Halloween Hanahaki

While working in Halloween City for the season, Roman took the opportunity hang displays of bloody flower petals on the walls and place them on the shelves for decoration instead of profit. Roman's co-workers and boss praised him for the creativity, but they didn't know about the depth within his displays. The displays told a story of a man who was suffering, a man who had a co-worker that everyone tried to get him to date without knowing he's not straight, a man who longed for a local high school teacher who would only see him as an idiot, a man who had to pretend that he hated said teacher in order to live long enough to see another work day while also suffer enough to spit out another batch of bloody flower petals for his displays.

Roman was glad that he had make-up in his possession, otherwise there was no way he could hide how he had become. Whenever he felt the need to vomit, he would claim that he had to make more displays before going to the back room (occasionally running past the female shelf stocker with the obvious crush on him) and feel relieved that the door was soundproof before upchucking more flower petals that were both bloody and not bloody. He would laminate his petals and sanitize the creations before leaving the back room as a way of proving he wasn't lying.

In the afternoons, he would be at the register as a familiar sophisticated man entered the store. He remembered the man as Logan Patrick from their last year of college. They were at the college for different fields and butted heads in certain topics. It didn't bother Roman at the time that Logan clearly didn't like him, but he eventually grew to find the nerd's smarts and dedication endearing and admitted to himself that Logan was pretty good looking. They passed each other every now and then since it was a small town, but he knew in his gut that he wouldn't be Logan's type if he had a type. There would be times where Roman would succeed in making small talk with Logan. They would talk about their plans and the people around them and, though Logan no longer seemed to express hatred towards the thespian, he didn't bring up the idea of them meeting up somewhere together, so Roman didn't exactly have high hopes.

One day, Roman was taking inventory of the costumes and decorations being sold and accidentally bumped into the co-worker with a crush on him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Julia. I didn't see you there," Roman apologized.

"Actually, I meant to talk to you about something?" she responded.

"What do you need to talk about?"

"Well, we seem to work well together, we are both creative, we both like Disney and the arts... so what do I have to do to get you to go out with me? Everything else I say or do apparently never worked!"

Roman was taken aback due to the sudden response. Before he could say anything, he gripped onto his stomach and started to puke petals and blood. All Julia could think to shout was, "Hey, boss, check out his method acting for the season!" As the boss and several other co-workers came by to see what was going on, Logan entered and looked around for a little while. He found it odd that Roman wasn't at the register. He heard compliments for some "acting" in the distance before he heard coughing. After several seconds, someone finally said "He's not acting! This is actual Hanahaki!"

Logan ran towards the employees and shoved some of them to find Roman on his knees clinging to his stomach and puking bloody petals. The poor thespian was shaking like a leaf and Logan heard a female voice mutter "He could've just said no" as he was crouching with Roman.

"L-Logan? What are you doing here?"

"I didn't see you at the register and I heard a bunch of commotion."

"I'm glad to see you one more time."

"Please don't say that. I just wish I spoke up before you suffered."

Logan looked down while feeling ashamed for not being bold sooner. They both knew that it would be too late to get Roman to the hospital for surgery.

"I might never get another chance, so may I do something before... I never see you again?" Logan asked.

Roman nodded since he felt too weak to speak. Logan looked at Roman with tears fogging his glasses. He placed his lips on Roman's bloodstained lips and pretended that he was whom he thought Roman was pining over. Roman kissed back as a reflex and as if he was dreaming and, by the time they pulled away, the thespian no longer felt his insides clogged with flowers. Everyone else took notice of Roman's reaction and, while Logan looked shocked, everyone else backed away from the scene.

"You... you're interested in me?" Roman asked with bewilderment.

"Yeah, you were evidently passionate and creative and, though you had very chimerical ideas, you're certainly determined on making the world brighter as a Renaissance man."

"Well, why didn't you bring this up sooner?"

"I figured you still despised me after college, so I tried all I could to deny my interest in you. I even claimed to myself that I was only in the store to pick up decorations for my apartment and classroom rather than coming in the store to see you."

Logan stood up and helped Roman to his feet. They walked to the cash register while still holding hands and Logan finally brought his attention to the decorative display on the counter.

"They're sanitized, don't worry. So, um, how about we officially call a truce to this rivalry from college?" Roman remarked.

"When it comes to pick-up lines, I might be as smooth as chunky peanut butter, but I'm sure we can settle a truce via a walk through the town's greenhouse this weekend," Logan answered.

"I would like that," Roman answered truthfully.

Roman typed a few things on the register and printed out a receipt. Logan looked at the receipt handed to him and chuckled when he saw Roman's phone number for free. Logan left the store after typing the number in his phone and Roman felt a weight off his shoulders knowing that Logan didn't hate him.