Work Text:
Kris was familiar with hanahaki, the disease in which flowers would grow from one's lungs if one's feelings were unrequited. While it never happened to Kris, Kris had seen it happen to others around them, their dad, for one.
Their dad wouldn't give up his feelings for their mom after their divorce. He never will and he'll die for it. But Kris wouldn't let that happen. If they went through with the plan, Dess would come back. Then, everything could go back to normal.
At least, they hoped.
***
The SOUL had been easy to manage the first day, even if it sucked ass at dodging. All it did was explore everywhere and talk to everyone. The hardest part of the day was pulling the SOUL out and getting to work.
The second day, Kris noticed something change, physically, at least. Their chest felt heavy, and they started having coughing fits. Was it a side effect of removing the SOUL? It would make sense, but no one told them about that. Did they do it wrong? They'd have to ask later.
***
Kris found out what was wrong on the third day. After they had gone back to seal TV World's fountain. Susie had long since fallen back asleep on the couch, exhaustion catching up to her. Kris couldn't blame her. They had gone upstairs to grab a blanket for themselves, but doubled over, coughing their lungs out.
They stared at the blood on their sleeve. At first, they would've assumed it was from fighting the knight. All three were hanging on by a thread, after all. And just because the Dark Worlds were on a separate layer of reality didn't mean that injuries didn't carry over, the three hadn't healed themselves (which was stupid in retrospect), too busy with Tenna.
Except it wasn't from the knight.
Their eyes trailed down to the flower petals lying on the ground. They were ovate-shaped, with a white to pink gradient, stained with the red of Kris's blood.
Kris wanted to laugh.
Hanahaki disease. Them!
They, of all people, were pining for someone and didn't even know it. Pathetic. Kris stumbled back to the living room, plopping the blanket down, before grabbing a towel and wetting it slightly.
They don't even know who they're in love with, but there are only two options that come to Kris's mind: Susie or Ralsei. It can't be anyone else, not when they've practically pulled away from everyone. But with those two they've all been forced together, and Kris... Doesn't hate that. No, Kris enjoys them, loves them even. They'd take a blow for the two any day.
But Kris isn't sure that they love either of the two like that. There is no warm, gushy feeling for them when they think of their friends. But. It has to be one of them.
Who else would it be?
They blink, staring at the newly-cleaned spot on the floor, slick with water. They tsk, grabbing the petals and throwing them in the trash, tossing the towel onto the counter. The stain on their sleeve isn't worth bothering to scrub out.
With a sigh they dropped onto the couch, closing their eyes.
***
The next day, Kris stood in the Holiday's family kitchen, circling a finger around the rim of the cup. It had gotten worse. They barely made it through church today, excusing themselves to cough their lungs out in the bathroom.
Right now, though? There wasn't anything.
No heaviness in their lungs, no coughing, nothing.
Perhaps one of their potential crushes started reciprocating. Except. Maybe not. Ralsei looks up to Kris and Susie greatly, but he puts himself down too often to even consider romance (and, truth be told, Kris didn't start liking him 'til TV World.) Susie is hardcore oblivious to Noelle, but she still (unawarely) likes her.
But then again, Kris is just guessing and could not fathom the idea of Ralsei or Susie liking them out of all people. Hopefully, their crush just happened to go away? A three-day crush maybe?
They groaned, downing the last bit of their chocolate milk before letting their forehead hit the kitchen counter.
Their eye twitched when they spotted a certain red light from underneath their bangs.
***
They understood it now.
It wasn't them who had hanahaki. It was the fucking SOUL.
What the actual fuck?
They realized it the moment they put the SOUL back in them, the familiar weight returning to their chest. With the heaviness and the combined beating of the SOUL, their head felt dizzy. The SOUL took a step and they both tumbled to the ground.
Kris coughed spewing blood and petals out onto Dess's carpet. Fuck. They'd clean that up later. They wiped their mouth clean, stuffing the petals into their pockets, and stood up. The SOUL must've caught onto what was happening to them by now, Kris wonders if it knows it's its fault. Does the SOUL know it's in love?
Who would the SOUL even be in love with. Would they attempt to form a relationship via them? Hah. Maybe it's Berdly, then. It seems to enjoy him.
...
Eugh. Nevermind. Not funny.
This is so stupid.
***
Kris will die.
That's a possibility they've expected — been expecting — but for an entirely different reason. They've never expected to go out via their possessor's hanahaki disease. And with the way things were going, they wouldn't be alive long enough to keep their promise.
They raised a trembling hand up, plunging it into their chest. They pulled the SOUL out and begin coughing violently, falling to their knees. They kept the SOUL clutched in their hands. Blood dripping down their chin and down onto the carpet, staining it. The amount of petals they've coughed up has somehow doubled. Not good.
Kris isn't sure if the SOUL can sleep, but it's unresponsive and its red glow is dimmer than normal.
They shamble to the cage, lying in the corner of the room. They hurl the SOUL into it, it clangs against the bars, and the deadbolt falls into place. Perfect shot.
Kris sighs as they collapse onto the floor, taking the chance to breathe, their chest feeling as light as a feather. Kris glances over to the SOUL, narrowing their eyes at it.
They will die because no one but a select few know about the SOUL, the only ones who will ever know, and none of them are dumb enough to fall in love with it. The SOUL has doomed both itself and Kris. No one knows of the SOUL, and the SOUL's feelings would go unreciprocated. Forever.
Fuck.
What are they gonna do now? How are they gonna tell the others that the SOUL happened to fall in love and give them hanahaki? It's not fucking fair.
The SOUL seems to have woken up, its light glowing brighter. Kris continues to lie there as the two continue to do the jitterbug downstairs, music loud enough that the whole town could probably hear it.
Kris thinks the flowers smell familiar, but they just don't know how.
They lie there even when they hear Susie talking down below, shutting the music up. They're thankful. The SOUL has stopped moving around, deciding to listen attentively to Susie. It starts raining.
...
Apples.
That's what the flowers smell like.
They glance over to the petals, studying their features.
Apple blossoms.
Oh.
They know who the SOUL is in love with now. How hilarious.
Kris stands up, stumbling to their window. They pull it open, gritting their teeth. They know the SOUL can't hear them, but they can't help themselves anyways.
"I hate you."