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Xavier hated spring. Sure it seemed great on the surface; the flowers were blooming, the snow was melting, and the air carried a constant feeling of freshness. But for them, it was simply hell. Why you may ask? Well, it wasn't just because of allergies - though he was very allergic to pollen - but because of a different type of flower trouble. Hanahaki, to be specific. Because they had fallen for his idiotic, oblivious, and unfortunately very cute best friend but couldn't muster the courage to tell him, they spent every spring hacking up these damned flowers.
He had been rather preoccupied with this exact activity one day - kneeling over a bucket already lined with blossoms and blood - when there was a voice behind them.
"Xavier?"
Of course, it had to be Hels.
He tried to shove down their panic, it wasn't ideal but if he kept his cool there was no reason he needed to know.
They wiped the small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the edge of their sleeve, "Not a good time, Knight." He said, voice hoarse from the thorns that had been tearing at their throat for a good couple of weeks now.
"You...you have hanahaki?" there was unmistakable horror in the other's usually impassive voice.
Xavier waved away the question dismissively but couldn't help but feel a bit amused, despite his annoyance at being found out, "Don't you go sentimental on me, it's only seasonal."
"Seasonal?"
"Yeah, meaning that every spring I get to not only experience the wonder of hay fever but also cough up wither roses until my ribs are sore," their voice dripped with sarcasm, "It's not lethal though."
With his back to Hels, he couldn't see the relief that flooded his expression, along with a tinge of curiosity, "Who is it then? And why haven't you confessed yet?" He asked, always blunt and to the point, that Hels. It was one of the many reasons Xavier liked him.
They pulled themselves to his feet, turning to glare at the other, "Well, firstly, none of your business and, secondly, none of your business." they said, "Now, what do you need? Unless you just came here to grill me on my love life?"
"No- I uh - no I didn't," Hels flushed with embarrassment, "I was wondering if you wanted to spar, but it doesn't seem like you'd be up for that right now..."
"Nonsense, I'd much rather be sparring than talking 'feelings' right now."
It was true enough, and even despite the hay fever, he put up a good fight. But what really caught them up was how much worse the hanahaki was, the flowers crawled up his throat, making it hard to breathe, as if they sensed Hels was there and were trying to get nearer. It also didn't help that the whole time the demon was pestering them about it, and right in the middle of their fights, no less.
"How long have you had it?" He'd asked, casually parrying another one of Xavier's swings. It was easily about the seventh time he'd questioned Xavier about the disease in the last half-hour
The enby growled with exasperation, "Just give it a rest, why don't you, I don't even know why you're pretending to care so much!" the second bit was emphasized with a feint followed by a surprisingly forceful lunge that had the metal of their swords shrieking against each other.
"Pretending?" Hels' voice was quiet.
"Yes pretending! I know the only reason you even come 'round is because I'm half-decent at sword fighting and we're both supposed to be villains, so who else are we going to hang out with?" Xavier didn't relent his attacks as they spoke, seemingly becoming more upset with every word. The emotion made his moves clumsy and uncoordinated, and within seconds Hels had disarmed them.
Outrage and something else Xavier couldn't quite put a name to blazed in his eyes, "How could you say that? After all the time we've spent together you think I'm pretending, that I only stay because you're a good sparring partner?" hurt laced his tone, giving a name to the look in his eyes that the other hadn't been able to identify.
"W-well why else then?" He tried to match his outrage but the fire had long since died from their words, obviously already regretting what he had said.
"Because I love you! And I want you to be okay even if it means-" his voice faltered, anger melting into sad bitterness, "-even if it means you'll be with someone else."
Xavier was frozen into a shocked silence.
"But it's obvious you don't even see me as a friend." Hels went on, sheathing his sword with a cold, metallic scraping.
The other tried to say something but the words stuck in their throat. He could only watch as their best friend walked away, so clearly dejected despite his usual airs.
When he had gone their grip on the sword slackened. The blade fell to the ground with a hollow rattle that quite well matched how Xavier felt inside.
"Voids, what have I done?" he whispered to no one in particular.
They couldn't even feel relief at the way the flowers had seemingly vanished; it only served to remind him what had transpired. Tears sprang to their eyes as his foolish words rang over and over in their mind. He brushed them away fiercely. They had hurt the person he loved and here they were crying about it. That wouldn't fix anything. And he had to fix things.
Determination and desperation welled in them as he set off in the direction Hels had gone, already knowing where he might be.
As they had expected, the knight was at the base that had once been a nether fortress the two had conquered single-handedly. He sat on the edge of one of the many branching bridges that were low to the ground - or at least the lava lake. His legs hung over the side, just barely above the bubbling magma. The light from it danced off his strong features and illuminated the shining tear tracks on his face.
Xavier could've sworn the physically felt his heart break in two, it hurt so bad. They had never seen Hels cry, in the years he'd known him, not once.
At least, not until now.
Their boots made a faint scraping on the nether brick bridge, a small sound, but enough to alert the other of his presence. He jumped to his feet, roughly wiping the tears from his face with the palm of his gloved hand.
"What do want, Void?" He questioned gruffly, already bristling, "Come to tell me how I'm 'pretending', again?"
The words stung, but Xavier knew they had far from done nothing to deserve them. He swallowed any cutting retort a past part of themselves might've made, "No, I've come to tell you that I really fucked up," he started steadily, "I'm so sorry - I don't know what I was thinking, and there's no excuse. I hope you'll believe me when I say I know- I know none of it's true." the words tumbled out as if the sheer magnitude of the onslaught would be enough to convince their friend of what he said.
Hels sighed, kicking away a crumbling piece of the brick structure, "It's fine - really it's fine. You don't have to apologize just to make me feel better about myself. I should've figured you don't really think of me as a friend, much less anything...else."
Dismay filled the other at the words, and in the moment he blurted out the only thing they could think to say, "The hanahaki's gone."
"How - did you tell whoever it was? What does this have to do with anything, anyway?" the knight's brow furrowed in confusion.
Xavier dared to take a step closer to him, "Actually, the other way round, the derp kind of confessed to me first."
Hels' eyes widened as the pieces fell into place behind his eyes, "Wait - you mean?" he couldn't stomp down the flicker of hope that sparked in his treacherous heart.
They nodded. "It's always been you." He said simply, "I lashed out because I was a coward, I didn't want to tell you how I felt. I couldn't believe that you'd ever feel the same. I doubt you do anymore, in any case." The last sentence was punctuated by a light, bitter laugh.
Expecting a scornful rejection, they were thoroughly caught off guard when he was met instead with Hels' soft lips pressed against their own. It took only a split second, however, for him to return it, their heart fluttering at the way the other's hands drifted to his waist. It was so sweet that they couldn't help but chase after his lips to steal a second when it had ended, to which Hels certainly didn't seem to have any objection.
When they had to pull apart for air Xavier was sure his face must be bright red, with the way it was burning, "O-okay then," they breathed awkwardly, unable to stop the stupid smile that spread across his face.
Hels laughed softly, "Yeah - sorry, I know I should've asked, I just-"
"It's okay," Xavier cut him off with that same lop-sided grin, "don't overthink it."
"So...what does this make us?"
"What do you want it to make us?"
He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Partners? Of the romantic variety, if that's okay with you?"
"More than okay," they replied, wrapping his arms around his neck, "God, I'm such a derp, aren't I?"
"Maybe just a bit," Hels admitted playfully, "But you're my derp, nether star."
"Nether star?"
"It's only fair since you're equally as unique and equally as beautiful," he explained with a shrug, only the sparkle in his eyes hinting that he knew exactly what he was doing.
Xavier's blush deepened, "Hels!" they whined in protest, "You can't just say that!"
He only laughed in response, a sound that all but made Xavier melt on the spot. This man could very well be the death of him, they thought, and he wouldn't have it any other way.