Daily life after marriage with "ice" respect
A grand wedding is like a boulder dropped into a lake; after stirring ripples, the surface eventually returns to calm, though beneath that calm, undercurrents still surge. After the wedding, Uchiha Aoi officially moved into the separate courtyard within the Senju clan's territory, adjacent to the main Tobirama residence, which had been prepared for her long ago. Life seemed forced into a predetermined trajectory by an invisible hand, presenting a deliberately maintained, superficial tranquility.
Tobirama strictly adhered to the promise he had made before the signing of the covenant—"I will fulfill my husband's responsibilities and ensure your safety and well-being." He provided impeccable material support. The courtyard was spacious and bright, its main structure constructed with Hashirama's Wood Release technique, blending the solidity of the Senju clan with the elegant details favored by the Uchiha clan. A small pond was created by drawing water from the courtyard, dotted with a few wisteria plants transplanted from Uchiha clan territory, familiar to Aoi. The servants were carefully selected, including two personal maids brought from the Uchiha clan and nimble and measured servants assigned by the Senju clan. Daily expenses were provided according to the highest standards of the Senju clan, and even rare items from the Fire Nation capital were often sent to the courtyard, as if to prove the Senju clan's wealth and sincerity.
He would try to be home for dinner on time, unless pressed by urgent business. The meal was exquisitely presented, the two of them seated on either side of a low table. During the meal, he would ask in a nearly routine tone, "Is everything going well today?" "What else do you need for the courtyard?" "If there's anything missing, please inform the butler directly." His questions were objective and necessary, as if he were listening to a subordinate's work report. Occasionally, during casual conversation (if that could be considered casual), Aoi would casually mention a particular snack that pleased her, or reminisce about a unique ingredient from the Uchiha clan's territory. The next time they met, that snack, or a similar dish adapted by Chef Senju, would quietly appear at the table. This meticulousness was less about care than a meticulous, impersonal fulfillment of duty—he remembered his "wife's" preferences and provided accordingly, like allocating precise resources for a crucial project.
In village affairs, if Aoi offered suggestions regarding areas of livelihood she was involved in, as long as the logic was clear and feasible, Tobirama would adopt them and give objective recognition in relevant meetings or documents. For example, "The plan for classifying the medication reserves at the neighborhood clinic was based on the opinions of Uchiha... Aoi and has indeed improved efficiency." He acknowledged her abilities, but that recognition was that of a superior recognizing the talents of a subordinate, not a husband admiring his wife's wisdom.
Correspondingly, Aoi struggled to adapt to the new and burdensome role of "Lady Tobirama." She maintained the compound in perfect order, not personally, but through management and planning as the mistress of the household. She carefully observed the internal processes of the Senju clan, learning to handle minor clan matters that did not involve core secrets, how to arrange the division of labor during celebrations, and how to coordinate the duties of different servants, striving to appear less of an "outsider." She maintained close contact with Uzumaki Mito, a cheerful and intelligent woman who was her most important spiritual support and source of information in this unfamiliar land. In public, whether at clan gatherings or village events, she always stood slightly to Tobirama's side, behaved appropriately, spoke cautiously, and maintained a tacit understanding with him, together maintaining the dignity and harmony of this "family" in the eyes of outsiders.
She even began trying to understand the less sensitive, openly discussed village affairs that Tobirama was responsible for, like the cultural curriculum for the lower grades of the Ninja School or suggestions for the classification of the village public library's collection. She hoped that these could become topics for their discussion beyond the weather and food, and that she could use them to better understand the world he inhabited, and perhaps more effectively find her own position and value in this new environment.
On the surface, they were an impeccable couple, fulfilling every ideal of "mutual respect." The husband provided a comfortable life and due respect, while the wife managed the household and behaved with dignity. At informal gatherings, with Hashirama's hearty laughter and Mito's gentle teasing, they even managed to occasionally interact harmoniously.
But only they themselves, and perhaps even the most perceptive observers like Mito, knew the thick, cold ice that lay between them. Their conversations, for the most part, were strictly confined to the realms of "daily matters" ("It's going to rain tomorrow, remember to bring an umbrella"), "official discussions" ("Do you need any additional information on this proposal regarding orphan placement?"), and "necessary information transfer" ("Hashirama-sama invites us to dinner tomorrow"). Like two parallel lines that never intersect, they carefully avoided any mention of personal feelings, past experiences, or true inner thoughts.
Night was the time when this "cold respect" was most fully manifested. They still slept on the same bed, the spacious and comfortable marital bed, created by Hashirama's Wood Release technique. But there seemed to be an invisible boundary between them, strictly observed by both parties. They each occupied one side, leaving a gap between them that was wide enough for another. Their breathing was audible in the silent night, and they could even feel the subtle vibration of the mattress when the other turned over. Yet, the distance between their hearts was greater than that across a courtyard. Like two strangers forced to share an apartment, they observed basic etiquette, not intruding on each other, and not getting too deep into each other's affairs.
Tobirama's thoughtfulness and diligence are more like the perfectly rational execution of a social process called "marriage." His care is based on contracts and obligations, a meticulously calculated optimal solution, rather than genuine affection or a man's natural affection for a woman. He perhaps believes that providing a stable material environment, respecting some of her opinions, and maintaining a superficial harmony is fulfilling all his responsibilities as a husband.
Aoi's efforts, however, were tinged with a sense of cautiousness, a constant wariness. She appreciated the material support he provided and recognized his abilities as a village administrator, but she couldn't fully separate the calm, controlled, and calculated man before her from the memory of the "Senju Tobirama" who had taken her loved ones on the battlefield. His every act of thoughtfulness, while bringing a faint warmth, also reminded her of the nature of their relationship: a transaction. Every attempt to approach him was like a hand testing the water's temperature, quickly withdrawing upon contact with the chill of the ice.
Uchiha Izuna's death, like a lingering ghost, hovered between them, forming an invisible yet indestructible barrier. Aoi could never truly forget that it was Senju Tobirama's technique that led to Izuna's brother's grave injury and ultimate death. It was a pain etched into the very bones of the Uchiha clan, an indelible scar in her personal memory. Whenever she gazed upon Tobirama's calm, crimson eyes, or sensed his businesslike aloofness, the hatred and pain would quietly surface, shattering the little bit of accommodation and comfort she had just built.
And Tobirama, with his keen insight into human nature, might have long been aware of this deep wound. He understood the pride of the Uchiha and the weight of loss. Therefore, he chose this distanced approach, avoiding any potential irritation. Not overstepping boundaries, not probing, not expecting anything—perhaps in his view, this was the most rational option to maintain the stability of this fragile relationship and avoid further conflict. In his own way, he carved out a safe zone for her, while also preserving a serene space for himself.
Shadows linger, the ice remains unmelted. Their relationship, beneath this seemingly calm, yet shrouded in undercurrents, resembles a traveler trudging across a polar ice sheet, each step treading on slippery yet treacherous ice, slowly and arduously searching for a possible, yet elusive, exit. Sunlight occasionally peeks through the clouds, casting a fleeting speck of light on the ice, but melting this endless chill will require far more warmth and time.
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