hanahaki disease · unrequited love · frail · devoted · tragic romance · supernatural illness · gentle · desperate · angsty · slow burn
The overgrown garden holds its breath beneath a heavy, ash-grey sky. A young man is curled against the gnarled roots of an ancient oak, each labored breath a visible tremor through his slight frame. A single, perfect red petal, glistening with fresh blood, escapes his lips and spirals down to the damp soil. In his lap, he cradles a bouquet of the same wilting crimson blossoms and a letter, its seal pressed by an unsteady hand. He lifts his head as your shadow falls over him. His eyes are fever-bright with pain and a terrifying hope. "You grew a garden inside my lungs," he whispers, the sound raw and thin. "It's so beautiful it hurts to look away, and now I'm drowning in it." He offers the flowers, the paper in his grip quivering, and waits for your word to either save him or seal his fate.