The Power of the Moon

PART 40

Tajima chuckled, a rare site to see for Ayumi.
"I really, truly never pegged my son as the type. But I guess you must mean something to him if he chose to protect you."

She gulped, and for a brief second Ayumi remembered all the shinobi he had slain right by her side during the warring states era. It chilled her how easily fighting came to Madara. He could have left her long ago if he so easily wanted to. But that side of him would be cast away when they were together.

"I'm also guessing that my son wouldn't be handing out such gifts to someone if he hadn't meant it." Tajima eyed her hand, but she grew shy and she tugged her sleeves over her hands.

"I guess you know why I'm here then." Ayumi looked at Tajima. "In all honestly I don't know how to come out and say it without slighting you the least bit, but Madara proposed to me."

Tajima looked at her neutrally, not the slightest bit of shock bearing his face.

"Shikatanai." Tajima muttered under his breath. "I was insistent on the fact that he get married to an Uchiha woman so to keep our bloodline pure. But this is the way things must go." Tajima sighed, taking a sip of his tea. "But you seem to have an element that grounds him."

"I'd like to think so." Ayumi bowed. "Just like he takes care of me, I will try my best to take care of him, Tajima-sama."

But he raised a palm in the air. "Tajima."
Ayumi smiled, and she took it as a sign of him granting her blessings to proceed.

-

Ayumi was carefully trekking along the village to meet Madara, who had been at the Hokage's estate. She was too excited at the approval his father, though indirectly, expressed. But almost too conveniently, Madara had appeared from a corner, and Ayumi suddenly stopped in her steps.

"Madara." Ayumi approached him, and he eyed her face, as he walked past by her. "Everything go okay with Hashirama?"

Madara nodded. "I'm guessing you went to speak to my father."
"I did." Ayumi caught up to his pace, looking up at him.

"And?" He looked down at her from the corners of his eyes.
She rubbed her chin. "Well, he didn't say it up right, but he told me to address him informally from now on."
"Hm." Madara looked ahead, smiling small. "So it is a yes."
"Mm." Ayumi smiled.

"Though I'll admit it would have been nice to witness you become a nervous mess in front of him, we should get preparations ready." Madara smirked, his hands on his hips.
"Oi!" She tugged his arm, and he stifled a chuckle. "You really need to stop your teasing!"

"Not as long as I live." Madara muttered, looking ahead.

-

It was night now, and Ayumi had been staying up late engrossed in clan paperwork. Her father had been easing her into the role of a leader now. The sound of cicadas buzzed in the background as her shoji door stayed open to let in the cool night air. 

"Just more and more." Ayumi sighed, stretching her arms. "Never ends."

But she heard faint footsteps crunching the grass from outside, and that chakra had been familiar. 

"I see you're a natural hard worker, up so late." Madara leaned against the door's frame, his arms had been crossed. His eyes fell to the pile of paperwork and then to her.

"Oh. This." Ayumi sighed, "My father is getting older and so I have to take over. I never knew it was this bad. How do you handle it?"
Madara closed his eyes. "You'll get used to it."

"Ah." She nodded, but she hesitated to get back to work knowing he was there. 
"Are you..." Ayumi stood up, "Hungry?"

"Hungry? At this time?" Madara chuckled. "I might pass on the offer."
"Right." She itched her arm, "Well, make yourself welcome here if you want."

-

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Shikatanai = means "so it is", "its inevitable", "can't be helped"