Work Text:
Kaveh had always been good at hiding things. His financial troubles, his endless regrets, and now… the petals.
Soft, scarlet petals, curling delicately in his palm every morning. At first, he had ignored them, brushing them away as if they were nothing more than an illusion. But as the days passed, the petals multiplied. His chest tightened, his breaths grew shallow, and his throat burned with the petals trying to rush outside his body.
It was Hanahaki Disease—an affliction of unspoken love. And Kaveh knew exactly who he loved.
It was Alhaitham, his ex-friend, now roommate.
It was pathetic, really. To suffer for someone who barely acknowledged emotions. To choke on flowers for a man who likely considered love an unnecessary distraction. Kaveh laughed as he coughed, a scarlet petal falling onto his sketchbook. He quickly crushed it in his palm, his fingers trembling. No one could know. Especially not him.
---
Tighnari had noticed it first.
Kaveh was never the quiet type, but lately, he had been uncharacteristically withdrawn. His laughter was weaker, his voice strained, and he flinched whenever he swallowed as if something was stuck in his throat.
The moment Tighnari found a blood-streaked petal in Kaveh’s discarded handkerchief, his suspicions were confirmed. He knew what was wrong with Kaveh. In fact, he experienced the same thing before. Hanahaki Disease. It was the disease of hopeless lovers. Well, for Tighnari, he wasn't as hopeless as he thought. Because Cyno actually confessed to him first. And ever before, the pedals faded, and the root of hopelessness rotted.
He confronted Kaveh, but the hopeless man only laughed, waving him off with a weak smile.
"You're imagining things, Tighnari."
"Am I?" Tighnari crossed his arms. "Kaveh, you’re literally dying. Do you understand that?"
"It's fine. It'll go away after a while."
"Fine?! Hanahaki is fatal if left untreated!”
"It’ll go away," Kaveh muttered. "It always does."
Tighnari sighed. He knew Kaveh was stubborn, but this was beyond reckless.
If Kaveh wouldn’t talk, then he’d find someone who could force him to.
---
“Hanahaki?” Cyno’s expression darkened as Tighnari explained everything. It brought back old and bad memories. His grip on his spear tightened. “And he’s hiding it?”
"Yes. And he refuses treatment. We both know what that means."
Cyno nodded grimly. If Kaveh didn't confess his feelings soon, he would either drown in his own flowers or be forced into surgery—one that would erase his love entirely and make him unable to love ever again. Cyno felt chills ran down his spine when he remembered that Tighnari once experienced that risk.
Neither option was good. Well, being unable to love ever again maybe was even better than dying. But for some, its not. Especially for Kaveh, he is already distant enough with everyone. If he lost his ability to love too, he'd go mad.
There was only one person who could fix this. And they both knew who it was.
---
Alhaitham did not expect Cyno to barge into his office. He expected it even less when Cyno grabbed him by the collar and said, in the most serious voice imaginable—
"Kaveh is dying."
For a brief moment, Alhaitham’s mind blanked. He couldn't think of anything. Only a confused mumbled word left his lips.
"What?"
Cyno’s glare was so chilling, showing that he had no patience left. "He has Hanahaki Disease. And he's unwilling to get treatment."
Something in Alhaitham’s chest tightened. Impossible. Kaveh never mentioned anything. Surely, he would have told him—
Except… he wouldn’t have.
Kaveh would rather die than admit something like this.
“Who?” Alhaitham’s voice was unnaturally calm, though his grip on his pen had turned white-knuckled. “Who is he in love with?” Even though he knew it was deadly, he couldn't help but feel jealous over that person who's supposed to be Kaveh's crush.
Cyno’s stare bored into him.
“You.”
Alhaitam froze, thinking for a while. Him?? How?? Then was he jealous over himself just now?.. But anyways, he had better things to do for now. He had to go save Kaveh before it's too late.
---
By the time Alhaitham reached their shared home, his heart was racing—an entirely illogical reaction. But logic had never applied when it came to Kaveh.
He found him in his room, hunched over his desk, coughing violently into his hands. Petals—so many petals—lay scattered across the wooden surface, stained with red.
Kaveh jolted when he saw him. "Alhaitham?" His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. He quickly shoved the petals away, but it was too late.
Alhaitham had already seen everything.
"Kaveh." He stepped forward, eyes sharp, unreadable. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Kaveh let out a weak laugh. "Why would I? It’s not like it matters."
"It DOES matter."
Alhaitam insisted, starting to get impatient. He wanted to prove Kaveh that he mattered as soon as possible.
Kaveh looked away. "You don’t care about emotions, Alhaitham. Love is just another illogical concept to you." He smiled bitterly. "So tell me,why should I burden you with something so pointless?"
Alhaitham exhaled sharply. "You are not pointless. You make me fo illogical things all the time."
Kaveh froze.
"And neither is this." Alhaitham reached out, gently brushing his fingers against Kaveh’s cheek. His touch was warm, grounding. "If I had known sooner, I wouldn’t have let you suffer alone."
Kaveh swallowed, his heart hammering against his ribs. "But you don’t—"
"Feel the same?" Alhaitham interrupted, his voice quieter now. "You’re wrong."
Kaveh’s breath got caught in his throat. "What?"
"I was never good at expressing things the way you do. But if love means wanting you by my side, worrying when you’re not there, and refusing to let you die over something so preventable—then yes. I love you."
For the first time in weeks, Kaveh’s chest didn’t ache.
The flowers in his lungs crumbled, dissolving into nothing.
And when Alhaitham pulled him into his arms, Kaveh let himself lose his composure. He felt like he could cry, laugh, and get mad and be scared at the same time. He felt free. He felt understood. He felt loved...