Maya - a Naruto Fanfic

65. Scars To Your Beautiful

I sit patiently on the hospital bed as Nao carefully unwraps the bandages around my stomach.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be checking you over?" They ask for the thousandth time. Because the wound on my shoulder just brushes my nipple, I'll be pretty exposed.

"You're a nurse, Nao, are you telling me you've never seen a patients breasts before?" I'm truer to my mother's genes than my father's, and at 12 I'm already showing clear signs of breasts. Pretty soon, I won't be able to get away with going braless.

"Of course I have, but some people just aren't comfortable. I wouldn't judge you for wanting a lady nurse." They say again, and I roll my eyes so hard I'm surprised they don't fall straight out of my head.

"I'm fine, really! I work at a bathhouse, I can't exactly be conservative about these things."

"True enough. Alright, I'll take the bandages off your chest now, so can you open your kimono?"

"Yeah." I shrug my kimono off my shoulders and let it gather around my waist on the bed. Once Nao's disposed of the bandages, they set about examining the wounds.

"They're healing well, but it looks like they might scar." They press gently at the tender skin, carefully clinical as he handles my breast.

"Are you sure?" My stomach ties itself in knots as I look down at the long, shaky lines running along my chest and abdomen.

"Yeah." They say simply, and I feel like I could cry.

"Damn. It's really going to stick out, isn't it?" I laugh despite the tightness in my chest.

"With your skin, more than most." Nao's gaze shifts up to my face, and they watch me quietly for a moment, light eyes flicking between my own dark ones.

"What?"

"They don't make you any less beautiful, you know. Not that your appearance should really matter, but here, women with scars is pretty normal. There won't be many who'd look down on you for it." They take a roll of fresh bandage out of the draw, tape cotton strips over the wounds, and wrap them tight as they talk.

"I know, it's just... Where I come from, that's not the case, and it's hard to just... Ignore what I've been taught for so long." I wring my hands in my lap, biting down hard on my lip.

"Of course, just keep in mind that there's a lot more to you than your body. This is just a vessel carrying one hell of a soul." They press a knuckle to my chest and grin. I smile shakily back.

With my bandages wrapped and pinned in place, Nao stands and stretches.

"Who's coming to get you?"

"Ino said she was going to."

"Great. Well, you're all set to go. Here." As usual, they fish a small, round sweet out of their pocket and press into into the palm of my hand. I close my fist around it and grin, laughter bubbling in my chest.

"Thanks, Nao. I'll see you later."

"See you. Stay out of trouble!"

"No promises!" I wave my empty hand over my shoulder and dash out of the room, barely managing to stick to a walk in the quietly busy corridors of the hospital.

By the time I've checked out, Ino is waiting on the opposite side of the street, nibbling daintily on a stick of dango, a smaller, slightly chubbier girl at her side.

"Sorry to make you wait, I had to fill out some paperwork." I flash the pair a quick smile.

"Don't worry about it. How'd the checkup go?" Ino kicks off the wall and pulls me into an easy hug, pressing her lips briefly against my temple.

"Nao says they're healing well, but they're probably going to scar." I shrug, and the smaller girls eyes go wide.

"Well, I'm glad they're healing. This is Hinata, by the way. She's in the third squad that graduated this year."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hinata-san." I give a shallow bow, and Ino cracks up, while Hinata flushes crimson.

"No need to be so formal, Maya!" She yells, smacking me on the back so hard I stumble forwards.

"J-just call me H-hinata..." Hinata mumbles. I'm surprised she's not steaming, with how hard she's blushing.

"Alright, Hinata." I smile warmly at her and she gives a tiny smile back.

"Well, now that that's over with, it's time for some shopping!" Ino declares, wrapping her arms around my waist and Hinata's shoulders and guiding us away from the hospital.

"Shopping?" I twist to look at her and raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah! Yoko and I both agree, you need some new clothes!"

"Ino, Yoko's 6, she's not exactly an expert-" I laugh in near disbelief. This is ridiculous, I don't need new clothes. I'm not going to be here much longer.

"And you've got all that money from your work at the bathhouse." Ino continues like she hasn't even heard me.

"Yeah, but-" I try to interrupt again, but Ino will not be budged.

"So it's settled, you'll come shopping with me and Hinata, and we'll get you wearing something prettier than hand-me-down kimonos."