The Great Book of One-Shots

The Letter

Request by cherryplays12

Prompt: Continuation of the Hanahaki one-shot where Ian gets the explanation letter Ben sent him

Note: This probably won't make much sense if you haven't read the Hanahaki fic first

Enjoy!

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Ian had walked to his mailbox as he always did.

He had taken out his key and opened it as he always did.

He had pulled out the contents and relocked the box as he always did.

He had walked back home and sat down to go through his mail as always did.

He had gone through the bills and junk and magazines as he-

Wait, what's this?

Ian pulled out a letter and a look of confusion crossed his face as he read the return address as his best friend's.

Curious as to why Ben would of sent him a letter, Ian opened the envelope and was surprised to be met with a neat, handwritten note.

Dear Ian,

I know people don't really write letters much anymore, but there's something important I need to tell you. Something too personal to say online or through an email. I'd rather say this in person, but you'll soon see why I can't.

First off, I want to say that I love you. I know I've already told you that, but this time I need you to know how much I really mean it. I need you to know that I'm completely and utterly in love with you. I have been for years.

I need you to know that my heart races whenever I'm with you and feels likes it's going to beat right out of my chest when we touch. I'm so in love with you, Ian. Hopelessly, desperately in love with you.

And because of that, when you turned me down, I ended up getting Hanahaki disease. That's right, I have the disease. I've already started coughing up petals and it's getting harder to breathe.

Now, I know you'd probably want me to get the surgery to remove it, but I can't. I've thought about it and I've decided that I don't want to live some miserable life without love. I know it's selfish, but it's my decision.

Besides, by time you get this letter, it'll already be too late for me to change my mind. And, with how fast my disease is getting worse, I may even already be gone.

I know this is a lot of hard news to take, but I know you can handle it. You're strong, Ian, and I know you can get past this. Just go on with your life. Find a new best friend - I'm no one special. You can do it.

All I have to say now is good bye and that I loved you with all my heart.

Love, Benjamin

Ian read the letter over and over trying to make sense of the words.

He wanted to go to Ben's place to see him one last time, but the thought that he might already be dead was too much. He couldn't handle going to the other's place only to find his body.

So, he was left to sit around his house and be tortured by his own thoughts. You caused this. Ben's dead because of you. You killed your best friend.

Over time, the thoughts took their toll on Ian as he started going down a spiral of depression and loneliness. It didn't take long for missing the presence of his friend and his lame jokes and remarks to escalate to missing his smile and his shining green eyes and his giggly laugh. God, how Ian missed that laugh - he'd do anything to hear it again.

Day after day, he found himself only getting worse and worse as he missed Ben more and more. Though, the absolute worst day had to of been when it had all been made clear.

When he was forced to realize why he had been so badly affected by his friend's death.

When he realized why his chest had been hurting so badly.

When he coughed up a few bloody rose petals.

When he was forced to realize that the weird feeling he had felt towards Ben for so long had been love.

When knowing the man he was in love with was dead caused Hanahaki disease to start taking over his body - just as it had done to Ben.

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696 words! Kinda short, but it was fun to write ^-^

Hope you enjoyed!

Requests always open!!

~Angel ^-^