you would be surprised to learn the truth, young man. whenever madara feels nervous or anxious as it is, he’d fidget with gloved fingers, right hand curling to a fist and nails digging into leather, scratching over and over against fabric.
would he not wear those gloves he’d scratch himself open, then it becomes obvious how stressed he is. how trapped he feels, and that madara, in fact, does feel guilt. to have abandoned an innocent child, no, to have seduced a woman in the first place. perhaps, under different circumstances and would they live within a world kinder than their current one, madara would have been able to take care of an infant: would want one in the first place.
„i do.“ more lies nagato doesn’t deserve, more of these madara will not give. „but you would not understand, and i do not want you to try. the past is in the past.“
A huff, but he does not comment on the statement. A man is free to talk about himself on his own terms; he will not push him, however it would have been nice to know more about him - after all he did know so little. so so little... And he was afraid that the unknown will be turned against him and he is vulnerable. He’s a frail man, a sincere man, with a heart so broken...A truth he feared.
It was however nice to know Madara was a man with regrets and guilt and a past that haunt him. This world did not forgive those that lived in it for they all created a hell they perpetuated with every generation.
“Then... is there any chance we can get to know each other enough to trust?...”