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How long has it been since he fell from Splintered Skies? How much time had he spent sticking to Skateboard’s side through thick and thin? How many times did his heart yearn and beat for him?
He couldn't tell. It was far too long, even as his thoughts were muddied over by the routine of the day. From visiting raves, composing his music, hanging out with Skate and Coil, spending time in Thieves Rest, and joining the Phights-
And the budding feeling of butterflies in his stomach every time he thought of Skateboard. His best friend, the Inphernal whom he sacrificed the safety of the kingdom in the sky of playground to live with him.
He promised. After all, he would stay with them until the day he died.
It doesn't help that whenever he thought of them, Boombox would feel the comforting warmth in his heart. Simply put, he was in love.
But with every single advance that he tried to approach Skate with, he'd always be ignored or never noticed at all. As if every time he tried to confess, they would always be out of reach. He didn't like that. Boombox hated that feeling, of something trying to choke its way out of his throat.
That's when the petals started to appear. One moment he was feeling bitter of another attempt to talk to Skate about what he felt, and the next second, he began to cough and hack out a lung from how much he was wheezing.
And then he spat whatever was lodged in his throat out to the floor, that's when he noticed it. A singular red rose petal. Just like the color of Skateboard's horns. His helmet. His Gear.
Boombox hid the petal away, threw it in the trash can to hide the evidence. There was no way he could let Skate know about what had occured, he'd worry, and it'll be a whole can of worms to deal with.
Days. Weeks. Months.
Each hour passed by so fast, and each time, it only got worse and worse.
“....Too many petals..” The musician wheezed out, a small splatter of blood mixed with the dozens of petals on the floor of his bedroom. He coughed again, spitting out another crimson covered rose petal, before picking up the petals and throwing them all in the trash can.
It had been six months since he had gotten this illness, whatever it is. He's researched about it, and apparently the only way to get it out of him is to confess to the other Inphernal. All the petals and flowers growing in his lungs would go away magically, but if they're rejected…well…they'll be left to die. He doesn't want to go.
“We'll be okay…I'll be okay…” Boombox whispered, trying to steady himself as he wiped the blood splatter off of the floor with some wipes, and threw that in the trash can as well.
He walked into the bathroom, taking the time to look at himself, spots of blood still stuck to his lips and hands. Eyebags visible even under the dim lighting coming from his bedroom. Frankly, he looked terrible. Losing a lot of sleep isn't really great for him at all.
But he knows why. It's all because of the petals, because of his stubborn love for Skateboard, even as it seemed like he wouldn't even notice it at all whatsoever. How pathetic of him.
He didn't even notice that he was crying, the tears streaming off of his face from the pain he was going through. Was he really not worth the time to be deeply noticed by Skate any longer?
“...Fuck..” Boombox sniffled, as he turned the faucet on and rinsed the blood off of his hands as much as he could, all the while he kept silently crying.
No one has to find out about what occurred today. No one.
Skateboard was worried, that was for sure.
I mean, he hasn't seen Boombox in a while. Not that it wouldn't be the norm, he's probably busy with composing new songs for any raves that he'd come by and be the DJ for the night. But still, he cared about him.
He's his best friend, of course he'd be concerned for them. He saved their life when he fell from Splintered Skies, he didn't leave him even after what happened.
Skateboard's worries were biting into his mind too much, with him pacing in a circle in the skatepark. And after a few minutes of doing so, it was decided. He had to come visit Boombox, whether he was in their abode or not.
“I'm coming, Boombox… you better be at home.” He sighed out, summoning his gear and standing on it to skate out of the park, hopefully reaching crossroads in an hour.
Eventually, he managed to get to the apartment, sprinting up the stairs and stopping at the front door as he knocked on it a few times.
“Dude, are you there!?” the Skateboard shouted out, raising a brow as he placed his hand onto the knob to try and open the door, and surprisingly, it managed to open easily. That's… not supposed to happen.
“...Boombox?” Skateboard asked again, calling out as he fully pushed the door open to reveal that the apartment was lightless. It was pure darkness aside from the light coming from the ceiling of the hallway outside.
Out of caution, the Inphernal summoned his gear, as he wandered in to check if his best friend was somewhere. The silence was unnerving, it didn't feel right.
“Hello?” He called out again, before flinching as he felt like his foot stepped on something, glancing down to see red roses, fully bloomed, as if they were snipped off of a bouquet.
“What the hell?”
As Skateboard reached his hand out to grab the flower, he noticed a trail of red roses and petals on the floor. Alongside the fact that there were dark splotches of something on the floor, he doesn't know what it is yet, but it seems bad.
“Boombox! Are you there?! Hello!?” The Skateboarder followed the trail, as it led to the bedroom, his heart suddenly sinking as a pang of worry built up more. As he took more and more steps to the door, he nervously gulped to himself, reaching out slowly for the doorknob, fearing what would be at the other side.
And oh how he wished that it was anything but dread that he'd face, once he laid his eyes upon what was in front of him.
He found his best friend.
On the ground.
Surrounded by the roses and petals. And the splatter of what he now realizes is blood. Their blood. Coming from their mouth.
No- NONONO-
“BOOMBOX!” Skateboard screamed in horror, as he ran to kneel by their side, pulling them into his arms to lie their head on their lap. He cupped one of their cheeks with his hand, harshly shaking them to wake them up.
“Boombox- No, nono, please, wake up- Dude, WAKE UP!” He sobbed, tears welling up from their face as he tried to feel any signs of breathing, a heartbeat, anything to give him a message that Boombox wasn't gone.
Nothing. He was cold in his arms. His chest never rose, nor sank. The musician was gone.
“Why didn't you tell me you were sick…why…” Skateboard continued to sob, before a realisation slowly dawned upon him. Red. Red roses. Red petals.
No other Inphernal was closed to Boombox who had red as the color of- no- his horns were red. Oh…oh swords no-
“I'm so sorry…please come back…don't…please…” He cried out, as he hugged the lifeless body of his best friend tightly, burying his face on their shoulder.
His best friend was in love with him, and he never noticed, even if they tried. Did they even try? If so, then by the swords he was a stupid Inphernal. He should've seen the signs…
But it was too late.
All that's left is an emptiness in his heart, and a corpse of an unrequited love.
It'll eat away at his mind for years to come.