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![[Cover Art]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ba803b4e-2186-4423-9412-0e2d17086844/dh8hn5f-02986f07-c3e7-4594-a72e-a12289f9c0a1.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2JhODAzYjRlLTIxODYtNDQyMy05NDEyLTBlMmQxNzA4Njg0NFwvZGg4aG41Zi0wMjk4NmYwNy1jM2U3LTQ1OTQtYTcyZS1hMTIyODlmOWMwYTEuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.AKxVMTO9GgdnMo-QwmEy0L01xynY0LEyI_W8qS4K6Hg)
The problem with Hanahaki is that it gives a game over; losing a fight, falling from a height, being hit by a car… they all just take away a life. But Hanahaki is permanent, it instantly bypasses your lives and gives you a game over.
Wallace Wells is prideful. Not to an extreme degree, but he prides himself on many things, one of which being his adaptability. He’s easily able to adapt to any situation, never letting his guard down, always keeping up a mask to hide his true intentions, not because they are evil, but because it's a habit he's formed. Why did he form it? Well…
In this world, there exists a rare disease known as Hanahaki Disease. It is passed down genetically, but can also form spontaneously. Wallace inherited it from both his mother and his father.
How Hanahaki works here is that, when someone develops romantic interest in somebody, then until they confess, flowers will begin to blossom in their lungs.
However, this only has opportunities to occur when the person allows themselves to feel the emotion, if they hide it away and ignore it, then the effects won't set in yet. This is why Wallace had to develop such an unhealthy obsession with keeping his feelings locked down.
Now, there's a problem with this: he lives with the person he's in love with. Scott Pilgrim, eternal mooch, moved in one day and simply never left. Wallace was too infatuated to tell him not to, but he denied his feelings and never let them surface. If anything, he pretended to actively dislike Scott, to convince the world and himself so that there's no chance of flowers sprouting in his lungs.
It's late, he's reading a newspaper article. He’s wearing somewhat formal attire, and having a pleasant evening. And what could even hope to make things better but Scott Pilgrim coming through the door.
He looked up from his paper, yet offered Scott no greeting. He watched as Scott hung his parka on the rack- surprising, he didn't tend to do so. Scott walked into the apartment as though he owned it (he just lived there, rent free) and tended to be a bit of a slob.
He listened when Scott began to speak, catching every word as though they were what kept him alive. “Just so I tell you before you hear some dirty lies from someone else,” Scott told him, “Yes, I’m dating a 17 year old.”
What
Wallace’s mind short circuited, putting him into auto-pilot; “Is he cute?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha,” Scott fake laughed, walking towards the bathroom. The time in which Scott took to respond gave Wallace enough time to temporarily recover.
“Does this mean we have to stop sleeping together?” Wallace asked. It was with a grin and he controlled his voice to make it sound like a joke, though it wasn't really. He had developed a physical closeness with the guy he liked, even if Soctt didn't like him back, and the fear of losing it with him was nigh overwhelming.
“Do you see another bed in here?” Scott pointed out. Wallace looked around the room, watching as dozens of little labels appeared on everything in the room, as well as who owned them. Scott was correct, there was indeed only one bed.
Scott may be dating… a 17 year old… but still, Wallace was basically his sugar daddy, and he doubted Scott would give up the free housing Wallace lent him for someone probably still in high school.
“You're totally my bitch forever, Scott.”
God, how he hoped so. How he hoped that-
He coughed. Instinct took him over and covered his mouth, barely having his hand reach over it in time. He coughed again, this time stifled. He felt himself struggle to breathe, he felt something travelling up his trachea…
He felt something land in his hand.
He felt something in his hand… and he also felt a familiar feeling of all consuming dread filter through him. No, no no no, it couldn't be, it couldn't…
But it was. He hesitantly did what he knew he would have to do, facing the fear and dread of it coming back to ruin his life again. As his palm opened in front of him, he looked at it and saw a tiny, pink flower petal. It was tiny, small enough that it hadn't caused too much trouble on its way up, especially compared to previous incidents, but it was a bad sign. A warning, if you will.
![[Image of Petal in Wallace's Hand]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ba803b4e-2186-4423-9412-0e2d17086844/dh8hn5m-008ff6a9-1ea8-455f-a3e8-eba73b17daee.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2JhODAzYjRlLTIxODYtNDQyMy05NDEyLTBlMmQxNzA4Njg0NFwvZGg4aG41bS0wMDhmZjZhOS0xZWE4LTQ1NWYtYTNlOC1lYmE3M2IxN2RhZWUuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.iF-nKNMwMRFNGQBHp4aq-6SEDMqi4eu6F2ANEnD4Srs)
No.
He could bury his feelings.
He had been doing so for years, he wasn't going to let some random girl he hasn't even seen flare up his hanahaki.
No, he would ignore his feelings, after all- not like Scott would really do anything serious with a 17 year old. Scott wasn't a great person, but he was at least better than that, right?
“You good, man?” Scott asked, evidently he had been alarmed by the coughing fit that Wallace had just exhibited. Quickly filing through his list of backup excuses, he chose one at random;
“Yeah, something went down the wrong side when I swallowed it, I’m good.”
“You aren't eating anything…” Scott asked almost apprehensively, giving a concerned look that he was clearly trying to hide, but nobody could fool Wallace; he was a master of concealing his true feelings, and he knew what mistakes to notice and look out for in others when they're putting up an act.
Wallace scoffed, “Well, not anymore, that was the last of it.” He put up a cocky attitude, one of his most reliable defences to his emotions- people are less likely to be empathetic to those they perceive as narcissistic, after all. And although he may have needed empathy, he didn't want it unless it was in the form of Scott coming up to him in a bu-
“Aw, what? You already finished all the food?” Scott whined. Well, that's a good sign at least, it meant that Wallace had successfully hidden his ailment for another day. “Can you make more?”
Normally, he would have said no, he was busy and it was too late.
But equally, normally didn't usually begin with Scott coming in and announcing he had a girlfriend. Wallace was going to show Scott just how much Scott needs him. And anyway, he needed a distraction from both the girlfriend situation and the flower petal that he was hiding in a balled up fist.
“Sure, guy,” Wallace easily conceded, needing no persuasion but his own internal one.
Wallace got up off the chair, walking into the kitchen; he knelt down, sticking his hands under a small gap and began to feel around, until he felt something.
He pulled out a small tray laden with petals across it. He kept every petal he had coughed up, as a reminder to himself why he has to hide his feelings.
He placed the additional petal onto the tray and slowly pushed it back under, careful not to let it make a sound, and then quickly rose back up and looked towards Scott- Scott hadn't turned around or seen Wallace getting down.
He checked all around… there was bacon, garlic bread… Scott was easy to distract with food, hopefully Scott would just forget anything even happened…
-|-
It took several days for Wallace to finally meet Scott’s girlfriend.
She had already been introduced to Scott’s band, from what he had heard she was a fan. Stacey had been informed that Scott was dating a 17 year old- well, Wallace said 16 by accident, but it wasn't much different.
But now, mere days after Wallace had learned of her existence, he was going to meet her.
He was travelling with Scott to the school that Knives (he had learnt her name from Stacey) went to- you know, like a creep- and telling Scott that he really shouldn't be dating her. Not just because he was jealous, but also because she was still going to school.
“You're being kind of a creep, guy,” Wallace accused Scott as they approached the location, “If it weren't for your ridiculous hat, I’d think you would actually hurt someone.”
“I’m nice!” Scott defended. Wallace doubted that very much if his own experience with the ginger was anything to go by.
“I don't want to be here at all,” Wallace said, taking a brief glance away from Scott and towards the catholic school around the corner they were turning.
Scott tried, and failed, to defend himself, using the analogy of a movie titled Trainspotting… which he clearly hadn't watched very intently, given how the movie portrayed things.
“We’re almost there,” Wallace said, redirecting Scott's attention, “I’m leaving. I’m not doing this with you.” Wallace likes to think he had some standards at least, and desperately clawing at Scott while he's dating someone- a highschooler- wasn't a good look for him.
“No, dude it's okay,” Scott began. Wallace wondered how any of this could possibly- “This school has boys, too.”
“I hate you,” Wallace exasperatedly sighed.
It didn't take long for Knives to come out and meet the two. Wallace braced himself for the undoubtable cringe he was about to endure, deciding the best thing he could do was leave a good first impression.
When he started paying attention again, he caught the tail end of Scott’s introduction of him, “...Cool gay roommate, Wallace Wells.”
Wallace didn't know why Scott always introduced him as such, but it wasn't something unusual for Scott; he would also, for example, frequently call Stephen Stills by both his forename and surname, rather than simply Stephen.
Knives stuck out her hand for Wallace to shake. She seemed kind, she didn't deserve to have to have Scott. “Oh, hi! I’m Knives. Do you want to know who in my class is gay?”
She thought it was normal for 17 year olds to date people in their mid twenties. He humoured her, “Yes, does he wear glasses?” Though having no real desire to date whoever the mystery child was, he could entertain her.
Or, well, apparently he couldn't.
As he chatted with Knives, he saw Scott side eyeing him out of the corner of his eye.
Scott banished Wallace from Knives. Probably for the best, he had things to do and was only coming with Scott because Scott begged him to (Scott didn't know the way to the school).
So Knives was essentially taking Scott away from Wallace. Not intentionally, but it was happening. It wasn't her fault, but Wallace couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of contempt for her.
Before leaving, Wallace grabbed a hold of Knives’ hands, “You're too good for him.” And with that, he left.
He left quickly. He could already feel something building within him; he walked… he jogged… fuck it, he sprinted into the nearest public restroom (not that far away, luckily) and quickly locked it behind him.
It was a tattered and graffitied inside area, and the state of the toilet left much to be desired, but he didn't need it for that; this was somewhere he knew quite well.
When he was younger, he lived near here. In fact, he remembers attending the very school that Knives went to. And sometimes his hanahaki would flare up.
But this area, though small and cramped, had one thing: Soundproofing. No sound could escape it- unless played by a level 8 musician, but Wallace wasn't playing an instrument.
He tried to keep it in. He desperately told himself that Scott’s relationship was bound to fail, that he still had a chance- that he didn't need, he didn't want the chance, he was fine without it, but too little too late, he began to cough and hack.
He quickly fell to his knees, coughing and sputtering out saliva all over the place.
One thing to note about Hanahaki in this world is that it gets stronger with age. This isn't an issue as often as one may think, as ageing will give people more confidence to confess their feelings, and those who don't don't usually make it to be so old. Aging also means you won't fall in love as often, and won't experience the nigh lethal puppy love many suffer through.
Unfortunately for Wallace, he never got over his feelings.
The coughed up spit was beginning to tint red with blood, he felt a burning feeling all over his internal organs, crawling around his lungs and clawing at them in an attempt to escape.
His airway suddenly shut, he lost the ability to breathe as he choked and choked and tried to get it out. There was a mirror in the bathroom, and though he tried not to look at it, he caught a glimpse of his face. It was turning a shade of unoxyginated purple.
He hacked out a few petals, each coated with a glistening of blood; he felt his vision beginning to fade… when suddenly, air was allowed in again, as the flower had escaped.
It was a big one, it looked like it had been growing for years and years, though Wallace had serious doubts about that.
He could feel a slight relief in his lungs, but it wouldn't be long until they came back. He had to act quickly.
He cleaned his face at a rapid pace and stepped out after flushing the unused toilet.
He looked around for a pharmacy, he knew one around here at least used to sell Ikahanan. - a kind of pharmaceutical that helps deal with Hanahaki. Its namesake is simply Hanahaki backwards, with the terminating ‘h’ changed to an ‘n’.
“Third on the left…” be muttered to himself, crushing the flower he had choked up in his fist. It was a shame, he used to be quite into being choked, but one too many hanahaki experiences ruined it for him.
He led his way to the old storefront which used to be where he got his ikahanan, and in its place was a comic book store.
Well fuck.
He continued his journey, to nowhere in particular, trying to maintain public composure.
He walked.
The only way to keep it in was to stop thinking about Scott and Knives and any of that.
He made his way to a bus.
One way he could do that was to get drunk, it was a strategy he had resorted to many times.
He got onto the bus and went right to the back, where nobody would notice him.
Of course, getting drunk could backfire, but he could order some ikahanan for next day delivery when he got home.
Wasn't he meant to do something?
He had plans with friends.
Time to cancel them.
Time to remember how to forget his feelings.
Hopefully in the morning, he would feel better. Maybe he'd take Scott out for dinner, pretending to himself it's a date. Maybe he's desperate. Maybe he's desperate.
He wiped away a tear as it formed in his eyes. He has a public image to maintain, and he would maintain it at all costs.
-|-
The following day, Wallace woke up far, far earlier than Scott.
His ikahanan had arrived, meaning he could stave off the flowers from blooming in his lungs for the most part. He just had to take one every 12 hours.
His drinking plan had seemed to work, if the lack of flowers in his lungs was anything to go by.
Carefully picking up the box of ikahanan pills, he examined the quantity of its contents; it was 14, enough to last a week. He would have to invest some serious money into getting more, not even free healthcare gives away ikahanan due to them being expensive to produce and their dangers being easily mitigated with a mere confession. Only when the hanahaki is broken does ikahanan get given away for free.
After walking over to the kitchen, he took out a glass and quickly filled it with water. He always hated taking pills… he added one of them into the bath he had created and, after bracing himself, quickly shoved it in his mouth and swallowed.
Looking above his head, he saw an indicator for a new buff on him, Hanahaki Immunity, with its duration said to be 12 hours.
He quickly disabled the display visibility so that Scott wouldn't be able to see it, and checked the time and date.
It was Friday morning, before 8. He had managed to negotiate the day off so that he could properly deal with the hanahaki disease coming back in full swing- although he made up an excuse to tell his work instead. He lied, and said he had diarrhoea; people don't tend to pry for details after such information is given, so he had no issues with getting off.
So he had a week of ikahanan that he could use to build back up his mental fortitude. He was never supposed to let himself fall like this, let his defences diminish- nay, be completely annihilated in a single instant.
He pulled out his phone, scrolling through contacts… he couldn't hold it in for much longer, he had to tell someone, after all. He scrolled through them…
Stacey? Absolutely not, she had direct access to Scott and, for Wallace’s own good, would force a confession out of him with it. Well, there goes his favourite…
He decided to go for his second favourite, Other Scott, who was quite isolated from his friendship with Scott, outside of the whole name thing.
Was it weird to take the guy he likes out for basically a date when he doesn't like Wallace back, and also with someone else? Oh well.
It was half noon when Scott woke up- a new record, if it weren't for the fact that he only woke up because of Wallace forcing him to.
Scott always slept in quite late, it could be concerning at times. Good thing he had Wallace to keep him working, he was kind of dependent on Wallace- not just for housing, but also to be able to function like a normal human being.
“But I wanna go back to sleep…” Scott complained, cowering from the light of the waking world and wrapping himself back up under the sheets, “Let me sleep…”
Wallace was waiting right over Scott, sitting on his knees being just slightly taller than Scott would be sitting up; Scott was sitting up, wrapping himself in his blanket and trying to convince Wallace to let him go back to sleep.
Wallace put his hand on top of the part of the blanket that rested on Scott’s head, “You can't sleep in all day.” He snapped the blanket away from around Scott’s head, making Scott scrunch up and try to go deeper into it.
“Yes I can…”
Wallace sighed, deciding it was time to pull out his ultimate move; he stood up, pretending to walk away as he nonchalantly commented, “Fine, I guess I’ll have to get food all by myself…”
Scott shot up, already beginning to whine, “Nooooo……” He grabbed at Wallace’s clothes, preventing him from leaving.
“Oh? So you are going to get up?” Wallace asked, with a smirk crept on his face.
Scott sighed, let go of Wallace, and fell back into the blankets, “You're an ass… 5 more minutes.”
Wallace rolled his eyes, starting a mental timer for 300 seconds. “Do you have clothes, or were you planning on wearing the same clothes from last night?”
Scott’s lack of response was answer enough.
Wallace sighed, “I’ll get you some.”
“I should probably wear better clothes, huh,” Scott mumbled, willingly (?) crawling out from under the pile of rags they called a blanket. “I can't have a date in the same clothes twice in a row, right?”
Well, Wallace was about to get Scott a different shirt, but now he wasn't so sure… it was too late to just change his mind though. So, maybe he did a small act of sabotage…
Rifling through their shirts, he would have given Scott one of his own, if he wanted Scott to look good. But, maybe it was selfish of him, but he didn't want that, he didn't want Scott’s day with Knives to go well. So instead, he opted for the nerdiest shirt he could find in little enough time to look coincidental, taking out a Sonic 3 & Knuckles shirt that Scott owned.
“You really shouldn't be dating a highschooler,” Wallace pointed out, after tossing over Scott’s shirt and turning away for Scott to change comfortably.
“I know,” Scott responded immediately, in a flat tone. Seems as though Scott wanted the conversation to end there, but Wallace had a different desire to enact.
“You should stop dating her, Scott,” Wallace said more firmly. He wasn't going to do anything drastic, but Scott really did need to stop dating Knives- she was a highschooler! Wallace was justified in not wanting Scott to date Knives. Although he wasn't sure if his actions would change if it were some other girl…
“...I know.” Scott sounded more disheartened now. Well, maybe that was a good thing… but Wallace didn't want to hear Scott being sad.
With a sigh, he concluded his point, with a slight hint to Scott of what other possibilities await, “I could get someone else to date you, if that's all you want.”
He looked over to Scott after several seconds of no response; he was just silently changing, a guilty look he was failing to hide on his face.
Wallace maybe felt a bit guilty, but it was Knives Scott was dating… he would be better if Scott was dating an adult… wouldn't he?
-|-
Things only spiralled out of control for Wallace.
He did talk a bit with Other Scott, but never got to actually talking about the Hanahaki problem, he simply discussed everyday issues and problems, being too afraid to go to anyone to get help with his problems.
In order to cover his tracks, he provided a false reason for Other Scott to attribute as to why Wallace called. There were many possibilities he could have lied about, but he went with the reason Other Scott had already presumed the real one to be- to fuck, of course.
Other Scott was one of Wallace’s favourite frequent hookups. Why? Great question!
Other Scott was quite skilled at sex, certainly- his sex level was 14. But Wallace couldn't deny that there was a reason that it was Other Scott who Wallace so often chose to sleep with as opposed to random guys he found who were better…
It was after the sex that he really thought about it. He didn't like thinking about himself, about why he does the things he does, but the situation with Scott Pilgrim was bringing that kind of thing to the forefront of his mind, making him unable to hide from it any longer.
What was it he liked about Other Scott? He stood in the bathroom, looking in the mirror after Other Scott had left some time ago…
It was totally the name.
He licked his lips, tasting some leftover sperm residue that had stuck onto them. It was the name, Scott.
God, was he desperate, but that wasn't the worst of it either.
As he had had the realisation, he felt a buildup in his nose, feeling the onset of a sneeze tickle him; He sneezed, his thoughts still lingering on Scott… and a tiny pink petal shot out. Small enough to not matter- he hadn't even noticed it until it was in his hands- but it was more than was supposed to happen with ikahanan.
Was it faulty? Was his hanahaki just that bad?
Ikahanan was good at its job, but sometimes the hanahaki is just too much for the ikahanan to handle.
He could try taking two a day, but that was dangerous and could kill him. He could confess. He could admit to his amorous feelings and get rid of the flowers blooming… but he would rather die than live a life where Scott has rejected him. Death would hurt less.
Back to plan A then. He would still take the ikahanan, but he decided to also drink. It was the most comfortable coping strategy to him, and the one which he was the most familiar with.
The night was wasted, and the next night would be too.
-|-
Wallace stumbled through the night, drunk again.
He had spent the night getting drunk and flirting with whatever man happened to cross by his vision. He had gotten opportunities to lay with a few dozen different people over the course of the night, but he refrained from doing so out of a drunken desire to try his chances at sleeping with the man who already slept in Wallace’s bed.
He severely doubted his odds of success, but he could at least try, and excuse himself with the fact that he was drunk and gay, so Scott wouldn't realise his hidden feelings.
It was late in the evening. Taking out his key, he finally finished the trip after over an hour of walking; he accidentally took the long way near the beginning, and his stupid drunk ass thought that since he had already started going this way, he might as well finish going this way.
He stuck his key in the door, unlocking it on the first try (not something he was normally capable of while drunk and alone), knocking once before pushing it open.
“Guess who's Druuuunk~!!” he bellowed out, with no regard to the time of day (or night in this case), and even less regard to the roommate right in front of him attempting to get a good night’s rest for once.
He had spent the whole night thinking about Scott and different ways to try and convince him to fuck, so one would (incorrectly) presume he would have a bit more respect for the man.
As Wallace clicked on the switch, blaring light into his roommate’s previously shut eyes, he got a response, “I guess Wallace.”
Wallace, after swinging the door shut, all but danced over towards the futon Scott lay on, spinning a hundred and eighty degrees on one foot before dropping down, landing on the futon with a plop.
“You guess right!” he confirmed, forgetting about the door that he had unlocked. He slumped himself back, thudding against Scott’s leg, getting a spoken ouch out of Scott.
Looking up towards the ceiling, Wallace dissociated from his vision, imagining himself kissing Scott instead. “So how's Scott tonight?” he questioned.
“I’m okay,” Scott responded. Wallace felt Scott shuffling beneath him, turning just slightly; either he was facing outwards, or facing upwards, it was hard to tell.
“I went to this party,” Scott explained, Wallace vaguely recalled Scott telling him all of this in the morning- i.e. having a party to go to… “With Stephen Stills and them.”
Wallace glanced towards Scott while Scott was telling his story, noticing Scott had fully turned to face outwardly, away from the wall, “I was… I-I saw this one girl , and-”
“Girl.” Wallace repeated, his energy and enthusiasm leaving his voice. Well, fuck it, his odds really were and always were nil, huh? “Okay…”
Wallace kind of spaced out, barely listening to Scott and only catching stray words… “Library… Can I pretend we're talking about a guy?” Of course, he specifically meant himself, but he knew he wasn't at the party, and it would be too revealing if he said that.
(“[...] there she is.”) “There he is,” Wallace mumbled.
(“[...] in love, but [...]”) “Oh yeah?” Wallace asked, desperately clinging onto any hope he could find.
Unfortunately, it did not turn out that Scott had any actual issues with her, it was that her shoes looked really uncomfortable. The absurdity and stupidity of it all sobered Wallace up enough to realise a familiar feeling… he excused himself to the bathroom, pretending it was to puke, as drunk people tend to do.
He barely managed to get out of Scott’s sight- not even actually in the bathroom- when a petal forced its way through his airway.
There was no blood coating it, so at least the ikahanan was doing something, but it wasn't enough, and taking too much would have the same result just not taking any; death.
Wallace grabbed the ikahanan bottle in the bathroom and downed 2 extra pills, but they were pushed back out of his mouth as more petals exited the hole on his face…
By the time Wallace exited the bathroom, Scott had long since fallen unconscious. There were still some traces of what had happened lingering on his face, but nobody was there to see them.
His good mood having been absolutely annihilated, he sloppily got into bed beside Scott.
It wasn't really fair to whoever this new girl was for Wallace to abhor her to this degree… but he couldn't help but feel jealous. This wasn't some high schooler who’s clearly just a coping strategy. For the first time since Envy, there was a risk of someone who could be Scott’s endgame.
Maybe he should stop thinking about it.
-|-
Scott did not come home that night
Wallace wondered where he went
He’d better not be with her,
that new girl whom he mentioned.
His disdain for Knives was high,
higher than it should have been,
but for the mystery girl,
he held her in such contempt.
Wallace texted Knives to ask,
>W> do u kno where Scott has went
disappointed to receive,
>K> No, he doesn't have sleepovers ^_^
this was stupid, it was all stupid. He set down his phone.
Wallace decided to find another way to occupy his time, since clearly he was going mad from just thinking about and rueing in his feelings for Scott. Instead, he decided to talk to his second favourite Pilgrim, i.e. Stacey Pilgrim.
He thinks he mentioned Scott being away, he couldn't tell. He talked to Stacey for a while, but it just didn't help to talk to Scott's sister.
Hanahaki was coming, he was near sure of it. He downed 3 of his pills (which was too many) and went to bed early.
-|-
Wallace had overdosed a bit on the ikahanan… he was left shivering and shaking, even after drinking three healing potions. Unfortunately, sometimes healing potions aren't enough, especially with medicinal issues… so he took Hakahani, another confusingly named product (which luckily won't be mentioned again) which mimics the effect of Hanahaki in a safe and controlled manner, to use up the Ikahanan.
He had wrapped himself up in the blanket, but refused to lay on the futon and allow sleep to take hold of him.
He wrapped himself, and got cosier with a drink of hot chocolate. It was nice, physically, but he was still thinking about Scott… which was kind of dangerous, given how quickly he was going through his ikahanan stash.
He heard a knock at the door. Instantly looking towards it, his first immediate thought was Scott- but Scott had his keys on him, and would have unlocked the door by now. He slumped back down.
After another knock informed him that the visitor was persistent, he begrudgingly heaved himself off of the chair and walked over to the door, grabbing the keys on the way.
He put the key into the keyhole, turned it and opened the door just slightly ajar, to let in as little of the cold as possible.
“Hello, Knives,” Wallace bit back a bitterness edging towards his tongue. Trying his best to not sound like an asshole, “Any reason you're here?”
“Is Scott home?” she asked, trying to peek through but Wallace shifted his body to block the attempt, “You said he wasn't here yesterday and I’m worried about him and I-”
Wallace put up his finger in a ‘Stop’ gesture, and sighed, “He isn't home, but he'll be fine. He’s like 6 years older than you.”
Wallace somewhat wanted to tell Knives something along the lines of “You're too young for him,” or, “You're too good for him,” or whatever he could think of to get her to break up with Scott, but it would all have been to no avail if he was correct about him hitting it off with a new girl…
Wallace had an internal eureka moment- he could just tell both Knives and whoever it was Scott was sleeping with today about each other. But… should he? He had the perfect opportunity right now, after all…
But he didn't want to be rash. Decisions made on spur of the moment emotions are seldom good ones. Besides, he had Knives’ number, he could just text her if anything happened.
Regardless, he had to consider it… he closed the door in Knives’ face after several seconds of silence between the two. Rude? Maybe, but he didn't care.
He could, he easily could destroy Scott’s love life, bring him back to only having Wallace on his side. Wallace could so easily do something else, like establish a curfew, or make Scott do chores, to take time away from whoever this other girl was.
In one moment, Wallace was hit with the weight of just how much control he had over Scott. He could abuse it, some of it maybe, and stockholm syndrome Scott into liking him~
… on second thoughts, Wallace realises how crazy he sounds.
Stockholm syndrome? That's not a good thing. Although it might not seem it, Wallace truly does have Scott’s best interests at heart, it's just that what he considers Scott’s best interests also just so happen to be his own best interests: dating each other.
Was Wallace a bad person for thinking such things? He couldn't decide one way or another.
He was wrapped up, trying to decide whether he was a bad person or not, when Scott came through the door.
“Close the damn door!” Was what Wallace instinctively yelped out. Having been in a warm room, wrapped up in a warm blanket, drinking warm hot chocolate, the sudden rush of cold air was startling to say the least, “It’s freezing!”
Some mostly unimportant small talk happened, but one part stuck out: “Oh, hey, we have a show tomorrow. At the Rockit. You should come.”
“I’ll come,” Wallace was met with an idea, interrupting his immediate agreement. I mean, he might as well add, “If you break up with Knives first. That poor, misguided angel.”
Scott didn't take it well.
Truthfully, Wallace didn't take saying it well either… he couldn't tell if he was saying it because it was what was right or if he was saying it because he wanted Scott to be with him instead, out of some form of jealousy.
He wanted to believe he was a good person…
But he wasn't. He wasn't a good person. All he could do was hope that this case wasn't an example of that.
-|-
Wallace and Scott had 24 hours remaining, 24 hours to do exciting things before the big event at the Rockit, and they were getting hyped up with- grocery shopping. Wallace could hear a minor key celebratory kazoo go off in the background.
Wallace searched through the bread aisle for the specific brand of bread he usually bought, trying to ignore Scott’s repeated allusions to just how much he wanted that Garlic bread, and how Wallace would be the best friend ever if he got it for Scott.
“We already have garlic bread,” Wallace dismissed, finally finding the bread he wanted. He took it out from the bottom shelf and lifted it back up, dumping it into the trolley that Scott was holding onto. He quickly searched the trolley to see if Scott had tried to sneak some garlic bread in- he hadn't, surprisingly; that, or Wallace just couldn't find it.
“But we don't have enough!” Scott complained, slamming his arms down, accentuating his point.
Wallace couldn't be bothered to grace Scott with a response, being too tired to do this game again, as he had done every time they went shopping.
He turned around, and started walking away- but he felt Scott grab onto him from behind. “Pleeeeeease???”
Wallace turned around to decline Scott again, but Scott seemed to be two steps ahead of him, giving puppy-dog eyes to Wallace, with pouted lips.
Wallace sighed, slapping his face with his palm, “Fine, but you gotta pay me back with the money you’re getting for your little show. And you have to pay back double, deal?” He offered a blatantly poor deal to Scott, in the hopes that Scott would decline and Wallace could more easily get Scott away from it- Scott could easily just wait a single day (in which he would still have garlic bread) and buy it himself the next.
“Deal!” Scott confidently agreed, ignoring the disbelieving look on Wallace’s face as he spun around to grab the garlic bread and slam it into the cart.
Wallace rolled his eyes, but conceded, agreeing to buy Scott the garlic bread. Scott was just too happy, it would be cruel to tear it away from him after he had just agreed to get the garlic bread.
The shopping trip was going fine after that, the shop had everything they needed, and some of it was even on sale! Wallace made sure to buy extra of anything that was on sale, so he wouldn’t need to pay full price for them next time they went shopping.
It was going quite well, that is, until Scott happened to get on the topic of a girl, specifically a girl named Ramona Flowers. Up until now, Wallace hadn’t yet heard of someone with such a name (except for a drunk conversation he had a few days ago with Julie, but he couldn’t remember that). It didn’t take much detectivework to realise who this Ramona person was- the girl Scott was cheating with.
“...and she’s so cool.”
“Cool enough that you cheated on Knives with her?” Wallace asked coolly, “You should break up with her. Both of them, actually.”
Wallace glanced back at Scott, who was looking upset. He kind of deserved it, feeling guilty for cheating was entirely his own fault, but Wallace couldn't help but feel remorseful.
Changing the tone of the conversation, he tried to redirect it to himself, “She sounds almost as cool as I am.”
“She is!” Scott agreed, enthusiasm successfully restored, “She’s SO cool…”
Wallace tuned out Scott’s adulation, admiration and adoration as he collected everything they needed. He caught stray words, ‘perfect,’ ‘beautiful,’ and he thought he heard the word ‘Rammy’ but he couldn't be sure…
It wasn't until a specific phrase caught his attention that his patience snapped in two, when Scott said, “I’m in love.”
Yes, he had said that before, hadn't he?
Scott would just love to get with some random fucker be met a few days ago, wouldn't he?
It wasn't fair to think such stuff about someone he didn't even know, but Wallace didn't give a shit. She was abhorrent, whether it was true or not.
He took a deep breath to mask his unreasonable level of hatred for her; it was more than he had ever felt with Knives. With Knives, at least he knew that it wouldn't ever lead to something, he could grow to like her… but not Ramona.
They were leaving the shop when Scott was saying it, about to catch a bus back home, when Wallace said, “I have plans with someone tonight, by the way, find someone to sleep with.” Maybe Scott could sleep with RaMoNa, since he was so fond of her.
Scott gave a face of shock, “But we're just about to go home!”
“Don't care, I have plans more important than you,” Wallace carefully controlled his tone, trying to not break down (whether his breakdown would be yelling or sobbing, he was unsure) in the middle of the street. Maybe he wanted to make Scott jealous, but it would never work, would it? Scott’s only interest in him was platonic, despite how completely and utterly gay Scott sometimes acted around Wallace.
“See you tomorrow,” Wallace said, stepping onto the bus and leaving Scott behind.
-|-
He got back home, to take a pill of ikahanan.
It was Empty.
The ones he had taken earlier today would be wearing off any minute now. He has to rush to get to sleep, since he can't feel jealous while sleeping- at least, not to the same degree.
Hopefully he forgets tonight.
![[Image of Empty Ikahanan Pill Bottle]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/ba803b4e-2186-4423-9412-0e2d17086844/dh9meez-29311fba-103f-41e3-8253-e16465194c7f.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2JhODAzYjRlLTIxODYtNDQyMy05NDEyLTBlMmQxNzA4Njg0NFwvZGg5bWVlei0yOTMxMWZiYS0xMDNmLTQxZTMtODI1My1lMTY0NjUxOTRjN2YuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.uN1iRexcqFlt1Tnvx0gHNnuyqgGVAZrhd-9hztIWag4)
-|-
[Temporary Scott POV]
Scott crossed the road to his house, ready to greet Wallace again. Wallace had seemed to be in… not a great mood yesterday, he hoped that Wallace was feeling better.
Wallace had taken his key some time during the shopping trip when he realised he had forgotten his, so he knocked on the door repeatedly.
No response.
Scott knew Wallace was in there, why wasn't he responding? Was he still asleep? Impossible, Wallace always wakes up way earlier than Scott.
“Wallace?” Scott called out, but no response was received. He looked through the keyhole to try and see what was going on inside, but he couldn't see Wallace, all he could see was… flowers lining the ground, dotted around. Pink sets of floral beauty, tainted by patches of- was it brown or maroon?- soaked into them.
He listened in- he could hear muffled coughing and choking going on. He panicked a bit.
Luckily, he was a nerd: when he was about 16, he decided to learn how to pick locks, and ever since he’s kept paperclips in his pockets, one of which was already bent into shape and the other he could do himself.
He looked around to make sure nobody was watching- it wouldn't look good if someone saw it- and he slowed his breaths.
He made attempt,
after attempt,
after attempt, and,
After several attempts, it did eventually work.
The lock clicked, the door unlocked. He opened the door
-|-
The problem with Hanahaki is that it gives a game over; losing a fight, falling from a height, being hit by a car… they all just take away a life. But Hanahaki is permanent, it instantly bypasses your lives and gives you a game over.
Wallace watched in abject terror as the door unlocked. Scott wasn't meant to be able to come in… but, eh, he couldn't afford to care anymore.
Wallace hacked out another petal; he had been doing so since he woke up. The flowers had been strewn all about the room from Wallace frantically getting everything set up…
Wallace completely expected to die today, before Scott arrived. He didn't really want to die, but he didn't see a way around it, since there was no way he was going to be able to confess his feelings to Scott.
“Wallace?? You have Haha- Haka- flower lungs??” Scott exclaimed. Wallace looked around the room slowly, seeing all the flowers he had left behind. Each of them with patches of dried blood on them. The more recent ones had fresher blood.
After choking out another petal, Wallace coughed, and nodded. “Uh… yeah…” Wallace coughed again, blood spluttering out of his mouth with a flurry of petals. He seemed close to death. “Sorry.”
“I- who is it? Who do you need to confess to? How long has this been going on??” Scott spewed out questions, frantically panicking and clearly having no idea what to do.
“Doesn't matter, I can't tell him,” Wallace had already accepted his fate. He was going to die.
Wallace had accepted his own death, but Scott hadn't.
“No!” Scott exclaimed, “You have to tell him, you can't die on me!” Scott ran to Wallace’s side, getting down; Wallace was resting on the futon, surrounded by flowers, after he had cleared everything else away.
“It's too late, Scott,” Wallace soothed, putting his hand on Scott’s cheek, “You’ll live.”
Scott’s breaths were heavy and erratic, wrapping his arms around Wallace, he cried out, “No, I can't lose you, you're too important,” tears were building up around the sides of Scott's eyes, pricking him with panic.
What did that mean? Just that Wallace provided Scott’s housing? The emotion pumped into it didn't make it seem as though it was particularly selfish.
“I- Wallace, I can't lose you, please don't leave me, I- I love you, Wallace, please,” Scott was openly sobbing now.
“You-” Wallace choked out another petal, “-love me…?”
Scott seemed surprised at himself for even saying it, but nodded, “Don't- don't leave me, Wallace, please…”
“Why…
Why do you love me…?
I’ve been an asshole this whole time, I kept trying to make you break u-
and why were you dating Knives??”
“I thought you were just, like, too good for me.
And I…
please, Wallace…
don't leave me…”
There was so much Wallace wanted to say right now, ranging from “You’re a dumbass,” to, “Sorry for hurting you,”
there was so much he wanted to say in far too little breath,
he didn't even know if confessing now would be enough to save him, but he could feel his consciousness slipping, it was his last chance…
“I love you too…”
Not knowing if he would wake up after this,
Wallace leaned up and kissed Scott on the cheek.
And fell unconscious.
-|-
He felt an influx of air entering his lungs,
giving him the ability to breathe, as he sat up in a strange room.
He looked around, it looked like- and indeed, was- a hospital.
His breaths were ragged, uneven, but he was breathing without flowers getting in the way.
Scott was beside him, as he found out when arms suddenly wrapped around him. Instantly, he recalled the mutual confession… it felt as though it was just last night, but…
“When… how long have I been here for?”
Scott pulled away from Wallace. Wallace got a good look at him- dried up tears rested down the bath to his eyes.
“Uh, about 3 weeks.”
Oh, that… that was certainly an amount of time.
“Uh, did I miss your Rockit performance?” Wallace asked, not sure how else to proceed from here.
“Not really,” Scott explained, “I also missed it, but for some reason we got reinvited for a second performance in a few days.”
Kind of suspicious, it's as though someone wanted Scott there to like, attack him or something, but Wallace was just glad he didn't ruin something for Scott.
“Have you, like, broken up with Ramona or Knives?”
Scott grimaced, “Nooooot quite yet… I’ve had more important things to worry about.”
Scott bit his lips, clearly contemplating whether or not he should ask his next question. He apparently decided yes to asking it, “Were you… were you just planning on dying there? Like, instead of just confessing to me?”
Wallace couldn't meet Scott’s eyes, “...maybe. Let's talk about something else.”
“One more thing,” Scott interrupted , “Sorry- do you, uh, do you hate Ramona?”
“Well- I, uh, I don't like her, per se… maybe I was a bit jealous.”
Scott hugged him again.
He wasn't sure why, maybe it was because he had been holding it all in for years, maybe it was because he has been processing his sadness with hatred and never letting it surface, but… as Scott hugged him, and as he hugged back, Wallace cried out all the tears he had been holding back for all this time.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Bonus Scene:
“Hey, buddy,” Wallace quietly said to Knives. They were at the rockit, with everybody waiting for Scott to come on stage.
“Where's Scott? He should be out by now,” Knives pouted, narrowing her eyes and looking around to see if she had just missed him.
Wallace knew where Scott was; Scott was telling Ramona that, while he had fun with her, he didn't want to pursue anything. Or at least, he was supposed to be, Wallace wasn't sure how much he trusted Scott to actually do so, but the lack of his presence on stage seemed to suggest he was doing what he was meant to be…
Unfortunately, Wallace agreed to break the news to Knives that Scott wasn't dating her anymore. Wallace sighed, “You, uh, really like him, huh?”
“Well yeah, that's why I’m dating him,” Knives scoffed, pulling away from the rails and sitting in the empty seat next to Wallace.
“Uh, right, well,” Wallace uncomfortably said, “He had a uh, a message to tell you, that he couldn't because he's on stage but it's too important to wait.”
Knives gasped audibly- Wallace briefly wondered if she had figured it out, before he was reminded of her infatuation, “Is he proposing to me??”
Wallace grimaced, with an intake of air, “Not… not quite. Look, he thinks you're a great friend, but… he doesn't want to date you anymore.”
Knives’ smile didn't falter, which Wallace found odd. It took her a second to respond, then she took another second, another, and another… “What.”
“Well, you're only 17, he's way too old for you,” Wallace reasoned through it for Kmoves, since evidently she hadn't quite picked up on the fact that she was too young for Scott to reasonably date, “And he wants to date… somebody different.”
Though her smile remained for a few moments further, Wallace could easily hear cogs ticking in her mind. “Oh…”
Wallace offered an empathetic look, as a near-silent round of applause issued from below by what couldn't have been a multi-digit amount of people.
He looked towards the stage, as Scott came out, fumbling and looking very nervous. Wallace watched Scotr’s eyes darting around until they locked with Wallace’s, and Scott mouthed, ‘Have you told her?’
Wallace nodded, mouthing back, ‘Have you?’
Scott nodded, gave the best smile he seemed able to, and turned back to the crowd, getting his arms in position to play.
Wallace sat back, glancing back over at Knives. Knives looked absolutely crestfallen. She should never have dated Scott in the first place… but Wallace understood what it was like, what she was feeling.
“He's not all he's cracked up to be, anyway,” Wallace said, putting his hand on Knives’ shoulder in a friendly gesture, “Wanna hear some funny stories about him?”
Knives gave a weak giggle, and turned around to Wallace, nodding.
“Okay,” Wallace said, and he began to tell a story.