continuation of #30
.
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why did hashirama look at him when she said "i do"?
madara couldn't shake off the question even after the married couple left. and here, behind the curtain to the bride's hospital bed, the ordeal of his own disastrous wedding a fortnight ago resurfaced. there was a blank period, between his arrival at a bar and waking up in his hotel the next day.
a nurse slipped out from the curtain, carrying a bundle of bloodied cloth. madara ducked in. hashirama was blankly staring at the ceiling, seemingly not noticing his arrival. light bruises marred her visible skin here and there, but nothing seemed bad.
"they cut my wedding gown," she whispered hoarsely. "cut it to pieces... i spent years dreaming of it. it's bloodied but still-they cut it without mercy, madara..."
he instinctively reached for her hand. her wedding ring was missing.
"i threw it out from the car earlier. he... he had been..." hashirama choked back tears. "can you believe he had been cheating on me-throughout our engagement? not just one too... and she-she had the audacity to call him right after our wedding asking if he'd come over-"
"save the story for later, hashi," he asked, half pleading, but she shook her head.
"i need to tell you how we fought."
right. he wasn't here without any purpose.
"before that, hashi," madara leaned closer, intertwining their fingers. "what happened after... my own wedding?"
"...you were drunk."
"and?"
"i took you to the hotel." she looked away. "you asked me to elope. i refused. then you asked me to kiss you."
"did you-"
"on the cheek. sorry." she let go of his hand, but madara held it.
"my offer still stands."
hashirama gaped at him, her confusion quickly disappeared. her gaze was lowered to his unadorned fingers.
"i mean, after you finalized your divorce and all..."
"he's dead, madara."
"my apologies."
"don't be." hashirama sat up straight. "can a police officiate our marriage, though? i'm sure they're still around here..."
madara struggled to keep his voice low. "without your dream gown-?"
"aren't i wearing one now?" she held back her laughter, gesturing at her hospital gown. "the love of my life is here, so that's enough."
he was reminded to her wedding this morning.
now madara knew why hashirama looked at him when she said "i do".