Well, there were a lot of firsts for me in this fanfic: Subjects, characters, plot, even the habit of writing everyday. After several months of experiments, I can say I'm happy with the final result. It's been quite the ride! I'll surely try to write more Naruto fanfic in the future. Hope you enjoy!

Up and down. Up and down. One could say this perpetual movement was the beating heart of this workshop. It was always there, the slow sustained pace of the weaving looms interlacing a hundred threads, and the pedals of the sewing machines. Every day it would fuel imagination and all kinds of transformations, like it had done since the beginning. Without it, the craft and pride of the entire clan wouldn't be able to come to life.

Many other workshops and trades had also settled in the village as clans from the entire land of fire moved in. A new era was born. The most prestigious and powerful families were coming together at last after decades of fighting, and after a year or so of existence, Konoha was thriving. In between the waves of expansion, life was peaceful and business was going well.

Up and down, stitch by stitch, Aino's needle made pink plum blossoms materialize onto the silk. The pattern was simple and delicate, with its soft colors blending in nicely with the peach hues of the fabric. To achieve beauty and harmony in her creation was crucial to the seamstress, however such honorable goal required long hours of focusing and staring at the same design, the same colors, the same damn stitches for days. The progression was satisfying to see, but the patience to make it happen would eventually run dry, paving the way for much less honorable sentiments.

Aino heaved a bored sigh, her hand mechanically embroidering another petal. Work was work. One had to be worthy of their client's trust and honor the clan. This yukata-to-be on her lap would probably take a few more days, a week maximum of work before she can finally move on to the next order and get her sweet excitement back.

Her eyes left her work in progress to discreetly spy on her fellow clansmen's activities. In the far corner of the room, her cousin was busy drafting a pattern for combat clothing from custom measurements and demands. Even if life in Konoha was peaceful, the situation at the northern borders was still unstable, and orders for this type of gear were often coming from shinobis ready to depart. Closer to her, beside her desk, Aino's uncle was assembling a kimono at one the sewing machines. The old man was impassive, as always deeply focused on his task, not slowing down one bit after hours of work. In a swift move he turned the kimono over to start on a new seam, revealing its beautiful needlework in the process. A silent whistle escaped Aino's lips as she laid eyes on the fine stitching and glass beads and pearl ornaments. The high demand for her uncle's creations was definitely justified. This was near perfection from a master in the craft.

A sharp pain stopped her train of thought and with a hiss she let go of silk panel. Being pricked by your own needle was no big deal, but ruining such fine fabric with blood definitely was. Annoyed, she wiped her finger clean with a tissue and inspected the silk with care, only to sigh in relief when no stain showed up. Beside her, the only witness of this scene broke into a tender laugh.

"That's often what happens when you're distracted." The old man said through his toothy grin.

Aino gave her finger one last check before she turned to face him, arms crossed and a smirk on her face. In response, he leaned in with his elbows resting on the desk, hands clasping together. "Aino, stop. You've been at it for hours. The next mistake might not be as forgiving."

"I know, uncle Haru." She admitted, rubbing her temples. "It's just that if I start slacking now I'll lose the last bits of motivation I have for today."

"Aah… I see." He nodded before taking his focus back to the sewing machine.

Her eyes found their way to the kimono once again, taunting her further with its perfection as it passed again under the needle. "I wish I had your patience."

"Oh I'm not more patient. Good ol' me gets fed up too, you know. But in the end we find a way and manage, don't we?" The machine came to a full halt as Haru stood up. "Just set it all aside and let's take a break. A nice cup of tea will do you good, trust me."

Aino answered with a grin.

In the small kitchen adjacent to her working place, Aino poured the freshly brewed green tea into cups and served a plate of snacks, which the old man eyed immediately. The first sip she took brought warmth to her body and peace to her mind, muting the nagging thoughts she had earlier. Haru was right, as always. Unwinding was definitely today's good decision. Surrounded by the smell of the sweet beverage, the seamstress forgot about her tasks for a while, captivated by her uncle's rants. He would speak of the ancestors, legends surrounding the powerful clans and how he wished he possessed a dojutsu "to look dashing" as he would say. Quite refreshing topics compared to what she would hear all day.

Haru's words died down as something caught his attention and naturally Aino's gaze followed in the same direction. This loud thud seemed to be coming from the street, probably a pile of newly dyed and rinsed fabrics being dunked on the wooden floor from the riverside. They both shrugged it off and when back to sipping their tea, only to be interrupted again, this time by a great amount of shouting and in the seconds that followed, the sound of heavy footsteps coming their way. Aino rolled her eyes and poured herself more tea. Whatever was happening outside, it wasn't any of her business.

She almost dropped her cup when the door slammed open and a fellow clansman yelled her name. Haru on his side choked on his mouthful of food, as surprised by the intrusion as his niece. Aino glared at the youngling. "No need to yell! What do you want?"

"You need to come to the front shop right away!" He articulated in between two shaky breaths.

"What?! Why?"

He grabbed her arm and started pulling her in his direction. "Just come! Please!"

Her young cousin was terrorized, trembling like he had seen a ghost, his grip still tight around her arm. It crossed her mind like a lightning bolt: Aino feared the worst had happened. It took a firm push from Haru for them to snap out of their panic and run towards the source of the heckling. The seamstress braced herself, a bright glow of chakra spreading on her fingers. If this was a robbery, she would defend her family no matter what. But why would her clan get attacked? They weren't important, held no fortune and their special abilities weren't sought for. Her fists clenched. There'd be time to think about these things later.

When the small group arrived at the door leading to the front shop, the shouting and banging had gone silent. Without a sound, Haru reached for a kunai in his apron and held it ready to strike. Behind him, Aino peeked into the room through the crack of the door. Scanning what she could of the room her eyes found a familiar silhouette, with a crest ornamented back behind a curtain of silver hair, kneeling as if in a prayer. Adrenaline and anger filled her veins at this sight. Who dared to force her own mother down to her knees?

Taking a deep breath in for good measure, Haru and Aino pushed the door open. They stared in confusion, as the scene unfolding before them was not what they expected to find. The habitual displays and items stood there where their minds had imagined ransack, and there was not a single trace of fighting. The shop was, however, unusually crowded. Several clansmen were present and noticing the seamstress they moved aside, not muttering a single word. She was dumbfounded by such behavior. This wasn't an attack, alright. She and Haru got worked up. Could it be a mob of very displeased customers then? It was quite a rare occurrence in town, and something never seen in their shop. It could explain the presence of half of the clan in here. There's a first time for everything after all.

The kunai fell on the floor behind her upon the small crowd finally revealing the visitors, and as Aino laid eyes on him, two bright red pupils locked with them.

And then, he was everywhere. All around her, in each corner of her mind, was Madara Uchiha. Overwhelming, observing her from every angle, like a beast circling her waiting to pounce on its prey. Chakra still flowing into her fingers she tried to retaliate, but instead her arms spread on each side of her body, pinned into place. Aino grunted, pulling on her unresponsive limbs.

Her struggle came to an end when she felt him press into her. Chills spread over her skin, sinking deeper as his breath tickled her nape. Hers refused to leave her throat. Her entire being was so awfully exposed, an open book for hungry eyes to read, for angry hands to tear apart.

Cursing, Aino jerked her shoulders forward repeatedly, but to no avail. Her limbs still refused to follow. Now he was surrounding her, his form a mass of raging black flames about to consume her. With her body still not obeying, she could only close her eyes when a chakra far greater than her own engulfed it completely.

When Aino opened them again, snapping out of her trance, he was still staring at her. Only his dojutsu wasn't active anymore. A silent gasp escaped her mouth. How much time had passed? A second? A minute? Only those around her could tell. So this was the power of the Sharingan. It was a mere glance. A single glance had put her in such position. What a phenomenal power in the hands of a man who seemingly knew no manners whatsoever. Who the hell puts somebody under a genjutsu on a whim like that?

Come on Aino, get a hold of yourself. Now was not the time to freak out, especially in front of the damn leader of the Uchiha and her clan. He may be all bold and magnificent and all, but if he wants to handle the situation this way with her and her kin, then why not play in the game?

Her lips closed into a sly smirk. Bold it is then. Those black irises never leaving her sight, she walked to meet him. With each step the metallic jingling of her hair pins broke the heavy silence of the room, resounding in her ears as Madara Uchiha and his intense aura seemed to grow bigger in front of her. She posted herself right in front of him, tilting her head and crossing her arms instead of the traditional kneeling. He didn't bother with the etiquette either after all. While his two clansmen looked rather offended, the lord's mouth curled slightly.

"Shiraishi Aino." He spoke in a deep raspy voice, each syllable rolling on his tongue.

Her eyebrow rose at the teasing undertone. "That I am, Lord Uchiha."

"Aino! This is most improper-"

"Enough, matriarch!" All people backed off as he barked at her.

The venerable Otome opened her mouth to protest some more, but quickly decided against it. Instead, she just glared at the seamstress. Aino smirked once more, reveling in this new silent moment. To have her aunt shut up for once was too rare of an occasion.

Madara gestured and one of his men brought a package to the wooden counter. The size and colors of this box left no doubt. It came from their shop. The man untied the ribbon and removed the lid, revealing a neatly folded piece of thin linen clothing with a bright blue collar. Her heart skipped a beat when the overly familiar garment got unfolded and presented in front of the crowd.

"A clanswoman of mine was wearing this. Is it your creation?" Madara asked, pointing at it.

The pieces of the puzzle started assembling together in her head, until it all made sense. While keeping her composure in front of everyone, she was face palming herself on the inside.

"Yes it is." She admitted, her chest heaving deeply.

"How is this possible? Aino, you know women aren't supposed to fight."

Of course they weren't. For the sake of the village as everyone would say. Admittedly just like their male counterparts, women were able to manipulate and use chakra after training at the brand new academy, and receive the title of kunoichi. But they were never put outside medical and teaching roles, far from any offensive place and from the risk to get killed. Besides, even though her clan could technically wield chakra through a hereditary path, they were not shinobis.

Aino never really gave this statement a deeper thought, until this young lady came to the shop. That day the village was celebrating the long awaited Hanami festival and everybody had gone out of town, leaving Aino alone in the front shop. The girl's request for chakra reinforced gear was odd, but her impressive resolution and will to persevere in the shinobi ways encouraged the seamstress all the more to go against the moral tide.

Her jet black hair should have been a giveaway.

"Lord Uchiha, please be lenient." Her mother added, bowing once again.

"Lord Uchiha, the young mistress ordered this attire from me and I made it following her requirements. I never meant to offend but if I did, I alone should take the blame. No one else was involved in this."

She gulped as she watched Madara taking a step towards her, his unblinking eyes meeting hers once again. Silence had fallen around the pair, waiting to be broken by a dreaded outcome. Standing her ground Aino clenched her hands into fists, gathering chakra with infinite discretion. If he was going to snap, better be prepared for it.

"What blame?" He asked with a grin.

This grin turned into an amused laugh, his face finally showing some kind of emotion while she stood there dumbfounded. This man was truly unpredictable. A few seconds ago she could have sworn he'd use her as an example for her clan to learn not to mess with the Uchiha ever again. As a flow of whispers reached her ears it became clear that the rest of her family was also confused. Ah well, at least it allowed the tension from earlier to subside, in the room as well as in her own body.

"You fulfilled this unusual request and provided my kin with quality work and that's all to your credit. I'm not here to punish you, but to ask you to do the same for me."

As the words spilled out of his mouth the people went silent again. Aino's eyes widened, stunned by what she had just heard. The head of the Uchiha came to the shop and caused a ruckus before ordering from her. Even in her weirdest dreams this scenario wouldn't unfold. He took a step aside and placed both his hands on the counter, ready to place his request like any other client. And to think this man had displayed such power and dominance not so long ago.

"Well…?" he said, smirking.

She shook her head, the shadow of a smile appearing again on her face. As stunned as she was, she had a customer to take care of. Turning to face her fellows, she nodded with confidence, assuring them that everything would be fine from now on. A few of them went back to their business, but one could still tell they had one ear out there to keep updated on the situation.

Aino reached for the register from the counter and opened it with a loud bang. As she did so she could feel his gaze following her every movement. The thought made her skin tingle.

With the ink and quill ready she leaned in, ready for a new entry. "What can I do for you, Lord Uchiha?"

He proceeded with his order, insisting on a few key features. First, it had to be chakra bound like the piece he had brought, tightly weaved in with strong fibers to deflect direct hits. Second, it had to cover his entire body with the exception of his head, hands and feet, and remain loose enough to allow easy movement. She asked for any preferences, but on these he wasn't that demanding. They agreed on the quality of materials, the cut and the color. Aino silently evaluated his order as he spoke, picturing the finished product in her head. After a few minutes the order for a black two-piece combat suit for Madara Uchiha was placed, with all details carefully written down on paper.

While she put the register back in place his hand plunged into an inner pocket and retrieved a piece of wrinkled paper. "Here are my measurements according to our clan's tailor. You're to start immediately, and I want no one else but you working on this. Am I being clear?"

He made sure to raise his voice for the last words to make sure everybody heard and wouldn't try to go against his wishes. Aino reached for the paper and grabbed it, her fingers brushing against his ever so slightly. "Crystal clear, my Lord." She said, putting the paper away in the little pouch hanging from her belt.

His two henchmen had already exited the shop and were waiting for their leader at the entrance. The latter took a step backwards in this direction, his expression now serene. A huge difference with the belligerent and annoyed one he had a moment earlier. She had to admit it, smiling looked good on him.

"Come to the Uchiha compound as soon as you're done. I'll be waiting for you." On these words, the great Madara Uchiha turned around and disappeared behind the closing door. A hand on her chest, breathing in deeply, Aino tried to process what had just taken place in her clan's humble shop and the immense responsibility that had been placed on her shoulders. True, she yearned for a new project, but she didn't expect something like that to befall her.

A firm pat on her back shook her out of her thoughts. Her close family had gathered behind her and a myriad of praises and congratulations fell upon her. Aino remained speechless at the amount of unusual attention directed at her, and just plastered a polite smile on her face. To think it took such an event for all these faces to not just see her but acknowledge her as well. At least the earlier fear was gone, replaced by joy and a need to celebrate the fact that one prominent figure of the village just visited. It was a great honor and opportunity for the Shiraishi clan, there was no denying. She heaved a long sigh. After what trickeries Madara had put on her and all the pointless intimidation, him being gone at last was surely relieving.

His name resounding in her head gave her chills and the thought of working for him and seeing him again thrilled her like rarely before. She got his trust as a customer, which was in itself a great privilege, but those fatal eyes not leaving her once during their whole interaction felt somehow much more exhilarating.

Sat by the loom at the late hours of morning Aino shifted the layers of thread, carefully weaving in the thin chakra strings. Another press of the pedal and those merged in with the rest of the canvas, creating their signature chakra bound fabric. A few weeks had passed since the commotion and the shop was boiling from the inside. Word had gotten out in the village that Madara Uchiha in person went there and as a result the number of customers had gotten up drastically. So many people were mobilized that the shop had to remain closed to prevent further orders from being placed.

As per directions given, Aino had been working for her prestigious client alone after honoring her previous agreements. It was still pretty far from the end but the progress was going steady enough to get a glimpse of the final look. The fabric produced was rather thin and soft, with this sheen typical to the products of their craft. The seamstress made sure to gather it nicely on the roll at her lap, often checking it for quality. Especially with such a customer, mistakes were not allowed.

One chakra string after the other, Aino couldn't bring herself fully to work without thinking about the Uchiha. No other client had left that kind of impression on her before. Of course, he was no ordinary customer so this was to be expected. But where other clan members didn't seem to remember the encounter and instead drowned in the newfound euphoria, Aino remembered every bit of it. Every moment of their meeting would flash in her mind, stirring all the emotions she had felt there. There was anger and frustration from feeling so helpless in his hands, and the fear she tried hard to dissimulate, though he might have felt it anyway with how close he was. His weight on her back, how he stood there hidden from her eyes, how his breath brushed against her skin. So close. The shiver that ran along her shoulder made her bite her lip.

Who knew genjutsu could be that…?

In the midst of her reverie she noticed that the loom wasn't making any sound anymore. Looking down she found her hands still on the frame with layers waiting to be shifted. She grumbled in annoyance, cursing herself for losing such precious time. She should know better to focus on the seriousness of her situation rather than come up with fantasies from the strange encounter she had with him that she alone called a game.

Resolved to continue with the competence required, she went on to pull another chakra string from her fingertips, and as it stretched she felt a familiar dizziness. The string breaking and vanishing confirmed that it was indeed time for her to stop to replenish her chakra. Too bad for her momentum, but without chakra she couldn't do anything. Taking advantage of her symptoms still being mild she checked her work one last time and then locked the shifting mechanisms. With slow steps she left the room and headed for the compound, which was just a minute away behind the shop.

Watching her every step she made her way through the inner court of the residence. The last traces of summer were starting to fade with leaves turning into this beautiful yellow color. Still the sun shone hot and bright today, making her uncomfortable in her dark yukata. She crossed the rocky path near the carp pond, watching them happily bounce as she approached. Unfortunately for them she was empty handed. After a short walk in the shadowy corridors, she reached her room sighing in contempt at the sight of her bed. Sleep was the most effective and quick way to replenish chakra, so it wasn't exceptional for her and fellow clansmen to nap during daytime.

She went to put her hair jewelry away and noticed that today's mail had been delivered. A grin peaking at the perspective of good news, she picked up the envelopes and inspected them one by one. Most of them were payment and greetings cards following previous orders she realized. A dreamy expression drew on her face as she thought about what she could do with that money. How about a tasty meal at the restaurant? Or perhaps she could go to the onsen, or the theater. With this amount, the possibilities were many. However her smile faded into a cringe when she reached the last envelope. It had the red ribbon she dreaded so much. She got rid of it and ripped the envelope open in a sigh of exasperation, knowing already what kind of content she would stumble on.

Before her eyes was another mass of pretty words, carefully chosen and written with a fine calligraphy brush no less. It was this man from the Shimura clan. She remembered him quite well. He had come to the shop a few months earlier to get a yukata for his younger sister. He certainly was charming and good looking, also from a clan on the rise, but his constant and useless blabber and the way he addressed her in public she found detestable. He only saw her three times at best and now he was asking for her hand in marriage. This had to be the joke of the day. Like with the other red marked letters she ripped it in two and threw it in the trash bin without looking. In no way, shape or form did she need the protection or the guidance of a husband, despite what her parents tried to plant in her head.

Vertigo took a hold of her again as her exasperation hit its high. Even when she yearned for a moment of rest and solitude this kind of things would find their way to her. She lay on the bed and curled up against her cover, gripping her pillow. Forget it, Aino. For now other things were more urgent, like working on that special order and gaining some strength back.