"... The person I have in mind, she's... Well," Madara placed a hand on his hip, while his dark eyes fixated on her with a strong intent. "Extremely oblivious. I'd say, even borderline stupid. But she is indeed strong. She cares for her brethren deeply, and is not moved so easily by the matters of this world. It also helps that she's a beauty to boot. But also..."

Madara's voice grew quiet.

"... She may even perhaps be standing in front of me right now."

Ayumi took a deep gulp, she was replaying that sentence in her head over and over again, his voice drilled into her head now. Each time it weighed more heavily on her heart. She forced herself to snap back to reality, catching her breath that she was withholding.

Madara was asking her to be his wife. She was holding herself back from breaking down in tears.

"Well, actually Madara." Ayumi broke the silence, his eyes were still set on hers. "I have someone in mind too."

He sighed, looking away. Madara too had looked slightly defeated, though he feigned it quite well.

"He's really big and strong, scary and sometimes, even mean too. You should see the way kids flock like sheep away from him when he's around. But he dotes on his younger brother a bit too much, and he cares for his family deeply. Oh, and his pride? As tall as that mountain over there." Ayumi pointed to the tall feature in the distance. "Other than that, he's actually not that bad once you get to know him."

Madara met her eyes one more time, this time they were wide, coming to terms with the realization that she too had felt the same way. Madara felt divine.

"Not that bad once you get to know him?" The Uchiha crossed his arms.

"B-baka! And you think I'm borderline stupid?!" Ayumi punched his arm playfully.

Madara broke out into a laughter. "Painfully so." He was actually smiling. And it took Ayumi's breath away for a minute. She couldn't help but join him in laughter too.

They both caught their breaths, meeting each other's eyes with light blushes.

"So..." Ayumi looked up at him with eyes glinted in excitement, and he returned them with an earnest gaze. "I think-"

"I do intend to make you my wife. That I do mean." Madara tugged her closer by her wrist. His expression did not show a glimpse of jester or shyness, he was being serious. This reassured the Princess. She met his eyes shyly, relaxing and burrowing herself in his chest.

"I oblige."

Madara looked down at her, and he swore that day to himself that he would protect her so long as he lived. No, even beyond that.

-

The pair made their way inside of the common lounging area, where they sat beside each other on the tatami mats.

"Madara, if we're serious-"

"I am serious." Madara interjected sternly. "Do I look like I joke about these sorts of things?"

"N-no..." Ayumi stuttered, this side of Madara, she was afraid of.

"I was going to say, there are logistics that we should be discussing."

Madara rubbed his chin. "I think you're right about that."

"... With both of our families." She added.

The thought frightened her. What would her father say when he finds out that the Uchiha and the Hyuga wish to marry? Would he reject it?

Madara noticed that she seemed incredibly tensed.

"You're worried." Madara met her eyes, concerned. "Of what?"

"It's nothing." Ayumi shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts.

"... You can talk to me." Madara leaned forward, his charcoal orbs darting between her pale eyes.

Ayumi was taken aback by his newfound kindness, and it had almost seemed unreal.

"It's just... I'm not sure what my family will say." Ayumi admitted.

Madara half-smirked.

"To be quite honest, I'm not sure of how mine will respond either. But it doesn't matter, it will not stop me." Madara grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She bit down on her tongue and blushed, glancing at his big hand. If the time came where she would have to begin spending nights with Madara, she would...

Ayumi's eyes trailed up from his wrist, along his forearm, all the way back to his eyes, and the sudden realization had her turn redder than a tomato.

"Ma... dara." She timidly squeaked.

Madara backed away for just a second, and the sound of his deep chuckle filled the room. He was good at reading her, something which proved useful when she grew shy.

"Ayumi." Madara spoke smolderingly, leaning in towards her more now, to the point where she had to lean her back against the floor. She looked around her, Madara's arms had caged her, and he was hovering over her now. She grew anxious, but in a good way.

The pad of his thumb drew circles around her inner wrist, Ayumi now even redder than before.

"What will you do when we finally have each other for ourselves?" Madara looked at the princess beneath him and did not move his gaze, intent on wanting to see her grow more red by the second. Madara wanted to stop her squirming, so his palm pressed down firmly on her hip, his hot breath now hitting her jaw. "I'm not exactly the most forbearing in nature." He whispered huskily.

She couldn't help but be flustered by his advances.

"We-We'll cross that bridge... when we get there..." Ayumi spoke softly. She laid underneath him, with her hands traveling to hold his arms. Madara couldn't help but feel a block of lust build inside his chest in that second, but it would be too hasty to act on it on his part. So he withdrew himself, and instead laid down beside her.

Ayumi instinctively went to grab his hand, and she felt him flinch at first, but he relaxed. They stayed like that for a while, looking up at the ceiling.

He couldn't lie to himself any more, he found her perfect. Many a times people would run away from Madara out of pure fright, and did not bother giving him a chance. And the most attractive part of her was that she bore a quality for him that was dying amongst the Uchiha clan: trust.

-

"You should get back." Madara said to Ayumi, while sitting outside the entrance of his house.

"Eager to get rid of me?" She pouted.

He sighed. "Your father will worry. And frankly, I have paperwork up to my eyelids to finish."

She thought about how busy he might be, now that he was the co-founder of the village. "You're right." Ayumi smiled.

She innocently looked into his eyes, fluttering her eyelids, waiting for a goodbye kiss or something of the sort. But Madara had not given into it, and instead laughed at her obvious anticipation. She pouted again, now twiddling with her fingers. Madara intentionally left her hanging.

Ayumi turned around and began making her way out, her hands in fists, muttering annoyed utterances. "Leaving your soon-to-be wife on the edge already, how evil of him, oh I'll show him!"

Madara couldn't help but chuckle, as he watched the Hyuga crest on her back slowly fade into the distance.

-

Hayate had been standing outside of the Hyuga district, and by his displeased look she could tell that he was bothered. She could see from a distance that he was delegating orders to clan members, most likely to wrap up tasks with construction work.

"Where have you been?" Hayate questioned, his eyes narrowed, while his palms rested on the staff which was planted firmly into the soil in front of him.

"Gomen ne, father. I was invited for a lunch at the Uchiha district." Ayumi slightly bowed out of courtesy.

Hayate's first instinct was to nip it in the bud and cease their interactions, but it could not be helped. It was inevitable she would grow so close to their leader. It was fate, perhaps her destiny.

"Uchiha Madara?" Hayate spoke. She nodded her head.

"There actually is something I should speak to you about, but not now since I do have duties to complete around the village."

He sighed, relaxing his face now. Hayate trusted his daughter that she was old enough now to make the right decisions. "Go ahead."