A/N: Sorry for the lack of length here.
I'm not in the best place right now. Also...I may be drunk while writing this.
Y'see, its my birthday or I suppose it technically it will be, bloody weird time zone that I'm at the moment- by the time I post this update. Had a whole big day planned...took the whole thing off to celebrate and all...but then all my friends and family caught COVID. It was all very sudden. Ergo, they all had to isolate elsewhere. Away from me. So no party, no grand day out, no cake, or time spent with my loved ones, which was frankly what I was looking forward to. Nothing. Zilch.
I was the last to know. There I was, getting ready to go when I get the news:
"Sorry, we're all not feeling well. Party's canceled. This is for the best. Hope you have a nice birthday!"
Sure. Nice birthday. Just a sad Neon sitting in his house. Alone. Nothing to keep me company now save a bottle of whiskey. *Sigh* You know what they say, expect disappointment and you'll never be dissapointed. Don't know why I got my hopes up, but it still hurts all the same.
So here. Have this, I suppose. I don't know anymore.
As ever I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a wit or one.
Please forgive the sarcastic quote of this chapter. I tend ta snark when I'm upset...
Going to work on Arcane and Genshin and other stuff, maybe that'll life me out of this foul mood of mine.
"That girl is trying to atone for her crimes. Let her. Or would you rather she become that monster again?
Because make no mistake, that's what she WILL be if you push her.
But what do I know? Its not like I experienced it firsthand...
Oh, wait! I did!"
~Rhodes.
To Truly See (Fragment)
Naruto hated doctors.
He absolutely did; loathed them with a singular spite that few could possibly comprehend. They had seldom been kind to him in the past, even when he was younger. Always running tests, always sticking him with needles and Sage knew what ese. He disliked the idea of surgery even more, but according to Cinder, that was a necessary evil. Bah. Necessary evil, she said. For your own good, she said. His life had an awful lot of "necessary evils" these days.
Maybe that was just the panic talking; his own frantic thoughts mounting as he lay on the table, watching everyone loom over him.
Still, he'd gone through it. No turning back now. They'd already hit him with a sedative.
"Now just relax." Mikoto patted his cheek. "This will all be over soon."
"Y'say that," he gulped, "But I'm still terrified."
"That's perfectly natural." Mikoto smiled behind the surgical half-mask she wore. "Don't worry. You'll be right as rain in no time."
He had every right to be worried! They were going to cut into the web of scar tissue that covered his useless eye and put a new one in. There would be pain after he woke up. So much pain.
Some of his stress must've shown through, because he saw her eyes crinkle in a smile.
"You're being a very brave boy, Naruto. I know you can do this."
...you do?"
An Uchiha eye. Cinder had been thorough in her explanation. They were few in supply after the massacre and the fire that followed, but he'd been chosen for one nonetheless. He was already a ward of the Uchiha -thanks in no small part to Fugaku- but this put him a step closer to being one.
As far as birthday presents went it wasn't a bad one. Many would kill for a gift like this.
"Now then," Mikoto cooed, "Be a dear and count backwards from nine, would you?"
Naruto pursed his lips. If this were anyone else, he would've flown into a proper panic. Still, this was Cinder's mom for crying out loud. Even so soon after having a child -Cinder's new baby brother, Sasuke!-here she was, keeping a weather eye on the doctors. She wouldn't let them screw anything up surely. He'd seen her get angry at those who mistreated him before.
"Alright...Nine...
He closed his good eye.
...eight...
His world gradually began to blur.
...seven...
Sleep came like a warm blanket, swaddling him in gentle dreams.
(.0.0.0.)
Itachi tugged on his new cloak with a soft sigh.
Black with red clouds. He despised this garment already.
But he would endure. For his sister's sake. Even if the world hated him.
(.0.0.0.)
Cinder wasn't used to waiting.
For a girl who perished once only to live again, someone who had gone from rags to riches, she prided herself on her control. In her first life she had worked tirelessly to cultivated that image. Her mind was a steel trap. Nothing escaped it. She was the very pinnacle of self control. Not a thing in this wild world could shake her.
.
..
...
At least, it used to be that way.
Now she found herself acting every bit the child she'd become; waiting restlessly outside the operating theater, knees twisting from side to side in thinly veiled agitation. Naruto was fine. He had to be fine. He must be fine. She would accept no other outcome. After all they'd been through, she wouldn't settle for anything less. He had lost an eye because of her, and so she would see it returned. One way or another. And if he was able to manifest a Sharingan because of it?
She would teach him. It wouldn't repay the debt she owed him, but it would be a start...so long as he survived.
She was certain Emerald and Mercury saw her fear, but if they did, they didn't speak of it.
Perhaps they knew better than to mention this.
She might well be softer in this life, but she wasn't beyond tweaking their ears -or their cheeks!- if they acted up again.
"Ma'am?" Emerald's voice broke through the haze. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Speak of the devil!
"I'm fine." she kept her eyes locked on the door. "Don't concern yourself."
"You sure about that...?" Mercury scooted closer. "Because it looks to me like you're worried-
Cinder stomped down on his heel. In his first life, Mercury wouldn't have felt that. In this one he had human legs, and thus human feet. Result?
Pain.
"Ow! C'mon, boss! I was just kidding!"
Sure enough, she glimpsed saw the ghost of a smile on his face as he hopped backward, clutching his ankle. He was trying to distract her. Emerald laughed softly and receiving a withering glare for it. They were both in on it. Blast them. Blast them both! Where was Rhodes when she needed him...? She already knew the answer of course; he was off helping father with clan matters. Things were changing for the Uchiha; though their number were few now, they still commanded respect.
All save one. She'd hunt her dear "Brother" down and make him pay for what he'd done. This was her mistake, her burden to bear.
And so she would. Golden eyes flitted back to the door, and her vigil resumed.
Naruto would be okay. He had to be. She couldn't live without him.
A/N: More a teaser than anything else; still not in the best place at the moment.
Thoughts?
As ever feel free to drop a review if you like; they keep this old man writing. No joke, there. Every bit of feedback, no matter how small, or large, boosts my spirits. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! I say that because I'm writing by myself these days, and I really do enjoy chatting with you all.
Reviews keep me going in this crazy time. Without them, I just can't seem to write.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly?
And as ever:
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
(Previews)
"Stop being such a prick."
...and if I refuse such a request?"
Emerald smiled. It was not a nice smile. "Then we beat it out of ya."
Neji grunted in surprise as her fist buried itself in his stomach.
"Why you...?!"
He'd only just righted himself when Mercury's heel slammed into the back of his head.
"She has to die."
"Easy for you to say...
His eye burned.
Naruto wasn't sure why, only that it did.
Almost like it was talking to him. Whose eye was this...?
"Up." Cinder nudged him with her foot. "You need to master this."
...can't I just lay here?"
Her fingers danced along his ribs. He jolted upright with a laugh. "Gah! Don't tickle me, damnit!"
Gaara clicked his tongue once. "Ruby, no. You cannot have a scythe."
"RUBY YES! I NEED THIS!"
R&R~!