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It should’ve been exceedingly apparent that your feelings weren’t reciprocated. You’d bore witness to the way Madara’s attention never strayed from Chiaki, how he was just a smidge more tender with her as opposed to the plethora of women attempting to throw themselves at him. You weren’t necessarily oblivious to how Chiaki would swoon for him, either. You’d caught her more than once ogling at the man when she was certain no one was watching her exhibit tiny bits of her infatuation over him; anyways.
That was why, as you accidentally stumbled across the pair in the present day sharing their first kiss in a grove not too far from the village, it would come as no surprise that the disease nesting within your lungs would react to it. You had to bolt to a nearby restroom to expel the earthy-tasting bile in its final home within the toilet, your hand clutching at the forefront of your shirt and tears streaming down your cheeks from the sheer exertion of your upchucking.
You reached a hand back around to grasp at some tissue paper, wiping your mouth of the soft, pale pink camellia petals and disposing of the evidence of your malady’s existence by flushing them down the drain. You rose on quivering legs and took yourself over to wash your hands and rinse your mouth of the vile tang throwing up always brought with it. An inspection of your face revealed a clammy complexion, and you gave yourself a quick splash to rid yourself of the thin film of perspiration making you feel utterly gross.
You stumbled out of the bathroom, your vision mildly blurry and your lungs a smidgeon more taut than when you’d initially entered the washroom. You could feel the plant leech off you a bit more as it wormed its way from your lungs up into the column of your windpipe, obscuring your capability of breathing properly a centimeter more and forcing you to feel absolute helplessness over the dismal future awaiting you.
In an attempt to relieve yourself of some of the discomfort, you gingerly pressed into the base of your throat and made an attempt to clear yourself from the pesky, itchy, sensation irritating you – and obviously failed to obtain what you were seeking.
I need to… lay down for a bit –
You told yourself, your free hand moving further up to check for the fever you were certain you’d contracted and having it confirmed by the intense heat rolling off of you before you could even so much as ghost your digits across your forehead.
It took a moment or two leaned up against the exterior wall of the restroom to recharge your stamina, and then, through excessive dizziness, you meandered back to your own residence and sought refuge beneath the comfort of your duvet for a well-earned nap.
A nap hadn’t done you justice. The three hours set aside for recovery was, instead, spent writhing in agony and hysterically weeping over the irrepressible smothering sensation you were being subjected to… by nothing other than your sheer stubbornness to not relinquish your deeply-rooted feelings over Madara. There wasn’t the chance of you having a common cold, or having any form of everyday illness that could simply be dealt with. Your condition was a manifestation of the unrequited love you’d kept so close to your heart for far too long. It was something you were certain no medicine could ever cure, and something you were suffering for gravely.
Another round of petals made it into the bucket you’d practically been hugging for the last hour, and you soon found your sanity deteriorating at quite the alarming rate as you contemplated if you should track down and beg your sole rival for a way out of your torment. It was clearly apparent that coming forth with Madara over your love for him wouldn’t bear you any fruit… and the sheer idea of having to plead with Chiaki brought you such a tremendous amount of shame, you half pondered if you should simply ‘take care’ of yourself before the plant could fully devour you – anyway.
There truly was no winning for you.
Your thoughts rattled about, ranging from a tad hopeful in thinking that Chiaki could possibly give you the liberation you desperately desired, to terribly inconsolable as horrendously negative statements bombarded your brain and plummeted your spirits down exceedingly low.
After another few minutes of sweating profusely, and being unable to abate the insatiable queasiness of yours, you did your best standing up on wobbly legs and fumbled about getting ready to pay the woman a visit.
A few raps being sourced to the forefront of Chiaki’s residence late into the evening had her following the noise and answering her door to a visibly shaken you. She was highly perplexed why you’d be seeking her out at first, her mind swiftly combing through her noggin and coming up short as to anything she may have overlooked that could’ve brought you here.
A further inspection of you, however, had Chiaki promptly urging you to come in and find comfort in a spot upon her couch. She patiently idled nearby, a touch of alarm adorning her features as she observed you settling in and trying to relax the best you could.
”I cannot bear it anymore… I wish there’d be anyone else available, but there’s only you.” You blurted, unsure of where to even begin, but knowing full well that Chiaki was the sole person capable of a successful surgery of your caliber.
After a rather awkward pause, you withdrew some tissue with the sample you’d taken the liberty of collecting before making the trek over and unfolded the napkin for Chiaki to take a peek at what was ailing you. A sharp inhale indicated the Fusae’s utter shock, and she clamped a hand across her mouth over it – entirely embarrassed by her initial reaction to your sickness.
At least what you’d said made perfect sense now… well, almost. Chiaki still didn’t quite understand why she hadn’t been your first choice, and a lengthy explanation given by you filled in the gaps quite nicely; allowing her a better picture of your ordeal. You didn’t necessarily gloss over your disdain for Chiaki’s relationship with Madara, expressing how you’d wished beyond anything imaginable that it’d been you he’d chosen. You didn’t deny the guilt that’d been consuming you for the better half of a year, and you couldn’t tell your rival enough how much you were aware that your predicament was so silly. That you shouldn’t have even permitted yourself to slip so far down your dark rabbit hole , and that you were also profusely sorry for trauma dumping your dilemma onto her.
”I see…” Chiaki began after a brief moment to process what’d just been disclosed to her, ”I’m not so sure there’s anything I can say to remedy your broken heart, but I can make the promise to remove this burden from you… if that’s what you came here to ask of me?”
Chiaki was as politely forthcoming as she could be, seeking confirmation that you had, indeed, been in search of something to quell your agony.
A furious nod from you was all she needed before she was sat on the couch beside you, comforting you as you rocked back and forth with your hands becoming soaked from your inconsolable cries of defeat. She kept her embrace fastened around you until you were certain you were fine again, and the pair of you discussed a time the following day to undergo your operation (along with the side effects the surgery would cost you). A ‘thank you’ of sorts was exchanged at Chiaki’s front door, and this time going back home – you were looking forward to tomorrow.
Waking up, you weren’t nearly as bothered by the petals you upheaved just knowing that in just a few hours; they wouldn’t be a hindrance anymore. For the first time in damn-near a year you’d woken up in such a grand mood, and not even the melancholy thoughts you had here and there about the memories and feelings you’d be leaving behind doused the positive attitude you wanted to bring to the table.
You were still a bit somber on the way over to Chiaki’s, recalling all the little moments where you’d been blessed with tiny interactions with Madara. You relived the ways in which you’d addressed his wounds whenever Chiaki hadn’t been available, being so elated over the praises you’d received over your medical skills as your digits glided over the injuries you were healing. You couldn’t resist thinking that he’d wished it’d been Chiaki nursing him… coddling him. You were certain he was appreciative of you, regardless. However, appreciation didn’t grant you your own corner in the man’s brain when you were ‘out of sight, out of mind’ when all was said and done.
Another, more fonder, memory had you recalling the way Madara had been exceptionally kind whenever you’d rolled your ankle one year. He’d been decent enough to give you a lift back into the village after discovering you weren’t capable of applying pressure to your foot, and you cracked the tiniest of smiles reminiscing over it. You hadn’t been on par with Chiaki, so mending the fracture had required the assistance of two others that day. Not that you minded one bit when you’d gotten Madara Uchiha’s, if only for a fleeting moment.
A broader smile graced your features as you remembered how sturdy Madara’s back had been as you clung to him, absorbing his warmth and inhaling a delightful waft of vetiver and sage, alongside a hint of soot from another skirmish; no doubt. It was pleasant to your olfactory senses, at least, and the aroma had done such a wonderful job soothing you that it lulled you right to sleep. Madara had ended up passing you over to the two ladies that hastily did their part in taking you off his hands.
It was a bit embarrassing recalling having put the man through something so trivial, and you did your best to imagine all of the far-less humiliating interchanges in an attempt to calm your palpitating heart as you neared your destination. A few more houses down, and all of your silly little reveries were put on hold as you announced your presence at Chiaki’s front entrance.
The platform you were on wasn’t comfortable. At all. The coolness of the steel table Chiaki requested you prop up on only served to make you squirm, your back arching away from the objectionable chill before your body gradually got used to the icy sensation tickling your back from the open-back gown you wore.
”I’m sure you’re just ready for me to ‘get this over with’, huh?” Chiaki tried lessening the tension with some light banter, her fingers curling around and bringing up the anesthesia she’d be utilizing real soon.
”More than anything… Thank you. You’re not so bad, it’s a shame we didn’t form a bond before all of this. Perhaps after –?” You hinted at the possible notion of a newfound friendship in the aftermath of everything.
”The idea sounds wonderful, I’d be happy to have your friendship!” Chiaki was upbeat expressing her opinion over your offer before going over the rundown of what you’d be expecting from her real soon.
The swab she swiped along your forearm induced a deep shudder from you, and Chiaki forewarned you of the pinch you’d be receiving before you felt the irritating prick of being stuck by her needle. You hissed, your jaw promptly clenching over the unpleasant, chilly, sensation being infected into and forced down your veins.
”There, all done! You did so well, just give that a few moments to kick in. I know it’s easier said than done, but try your best to relax – okay?” Chiaki applauded your patience, urging you to take it easy and she withdrew her tool and disposed of it in the proper bin she’d set up before you even got there.
”Heh, right, relax. How am I supposed to do that when I won’t even be the same person when I wake up?” You were a smidgeon sassy with your eyes boring a hole into the ceiling, ”Oh well. I suppose this is a ‘second chance’ of sorts? Either way… no hard feelings, Chiaki.”
Your gaze shifted onto the noirette, your expression a healthy mixture of apprehensive and ready for whatever was to come.
”Of course… y/n.” You faintly caught Chiaki’s agreeance as darkness began lulling you down into an exceptionally deep slumber.
Chiaki had mended grotesque wounds. Straight up had to make last minute calls to amputate Shinobi before… but nothing had shocked her quite so much in her lengthy medical career as when she opened you up and took a peek at what was going on inside.
She’d done her best to provide you with privacy, draping sheets over the parts of you she didn’t need to bother with and popping open the front of your surgical gown to expose your chest cavity. She’d been thorough in sterilizing the equipment she used, and she’d been exceedingly cautious cracking open your sternum (delicately treating you like porcelain) to sift through the rotten contents within.
The odor that permeated from your open wound was putrid, and Chiaki had to steel her stomach so bile wouldn’t promptly come up if she was going to be in such close proximity with the vile smell. The vines she extracted were decayed beyond anything she could recognize, and she couldn’t help pondering if the state of them were an exact representation of how you’d been feeling up until this point as she deposited them into a bucket at her feet.
The petals were much more difficult to accrue, and Chiaki wouldn’t be done collecting the last one until two hours ticked by. They met the same fate as the vines, going directly down to mingle with them for Chiaki to scrap after the surgeries competition. She was stoked moving on to the less grueling task of sealing you up, and she wiped the sweat off her brows after a quick rinse of her hands assured her ultimately cleanliness.
Healing was Chiaki’s expertise, and it took such little effort from her as her hands roved over the injuries that needed her immediate attention and they hastily began to repair themselves until not even a blemish scarred your body. She made sure you were clean and showed dignity by making certain you were changed and covered back up. After doing so she finally made waste of the contents in her bucket, and after a thorough rinse of her hands, she did her best in making sure you were as comfortable as possible until you eventually roused.
Coming to, you weren’t necessarily thrilled about the unfamiliar environment (considering your memory had just been wiped). A few hours had come and gone, and you weren’t capable of recollecting why you were even at Chiaki’s in the first place. You groaned sitting up, and a hand of yours flew up to clutch at your sore noggin before Chiaki was even able to hear that you’d stirred.
”A bit achy, hm? I don’t blame you. I found you and brought you back here to be stitched up… to clarify things a bit.” Chiaki fibbed, sauntering into the den where she’d left you, figuring being forthcoming about the true nature wouldn’t really be doing you any favors.
”Oh… I must’ve been doing something down right foolish if it landed me with the medicine woman.” You lightly jested through the dull headache forcing your dome to pulsate a bit.
”Awe, I’m not so bad… I only curse the terrible ones.” Chiaki bantered right back, earning a round of soft chortles from you before she continued onto the good news she thought you’d want to hear, ”On a more serious note: since there’s nothing really physically wrong with you, I’ll be discharging you here real soon!”
”Sounds wonderful! I’m feeling a bit peckish, so I’d love to be getting home sooner rather than later… not that I don’t mind your company, of course!” You crowed, your mood appearing to elevate at the prospect of a meal and the comfort of your own home as you stood on quaky legs and took a moment to gather your bearings.
You were absolutely, and blissfully, oblivious to the surgery your body had just undergone. There wasn’t much fatigue that ailed you, there wasn’t any excessive aches and pains from having Chiaki literally pulling and pushing organs and tissue out of her way to remove what had been killing you. In place of the memories you no longer had access to was an unnatural haziness serving as a form of amnesia, and the stress you’d been plagued with when you initially came to Chiaki’s doorstep simply ebbed away; gifting you with a glow of happiness that hadn’t been present in such a long time.
”Would you like assistance back home? You already look like a freshly born fawn…” Chiaki tried phrasing things as tactfully as she could, only to be denied by your persistence to manage yourself.
”That won’t be necessary. I definitely owe you, though! We’ll have to go do something sometime this week?” You offered instead, quelling a bit of Chiaki’s worries but not quite snuffing them.
”Oh… well, here, take this then.” Chiaki was swift in shuffling over to a drawer of hers to withdraw a piece of summoning paper. She scrawled a bit of information upon its surface and handed it over to you, letting you in on its secret of being able to call her if you so needed to, ”I’ll stop by sometime this week to check in, we’ll do something then – Kay?”
You interchanged a final goodbye at the door, and you felt a tad bittersweet leaving without being able to pinpoint as to why a huge portion of you felt… missing
’Bump’
”Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I must’ve zoned out there…” You profusely apologized… although you were certain it came out more as word-mush at the rate you spewed it out.
”Clearly. I wasn’t even moving.” Came the vexed voice of a man you recognized as Madara Uchiha.
His gaze was piercing as he glared dare at you with those intimidating pits of his. Those very eyes typically would’ve made you melt, but now you were only confused as to why they looked down at you – as if he were attempting to see right past you. It’s as if all the subtle indications he’d been giving throughout the year were crystal clear cues you instantly picked up on.
”Don’t frighten her, ani! She didn’t do anything wrong. Please accept our sincere apologies, miss y/n?” A man you knew by ‘Izuna’ stepped into view from behind his brother, scolding the one giving you a hair of grief while, also, attempting to rectify the situation.
Izuna had always been the better of the two when it came to social interactions, and this one was no different as the younger of the brother’s charmed you and was eventually rewarded with an endearing flush of yours (as well as a phenomenal eye roll from Madara over Izuna’s flirting)
”Whatever, Izuna, just don’t be out all night.” Madara ‘abandoned’ the two of you as his way of providing Izuna with a bit of privacy.
He was thankful his big brother knew him so well, and you both were so eager to see where everything went; especially as you felt those same tender feelings you once housed for Madara blooming for someone you actually had a potential future with.
”Anything you have in mind?” You inquired, gauging Izuna’s readiness and hoping he wouldn’t disappoint.
”I have a few, but you’ll need to trust me… and know how to have fun.” Izuna absolutely didn’t displease you.