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Vil headed back to his room after a full day of classes and club activities. There wasn’t anything too particular to note at least to the blonde. That's why as he approached his room he frowned finding an envelope taped on his door. He pulled it down ripping the paper slightly where the tape had stuck to the door, he sighed in annoyance before peeling it off, slipping into his room he tossed the tape in the trash and the envelope- plan white with his name elegant scrawled across it, on his desk.
He had a dorm leader meeting later that afternoon, and he had a couple of students he had to sit down with to assist with their dietary plan or personal care routine. Vil always put in the effort to make sure everyone in Pomefoire was at their personal best. True beauty required work and dedication.
The letter lay there, seemingly forgotten, it was hardly a priority for someone as busy as Vil Schoenhiet. The Pomefoire dorm leader grabbed what he needed for his full evening and left once more flicking off the lights in his room.
The first sign for Vil that something was off, was the antagonist way Riddle was treating him. Usually, the Heartslabyul Dorm Leader was the one he’d got along with, a voice of reason in the chaos. But he’d been clipped with him, fought every suggestion. And the offhand comments had been…odd. Vil was pretty sure Riddle had tried to imply he was cold and heartless. The actor was terribly confused, having no idea what he’d done to earn the other’s ire.
He’d ask Rook tomorrow. If nothing else his friend might be able to find out what was going on. Right now though he was incredibly tired. Dealing with the freshmen had been mentally draining. Vil wanted a warm bath and some quality time in his bed. The blonde went to start the water in his tub, before walking over to his dresser and pulling out a pair of purple silk pajamas.
However as he made his way back to his bathroom, his eye caught sight of the letter taped to his door earlier. It hadn’t interested him at the time, but with the way his Dorm Leader meeting had gone, wondered if it might hold some clues. Mind made up Vil snatched the letter up, before making his way back into his bathroom, he shed his clothing, slipping into the water before picking the letter up once more.
He tossed the outer damaged envelope to the side to find a handwritten letter within.
Dear Vil.
I’m sorry I wanted to tell you in person, but I tried for a month and time is not on my side. I don’t blame you. I know the disdain you feel for me when I’m near. I can see it in your eyes. But I couldn’t let things finish without letting you know how sorry I was, how much I regret burdening you with my feelings. I knew you’d never love someone like me, but I couldn’t help it.
I’m writing this letter to let you know I have Hanahaki, this isn’t a…confession. I know that’s pointless. I think I’ve confessed to you in some form or another every week since we were freshmen. I know you know I love you, and I know you don’t, won’t ever love me.
I should have kept it to myself once it became clear my feelings only aggravated you. At least then you might have treated me with indifference instead of the negative feelings I managed to breed. Anyway, the whole point of this is my desire to apologize while I still can.
I’ve decided to get the surgery. Despite everything I don’t really want to die, and I know you’ll never love me, so I don’t have a choice. I hope this can at least bring you some…happiness. I won't remember you anymore. I’ll never bother you with my feelings again. You’re finally free of me. That has to count for something right?
You’re brilliant, beautiful, and amazing, and I’ll miss my memories of you dearly. But it's better this way. I hope you have a wonderful life. Goodbye
Cater Diamond
Vil nearly crumpled the letter in his hand, this was insane. There was no way any of this was real. Cater’s feeling had…they’d been fake right? Driven by his desire for fame, to use the blonde as a stepping stone to the spotlight. Cater Diamond with his fake smiles and addiction to magicam. The constant need to take pictures, to put himself out there. Always working a crowd. He’d not…he’d not had real feelings, right?
This had to be a ruse, a cruel joke. Anger flared in Vil’s chest, it was easier to process than the other emotions fighting for dominance in him. So he embraced it, he’d confront the other tomorrow, and tell him his joke was in poor taste. He had half a mind to block him on magicam, but he finally fulfilled his initial urge and crunched the letter into a tiny ball, tossing it into his trash can.
There was no way Cater Diamond had actually ever loved him. No one loved Vil Schoenheit, not like that.
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It was a week later before Vil had finally found Cater. It was odd, but if he was truly committed to this ‘hanahaki surgery” ruse then showing up before then would have blown it all. If he could say nothing else about Cater, the ginger never did anything by halves. He saw him in the hall and had tried to call to him but the other didn’t even glance in his direction.
Vil had had enough, he’d stewed over that stupid letter for a week, lost sleep because of this prank. He was absolutely done, so he walked up and grabbed the ginger by the arm. “Cater,” he said sternly. “This has gone on long enough.”
He’d expect a guilty look or a sheepish smile from the other, for having been called out. Embarrassment maybe that Vil had seen right through his little act.
The wince followed by the absolute terror in emerald eyes that greet him was shocking enough that he let the other go. Cater stumbled back into the wall bringing his hands up to shield himself. “I’m…I’m so-so-sorry.” the other stuttered as tears started to fall. “Please don’t hurt me.” he pleaded.
“What” Vil stared at the timid, sniveling mess that was Cater Diamond. Even more convinced of the false nature of the other’s actions. Hanahaki only erased the memories of the person who you’d had feelings for. It didn’t completely change your personality. Vil doubled down placing his hands on his hips. “You can stop it now Cater. This joke is beyond not funny anymore. I can’t believe even you would try something like this!”
“I…” there was panic on the other’s face. “I’m sorry, whatever it is I did I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- I please let me go. I promise I didn’t do anything I-” the other was rambling almost hyperventilating.
Vil took a step back as he looked at the distraught mess of the boy in front of him. The actor searched his face, there wasn’t an ounce of recognition in his eyes, nor any sign of the mask he usually wore. “Cater. Do you really not know who I am?” he dropped some of the anger from his voice, replacing it with disbelief.
“No…” he winced, there were fat tears rolling down his cheek, and the diamond mark on the side of his face was just a red blob smearing his skin. “Am I supposed to? Is that why you’re mad?” he asked lowering his hands a bit.
Lavender eyes went wide as the idea that this had all been real finally registered in Vil’s mind. Cater had loved him all this time. He took a step back as his heart pounded in his chest. That couldn’t be right! Cater was just trying to use him! This was all a joke, a horrible sick twisted joke. But as the ginger whimpered in the corner he’d backed himself into, soaked with tears, terrified, Vil couldn’t deny it anymore.
Vil had to get away, he had to go somewhere, anywhere. The thought of class fled from his mind as he turned from the ginger and ran. It was unbecoming of someone in his position. A bad example to set as Pomefiore’s Dorm Leader but he couldn’t think right now, he just had to get away. His feet took him just outside of the school proper around the side of the building where he collapsed breathing hard. The blonde didn’t even realize he’d started crying himself until he reached up to try and find out why his eyes were blurry, pulling back from the wetness he found on his fingertips. “No, no, I couldn’t….I couldn’t have been wrong….Cater was…”
He’d never even let himself pretend the ginger’s feelings were anything but a plan to expand his own magicam following. Vil felt nauseous. No one ever picked him, even Rook didn’t pick him. Everyone picked Neige, the cute and perfect protagonist who captured the hearts of everyone he dared flash a smile. Vil was the villain, no one picked the villain, they were for defeating, casting aside. They weren’t for cheering for, they weren’t for loving.
Vil was so certain he’d figured Cater Diamond out the moment he met him. A budding young magicam influencer, looking to grow his own fame and popularity and knew enough about how the world worked, to know that dating Vil would significantly increase his own popularity. The blonde saw it all the time in his line of work.
It was the easier, safer choice to believe. The one that let him keep his heart locked up in a box. He’d never let himself take it out to explore the idea that Cater might have been genuine. It hurt sometimes because Vil wanted to be loved. He wanted what Cater was offering him. But he knew better. Or at least he thought he’d known better.
Cater hadn’t been wrong in his letter. Vil had purposely pushed him away over the past month. Thinking the ginger’s attempts to get him alone were just a ploy to ask him out again. Vil had been tired of it. By the seven if he’d taken Cater up on just one of those attempts. Could he have finally believed him before it was too late? With the proof of the other’s love manifested in blood soaked flowers? He didn’t know. He wanted to say yes…but he couldn’t with confidence say the situation would have turned out differently. Vil probably would have told him to stop messing around and go confess to the person he actually had feelings for.
Vil emptied the contents of his stomach in one of the nearby bushes, before standing and cleaning himself up. There were still so many things that didn’t make sense. Like why Cater had seemed to turn into a timid trembling mess. Had they botched something with the surgery? Suddenly he needed to know everything he could about Hanahaki. All he really knew was what they’d taught them in health class in middle school. The signs, and how it was dealt with. Enough to recognize the problem before it was too late.
Mind made up he turned and headed for the library.
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Several hours later found Vil nestled in the back of the school’s library surrounded by every book he could find on the subject of Hanahaki. But as he slammed another tome shut he sighed. Everything had detailed how to detect the disease, theories of its origin, how to perform the surgery. There was nothing on complications post surgery, nothing about the subject’s personality being altered.
Nothing about the possibility of undoing the damage that the surgery caused.
Vil closed his eyes as he leaned back in the chair. Was it really hopeless?
“So you’re the one.” Lavender eyes snapped open to find Riddle Rosehearts with his arms crossed glaring at him. “I would hardly expect you to be here. I asked the librarian about books on Hanahaki, and she said another student already had retrieved them all, and that I should ask.”
“Riddle.” Vil tried to keep his voice smooth. “This is why you were mad at me, isn’t it? You knew.”
The dorm leader took a deep breath. “I found out about a month ago. I don’t know how long he was hiding it, but I found Amaryllis flowers in the waste bin in the kitchen, hastily covered just after I’d seen him exit looking a bit pale.” Riddle closed his eyes. “I confronted him and talked him into the surgery since he’d said he’d confessed to you like a hundred times already. For the record, I’m not mad at you for not returning his feelings. You’re under no obligation to love someone. But you wouldn’t even let him talk to you. He postpone the surgery as long as he could. He wanted to apologize to you, and say goodbye. You couldn’t even give him the time of day so he could say his peace, and he suffered for it. I finally begged him just to write the letter, promising it would get delivered. You’ll forgive my behavior, he was on the operating table while we were at our pointless meeting.”
“That doesn’t explain his change in personality,” Vil muttered before he gestured at the pile in front of him. ‘You’re welcome to them, but they’ve all been useless. Then again I don’t know what you’re looking for.” Guilt filled him over Riddle’s words but he couldn’t focus on them right now. He’d already been nearly consumed by it. Hearing that Cater had prolonged his own suffering just for a chance at delivering the contents of the letter personally…
Riddle stared at him a moment longer before he took a seat at the table with Vil, picking up a book from the pile he hadn’t covered yet. “Why are you even researching it? I figured you’d be happy. It was no secret to anyone how much Cater’s flirting annoyed you.”
Vil hung his head, he didn’t really feel like baring his soul to anyone right now. But he had enough sense to realize the other was asking these questions on behalf of his friend. That Cater had suffered because Vil hadn’t cared. “I…” he took a deep breath. “I never believed him,” he spoke softly. “I was annoyed because I thought his feelings weren’t real, that he was just trying to use me to gain his own popularity.”
Riddle slammed the book he was holding shut, as his face turned red. “You mean, Cater went through that because you’re vain enough to believe that someone would pursue you for 3 years for popularity!??! . That Cater Diamond, who’s friends with people like Kalim. Needed you to boost his magicam numbers? That he wasn’t worth anything on his own?” somehow the Heartslabyul dorm leader managed to keep his voice down for the library and scream at Vil at the same time. “I never thought someone could be so…..” Riddle had his hands in his hair. “Get out of here! Stay away from him! Forget he exists! You don’t deserve someone like Cater, and you never did.” he seethed.
The blonde stared stunned, as the other tore him apart. Wordlessly he slipped from the table. He didn’t have it in him to fight Riddle, not when he knew many of the reasons the other was angry were true. He was already mentally and emotionally exhausted. So he strode out of the library, shoulders slumped trying not to cry. Why did he always screw the most important things up? Why couldn’t have believed Cater? It was the intrusive thoughts that always got in his head telling him he wasn’t good enough. They’d been his undoing more than once, and they’d done it again.
As he was leaving, however, he heard familiar footsteps walking towards him, Vil looked up to find the figure of Rook Hunt standing there, with a concerned look on his face. “My beautiful Vil.” the hunter walked up to his friend. “I was worried when I had heard you’d not been in class all day. What has driven you to the library?”
“Cater” the name almost felt bitter on his tongue “He…”
“So this is about his surgery.” The hunter had a bit of a pained expression on his face. “I take it you know the truth.”
“How could I not? I thought it was some horrible prank. I yelled at him to cut it out, but he was just scared. He really had no idea who I was. “ Vil looked away. “Not even I can deny it anymore. How badly I messed everything” he stressed the word drawing it out with a hopeless breath. “up.” he brought a hand to his face. He wasn’t going to cry again. “I thought I might be able to find something to help him. I think they messed up his surgery somehow. He should have only forgotten me but he seemed like an entirely different person. Riddle however had the same idea, and well…I’m not his favorite person right now…or probably ever again.”
Rook placed a hand on his friend's back as he started to guide him back toward Pomefoire. The blonde seemed lost, aimless at the moment and the hunter couldn't blame him. “I don’t think they made a mistake with his surgery.” he shook his head as he looked at Vil as he spoke.
“What, how can you say that?’ The actor demanded. “He’s a timid shaking mess. Cater’s never really been scared of well…anything. He was terrified when I confronted him.”
The hunter brought his hand back to cross them, drawing into himself a bit. “I think it's more of a sign of how much his love for you was intertwined into his life.” Vil just looked at him confused before Rook continued with a heavy sigh. “Cater despite how he may appear on the surface is a very private person. He is or rather was good at only letting people see what he wanted them to. I’m sure this is the reason for your initial distrust of him. But…he’s often spoken fondly of you and what you mean to him. I have spoken to him more than once about your performances. And was able to determine they were a fundamental part of his childhood. For better or worse he learned to behave the way he did from you.”
The blonde stopped to stare at his friend. “But that’s….” it almost felt like the air had been chased from his lungs.
“I can’t say I haven’t thought of it. Especially since his own case. If my love for you were to have turned from platonic brotherly affection, to romantic. If I’d been the one in his place, forced to lose my memories of you. I don’t know that I could do it. Think about my own development since we met, of what you meant to me before I was graced with your friendship. Your own existence is deeply woven into who I am. All personal growth I’ve made in these past 3 years. To forget you is to forget all of that as well. I believe that is what has happened to Cater Diamond.” Rook explained as sorrow laced his voice. He had to admit it was a terrifying thought.
“So you’re saying there’s nothing I can do? No way to help him?” Vil’s voice wavered as the hunter lead him into his room. “He’s like this because of how much I meant to him? Riddle was right.“
“There is a theory borne from my family’s ancestral home, that the condition can be reversed but…Vil if you’re pursuing this route out of pity or guilt. I will not share it with you.” Rook crossed his arms once more as he lowered his head. “You’ll only cause him more suffering. And that is if the theory even true.”
“Rook if you know how to help him you have to tell me, or at least Riddle. Someone, I can’t leave him like this.” Vil moved to grab his friend’s shoulders.
“Telling Roi de Roses would do nothing.” the hunter closed his eyes. “You’re the only one that possibly can.”
“What is it.” the blonde wanted to shake him. “I’ll do anything.”
“Would you love him?” Rook asked his eyes looked stern as they pierced through Vil.
Vil looked stunned for a moment. “I…”
“Would you love him?” the hunter repeated. “If not, then I can’t tell you.”
The blonde wrapped his arms around himself shaking. “I don’t know.”
“If you can answer that question with a truthful yes, then I’ll tell you. If not trust me when I say he’s better off as he is now.” Rook replied, leaving Vil with much to think about.
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Ultimately neither Rook nor Riddle’s words were enough to deter Vil in his pursuit to find a way to help Cater. The urge to walk up and wrap his arms around the ginger and tell him how sorry he was, filled every fiber of his being. Even if Cater couldn’t understand. As it was he was forced to watch him from afar. It seemed their initial interaction after the surgery had caused the other to avoid Vil every chance he got. There was fear in his eyes every time he glanced in the blonde’s direction.
He spent every free moment he had pouring over anything he could get his hands on related to Hanahaki. But he hadn’t stopped there, looking into general memory restoration magic, wondering if he could possibly combine the two. Rook’s question still lingered in the back of his head. The hunter to his word hadn’t told Vil a thing. The question plagued him. Could he love Cater? Could he love anyone? Did he even know what it felt like to be in love?
Almost one month to the day he’d confronted Cater about his surgery, he had his answer. Vil had thought the fatigue he was feeling was a mixture of the stress from the situation with Cater and the lack of sleep he’d been getting. It wasn’t until he woke up unable to stop coughing in the middle of the night did he realize the truth. His hand opening to reveal brilliant purple hyacinth petals. There was a look of shock mixed with a little bit of awe as he gazed at the proof of his own feelings. The irony was not lost on him, but at least he had his answer for Rook.
“What did you want to talk about Roi de Poison?” the hunter looked to his friend.
Vil looked at him with a bit of a sad smile. “I have your answer.”
Rook’s eyes went wide. “What is it then?”
The other simply held out his hand letting his fingers uncurl to show his companion the vibrant purple petals. “Your information please, I don’t think I have much more time to figure this out.”
“Vil…” Rook thought all the air had escaped from his lungs as he stared at the small yet beautiful petals. He swallowed hard as a few tears shimmered in his eyes. “You have to make him fall in love with you again. That…they said that would trigger a restoration of the memories. At least…according to what the legend said.”
“Fall….in…love…with…me.” Vil punctuated each word as he fell to his knees gripping his chest. His swirling emotions had caused him to fall victim to another coughing fit. If Rook had any doubt that the flowers had come from Vil, it was chased away as the other produced several more of the petals as tears shone his eyes. “He hates me.” he gasped.
“Vil!” Rook dropped to his knees as he rubbed the other’s back.
“I…I was fine…I knew I’d lost my chance I just.” he cried as he coughed a bit more. “I just wanted to help him while I could ….” his eyes stung as he broke down. “But I can’t get near him. How…” another cough. “How can I get him to love me if he can’t even look me in the eye.” Vil was sobbing not even caring about the pile of petals he’d just produced.
“He loved you once. He can again.” Rook tried to console his friend but knew it wasn’t good. This Cater…was too afraid, too broken, too lost.
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“Excuse me.” Vil finally managed to catch Cater, he’d tried not to corner him too hard before, he didn’t want to traumatize him further, but he was running out of time not just for himself, but for the ginger too. “I…I wanted to apologize for scaring you. I was hoping maybe I could treat you to lunch or dinner as a way to say sorry?”
Cater looked up at him with wide fearful eyes. “I…thank you?” he spoke nervously. “But …Riddle…he said I should.” the other swallowed. “He said I should stay away from you.”
The blonde closed his eyes, he couldn’t get mad. But it was frustrating. Maybe he could get Rook to tell Riddle what was going on and maybe he could help talk Cater into opening up to him. Not for his sake, but the ginger’s. “I know, I screwed up and hurt you because I didn’t…I didn’t understand a lot of things. I want to make up for it….I want to be your friend.”
The ginger shifted a bit. “I don’t know,” he spoke softly, as his eyes darted past Vil, clearly looking for an escape. The actor just let him go. He’d never get him to actually fall in love with him if he forced it.
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“So you’re saying if Cater falls in love with Vil again. It could restore his memories? And Vil now loves Cater. After all this ….” Riddle was clearly angry as he stood talking with the pair of Pomefoire students. They hadn’t told the other about Vil’s condition. Too afraid the redhead would assume the worst. Vil’s only drive was to help the ginger. His own conditions didn’t matter to him. He felt like it was something he deserved. The redhead wanted to growl. “Fine.” he snapped. “But if you’re lying to me, or you hurt him, or make things worse in any way.” Riddle was shaking red in the face. “I will collar you both for the rest of your lives. Do you understand me? This is for him. Not you, not anyone else.“
“Thank you.” was all Vil could say. Which at least caused some of the anger the redhead felt to dissipate. Maybe he finally had returned the ginger’s feelings. If only it hadn’t been so late.
It was two days later, on a Saturday that thanks to his dorm leader, Cater has been convinced to go to lunch with Vil at a small little restaurant on Sage Island proper. The ginger was still extremely nervous but Vil had made sure to be as calm and non imposing as he could He’d worn soft clothing with warm and inviting color tones. He’d even skipped the heels for once, so he wouldn't simply tower over Cater. He tried to make sure his voice was soft. Anything he could do to make the ginger comfortable had been his priority.
“I’m glad you decided to come with me.” Vil smiled, as Cater’s shoulders sank in a bit as they made their way to the restaurant.
The ginger nodded. “Riddle thought you were being honest about wanting to …be my friend. I don’t have a lot of friends. And I guess I can understand being stressed.” his voice was still meek. And there was an honesty to it, the other simply wasn’t used to.
“I am. I felt awful, I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.” the blonde replied. It was good, they were talking. This was progress.
“Then let's start over?” Cater offered him a small hesitant smile.
Vil returned it, however, “I’d like that.”
The pair made their way into the eatery and were given a table on their back patio. “I used to enjoy eating at places like this but I can’t remember why.” the ginger muttered as he glanced at the menu, and the blonde’s chest clinched a bit. “Half the time I never ate what I ordered. Who does that?”
“Ah well.” Vil felt a bit awkward he knew the answer, but the ginger had all but abandoned magicam since his surgery. “Sometimes people just like looking at beautiful things.”
“Hmm…maybe.” Cater replied. “But that still seems weird. But thank you for trying to justify my strange behavior. Things have just been…really off lately. I talked to Riddle and he tried to tell me not to worry about it, but…I think something’s missing. I don’t know what cuz it's well…missing. But I think he knows what it is and doesn’t want to tell me“ he muttered as his eyes scanned the selections.
The blonde’s face fell. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to hurt you?”
Emerald eyes flickered up to Vil. “I’d still like to know the truth. And I’m sorry for dumping this on you, you just…seem like someone easy to talk to. But now you probably think I’m weird and regret wanting to have lunch with me.”
“Hey.” the actor reached out on instinct to hold the ginger’s hand and give it a comforting squeeze. “I don’t regret…asking you to lunch.” there were so many regrets he had tied to Cater but that wasn’t one of them, would never be one of them. “And I don’t think you’re weird, and even if I did, I’m best friends with Rook Hunt, I don’t think you can get weirder than him.” he offered an encouraging smile.
The other just about snorted as he covered his mouth with his free hand. And Vil couldn’t help but laugh.
Their lunch went…better than Vil had hoped. Getting Cater to love him again seemed less and less like a monumental task when the day was over. He seemed so..pure, fragile, and easily broken, but beautiful at the same time.
But on their way back Vil had to curse, he’d felt…closer to the ginger than he ever had. And his emotions had caused the flower petals to tickle the back of his throat as if trying to force him to confess. They had walked to and from the town, and right now there was no place for Vil to run and hide to expel his little secret in private. He tried to hold them back, as the pair walked in silence. In the end, however, he’d fallen to his knees as violent coughs shuddered through his body. “VIL!” Cater called out in concern. Only to stare in horror as the other spit up flower petal after flower petal. And finally, a whole purple hyacinth, mingled with his blood. “You have Hanahaki.”
Vil took a moment to gather himself, this was not how the plan was supposed to go, Cater was never supposed to know of his own ailment. Why had he been so stupid? Why couldn’t they have taken the bus? He selfishly wanted more time with the ginger. But his selfishness had ruined everything else before. “I do.” he finally admitted with a sad tone. There was no use in denying it.
“And you spent the whole day with me? Why? Shouldn’t you have been with …them.” the ginger moved to help the blonde stand. There was real kindness and concern in his voice, and it pierced something in Vil’s heart.
Lavender eyes closed, and he was shaking slightly. Before he let out a dejected sigh. “I was.” he finally whispered.
“You….” Emerald eyes went wide. “With me?” the other was in pure shock. “But how. I didn’t… I didn’t even know you before today really!”
“It's a long complicated story I can’t really explain to you. But it's true. I didn’t mean to deceive you, I really do want to be your friend.” the actor explained as he took Cater’s hands in his.
“It's you isn’t it.” the ginger started shaking. “You’re what’s missing.” he pulled one of his hands away to bring it to his head. As he started laughing hysterically.
“Cater….” Vil wanted to cry. Riddle was going to kill him This had all gone horribly wrong.
The other started pacing back and forth at the edge of the road. “No, no that's why I could talk to you. Why you were upset I didn’t know who you were.”
His eyes went wide, as he glanced at Vil. “You have Hanahaki for me”
“I do.” the actor was trying to calm him down.
“I had Hanahaki for you.” Cater continued to laugh hysterically. “That's the only thing that makes sense. That's why…that's why I feel like I’m missing everything.”
“Please….” the blonde pleaded. “I didn’t mean to hurt you I just…”
“We must have been really stupid.” the ginger shook his head.
“Just me.” Vil swallowed shaking his head. “I loved you but wouldn’t admit it. You…you were perfect, beautiful. And I made you suffer. I never meant for you to know I had contracted it too I just…I wanted a chance to apologize while I could. I wanted to help you. I suppose we weren’t so different”
“You actually love me.” Cater’s laughed died down as he stared at Vil.
The actor just nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out in time to help you. I’m sorry you ended up like this, feeling like you’re missing so much. It's all my fault. And I hate I’m going to forget I did this to you.”
“Who says you have to forget.” The ginger moved closer to him, the nervousness that defined this version of Cater Diamond was still there, but there was also a spark, a fire that he had been lacking before.
“What.” Vil stared at him in shock, before he felt soft lips on his. His brain shut down and it took a moment before he even could comprehend what was happening, as Cater kissed him on the roadside. His mouth still had the traces of blood from his earlier episode, but it felt so…wonderful and right to have him here, as he moved to grip the other tightly as if his life depended on it.
When they parted there was a recognition in Cater’s eyes that just hadn’t been there before. “Vil…” he spoke softly looking like he was about to cry.
The blonde wanted to respond but he found himself doubled over once more, coughing, gasping for air, as the ginger dropped down beside him rubbing his back. When it was over, Vil felt a bit dazed, but his lungs were clear, and dead flowers now cluttered the roadside. “Do..you remember me?”
The ginger just cried as he threw his arms around the blonde sobbing. “I don’t know how.”
Vil held him close, nothing else mattered right now besides the man in his arms. “Rook told me it was possible, he’d heard stories….if I could get you to love me again But…how you barely knew me.”
“I knew I’d loved you before, I had to have, and you loved me.” Cater snuffed a bit as he buried his head in the other’s chest.
“That was enough?” Vil seemed amazed.
“That's all I ever wanted.” the ginger whispered.
“I need to take you on a proper date.” the actor just smiled and laughed. He had no idea how this had all worked out when everything else had gone so horribly wrong but he wouldn’t truly question it.
“I think you just did” Cater laughed. “But I’m not going to turn down another date. Just not..tonight. We should get you checked out and make sure you’re ok. And cleaned up….we can figure everything else out later”
“We can.” Vil took a deep breath happy to feel the air fill his lungs. “We have time now”
Cater just smiled before kissing him once more.