Flowers are the Language of Love - Kokomi x Hu Tao

Chapter Nine - ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕪𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕦𝕞

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'Do you mind getting me my shirt?'

'Oh my! What happened?'

'Sorry I should have told you to keep your eyes closed!'

'A pyro vision? That's amazing!'

'I'll leave that for you to decide'

'My name is Kokomi'

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"Tao-"

"Miss Tao!'

"Miss Tao are you there?" A sharp knock filled Hu Taos head.

"What does that old man want this time..." Hu Tao groans, annoyance filling her voice. With a loud and prolonged huff she leaves bed, she however makes sure to wrap herself in a blanket before leaving.

"Miss Tao, young one?" A few more knocks hit the wooden door.

Whenever she hears those thuds Hu Tao is reminded of the dog boy, she grits her teeth tightly, an unbearable anger fills her mind. The rational part of Hu Tao knows that he was just trying to find his missing friend, but the emotional part of her brain hates him for taking Kokomi away. Hu Tao tightly grips onto the golden door knob.

"Mr. Zhongli you really don't need to come over everyday!" Hu Taos tries her best to coat her face in a smile.

"I can't help but be worried for you young one,"
The well dressed man known as Zhongli towers over Hu Tao.

"Aha, your stare is as stern as usual, Mr. Zhongli!" Hu Tao offers a half smile.

"You've been sick for over a week now, I don't mind filling in for you however I've grown worried," Zhongli hands a brown paper bag to Hu Tao.

"Thank you for the medicine Zhongli but I'll be fine, H-U  T-A-O will be back in business shortly!" She sings a little jingle.

"Don't force yourself though, this is just a hunch but you've been seeming sad-"

"Nope! I've been fine in fact I've been feeling better, with this medicine I'll be all good by tomorrow!" Hu Tao states in a flustered manner.

"If I'm returning tomorrow then I'll need a lot of sleep! Talk tomorrow Mr. Zhongli!" Hu Tao slams the door much louder than she intended, she's not the best at handling Zhongli when he gets suspicious.

Hu Tao mentally curses at herself, she didn't intend to return back to work so soon but it's not like she can prevent the inevitable, Kokomi is proof of that. Hu Tao bitterly sighs, she knows she's not ready to return but she's already moped around for over a week now, or was it two? Regardless she decides to bathe herself, Hu Tao knows she doesn't smell all to pleasant.

She fills the bucket up with water and rinses herself, allowing all the dirt and sweat to wash off from her body felt satisfying, but the warm water reminds her of Kokomi. Unlike Hu Tao, Kokomi uses her vision to create comfort and warmth and she always tried to make the most of something, whether that be with a vision or burnt omelette. When Hu Tao got her vision she only used it for goofy pranks or for lighting candles, whilst Kokomi decided to learn how to heal others.

"Kokomi wouldn't want me to mope around..." Hu Tao sits silently allowing her body to shiver, the cold somehow felt like an embrace rather than the embodiment of loneliness.

After a short while Hu Tao put the clothes on that she placed to the side, it was a simple red shirt and brown shorts combo, Hu Tao didn't feel like brushing her hair so she grabbed the nearest hair tie and tied it into a bun. Hu Tao allows herself to stay in the room for a split moment more before she eventually left. When Hu Tao re enters her room a distasteful smell filled her senses.

"I guess it's time to wash my bedsheets..." Hu Tao goes over to the right side of the bed, a tight throbbing swells up in her chest.

It's time to finally move on, Hu Tao felt a sharp feeling in her stomach, she's not ready to move on, no that wasn't right she didn't want to move on. With a harsh breath Hu Tao finally starts to strip her bedsheets, she then carried the bundle of cloth to the backyard where a large bucket sat.

Hu Tao proceeds to wash her bedsheets, blanket cover, her own pillow as well as the clothes she previously used. Making sure all water had been squeezed out before being hung up, Hu Tao finally got to the pillow Kokomi used. To anyone else it was just a pillow but to Hu Tao it had become more than that, it had become the embodiment of Kokomi. Hu Tao wasn't prepared to get rid of those memories just yet, she instead hung the pillow to air out.

Hu Tao returned inside of her kitchen, it smelt slightly of rotten egg, the flowers had also become dead and wilted. Her grief had led Hu Tao to completely abandon her plants, the outside ones had been okay but she knew she should water and weed them soon.

Hu Tao turned her tap on and added soap, whilst she waited for the sink to fill up she took a cloth and let it go damp. Hu Tao glumly walked over to the table, whilst washing the omelette away she couldn't help but reminisce.

Kokomi's blushed face, the way her laugh filled the room, the way she complimented the burnt food, Hu Tao wasn't going to cry, she didn't want to, she knew the moment she did that she'd probably never leave her room, so instead she decides to bottle it. That would be for the best, no one must know about Kokomi, for both Hu Tao's ego and Kokomi's safety.

The table is eventually clean and the tap fills up soon after, Hu Tao makes work of herself and cleans the dishes. Upon looking at the antique chopsticks, Hu Tao can't help but wonder if Kokomi had used her pair yet. A hot feeling arises in Hu Tao's cheeks, thinking about Kokomi eating with them allowed Hu Tao to feel a twitch of happiness, however that happiness was short lasting.

After the dishes were finally cleaned Hu Tao dried them and put them away, she then went outside to finally deal with her plants. The watering and weeding took a good while, however being outside reminded her of the much more sweeter and happier kiss Kokomi and herself shared. Hu Tao tells herself she should be happy, but ever since having a taste of the good life she now feels like she's missing a crucial part of herself. Hu Tao hopes that it isn't just her feeling this, but she doubts Kokomi would ever think of her fondly.

Hu Tao practically forced two kisses onto Kokomi, she seemed into it in the moment, but that could have just been Hu Tao's greedy and wishful thinking. In spite of her confusion Hu Tao still longs so desperately for Kokomi, but she's not going to cry, that would be far more pathetic of herself.
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'I really won't...'

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'I won't cry,'

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