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The hippies. To anyone else, they seemed like just three dudes who didn't shower much, wanted to conserve the environment, steal back the time machine and the nuclear reactor, and get high.
Deep down, though, they had a secret.
It began as a lone adventure for Grian, watching the tall Hermit make his way around, and he couldn't help but fall in love. His eyes reflected nothing but kindness, his heart was pure enough to make 24 karat diamonds look like nothing.
It had started becoming the hippies when Grian caught Ren cuddling a pillow with a photo of Doc taped to it. Ren, of course, tried to deny everything, but eventually, the wolf hybrid hung his head in defeat.
The last member to join was Impulse. Ren and Grian watched him gaze at Tango and Zedaph. It was clear what he had wanted, he was just too scared to speak up.
And thats about it.
It was fine durring the first month, self deprecating jokes, sharing joints and messing with Area 77, which was run by Scar and Doc.
But that all changed.
Grian giggled softly as Impulse passed the joint to him, taking a hit off of it before coughing wildly. He giggled more, passing it to Ren, who was half asleep.
Impulse sneezed, and a petal fell from his lips.
They looked at him, before they just laughed again
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Grian sneezed a few times in his van, groaning.
"You sick too, my dude?" Ren asked.
"I think so.. Impulse?" Grian called out.
"I got it as well." Impulse whined.
"Well then, now what?" Ren sighed.
"We tough it out, we should shower first." Grian suggested as he stepped out, sneezing again, feeling his throat tickle. He began to cough and something fell from his lips.
A singular rose petal, hazel in colour.
Ren was next, a green petal with specs of black.
Impulse's was a cross of red and blue.
The three looked at each other, each sharing a concerned glance.
"I.. Don't think that's normal.." Ren mumbled.
"Coughing flower petals.. Why does that sound familiar..?" Grian thought.
"Wait wait wait, this has happened to other people?" Impulse asked.
"Yeah- it gets worse over time- I just can't remember why! I know one way to stop it, have the flowers removed with surgery... But I think your personality is altered, or something?" Grian spoke, coughing more, "I'm going to ask around other servers, I want you two to scavenge all the books. No one else can know. If someone is onto you, say that it's only you, we don't know what this could cause our friends to do.." Grian frowned.
"I.. How much worse does this get?"
"The.. The flowers, if not cured, fill your lungs and spread across your entire body.. You'd suffocate over and over, until your body could no longer physically respawn."
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A week had passed, and Impulse wasn't sure how much longer he had. He was terrified, so if he was going to die, he thought Zed and Tango deserved to know the truth.
Impulse stood by the pickle shop, no one went there, so it was the perfect place for a private conversation.
"Imp? You wanted us?" Tango asked.
Impulse looked between them, "I-I um.. Yeah.. S-so.. I.. Something.. Something is.. Happening.. And.. We- I don't know why.."
Tango and Zed exchanged worried glances. "Is.. Is it dangerous?"
"I.. Yeah- b-but it's not contagious- at least, I don't think.."
"You don't think?" Tango asked.
"I-i've been around others while having it and they've been fine.. But.. I-it may.. C-complicate things.. So.. I-i-incase I.." Impulse looked down.
Zedaph's eyes pooled with tears as he burst into tears, hugging Impulse, "no! That's n-not fair!" He cried.
Impulse sniffled, "I-I know.. B-but I thought you should know.. I-I.. I'm in love.. With you- b-both of you.." He managed to say. "I-I know it's w-weird and I-I shouldn't because you two are together and I should resp-" Impulse jumped as Zedaph kissed him suddenly, the three of them smiling.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Tango asked.
"We've been trying to figure out how to ask you out for months!" Zedaph smiled.
"You.. You feel the same?" Impulse smiled, but began to cough heavily.
Tango rushed to his side, "are you choking? Zed- you know hem lick or whatever it is, right?"
"Y-yeah- here I-" the two watched as Impulse spat out the tullip, pulling the vines out, the smaller flowers being red and blue.
"Did.. You just.."
"Yeah.. Thats.. Weird.. I- I feel fine now.."
"Wait, so you've been coughing up flowers?"
"Well, it started as sneezes, then coughing petals, and THEN flowers.."
Zedaph tilted his head, "thats sounds familiar.."
"Thats what Grian said!"
"Grian knew?" Tango asked.
"W-well yeah, Hippies and all.. Kinda hard to keep it a secret there.."
"Is that why Ren was coughing?" Zed asked.
"I.. Pardon?"
"I think Ren has it too- he's got petals around him so much.."
"Nah, he's trying to flirt with Doc.." Impulse laughed. It wasn't a complete lie.
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It had been another week. Impulse was improving, but the same couldn't be said about Grian or Ren.
"Maybe it has to do with secrets! I told Tango and Zed my big secret and it stopped!" Impulse smiled.
Ren coughed more, "yeah, good for you." The two glared.
"S-sorry.." Impulse looked away.
"Maybe we should tell X-"
"No- if he knows, h-he'd ban us, he'd think it's contagious!" Grian denied quickly before coughing and sneezing.
Ren and Impulse looked at each other, then Grian.
"What?" Grian asked.
"Grian.. You-" Ren looked terrified, he couldn't speak.
"blood." Impulse said.
Grian looked at the bunches of petals, blood splattered on them.
Ren frowned and coughed, blood dripping from his lips. "T-thats it- I'm gonna try your advice.." Ren told Impulse.
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Ren had told every secret he possibly had by now, all but two. He had told about the flower gun, able to spread flowers with ease. He had admitted that he was afraid of the dark. Hell, he even admitted that he was a werewolf, something that only Xisuma had known.
Ren stood outside of Doc's base, breathing heavily. He hesitated slightly. "I.. I can do this.." He raised his hand before he began to cough, groaning in pain.
"You just gonna stand there covering my door in... germs..." Doc trailed off as Ren turned around, seeing the blood on his lips and hands. "Ren.. What's going on?"
"D-Doc- I um.. I-I need to tell you something- I-I uh- oh gosh.." Ren blushed, "I-I um.. R-really.. Like you.. Like.. A-a lot.." Ren breathed out, staring at Doc.
Doc stared at him before narrowing his eyes, "thats just cruel, Ren. Even by my standards, that's just low."
Ren looked at him, the tickle in his throat feeling worse. "W-what?"
"You just want to steal the nuclear reactor and the time machine!"
"D-Doc this isn't-"
"Even faking some stupid cough just to get here!"
"D-Doc-"
"Well jokes on you, Ren. I'm not falling for it, so you can go crawling back to your little hippie friends!" Doc spoke sharply.
Doc had said no.
Doc rejected him.
Doc didn't want him.
Doc turned his back, walking away.
Ren began to wheeze and struggle to breathe, clawing at his neck. "D-D-D- o-oc..." He managed to gasp.
Doc turned back in an instant, he knew that sound anywhere. Ren wasn't faking ill, there really was something wrong.
"R-Ren- I.. You.. You're being serious..? You.. You do like me?"
Ren tried to say yes, but only coughs came out, the green and black petals dripping with blood.
"Oh my god- we need to get you to X- I-I can't lose you- Ren I-I like you too- A-a lot- I-I just thought you were trying to play some trick on me!" Doc hugged him.
The tickling in Ren's throat eased as he gasped for air, coughing wildly as the flowers spewed from his mouth, the daisies laying on the dirt below them as Ren caught his breath.
"What.. What was that?!" Doc asked.
"I.. I-I've had em for a few weeks now.. Impulse suggested secrets, so.. I-I tried telling.." Ren smiled shyly.
"Wait, Impulse had it too?"
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Grian was getting worse by the day. It had been a month and a half since the illness set in. The petals were going from clumps to full on roses, and he could feel thorns scratching his windpipe. Ren had tried to talk to Grian, but Grian kept dismissing him.
He read the book he had checked out about mysterious illnesses, when he found it.
Page 152.
Hanahaki.
The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from unrequited love, where the patient’s throat will fill up with flowers, they will then proceed to throw, cough up, and occasionally sneeze the petals, (sometimes even the flowers). One of the only ways for the disease to ‘disappear’ is if, the said person returns the feeling (it can’t be resolved with friendship, it has to be genuine feelings of love). The infection can also be removed through surgery, though the feelings disappear along with the petals. If they choose neither options, or the feeling is not returned in time, then the patient’s lungs will fill up with flowers, and will eventually suffocate and respawn, over and over until the vines spread so far into the body that it separates the parts of the brain, rendering the patient brain dead.
Respawning while the disease is still in the victim's system sometimes leads to the illness speeding up. Hanahaki typically lasts from two to three months, but the rate may become excellerated.
Grian froze. He had died three times since he got sick.
Stage one: Sneezing and coughing petals. Generally harmless, lasts for under three weeks.
Stage two: Coughing up petals with blood. Starts at week four.
Stage three: Larger petals, bunches of petals and sometimes small flowers are coughed up with larger amounts of blood. Starts at week seven.
Stage four: Coughing full on flowers, vines and excessive amounts of blood. Starts at week 10.
Stage five: Flowers, vines and extreme amounts of blood are coughed up, vomitted, and grow out of the mouth, nose, and rarely eye sockets. Starts at end of week eleven.
Grian frowned, he was at stage five. He wouldn't have much longer. Slamming the book shut, he slid on his elytra. He began to soar through the sky, landing in area 77.
Doc drew his sword, turning around. "What do- no!" Doc gasped and rushed over, grabbing him. "We need to get you to a bed- now." Doc quickly laid him in a bed, hooking him up to the machines, giving him an oxygen mask. "Ren! Get over here! Grian-"
"Oh no.." Ren hung up.
Grian just smiled weakly, looking around the room.
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Within minutes, Ren was there, and so was a majority of the other Hermits.
"Grian- did-" Ren began.
Grian nodded, why didn't he bring the book?
"What is it?"
"H-ha... Ki.." He tried.
"I.. What?"
"B-book- van- b-book!" Grian wheezed.
"You left it- Xisuma, quick! Get to his van and grab the book- it should be about strange illnesses!" Ren instructed.
Xisuma nodded, "I'm on it." He took off running.
"I'll be back- I need to get someone-" Ren ran off.
"Grian- why does it happen?" Doc asked.
"L-l.. Love.."
"Love? What do you mean?"
"N-not..." He burst into a fit of coughs, blood covering the inside of the mask.
"Onesided love? Or the belief of onesided love?" Doc asked.
Grian nodded urgently.
"Who is it? We can save you!"
Grian tried to speak, but he stopped himself. He felt.. Content.. He was ready.. He had accepted it, he would die.
"Mumbo?"
He shook his head.
"Iskall?"
Another shake.
"Impulse?"
Yet another.
"Is it Ren? Or me? Because I'd be happy to m-make some room-"
Grian smiled at the gesture but shook his head, tearing up.
Scar used his canes to enter the room. "Grian?" He frowned.
Grian's heart rate began to spike, where it was originally at 82bpm, it now rested at 115bpm.
Doc looked between them and just nodded. "Would you like to be alone?"
Grian nodded, pointing at the mask.
Scar came over as Doc left, though most of the hermits were already standing outside of the room, able to see through the glass walls. Scar carefully removed the oxygen mask, "Gri.. W-what.." He began to tear up.
Grian weakly reached up to wipe the stray tears that left Scar's eyes. He smiled weakly. "I.. Scar..." He whispered.
"I-i'm here.."
"love.. y-y.." Grian seemed to be fighting to keep his eyes open.
"What? I-I didn't hear that.."
Grian took a weak gasp, "I-i.. Love you.."
beep
The high pitched noise rang out through the room, leaving Scar sitting there in shock. "G-Grian..?" He whispered. "G-Grian?!" He began to cry, "n-no- you can't leave me- I-I love you too- Grian! Y-you can't go!" Scar cried into the air. Vines began to grow from his nostrils, ears, and lips.
Mumbo and Iskall stood in the hall, staring at their now deceased friend.
Ren, Impulse, Zed, and Tango all rushed over. Ren froze, Impulse broke into sobs, and Zed brought his hands to his mouth, tearing up in shock.
"G..Grian..?" Scar whispered, tears flowing down his cheeks. He rested his head on Grian's chest and sobbed.
Doc turned off the noise of the monitor's flatline as the other Hermits came in.
Scar just stared at Grian's body, no one dared speak.
Xisuma rushed in. "Guys, I found it! It's called Hanahaki! It's caused by unrequited love and is only cured if..." He slowly trailed off, staring at his friends. "W-why are you looking at me like that..?"
No one dared speak.
Xisuma teared up, "no.. N-no!" He gasped.
"I loved him- I said so- why-" Scar whispered.
"This isn't fair..." Iskall cried.
Doc just shut Grian's eyes. "Lets.. L-lets have a moment of silence.. For Grian.."
They all nodded, lowering their heads, everyone just stayed quiet. The vines that had sprung from Grian's nose and ears slowly began to decay.
beep. beep. beep.
Everyone perked up.
"Grian?" Scar looked up, watching the petals fall from the vines, the vines wilting and turning grey, while some colour returned to Grian's skin.
Grian let out a large gasp, eyes springing open.
"Grian-" Scar gasped. He went to kiss him, but Grian pushed him away.
"B-buck- bucket-" he gagged.
Doc quickly grabbed one and handed it to Grian.
Grian gagged before he began to vomit the rose plants up, coughing up the last bits of petals, and a beautiful flower. He had still lost quite a lot of blood, so he was much paler than normal.
"G-Grian.." Scar whispered, tears in his eyes.
"S-S-Sc..Scar..." His voice cracked.
"I need to get him into surgery. Based on the thorns and how pale he is, he's bleeding internally." Doc spoke.
Scar nodded, "you better not leave me again." He whispered to Grian.
Grian smiled weakly, "I w-wouldn't d-dream o-of it." He whispered back.
Doc chuckled and wheeled him away, Xisuma followed close behind.
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After three hours, all the nicks and cuts were shut, and Grian was on an IV of blood that had been donated by Mumbo.
Scar sat by Grian, waiting for him to wake. He watched as the small hermit began to stir and yawned.
Grian rubbed his eyes and looked over. "... Hi.." He whispered weakly, a gentle smile on his lips.
Scar smiled back, "hey.." He reached over, running his hand over Grian's cheek.
Grian pushed into the touch, his feathers puffing up with content as he let out a coo.
Scar smiled more, "how are you feeling?"
Grian laughed weakly before wincing in pain, "pretty sore.. But I'll manage.." He mumbled.
"You need anything?" Scar asked.
"Mmm.. You could hold me?" Grian smiled and shut his eyes.
"Oh?" He smirked.
"Not like that.. Yet.." Grian giggled and whined in pain.
"Alright, how would you like it then?"
"You sit behind me and I lay against you?" Grian suggested.
Scar nodded, using his canes to get over to the bed. He carefully shifted behind Grian and sighed as the smaller cuddled to him.
"I.. I'm sorry..."
"For what?"
"For n-not telling you what was happening to me! I should've- o-ow-"
"Hey- hey, from what Ren and Impulse told me, you guys had no idea what was going on."
"B-but I should've confessed sooner-"
"Gri, you were scared. I get it.. Don't blame yourself. The only thing you should be apologizing for is scaring me like that!" Scar laughed teasingly, kissing his forehead.
Grian blushed brightly and looked at Scar, yawning.
"Oh, am I boring you?"
"No no-"
Scar chuckled. "I'm teasing, angel. Get some rest, okay? I'll be here when you wake up."
Grian nodded and scooted closer, mumbling into his chest. "You better be.."