The raven haired Uchiha decided to leave the room quietly once the princess fell asleep. He looked over his shoulder one last time, she was completely knocked asleep judging by her open mouth, lightly breathing. Madara himself couldn't sleep, he became engrossed in thought. Madara slid the shoji door, and sat outside admiring the night sky.

Did I make the right choice bringing her here? Madara wondered. Maybe her byakugan could tell me something useful, or maybe it was too hasty on my part to bring her here.

In retrospect, Ayumi was becoming a weakness for Madara. And weakness absolutely revolted the Uchiha. Ayumi made him soft, she made him waver in his past beliefs. Madara used to be so certain about his hatred, but it would sizzle and die out before her, for her sake he found.

He bit his lower lip. Am I really doing the right thing?

-

Ayumi stirred awake, the sudden snap of thunder outside was loud enough to shock her.

I hope that didn't wake Madara up.

She looked around, but she couldn't find him there.

"Madara?"

But she heard nothing. Where could he be?

Her eyes quickly fluttered to the shoji that was slowly sliding, revealing the tall broad male.

"You're up." Madara said, wiping rain drops away from his forehead.

"The thunder... scared me awake." She muttered, looking outside of the window. She flinched again as a slap of thunder cracked the sky.

Madara was perplexed - she was actually afraid.

"How ironic." Madara lowly chuckled. "You possess lightning nature but actual lightning frightens you."

"Sounds pretty sad, right..." Ayumi brought the blanket up to her chin. "Madara, can you..." She stared at the spot beside her on the bed.

Madara glanced at the empty spot and then her a couple times, apprehensive at first.

His eyes rose slightly.

"...."

Madara made his way to the bed and leaned over the edge, now laying down, adjusting the pillow underneath his hair.

"Would this make you less afraid?" Madara broke the silence, his eyes fixated on the ceiling above him.

"... Yes." Ayumi slid back under the covers. Madara's presence, his very warmth was enough to calm her down. Ayumi peeked at Madara to find his eyes peacefully fluttered shut, and the way his chest rose and fell was enough to make her sleepy.

Ayumi took Madara's hand in hers, their fingers interwoven, and she stirred asleep. He did not object.

-

Madara's eyes slowly fluttered open, feeling the morning sun's heat hit his cheeks. He felt oddly warm. His eyes fell to the girl who was asleep on his chest, her arms wrapped around him as if she had been holding onto him throughout the course of the thunder and rain last night.

Madara sighed, slightly flushed at the site of how vulnerable and innocent she looked like. The Madara Uchiha whose very name struck fear into people from villages and nations across the world, was in bed blushing because of her.

Madara knew he had to have her now that she had done this to him.

Madara slowly got up, wrapping an arm around her back to set her gently in bed on her pillow, her black tresses slowly sprawling back on the sheets. He stayed like that for a second, admiring her beauty and how she had trapped him into a trance. She looked beautiful, Madara thought, her skin was glowing. Until...

Her eyes immediately opened, and she gasped at the sight of the leader hovering not too far from her face, her eyes darting between the arms that were caging either side of her.

"Madara!" Ayumi yelped. "You're so close, what were you doing..." A pink shade rose to her cheeks that he thought suited her right now, especially right now.

Madara clicked his tongue, pointing to the spot where she left her drool on his shirt. "You were the one sleeping on me."

"N-no way..." Ayumi covered her lips, "I'm sorry. I didn't know, I must have been scared-"

"You don't have to be sorry." Madara took a gulp that he didn't think she noticed. Madara removed her hand that was covering her face, he wanted to see her, Madara decided, and it only deepened the red that was on her cheeks. They stayed like that for a second, until... Ayumi wrapped an arm around his neck, tugging him forward to meet her lips.

Ayumi stared hazily at him through half lidded eyes, meanwhile his were slightly widened at her brazen action.

Ayumi felt warm, and it was enticing him to do more. Madara deepened their exchange without shame, and when their lips parted it would soon be replaced by more loving kisses. Until... the Uchiha snapped back to his senses. He withdrew himself, earning a disapproving look from the princess underneath him. There was no telling where this would lead, Madara was an ardent man which he showed through his actions best, and he would not go easy on her.

Madara looked down at her half-lidded eyes. There was another sort of tension building up between them that both of them came to understand now, but nonetheless Madara was adamant on abiding to rules regarding relationships outside of marriage. He would not cross the line, he repeated to himself.

"I think this'll have to wait for another time." Madara spoke lowly, withdrawing himself further from her.

"Such like you to say. I didn't peg you as the type who would play by the rules." Ayumi spoke teasingly. She was tempting him.

Madara narrowed his eyes, not sure of how to feel by her advances. "I have morals." He laid back down on the spot next to her. "Besides, weren't you the one so hesitant on sharing this space?"

Ayumi pouted, looking at him now. Madara had a point, but she was growing comfortable with him and she was beginning to realize that she was craving other parts of him.

"You're right." Ayumi got up. "Breakfast?"

-

*AYUMI'S POV*

"Boy I'm slumped." I patted my legs, sitting on a big rock that was nearby a place Madara had decided to check out. He was doing reconnaissance work and my presence was not needed.

"Wait outside for me, this'll be something I should handle." I mumbled, imitating what he said earlier in his voice, but I was quickly overcome with feelings of fluster recalling this morning's events.

But my attention was quickly diverted to the smell of smoke not too far from me.

I looked off into the distance to see what had seemed like a silver-haired man dressed in a traditional yukata, smoking a cigarette.

I frowned. Had he not known that was bad for his health? I shuffled closer to him, subduing my chakra to unnoticeable amounts, hiding behind a tree. He took another puff, and the smell quickly spread through the air.

Oh screw this!

I jumped out the side of the tree and slowly approached him, his eyes did not move an inch.

"Those things are so bad for you. I know you think you're enjoying it, but you should quit it. Your lungs will be blacker than that crow in the air in no time." I frowned.

The mystery man seemed uninterested though, completely unbothered, until he met my eyes.

It was not until then that I felt a weird sensation overcome me. Something so familiar. His eyes were a striking golden colour.

Huh...?

His gaze hazily drifted back to the forest trees.

"Pretty lady like you shouldn't be alone." He flickered his cigarette, now taking another puff.

A tinge of annoyingness ran through the course of my veins. The nerve!

"I'm not alone." I put my hands on my hips, "I'm with my husband."

"Husband?" He shifted his footing to face me, quickly looking me up and down. "Aren't you like, 12?"

My mouth gaped. Oh he had some nerve alright!

"I- I am not... 12..." I couldn't help but sulk now, my arms pathetically dangling.

"Heh." He approached me closer. "I know you. Taijutsu master Hyuga Ayumi."

I grinned. "Am I famous around here?"

He turned around.

"No."

An irritated mark appeared on my forehead. "So then how do you know me?"

"You don't recognize me?" He looked back at me over his shoulder.

I took one long stare at him. "... No... To be fair I am sort of bad with names." I rubbed my cheek with a finger.

"Konosuke." He spoke.

"Last name?" I approached him closer. I had no clue who that person was.

"Maybe another day I'll tell you that." He turned around to face me again.

"Another day! I don't live here, I don't think I'll ever see you again-"

"Ayumi."

I heard a familiar deep voice from behind, I quickly turned around. It was Madara.

"Oi, Madara, get a load of this guy, smoking and now he won't tell me his family name." I pointed to Konosuke behind me.

"Have you gone senile?" Madara folded a piece of paper, "There is no one behind you."

"Huh?" I turned around, and Madara was indeed right. He disappeared. So fast!

Could he have been a shinobi...?

I gulped. " I swear he was there..."