(tw! blood) Hanahaki disease! Ekko who doesn't even know he's in love with you at all until he does. Stay with me, STAY WITH ME—
Like, one night, he's hunched over the sink, petals falling into the porcelain with every choked cough. He doesn't even recall falling in love with anyone, swearing that him catching the disease doesn't make any sense at all. Him? Of all people? He's far too busy to even remotely think of being with someone, let alone have feelings for them. And as he goes about on a patrol the next day, wondering who on earth he could've possibly gotten this affliction for, you sidle up to him. Asking how he is, if he's well rested enough because he looks like a didn't sleep a wink (he didn't because he was going through a crisis). Hearing you speak, seeing you smiling genuinely at him, he feels like a weight is suddenly lifted off of his shoulders. The gloomy rain outside feels like it's stopping, sunlight is in his eyes, and warmth blossoms in his chest. There's a fluttering feeling in his stomach, one he hasn't felt in a long, long time. Talking is easier with 5 the petals tickling his throat aren't bothering him at the moment. Until he asks you about what you plan on doing after patrol, the warmth in his chest growing hotter as you state that you have plans to meet up with someone you've been talking to for a bit. He clears his suddenly very irritated throat, rubs his neck with a gloved hand before coughs begin to escape him next. When they grow heavier, making him heave and gasp, you try putting a hand on his back to soothe him. Only for Ekko to wave you away and grit out that he's okay. Stumbling away from you, deeper into some dank alley between two buildings, the velvet petals coat his throat like paint and it comes pooling out of him with blood and saliva. Chest aching, stomach churning, tears fall from his tightly shut eyes and sweat trickles from his forehead. It feels like a never-ending suffering, the scent of flowers and blood stinging his nose. Thoughts of you race in his mind and it makes the petals come with more force, larger, thicker, like fully formed blossoms leaving his throat raw. When it finally subsides, when he heaves the last few petals, he slumps onto the ground weakly, hand pressed against his mouth as he tries muffling his frustrated cries. He was in love with you. He got this deadly disease because he'd actually managed to fall in love. Ekko wants to scream, to shout, to punch something until he can't feel his hands anymore. Instead, he musters up the strength to stand on shaking legs, wipes his mouth free of grime, and leaves the alley. He still had a patrol to finish, and you were still waiting for him to come back.
GASP A RARE EKKO ASK
OWNSISNDISWODMEO THIS IS SO GOOD YUME YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY COOKING WITH THIS AU IT'S SO GOOD I WANT MOARRRR
I specifically love the fact that he never thought that he'd ever fall in love to the point that he didn't know who his affection is targeted to until r sidles up beside him and he feels as though the sun shines on him and only him and it's his biggest 'oh' moment
