#bcus of course Izuna is a proud person (maybe even a little cocky)

[autoauthor]

Hanahaki

We all know that if the Uchiha lose someone they love, they tend to make it everyone else's problem. Since the Senju are supposed to parallel the Uchiha, this is somewhat of an inversion to that.

In this universe, the Senju, when unable or unwilling to confront the object of their affections, become their own problem.

Basically, their chakra rebels against them and standard hanahaki symptoms ensue: "flowers" made out of their chakra begin to grow in their lungs. This interferes with both their jutsu and their ability to breathe. The flowers represent the person they're in love with. This continues and worsens until.

A) They confess their feelings to the other person. Letting the feelings themselves flourish. B) Surgery is done to remove the chakra growths which represent their repressed emotions - also ridding them of said emotions.

Of course the we can draw from such a condition is that, in canon, Tobirama killing Izuna was a pure and honest expression of his love. Enough so that he recovered from his illness. Alternatively he slowly wasted away from years and the damage to his chakra network played a part in his eventual death.

Personally, I was thinking Izuna would be represented by red amaryllis or red carnations.

(PS: if you haven't read "For Adoration Grow" yet, go do that now)

Anyways, this is one I actually have a fanfic in the works for. Alas, Tobirama fails to convey his feelings via murder and has to deal with it the old fashion way (pining and repressing them).