As always, corrections are very welcome :)

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It's been two months since Madara's return.

Asami could clearly see how much better he was doing here than in Konoha, where he had so many responsibilities which caused him to feel pressured and stressed which lead to him being grumpy and short-tempered. Those characteristics were already a part of his personality, though, but he was obviously more relaxed now.

Loud wails filled the room and Asami pressed her lips together as she flinched at the shrill sound. Quickly, she stopped what she was doing and dried her hands. The dishes could wait. Taking care of a sick Kouta was way more important at the moment.

The cries only became louder when Asami exited the kitchen and approached the boy that was lying on the couch in the living room. She purposely let him rest downstairs. Not only did she not want to go upstairs every time he started to bawl, she could also keep an eye on him this way.

''Hey sweetheart,'' Asami murmured, gently running her hand through his soft locks when she sat down on the edge of the couch, trying to soothe her son. For a moment, she rested her hand on his forehead and sighed softly in relief. This morning, his temperature was much higher. ''Do you want me to get another cold washcloth?" She asked, brushing her fingers against his skin.

Kouta shook his head wildly, making a few protesting sounds before sticking his arms out. Asami immediately got the message and put her hands under his armpits and lifted him into her arms, rocking him carefully. ''You're tired of being sick, hm?'' She spoke softly, drawing big circles on his back with her fingertips. She knew he liked that, it calmed him down, so she kept repeating her actions, making the same shape on his back over and over.

Kouta's crying ceased but he didn't move from his position. He was actually quite comfortable like this; his chubby cheek pressed against Asami's shoulder and his arms loosely wrapped around her neck. Even though he was burning up just a few hours ago, the comforting warmth of his mother seemed to lull him back to sleep.

When Asami heard his breathing slow down, she heaved a sigh and leaned back into the backrest of the couch. It wasn't only Kouta who was getting tired of this. Asami had to pause her chores to check on him and if she was lucky, he was asleep, and if he was awake, he'd whimper and whine. He always needed and wanted a lot of attention when he wasn't feeling well, which took up a lot of Asami's time. What made it worse is that Kouta is always rather irritable when he's sick, so he easily starts crying and sometimes he even throws a fit.

She was used to taking care of him on her own until a few weeks ago. After all, she was a single parent for quite some time. Though, since Madara came back, she unconsciously began to rely on him again. She became dependent, and after Madara left, saying he'd be back in a few days, she realized just how much she needed him. Asami found it ridiculous that it was suddenly so hard to handle a situation like this while she was able to manage it much more easily three months ago.

Kouta had also changed. He had spent quite some time with Madara the last few weeks. Going on walks with his father became one of his favorites things to do and he'd often fall asleep on the couch next to his dad, who was often reading a book in the evening. There wasn't much else to do after all.

It's been three days since Madara left and not only has Kouta been sick since then but he's also been asking for his father at least a seven times a day. It was very obvious that he missed him, and he wasn't the only one who wanted Madara to come home. Madara's absence upset Kouta and it affected both him and Asami.

Asami could remember the first time he said he was going to leave very clearly. She completely freaked out, thinking he wasn't going to come back. It turned out that he was only going to be away for a day or two. She had also asked him questions about where he was going at that time. Ever since then, she had never asked him why or where again.

This was the fourth time he left.

Of course, her mind swarmed with questions she desperately wanted answers on, but she wanted him to know that she trusted him, that she was okay with not knowing everything, while she actually really wanted to. On the other side, she was afraid of the answer she'd get if Madara were to give her a proper reply. Something just felt wrong, and it made her wonder if she could really trust Madara. She found the whole situation revolving around Madara's 'trips' to his previous place of residence quite suspicious. The eerie feeling in her stomach told her that she didn't want to know about it, that she was better off not finding out anything about it.

The contrasting feelings and thoughts confused her.

Asami was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the front door open. She slowly got up from the couch, holding Kouta tightly against her chest, making sure to move him as little as possible. Even though Kouta would be excited to see his father again, Asami wanted to let him sleep. Kouta could always see him tomorrow anyway.

When Asami saw Madara, he was still standing near the front door, hanging his coat on the peg. He seemed tired, moving slowly with dark rings under his eyes. Last time he came back, he was also worn out, but Asami had never seen him this exhausted before. ''Welcome back'' She spoke softly, her eyebrows furrowed together in worry. ''Are you alright?''

''I'm fine,'' Madara answered curtly. He appreciated her concern for his well-being, but the fatigue caused him to get a bit tetchy. He didn't mean to reply so rudely. When his eyes fell on the sleeping boy in her arms, he wondered why he was still downstairs at this hour. Normally, the youngest member of the family was already sleeping in his room. ''Why isn't Kouta in bed yet?" Madara asked, following Asami back into the living room.

"He's been sick for the last three days," Asami answered, gently running her hand up and down Kouta's back. ''I've been keeping him close so I can look after him more easily.''

Madara raised his hand and brushed his fingers across his son's flushed cheek. He had picked an unfortunate time to go, leaving Asami behind with an unwell Kouta.

''He's already doing better,'' Asami said, looking down at Kouta with a small smile. ''I think I'm going to bring him upstairs now. I'm pretty tired too and you obviously need to rest.''

Madara simply nodded. His eyes were sore and burned from lack of sleep and his head was pounding. He really needed some sleep.

Asami turned off all the lights before she went up the stairs, Madara not far behind her.

''I'm going to take a quick shower.'' He said, standing in the doorway as Asami went into Kouta's room. After he saw her nod her head in response while she was busy tucking Kouta into bed, he walked to their room.

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''Why haven't you asked anything?''

Asami stopped drying her hair and turned her back to him, opening the closet. ''Do you want me to ask?" She said, pulling a shirt from its hanger and taking the most comfortable pants from the shelf before closing the doors.

Madara sat up on the bed, running a hand through his untamed hair. He already looked better after a night's sleep. ''I just expected you to.'' He said. ''You were pretty insistent the first time I was about to go. That time was also the last time you asked.''

Asami put on the shirt and freed her hair from the collar. ''I've got this feeling that I don't want to know it anymore.'' She answered softly, now fully dressed. ''I just hope that you aren't doing anything you're going to regret.''

Madara watched her closely, wondering why she had changed her mind. He thought she didn't want any more secrets, though this wasn't really something he was hiding from her. Not anymore. He'd tell her if she wanted him to. He only thought it was better if she wasn't involved in it.

"So?" Asami asked, sitting down on Madara's side of the bed. "Are you doing something you might regret?"

Asami carefully studied his face, searching for any kind of reaction that might give her a different answer to her question than the words Madara'd use to reply. She saw something in his eyes, it was just a mere flicker, but she couldn't identify it.

"I am not doing anything I'm going to regret." Madara mumbled, looking away from her, throwing the sheets aside. Before he could even move from his position, Asami leaned toward him and pressing her palm against the mattress on the other side of his body, blocking the way. "Please tell me you aren't doing anything dangerous." She pleaded, her eyebrows knitted together as she moved her hand, covering his with her own. "And I know you don't really know the meaning of that word but you know very well what I'm trying to say."

Madara sighed and turned his hand around, gripping Asami's one tightly. ''It's not anything dangerous,'' He spoke, giving her hand a firm squeeze before letting go, getting off the bed when she pulled her arm back. ''There's nothing to worry about.''

Asami pursed her lips and watched him walk into the bathroom. ''You know I'll always worry.'' She said quietly. ''Especially when I don't know what's going on.''

''You chose not to know, so you shouldn't worry .'' Madara spoke. ''You're only scaring yourself this way.''

Madara's reply made her clench her jaw. It's true that she wasn't making herself feel better with her constant brooding, but there was a lot the fret about with the way they were living. Being carefree was impossible.

There was too much to be scared about.

"I can't help it." Asami breathed. She stood up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom. "It's not a switch I can turn off so easily. I can't not worry." Leaning against the doorway, she waited for his reply.

Sighing, Madara turned on the faucet and used his hands to wash his face. "I'm not telling you to become fearless and be unconcerned about everything that's happening." He muttered, gripping both sides of the sink firmly. He turned his head to face her, water dripping down his face and eventually splashing on the ceramic and on the ground. "Nobody can be like that."

Asami pressed her lips together and grabbed a clean towel from the pile of adsorbent clothes and held it out to him. When Madara tried to take it from her, she dug her nails into the soft material, not letting him take it so easily. "Then what do you want me to do?" She asked. Asami didn't show it, but she was actually quite desperate to know the answer to that question.

Madara looked at her, and then at the towel. Asami knew what he meant and let go of the towel, allowing Madara to pull it out of her hands. He brought the cloth to his face and wiped the drops off his skin. ''What I want you to do,'' He started, letting the hand with the towel hang next to his leg, turning his whole body to her this time. ''Is to have a bit more faith in yourself and also in me. You're stronger than you think.''

Asami blinked. She honestly didn't expect him to say something like that, it was very unlike him to do so. And while she was only thinking of the current situation, Madara was also talking about the past, about everything that made her insecure. ''Faith?'' She mumbled, repeating him.

Madara hummed, rubbing the towel against his face again, but he stopped once he saw Asami's expression. ''What?'' He grunted. ''I'm serious.

Madara's words made her look up to him, and she couldn't suppress a small laugh when she saw a slightly annoyed look his face. ''I know you are.'' Asami replied, smiling softly ''It's just unusual to hear such things from you.''

Madara dropped the towel in the laundry basket and ran a hand through his hair once again. His bangs were becoming long again. They often fell in front of his face, blocking his view. Asami couldn't help but giggle lightly when the strands covered a part of his face again.

She reached out, took a few of his locks in her hand and put them behind his ear. She knew Madara didn't like this, but his own hair wouldn't bother him this way. Her lips twitched up when Madara grimaced and she slid her hand down his neck to his shoulder, eventually pulling him into a hug. His warm body was kind of comforting. Both that and his words alleviated the bit of distress she had been dealing with. ''Thank you.'' She whispered, pressing a kiss against his cheek. ''I'll try to follow your advice.''

Before Madara could even react, Asami had already pulled away. He simply watched her retreating figure as she walked back into the bedroom while sending him a smile over her shoulder.

Though it was a very beautiful smile, Madara could easily see that it wasn't entirely a sincere one.

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Maybe a boring chapter but I don't want to rush to the end. I want it to end properly and I thought the feelings that still need to be sorted out needed to get a bit more attention.

And as always, feedback is very appreciated~