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Recovery: A long road

Summary:

{ Title may change! Updates may be random, school is absolutely Killing me right now, sorry! :( }

Invited to live in town with Flower Kid and Kamal, Boris slowly recovers from the regret and pain from his past. With assistance from therapy, a new job at Daisy's Dayblooms, and a new home to call his own- Boris can finally heal.

And also maybe get a boyfriend.

Notes:

Hhheyy!! I know the only other fic on this account is a BNHA fic from a WHILE ago, but uh.. I got into Smile For Me recently, and I felt really inspired to make this fic!! It's just gonna be me having fun tbh so don't expect anything spectacular. I love Habit lots and i want him to be happy, so im writing him learning and getting to be happy!! that's it really. the chapters will be short im afraid because i write on phone and it ends up not being as long as i think it is jhdjksgkj

thanks for reading anyways if you do :'D

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Chapter Text

The habitat was quiet without the habitants around.

The halls were empty. He tried to make them feel more homey by planting little sprouts, various seedlings that would grow into various blooming flowers, though right now they still hadn't yet breached their soil. They were young, but they would grow in time. Patience was key with greenery, and each little shift in the dirt was a sign that he was doing things right. It brought a smile to his face.

The caverns were colder without company, so he set up a hydroponic section- something he had always wanted to try since he was little. The swinging lights over the silver stands seemed a lot brighter in the cave, as the swishing of filtering water made the room more bearable to be in rather than in silence with the other pots and garden beds. The strawberries were still green on their stems, the blueberries still yet to fully round and ripen. He liked to sit and watch them, the little changes. It brought a smile to his face.

The carnival was duller and sullen without children to play in it. While he couldn't bring back people to play the games, he could plant the more sturdy plants in the dryer earth. Cacti and desert marigolds, they thrived off of only the littlest of water and his affection, basking in the sun. It brought a smile to his face. It all brought a smile to the only man left within the habitat.

Boris Habit. That was his name.

Though nobody else knew that. Nobody except the Flower child who was once there, with their wide smile and their kind eyes. They weren't here now, however, having left after the others- and he had a muddled mess of feelings on that certain matter. If he wanted them to return or not. It would be best that they didn't, but he couldn't help but miss the child, the one who foiled his plan to make the biggest smile to cheer the world. He felt a frown pull at his lips at the thought, thinking of the laughing gas, the cotton candy fumes with hints of rust and ruin... He preferred to try and forget about what he did. Yes, he knew he did wrong. But he couldn't ask forgiveness now. Who was here to say sorry to? Everyone had left.

Everyone but him.

He never left the habitat; the walls he built too familiar to leave, too familiar to truly feel comfortable somewhere else. He supposed it felt like home- or at least, he made it feel like home. Besides, it wasn't exactly as if he had anywhere else to go... Right? He shook his head, letting out a small sigh through his nose as he held his face in his hand. He leaned his elbow on the windowsill, the room behind him transformed from an apartment to a lilac paradise, looking down to a window box holding a small green bud that wavered lightly in the wind. There was only one seed growing in this box. It was a special one- a erythronium seed, one of his last. He hadn't taken care of one in forever, but... The flower child had made him want to try again.

And he was going to. In... More ways than one.

Slowly, he reached into his pocket, hesitantly pulling out a letter he had received. He wasn't even sure how it got here, he hadn't seen anyone or anything come by, but he carefully reopened the envelope. The moment he got his hands on it, he had torn into it and read the note. Which he unfolded once again, rereading the words jotted down;

'Dear Mr. Habit,

It's me! Flower kid! I'm sure you remember who I am. I know the letter is a little sudden, but I wanted to tell you something!

You don't have to be alone. Me and Kamal think you could get help over here, there's a wonderful therapist, he's great- and there's a flower shop hiring! It would be perfect for you! The habitat probably isn't the best place for your health. I worry about you, you know. At least come and visit!

- Flower kid'

On the back of the letter was their address, and along with the note in the envelope there were application papers for 'Daisy's Dayblooms.' He had been thinking about the note for a good long while- and it always resulted in him getting back into that muddled mess. He DID want to see Kamal and Flower kid again, but.. Should he really go? The plants here needed him, and as much as he missed them he was sure they were better off without him, he really shouldn't go and mess up their lives again...

But yet, It felt like the choice was already made, a feeling deep in his gut, pulling at his heartstrings. So, putting everything back into his pocket, he stood from the windowsill.

He had a few bags to pack.

Chapter 2: Reunited

Summary:

Boris nervously heads out to Kamal and Flower Kid's place and does a bit of thinking on the way there, before finally seeing some familiar faces.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

It was around 8:13 a.m. when Boris got on the bus the next day.

He obviously wasn't going to be able to walk to town. He would get lost too easily. So he boarded the bus, the one that once brought others to his world. It was quite small, seemingly only meant to hold a dozen or so people at a time, but he was the only one riding today. He was somewhat thankful for that fact, sitting alone on one of the not-so plush seats worn down from other travelers before him. He carried one suitcase with him, and a potted plant; his beloved tooth lily, that had only just begun to shape and color its lips. The said pot was set on his lap, his hands holding onto it maybe a bit tighter than necessary, his nervousness getting to him. He was really doing this. He told himself he would only leave for a week, but even then, who knew what was going to happen while he was away. Would he get hurt? Would he hurt someone? Would his flowers die without him? He was uncertain, worried, and a little stressed.

He tried to keep his mind off of things, if only for a moment, turning his head to look out the window next to him. The bus jumped and rattled along the road, but he was still able to see the trees and grass just fine as they whizzed by. He caught sight of yellow and brown leaves, naked trees and drooping branches. Was it fall already? It was always the same temperature inside of the habitat, the same season almost. So seeing just how long it had been since summer... It made a bead of sweat roll down his face. It had been months since he had last seen Kamal and Flower Kid. Maybe a year. He bit his lip, a strange feeling with his multiple rows of teeth, and let his grip grow just a bit stronger on his pot. He wasn't going to lie, he felt... Anxious. 

Why wouldn't he? He was going to see the two people that, not only did he treat them the worst, he had never truly got to apologize to. He guessed that was also why he was a little paranoid. Why would they want him to come see them? Did they really send the letter out of worry? Or did they do it to mess with his head? To spring some sort of trap? He truly hoped that it wasn't the latter, but his mind still latched onto the idea. 

...He was a bit excited, too, the more he stared out the window and really thought about how he felt. He did miss the kid and Kamal, and he did wonder how they were doing. He was going to find out soon enough, he supposed. If they gave him the right address, that is. He still worried that they were playing a trick. 

Soon enough, the bus slowed to a stop. It took a moment for him to realize it was his stop, only noticing once the burning glare of the driver snapped him out of his thoughts. He quickly tucked his lily in the crook of his elbow, taking his suitcase in his other hand and walking to the front of the vehicle- having to bend down slightly as to not hit is head on the roof. Sometimes it wasn't so great to be tall. He paused before stepping down onto the sidewalk, looking to the woman in front of the wheel.

"Thank u fore the ride!" Boris said, to which she only scoffed.

"It's my job." 

Despite the bitter response, he could see the twinkle in her eyes. An appreciation of the gesture. So he made sure to give her a big smile before stepping off, looking back to see her own tiny smile before she closed the doors. That brightened his mood, feeling a bit of his worry fade into the back of his mind. He grabbed the letter out of his pocket once again, looking at the address scribbled down, before beginning to make his trek down the road. 

By the time he reached the house, it was 10:36 a.m. He hesitantly stood in front of the door, hand hovering over the wood, afraid to knock. What if he accidentally went to the wrong house? What if he messed up their address? He shook his head, taking a deep breath. There was only one way to find out. Trembling, he rapped his knuckles against the door- which had the number 27 carved into it. There was shuffling behind the door, a few thumps and hushed profanities. He raised a brow, wondering what was happening before the door opened. 

Kamal stood in front of him, still in blue-striped pajamas with a toothbrush sticking out the side of his mouth. While one hand held the doorknob, the other rested on his hip, his brows narrowed.

"Now listen, buster, this is the third time this week-"

He didn't finish his sentence, realizing it wasn't who he thought it was, as his eyes widened. He looked up to Habit, who blinked back at him, as he froze on the spot. It was silent for a while, no noise except the occasional car driving in the background. Eventually he seemed to break out of his shocked state, straightening up with his face flushing.

"HABIT!" Kamal exclaimed, moving backwards as to let the man come in, gesturing for him to do so.

"C-c'mon in, Flower Kid has been expecting you! I-I didn't know you were actually gonna come, though, so uh- the place is a mess, ahaha.." 

Sweat began to form on his forehead, and Habit only offered a small smile, feeling perspiration roll down his own cheek as he walked in- only far enough that Kamal could close the door behind him. Boris didn't really notice any mess, the place looked pretty clean, actually- spare a few dishes on the kitchen table he could see to his left and a few pieces of garbage on the floor.

"Its ok! I shuld'ave mayb sen-t a leter bak first..." 

He started, but Kamal just shook his head, taking the tooth brush out of his mouth with burning ears. He scratched the back of his neck afterwards, avoiding eye-contact and staring at the carpet.

"N-no, no! It's alright. Ah, I should've assumed you would show up. It's just a surprise is all! Flower Kid wasn't even sure if the letter would get to you." There was a short pause. "I'll go get them real quick- they went to the park with Millie and Petunia. Make yourself at home, I'll- I'll be back shortly." 

He seemed anxious to leave, as he left just as he was, in pajamas and holding his toothbrush. The door clicked shut behind him, and Habit supposed it was expected of him to react as he did. They hadn't seen each other in forever, and their last encounter was... Tense, one could put it. He took a quick glance at the flat before him, deciding to sit on the couch, gently putting his lily on the coffee table in front of him as his suitcase rested against the side of the sofa. The carpet was a dark red color, with only a few small stains, the couch beige and comfortable, soft to the touch. Their t.v was a little bulky, a box t.v sitting on a shelf-stand with books underneath. Some were small and obviously meant for children, while others were thicker novels. He allowed himself to sink into the cushions, not wanting to snoop around their home unwarranted. 

This place seemed... Cozy. 

He assumed a lot had happened around here without him, as he looked up above the television to see hanging pictures. There was one of just Kamal and Flower Kid, both making peace signs with large smiles. There was another with Flower Kid sitting in front of a cake, seemingly about to blow out the candles as Putunia and Tim-Tam stood by their sides. One picture had Gillis with Flower Kid in a bear-hug, one had Nat and Flower Kid making bunny-ears on each other, one had Flower Kid and Trencil making shadow puppets... They had really been busy, huh? Making more smiles. 

That brought a smile to his own face. They were making them happy. Something he had failed to do... He shook his head, to rid himself of the thought, sighing. Yes, he had failed, and that was a good thing. The way he was going to make them smile was not right. He knew that now. 

The door creaked open once again, and Habit perked up at the noise, looking to the door to see Kamal had returned. He seemed more flustered than when he had left, as Flower Kid followed him inside, a toothy smirk on their face.

"Boris!" 

 

 

Notes:

hello hello!! here's chapter 2! im unsure if anyone is actually enjoying this but im having loads of fun writing it so. it's gonna continue!! this chapter is a bit lengthier and im quite proud of myself!

if you spot any spelling errors lemme know please askskdksgj!!