The Power of the Moon

PART 9

"Yo." I waved a hand.
"You're late."
"I'm sorry, an Uchiha elder needed help with something." I rubbed the nape of my neck.
He looked up at me and his eyes were a deep black compared to my white ones. He set his cup aside and motioned for me to sit beside him.
I had hesitated just a little, and was going to insist on standing instead. Until he had looked up at me softly. Why was he not like this more?
I sat beside him, my legs now dangling off the ledge, the grass beneath tickling my feet. He seemed much bigger than me, and I felt weird for being so close to him. Madara didn't seem to mind, as he kept sipping on his tea.

"You seem relaxed." I looked at him, and he met my eyes. I was intimidated and it was an understatement. I tried to not show it, but I pacified myself by tucking my hair behind my ear.

"No need to be nervous." He spoke flatly. Of course he would notice. I gulped, as he reached for my wrist and looked at my palm. "Enlighten me. Tell me the truth." He was inspecting it now with his sharingan. I almost laughed, he looked like a child with a new toy.
Except I wasn't one and I had the upper hand here.

"Hmm... well. This weird marking appeared the night I awakened my Byakugan. The same night that you were about to die."
He was intrigued now, evident by the narrowing of his eyes, intensely focused. I became overwhelmed with the flashbacks of that night.
"I don't know how it triggered it, but I had a strange revelation by someone named Otsutsuki..." I scratched my head, trying to remember his first name. "Ah! Hamura."
"Otsutsuki Hamura." Madara repeated. "A descendent of Otsutsuki Kaguya, and he is directly related to your clan."

I nodded, Madara was knowledgeable and keen.
"I see you've done your readings." I teased him.
"Do you know what powers you possess because of that marking?"

A conversation over that marking always dwindled down to that question. In the ninja world, assets related to strengths and skills seemed to be much more of value over one's own character and kindness. I didn't like it, but that's how it came to be.

"It acts as a bridge between the moon and the earth. I'm not entirely sure how to use it."
"You mean to tell me you have not yet tested its powers?" He scoffed.
"No..." I cast my hands down, ashamed. I had been too comfortable in my skills to even consider broadening them.
"We should battle together." He ordered nonchalantly, he swirled his charcoal orbs to red ones.

"Your marking seems to be reacting to the mere presence of my chakra. I hate to admit it, but you've spiked my interest, Ayumi. Amongst other ways too." He admitted, and indeed my palm was pulsing with light now.
I blushed, heat rising to my cheeks, looking up at him with innocent eyes. That was the first time I heard him say my name, and I liked the way it sounded, flat yet stern, a yearning behind his tone. Amongst other ways too? Wait! Why was he..?
He was inching closer to me now, so close to me that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. I looked at his chest, his yukata had slipped such that part of his scar was showing. I couldn't take it, it was too much! I felt too shy!

"M-madara... you're a bit too-"
"Be quiet." He ordered, his hoarse voice stirred a knot of nervousness in the pit of my stomach. "You have a scar on your neck." His hand had wrapped around my neck, and I took a deep gulp. He had killed people with that hand, suffocated them, and I was entirely at his mercy right now. The anticipation was killing me.

"There." He retracted his hand, offering a part of his chakra to me to heal that scar, "What did you think I was going to do, silly?"
"Either kill me or... maybe an innocent peck on the lips." I crossed my arms, muttering the latter part, looking away sheepishly.

*MADARA'S POV*
An innocent peck on the lips, did she say? I eyed her intently, how she had seemed so innocent and kind yet strong was beyond me. Seriously, how was it possible! It drove me crazy.

"Ayumi." I spoke her name demanding her attention, and her eyes were set on mine once more. I felt a territoriality over her that I could not explain, that tightness in my chest building up again. I placed a hand under her jaw now traveling to the side of her neck, pulling her closer to me, and that deep rose blush was quick to spread across her cheeks. The heat and silkiness of her skin was enticing me to do more. My lips landed on her plump ones, now satisfied that I had made her into the writhing mess that she was. I pulled back, her lips slightly parted.

"M-Madara! O-o-oi!" She shrieked, covering her mouth.
"Hn." I crossed my arms in satisfaction. "Was that not what you wanted?"
"I- I mea-mean..." She played with her fingers innocently, looking at the ground. I half-smiled at the sight of her so flustered by me.
That Hyuga princess had me smitten, and I hated to admit it, but I no longer wanted to deny myself of what was true. Perhaps maybe she is someone that I want to protect.

I looked up at the starry sky.
"There is no use in denying that there is obviously something between us. I have no shame in admitting what is true. Perhaps it was fate that night you met me and now we are conveniently both the leaders of our clans."

*AYUMI'S POV*
Madara spoke matter of factly, I guess it was true, though I was still blushing at his brazen behaviour. I loved that, a man not afraid of confrontation. Madara was not a passive man.

"Maybe so," I leaped onto the grass, adjusting my attire, "I think I need to head back, Madara. It's getting late."

"You can seek shelter here. It may be safer." Madara offered, now standing in front of me. I recalled Hashirama's words, and he was right. Madara is a fundamentally kind man.
I contemplated the idea for a minute, but I realized how odd it may look so soon already for my family at home. As annoying as it was, I did have a reputation to protect.
"It's fine." I flickered my wrist in the air, "I'll see you in the battlefield tomorrow." I smiled and began my walk back to the Hyuga compound.