Hosie Stories

Story 10 - "A Love That Consumes You"

Based: After 2x16
A story about the Hanahaki Disease used in fiction. Google it if you want conext, but it should be obvious when you read.
Posted this on AO3 first. I used different punctuation/lines to help separate certain parts of the story, and it should help make everything clearer.
Hope you enjoy :)

Josie is stumbling towards the Old Mill, clutching the envelopes in her hand. Her other hand is fiddling with her talisman, a painful reminder of what is happening. She feels it, right in her core. She feels the painful throbbing in her throat, the sharp pain that courses throughout her body. She feels it as another purple petal violently hurls itself out of her throat. Speckles of her own blood cover it, and she curses such a beautiful flower for causing her so much pain. The brunette can feel more climbing their way up her esophagus, laying their roots in her lungs. It hurts, it burns, and she can't breathe. Josie can't fucking breathe. Her lungs are filled and she just wants it to stop. Thankfully tonight, it will.

The girl makes it into the Mill, edging her way over to the couch in the middle of the room. It's peaceful and quiet, a complete contrast to the normal energy that you find in this place. And she finds herself grateful that for once, there is nobody else around. She doesn't want anyone to see her like this. She especially doesn't want her friends or her family to have to sit back and watch as the life is drained from her, as she takes her final breath on this earth. Josie doesn't want them to feel useless, not being able to help her escape this well-known disease.

As she collapses to the ground in pain, she remembers so many things. So many memories in the school, and here, in the Old Mill. So many late nights watching movies, or enjoying parties. That's how it all began for her. Funnily enough, her very first symptom happened right here, during a small, simple party the wolves were throwing after a full moon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josie was hesitant to go, but unfortunately, Lizzie had dragged her. The blonde twin had even picked out their outfits. None of it changed how Josie felt. Who could blame her? The whole school (except maybe the Super Squad) hated even hearing her name. Some of them still shook in fear, unable to forget everything she had done when the dark magic controlled her every thought. The only reason she was rid of it was because of Hope. Said girl is who Josie's heart belonged to, to who it had always belonged and would belong to for the rest of her life. Sure, there had been a few obstacles in her path to realization, such as Penelope, Hope being forgotten, her brief relationship with Landon, but she got there in the end. And it was a painful realization because she knew she was destined to a future with unrequited love. Three words that hovered over Josie. I love her; three words that felt like a curse because she knew she'd never be able to give them a voice.

Nevertheless, it was impossible to deny that she was totally and well, hopelessly in love with the tribrid. Her best friend. Her best friend was the only ever thing on Josie's mind. She tried to drown out her thoughts with alcohol, lots of it. She danced with Lizzie and MG and watched as he pined after her sister. Josie briefly wondered if he was met with the same ache she felt regarding Hope whenever he was ignored or rejected by Lizzie. It was one of many things that they had in common, both of them in love with people who didn't feel the same.

She chugged down her beer, welcoming the bitter taste. It proved to be somewhat of a distraction, but that all went out the window as Hope walked into the Old Mill. Right by her side, was Landon. They were arm in arm, and suddenly Josie felt sick. The bitter taste was no longer due to the alcohol, but due to the sight of the happy couple. She watched them make their way to the dance floor and watched as Hope's lips formed the brightest smile she had ever seen. Josie's heart clenched as Landon's hands fell to Hope's waist, and it stopped beating altogether when the couple kissed. Josie hated this feeling, this jealousy that pooled in her stomach, she hated how much she wished to be the one holding the young Mikaelson.