Diluc - Hanahaki

A single petal

Hanahaki Disease
The Hanahaki Disease is an illness born from unrequited love, where the patient's throat will fill up with flower, they will then proceed to throw, and cough up the petals, (sometimes even the flowers). One of the only ways for the disease to 'disappear' is if, the said person returns the feeling (it can't be resolved with friendship, it has to be genuine feelings of love). The infection can also be removed through surgery, though the feelings disappear along with the petals. If they choose nether options, or the feeling is not returned in time, then the patient's lungs will fill up with flowers, and will eventually suffocate.
There is no specific flower for the disease, but it'll either be the crushes favourite type of flower, or their favourite colour. We can only hope for the patients, and pray that the crushes favourite flower isn't a type of rose.

You don't quite know when it started.

Ever since you were little you had heard the urban legends of the hanahaki disease.

You had always thought they were just stories told by kids to spook each other.

It wasn't real right?

It was just another story like cooties. Simply the spooky stories of the children of Mondstat the Hanahaki wasn't real.

At least that is what you had tried to tell yourself when you coughed up a lamp grass petal.

~

"Ah Y/N you're here a bit early." Charles said warmly but surprised as you walked in to the tavern an hour before you were required to be there.

This morning you had accepted a commission from the adventure's guild that had often appeared since the first day of you being an adventurer.

The commission was to fill in the position of a bartender when the angels share was understaffed.

You had taken this commission so many times that you were now close with Charles and the regular patrons of the tavern including a certain flirtatious blue knight who you often had to help throw out at the end of the day.

You'd known the owner of the place before you took the commissions.

Diluc Raginvindr....

What an endearing man. You had met about a year and a half ago when you joined the adventures guild.
It was your first commission ever and you decided to destroy a hilichurl camp to start off.

Unfortunately on the way back from obliterating the camp you ran into an abyss mage.

You did not have a vision and your weapon alone was not enough to break its shield.

It attacked and you were knocked backwards crashing into a rock.

You were scrambling to avoid the cryo shards that were being pelted at you but still got scratched by some of them.

The abyss mage was about to strike again but it was soon on the ground about to be showered in flames by the darknight hero himself.

Then you saw a commission pop up for helping out at the Angles Share.

You took it every time until you were basically working there.

You enjoyed all of your visits there weather they were for work or a nice chat with Charles or if you were really lucky Diluc.

You had become very close to the man and he would always make sure either himself or Charles made sure none of the customers would give you any trouble.

"Yeah I figured it would be a little busy since the windblume festival is in full swing." You said coming back down to teyvat.

You stood behind the bar with Charles and began to make the orders and Mr Eyepatch walked in the door.

"Ah, Kaeya, early drink today?" Charles asked.

"Well, it's the perfect time especially during this season, one death after noon please." You began to prep his drink.

Your break would be soon so your put some apple cider to the side before handing Kaeya his drink.

The oak door of the tavern creaked open sending a slightly humid breeze your way.

Your body temperature shot up but you weren't sure if it was because of the summer air or the fact that Diluc had smiled when he saw you behind the bar.

"Ah Y/N is here as well it will be nice to have another pair of hands." Unbeknownst to you your presence had made the top of Diluc's ears go pink like they always did no matter how many times he'd seen you.

You sat down for your break opposite Diluc who had tied up his hair neatly and he gently slid your cider across the counter into your hands.

"Hmmm... brother I've never seen you be so gentle with someone who wanted alcohol, will there be a Mrs Raginvindr?" Kaeya said.

Thank Barbatos that your beer mug covered your entire mouth because you had spat your mouthful out and began coughing and spluttering as you attempted to compose yourself.

Diluc's face matched his hair and he had almost dropped Kaeya's next drink.

You glanced at your backwashed apple cider and settled in the centre was a.....

Lamp grass petal....

It must have just been on you, right?
It was the Windblume festival after all, there were flowers hanging everywhere it must have just fell onto your head and then slipped in your drink.

Coughing up a flower? That wouldn't happen.

Or could it?