"Madara, we should get going. The fireworks are gone, and..." Ayumi stood up on her two feet, "The festival is over! Wait - what even time is it?!" Ayumi panicked, ruffling her hair, "Kenzo! Kenzo. Where is he?"

"Calm down." Madara got up, patting himself of dust, "He just got here." He pointed to the little boy who was wobbling with plushies and candy in his arms. Kenzo quickly ran up to Ayumi, hugging her leg. She ruffled his hair. Ayumi whispered into Tenzo's ear, Thank the Uchiha leader for taking care of you so well. Madara narrowed his eyes, trying to decode what was going on.

"Madara-sama! Thank you for taking care of me." Kenzo bowed giddily. Madara closed his eyes and half-smiled, nodding in acknowledgement.

"I'll lead you back." Madara moved a strand of Ayumi's hair, she smiled sheepishly.

The Kenzo kid had been intently looking at Madara, watching his action and his eyes lit up. For a little kid he sure was insightful. Ayumi noticed the sudden light behind his face, D-don't tell m-!

"Wow! Onee-chan finally found a husband! You know your dad has been going on about how he's trying to get you married! But it seems like you did it all yourself! He doesn't have to worry about it any more!" Kenzo bounced in his spot, hyperly, his plushies falling to the ground.

Ayumi's jaw dropped, while Madara's eyes were closed and he was chuckling.

He's enjoying this, Ayumi thought.

Though the thought did not annoy Madara one bit, for some odd reason. He too had been annoyed by his fellow clan mates to marry so as to propagate the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai. Madara recalled how Izuna would urge him to go off and get married so as to "soften Madara's edges". He scoffed at the idea.

"Baka! Baka! Don't say that! I'll eat all your candy, how about that?!" Ayumi raised a fist in the air.

Kenzo hid his remaining treats and brooded. "As if you needed the extra weight, onee-chan..."

"Oi! That tongue of yours is a big problem!" Ayumi retorted.

Madara shifted his footing, entertained by their banter. Part of him wanted to let this play out and see where this would go, but he didn't want to keep Ayumi up so late. Madara placed his hands on his hips. "I think it's time we get going."

"Mm!" Ayumi lifted Kenzo up into her arms, where he then wrapped his arms around her neck. Madara was quick to note how motherly she had felt over Kenzo - he imagined for a second and thought about how those endearing characteristics would be befitting to raise a family in the far future.

A few moments later and they now walked throughout the Uchiha compound, on their way to the exit.

"Just where do you think you're going, you jerk, Madara! You stood me up!"

Madara sighed, and the three of them turned towards the direction of the yelling. It was an Uchiha girl, Ayumi observed, as told by her black kimono adorned with the Uchiha crest. She was strikingly beautiful.

"Stood you up? I have no obligation towards you, Honuko." Madara stated sternly. He was firm in his tone, and this startled the woman a little bit.

So her name is Uchiha Honuko. Ayumi thought to herself. She gulped.

"Besides! Madara, just who is that scab standing beside you?" She eyed me furiously, crossing her arms. She bore features characteristic of any Uchiha, but she seemed so smoldering, Ayumi was startled as to how Madara was resisting her.

*Ayumi's POV

Wait - Did she just call me a scab?!

"That scab is less pitiful than you on the battlefield." Madara retorted.

I was beginning to brood, and it did not help that Kenzo was giggling like a child. D-did Madara just call me a scab too...

I can't take it anymore! I was getting angry.

"Oi!" I shouted, raising a fist, "I'd watch your mouth!"

"Oh, whatever." She flipped a chunk of her raven hair, "Just be careful Madara! You wouldn't want to be seen with someone like her."

Like me? What was wrong with me? Now I was really angry. "You bit-"

"You can not sway me to think differently, woman. Now go away." Madara eyed her. It was enough for her to hold her tongue and she walked away, sighing in defeat.

"What is it with her?" I asked, frowning.

"A conniving jealous woman. She's not a problem." Madara glanced at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him - the thought of another woman pinning over Madara and how she was so insistent about it sort of bothered me, but I refused to make that apparent to him. It would only push him away, I felt. It wasn't as if Madara and I had been together in an official sense anyway - though I did not mind that thought for some reason, I just could not understand why I felt uneasy.

"I'll put that hag in her place next time!" I let Kenzo go, my fingers balled into a fist, rolling up my sleeve.

Madara's eyebrow raised, he was clearly amused by my temper.

"Calm down." Madara tried to tame me, offering his hand. I looked up at him and then back to his offer. "It's just you and I." He looked at me tenderly.

Fine.

-

"Well then, I guess I'll see you on..." Ayumi eyed the ground, and then the night sky, rubbing her chin with her free hand. "The battlefield?"

Madara crossed his arms, and he nodded, although he wished it would be under better circumstances. "Mm."

"Onee-chan... I'm so sleepy..." A tired Kenzo said, stirring asleep on Ayumi's shoulder.

"Take care of yourself until then, Madara." Ayumi flashed Madara a smile, and for some reason it sparked a fondness in his heart and a strong surge of emotions he only had reserved for immediate family. Instinctively, he wanted to reach out and coddle her into an embrace, but it would be too hasty now, as she was on her way. He decided he'd watch her until she was at a considerable distance, still able to hear the banter between the child and the heiress. He noticed a glimmer of her pale eyes as she turned around to see if he was still there. That's when Madara took his cue to leave.

"'Taku. I might just consider an alliance with the Senju for her sake." A slightly irritated Madara muttered to himself underneath his breath. It would protect both his younger brother and that girl, he thought to himself. And maybe even extend to that boy she cared so deeply about.

It didn't sound so bad now.

-

"Madara." Izuna found his brother in the middle of the night, sitting outside.

"Izuna." Madara responded, shifting himself to face his brother.

"What has you up so late, nii-san?" Izuna adjusted his yukata.

"I could be asking you the same thing."

Izuna rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me it's that Ayumi. Sheesh. You really ought to just marr-"

"A treaty with the Senju." Madara interjected Izuna before he could complete that sentence.

Izuna's eyes slightly widened, taking a seat beside his brother. "So that's what has been occupying your mind."

Madara felt hesitant with proceeding things with the Senju, though he did not know why. Was he in denial about the dream he once shared with Hashirama?

"Well, brother, you're the leader of the Uchiha." Izuna placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "And if you foresee this as a safe decision for the all of us, we can't argue with you. But I urge you to think about it. The Senju cannot be trusted-"

"At this rate that can be spoken to about every clan we've fought." Madara replied briskly. "We have to be willing to put our differences aside at some point. And if anything should happen, we have our dojutsu to crush them."

Izuna chuckled. "Damn. When have you gotten so soft?" As if he was alluding to the fact that she had some sort of influence over Madara's personality.

"Oi." Madara expressed, "Stop changing the subject."

"Okay, okay." Izuna raised his hands defensively, "So I guess it's treaty time."