Byakugan!

"Yosh! Tou-sama, we're almost there." I looked to my father gleefully, happy that he even considered my suggestion. The Uchiha compound was approaching and my steps were beginning to get a bit too eager. My father quickly took note of this.

"Someone's excited," He crossed his arms, "I heard Tajima has a son about your age."

Huh?

"Oh, yeah. That guy. Uchiha Madara."

Hayate shifted his glance forward, as he noticed two Uchiha nin approaching us.

"Why are you crossing our boundaries? State your name and purpose!" Both of them flaring their sharingan, mounting their katanas into the ground.

Hayate sighed, the Uchiha were relentless.

"Hyuga Hayate and Hyuga Ayumi. We're both here on business to speak with Tajima-sama." I spoke, noticing my father lopsidedly smiling at me, which was sort of an indication that I was doing a good job.

Regardless, my statement seemed to not do much. They narrowed their eyes, seemingly unconvinced. Tobirama was right, it would take much more to persuade them.

"Oi! We're not even armed, we're here on good terms." I raised my hands in defence, "See?" I patted myself.

"Tajima knows of our whereabouts." My father conveniently added. "Let us through, please."

The Uchiha guards withdrew their swords, apologizing, and motioned for us to follow them. We walked throughout the compound, gaining multiple glances from shinobi and civilians, and even comments here and there about my appearance. The aroma overall felt homey, like I could stay here forever and I wouldn't mind. The scent of freshly baked bread and pastries filled the compound, with elderly people smiling and looking after their children, it just felt safe. I could now understand why Madara was so insistent on maintaining this. I wonder where he is.

-

My father and I sat on two cushioned seats made of straw across the Uchiha leader, around us we were surrounded by Uchiha symbols, swords, and shinobi.

"So you've made it." Tajima spoke, his sword planted neatly to his side. "I won't lie, this is a smart move on your part, Hayate. Our allied forces could overwhelm the Senju into finally surrendering. Though I would have much preferred to do it by my own means."

"Hn." Hayate hummed, closing his eyes, "There's nothing wrong with seeking cooperation. In fact, this idea was my daughter's, Ayumi." Father placed his hand on my back.

I bowed slightly, "We look forward to working with each other."

"Hyuga-hime," Tajima remembered, "You're about the same age as my son, Madara."

"I think so." I added.

What did that have to do with anything? I swear that topic has come up a couple times now.

"Yet you seem more delicate when it comes to approaching situations like this. I think Madara can learn a thing or two from you actually." Tajima chuckled wholeheartedly. I rubbed the back of my head, slightly confused with what that had to do with anything. Do older people just like to ramble? "Well then. Hayate, let's get this treaty signed so we can go back on the field."

My father got up to sign the paper that would set things in stone, and finally, this moment would go down in history. This moment was within the workings of fate to happen. My father and I both shook hands with Tajima, followed by plentiful conversation with the Uchiha fellow.

-

I had told father I wanted to take a look around the compound and introduce myself to some villagers, now that we were allied forces. I exited the Uchiha's headquarters only to be introduced to a dense amount of trees. And I meant a lot.

"Yosh! Time to leap in this beautiful weather, hahah." And my feet began to spring off of branches just until...

Cling!

I heard the sound of metal clashing into each other.

Byakugan!

I stopped in my tracks, subduing my chakra to unnoticeable levels, to observe what was happening, and for Kami's sake it was him. Madara.

It looked like he was sparring and he had injured himself, evident by the kunai that had pierced his upper right arm. I sighed in relief, happy it had not been an attack of any sort. He removed the kunai just as one would swap a mosquito, as if it felt like it was nothing to him. My mouth dropped. This man!

"You don't do a very good job at hiding." Madara spoke, his voice hoarse and his words rolling off his tongue like silk.

I bit my lower lip, and leaped out of the tree. Of course he would notice me. It almost slipped out my mind that he isn't like other shinobi. He was cold. Merciless, and set on one thing - winning, as I had heard. I stared at him, not sure to say after what I had witnessed.

"What's the matter?" He mounted his gunbai, speaking sarcastically, "Cat got your tongue?" He inched closer to me now, and each step felt like the air was closing in on me.

Up close and personal now, Madara was tall. His features seemed sharper, and more so overwhelming. I tucked some of my hair behind my ear, trying to pacify myself, looking to the side.

"My apologies, Madara-sama." I bowed out of acknowledgement. I made sure not to mess up his name this time. "I'm in awe of your abilities. I look forward to working with you." I admitted, offering my hand for a shake.

Madara stared at my hand and then at my face - specifically my eyes. I couldn't tell if it was me overthinking or if it had been reality, but his face had softened. I'll be damned.

He shook my hand back, and I was quick to notice that his grip was firm.

"Good choice with the alliance. Perhaps the Senju will now surrender." Madara spoke. He slightly winced, the bleeding beginning to get to him, stinging him. It seemed deeper than it looked.

"*Taku." He muttered.

"I can heal that for y-" My palms glew green.

"I don't need your help. This is nothing." He spoke matter of factly.

"You say that but your blood pressure is spiking as I saw earlier with my byakugan." I placed two hands on my hip. "Stop being stubborn!" I looked him straight in the eyes.

Madara was silent and his eyes narrowed down at me, maybe even slightly annoyed by the fact that I was right.

"Tch." He looked to the side.

I took the chance to hover my hands over his cut, and soon enough his tissues began to re-generate and close. I was astonished at the ease of this task, it usually proved to be demanding and more time-consuming, especially since I possessed just basic knowledge.

"That was quick. Your Uchiha bloodline allowed for a faster healing than usual." Madara was quite the thoroughbred of a man - how demoralizing. I admitted. "Seriously - what else are you good at?"

Madara looked at me, and his face had seemed tense. He gripped my wrist from his arm, his calloused fingers felt like they could just crush me. I gulped. His eyes had cornered in on me, now sporting his sharingan that made me feel trapped. I couldn't escape now. What did I do wrong?!

"I recognize your chakra signature from somewhere." Madara said almost threateningly.

I bopped my head back, confused. "What do you mean?" Recognize me? I hadn't met this men before that diplomatic meeting and that was it.

Madara's arms drooped to either side of him, and he sighed, closing his eyes, seeming disappointed.

"Perhaps this'll serve as a fond memory." He unravelled the belt that tied around his hips, and I backed away, embarrassed. W-what the hell is the guy doing?!

My heart was racing. He swiftly lifted his shirt up, and that was it. I couldn't take it. I turned around in utter embarrassment. "Oi oi! Just who do you think you are! Taking your shirt off in front of royalty! Have you no sha-" I clenched a fist up in the air.

"Now you're being stubborn. Turn around and take a look."

I sighed.

I did as he ordered, and my eyes had widened, almost too much to the point where they hurt around the edges. Madara had a giant scar that ran diagonally across his chest.

That day. It had to be the worst day of my life, seeing so much pain and suffering. Bodies being flung in the air like people were just meat. My head grew dizzy, and I could no longer support myself. I dropped onto the ground, trying to catch my breath, wiping my forehead.

"N-no way." I stuttered. "No." I heaved.

"All this time I thought that boy was dead. It was you! You were right under my nose this entire time..." I crushed some of the soil in my hand. And I didn't even pay a dime to notice!

"With those eyes of yours, I'm surprised you didn't catch on any earlier." Madara slipped on his shirt, "Any medic-nin would know that wounds close faster after a second exposure."

"**Masaka..." I crumbled rock in my fingers now.

"Furthermore," Madara stepped closer, now crouching down to my level, his elbows on his knees for stability, "I have never been healed by any one ever in my life. So by exclusion, it must be you."

A tear rolled down my cheek, now soaked into the soil beneath me. Hell, I didn't even know why I was tearing up. I was both happy and deeply confused. I looked up to him and I met his eyes. My lips were slightly parted, trying to gather some words to string a sentence together. It was futile - I didn't know what to say. I was too shocked.

"And so now you might understand why I support this idea of an alliance." Madara went on, "You saved my life. So in exchange, our clans will shake hands."

I gulped, my throat felt as if it were constricting.

I recalled Grandfather's words. "Listen well, Ayumi. All of us are born into this world bearing our own destiny. In our lifetime, that destiny never changes."

I gulped. How true my grandfather's words were deeply disturbed me. It really was destiny, that day I had saved Madara with the bare amount of chakra I was able to scrape up. Who had known that such a small act would end up paying off years down the road.

Madara sighed, standing upright now. "Enough sulking." He ordered, looking down at me with half a smile. He offered his hand, and I took it, his palm wrapped around my arm with an iron grip. "You look like that Senju brat Hashirama with that face now." He chuckled, helping me get up, and he wouldn't let go until I had adjusted my footing.

I looked away, a deep blush developing on my face. I had goosebumps from his touch. I rarely focused on men due to my duty to the clan to protect them, and to focus on honing my power, that I found myself not knowing how to act around a man like Madara. I could tell Madara noticed, by the way he shifted his feet, looking away to his side bashfully.

He was handsome, tall and brooding, intimidating, demanding, yet I couldn't help but notice a gentler side of him that would flash every now and then. I hated being flustered by that Uchiha but I couldn't help it. To say he wasn't alluring to me now would be a lie. And I hated lying.

I snapped back to reality.

"Warui na, Madara. I should probably get back to my father." I looked up at him with rosy cheeks.

"You get back to your training." I said.

"*Eeya." Madara flickered his hand in the air, "Your interference waned my interest in training. I'll tag along." He walked, leading the way. I assumed it was out of habit for him to do that.

"Oh?" I smirked, crossing my arms, "Or is it that you want to spend some time with me!" I caught up to his speed.

"You sound like a child," He clicked his gunbai on his harness, and I could have sworn I heard what sounded like a chuckle.

-

"Tou-san," I looked at the ground as we made our way back to the Hyuga compound, "Do you remember that night I had came back from my first day in war? I was really hurt, and you had to take me to the healing grounds-"

"Ah, how could I ever forget." He spoke, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"That boy you asked me about, who I healed, he was an Uchiha, right," I reminded him and he nodded, vividly remembering everything.

"Well, that boy was Madara."

"Hah." Hayate strided, "Fate seemed to be on our side."

--

*Taku is an expression of annoyance in Japanese!

**Masaka is an expression to say when something you didn't expect to happen, happens!

***Warui na means sorry!

*Eeya means no!