❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
★
sheepfilms
#extradirty
dirt enthusiast
cherry valley forever
Sweet Seals For You, Always
trying on a metaphor
i don't do bad sauce passes
roma★
No title available
KIROKAZE
occasionally subtle
Show & Tell
we're not kids anymore.
YOU ARE THE REASON
$LAYYYTER
Game of Thrones Daily
Mike Driver
Not today Justin
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Switzerland
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from South Korea
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Taiwan
seen from Singapore
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Sweden
@blackcatgarden
The Crimson Gladioli Masterlist
Madara Uchiha x Healer!reader
Friends to lovers, set during the founder’s era
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prologue
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI (coming soon)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Crossposted on AO3.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anything related, including me complaining that I also have a degree to finish, can be found under #thecrimsongladiolific
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I still wasn’t able to finish a new chapter but I am at least working on crossposting the fic on AO3. Will post the link when I am done with that if anyone wants to read it there.
As for the new chapter, I will try my best to finally find some time and energy to write, I can’t promise anything but hopefully the chapter will actually come soon-ish.
Here’s the link. Also added it to the masterlist.
I still wasn’t able to finish a new chapter but I am at least working on crossposting the fic on AO3. Will post the link when I am done with that if anyone wants to read it there.
As for the new chapter, I will try my best to finally find some time and energy to write, I can’t promise anything but hopefully the chapter will actually come soon-ish.
madara smile
I know the new chapter is late (sorry everyone) but I’m just so damn tired. I’ll do my best to publish it as soon as I can but so much has happened this week.
madara w blue representing his susan’oo
New chapter coming sometime next week after I finish my masters thesis for good. I really want to write a chapter and instead I spent all day today just citing shit
GET TO KNOW YOUR MUTUALS!
Rules: answer and tag six people you want to know better
Thanks for thinking of/tagging me @thoughtslikeaminefield It’s been a pleasure interacting with you the past couple of days ❤️
1. Favourite colour: Teal
2. Last song: Save Tonight - Eagle Eye Cherry
3. Currently reading: Outlander Series (technically it’s collecting dust on my bookshelf because I mostly read fanfic…)
4. Currently watching: Single’s Inferno, Medium, and forever casually rewatching SPN
5. Currently craving: the bag of sweet chilli & sour cream chips I bought earlier (just waiting for kiddos to go to bed)
6. Coffee or tea: coffee! An iced latte any season.
@losers-clvb @middleearthislife @my-stories-vault @supernotnatural2005 @sorryitsmyfirstdayonearth @jollyhunter
1.Favorite Color(s):Black and red
2.Last Song:Nirvana-Territorial Pissings
3.Currently reading:The hunger games,Death Note,frerard fanfics
4.Currently watching:I’m not really watching much lately, just old interviews of rock bands I’m into.
5.Currently craving:Nothing XD
6.Coffee or tea: Coffee,coffee,coffee!!
@cubiclesfanmustdie @fantasticfinnie
@lost-my-own-return @caidebocanogerardway
@gerardwayscrustyeyeshadow
@aikomaruchan
Favorite color: Red!
Last song: Bleed for me- Dead Kennedys
Currently reading: Animal farm (I’m so unique)
Currently watching: Modern Family
Currently Craving: A damn burger
Coffee or tea: Tea :p
@actionkiittee2243 @xorvr
Favorite color: Purple
Last song: Placing The Blame by Self
Currently reading: nothing lol
Currently watching: Adventure Time (not really my fav but it's cool tho)
Currently craving: nothing rn :/
Coffee or tea: Tea ofc >:)
@sell-my-soul @stump-goon3r @i-dr1nk-s0da-all-n1ght @i-wasnt-borntobe-a-skeleton @cannibalisticvoyeurism @camsomnia @kaihasmoreswagthanyou3
1. Fav color: black/ purple
2. Last song: Sleep- MCR
3. Currently reading: the heart rate of a mouse: wolves vs. Hearts
4. Currently watching: supernatural
5. Currently craving: nothing
6.coffee or tea: coffee<33
Tags:
@just-oneof-thoseghosts @mychemicaleden @piercetheviih @moonga-sucks + whoever wants to join!!
1. Fave colour: Pink!!!!
2. Last song: Don't try by Gerard way
3. Currently reading: Sword catcher by cassandra clare
4. Currently watching: criminal minds
5. Currently craving: sleep???
6. Coffee or tea: neither lol
Thank u for the tag hunny bunches
the usual my pooks @torosmiles and my fab new mutulas @frankieandthesteinz @iiiidiotnathanieliii @th3j3ts3tl1f3
YAYY I LOVE TAGGING GAMES!!
Fave color: red or purple
Last song: “the take over, the breaks over” by fall out boy
Currently reading: unholyverse: i have been all things unholy (i cant stop rereading it i love it sm)
Currently watching: severance
Currently craving: cheese and pepperoni bagel bites
Coffee or tea: i love tea oml
THANK YOU FOR THE TAG🖤🖤🖤
tags: @naufragomustlive @violethursday @mooniezzs @nailsandtacks @mychemicalwarfaree @sell-my-soul @regen-ghost @ricardian-werewolf @early-sunsets-lover @cannibalisticvoyeurism @basilbitess +++ anyone who wants to join 🦇🦇🦇
THANK YOU FOR THE TAAAG!!
1. fav color: greeeeeen.
2. last song: victorious by patd!
3. currently reading: ftwillz poetry (gonna start it AGAIN.)
4. currently watching: I was planning on rewatching sfh AGAIN.
5. currently craving: lots of lemon.
6. coffee or tea: I think I love both, it depends on the day.
TAGS: @regen-ghost @cannibalisticvoyeurism @hyunvesmustdie @early-sunsets-lover @tixtixpowder
thanks for the tag!!! :3
1. favorite color: pink!!
2. last song: drugstore perfume by gerard way (i’m currently listening to my hesitant alien cd that i just bought today!! ^_^)
3. currently reading: the catcher in the rye
4. currently watching: yellowjackets and i started dawson’s creek not long ago so i’ll probably continue that soon ^_^
5. currently craving: hmmm idrk….. maybe likeee a tea like sweet tea or chai :3
6. coffee or tea: tea all the way!!!!!
tags!! @chaseysauce @metalsonicmustdie @tacksf0rsnackz @xorvr @arrangedinaprils @enora-elk-kirkton
thank u for da tag ~
1. pink!!!! duh
2. last song: go fetch! by emoclew
3. currently reading: i am not your perfect mexican daughter (again lol)
4. currently watching: nothing LOL
5. currently craving: boba !!! and chick fil a…
6. coffee!!!! i love some iced coffee and hot coffee i love it all!!!
tags ♥︎ @spirztual @femme624 @frankjoshi @estelleslibrary
Tyty!!
1. my favorite color is purple!!!
2. my last song is I’m not cute anymore sung by illit
3. I’m currently reading the sacrifice by rin chupeco
4. I am… not watching anything currently either
5. I am currently craving diet pepsi:3
6. I dislike both tea and coffee currently :(
@bookswithdenise @jackcebk @imgunnagetyou @thebookverdict + all other mutuals are welcomed to join !!
Genuinely don’t know😭😭 some kind of green but idk specifically
My last song is Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton
Technically I’m in the middle of rereading Anatomy: A Love Story, but I haven’t touched it in a while…I just finished Finale (3rd book in the Caraval trilogy) which was really good
Emma! (2020 version cus its free)
tbh anything. I’m so hungry
TEA! EARL GRAY TEA!!
@dove-like-the-bird @sold-down-the-river @estuary-scholar @sevensongbirds @lavylilac
Lavender and white!
Fantasy by Mariah Carey
Insurgent, the second book in the Divergent series!
Jurassic Park Camp Cretaceous
Ben and Jerry’s ice cream specifically marshmallow sky
Coffee! I love iced chais, mochas, and lattes along with frappuccinos!
@babykatasbiggestfan @zcalene @joeylovesyogurtt @silohs @watercat72 @goofballmaddy
Definetly pink. I love pink.
Problems by Mother Mother. I’d skipped after that first minute since I don’t like the song after that, lol.
book 2 of Haikyu!
episode 21-ish of Death Note.
nothing, just ate food 😢
I love coffee so much I literally just had it with my pasta earlier
@gooseberryscooter @hollyberryhairclips @zcalene @astridsinthesky
1: green
2. chica me tipo (sublime)
3. just mercy (bryan stevenson) (for my english class)
4. south park!!! i’m on season like 13 or so
5. fudge
6. tea!!!
@yaoiprincelll @natalia25841 @sillybillly @m4rz1t0ne
favorite color: yellow
last song: someday - zebrahead
currently reading: some of my peanuts comic collections :)
currently watching: season 15 of south park!
currently craving: chinese food
coffee or tea: coffee, i drink it black :3c
@addictbwn @furkitty @l0v99reblogs
Favorite color is navy blue :3
last song: all i want by inoj
currently reading mangas like death note
currently watching shameless on netflix
currently craving pasta…🤤🤤🤤
coffee but i like it with 50 pounds of sugar and cream
@addiecat-official and anyone else can join :3
1. Favourite colour: purple!
2. Last song: I forget but I think it was a Morrissey song
3. Currently reading: my hero academia (technically also collecting dust on my bookshelf because I mostly read fanfic too lolz)
4. Currently watching: Young Justice
5. Currently craving: black mold
6. Coffee or tea: coffee but with ONLY one spoonful of creamer
@wetwater7n @lonely-abstraction @a-rand0m-bl0g @nickotinie @sillyruthie @lunaticnextdoor@asillywubby @meerers24 @sillyruthie @landmineblogging @birthofcassiopeia
Favorite Color: Right now it's turquoise!!! Last song: I was playing MSM, so theres the Pomily Concert. Besides that, Cabinet Man by lemon demon ^^ Currently Reading: Animal Farm cuz my racist ass ELA teachers are forcing me to Watching: I guess the last thing I watched was TADC, so sure Craving: Dumpling... Coffee or Tea: Coffee with copious amounts of chocolate, cream and sugar @yuponz @chaimydrink @side1order @c00lgv1 @imblue16 @cherriesformiliana
fav color? Uhm..yes.
Last song would be ashle's chase theme from biast
currently reading? no
Watching would be hunter the parenting ch 5.2
craving nada
tea
@pastelchaos12 @citrusblitz @caretalesotherstuff @x215
@compsognathusmafia @brighter-daystoday @anonyippee
fav color: black
last song: the first trumpet theme from lobcorp
currently reading: nothing
currently watching: lobcorp gameplay
craving: sour cream and onion chips
coffee or tea: i like coffee
@moopbox @milkywayzsworld
Favorite color hmmmm: green and blue
Last song: Алло Попс! By mumiy troll
Currently reading: various fanfiction
Currently watching: star trek and bfdi (again)
Craving: cheese and vinegar i nnneeed vinegar
Coffee or tea: tea i think, although I don't really drink either xD
Thanku for remembering me ki!!! We should start talking more again i missu I bet a lot has changed since we last chatted haha,,,
Tags:
@orchuris @cannibalnumber14 @lunaballoona09 @mindymations @evilherehotel @my-art-is-lol @twodayold-tea @gummymew @crumpet-doodles @genericdragon @sunny-starflower-constellation @sleepystrutter28 @enbyw4tt
And also anyone else who sees this !!! (Anf um if I are my friend who i tagged and don't want me to tag u pls tell me)
Favorite color: Red
Last Song: Ты by Несладко
Currently Reading: Purgatory's Junk Yard (iron lung fanfic on AO3)
Currently Watching: a bunch of fnaf theory videos cause I've lost control of my life again
Craving: raspberries
Coffee or Tea: look at the blog name. But I can't have my usual Earl Grey cause it's Lent so I'm not drinking it .
@hauntedcreatorobject @creator-s @thunder-cube @flynn-stinkyfox
Favorite color: I like all of them, but if I don't say blue I will be executed for treason.
Last song: Bloody Tears from Castlevania 4
Currently Reading: Technically I'm still in the middle of Frankenstein and Iron Widow but ummmmm-
Currently watching: Yu Yu Hakusho
Craving: Water
Coffee or Tea: TEA ALL THE WAY BABYYYYYY!!!I do not particularly enjoy the bean juice.
(Tea you tagged all my friends)
@bug-100
fav color: orange
last song: blue screen by justan oval
currently reading: the newest wings of fire book the hybrid prince.
currently watching: idk i guess the amazing digital circus
craving; sushi
coffee or tea: coffee i like the taste more but i also never had a really good tea and i know tea can be very good, i like tea sweet when i have it but my family hates sweet tea so i never get it
@moss-the-guy @lepucide @rapscallionraspberries
Hiya!
Favorite color(s): Pink and green!
Last song: Dragula by Red Zombie (it's fun to listen to in the shower lol)
Currently reading: The first Twisted Wonderland novel! I paused my reading of the Hobbit so I could read it instead
Currently watching: Frieren season 2, and I also just finished watching Mr Villain's Day Off!
Craving: uhhhh idk I guess chocolate milk or ice cream
Coffee or tea: I don't drink either, but I've been wanting to try tea at some point
Thanks for the tag! Tagging: @onbearfeet @historynerdj2 @reirei404 @thefabfox @aria-faye
Hiiii thanks for the tag!!! Sorry its late lol 🫠🫠
Favourite color(s): Blue and purple!! Mostly blue wkwkkw
Last song: I'm actually listening to Glory Box by Portishead rn as i write this LMAO
Currently reading: ,,,,a buncha one shot fanfics,,,,, putting on hold on a lot of novels (cuz i have the attention span of a toddler) but the most recent i read (halfway) is the Heartslabyul novel!
Currently watching: You and I Are Polar Opposites and Love Through A Prism!!! Romance animes ik but i like em a lot LOL
Craving: Takoyaki...... Specifically ones at my campus! I like em a lot!
Coffee or tea: Both! But i drink tea more solely bc i can only have coffee during specific times/conditions or my sleep schedule will go haywire lol i miss drinking coffee tho 😭😭 (i just drank a tin this morning lololol)
Tagging: anyone! Wkwkekhcishsi 💆♀️
Hey hey <33 Fav color(s): purple and red! unfortunately they don't go well when together 😔
Last song: The Clumsies by AHUB
Currently reading: does fanfiction count,,, I'm reading Hiraeth by Camellia_Jam on ao3 (alien stage reincarnated modern au fic)(im not done recovering)
Currently watching: I'm rewatching Kane Pixel's Backrooms series bc the movie was recently announced!! IM SO EXCITED I ALREADY INVITED MY PARTNER TO WATCH IT W ME I REALLY WANNA SEE HOW THEY ADAPT ALL THE BACKSTORY AND EERINESS INTO THE MOVIE ITS GONNA BE 3 HOURS AND EVERYONE AT THE THEATER WILL BE A BUNCH OF LOSER (AFF) BACKROOM NERDS I CAN DISCUSS LORE WITH AND ITLL MAKE 97987 MILLION BUCKS TRUST
Craving: that cheesecake from my fav cafe with macadamia nuts and caramel crisps ( ´ ω ` )
Coffee or tea: Also both!! I'm drinking more tea nowadays though bc my brother has warned of the consequences of too much coffee (heart problems at 21 years old)
Tagging: @hansol000 @meymimi @jaytherad @fudanshirama @acidicbanana go my scarab
hi
1. I like all colors but I really like this soft green because it reminds me of banana custard
3. firefly wedding, the kings beast, sasukes chibi adventures
4. you and I are polar opposites, tamons b side, rewatching Naruto(slowly), gachiakuta, and more
5. cinnamon roll and breakfast burrito
6. I do like both but I prefer tea since there’s more options and less caffeinated
Hey everyone! Tagging anyone who sees this and wants to reblog!
1. Favourite color: I don’t really have a favourite color. Generally I prefer warmer tones because I think they look better on me but pastels are very cute too.
2. Last song: Neil Young - Harvest
3. Currently reading: Mostly just things needed for school and fanfics. I’d like to read wuthering heights soon.
4. Currently watching: Nothing, I am too busy with school. I would like to watch Frieren season 2 and Apothecary diaries.
5. Currently crawing: Chocolate. It’s almost always either chocolate or berries.
6. Coffee or tea: Coffee. I drink way too much of it. I also like green tea.
Comparing my academic writing to my creative work on tumblr is wild.
Not that I want my fanfic to be formated badly with a grammar mistake in every sentence but I’m so glad I am not getting policed on if there’s an extra blank space behind a word or not. Having to check things like that in my 50 page masters thesis makes me want to rip my hair out lol.
Also having the few regular readers who interact with my fic makes me so happy (thank you all <33) meanwhile editing the thesis with nothing but the silent void that is the universe in the background is like
The Crimson Gladioli
Madara Uchiha x Healer!reader
Chapter V
friends to lovers, set during the founder’s era
Author’s note: Hey everyone! I have a masters thesis to submit soon so I cannot write as often now. The good news is, I don’t really have enough brain capacity to work on that all day, so I take breaks by writing this instead.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Land of fire, many years ago.
As y/n entered her room via the window, she let out a relieved sigh. They did not notice her, again. She could keep this up for as long as needed.
It had been a month since her punishment began. Over the duration of it, she had gotten used to a rhythm.
Wake up. Attend lessons. Pretend to be bothered by having to spend the rest of her day in her room. Sneak out. Meet the boys at the river. Return before anyone notices her absence.
Today, both boys needed to go home earlier than usual, causing her to follow soon after.
She realized, how lucky she was, when she heard a knock on her door unusually early.
“Lady y/n? May I enter?” It was the voice of a servant. A sudden wave of anxiety hit y/n. What if they did actually notice her absence?
“You may.” She said, trying to sound as neutral as possible.
As soon as the door opened, the servant announced the reason for her presence.
“Your father wants to see you in his office. Please, come with me.”
She followed the servant out of her room. It was over, her father must have been notified of her absence. This would be even worse than the last time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Y/n. Do you know why I called you here today?” Her father asked, looking at a piece of paper in his hands.
She did have a suspicion. But perhaps she should not admit it.
“No, father.”
He looked up, raising the piece of paper in his hand slightly.
“This is an annual report from your tutors. They all claim you have been doing exceptionally well.”
Oh. This was not about her little adventures at all. As relieved as she was, she still wasn’t sure where he was going with this.
“Yes, father. I tried to make up for my previous mistake.”
“You have done well. Perhaps I have been too harsh initially. Due to this, I have decided to let you enter the library again. But due to the severity of your behavior, the garden will still stay off limits outside the days you have no lessons on.”
This was certainly an improvement. Her father was stricter than she’d like him to be, but she would not complain in a situation that was still somewhat beneficial to her.
“Thank you, father. I am glad.” She lowered her gaze, expecting to be dismissed. Instead, her father spoke again.
“I hope you understand why I did this, y/n. You’re the only family I have left, and I can’t lose you. I do not wish to be too harsh, but how will you learn otherwise?”
“I understand. It is quite dangerous outside.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just because she was now allowed to leave her room did not mean she would stop seeing the boys. She had a new trick to try.
She spent the last few days in the library. At first, she only wanted to read storybooks, but then she came across something better.
Medical literature. When did her father add this? She never noticed it. It must have been new.
If she were to become a healer, she ought to study. This was a good start.
Some of the books documented known herbal remedies. Others talked about surgical methods. The shortest one was about healing methods challenging one’s chakra.
The book was thin enough for her to read through in an afternoon. It provided so little information that she spent several days attempting to use even a basic healing technique. The process frustrated her.
On the other hand, the joy she felt when it finally started working was immense.
So far, she was only able to heal minor cuts. It was not much, but it was a start. She figured she could practice on the boys when they would inevitably hurt each other in one of their fights. The wounds were never particularly severe, so I’d be perfect. She just needed another opportunity to sneak out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The opportunity presented itself a day later, when her lessons ended early. She had entered her room, citing tiredness as the reason why she would not go to the library today. As soon as she was able to, she left to meet the boys.
“Guess what! My father finally let me leave my room! Only to go to the library, and the garden sometimes, but it’s something still.” Y/n said, sounding quite excited.
“That’s great! I’m happy for you. Did you start reading something?” Hashirama smiled.
“I finished a whole book already. I found out my father had some medical books in the library, so I thought I should read them. Do either of you happen to have any cuts right now?”
“Come to think of it, I did cut Madara with a kunai before you showed up,” Hashirama said.
“It’s barely a scratch.” Madara responded.
“Can I please heal it? I need someone to practice on.” Y/n was quite excited
Madara contemplated the offer. It seemed as if the injury was embarrassing to him.
“Fine.” He sounded quite dismissive in his response. Y/n was not sure why this was, but perhaps it was better not to question him.
“Alright, good. Show me the injury then.”
As a response, Madara extended his arm. The injury sat on his palm. He wasn’t wrong when he said it was barely a scratch. It seemed to have stopped bleeding.
Y/n took his hand in hers. His skin felt rough, a strong contrast to her own smooth hands. The difference hinted at how different their lives were.
Before she began healing, their gaze met briefly. She could have sworn she saw a faint blush on his cheeks. No, it couldn’t have been. Why would he be blushing?
“Are you going to heal it or not?” When Madara spoke, she realized she had been staring at his face for a bit too long. She should actually do something.
“Right, yes. I’m not very good at this yet.”
It took a lot of focus, but eventually a green glow emerged from her hands. The scratch disappeared soon after. It took a little longer than she would have liked, but it was a start.
As she finished, Madara lifted his hand, examining it.
“Thank you, my savior. I surely would have bled out without your interference.” He joked.
Y/n smiled. It was only in part due to his words. She was quite happy about her new ability.
Surely, if she were to continue this, she could become the healer she wished to be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Konoha, present day.
The scent of the wild flowers hit her as soon as she climbed the hill. She was supposed to meet Madara on top of it today.
The area was beautiful. The grass gently danced in the spring breeze. Everything was in bloom. Brown birds were circling in the blue sky above. In the distance, she could see buildings in Konoha reaching above the treeline.
Madara was standing in the middle of the field. He had arrived sooner than she. As soon as she took in the scenery, she approached him.
“Hi.” She greeted him. He appeared just as tired as the last time she saw him.
“Good afternoon.” He responded.
“It’s beautiful here. Do you come here often?”
“Only to train the birds. But you’re right, it is pretty.” With that, he whistled at the flying birds, causing one of them to descend.
Once he extended his arm, the falcon landed on it.
“This is Ao. Out of all the birds, she’s the best trained one.”
Ao looked at her, unused to the presence of others on her training ground. Her black eyes studied y/n closely. She looked quite majestic, even in her uncertainty.
“Can I pet her?” Y/n did not have any experience handling birds, but her strong desire to be friends with any animal she came across took over.
“You can attempt. She will let you know if she enjoys it.”
Y/n approached the bird, slowly raising her hand to her level. Most animals did not appreciate sudden movements, so she wanted to be careful.
“Hi, Ao. I’m y/n.” She said, gently stroking the falcon’s breast. Her soft, brown feathers felt quite nice to touch.
The bird did not seem to have a strong reaction. Y/n was not sure what to make of it.
“Do you think she likes it?”
“Probably. She would have pecked you otherwise.” Madara answered.
“I hope she does. She’s so cute.”
“She would probably be offended by that if she could speak. This is a proud, dangerous predator you’re speaking to.” Madara said with a hint of humor. Clearly, he also thought she was cute.
After a few more strokes, Madara asked “Would you like to see her in action?”
“What can she do?”
“Hunt. She’s also useful for scouting. She can fetch things, too.”
Y/n looked around, walked a few steps, and then kneeled. When she rose back up, she showed Madara an acorn she had found.
“Can she catch this?”
“Go ahead, throw it.”
With that, y/n threw the acorn upwards with as much force as she could. Madara lowered his extended arm slightly, signaling the bird to take off.
The falcon soon caught up with the flying acorn. With precision, she caught it in her beak. Then, she circled back to where y/n was standing.
“She wants to give you the acorn back. She needs your hands.” Madara clarified.
Upon seeing y/n’s palms, Ao dropped the acorn in them.
“Thank you!” Y/n said and then turned to Madara. “She’s as fast as she’s cute.”
“She’s by far the best falcon I’ve trained,” Madara spoke, sounding like a proud father. “Would you like to hold her?” He asked.
“Yes, please!”
“Raise your arm then. She should land on her own.”
Y/n dropped the acorn on the ground and did as Madara told her. Ao just stared at her, confused.
“She clearly isn’t landing.”
“‘I think your body language needs to be more specific.”
“Well, you should have told me that before. Specifically, how?”
Madara looked at her, the question in his eyes evident. She nodded.
He gently touched her arm, meaning to adjust it. She held it too low. Then he closed her hand into a fist. He paused to contemplate if it was enough, holding her hand longer.
“There.” He decided it was good enough and let her go. Once he did, Ao understood and landed on y/n’s arm.
Y/n took the opportunity to study the falcon closely. Her brown colour contrasted well with her yellow beak. On her wings, a few ruffled black feathers added pattern.
“I don’t think the bird I saw in my garden before was her. I wouldn’t mind if she visited me, though.”
“Perhaps I’ll send her to greet you at some point.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eventually, Madara and y/n settled nearby, just watching the pretty scenery. Later in the afternoon, the sun's rays painted everything gold. It only made the colors of the wild flowers appear more vibrant.
They’ve been sitting in a comfortable silence for a while now. In the grass, y/n noticed some small pink flowers close to her. She turned to examine them more closely.
“What are you doing?” Madara broke the silence.
Y/n pointed at the flower. “Valerian. It’s a herb known for its effects on sleep. You could use some of that, probably.”
“Not this again.” It was apparent he did not want to talk about it. But ignoring the issue would not fix it.
“I won’t ask for any specifics. I don’t even know if you’re having trouble sleeping or just trying to avoid it. If it’s the former, I can give you some of the valerian extract I have at home. You need to sleep.”
He was staring at her. She was unable to tell what he was thinking. For a brief moment, she thought he might get angry and leave.
“Fine.” He did not elaborate any further. She would rather know what the issue was, but if this is the best she could get, she would take it.
The sunset was beautiful. As much as she was enjoying it, she had to work early tomorrow. It would be best to leave now.
“I should get going. Walk back with me?”
“Alright.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning was uneventful. Until it wasn’t.
Y/n woke up, got ready for work, and left. Nothing unusual, nothing interesting. As soon as she left her apartment, she spotted it.
A man was standing on the other side of the road. At first glance, there was nothing strange about it. He was dressed in plain, civilian clothes. While she did not recognize him, she was not familiar with every inhabitant of Konoha. He was not exactly doing anything strange, either. He could have just been waiting for someone.
Despite all that, she felt a sudden sense of dread. Intuitively, all of her alarms were going off. She ought to be careful.
She tried to act nonchalant. She turned to leave for work, hoping her gut feeling was wrong.
It seemed like that was the case. The man did not seem interested in her at all. He simply kept on standing in the same place she first noticed him.
She spent the rest of the way on edge, checking every street corner, every dark place she could see. She found nothing. Still, she walked a little faster than usual.
Finally, she reached the medical quarters. Still, no sign of the man or any suspicion.
Perhaps she really was paranoid over nothing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter IV | Chapter VI (coming soon)
Masterlist
A new chapter is in the works, I only wrote the flashback part so far but maybe I’ll finish and publish tomorrow. I can’t make promises as I need to focus on my master’s thesis but there’s only so much brain capacity I have for that anyway.
The Crimson Gladioli
Madara Uchiha x Healer!Reader
Chapter IV
Friends to lovers, set during the founder’s era
Authors note: Hey everyone! I’ve been busy lately so this took me longer to write. Also just so you know, this chapter contains vague talk of death during childbirth. I don’t think it’s bad enough for a trigger warning, but I still wanted to give you a heads up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Land of Fire, many years ago.
Today’s lessons were finished. Now, it was time for a whole lot of nothing.
It had only been several days since y/n’s father punished her for her small adventure and she already had a hard time bearing it. While she could never go outside unaccompanied, she was at least allowed in the garden. And the library. Now, even these privileges were taken away.
It was still quite early in the day and the servants typically did not bother checking on her until the evening. If she wanted to sneak out again, this might be her best bet.
If her father did not want her to escape, he should not have punished her in a way that left her alone with her thoughts. It gave her more than enough time to consider her options.
It was unreasonable to assume she could escape through the entrance. It was guarded, and all of the staff were informed of her punishment.
The window was a different story. From there, she reached a nearby tree, climbing down to the garden. It took a bit of good timing, as guards patrolled the entire property, but she eventually reached the tree she used to climb over the fence.
Freedom, at last.
Now that the escape itself was completed, all that was left was to figure out where to go.
The town was out of question. She could get recognized. But the river was remote enough.
If she had been more careful with her time, she could have made it to the river and back in time. Perhaps the boys she met last time would be there. And even if they weren’t, she could just enjoy the area on her own. Either she would make some friends, or she would enjoy a nice afternoon outdoors. Both seemed pleasant. It was decided, then.
Time to head to the river.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You played dirty!” A familiar, angry voice said.
“Just admit it was a draw.”
It did not take her very long to recognize whose voices she heard. Did they not do anything other than fight? There must have been more to their friendship than that.
As she approached, she did not bother concealing her presence. The sound of her steps alerted the boys to her arrival. They both smiled when they saw her.
“Y/n! We were worried about you! Did your father find out?” Hashirama spoke, clearly excited and relieved to see her.
“He did, unfortunately. I am not allowed to leave my room for two months. Not that I care, obviously, but it’s even harder to sneak out now.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. But at least you managed.”
“I need to be more careful, if he sees me again he’s going to put me under even stricter surveillance. I’m not allowed anywhere, but the staff doesn’t really check that often. It could get worse.”
“You'd better be in time for dinner, then. But regardless, I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad, too.” Madara joined the conversation. “You still owe me the winning decision later. Although neither of us is in the mood for stone skipping today.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today was all about fighting. The boys clearly duelled before her arrival and did not stop after. Y/n watched, sitting on a nearby rock, until they eventually came to rest and talk with her.
“So, as I was saying, Madara refuses to admit he first fight today ended in a draw. Clearly, I am better than him.”
“It was not a draw,” Madara said, clearly unconvinced. “I was the last one standing.”
Y/n let out a sigh. Sometimes she wished she had the skills of a shinobi. Then, it would be easier to sneak out. She would not have to worry about her safety. Perhaps her father would let her outside on her own. But no, he would never allow her to train. She wanted to be a medic first, but if she could both cause and heal wounds, it would be optimal.
“I envy you, guys. Sometimes I wish I were a kunoichi. I could walk around safely and seeing you two fight seems fun.”
Surprisingly, it was Madara who answered first.
“The fighting is fun. But being a shinobi is only fun until you have to bury those you care about.”
The shock on her face must have been obvious. She had been living a sheltered life, not having to worry about her own safety often, but even she knew of the horrors of war. Her wish to become a kunoichi did not include any desire for war experience. She did not realize how much of it went hand in hand.
She could only guess what war was like. These two boys did knew all too well. It felt wrong for them to know. They should not. It was cruel, to experience these things at such a tender age.
She might not know war, but she did know loss. How many people did these two lose? How many more would be taken from them? She remembered then, how much it hurt, when she experienced grief for the first time.
“That sounds horrible. I can’t even imagine. I mean, it was bad enough when…” she paused, contemplating whether she should tell them. They only met once before, after all, and she never spoke of her own grief before.
Well, perhaps it was time to change that. She might not know the boys very well, but they were the closest thing to real friends she ever had. She never did quite click with any of the children her father deemed suitable for her to spend time with.
“It was bad enough when my mother died. It was unexpected. She died during childbirth, along with the baby. We were supposed to be looking down a crib, not a grave.” She tried her best not to cry, avoiding the gaze of the boys. A small, rogue tear escaped her socket, before she collected herself.
“I lost two of my siblings in the war. It’s hard.” Madara spoke, finally causing her to look up.
“So did I. But when Madara and I grow up, we will find a way to make things better. No kids should spend time burying other kids. We will build a much safer world.” Hashirama joined the conversation.
Y/n was not sure how exactly the boys intended to achieve that. It might have been naive, but the idea did make her hopeful. Like her, they just wanted to make the world a better place. Perhaps she could join them in building this dream.
“You will still need healers, right? Well, I’m going to become a really good one, so I can help if you do.”
“Of course we will. You’ll be welcome. We will create a better world together.” Hashirama said, still honestly excited by the idea.
“Do you want to become a healer because of your mother?” Madara spoke again. She was not sure what led him to ask her this. She already told them more personal things than anyone else in years, so she might as well go on.
“Their deaths were preventable. The baby became stuck during delivery, causing them both to pass away. An experienced healer could have treated them. But my mother went into labor a week earlier than expected, so the one my father hired was unable to treat them in time.”
Y/n paused again, attempting to collect herself. It had been several years since the tragedy. Since then, she kept her emotions bottled up, as there was nobody who cared enough to listen. Telling the boys made these old feelings surface. They have since lost their intensity, but she still wanted to cry. There was something about telling her feelings to someone other than the walls in her room. Then, a part of her remembered those lessons deeply ingrained in her mind by her father. He got angry many times he got angry when she cried. No, she would not cry.
“I miss her dearly. I want to be for others what she lacked. If I can be the reason children don’t have to bury their mothers, or mourn who their siblings could have been, I will become one.”
“It seems like our goals are similar, then.”Madara looked at her with a soft gaze. It was as if he was thinking of how much better the world could be, too.
He was right. She was sure they could achieve their goals together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Konoha, present day.
It had been two months since her arrival in Konoha. Late in the afternoon, y/n was about to head to her apartment. Perhaps she could relax with a cup of tea and a good book. That, or she could tend to the small, herbal garden she began to cultivate in the backyard. It was almost thriving, except for the number of pests she was unable to get rid of. It still needed work.
Little did she know her plans would soon be interrupted by an old friend.
As she exited the medical quarters, she saw Hashirama approaching her.
“Y/n! I was about to head inside to look for you. You’re done with work for today, right?” He smiled, clearly excited.
“Hi Hashirama! Yes, I was about to head home. Why?”
“I need your help. Would you be up for some drinks and cards tonight?”
The help request followed by such an invitation only served to make y/n confused. Surely, Hashirama did not need help getting drunk and gambling half his money away.
“Uh, maybe? I’d be nice I suppose, but how exactly do you want me to help you with that?”
“Madara has been overworking himself again. He mentioned something about the clan council. Last time I saw him, he looked like he didn’t sleep for two days.”
Y/n felt a mix of concern and anger creeping upon her. Rest was important. As competent as Madara was, even he could not avoid it forever.
“Does he think he can just run away from sleep? Anyway, I still don’t understand. From the way you describe it, he should be in bed, not in a teahouse.”
“We can’t exactly force him to sleep. But we can at least try to make him relax in other ways, he needs that, too. And perhaps the alcohol will do the rest for us.”
“So you just want us to have a night out, basically.”
“Yes! It’s been so long since I spent time with both of you. The issue is, Madara won’t listen to me if I try to make him do things that aren’t work. He will listen to you, though.”
“What makes you think he will listen to me? You’re just as much his friend as I am.”
“You have your ways, y/n.” Hashirama shrugged her off. She had no idea what he meant and was honestly skeptical of his faith in her. But it was at least worth a try.
“Allright, where is he?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sight that welcomed her upon her entrance to Madara’s office was about as bad as she expected.
The towers of paper on the table almost made it hard to see him. He looked at her as if she were just a hallucination induced by his sleep deprivation.
“Y/n? What are you doing here?”
“I haven’t seen you in days. Both Hashirama and I were wondering if you’d like to go to the teahouse and play some cards with us.”
“I am busy,” Madara responded fast enough for it to be clear that he did not even contemplate the offer. As expected, he was too stubborn to just agree.
“You know you can’t just rot in your office all day. When was the last time you did anything other than work?”
He knew she was right. A brief flash of emotion on his face gave it away. Still, she knew he would refuse.
“Go enjoy the night, y/n. I cannot go with you.”
“Is there anything so urgent that it needs your attention right now? I will leave if that’s the case, but please, at least have the courtesy to answer me honestly.” She knew there wasn’t. He had been working for so long now that he would have dealt with any urgent matters by now. But she still needed to convince him, somehow.
“No.”
“Then all of this can wait. You’ll be inefficient if you’re tired.”
“Just leave. I’ll be fine.”
Appealing to reason would not work. He knew all of this already. Perhaps she needed to identify the cause of all this.
“Why are you doing this, Madara? Something is happening, isn’t it?”
“No, nothing is happening. You should leave.” He would just keep dismissing her if she kept pushing. He was way too stubborn for this.
There was one, last strategy she could implement. It was no secret that Madara was not the most patient man. He really did want her out. She really did not want to resort to this, but nothing else would convince him.
Instantly as she seated herself on the floor, he knew what she was doing.
“Not this again. I cannot work like this.” He said, clearly unhappy.
“I will not leave this room until you either go get some sleep or at least join us at the teahouse. We both know you need this.”
“Yes, I’ll be quite pleasant and happy at the teahouse if I’m forced to be there.” She wasn’t even here for long and he was already annoyed. Her plan was working.
“I’m sure you will!” Y/n made sure the sarcasm in her voice was evident. Just a little longer.
“Fine! I’ll go to the damn teahouse with you!” He spat out. Y/n smiled at her victory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you have any intention of actually winning a round today, Hashirama?” Madara teased. As expected, it did not take long for him to loosen up. She knew he would underestimate how much he needed to rest. Hashirama losing hard was also a contributing factor.
“I’m just unlucky.” Hashirama sighed, finishing his fourth drink, putting the cup on the table in an uncharacteristically sloppy way. He was becoming visibly intoxicated, and she wondered how a man as tall as he could be so lightweight. “Mito will kill me when I get back.”
“You’re actually quite lucky we’re not betting money,” Y/n said, grinning. She was significantly less intoxicated than Hashirama, as she did not wish to deal with the consequences at work tomorrow. A drink or two would be enough. By the looks of it, Madara had opted for the same approach.
That was fine. If anything, she was glad she did not have to care for two drunks on her own. But it also meant he was just as good as her at cards. Both of them have won the same number of rounds so far. And they both wanted to win.
“Another round?” Y/n said, not even waiting for a reply. She shuffled the deck with her steady hands.
Just as the two friends nodded, she distributed the cards between the three of them and placed the remaining cards on the table. She would win this time and beat them both.
It was a quick round. It did not take her very long to collect the 4 cards she needed.
“Freeze!” She proclaimed, setting her cards on the table. Hashirama reacted with visible disappointment.
“We could have at least let him win a round or two.” Y/n turned to Madara, still clearly proud of herself.
“No. If he wants to win, then he needs to get better.” He responded.
“Stop mocking me you two! I’ll show you!” Hashirama said, collecting the cards.
He attempted to shuffle the deck, but failed miserably. He could not even hold it properly, let alone mix it. Somehow, half of the cards ended up on the ground.
“The god of shinobi, bested by a card deck. I think it’s time to stop, maybe.” Y/n said. While she did have ulterior motives, as ending the game now would guarantee her win, Hashirama was truly getting quite drunk.
“You’re right. It’s getting late.” Madara agreed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It was nice seeing you two! We should repeat this sometime. See you later!” Hashirama said his goodbye and left, oddly enough, in the opposite direction, from his house.
“Shouldn’t we keep an eye on him?” Y/n was mildly concerned.
“He’ll find his way home eventually. It’s not like there’s anything stronger than him lurking in the woods.” Madara answered, clearly speaking from previous experience.
“Hopefully he doesn’t encounter a vicious deck of cards, then. I’m glad I at least remember where I live.”
“I’ll walk you home.” Madara decided.
“You don’t have to do that, you know. It’s not like I live far away. And you really look like you could use some sleep.”
“I am fine.”
She knew he was avoiding the topic again. While she was glad they spent some time together, she felt the underlying issue should still be addressed.
“Alright then. If you insist.” Y/n said, trying to balance the need not to pry too much and her concern. She could change the topic now and perhaps get him to talk later.
“So, how are the falcons doing?” She asked.
“Good. I still have to train the young ones. There was no time recently.”
“Do they tend to fly far? I saw a falcon in my garden a few days ago. There are quite a few rodents, so the falcon was probably trying to catch them. I was wondering if it was yours.”
“That’s unlikely. They know better than to venture far without a command. What did it look like?”
“The bird flew away as soon as it saw me, so I did not really get a good look. It was brown, but that’s all I can tell you.”
“Are you even sure it was a falcon?”
“Well, not really. It did look like one, but I haven’t seen any up close. I don’t really trust my ability to identify them properly.”
“I can show you sometime, if you’d like.”
“That would be nice! I was hoping you’d introduce us at some point. I might envy you, though. I always wanted pets, but the circumstances just did not allow it.”
Madara nodded, acknowledging her. His response was quiet, but she knew he was looking forward to it. They could agree on a time later.
She did not respond. A comfortable silence ensued as they walked the rest of the way.
As they reached her front door, she tried one last time.
“Thank you for walking with me. And look, I know there’s something wrong. You tend to overwork yourself when something is going on. I don’t want to pry, but I also don’t think you should bottle it up. I just want you to know I’m willing to listen, if you’ll have me.”
His face did not give his emotions away. He took slightly longer to respond than he usually did.
“Thank you, y/n. But it really is fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter III | Chapter V
Masterlist
this masters degree is getting in the way of my fanfiction writing
Yeah this
I’m back to being busy with school so next chapter will take me longer to write, but I’ll attempt to write it as soon as I can. My masters thesis deadline is in two weeks or so and while I should manage, I need to do a lot of small fixes, which are time consuming.
The Crimson Gladioli
Madara Uchiha x Healer!reader
Chapter III
Friends to lovers, set during the founder’s era
Author’s note: Hey everyone! I think this is the longest chapter yet. I’m trying to write as much as I can before life gets busy again. So far, I am really having fun with this and I hope you are too! Also once again, thank you all for your support :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Land of Fire, many years ago.
„You can turn around here. We are close, and if any of the staff see me with you, I’ll be in even more trouble than I already am in.“ Y/n said, contemplating how to get in without being seen.
„Alright then. And good luck with your father. Maybe he’ll soften if he sees nothing has happened to you. Goodbye.“ Madara answered and retreated in the direction from which they came as y/n waved back.
She could climb over the fence in the garden, then hopefully avoid the servants in the house and sneak into her room. Even if she pretended to sleep, her father would still lecture her in the morning, but perhaps he’d be slightly less harsh if her actions weren’t so fresh. That seemed like the best, and frankly, only real plan she could think of to minimize the downfall.
The fence was quite high, but the trees growing next to it made it easier to cross to the garden. Once inside, she ran towards the back entrance, careful not to be seen. Luckily, nobody was standing in front of the door.
Once she entered the house, she slowly made her way through the hallways, successfully avoiding anyone passing through. Once she stood in front of the door to her room, she felt relief. She did not have to deal with this today.
All of the relief disappeared once she entered her room and saw a maid standing in the middle of it.
„Lady y/n! You’re back. Your father ordered me to stay in your room, in case you return. He wants to see you in his office.“ The maid said, sounding neutral.
Y/n let out an audible sigh. This was it, wasn’t it? There was no point in struggling; all further resistance would only worsen things.
„Alright, I’ll see him.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The office walls felt even more suffocating today than what she was used to. She wasn’t sure if it was the decor or the things they stood for.
„Care to tell me where you have been, y/n? The whole house was looking for you.“ Her father said, clearly displeased with the situation.
Y/n knew that denying this would only serve to make him angrier, so she confessed.
„I went outside, father. I only wanted to see the flowers bloom. But as I lay in the soft grass outside, I fell asleep. I am very sorry about this.“ It’d be better to omit the truth; if she pretended to be alone all afternoon, this would be easier to deal with.
„You know that’s prohibited. Bad things could happen to you. And besides, this behavior is absolutely unfit for someone of your status.“ Her father spoke calmly, but his anger was still apparent.
After pondering what punishment fit the crime, he spoke.
„For two months, you are not allowed to leave your room unaccompanied at all. And when you do leave, it must only be before your lessons or if I grant it. All of the books in your room, apart from those used for your studies, will be taken away. You may only think about what you’ve done or do things that contribute towards your education.“
It was not unlike her father to further limit her freedom. He knew that’s what would sting the most. But this only further motivated her to rebel.
She would resist. She must.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Konoha, present day.
„So… You know the founders?“ Akemi asked, her curiosity apparent.
Y/n took a bite of her lunch. The restaurant Akemi took her to was quite nice, and Akemi herself seemed like someone she could talk to easily. She really did want to be her friend.
„Yes, we’re old friends. We met as kids, then I didn’t really see either of them until adulthood. But I never really stopped caring for them.“
„Not all friendships survive such long separation. It seems that they, or at least the Hokage, care about you too. I can only judge this based on a brief interaction when he came to the hospital, but he spoke highly of you.“
„Yes, Hashirama is a nice person. Perhaps he flatters me too much.“ Y/n paused, contemplating whether she should tell her about her conversation with Madara. After all, she had only just met Akemi, and it’s not that anything bad happened. She felt like she should not have asked him about his brothers when they reunited. It must have brought him pain. Perhaps she was overthinking this, though. It would be nice to hear someone else’s perspective.
„I met Madara, too. I think he still cares, but I can’t help but feel a bit guilty. I accidentally reminded him of something very painful. I feel like I overstepped, for some reason. I tried my best to make him feel better afterwards, and I think I succeeded, but I can’t stop thinking about it despite that.“
Akemi thought about her words for a bit, then asked, „I suppose asking you about the nature of your question would make things even worse. It isn’t really my place. Did he react badly to it?“
„He...clearly wasn’t happy. I don’t think he was mad at me, but he sounded…defeated. I don’t know, it is difficult to read him sometimes, I struggled with it even when we were children. And now that I haven’t seen him ín years, it’s even worse. I suppose I feel bad because our reunion now feels tainted.“
„Then perhaps he understood your intentions were pure. I can only guess; we only really interacted a few times. On the other hand, he does seem to feel things deeply. If the gossip is true, people say he goes to the grave of his brother, Izuna, quite often. Is it wrong to ask him how he feels about it?“
„I am unsure if I want to bring it up again. But maybe you’re right, we should communicate. That tends to make things easier. I’ll weigh my options and decide later.“
„Just think about it, I’m sure you’ll do what’s best.“
„I didn’t expect to tell all this to someone I just met today, honestly, but thank you regardless. Sometimes it’s easier to tell your troubles to someone who’s basically a stranger, I suppose.“
„I do have that effect on people, no idea why, honestly. But we don’t need to stay strangers for long. I like you.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her first day at work was a breeze. No serious injuries, only minor issues any healer of her skill could easily handle.
On her way to the inn, she noticed a few open shops. Perhaps she could look around to take her mind off the incident with Madara.
The first shop sold weapons. There were various kunai on display in the window. While she did carry a weapon for protection, she only possessed basic fighting skills. Various weapons would not be of much use to her. She decided to look further.
The display in the second store held accessories. When she peeked in, she noticed several shiny bracelets sitting on a red cushion inside. They looked beautiful, but she did not feel like shopping for jewelry today. It often got in the way when healing, and could even pose a cross-contamination risk, so she did not wear any on a regular basis. Perhaps she would take a closer look if any special occasion arose later.
The third shop sold flowers. Perhaps she should keep some in her room at the inn. It looked depressing without any decoration.
When she entered the store, a red, modest buguet caught her attention. Every stem had several blooming flowers on it. The crimson petals contrasted with the white anthers in the middle of each flower. These were gladioli.
Instantly, she was taken back to the day she first met Madara by the river. The same gladioli were blooming that day. Then, she got an idea.
She could put the flowers on Izuna’s grave.
It made little sense, and perhaps she wished to do it for her own peace of mind more than anything else. She had never even met him. All she knew about him was that he enjoyed eel and that he meant a great deal to Madara, which was hardly enough for her to be doing this. Would she be overstepping her boundaries? Would Madara be angry? Why couldn’t she just let this whole thing go?
No, it might be a little strange, but she didn’t even need to tell Madara. She ought not to remind him of it again and again. There was no harm in some well-meaning flowers, right?
Soon, she was asking the florist where the dead were buried with a crimson buguet in her hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It did not take long for her to find the grave. It was modest, but well-kept. Footsteps leading towards it were evidence of a recent visit. They weren’t fresh, perhaps a few days old, given the recent weather, but it was apparent the man buried here did not lack company.
Y/n paused before she put the flower in her hand. A gentle breeze played with her hair as she collected her thoughts. It still felt mildly inappropriate to do this without asking first.
Then, she carefully put the flowers down. She should leave quickly; it would not be good to be seen here after all. Before she could turn around, a voice made her jump.
„What are you doing here?“
She did not need to look to know what he was. The entire time, she was hoping she would not encounter him. But what’s done is done, time to explain herself, much to her dismay. She tried not to panic.
„Madara, uh..Hello. I’m really sorry for this. I know this is inappropriate and should have asked you first, at the very least. But I know this is painful for you and that‘s completely understandable, and I felt really bad about how I asked you about this before, and now our first meeting is tainted and I-„
„You’ve always been a bit strange.“ Madara cut her off. She wasn’t entirely sure if he was mad. He certainly did not sound like it, but he was not exactly the most expressive man in the world.
„Yes, I suppose. Are you mad at me?“ She couldn’t help but ask him directly. Their friendship meant a great deal to her, and she would rather not ruin it with this poorly thought-out plan of hers.
„No.“ He did not elaborate any further. He really did not sound mad, but would it kill him to phrase it in a way that made her doubt it even more?
She just stared at him, trying to figure out if he was trying to calm her down and if his words were sincere. It took a bit too long, but he eventually realized she wanted him to elaborate.
„I think about them often. Your asking did not make it any more painful. And you did make me feel a little better afterwards.“
She gave him a soft, sad smile. „I’m glad then, I really should have just asked. I know this must be horrible for you. I can take the flowers back, if you’d like me to.“
„No. Keep them.“ He answered fast. He really was not mad about this.
„Alright. I will give you privacy, since you clearly did not expect to meet me here. But I’m glad you don’t mind, at least.“
„You can stay.“
„Are you sure?“ She did not expect him to say that. After all, this was quite personal, and he was not an emotionally open man, sometimes even among friends. She would not refuse if he truly wanted her to stay.
„Yes.“
They stood in quietly for the next few minutes, neither of them daring to break it. Despite the sadness of the situation and the awkwardness that had previously ensued, the silence was quite peaceful. Then, Madara spoke.
„Why these flowers?“
Y/n turned to him, knowing exactly what to answer. „Gladioli. They reminded me of you. They used to bloom on the shores of the river where we first met. That, and sometimes they symbolize both strength and remembrance in literature. It felt fitting. I would have put some on the graves of the others, but I could not locate them.“
He nodded, acknowledging her.
„I see. That is, indeed, fitting. The others are buried at the original Uchiha stronghold. Izuna was the last to die, so it was decided to bury him here instead.“
„I see. Well, if I were to do this again, I would ask for permission, don’t worry.“
Once again, he just nodded. It really was hard to figure out what he was thinking.
„Let’s go back to the village. I’ll walk you to the inn again.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A small, unkempt path led them back into the village. They kept quiet for most of the way.
A snapping twig broke the silence.
Y/n felt it this time. It did not scare her. Still, she knew what was coming when Madara turned to look at her.
„Don’t. You. Dare.“ She said, trying her best to sound threatening.
„You did not jump this time. Did the teasing finally teach you not to fear twings?“
She could not allow him to make fun of her again. It was like the old times, sure, but she could not just let him make fun of her for the rest of their lives.
Instead of responding, she quickly picked up the twig and threw it at him, aiming at his forehead. He, of course, caught it before it hit him.
„Your offence leaves a lot to be desired.“ He smirked.
„Yes, yes, just like your stone skipping. The memory is kind of blurry. Please remind me, how many times did Hashirama beat you, exactly?“ She would not just give up so easily.
„I still think I was better than him.“
The mood has changed now. Y/n was hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia.
„I really missed you both. The rest of my days were quite miserable; I hated everything about my home life. But our times at the river gave me an escape, even if it didn’t last.“
„It was a nice change from the realities of war. Hopefully, younger generations here will not get to experience that. That’s why we founded Konoha.“
„I think that’s admirable. I will do what I can to contribute to this. I started working at the hospital, and I think that’s where I’ll be the most useful. I haven’t been here for long, but I can already see the positive change the village has made. I am proud of you two.“
„I’ve heard how good you became at healing.” He paused, considering what to say next. “I am proud of you, too.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter II | Chapter IV
Masterlist
