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Snow was coming down in huge fluffy flakes. It was stupidly chilly outside, and Chiaki should’ve known better than to take an outing for ‘leisure’. She’d managed to locate Madara after having tracked his all-too-familiar chakra signature, and the promise she made to her parents assuring she wouldn’t be out long enough to catch a cold promptly got shoved to the back burner in her mind once she was reunited with her friend.
Currently the pair were idled along the riverside watching the tree line so Chiaki could observe a couple of crested kingfishers that hadn’t headed south for the winter showcase a dance of theirs. She was completely in awe as they dipped, flittered about and barrel-rolled before peeling apart and retreating back to their respective nests.
”Aren’t they beautiful, hm?” Chiaki cooed, her voice airy, yet raspy, as she pivoted her head to gauge Madara’s reaction to her inquiry.
”They’re birds, Chiaki.” Madara took the piss out of his company, finding her endearing when she huffed and puffed her cheeks out at him.
Now that’s a vision…
”No fun allowed. It’s okay. You don’t have an eye for these things – anyway.” Chiaki blew a raspberry Madara’s way, teasing him right back and earning an ultra light sheet of pink across his cheeks; too!
Funny, I thought I had an eye for something exceptionally beautiful. Oh well.
Madara’s thoughts were interrupted by a snowball pelting his face, and Chiaki’s giggles could be heard bolting from him and the payback she was certain she’d get for catching him off guard.
Madara tore through the tundra after the woman he was utterly enamored with, sprinting through (primarily) undisturbed fields and thickets until he cornered her at a dead-end against a cliff face. He had his own snowball prepared, and he enjoyed the way Chiaki seemed exhilarated by the thrill of their little game of ‘cat and mouse’. He took aim at his target and let his ‘weapon of choice’ soar. The impact to her face wasn’t as bad as Chiaki thought it’d be… despite her best efforts of hopping around to avoid his toss altogether.
”Ow, that hurt!” Chiaki fibbed, a hand of her’s flying up to nurse the ‘ache’ away, ”Weren’t you ever taught to treat girls gently?”
”Stop lying, that didn’t hurt. It’s snow.” Madara sliced through Chiaki’s nonsense, shuffling over to her and giving her nose a flick to ruffle her feathers a smidge, ”Besides, I should know better than to simply believe all women are docile beings. I have seen you in combat: fragile, anything but.”
Madara’s high-end compliment briefly took Chiaki’s breath away, and her head whirled with electric excitement (and a hint of bewilderment) over where the sudden praise came from. It wasn’t often he gave them out. In fact, he was usually trying his damndest to crawl under her skin.
So… was this a trick, too? Was he attempting to play with her some more?
”I’d normally feel exceedingly delighted to hear something so wonderful… I just don’t understand where it came from?” Chiaki confessed, and promptly cursed herself over her inability to ‘go with the flow’.
The statement seemed to catch Madara by surprise, too, and it took a moment or two for him to come around with an answer for a patiently awaiting Chiaki.
I may have put my foot in my mouth this time. I guess it can’t be helped now –“
However, before Madara could relay what he’d been meaning to say, a fair bit of snow delayed whatever he was about to (quite possibly) flounder as a pair of bush warblers took flight from one of the nearby trees and shook loose some powder.
”Are those pretty, too?” Madara inquired, a hint of goading in his undertone that Chiaki honed in on and one-upped him with.
”Nah, those were so ugly. I’m surprised! With that perfect prowess of yours n’ all, I’d have thought you’d seen their blemishes before me… are you certain you don’t need your eyes examined?” Chiaki tittered, her eyes squinching for a fraction of a second and making her miss the sheer adoration present on Madara’s face.
Of course she’d thrown one of his known insults back at him. Clever girl, but still a silly one.
”My eyes aren’t faulty –“
”Oh, then maybe you should confirm if that’s really what I think it is.” Chiaki didn’t mean to cut off her friend, but once Madara followed her finger back towards where she’d been pointing – he couldn’t possibly be upset with her.
”I believe that would be… mistletoe. Right, Chiaki? You’re the flora expert.” Madara couldn’t quite discern if he was enthusiastic about the rather suggestive opportunity being presented, or if he was terrified.
Either way, he maintained a steeled composure; scrutinizing Chiaki as she seemed to become rather hot under the collar – much like himself.
”I mean… it certainly does fit the description.” Chiaki’s voice cracked a bit, and she was forced to clear her throat to flush out the itchy sensation being a general nuisance along her windpipe.
”Yeah, well, this one is up to you.” Madara, himself, hadn’t had much experience before this, and he figured letting Chiaki be the first to make a move (if any) was the best call he could make regarding the present situation.
He couldn’t quite look away from Chiaki’s lips and how she made swipes with her tongue along the lower one in an attempt to moisten them. He wished he’d had his over hers already. He wanted to indulge in figuring out if her taste was anything like he’d imagined, satiate that portion of him that pondered if they were actually compatible…
Chiaki took a bit longer than she wanted coming up with the courage to step forward. Standing on tiptoes, and with Madara’s helping hands keeping her steady against him, her lips timidly met his warm ones. He appreciated the bravery it took for her to do this for him, and he didn’t make her feel rushed as they exchanged a few more lazy kisses that felt much less awkward than their first.
”Oh no, I think I found my favorite pastime – Madara!” Chiaki cooed, a content smile stretching from ear to ear as she teased him and basked in the heat Madara offered from the chill nipping at her skin.
”I don’t think I’ll mind this one, I get to be a willing participant.” Madara shushed you with one more to the cheek this time, ”Let’s get out of the cold. It’d be a real shame if you caught a cold after that real bold statement.”
Chiaki agreed. It would be a terrible shame.