on the baby growing inside him, causing the abnormalities mentioned earlier.
They had to think of a solution urgently. Perhaps Nagato could be of help. Itachi also sounded trustworthy, even if he didn't have the best track record. Deidara and Hidan are out of the question. Sasori is dead; Kakuzu would have no interest in helping. Kisame is a possibility, while Zetsu remains on the kunoichi's distrust list.
All these names brought a single thought to Konan's mind:
─ Who's the father?
The question was asked carelessly.
The masked man carefully released her hand and sat down again. A glowing red eye appeared through the opening in the mask, staring at the terrorist's unconscious figure with an almost palpable tension, the muscles in his shoulders so locked that it was painful to move them. Clearly, an indirect answer to Konan's question.
She couldn't imagine how those two had been able to conceive a child.
Deidara was very clear about his dislike of his new battle partner, requesting a change of partner at least four times a week, consuming Konan and Pain's minds with hours of complaints. 'Madara' also complained about the stone ninja's explosive nature, explaining how this could affect the organization's development and get in the way of the missions to capture the tailed demons, as well as hitting the masked man's sensitive nerves. They hated each other, with no room for questioning.
"It was an accident while catching three tails. We stayed in a hotel that seemed normal at first. There, the owners served desserts drugged with potent aphrodisiacs to steal from travelers. We realized the trap too late, so to alleviate the effects of the drug, we decided to offer a truce and a helping hand."
"That explains a lot...thanks for your honesty."
"I'm entrusting my most precious possession into your hands, Konan."
I hope you won't break my trust. She got the message.
"Can I be the baby's aunt and godmother?"
This question broke the tension like a powerful punch in the gut, drawing a hearty laugh from the masked man. It was low, but still in the sweet tone of voice of this new side of the Uchiha, free of the maniacal tone that tainted his other laughs.
Konan's eyes lit up at this discovery, a gentle smile cutting across her cheeks. 'Madara' had not only saved Deidara from certain death in his battle against Sasuke. He had opened a portion of his heart to the rain kunoichi, trusting her like a younger brother. That's the side of the masked man she wants to keep alive.
Slowly, the Uchiha recovered from his fit of laughter, keeping an amused tone to his words.
"Talking like that, you sound more excited than I, obasan!"
"I'm not trying to steal your baby, okāsan!"
They both let out an exclamation of indignation, starting a brotherly argument about the honorifics used.
The atmosphere became as light as a feather, with only the two of them starting to talk about trivial matters while they sipped the tea that the kunoichi had reheated. The masked man's hands resting on his belly in a relaxed manner, accepting that Konan was no threat, made the woman's heart warm. They took periodic breaks to tend to the blonde, planning what their lives would be like from now on.
It wouldn't be easy, but they would manage.