Naruto woke early the next morning, routine slotting into place as he got up with rumpled too large shirt, hair in its equal, crusted drool on his chin and a haze over his eyes. Still, he got up as usual rather intent on waking- an odd decision for him as he was most certainly one who hated mornings. On his mind however was how rather pensive, even distressed his husband had been last night, it had been uncomfortable to see the controlled man in such a state. Thus he wanted to do something special for the man as a small surprise, and perhaps for himself. The selfish want of his husband's smile -small though it may be would serve to comfort his own straining and taring mind.

However in having exiting the bed he noticed he had been the only one to be in the bed- his brows furrowed for a moment. He dressed then and left the bedroom to find his astray bed partner. Finding him to be at the table staring a little mystique at his phone. Thin lips and morose expression casting over his eyes with a sharp shadow. With yesterday still fresh in his mind Naruto could only fathom it to be the root of the dour aura, forgoing his plans he instead sat at the table across from his husband and leant over the surface with his arms crossed. Waiting for acknowledgement, though its mildest form came as the man's eyes rested on him- their red glint prominent underneath their deep indigo colour. Madara said nothing for several calm and contemplative moments. However it was a letter next to him, manilla and in contrast to the wood tabletop, it had been opened and as Madara slid the unfolded letter beside it to him with no word spoken. It was odd in its own way and Naruto did cast him a confused glance for it, nevertheless he pulled it forward.

A surprise to hear from you again after 10 years of silence. Interesting to watch your career flourish in the military. With your escape I did not expect you to dive back in to your old ways. Well, I'm sure you have your reasons. It is a surprise in itself you managed to keep yourself so hidden for so long as is. Nevertheless your return will be well welcomed amongst those who lived while you lead. Family being what it is I suppose.

To answer your question: Yes the assistant has taken the leading role, as everything in this business is, the circumstances are complicated. Shortly spoken, him and weasel had a personal argument which had the latter step away from the role, and now theres a duality in the clan. I wouldn't say split loyalties necessarily, rather an uncertainty. Your line does command loyalty among the family, even if there are disagreements in method. It will be assuring to have reliable leadership instead of this ridiculous tug of war occuring.

The weasel maintains a presence in the south district: 2LC@9#342.

I would advice candour black kite.

~ Scarecrow

Naruto stared in much confusion for several long moments, re-reading twice to make certain he made no mistake as to the phrasing. When understanding he hadn't he stared at his husband for several silent moment, his gaze much the same in intensity as the other man. Blue glinted as cold ice in serious evaluation as they both made serious evaluation of each other. Naruto measured himself in his mind, he measured the man afore him, the man he loved and reckoned with himself with all he knew of Madara. From interpretation to implication, he closed his eyes eventually breathing through his nose giving in to his own doubts, holding back from showing what the clog in his throat meant. Was the showcasing of the letter to him intended to act as a confession? If so Naruto was near wishing he couldn't comprehend it. Did Madara know he did? He stared once more at his husband hoping for a denial- a shake of the head, a smirk to the joke- he gained neither, only the letter being pulled away from him with scarred fingertips.

Madara stood and Naruto remained sat at the table tracing the indentations and patterns with his eyes. He wished for a sound to break the silence, but Madara seemed determined to complete the room with nothing and there was indeed nothing. His feet made no sound as he walked towards their bedroom, the door did not make its common clicking noise as he opened it, not even the sound of breathing came from the man as he had walked past. Naruto sat back in the chair, feeling suddenly heavy, the feeling of fog in his head as he tapped his finger against the table. He didn't know what to do, and in reality he wanted to simply be sixteen again in the comfort of his husband's presence, ignorant of everything he was beginning to understand.

He stood, and walked to their room, met with the back of the man he loved. He wore a simple black turtleneck that clung tight to his form and proudly displayed his impressive build. Normally Naruto knew he would have been distracted by the sight, at least for a moment, but his mind was not working that way. He silently watched as clothes were pulled from the closet, folded, and put into a considerably small suitcase. It made tears form in blue eyes, and terrible flashbacks hit him with a blunt force. He had planned to be stern, his best version of it anyway, asking the questions he had with a blunt stoicism and rational ears, as Madara always did. However, with the wretched battered suitcase in his view and the packing ongoing, the back facing him and continual silence he could not find the resolve. He wrapped his arms around his husbands figure, holding tight, feeling the comfort of the muscles beneath him and the rhythmic breathing underneath his palms.

Madara stilled, and Naruto took that as a good sign. But he did not know what he wanted to say, he had originally formed line of questions for the man, a plan. Now those carefully structured 'why's and what's' were gone from his mind. He pressed his cheek against the strong back just relishing in the feel of it. "Madara, just tell me what's going on. Please?" Wanting for just a simple explanation, an explanation or a confirmation that his dreaded fears were true; maybe in such a state he would rather just an easy answer would be best, direct and blunt, no denials. It was how Madara normally spoke, Naruto was aware he was attempting be more delicate- but that wasn't his husband. The man he knew was direct, blunt and serious, a commander with a dominant personality and a no-nonsense attitude- he didn't dance around an issue.

The packing stopped, as did Madara's movements, he just stood stock still for a moment before reaching for the box by the nightstand. It was the one Naruto had noticed the man had moved, but hadn't payed it a mind, he had always known it to be special to his spouse, though not why. He had never considered it his business, if Madara wanted to tell him, then he would, and it seemed now was such a time. He plucked up two items from the box and placed them on the mattress, not a word made, which had Naruto's anxiety spiking up. Nevertheless he looked down the to items. A pistol laying there, on their bed, and a photograph with two very familiar faces staring back up at him.

The first was very obviously Madara, albeit with far shorter hair- around his midback, a fit figure stuck in expensive black suit sitting on a plush high back chair. Blank expression with a frigid gaze on the camera. His hand was holding onto the young boy's standing next to him. Who had a grumpy visage and mused black hair carefully falling around his face, dark eyes very obviously telling he didn't want to be there. His suit was fitted too, a lighter shade of navy, one hand in a pant pocket. Naruto would have been able to recognize him from a mile away. He had known that same face since kindergarten. It was Sasuke, the one he had known in middle school- perpetually grumpy and arrogant- with the occasional nice moments that threw you for a loop. They looked so much alike, Sasuke appeared how Naruto imagined Madara might have looked like at that age.

Naruto swallowed heavily at the sight, thinking about how he had known his husband's son in middle school. That the boy he had imagined himself marrying in his preteens was now his son-in-law.

Beside both of them was another man, quite different then both his husband and former bed-partner. He had long hair, straight as could be opposite to Madara and Sasuke's wavy hair. Jet black, with eyes much the same -though because of the camera angle Naruto could see a flicker of crimson where the light reflected on the retina. He was young too, but he had deep stresslines down his face from his eyes, much like how Madara's curved around his eyes. His suit was a crimson so dark it almost looked brown, both his hands in his pockets. Naruto knew this was Itachi, Sasuke's brother, he had only met the man once when he had been very young, he did remember he had been so... tender with both of them. And it was plain to see in the image that his expression was the only one with a warmth.

Unable to resist, the blond reach down, one arm still secure around the firm figure in front of him. Blue eyes flickered fast away from the pistol as delicate fingers grasped the photograph. Staring at it in more depth, examining each of the three faces closely, it was hard to spot but there was the smallest-tiniest flick up of the lips on Madara's mouth and the hand holding his sons looked to actually be quite tight, not loose. Sasuke was very close to pouting but his hand was gripping his father's hard too.

"That was taken a few months before I left the family." The rumble was vibrating, but the baritone was pitched higher then normal. A large hand covered the one Naruto had around his husband's waist, warm, but it shook ever so slightly- the smallest tremor, but there nonetheless.

"It wasn't supposed to be for long." But it had been, and perhaps he couldn't give an explaination for why it had been. Because the hand over his gripped almost painful, alongside the sudden tension of all the muscles of his back- and Naruto imagined his entire body. "No doubt they found out I was in the military, they knew I was alive..." Mummbles, and no matter how hard he straine, Naruto's ears could not hear anything coherent, he settled against the man's back relaxing his hearing, maybe he didn't need to know, maybe it was just too private.

"Madara." He waited a little in silence before speaking again, his voice more quiet then he would've liked, it wasn't very assertive. But he put that to his lips feeling so tight. "Are you part of the yakuza?" Despite the reality, it felt as a punch to his gut, violent and brutal to say- oh too loud. The chest he held rose high and did not fall for many long moments.

"It seems as though I am." It made his throat tighten, and Naruto buried his face in the muscle beneath his cheek, his arms shaking now. Focusing on the fabric beneath his fingers, and gripping it tight enough so that his husband could feel pricks from his nails digging into the rather elastic material. Impossible to miss and just a pin prick of painful- it was the only real protest he could make. For his part, Madara didn't react, he didn't move, he didn't flinch away, and that had Naruto stopping quicker then he thought he would. His arms went lax, and dropped to his sides, head feeling so heavy when he raised it away from his husband's back.