"Nii-san!" Izuna was jogging behind his elder brother, now ahead of him, "Last one home is a rotten egg!"

"Oi! Come back! That's not fair!" Madara trailed behind him, deliberately letting Izuna go ahead. They were training, a layer of sweat and grime had covered their faces.

"Oof! I'm tired." Izuna made it first into the household, immediately bombarded by the smells of cooking their mother had been preparing.

"No fighting in the battlefield today." Madara ruffled his younger brother's hair.

"Mm!" Izuna chirped.

Madara looked up at the ceiling. "What do you say, we ditch mother's lunch and get some ice cream?"

But all Madara heard was a deep snoring in response.

"Huh?" Madara muttered, he looked to the side to see his younger brother asleep, with a line of drool pooling to one side of his face. He grew so tired.

"Heh." Madara grinned. "I guess that's okay too. I'll always protect you, Izuna."

Madara recalled his new friend Hashirama's words about some day being able to create a world where all the fighting would stop. He dreamed of such a reality every time he would look at Izuna. Madara would make it possible no matter what, at least for his younger brother's sake.

Madara bit the inside of his cheek, forcing himself to zone back to reality.

"Earth to Madara-sama? Are you there?" Hanuko, who was one of the granddaughters of the elder councillors, snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Don't come near me, woman." Madara snapped. He was in the meeting with the elder Uchiha councillors, debriefing them about what happened at the Senju.

"Anyway," Madara got up from his seat, "If there is anything else, you know where to find me."

"There is one more thing." One of the elders spoke.

"Hmm?" Madara hummed.

The elders spared each other glances, incredibly unsure of how to even approach the daunting leader of such a suggestion.

"You should start thinking of marriage. You are hitting your mid-twenties now and you should think of building a lineage of successorship for the Uchiha clan."

Madara scoffed. He couldn't believe this. The elders settled their glance on Hanuko.

Madara was quick to catch onto their plotting.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding." Madara crossed his arms. "That sort of decision is mine and mine alone." His voice grew colder, they would understand the message now, Madara thought. The annoyed Uchiha woman sighed.

Madara couldn't help but think of Ayumi instead, her dumb grin was plastered in the back of his mind.

-

"I almost packed up all my weapons to get ready for battle tomorrow." Ayumi said, "But then I remembered, there is no more fighting."

"Hah!" Koniko pat her shoulder. "Now all that's left to check off is marriage." She winked, sticking her tongue out.

"Oh please!" Ayumi exclaimed, heck her own father was even pushing her for it!

"What about that Madara guy? I saw the way he was eyeing you at the meeting." Koniko smirked.

"M-Madara... huh..." Ayumi itched her head. "I don't know if he feels the same way."

"Oh c'mon! It's so obvious." Koniko slapped her back, "He totally is. You know when a guy is into you, he'll look at you when you're not looking, and then will look away trying to act all cool."

"And that's what Madara was doing?" Ayumi rubbed her chin. "That cunning fox! Didn't even notice him."

"Hahah!" Koniko broke out into a hearty laughter.

-

Two weeks had passed by, and Ayumi was beginning to worry about Madara. She wasn't able to see him at all since the settlement Hidden in the Leaves was being built. Clan leaders and their clan mates alike were in a scurry to get construction work done as promptly as possible.

The Princess took a deep sigh, while holding a crate full of water. She was helping the Uchiha veteran grandmother, someone she would so often stop by to check up on.

"I'm glad you're still here to help me." She pat the Hyuga's shoulder.

"Mm. Yeah. I can't believe you used to carry this all on your own. All this weight on your back would tear it." Ayumi trudged.

"Now now, we're almost there."

Moments passed by until they had both arrived at the grandmother's residence. She sat on the porch, which gave a pleasant view of her garden.

"Here's a cup of water for you." She scooped a cup out of the bucket.

"Arigato." Ayumi tipped a bow, wiping the sweat off of her forehead with a rag. "Your garden is beautiful."

"Ah, thank you. My grandsons help me."

That's right! She had two grandsons, Ayumi remembered their pictures which she had shown her.

The grandmother looked at Ayumi coyly.

"Still not married? You can take one of them, offer is still there." She broke the silence.

"O-obaa-chan..." Ayumi's head dangled.

-

Ayumi made her way back to the center of the village to see who else would need help. The Hyuga compound was in its finalization to be step up.

"Hmm..." She stared down at her check list, continuing to walk, until she bumped into someone's chest.

"Ow!" She rubbed her forehead.

"Hn." That husky voice muttered. She immediately knew who it was.

"Madara." Ayumi met his eyes. "Where have you been?! Leaving me all alone." She punched his upper arm.

"Watch it, you brat." Madara rubbed the area, flickering her wrist away.

"You still didn't answer my question." She pouted.

"Meetings with the Uchiha councillors have been piling up left and right." he briefly explained.

"Guess all those times you avoided those elders are finally catching up to you?"

"Mm." He hummed in agreement. "That's right. I have something important to ask you, Ayumi. But not now." Madara placed his hands on his hips.

"C-Chotto matte!" Ayumi exclaimed, but it was already too late, as he had walked off.

"I said later." Madara retorted.

Ayumi sighed, muttering to herself as she watched his back fade away. "I guess it can't be helped." She turned around and looked up at the clifftop, Hashirama's face had been engraved, he was declared as the first Hokage. She rubbed her chin, what could he be wanting to ask her?

-

Madara relished in the fact that he had now furnished and built a traditional house all by himself situated not too far from the Uchiha district. This would be his safe haven, he decided. He was sipping on his tea, and admiring the night sky all while in deep thought.

He hated to admit it to himself, but he was wondering about Ayumi. The elders were insistent on him getting married, even so far as willing to introduce the Uchiha to highly regarded women from different clans. He hated the thought, it made his blood churn. Ayumi was different to Madara though, she had saved both his and Izuna's life. She was strong with a fiery will, but caring and kind. The gentility was appealing to him. Madara couldn't help but feel how eager her eyes would glint every time they were around each other.

Madara wondered if she felt the same.

"There is no way of telling unless I approach her about it." His dark eyes fell to the rim of the drinking dish.