Goner | DaiSuga

2

The next few weeks go by as they usually do, minus Daichi's new habit of spacing out all the time. So far, he's only been able to think of a few people who could be causing his sickness even though he racks his brain all day:

1. Sugawara. He's kind, they spend a moderate amount of time together (but by Daichi's standards, it's a lot), and he makes tasty chicken soup. He works as an elementary school teacher, which Daichi finds admirable.

2. Kuroo. He's sort of annoying, doesn't take anything seriously, and always begs for cash, but they're also together almost every day and Kuroo can know what he's doing. Sometimes.

3. Tanaka who works at the local Home Depot. He's only on the list because he's had this weird crush on Daichi for so long. He once elbowed Daichi in the face because he lunged to grab a box of lightbulbs for Daichi and left a giant bruise. Daichi didn't get mad, so it's a start.

There are a few others on the list, but he realizes he's only let a few people past his careful guard and those outside of it would probably be at the very bottom.

The trips to the bathroom are getting more frequent, too. He's hacking up clumps of petals now, the blood is getting thicker, and it's a little harder to breathe. It's all a race. He finds it difficult to keep up, and the physical symptoms are dragging him lower and lower.

He wishes it would just disappear.

"Chief." Kuroo taps Daichi on the shoulder. Daichi turns around in his chair. "The military has been sent in by the government to aid nearby units."

Daichi is barely paying attention to the words leaving his coworker's mouth. He's studying Kuroo intently. Kuroo is kind of attractive, in a rogue-ish, wild way, but he has flakes of dandruff very visible in his bed-head and his breath smells strangely of cat food—no, definitely not.

On his way home, he stops at the hardware store. Just to see something. As expected, someone else's hand snatches the canister of red paint from the shelf before he can.

"Can't leave an honored customer waiting," Tanaka says.

"Ha ha," Daichi forces out a chuckle. "Hey, what happened to your finger?"

"Wasn't paying attention in the warehouse and dropped a heavy box on my hand." Tanaka laughs sheepishly, fiddling with his name tag.

"Mistakes happen," Daichi assures him. But it's the fifth time he's come in while Tanaka's sustaining an injury as a result of negligence at work. He most definitely finds those type of people unattractive.

Lastly, he arrives at home, and for once, he sits with Suga at dinner. His roommate made his own food again, and Daichi accepts it without hesitation.

"Sorry, I sort of burnt the chicken," Suga says. He's right. It tastes like charred wood and leaves a foul taste on Daichi's tongue. But when Suga leans over so he's close enough for Daichi to smell his fruity shampoo and apologizes profusely for the bad meal, he doesn't find himself bothered at all, and oh, there's a familiar constricting feeling lurching in his chest and he can feel his throat closing up.

"Excuse me," Daichi mumbles weakly and rushes to the bathroom.

He can't stop coughing. It's coming in strong bouts now, bright blood staining the tiles and petals flying everywhere.

Yes, he finds himself thinking, he's going to have to face the music soon.