Uchiha Akai was anything but an ingrate.
He'd studied the human body and the principles of medical ninjutsu before. It was mostly out of interest during his Academy and war days, when the late Senju Tsunade championed its importance on the battlefield. Later, as a civilian, he'd study from time to time to take care of Yumeka better.
Of course, with his lack of Chakra control, the only injuries he'd been able to treat were paper cuts and dry skin. But he assumed a few things from Kushina's words and his somewhat deep understanding of the human body.
Pregnancy naturally increased the risk of blood clots. Upregulated clotting factors prevented excessive bleeding during birth and relieved pressure in the blood by the growing uterus. Estrogen and other hormones released made the blood more prone to clotting, too. He couldn't imagine the pressure on Yumeka's body coupled with the monstrous wave of Chakra released. Only precise Chakra control could remove such extreme clots without medical instruments.
Akai locked eyes with Kushina. He couldn't read past their weariness and desperation. Whatever dangerous intent she had, they weren't perceivable now.
But he could imagine them.
Akai knew the most about the Fourth Hokage. Namikaze Minato came from a civilian background, a pupil under the tutelage of one the Sannin, Jiraiya, and a famed war hero from the Third Great Ninja War. The Ninja World respected his near combat intellect and near unmatched speed. Konohagakure revered his kindness, calm leadership, and humility—even the Uchiha clan. His leadership never discriminated or isolated the Uchiha, unlike the previous Hokage's polices ridden with suspicion. Rumors even had that the Uchiha clan's wife was close friends with the Fourth Hokage's wife.
These were all the civilian chatter circulating around the village that he'd picked up on. But they weren't the biggest reason why he knew the most about them. In terms of ninja seniority, he should've been their upper-classmen during their Academy days, if he was not held back. Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, and Uchiha Mikoto were all his classmates with Uzano Yumeka at one point.
Since the Uchiha clan and the upper leadership of Konohagakure had grown so close, one of his deepest fears was Yumeka and her family being deprived from their civilian lives.
Would they be exiled from Konohagakure in exchange for the Uchiha's goodwill? Would they be forced to abort their child?
Akai considered their characters younger, their current reputation, and the fact that Kushina had saved Yumeka now. It was a quick decision. No, they weren't likely to be selling him out to the wolves of the Uchiha clan—if Kushina even recognized it was him.
She had reintroduced herself earlier, so she hadn't. He knew those words laced with hatred must be due to something else.
Most importantly, he knew he'd repay the debt for saving Yumeka.
"... how did you know she was Uchiha?" Akai finally said.
Kushina suddenly squeezed her child closer and managed a chuckle.
"Ah... you're... not very astute... still... I hope Naruto... won't grow up like... you..."
The change in tone confused Akai. She still had the mood and vitality to joke when it was clear she was in bad condition.
"You're... just like... you were... in the Academy... I didn't... realize you and... Yumeka... together."
"So you did recognize me."
He hadn't hoped so, even if it meant clearing up the misunderstanding. He and Yumeka had cut all contact with his classmates after the Second Great Ninja War, moreso when they got together.
If Kushina didn't know that he'd cut ties with the Uchiha clan... Akai reckoned this misunderstanding would take another sour twist, even if being formally exiled was unprobable.
"Nevermind me. You, Minato, your child... Naruto... that huge Chakra... what does it have to do with the Uchiha?"
Kushina gave a sharp inhale. "Sharingan... like yours... Nine-Tails... attack... the village..."
"My... Sharingan...?"
The first of Kushina's words registered first in his brain. He froze. Then his hands raised to the his wet cheek and above to his eye. It wasn't tears that he'd wiped earlier. It was blood.
... from that time. The rush of emotions. Yukema. Is that... the awakening condition?
He shook the thoughts away because the second part of Kushina's words registered.
"The Biju... the Demon Fox...? The village?"
It was his exact train of thought, but those words didn't come out of his mouth.
"Yumeka!" Akai exclaimed, gripping her shoulders so suddenly she hissed in pain.
"Idiot! I... almost dropped... our daughter."
"Yurime," he said, fighting back sobs. "Yurime is her name."
Akai didn't notice that coolness returned behind his eyes. He was watching every frame of Yumeka bringing little Yurime into a tight embrace.
"Yurime," she murmured under her weak breaths. She repeated her name over and over until her voice grew shallower and shallower. Then he couldn't hear them anymore.
Akai rushed and gripped her waist this time tightly and rolled her back. He found another glare from her, which he consciously ignored.
"Are you feeling alright? Do you need the medics? Should I head to village? No, the Demon Fox is there... Yumeka! Your parents!"
Akai knew he was bumbling mess. It wasn't like him. But everything that could've gone wrong did go wrong, inauspiciousness be damned. They were supposed to give birth quietly and live as a happy family together.
Things were going to plan... until it hadn't. Of course they didn't. They never did. They had to turn nightmarish on the day he prayed the most that things wouldn't.
... why is it always like this?
"Look... at what you've done... Yurime... crying... stop stressing..."
Little Yurime's face scrunched up, pink and trembling, her brows and eyelids knitting tighter. Her cries weren't loud. They were soft, broken whimpers, like the world was too big for her. Her breathy sobs weren't piercing either, but fragile. They reminded him of the emotional contagion he'd imparted, that he'd vowed to not show and not to be.
Yes. He had to be strong...
... not only for Yurime now.
Yumeka and Kushina greeted each other formally while he recollected himself.
"Good... to see you... Yumeka-chan..."
"Kushina-sama... thank you... for saving..."
"... don't mention... it... when they grow up... let them be... playmates..."
He stood up suddenly, startling the women. But the sinking premonition returned like a parasite was chewing at his brain.
"Stop talking! Conserve your energy, you two. You need medical attention and we still need to make it out of here—"
Akai's voice fell into his stomach as he swallowed.
"—when the worst is yet to come."
BOOM!
Yumeka was right. He really need to zip his mouth and stop stressing—because his overthinking was unraveling reality. He stood over the bed and stuck out his arms like a scarecrow as a wave of energy rushed through, cracking the wooden boards, shattering the windows, and shaking up every granule of dirt in the earth.
"Ugh—!"
Akai made another terrible prayer in his heart whilst they were coughing. The blast had startled both Yurime and Naruto into heart-aching bawls that couldn't be ignored.
... that should be last of it... right? The children can't be scared no more...
"... no... another blast... directly... coming our way..."
But Kushina whispers drowned out the babies' cries.
"... w-what?" Yumeka stammered.
He'd never heard her stumble over words before, even through her cries of pain.
You're kidding.
Akai was too stunned to help Kushina sit up. A chill ran from this frozen-stiff legs, up his lumbar and into his grey matter, where a burning then pulsed behind his eyes again.
"Minato..." he heard Kushina force through gritted teeth.
And just when a gravity sucking the life out of him grew stronger and stronger and ready to detonate—a yellow flash flickered before his eyes and his soul lagged behind his body.
He hadn't finished blinking when he found himself behind the trailing red-flames of the Hokage robe... and a monster larger than the mountains itself.