Flowers

Chapter 3

Tord slowly opened his eyes, squeezing them shut again when they were assaulted with bright, blinding lights.
He slowly sat himself up, blinking a couple of times before his eyes were comfortable enough to look around.

A hospital.....

He was alone in the room, a cold air settling over him. There wasn't much he could remember about the night previous, aside from the fact hed been in... excruciating pain.. He reached up, delicately tracing his fingers over his throat.. the touch enough to sting.

"--fine for now... but if he decides to live with this disease.. he'll only have about six weeks..." Tord looked over, voices... they were quiet, almost inaudible, but the sound was getting closer by the second..

The feeling in his gut got worse as he focused, one of the voices a familiar croak. "O-only six....?"

"E-Edd...?" He whispered, his voice raspy, hoarse... He strained a cough, holding his throat.. it hurt...

"Tord.. Oh my God....." Edd was standing in the doorway now, covering his mouth.

It was easy to tell hed been up all night, crying. That is, if the bags under his eyes, or the blotches on his cheeks.

He slowly walked over, touching Tords cheek. "You should have told me.. I-Im so sorry..." He whispered, choking back a sob, quickly burrying his face into Tords shoulder.

Tord touched his head, trying to give him a small comfort, this being a fruitless endeavor seeing as it only made his friend start to bawl into his shirt.

He sighed, wincing. "Edd... what.. Why are we here..?" He asked softly. He knew, deep down he knew exactly why they were there.. but he needed to hear it from someone else.

Though, it seemed to much for Edd to bear, he quietly sobbed into his shoulder.. not being able to answer... his grip tightening on Tords hospital gown..

The doctor sighed, deciding to answer himself.

"You have a rare, little known about condition called the Hanahaki disease.. it usually is formed when your born, but it can develop from anytime in your life." He said, looking down at his clipboard.

"Your lungs are more fragile.. and if the right amount of hormonal imbalances and the optimal amount of stress occurs, your body... produces flowers.. It's unknown why, or how..." He sighed, placing the board down, tracing his fingers over the paper. "Some say it's a curse.. But id rather not see it as such."

Tord looked down at his hands... "So... I've got six weeks left..." He whispered.. remembering what the doctor said before he walked in. "How... how will..-"

"Vines will start growing up your windpipe... you'll either suffocate or bleed to death." He said, looking sympathetic.

"I don't understand!" Edd cried, pulling himself away from Tord. "Why?? Why him!? There has to be somthing we can do!" He said, collapsing to his knees, sobbing.

"The... the hormones are usually associated with the part of the brain that is responsible for oxytocin. In simple terms.... He's suffering from unrequited Love.. the stress has only made it worse." The doctor sighed. "I don't like to give my patients impossible hope, but, if the love is reciprocated, we believe the issue will slowly fade out."

Edd very slowly looked back at Tord, not able to meet his eyes, not seeming to process this well.. "Y-you.. you're in love...?" He whispered, looking shocked. "W-with w-who..?" He asked standing up. "If we can get that person to fall in love with him, everything will be okay, right??" He beamed, seemingly exited. Hope glaring up in his eye.