Chapter Text
Stirring as the door to his room creaked open, Satoshi was greeted by the sight of a familiar doll. The poor kid, though happy to see her, was completely out of it. When the adrenaline from the past couple of days had worn off, his body felt like it had been slammed into a wall at high speed. Being able to sleep soundly in a safe place was a great relief, but it would not be enough to fully recover from weeks of neglect. All he could manage when he saw Medicine was a simple smile and a thumbs up.
"Onee-chan..."
Medicine did not expect the sudden term of endearment, but she wasn't against it either. Walking over to the bed, she took his hand. Her words were few, but spoken with affection.
"Yes, I'm here Satoshi."
"Medsheen... wanted to... hill..."
As much as Medicine wanted to play with her friend, she had to let him rest. He wasn't even able to form a coherent sentence, let alone make the journey all the way back to the Hill of the Nameless. She didn't really mind, though. Even if they couldn't talk, Medicine was happy to sit beside the bed and hold his hand. Satoshi held her gaze for as long as he could keep his eyes open. After his exhaustion had taken over, he fell into a deep sleep.
At first, Medicine gave the boy space, not wanting to disturb him in his first moment of genuine peace. She kept vigil in her chair, the air filled with naught but the sound of his soft inhales and exhales. Calm at first, the doll soon noticed a shift in Satoshi’s breathing. It was subtle at first, but quickly grew deeper and more irregular until it was a cause of genuine concern. When she saw the tears in his eyes, Medicine decided that she couldn’t leave him alone. Instead, just this once, she could indulge herself.
Gently pushing Satoshi aside to make space, the doll climbed in next to him and pulled the covers over both of them. Immediately sensing her presence, the boy wrapped his arms around the doll. She reciprocated, and with this extra layer of security, Satoshi's breathing and heart rate stabilised. It was clear that he hasn't fully recovered just yet; healing from the wounds of his old life and adjusting to his new one would take time. Medicine didn’t know how long it would be, but she did know that she would be there every step of the way.
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For the time he would be there, Satoshi was a welcome addition to Alice's home. His presence made the little cottage just a bit less lonely. And even when Alice needed some alone time, he wouldn't be a bother given his quiet and reserved personality. Under the magician’s tutelage, he had blossomed into a capable young man. In return, the boy became able to pull his own weight, and even helped the magician with some of her magical activities.
On her part, Medicine was now happy with her existence, rather than just merely content. Having someone she could trust and share her time with did wonders for her. That said, her sharp edge never truly disappeared. In some ways, it became even sharper now that she had someone to protect. As the years passed, rumours began to spread about the two. On certain nights, some reported seeing them sharing close moments, foreheads and lips pressed together.
The Hill of the Nameless, once a place of abandonment, had now become a place of comfort for the two. Seemingly every day, the dynamic duo found a new adventure. From the thrill of experimenting with new spellcards to something as mundane as cuddling on the flowers, no two days were ever the same. Whatever they were doing, Medicine and Satoshi being together was the one constant. This is a simple snapshot their daily life.
One day on the Hill of the Nameless.