I have some explaining to do.

Okay, this was a request from Gremmllin! Thank you for the request. Thing is, I'm SO SORRY this took me OVER A WEEK! I completely forgot about it until like yesterday ahaha. That being said, this was so much fun to write, and I'm actually really proud of the end result!

They also said that I could do it for whoever I wanted... so I chose Scarian, because Grian is shipped with like everyone so it works.

I headcannon that the more time you spend with the person you are sick for, the quicker you die.

Also, I know this is my THIRD hanahaki but I'm honestly not complaining I really like these haha

Setting is the Hermitcraft server.

Warnings are blood, vomiting, and OMEGA obliviousness. 

WC: ~1830 (almost beats my longest one!)

Enjoy!

Grian smiled as he detailed his mansion. Something about the process was oddly calming. The location, the clink of the lanterns, the way something plain and ugly could become beautiful in just a little bit of time.

The builder turned around to glance at his gorgeous jungle home. The epic tree made by Iskall. The crazy-looking... thing... made by Mumbo. The dangerously pretty landscape Stress had created. The magic village made by Scar.

Scar.

Another small smile came to Grian's lips as he thought about his fellow builder. Talent that Grian looked up to. Scar was a great architect, and an even better friend. Grian rubbed his throat, which was oddly itching at the thought. Grian coughed, the itch in his throat refusing to leave.

And then, he saw something that he thought he'd never see.

Lilac petals.

Coming out of his mouth.

WHAT?

Frustration raced through him as he snatched the soft lilac petal from the air. This didn't make sense. How could he have hanahaki?

I don't like anyone...

I need help.

Scar?

Grian smiled despite this new development. He could get help. Scar wouldn't mind, and he was a wizard. Wizards knew this kind of... stuff. And working with Scar would be fun. 

Even when it was life or death like this. 

Grian launched a firework rocket in the direction of Scar's village, gliding in the air. Pain was already starting to constrict in his throat and chest. Grian violently coughed again, wincing at the petals. Swooping down, Grian landed on top of Larry and scanned the area for his wizard-y friend.

"Hey G!" Grian grinned at the voice. Turning around, he saw none other than GoodTimesWithScar.

"Hiya Scar!" Grian called out, flinching at the cracks in his voice. Already?? Thanks, universe. 

"Need somethin-" Scar was cut off by another hacking cough from Grian. Horror painted itself onto Scar's face as the wizard was hit by realization. "Wha- who is it??" Grian gave a crackly sigh.

"I don't know," Grian's response had Scar arching his eyebrows. 

"What do you mean you don't know?" The panic in Scar's voice was coated in skepticism, and he went to sit next to Grian. The Brit sighed and drew his knees close to his chest. 

"I don't like anyone!" he burst out. "Why do I have it?" 

"You must like someone," Scar muttered. "Mumbo? Iskall? Doc? Tango? Ren? Etho?"

"Nope," Grian grumbled. "None of the above." Scar couldn't help but giggle, and Grian gave him a half-smile back.

"Maybe you do like one of them, just... aren't aware of it?" Scar suggested. Grian pressed his lips together, trying to think. 

Mumbo... he's a great person and friend. He's a bit of a spoon and is also some kind of magician.

Iskall... also a great friend. He laughs a lot. He also says 'omega' and 'of doom' a lot, but it's not annoying or anything, just interesting.

Uh...

Hm.

"I don't wanna die," Grian mumbled, burying his face in his knees. "And yet, here I am." Grian saw out of the corner of his eye Scar hesitate for a moment, then carefully pull the sick builder into an awkward hug. 

"You won't die," Scar promised. "We can fix this. All we need to do is figure out who you're sick for, then check if they like you back. If all fails, then you can take that emotion-killing potion-"

"No," Grian snapped, grabbing Scar's robe in his fists. "I am not taking that." Scar frowned.

"G, you're going to have to promise me," the wizard murmured. "If we can't figure this  out, you have to take that potion." Grian's grip on Scar tightened.

"I... I can't promise that," he replied, his voice strained. "I won't do it. I'm not sacrificing my emotions."

"We can't lose you," Scar whispered. "Come on, Grian." Grian pressed his lips together into a tight line.

Scar's my friend.

I don't want to cause him any pain...

Arrrrrrrrgh, fine.

"Okay," Grian agreed reluctantly. "Only if all else fails."

Scar's genuine smile was worth it.

All they had to do was beat the clock.

Scar felt sick. He wasn't actually sick, but he certainly felt sick. He had asked Grian to try and journal his thoughts, as that would help reveal raw emotion. Grian had agreed and flown off with a book and quill; gifted from Scar. But the idea of Grian having hanahaki... it sent shudders up Scar's spine. They had diagnosed him with it two weeks ago, and both had been working to stop it since.

Scar really liked Grian. A great person, builder, and friend. He, frankly, didn't want Grian to die. Simple as that. He was just a worried friend. A very worried friend. 

Who could Grian like? Scar asked himself, the words in the spellbook he was flipping through going unnoticed. I bet it's Mumbo. Maybe I could- his thoughts were cut off by a sudden realization. 

Scar gripped his spellbook and flipped back a few pages, and his eyes widened as he read the page he had glanced at.

'Truth spell'

A small smile crept onto Scar's face as he continued reading. This could be exactly what we need! the wizard thought. If I enchant Grian, then ask who he likes, he can't lie! Not to me or himself! This is perfect-

Scar's growing excitement sunk like a stone as he read the next bit.

The spell incantation and requirements.

All in another language. 

Scud.

Grian sighed, dipping his quill into ink. He had filled up most of the journal with his thoughts on his close friends. Scar had advised the tactic, although Grian personally found it creepy. Anything to get better.

It was supposed to show who he had the most positive opinion of, therefore who he might be in love with. Problem was, Grian didn't have a grudge against anyone. They were all just... his friends. Great people. Fellow Hermits. Nothing more. 

So why was he sick?

Grian gave a strained sigh as he grabbed a nearby bucket. The builder threw up in it, not caring too much for the petals and blood inside. He wasn't sure why it was going so fast, but it meant that they only had so much time. 

<GoodTimesWithScar> Hey G, can you come over real quick?

Grian smiled at the message, then tapped in a reply.

<Grian> Of course! Be right there!

A minute or so later, Grian landed right in front of Larry. Climbing up the ladder, he hopped into the snail (there was no door) to see Scar reading a book, facing away from him.

"Scar?" Grian asked. The wizard turned his head, a small smile upon his face.

"There's good news and bad news," Scar explained. "I would ask which you wanted to hear first, but the bad news doesn't make sense without the good news for context. So you get to hear the good news first." Grian laughed and sat down beside Scar. Something about his presence made Grian loosen up and become comfortable.

"Okay, what's the good news?" he asked, noting Scar's spellbook but not looking closer.

"I have an idea on how to cure you," Scar seemed to be choosing each word carefully. "It's a truth spell. If I enchant you and then ask you who you like, you can't lie to me or yourself. The bad news is that I have no idea how to cast the spell, as the details are in another language." Grian raised an eyebrow.

"What language?" he asked.

"I've never seen it before," Scar admitted, pushing the book towards Grian for him to read. Unfamiliar lettering covered the page, leaving Grian's brain frazzled and hurting. The symbols looked like nothing more than squiggly lines to him, but due to the obvious repeated patterns, they knew it was a language and not just scribbles.

"How do you plan to decode this??" Grian grumbled, shoving the book away. Scar sighed and reached across the table to take it. 

"I'm searching some other books for a key," the wizard explained. "But I figured I should tell you about this anyway." Grian nodded in agreement. 

"Before I go, would you happen to know why I'm getting sicker quicker?" he said. Scar blinked in confusion. 

"What do you mean?" Scar asked. Grian let out a cracked sigh.

"Blood. Already." Scar's eyes widened at the explanation. 

"Really?" the wizard's voice was shocked. Grian nodded again, surprised to find himself holding back tears. 

"Why is it going so fast?" Grian cursed his voice for cracking in a way that he couldn't blame on the thorns in his throat. Scar pressed his lips together.

"I don't know..." he mumbled. "But we have even less time than I thought." Grian buried his face in his hands.

"Epic," 

Grian knelt down by the bucket, tears blurring his vision. The scent of his own blood in the air was becoming more overwhelming each day. Grian was sick of blood. Of petals. Of tears. Of pain.

He was sick of this Watcher-forsaken disease. 

Grian rubbed his neck, then did a double-take. He fingered the skin, his eyes widening with realization. 

A flower bud.

Grian wanted to scream. It had only been two months, why was everything coming so fast? All he had been doing was journaling, working with Scar, building-

Is that it?

Is it all speeding up because I'm overworking myself?

I don't feel overworked...

And I don't think that's how it works...

Grian sighed, fighting back tears, and mad the journey that he had made far too many times recently.

To Scar's magic village. 

Grian landed just outside the village. He had to land. The pain was flaring up, a roaring wildfire inside of him. He threw up in the soil, then hear footsteps behind him.

"Grian! Oh stars, G..." Scar's voice was painted with panic. Warm arms wrapped around Grian, who was crying at that point. Soft fingers traced the flower on his neck, but Scar didn't comment about it.

"You're going to be okay," Scar promised, pulling the builder close. Grian looked up into Scar's emerald-green eyes, then realized.

Scar.

It was Scar.

The worry on his pretty face, the way he stuck with Grian throughout the entire thing, the beauty of his builds, the beauty of him- it all suddenly clicked for Grian. 

He was in love with Scar.

"S-Scar, I know who I like," Grian whispered. Scar's grip on him tightened, and he held Grian close enough for his heart to go wild. Why didn't I notice this before?

"Who?" Scar asked. Grian gave him a small smile.

"You,"

And all of a sudden, Scar's lips were against his and Grian was kissing Scar and his brain and heart melted into a puddle of joy. When they pulled away, all the pain in Grian's throat and chest was gone. The flower on his neck seemed to retreat, leaving nothing but a small mark. A scar. Grian smiled, then buried his face into Scar's chest. 

"I love you,"

YAY! WOO! HAPPY ENDING! WOOOOO! That was just Grian and Scar being oblivious for over 1800 words but WHATEVER.

-Storm