Hello to whoever is reading! I greatly apologize for not updating/uploading so much as I used to. Some things in my real life have kept me busy and I don't have the same amount of time to sit down and write stories. Once again, I'm sorry.

This one-shot idea has been "given" to me by a friend of mine. (Tysm, bestie lol) Teresap1ss_baby

Also, this one-shot will mostly take place in Marth's perspective. I may or may not change it depending on the situation. Characters from, either FE or Smash might be included. (It's also during college, just an FYI)

...After I finished writing this, I realized how long it was. If you...uhm...don't like super long one-shots, maybe this isn't for you. (Can this even be called a one-shot?)

But as always, happy reading!~

• • •

~ POV: Marth ~

Hanahaki Disease:

"A disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love."

I sigh with a slight smile mixed with a frown. All these romantic novels I've been reading never caught my attention. Well...besides this one. I glance at the book's cover. It looks...grim. A poor boy, clutching his chest as his mouth is overfilled with petals. His hand, tightly gripping—what seems to be a rose. And, of course, tears are running down his face. A faded silhouette of a broken heart with—what is supposedly his lover's face—behind him.

A quiet chuckle escapes my mouth as I think of what would happen if I got the disease. While, yes, I do like a "certain someone," I'm pretty sure they don't like me back. Not that I'm upset or anything, I've already accepted it, so it's not a big deal to me. Just saying, by now, I would've been coughing up rose petals for all I care.

Getting up from my chair, I sling my backpack on my shoulder and decide to check out the book. After confirming with the librarian, I shove it into my bag. As I walk out the doors, I'm greeted with a shock.

"There you are, Princey." I jump, and whirl around. My pale face suddenly turns into a pout as I see Ike grinning at me. He bursts into laughter as I roll my eyes.

"You really got scared by that?" He continues to tease. I huff and turn away from him, beginning to walk back to our dorm. On our way there, I finally find the words to say to him, "You need to stop popping up out of nowhere."

He shrugs and shoves his hands into his hoodie's pocket. "What can I say? You just get scared easily." I groan and nudge my elbow into his stomach. He chuckles and gently smacks the back of my head in return. I can't help but laugh.

It's the usual interaction between us. I mean, what else do you expect from middle school friends? Oh, wait, maybe I should've told you. Ike and I are close friends, starting from middle school (5th grade, specifically), and into our second year of college. Shocking, isn't it? Honestly, I'm surprised we've been friends for so long. At the same time, it's not a surprise at all.

...Maybe I should also mention I like him.

It's...weird to admit, but after all these years, I can't help myself. Who wouldn't fall in love with their long-term best friend? Don't answer that question...it was rhetorical. But you get what I mean.

Once inside our dorm, Ike collapses onto his bed with a grunt. I open my bag and take out the book I checked out, sitting on my bed that was across from Ike's. His eyes wander to my hands as he lazily gets off his back. "Hey, look at you. Finally found a good romance book?"

I skim through the first few pages. "I guess so." Ike cocks his head to one side as his eyebrow raises.

"What's it about this time? Forced apart, forbidden, enemies to lovers, Romeo and Juliet?"

I chuckle at his last guess. Closing the book, I show off the cover to him and watch his eyes squint, reading the title.

"Hanahaki Disease?" He reads aloud. I nod and put the book back on my lap. Ike groans as he takes off his headband, "Y'know that it's just a myth, right? Coughing flower petals, seriously?"

I could tell that Ike wasn't going to like this book. He used to help me find ones to read and sometimes read with me. Of course, he's obviously lost interest, but he still tries to help me...sometimes. Perhaps this time, I'm on my own. I don't mind, honestly. Funny enough, I read much faster than him, so I won't need to wait for him to catch up.

"It does seem a bit interesting to read." I say, opening the book once more and reading the summary written on it's sleeve cover. "Mayri, a boy in his teen years. Ichi, the one and only love interest. As they go through their high school year together, feelings soon develop, but it's from one, not the other. Sometimes accepting the friend-zone is hard, but Mayri's emotions might just get the better of him. As days progress, Mayri finds himself coughing up a strange substance, later figured out as flower petals. Will they-"

Ike fake snores, interrupting me. He waves his hand in the air as he mimics what I say, followed by a lazy-spoken "Blah blah blah, they're gonna fall in love at the end." I huff and shut my book. "It's the same romantic tropes over and over. 'I like them, they don't like me, we end up together in the end.' Throw some drama in there, and done, romance."

While he isn't wrong, I can't help but want to smack him in the face with my book. Not to actually hurt him, of course. Nonetheless, I sigh and open up to the first few pages. I see Ike's expression turn even more annoyed. Not looking away from the page, I mumble, "Either you keep looking at me like that or we read this together."

He rolls over on his side, his back facing me and pulls out his phone. I shake my head and continue reading. After 3 minutes, however, Ike blurts out, "I'm bored." Putting a bookmark to not lose my spot, I close the book and walk over to Ike's bed. He gazes at me and I tug at his hand.

"Come on, then. Let's go do something so you can stop complaining."

"And so you can keep reading your romance."

I let go of his hand and toss the book onto my bed behind me. "Fine," I say, regripping his arm. "No book. No complaining. Fair?"

He mutters nonsense as I pull him up. We snatch our wallets and Ike grabs his car keys. Not what I was expecting, but I'm assuming we're going out to shop. Or, knowing Ike, eating food. It was the weekend, plus, Ike and I usually just sit around and do nothing besides ordering take-out.

Once inside Ike's car, we drive off campus and onto the road. As I zone out and stare through the window, I immediately hear the sound of a slow-beating drum and a smooth electric guitar slide.

"Of course," I mutter. "Kimi No Kioku." Our favorite song. Ike chuckles as he eases his foot on the gas pedal. I grin and reach for the volume, turning it to make the music slightly louder. It was instrumental this time, so our voices wouldn't be covered up by the original woman's singing.

Nonetheless, I hear a quiet hum to the beat from Ike's pursed lips. As if I wouldn't hear him, hah. I scoff as I hum along, making my tone an octave higher than his. Reaching the chorus, we begin to sing the lyrics, with Ike as my back up. I don't think I've sung with Ike before. In a way...we harmonize quite well.

~ ~ ~

As the car ride continues and our singing doesn't end, we eventually pull up to a well-known fast food place. The usual happens, we order, get back in our car, eat, and drive to another spot.

Eventually, we pull up to a public park. Tossing our leftover and useless trash away, we collapse into a nearby bench. Immediately, Ike whips out his phone to check the time. He sighs heavily and slumps over.

"7:30, eh?"

I grunt in approval. Ike sits back upright, leaning his back on the board of the bench. There's silence between us as we watch children run around. Their parents keep an eye on them while they chat and talk among each other. A warm gust of wind suddenly sweeps through the air.

I let out a soft sigh. Ike looks at me funny. "We should do this more often," he says, "go out and do something." We exchange smiles and...oddly felt my face warm up. I don't think we've spent so much time together in one day—not like we used to. And his smile...haven't seen such a genuine one in a long time, either. It doesn't mean he's never happy, but...maybe a little emotionless. Not that I want to make assumptions, of course.

I get a sudden urge to lean on him. My stomach twists as I feel my hands clench. All of a sudden my body temperature rises as if I was stuck in an oven. I feel light-headed as faded colors glide across my field of vision. Before I know it, my head lays, resting on Ike's shoulder. Just as I was about to pull away, I hear Ike make a silent, surprised noise. Moments later, his shoulder shifts towards the back of my head and I feel something wrap around my waist.

"You're tired, aren't you?"

I mumble audible nonsense as I scoot closer towards him. "What am I doing?! Am I trying to make myself more flustered?!" Although, I have to admit, this feeling is wonderful. The last moment I can recall of me and Ike being so...close...was a mere hug. From Ike. I was crying, I can faintly recall it—but I remember his words of comfort.

"Shh...you're alright, Marth. I'm right here for you, I don't plan on leaving. Even if you feel better, I'll still be with you."

My heart warms up as I replay the situation repeatedly in my mind. I remember us being seniors when it happened.

...Prom night. The "Night-To-Remember."

Suddenly, my stomach flips in many directions. It's clear as day, now.

~ Flashback - POV: Third Person ~

Standing right outside the entrance of the cafeteria doors, Marth leans on the concrete pillar. A grey, pick-up truck drives up next to the pavement, and the door swings open. Stepping out is Ike. Donning a white polo with rolled up sleeves, black tie, slim-fit black jeans and black dress shoes. Marth smiles as they meet in the middle.

"Here, I thought maybe you'd wanna wear this instead." Reaching into his vest pocket, Marth pulls out a neatly-folded, silky, black headband. Ike's eyes light up as he gladly takes it from Marth's hand and replaces it with his usual, dark-brown headband. It's slightly cold, yet smooth and comforting on his skin.

Ike thanks him as he shoves his other headband into his pocket. "Oh, shoot. I don't have anything to give back to you. Sorry..." His hand raises to scratch the back of his hair. Marth chuckles. "There's no need. Now, come on. Let's go in."

~ ~ ~

Loud music, students talking and laughing, concession stands, strobe lights. You name it, they were there. Cupping his hands over his ears, Marth turns to Ike and gestures over to an empty table near the back. Both sink into their chairs and let out a sigh of relief.

"You'd think that they'd turn the music down a little, but no." Ike half-yells over the pounding music. Marth nods and mutters a "Tch," as he watches the students dance, drink, and eat as if tomorrow won't become a reality.

Eventually, more students come in, filling up the cafeteria. The bluenettes spot a few familiar faces and wave hello as they pass by. All of a sudden, Marth's hair on the back of his neck rises, a chill runs down his spine. He shivers. Ike senses the air and mood feeling off, too. Their eyes draw towards the entrance doors.

A dark, navy-blue dress sparkles as a strobe light flashes over its fabric. It reveals a woman, her face dressed up with a dark-smoky design, her dress showing off her figure perfectly, a thick, white fabric tied around her waist as the bow cradles her behind. Her flowing blue hair rests on her shoulder as she gently flips it to the opposite side.

Marth's stomach drops as his face pales. Ike's hands clench as he feels himself tensing up.

"C-Caeda..."

The one and only ex-girlfriend of Marth. She, who brings "dress to impress" to a whole new level. The girl who ran away in tears and slammed a door closed after her break up. Worst, and most cliché of all, women's volleyball captain and "retired" cheerleader. Of course she would have the right body shape and beautiful face. She only fell for Marth purely due to his knowledge.

They broke up after Caeda started developing jealousy towards Ike. He and Marth would talk more often, work on stuff together, even hang out after school. She was controlling, taking advantage of Marth and his caring-nature and how oblivious he was.

Ike was the one who saved him. He noticed and even caught Caeda in the act, once. Every now and then, he would give warnings, keeping Marth closer to him than before. Eventually, Caeda became more and more obvious. She finally snapped, and nearly slammed her fist into Ike's face, but stopped herself. After a night of furious texting, Marth broke the news.

Yet, here she is. Dressed like a rich, spoiled daughter. Her eyes lock with Marth's then slide over to Ike's. She scowls. Nonchalantly making her way over to their table, she takes a seat next to Marth, scooting closer. Elbow on the table, she begins, "Fancy seeing you here, Dear~"

Marth shifts. "I thought we were through... Why is she..."

"What are you doing, Caeda," Ike mutters, his body building up more tension. He nearly finds himself reaching for Marth, wanting to pull him away from Caeda.

She was trying to win him back, wasn't he? Taking advantage of her beauty and changing up her tone of voice to sound seductive. Her fingers play with strands of her hair as she talks to Marth, ignoring Ike's presence.

"Caeda, please, no more." "Th-That's enough..." "Please, stop..."

Repeating these phrases over and over, Marth began to grow exhausted. His uncomfortable levels were rising, and quickly. Eventually, Ike lost his patience. Without hesitation, he slammed his open hands onto the table, stood up and exclaimed, "Can you just leave Marth alone?! He doesn't want anything to do with you!"

Caeda, first in shock, then calms herself, stands up as well. "Oh, my bad. It seems like Mr. Protective is too possessive! Marth, my love, why don't we get you AWAY from him?"

All of a sudden, they started arguing, yelling and bantering back and forth. Marth's body shook and tears formed in his eyes as he helplessly watched them fight.

"Enough! Please!" Marth's voice cracked as he shot up from his chair. "Caeda, please... P-Please leave us alone." He was desperate. Reaching out to anything that would stop their fighting.

There was silence. Caeda pulled up her soft, white-bow around her waist and grunted. "Fine." Turning on her heel, Marth sighed with relief. A quick, brutal pain landed on his cheek as he winced.

Ike gripped Marth's arm and yanked him towards himself, and yelled once more at Caeda. "Get the fuck away from him!"

"Bitch..." He muttered as she strutted away. Directing his attention back to Marth, he held Marth's shoulders and calmly asked, "Are you alright?"

Marth burst into tears and buried his face in his hands. Shoving Ike out of his way, he made a run for the restroom. Confused, yet worried, Ike hurriedly followed after him and creaked the restroom door open. Muffled sobbing could faintly be heard. Ike slowly made his way towards the noise, and to his surprise, the stall door opened.

There he was. On his knees, crying non-stop, losing control of his emotions. Marth could barely breathe properly as he kept gasping for air. Ike kneeled down on his level and gently brought his teary-eyed friend into his arms.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry... I should've done something! I-I should've just-!"

"Marth. You're alright. Don't apologize for something that was hard for you to do."

"No, no... No, it's my fault. I just sat there, I-I didn't try to do anything..."

"You did. If anything, I would've picked a fight right then and there if you hadn't begged us to stop. I'll admit that."

There's silence between them. Marth chokes up another sob and shudders, his hands grip Ike's sleeves and head hides on Ike's chest. Gently resting his hand on the back of Marth's head, Ike pulls him closer, with a soft "Shh..."

"You're alright, Marth. I'm right here for you, I don't plan on leaving. Even if you feel better, I'll still be with you."

Marth whimpers softly as he manages to mutter, "Th-Thank you..."

~ End of Flashback - POV: Marth ~

I snap my head back to the present. My head still rested on Ike's shoulder, his arm cradling my waist, and...it's nearly dark outside. I feel myself nearly falling asleep as my head slides off his shoulder. He catches me, "Woah, there," and my body grows weak. "We should head back now, ha."

My eyes threaten to shut again. I'm really tired, aren't I? Ike gets up and watches as I struggle, my knees wobbling and my legs willing to give out on me. Before I can make my fourth attempt, I feel my feet lifted off the ground. Something cradles my back and presses against my hamstrings. My eyes drift open as I look up to see Ike's smiling face.

"We're not wasting time just waiting for you to wake up," he says with a chuckle.

Ike's carrying me.

It feels as though he's carrying a pillow. Like I have no weight, whatsoever. I feel my cheeks blush once more as they tint a soft red. Flustered again. I sigh as he walks us back to the car. Putting me back on my feet, he opens the door for me and I lazily sit down, tugging on the seat belt. Before Ike can even get in the car, black shadows cover my view as I drift to sleep.

I awake, lying in my bed, the covers pulled over me. Looking across the room, I see Ike, who is already sound asleep. My eyes stare around the dark room, as it lands on dim-lit, red numbers.

2:17 a.m.

I wave my hand in the air, trying to navigate my bedside table's lamp. I feel a small, thin string of steel and pull down on it. A light flickers for a moment, then illuminates my side of the dorm. I feel a lump in my throat, I try to swallow it back down, but it hurts. I wrap my hands around my neck and dash for the bathroom. If I were to throw up, I'm not doing it on the carpet.

I find myself leaning over the sink, it doesn't seem like I'm going to puke. Maybe something is stuck in my throat. My eyes start tearing up and I look at myself in the mirror, cupping my hand over my mouth as I feel a strong force leave my throat.

There's fear in my body as I look down to see what landed on my palm. A small, pink petal.

...Cherry blossom.

I immediately cup both hands over my mouth as the petal drifts to the floor. This can't be possible. Ike even said it himself, "...it's just a myth..." I look at myself in the mirror, my breath unsteady as I lean my hands on the counter. This shouldn't be real. This shouldn't be happening. I let out another unexpected cough as 2 cherry blossom petals fly out.

Hanahaki disea... "This isn't real. I'm dreaming—surely I'm dreaming."

I pinch myself in the forearm and whimper as I feel slight pain. It's not a dream, this is happening to me in real time, at this very moment. I quietly, yet quickly, rush back out to grab my phone and zoom back into the bathroom.

How to cure Hanahaki Disease:

"It ends when the beloved returns their feelings (romantic love only; strong friendship is not enough), or when the victim dies. It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim's romantic feelings for their love also disappear."

My phone drops to the floor, followed by me on my knees. "...beloved returns their feelings..." I sit there, wondering how ridiculous it would be for Ike to love me back. My affection towards him is...too much for him to have in return. He's done a lot for me, as have I, but we always get called "friends" in the end. "...when the victim dies..." If anything, death is the one solution I am not looking forward to, at all. "...surgical removal...romantic feelings for their love also disappear."

I frown and cover my face with my cherry-scented palms. I would never give up a disease for it to end up in me never loving Ike ever again. Warm, flustered, lovely feelings are always so...wonderful. While surgery is an option, I feel as though they would look at me weird, thinking, "Hanahaki disease? What do you think you're in? A cliche romance movie? A book?"

I pause. "A book..." A book!

I rush over to my backpack and forcefully pull out the book I had barely started. Surely, in the end, Mayri finds a way to make Ichi love him? And...maybe...just maybe, I could use his idea. Regardless of spoilers, coughing up cherry blossom petals is not enjoyable in the slightest. My throat itches at first, then I nearly feel myself bound to throw up. At this point, I would do anything to stop this...disease.

As I furiously flip through the pages, my eyes land on the words, "Confession."

Fire and determination flashes in Mayri's eyes. As he sets his phone down, thoughts race through his head. "The easiest way out is confession..." he mumbles. "And yet that's also the hardest..." His thought process is interrupted by another cough of a lilac's petal.

Lilac? They can...be different flowers?

I reach for my phone, as if I was mimicking Mayri, and search up if flowers mean anything. My fingers click on an article about roses. Supposedly the worst type of flower to cough up. I let out a sigh of relief, recalling my cherry blossoms. "There is also no set flower that blossoms in the lungs but it may be the enamoured's favourite flower or favourite colour."

Ike likes...cherry blossoms? I doubt he likes pink, hell, he despises the color. ...But cherry blossoms? Of all things, why-

I freeze as I hear the quiet sound of footsteps. He's awake.

I gather my stuff sloppily in my arms and rush behind the shower curtain and leap into the tub. My hand hovers over my mouth, in an attempt to muffle my coughing and my heavy breaths. The door to the bathroom opens, I can hear my heart pounding faster. Ike's footsteps move slowly as he walks around.

"Mm...maybe he went for a walk..." He yawns, his voice nearly cutting out the last part of his sentence. He mumbles nonsense as his footsteps fade away and, I'm assuming, back to his bed. I exhale loudly as my shoulders drop and body relaxes. Reopening my book, I continue to read from where I left off.

~ ~ ~

As of our day so far, my face was buried deep in my book. We had gone to a different park, but my eyes never peeled away from the story. I felt bad for Ike, as he kept muttering phrases to me that I couldn't quite understand. "Put," "down," "stop," "book," "reading." Even if I couldn't understand everything he was telling me, I could at least make out that he wanted me to stop reading. Honestly, I would tell him "why" if I wasn't trying to cure a flower-coughing disease.

After reaching the end of a chapter, Ike yanked the book and my bookmark out from my grasp. He was nice enough to at least mark my spot...so there's that, I guess. A sigh escapes my mouth as I look over at him, an annoyed, yet confused expression on my face. He shuts the book and puts it on his side, where I can't get it without reaching over him.

"You actually like the book, huh?"

I'm surprised by his calmness. I thought, for sure, he was going to scream at me, or at the very least, tell me to stop reading for the rest of today. I waited for him to say something along the lines of that, but it never happened. I found myself talking about the book, somehow not making Ike bored. His eyes would light up everytime I talked with full excitement. A smile would crack on his face. It's as if he likes listening to me...

Another wonderful moment, just Ike and I.

Then I feel my throat have another urge to cough.

I cup my hands over my mouth, mid-sentence. Ike looks at me, worried. His hands caress my arms, as he says, "Are you ok? Go to the restroom, there's one nearby. I'll wait here." I feel embarrassed, but rush over and slam the stall's door closed. It echoes the restroom loudly. I finally release my hands from my mouth and cough up 5 petals. Catching one in my hand, I glance in fear as I see a small, thick, red liquid.

...Blood. My...blood.

I gasp and shove the petals into the toilet, immediately flushing them away, out of my sight. Panicking, I rush out of the stall and in front of an unoccupied sink. My hands are covered in soap as I furiously wash it off, removing the cherry blossom scent, alongside my blood.

My throat strikes again.

3 more petals.

Cough.

5 petals.

Blood spatters around the sink bowl as the petals gently float down, near the drain. I stare in horror. I repeat what I'd already done; wash my hands, then the sink, and any other remaining evidence. With a quick whiff of my palms, the scent is gone. The red stains have been removed. I breathe a sigh of relief, gripping my neck with both hands. I reach for a paper towel sheet and wipe my eyes.

I look at myself in the mirror. My reflection stares back, emotionless. "It's so painful..." I imagine my reflection watching, doing nothing, as I burst into tears once again, uncontrollably. "Why does it hurt so much...?"

My hands grip the sides of the sink as I hang my head low. "Why don't you love me...?"

~ ~ ~

Finally making my way back to Ike, the bench is empty. He's not sitting there, nor is my book visible. I look around the park, it's just children and playgrounds. Then I smirk.

Hide and seek.

A classic favorite of Ike and I. When we were younger and bored, we would always resort to this game as our default. Despite it being only two players, that was all we needed to have fun. And let me tell you, Ike is a wonderful hider. Seeking him always felt like an adventure.

Taking a closer look at the bench, I spotted a small paper that looked like it'd been torn off. Picking it up, it reads, "Come find me, Princey. Let's see if your seeking skills are still good." I chuckle and put the paper in my pocket. Who knows where Ike even got that paper and pencil from. Knowing him, he probably asked someone.

Well, it seems like we have nothing better to do anyway. I shrug to myself and scan the area around me. He can't have gone far, that's for sure. Two playgrounds, one fit for children and one for young adults. Odd, but I won't criticise. I walk over to the one for younger adults; one, it's bigger and two, there is no way Ike can fit or hide anywhere in the area for children.

I feel like a toddler as I make my way up the so-called stairs. After reaching the top, I attempt to get the higher ground, looking from above. A large crowding of trees caught my eye. I rush back down the stairs and make a "bee-line" towards them. Scenery around me changes from man-made to nature. With a deep breath, I welcome the natural feeling as I stroll through.

Over, around, and behind; I search each tree. Still nothing. I sigh. Wherever Ike's hiding, he picked a good spot... I look around, mindlessly glancing at each tree. All of a sudden, something small lands behind me, fumbling on the grass. I turn around and see a small rock. Picking it up, my eyebrow raises. I follow the direction in which the rock had most likely come from.

Just as I walk past a tree, something grabs my arm and I'm suddenly spun around. I can barely keep focus as I feel my back pressed against the trunk of the tree. My eyes are squinted shut. There's pressure around my wrists, for what I can assume is someone gripping them tightly in their own hands. I feel their breath on my neck, as if their face is right next to mine. My eyes slowly open as I see Ike, smiling at me.

I feel my face burn, my cheeks turn a bright red.

"Looks like you've found me," he says with a grin. "Or...maybe I found you."

Everything is warm all of a sudden. This position I'm in; how I can barely move unless Ike allows me, my wrists trapped in his firm grip, my hands held above my head, the trunk of the tree pressing against my back... I'm embarrassed, yet again. I can barely move, as if I'm helpless like this. Surely it's wrong to...enjoy it, right? Something about him being in control is so- No, wait- What am I saying? Maybe I shouldn't...be thinking of that.

Before I can think of a proper response, I take notice of how close our faces are...I could practically kiss him if I wanted to. Does...does he want to kiss me? No... No, surely not. My face gets even warmer at the thought. Gently shaking my head, my imagination tries its best to go away. I huff and finally speak, "Cheater," stifling a chuckle. Finally, Ike's grip loosens from my wrists as he lets out a breathy laugh. It's like that entire interaction never happened to him...to me.

"Good hiding spot, yeah?" He asks, leaning down towards the side of the tree, reaching for my book and handing it back to me.

I force a smile, fighting back against my warm, flushed face and take the book from his hands. Shaking my head, I reply, "Sure, sure. I'll give you credit for that." He laughs in return, looking around us as his voice trails off.

Yet again, it's nearly dark and we've spent so much time. My immediate thought is to get back to our dorm, since we have class again tomorrow. However, as I begin to make my way back, I feel my wrist gripped again, holding me back this time. I turn around and look at Ike, who...doesn't seem like he wants to leave yet.

"Why don't we stay here a little longer?" His eyes glance up at the dark sky, illuminated with many stars. "Wanna stargaze?"

His question nearly set my heart aflutter. I stopped in my tracks and proceeded to sit down next to Ike. As he lay on his back, resting his hands behind his head, I clutch my book to my chest and lie down as well. There's silence between us as our eyes gaze across the starry night sky. This moment feels almost perfect for me to...

"Hey, Ike...?"

"What's up?"

I freeze. This isn't the right time for a confession. A pit grows in my stomach. A dark, empty pit of regret. What a terrible idea. However, he's looking at me so eagerly...I have to cover it up with a lie. Ignore and fight past my red flushed face. A deep breath courses through me.

"I...uhm...I was just wondering if you- Ah..."

He lays on his side. "You alright?"

I let out a deep sigh. "Do you see any... constellations?" I want to punch myself in the face. My voice cracked at my last word. Constellations, seriously... That's what I went with? Gosh, now I feel embarrassed.

"Hmm. Well, not really. I'm too distracted by how beautiful these stars look, hah."

"I'm merely distracted by you..."

My hand slowly slides towards his. I'm so close to holding his hand...just...a little...

Ike's head turns to face me, then sits up. He looks confused, yet surprised. "Wait, what?"

I get off my back, my grasp around the book gets tighter. He heard me. He noticed. I shouldn't have said anything, I shouldn't have thought out loud. His eyes don't tear away from me as he waits for an answer. I stutter, trying to find the right words to defend myself. Eventually, I give up and stand abruptly.

"Hey," Ike holds onto my shoulder, standing up beside me. "You can tell me what you said. Even if it was rude, I won't mind."

I look away from him and pry his hand off of me. The only thing I can feel is embarrassment and frustration. Yet, Ike's voice is so calm... it makes me want to tell the truth, but I can't find the right words to say. I blurt gibberish before turning on my heel and quickly running away, back to our car. I imagine Ike's eyes staring behind me as he watches me flee, feeling defeated? Annoyed? Unamused? Unsatisfied? What?!

I shake my head furiously, squinting my eyes shut. I can't get the thought out of my head. I shouldn't have said it, I really should not have. Who knows if Ike actually heard me and is just teasing? Does he know I tried to hold his own god damn hand?! What have I done...? Why am I so quick to do these things? I'm never like this...ever.

Stopping in my tracks, I gasp for breath. The park isn't too far from my sight. Just...a little...further.

Cough.

10 petals. Blood spatters on the concrete floor.

A loud shriek escapes my mouth. I scream, terrified. At this point, I'm out of my mind. None of this is real at all. This...this shouldn't be happening.

I cough harder.

15... how...

Light headed, I look everywhere; no one's here. Whirling around, I nearly lose my balance and see Ike running towards me. He looks worried, I think... I can't tell... My head is spinning... I'm so dizzy... Another slight cough comes out of my mouth. An entire cherry blossom flower drifts out. I fall to my knees, the book thuds to the floor, slipped out of my grasp. Ike's blurry figure seems to be coming closer. Before I can think twice, my vision goes dark.

~ ~ ~

A loud groan comes from me as I lazily open my eyes. I slightly jump as I see Ike, sitting next to my bed, he seems...worried. His face is pale, yet he looks relieved to see me awake. Recalling the last thing I can remember, my face scrunches up. A small pain appears in my forehead as I sigh, pressing my palm against it. Looking over at Ike again, he looks like he wants to say something but can't. There's nowhere to go. I can't lie. He saw the petals, he saw the blood, he saw the flower. No way in hell does he not know.

"You have it, don't you?" Ike asks, his voice is so shaky...

I sit up, gulping down a lump in my throat, gazing at him, worried. My lips are dry and chapped, they quiver slightly as I struggle to find a response.

"I-I'm sorry," I mumble, my voice nearly breaking.

Ike sighs. I can imagine him giving me a lecture, or a long complaint on how I should've told him. Or...even asking who caused my...disease. My fingers wrap around my other arm, I hold on tightly.

"Who..." He sighs again. "Who is it for, Marth? You- You can't just have this disease without someone causing it. Tell me, please. I don't know how I can help, but I really want- I need to help you."

A shiver runs down my spine. I look around our dorm frantically, trying to find a way out of this soon-to-be mess. "Marth. Tell me." He pauses. "Please..." He sounds so desperate. It tears away a part of my heart. I don't want to hurt him, but I'm afraid to say anything. With a deep breath, I clench the blanket that was laid out on top of my legs.

"It's you," I mumble. "You're...you're the one I love, Ike." My fingers curl around the blanket, tighter. I said it.

Ike remains silent. His eyes fixate on the floor, his hands clasped together. I can hear his breathing, how unsteady it is. After what felt like an eternity, he gets up from the chair. I've made him mad, haven't I? I honestly can't tell.

"Ike, I-"

"Shut up," he says through a chuckle.

Before I can react properly, Ike's hand rests on the right side of my hip. He leans forward, I nearly jump back. His other warm hand slides to the back of my head, his fingers intertwined with strands of my hair.

What is he doing...?

My eyes meet his as I sense a familiar aura emitting from Ike. He lets out a soft, breathy chuckle as I feel myself shiver.

"Ike-"

His lips silence my words. No. This isn't- surely we're not... We are. I find myself holding onto the back of his neck, my eyes shut as I feel the warmth of his body fall onto my own. A sudden urge of me wanting to pull away is fought back as I press against him harder. My heart throbs in my chest as I gasp. I break for breath. Eyes open again, I stare into this new view of Ike's eyes. They used to be the glance of a childhood friend, now it's...endearing.

He smiles at me, a loving, genuine smile. I feel relief in my chest as something warm flutters inside, as if it has left my body, never to come back again. The pain of a lump in my throat is gone. My urge to cough has disappeared. I'm finally free... He saved me...cured me.

"Maybe I should've told you sooner; how much I love you."

My heart pounds heavily. Ike loves me...he said it himself... I can't help but laugh with joy as I wrap my arms around him, embracing him tightly. I feel tears fall from my eyes as I sigh with an unbelievable amount of relief. Ike's hands cradle my back as he chuckles, his head resting on my shoulder. Hand in hand, we pull apart, warm smiles on either of our faces. Then my stomach drops.

"Wait, we have class-"

He puts a finger to my lips. "That doesn't matter. I'd rather be here with you than sitting down for hours on end."

With a roll of my eyes and a huff, I grin and flush with pink, like always. Ike's hand gently cradles my cheek as he smiles. My hand rises to cover his own, I lean into his loving clutch. Sitting down next to me, he proceeds to hold my waist once more, gathering me up to his body. My head lays happily on his shoulder as I grasp his free hand in mine.

The Hanahaki Disease is cured. And I've finally found my love.