44. Fear

As I slowly turned around in anticipation I saw Madara's dark figure loom only inches away from me. I stared blankly at him as he walked closer towards me then took a seat beside me on the soft grass. His enticing scent filling my senses as the breeze blew past us.

"What're you doing here?" I asked suspiciously. His cold eyes trailed along the featured of my face slowly, his expression intrusive.

"I came to find you," he responded. I diverted my gaze down towards my cold palms, not wanting to feel those deeply piercing eyes of his on me. His voice darkly captivating me as he spoke.

"Long ago, I too had someone I cared about more than anything in this world," I sat silently and listen as he started to tell me a story.

"When he died I was filled with a deep dark hatred and to this day it is what drives me to change the fate of this cursed world." My heart plummeted as I thought about how saddening Madara's situation was. I knew exactly how he felt.. Maybe not to the extent of his pain but at the least I'd experienced a glimpse of what the world was capable of making someone feel.

Pain. Suffering. Hatred.

"There is nothing good in this world and I plan to change that. Then there will be no need for you to cry anymore" Madara's voice said now more softly from beside me. I slowly looked back up towards Madara as I realised what he had just said.

"But how..." I stammered, I hadn't though Madara had cared about anyone but himself.. Or at least that's the way it seemed.

"By casting an eternal Genjutsu that will reflect off the moon and catch everyone in it. Only then will we exist in a world of true peace," he explained, still steadily holding my gaze which I return in blankness.

"I don't understand.. How capturing the tailed beasts will result in you being able to do that" I said as I bit my lip in anticipation. The presence of Madara being so close beside me was enough to give me shivers. There was... Something about him.. Something cold and dark.

"It's simple, once I have all of the tailed beasts then I can use their power to become the ten tails Jinchuriki - holding such a vast amount of power will enable me to cast an infinite Tsyukinomi upon the moon" he said now smirking darkly. I let out a small sigh and looked back down at the ground.

"I want you to be by my side to help me accomplish my goal" Madara then said unexpectedly. I held my head down and started to fidget as I thought about his words..

What.. Does he mean by that..?

"I.. Don't know what you mean" I whispered, I guess the only way to find out was ask..

"You have no choice in the matter anyways so don't worry about what I mean" he then said dismissively. Suddenly I felt his grip tightly grasp around my upper arm and felt myself being pulled to my feet. I quickly looked up in surprise at the sudden gesture.

"Madara, what're you doing?" I asked as I started at him standing before me - that playful smirk accompanied by cold eyes upon me.

"You'll get sick if you sit out here in the cold. We're going inside to have a cup of tea" he stated. I couldn't believe what he just said.. Was he for real? How could his demeanour change so rapidly..?

"Stop staring woman, do I have to drag you back by your hair?" His voice now gaining back it's authority and before I could reply I felt his grip on my arm tighten as he started to drag me back to the base!

"Hey! Be gentle!" I exclaim as I attempted to Shake my arm from his grip but to no avail did he let go..

I hurried my pace so that I was keeping up with Madara's as we walked back towards the entrance. Madara finally let go as we stopped in front of the boulder. I watched as he released the seal and made his way in, I followed behind as he closed it again.

"You really are stubborn" Madara said beneath his breath as he glanced towards me.

I held my tongue at his cheekily intended remark and followed him into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen bench. I guess by now I was used to his inability to be civil I thought to myself as I watched him prepare some tea from behind. The length of his dark hair swayed behind him and I couldn't help but feel the urge to touch it ..

"You like my hair, do you?" Madara's voice asked suddenly.

"What!" I exclaimed, now leaning back in my chair slightly.

"You're so obvious that it's amusing" Madara cooed, his back still turned to me.

"I have no idea what your talking about" I lied, was he psychic or something?! Madara turned back around and lay down to cups of steaming black tea onto the table, his eyes scanning the room quickly before meeting my own again.

"You can feel it if you like" he said quietly as he leaned in closer towards me. I felt a small shiver run through me as I sat and stared at Madara in absolute astonishment. There was a small silence and I slowly raised my hand hesitantly and ran my fingers through his soft bangs.

His dark strands of hair fell gently beside his soft cheeks which made his handsome feature stand out so much.. Even enough to make him.. Attractive.. No! Not attractive! I quickly scolded myself at my stupid thoughts..

Madara's playful smirk widened slightly so I quickly withdrew my hand and grabbed onto my tea and started to blow onto it.

"There's something different about you" Madara then said as he leant back again. I slowly raised my gaze from my tea back up to him. His features had softened slightly as he sipped his tea casually.

"You've been acting out of character lately.. Are you feeling alright?" I asked. Madara ignored the hint of sarcasm in my question as he replied.

"I'm fine, you should take what I say more seriously. I'm not the type to do things without a reason" he said as he continued to sip at his tea. I looked back down and took a sip of my own tea, was Madara talking in some kind of code because I truly do not understand what has gotten into him..? Madara and I quietly sat and drank our tea, the bitter taste filling my mouth and residing deep into my stomach.

I tried to finish as quickly as I could, for some reason the air I was breathing made me feel uncomfortable. As I took the last sip of my tea I quickly stood up.

"Is something the matter?" Madara asked as his gaze mused me.

"I.. Just need to get some sleep for my mission tomorrow" I quickly said and before Madara could question further I turned and hurriedly left the kitchen. As I walked into my bedroom I quickly shut the door behind me and collapsed onto my bed then sighed.

What is going on around here..?

Is it just me or does everything just feel so strange lately?

I tried to decode what Madara might have meant by what he said before.. I thought about it for ages as I lied on top of my bed but nothing really came to mind.. Well nothing that made any rational kind of sense at least! The best I could come up with was that he may be warming up to me but I knew in the back of my mind that it hardly seemed plausible.. The amount of times I've been told that I'd be looked after.. That id be okay... That I was cared about..

The amount of times I've been lied too about all of these things.. The truth in my heart was that I would never be so stupid as to believe these types of statements ever again. No matter who was to say it.. Especially not from Madara.

Every time those sincere kind of words have been broken and have left me feeling more shattered than before..

My emotions are not something that anyone can just play with..

Amuse themselves with. This isn't who I am. I will not let myself be so vulnerable ..

knock.

....

I slowly sat up then made my way over to my door. As I slowly crack it open, those dark cold eyes are all I see. I feel the door being pushed open and then a feel Madara take a step closer towards me as I stand there in shock. His muscular arms wrap around my waist and his solid build pushes me back gently until I feel the hard wall collide with my back.

"Wh.. What're .. You?" I stammer my eyes furrow in confusion as his handsome face tilts to the side.. His lips meet mine gently but forcefully.. Waves of tingles shudder over my body as his tounge slips into my mouth and becomes dominant over my own.

I feel a heat rush to my cheeks..

What is happening?

I feel his soft cold lips break away from my own, his grip still tightly around my waist- holding onto me so I couldn't escape ..

"Madara" I gasp for air, his cold eyes only inches from mine.. His dark mischievous gaze so slight and smug.

"I know you're a little daft Tila, so I'll make it clear. You belong to me." I felt Madara's breath against my cheek as he spoke.

Was this really happening?

Was I going crazy? Was I dreaming?

This... Is...

"Absurd" I accidentally said out loud beneath my breath.

"You won't think that when I'm through with you.. Get to sleep now, you have a mission to complete tomorrow." Madara's deep demanding voice resided into my ears.. I stood rooted to the spot as he let go of me and turned around, he confidently strode back to the door but before he closed it completely he sent me one last dark glance.

"Now" he ordered dangerously.

His voice echoed through my room, I took a short raspy breath out of fear and quickly sat down on my bed and watched as he closed the door behind him. The click of the door closing was extremely relieving .. But I still was in complete shock.

I sat on my bed and stared at my wall.

I stared and stared as I questioned myself. How should I feel about this???

Should I be mad? Should I oppose him? Why does he want me? Will he hurt me if I do? Should I be scared?

I slowly started to feel again... It was fear.

Fearful for what was to come from this.