"Did you boys hear what that Hyuga heiress did?" Tajima asked almost mockingly, he couldn't believe she would let a Senju go so easily. It was admirable, he would admit, but too hasty.

Izuna and Madara had stayed silent, they were walking through the meadows on their way back from the battlefield. Madara in particular was amused by her actions, and how she was able to be so certain in her decisions. Befitting of a leader, he thought. Some sliver of him actually agreed with her course of action, though he did not know if he could do the same. The pain was too much, Madara thought, and all he had left to protect was his brother.

The Uchiha were growing to rebel against Madara and his constant strifling with the Senju. It was beginning to be outrageous, the death tolls stacking up at an innumerable rate. It came to the point where Madara's mere presence within the compound would incite frightful stares from Uchiha civilian - his very own blood were scared of him. Madara glanced at his younger brother, and he did fear for his life. If he lost Izuna, there's no telling where Madara's mind would go, where his heart would be sealed.

They approached an open field, where Madara sat down and laid his back against the grass. He was in deep thought, while dawlding with a leaf. He was pondering about the foolish dreams both himself and his best friend growing up, Hashirama, would spout. A framework - village - that can help us attain peace.

"... Maybe I can just try to hope for a brighter tomorrow...

... Maybe I can forget the grudges and rivalries of the past...

Maybe if I start working for peace and wellbeing, others will allow me to...

... Just maybe..."

Izuna narrowed his eyes, watching his brother from a distance, motioning for Tajima to go on ahead. Was he smiling? Izuna was indeed intrigued by his brother's odd behaviour.

"Nee-san," Izuna sat down beside his brother now, "You're thinking of a treaty, aren't you?"

Madara snapped out of his haze, lifting his back off of the grass now, sitting cross legged.

"It doesn't sound so bad, you know."

"I got to agree with you on that one," Izuna admitted, "All the fighting could stop. And honestly this sunset view makes me think of how nice it would be without having to go to battle every day. But our brothers..."

Madara crushed the leaf that was in his fingers. That's the only thing that was holding him back, memories of the past and the deaths of his brothers.

"I know." Madara's voice was deeper now, "But we have each other, Izuna."

"That Hyuga girl sure is slighting you." Izuna observed. His brother's temperament was toned down a notch now ever since they knew of each other. For some reason Izuna liked it better - his brother seemed less entrenched in darkness. Madara's face relaxed upon the mention of her. Ayumi. He hoped she was doing better after her sister's passing, he had no clue that she even had a sibling. There was a pain they both could relate to now.

"That damned girl." Madara chuckled.

"We do have the Uchiha annual festival coming up. Maybe you could bring h-"

"Oi." Madara scowled.

"What?" Izuna laughed. "You can try denying it all you want."

Madara did entertain the thought, though he was not fond of festivals, he was willing to put up with it if he had someone like her by his side. There was a serenity in her presence that he could not quite encapsulate into words, which mildly irritated Madara.

Madara sighed, closing his eyes. "Mataku."

-

"Hm? What's this?" A carrier bird flew through Ayumi's window landing on her shoulder, disturbing her line of thought as she was reflecting on recent events with the Senju. She began to unravel the message.

"I'm coming over to the Hyuga compound. Meet me at our spot.

Madara"

A dumbfounded grin grew on her face. He had wanted to see her. For some reason butterflies were beginning to grow, but she shook her head and tried to snap out of that. She re-read the letter once more - short and simple, and it lacked a greeting. How typical of him! Ayumi laughed.

"Damned Madara. I actually missed you, you know." Ayumi said. It had been a while since they last spent time together outside of the battlefield.

-

She threw on a maroon yukata and decided to skip the obi kimono-belt, as it was too much work to put on and frankly she was growing tired as the night progressed. She yawned, but the thought of Madara and his eyes were enough to wake her up again.

She waited outside at a meadow nearby her house - that had grown to be their favourite spot over time as their visits frequented. She smiled. They got closer and Ayumi realized a lot about Madara's character. Fundamentally he was actually quite kind - a gentleman and family-man at heart, though that was at times masked by his tough exterior and his smug attitude did not work in his favour. Madara avoided speaking unnecessarily, making his words that more profound. She recounted their many silent moments that they would share while admiring nature. Ayumi didn't find it awkward at all, she actually found it comforting.

"Madara." Ayumi said, her eyes lit up with excitement as she met his charcoal ones. She found a comfort in him tonight for some reason. He nodded towards her direction in acknowledgement. He was also wearing a yukata - though black, with grey hemming. It suited him, and the darkness of his hair against his fair skin was making him look as if he was glowing. How could someone so frightening be so handsome? She thought. Befitting of The Leader of the Uchiha Clan.

Madara sat beside her on the bench, and the moon above of them was in full view. This was how most of their visits would go - she noted, it would be quiet but she took it as a sign of comfort from Madara's end.

"So talk has been going around lately, and you spared the two Senju responsible for your younger sister's death." Madara turned around to meet my eyes. He wasn't angry, Ayumi noted, nor was he judging. "You've been surprising me quite a lot lately, Hyuga. What pushed you to do that?"

Ayumi shifted in her spot. "To be honest, Madara. I'm sick of this fighting. It would be no point to kill them in order to avenge my sister's death. I would just be doing the same thing that they did to me." She hoped that he would understand, and judging by his reaction, he indeed did.

"And the cycle would just continue." Madara added.

"Exactly. You can read my mind, Madara!" She chuckled.

"Hn." He smirked. Her ideals weren't much off from Hashirama's - it had unsettled him just a tad bit. Madara couldn't help but look at the moon, and think of the dreams he shared with Hashirama once. It didn't seem so impossible now, with her and him. He glanced at Ayumi.

"Have you allied with the Senju?"

Ayumi shook her head. "No I haven't. And honestly I don't think I would do such a thing unless the Uchiha were on board with it too." This was her chance to try to coax Madara into thinking about it.

He narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting the Uchiha should ally with them?"

Ayumi let the question brew in the air for a bit before tackling it.

"Madara, think about it." She leaned in towards him, "The death toll between the Hyuga and the Senju decreased dramatically ever since I spared those two prisoners. We are too powerful, us three clans, to be fighting each other! At this rate, we'll all go extinct if this keeps going on."

Madara stayed silent, and the heiress did make a strong point.

"And honestly, aren't you tired of this war?"

He was tired. He had thought of his brothers who passed, and his face grew somber. He did not feign his emotions in front of Ayumi.

"Anyway," She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Think about it. And write to me when you want to go. If you ally with the Senju, we the Hyuga will surrender too. There's no shame in surrendering."

Madara eyed her hand that rested on his shoulder and then met her eyes once more. He didn't mind it.

"How have you been doing lately?" Madara abruptly asked, it was unlike him. He could usually decode Ayumi's mood by sparing her a glance, she was easy to read, Madara observed. She could tell that he was voicing his concern about Uehara's passing.

"Oh." Ayumi half-smiled, retracting her hand now. "I am fine. I think her death will have much more meaning if we begin to work towards peace. Maybe that way her efforts would no longer be in vain."

Madara still kept holding his gaze onto her. How could she be so certain? How was she willing to move forward so easily? Could I perhaps think the same way she does, so justly? Can I too transform the meaning of my brothers deaths?

"M-Madara..." Ayumi blushed looking away, Madara realized she felt uncomfortable by his penetrating stare.

"Mm." Madara said, moving his gaze instead ahead. "You just surprise me some times."

"What? Me? How? You mean this knucklehead right here does?" She pointed a finger at herself, grinning.

He chuckled.

"Ayumi." Madara spoke her name softly, warranting yet another blush to her pale cheeks. It outstanded Madara how receptive she was to him.

"Yes?"

Madara cleared his throat, unsure how he would go about this. He had never crossed this boundary with women, he reminisced of all the lectures his mother would give him. He didn't like that he was overthinking such a small task. Madara did not want to turn her off so early, and he had hoped he wasn't going to cross any lines. He remembered his mother's words, be gentle with women and children.

"You're coming with me to the annual Uchiha festival." Madara stated. He admonished himself for unintentionally sounding so demanding.

Much to his surprise, Ayumi was giggling, a hand rose to cover her big grin. A hope had dwindled in Madara's heart.

"Is that an order or a question?" She said between laughs.

Madara crossed his arms. "As you see fit."

Ayumi relaxed her back onto the bench. "Well then! I'll be your plus one. I'm not much of a festival type, but with you it actually might be a little fun." She peeked at him with one eye open. Her expressions were entertaining. So she too did not like festivals, he mentally noted.

"We're the same, you and I." Madara said.

"T-the s-same? Seriously?" She sweat dropped. They were nowhere near the same! He was the darkness and she was the light.

Madara chuckled again, and realized he spoke too hastily. They were nothing alike, in truth, but that's why they got along. "Eeya, Nevermind. Get to sleep."