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Nevermore had its fair share of shapeshifters but none quite like you; a kitsune with the spirit of a great white fox. You transferred here from Japan so you were a very long way from home, but you came to the academy seeking acceptance and a better understanding of your abilities. You could already easily shift into other creatures which was quite a feat for someone your age but you hadn't quite mastered the art of changing into a humanoid yet. Your fox-spirit appeared to be quite stubborn because no matter how hard you tried you just couldn't shift your fluffy white ears, bushy tail and small pointed fangs while the rest of you was human.
You arrived at the school in the wake of a series of incidents involving hydes, zombies and mad scientists. But this didn't put you off enrolling, if anything it piqued your interest about the place even more.
You settled into academy life pretty quickly and the other students were fascinated by you. To them you were like something straight out of their favourite anime and you secretly loved that, back home you were teased and mocked for being physically different but here you felt welcome and like you could truly be yourself amongst others like you.
You formed a fast friendship with two girls in particular, Enid Sinclair and Wednesday Addams. They were polar opposites in every sense but somehow they were best friends and practically inseparable. Enid was a cheerful werewolf so of course she formed a natural kinship with you, but Wednesday was a psychic whose visions were triggered through touch so she was much more closed off and had a general distaste for most things.
The three of you got along swimmingly and everything was going so well until one day another unusual condition took hold, Hanahaki disease. It wasn't pleasant by any means, flowers started to grow inside your body and once they were in full bloom you would regurgitate the petals. But the worst part was the cause, unrequited love. You had developed a crush on none other than your new friend Wednesday and you were pretty sure she didn't feel the same way about you, she hardly felt anything for anyone.
Your condition started to worsen the more time you spent with Enid and Wednesday. Whenever Wednesday spoke to you or accidentally brushed against you the nausea hit and you would run to the nearest bathroom. When you managed to reach a stall a plum of pink cherry blossom petals would explode from your mouth and scatter everywhere. You quickly gathered them up before anyone saw and flushed them away, it was exhausting and happening more and more often.
One afternoon during art class Wednesday chose to sit next to you, her proximity was uncharacteristically close for her and you were almost shoulder to shoulder.
"Hey" she said and began taking her things out of her bag. You followed the movement of her pale hands as she lined up her pencils and notebook with precision.
"Hi. Nice nails" you commented, her black painted nails adding to her gothic charm.
"Thanks" she replied, "I like your fangs".
Your cheeks instantly turned red, "y-you do?"
"Yeah, they make you look...fierce. I like that".
That simple statement set your insides alight along with another sudden wave of sickness. You went to reply but slapped your hand over your mouth when you could taste pollen on your tongue.
"Are you ok?" Wednesday asked, concerned.
You replied with a muffled "mmhmm" then coughed when the petals tickled your throat. You bolted out of the classroom and sprinted down the corridor to the girls' bathroom. Luckily it was empty so you didn't even bother closing the stall door when you dived in, soon enough another explosion of petals littered the floor.
You cursed in your native language then heard the bathroom door swung open and two sets of footsteps. You hastily locked the door and frantically scooped up the petals.
"Y/N? Are you ok?" Enid called out.
"Y-yeah I'm fine, just...give me a minute" you replied, your voice hoarse.
Wednesday then spotted a stray petal near your stall and leaned down to pick it up, feeling the silky smooth texture between her fingers. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity then her eyes followed the trail of a few more, she clocked the end of your tail as you scooped up the last ones but this only added to her confusion.
"Come on, let's leave her to it. Professor Ford will be looking for us" Wednesday said and pocketed the petal.
"But-" Enid started.
"Now Enid" she said sternly.
They left but not before Wednesday shot a glance back at the stall, hearing you cough and splutter.
For the rest of the week you avoided Wednesday and only allowed yourself brief interactions with Enid. It seemed like this was the only way you thought you could get over your crush and recover from your condition, but it only made things worse. You missed Enid's sunshine personality, she always put a smile on your face even when she was pestering you to let her play with your tail. You missed Wednesday's blunt attitude and razor-sharp wit along with her silky smooth ebony hair, beautiful dark eyes, kissable lips and-
"Stop it" you mentally scolded yourself whenever you thought about her, "she's not interested so get over it".
Your avoidance hadn't gone unnoticed by the girls and Wednesday was determined to get to the bottom of whatever was going on because, although she hated to admit it, she missed you too. So she hatched a devious plan with Enid.
"Kidnap her?! Are you serious?!" Enid exclaimed.
"Deadly" Wednesday replied.
"Surely we can just talk to her in the quad or something?" Enid suggested.
"No. Foxes are known for being cunning and swift, so we have to outsmart her before she can run away again" Wednesday explained.
"I don't know Wednesday, it seems a little...extreme".
"You miss her don't you?"
"Well yes, but-"
"No buts. We're getting our friend back. End of story".
Enid knew better than to argue with a determined Wednesday, but Enid couldn't help but notice that something about this whole situation felt different. Did Wednesday actually...care?
Later that day you were walking back to your dorm when you turned onto a deserted corridor. You were halfway down when suddenly...darkness. A bag had been put over your head and you were being dragged into a room, your captors threw you down onto a chair and tied your hands behind your back before lifting the bag.
"What the-?! Enid? Wednesday? What's going on?!" you spluttered.
You were sitting in a dusty disused classroom with your two friends standing over you, they had you cornered and were ready to interrogate.
"This was her idea not mine I swear!" Enid protested, Wednesday just rolled her eyes.
"Why have you been avoiding us Y/N?" Wednesday asked, straight to the point as usual.
"Wh-what? I haven't-"
"Yes you have, don't lie. You won't sit with us, you won't have lunch with us, you barely even talk to us. What's going on?" she probed.
"It's...hard to explain" you answered sheepishly.
"Try me" Wednesday snapped before correcting herself, "I mean us".
Your fox ears drooped as you looked down at the floor, "please don't make me say it".
"Say what?" Enid asked.
"I...have this weird condition" you began, "something that's been affecting me a lot recently but I can't tell you what it is".
Enid, playing the good cop, knelt down and put her hand on your knee.
"Y/N, we're your friends and we're worried about you. Please just tell us and we'll try to help as best as we can" she said in an effort to comfort you.
You glanced at Wednesday nervously then back at Enid, "I know you're looking out for me but I really can't tell you".
Wednesday huffed, "there's only one way to settle this".
Before you or Enid could react Wednesday put her hand on the side of your neck, purposely triggering one of her visions. Her head snapped upwards as flashes of your previous interactions with her played out. But now she was seeing things from your perspective; how you took notice of each of her features, the way you watched her with admiration when she wasn't looking and how your breath hitched whenever your eyes met. She then saw scenes of you throwing up in the girls bathroom but it wasn't vomit that came out, it was cherry blossom petals just like the one still in her pocket. Finally she saw you sitting on your bedroom floor crying and clutching your tail, surrounded by the same pretty pink petals.
When Wednesday came out of her vision she looked at you in shock, but quickly regained her composure and turned to Enid.
"Enid, give us a few minutes please".
Enid looked confused but obliged and left you two alone, once she was gone Wednesday pulled up a chair and sat in front of you.
"Tell me everything" she said simply.
The plants inside you twisted around your stomach like vines, there was no point in hiding the truth anymore.
"It's called Hanahaki disease. When I develop feelings for someone these plants grow inside me and I-" you braced yourself for the worst part, "spit up the petals".
Wednesday didn't say anything at first then she took the petal from her blazer pocket, "that explains why I found this on the bathroom floor earlier".
You nodded, avoiding eye contact.
"So a crush caused this?" she asked.
"Not exactly. It's only triggered if the feeling isn't mutual, which it isn't" you said plainly.
"How do you know?"
"I just do".
"Have you told them how you feel?"
"No, she's not the type to have those kinds of feelings for someone".
That resonated with Wednesday and the puzzle pieces finally started to fall into place.
"Who is it?" she blurted out before thinking twice.
"It doesn't matter, she wouldn't be interested in a freak like me".
Wednesday's chest tightened when she heard you talk about yourself that way, why couldn't you see how beautifully unique you were? She saw it the moment she met you.
"Well...maybe she's a freak too" she said.
You looked up just in time to see a sly smile creep across her face, "you mean...?"
"Yes, the feeling is very much mutual Y/N" Wednesday said and you felt the plants inside you loosen their tight grip and slowly dissolve. You coughed up the last remaining petals and Wednesday got you a bucket, rubbing your back in soothingly.
"For what it's worth this isn't the worst disease to have, at least these petals are aesthetically pleasing" she said, "but I'd have preferred black petals".
You laughed and your tail started wagging.
Wednesday eventually untied you and you cleaned yourself up with some tissues, your tail still swishing about excitedly.
"So what happens now?" you asked, your voice lighter already.
"Well we should do something to make sure those pesky pink petals don't come back".
"What do you suggest?"
Wednesday stepped closer to you, "would you rather I tell you? Or show you?"
You were a few inches taller than her so she had to crane her neck to meet your gaze, from your view it made her eyes look like deep pools you could drown in.
"Hmmm, show me" you murmured and she didn't hesitate to lean in and kiss you.
It was a tender yet drawn out embrace as you melted into each other and you knew that as long as you were with the girl of your dreams you'd never have to worry about seeing those damn petals ever again.