She was sitting in her bedroom. Her breath was shallow and her eyes were a little bleary. She was alone, it was always so bad when she was home alone.

It was one of those days again.

Her head was filled with memories of days long past and now... she sat in bed, her arms wrapped around her as a few scattered tears ran down her cheeks.

Her eyes glanced down for a moment at the many scars on her arms. She hated them so much.

--TIMESKIP--

Madara was back and she had pulled herself together and greeted him as always. The smile she gave him was trying to be cheerful, but he seemed to realize that something was wrong... But at that point he had decided to leave it alone for now.

And now? It was late at night. Madara's arms were wrapped around her and his face had somehow disappeared into her neck as he hugged her from behind. His body gave her a sense of safety and security. Something she had missed so much. A wide wave of grief swept over her and her heart grew heavy, new tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Madara's hands slid gently over her waist, his hands warm and welcoming, but they brushed against one of her scars and that was the moment she could hold herself together no longer and she began to sob quietly. Madara heard this, of course.

"Do you hate them? The scars?" she asked him, knowing it wasn't his fault. But she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.