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The putrid smell of blood fills the bathroom as Jess coughs flower petal upon flower petal into the toilet. As the final petal falls they sign slumping against the toilet waiting for the next batch to come they know more will come they always do as they have for the past six months.
Had they really known Aquawoman that long? The red-haired Atlantean had come crashing into their life in the middle of a multiversal crisis. The way the water bent and obeyed her every command was truly breathtaking. Her strawberry blonde hair is a sharp contrast to the sea blue of her eyes.
Her golden suit glowed giving her an ethereal look the embers of the fires around them making her hair glow a brighter red than before. She was a goddess, wrapped in emeralds and gold. And Jess instantly fell in love. To them, it felt like an eternity when Aquawoman turned around but in all honesty, it was the equivalent of five seconds.
Jess’s throat constricts as the petals, blood, and bile climb up their throat. They lean back over the toilet, deciding not to fight it they’ve tried but every thought of Andy Aquawoman. Yes, Jess knew her name, they weren’t supposed to, and no one in the League knew anything about each other per the rules. Yet after all seven of them decided to become the new league Andy told Jess her name.
Jess remembers that day clearly. The members of the league had dispersed to contemplate their thoughts on the rules the new league will follow. Suddenly before Jess could process it (a feat all on its own) Jess was pulled into a dimly lit corridor, in front of them is Aquawoman. There was dirt on the corner of her cheek, her face is still flushed from the battle, rips were scattered across her suit, and there was one near her abs that Jess' eyes were immediately drawn to, but after realizing they were staring Jess looks away, berating themself mentally, although that rip confirmed their suspicion that Aquawoman was much stronger than she was letting on and could probably lift Jess as if they weighed nothing.
“…My name is Andy Curry.” And wow her voice didn't even get Jess started on Aquawoman’s voice it sounded like the sea itself, calm and sweet like the waves on a sunny day when she was happy but in battle as rough and rocky as the sea in a storm waves breaking into each other.
“Wait? What? Why are you telling me this? Youshouldn'thavetloldmethisyourbreakingtheruleswhyareyoubreakingherules."Jess questions voice speeding incomprehensibly fast.
¨Flash slow down." Andy grabs their upper arms, looking them in the eyes, brown meets blue, Jess sees the entire ocean in Andy's eyes, a blinding blue, no not ocean the ocean is too dull to match Andy's; no color on earth matches the beauty and majesty in Andy's eyes.
"Sorry Sorry."Jess let out an airy laugh, "Why did you tell me this? Why Are you breaking the rules? You know the rules you help put in place less than how much time has passed minute three, ago!?"
Andy rolls her eyes and shakes her head her slightly curly hair falling infront of her left eye. “My family isn’t very secretive about their civilian identities, you were going to learn one way or another.” She smiles before shoving Jess back into the wall with a punch “don't tell anyone."
That night Jess coughed up their first flower, a purple lilac. And since that day Jess would cough up flowers day after day, every time they thought of how much they love Andy. after the second day Jess went to the internet to figure out the heck was happening to them, a quick search told them it’s a rare disease called ‘hanahaki’ that appeared when a person feel in love and caused FLowers to grow in their lungs.
Because this disease didn’t exist on Jess’s earth they drowned themself in research and learn there are three solutions;
- To tell the one you love, you love them and hope they kiss you
That was immediately tossed out they weren’t supposed to know anything about each other
2. Go through surgery to get the flowers removed, and be never able to fall in love again
Again tossed out Jess couldn’t bear the thought of a world without loving Andy
3. Die let the flowers consume you and die.
So Jess resigned themself to their fate. By their estimation, it’d be two months or so until they died. they know it’s selfish to die for love, especially as a hero. But they know their legacy will be picked up by Irey or Jai, those two kids were better fits for the flash mantle anyways.
As the last gladiolus petal falls from their mouth, they admit to themself that although they are in pain at least Andy isn’t dealing with the same thing, they couldn’t imagine the princess in such pain.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of miles away in a little lighthouse in Maine Princess Andrina Curry stares at the camellia petals in the blood-red toilet bowl.
There’s a soft knock on the door, Andy looks up to see her older brother. “Hey.”
“Hey Andy, I brought you some Advil, thought it could help the pain.” He holds the bottle out for her to grab, she opens the bottle grabbing two pills and swallowing them quickly having taken them for the past six months now she’s used to taking them.
Six amazing months since she met the gorgeous Jess Chambers aka ‘the flash.’ She remembers it clearly it was the middle of an invasion and Jess was busy taking the multiversal threats when suddenly one tried to attack them. Apparently Flash didn’t notice, luckily for them, the villain was a few feet away from Andy. Andy doesn’t remember what happened exactly one second Andy was taking down her own foe the next the guy trying to attack the flash was on the ground Andy’s cheek stung with dirt in a brand new wound, and water surrounded her flowing in the air.
“Woah.” The flash’s voice comes behind her she turns around. And Poseidon strike her down, she was met with the most magnificent chocolate brown eyes, as well as wavy ombre hair that made andy’s breath catch.
“Hehe thanks for helping me I’ll repay you- HEY LOOK OUT!” Andy whipped around seeing a gun to pointed at her. A flash of lighting later the guy is on the ground, the flash in his place a goofy smile planted on their lips. “Looks like I really knocked him off his feet.” they chuckled adorably before groaning at their own joke “That wasn’t even witty.”
Andy chuckled slightly “At least you tried…That has to count for something?”
The Flash laughs and wow are the angels singing? The flash’s laugh whether it's a pity laugh or not it’s beautiful like someone opening the heavens. For some reason, Andy wants to hear that laugh every day of her life.
A crash draws both of their attention away. "I'm going to check on that, I'm Jess they/them by the way!" and in a blink of an eye, they’re gone. They seemed to move faster than the other flashes as if Mercury himself blessed them.
"I'm…Andy." she sighs dreamily, before whipping around and punching the foe behind her.
Andy coughed up a wad of blood and a yellow tulip petal that night. It was an interesting night at the royal palace.
Four months later Andy, still hasn't told her parent about the speedster from the heavens. But her parents haven't been back from the confluence since she and Jackson returned. Her brothers have helped her these past few months listening to her lovestruck ranting.
The league had dispersed to think over the rules they had decided before coming to a consensus. Andy waits until her fellow heroes disappear from earshot before grabbing Jess and yanking them into a dimly lit corridor, there are cuts all across their suit, the worse being across their calves, showing that all the running does pay off. Andy swears she's seen a calf like that only on princes in Disney movies. Thinking about it Jess shares a lot of qualities with a Disney prince of chivalry, whenever they help out Andy, as well as follows a strict moral code of “everyone can change, you just have to help them too” a sediment Batman shares. Kindness, after every battle Jess was the first to go to the civilians and comfort them, especially small children.
Andy wonders If Jess would want children…she personally wouldn’t be against the idea.
She’s losing focus, “Jess, We’ve known each other for a few months now, and well I already know your name and I don't think it’s fair you don’t know mine…” Andy looks up to see Jess blushing badly, wow they look really pretty Andy wishes they’d blush like that because of her. She takes a deep breath calming her nerves, “...my name is Andy Curry.”
Jess’ face snaps to look at Andy's eyes widening. “Wait? What? Why are you telling me this? Youshouldn'thavetloldmethisyourbreakingtheruleswhyareyoubreakingherules."Jess questions voice speeding incomprehensibly fast. Andy loves when they talk fast because it typically is something they love
“Flash slow down.” Andy grabs their forearms…wow, they are strong, Andy wouldn’t be surprised if jess would be able to pick her up with one arm, maybe carry her bridal style… maybe even pin her to a wall, and- THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT ROAD OF THOUGHTS!!!!! She came here to tell Jess her name not fantasize about them kissing her. Autumn's brown eyes meet blue. Andy swears she could see fall leaves through their eyes.
“Sorry sorry.” They laugh, and Andy swears nothing will sound as sweet as their laugh, it's as if the air fills with cotton candy. “Why did you tell me this? Why Are you breaking the rules? You know the rules you help put in place less than how much time has passed minute three, ago!?"
Because I can’t live knowing your name and you not knowing mine, and maybe if you knew my name you’ll fall for me just as much as I fell for you. Andy just rolls her eyes “My family isn’t very secretive about their civilian identities, you were going to learn one way or another.”
A lie she knew it but Jess didn’t and Andy wish they did. Andy Looks at their confused and flustered face and smiles they look really cute like that. Andy is hit with how close they are when they feel Jess’ breath against her lips, those look really soft. Panicking she lightly punches Jess into the wall. “Don't tell anyone."
And with that she walks away feeling flowers tickling her throat, she races to the restroom to cough up the hundreds of red carnations. But it was worth it, the most beautiful person in the world knows her name she repaid them for telling her their name even if they don’t remember. Goodness Andy wants to kiss them.
“Thinking about them?” her brother asks pulling her from her flashbacks.
“What do you think.” Andy rolls her eyes, coughing up more flowers.
Jackson chuckles, grabbing a hairband from the counter. “You know you don’t have to get the surgery.” He gently pulls back her hair, tying it into a low ponytail.
Andy laughs “Yes I do, I’m the heir to Atlantis. Having a month or less to live isn’t good. As much as you and Garth are just as worthy to take the throne, the people just expect me to. Even if they don’t respect me as much.”
“A shame really, you're a better leader than either of us.”
“Ok, now you’re just flattering me.” She laughs as Jackson starts to braid her hair just like when she was a kid. They fall into a content silence for a bit, Andy missed this while on the island, missed the quiet moments, Missed her brother braiding her hair, Missed the way Jackson Would cheer her up. missed Jackson, in general, he always was her favorite brother.
“I know it's not my place, but you should tell them.”
“What?” andy almost whips her head around but the hold Jackson has on her braids stops her. “Ow.”
“Sorry.”
“The rules state we can’t know anything about each other, the fact I even know Jess’ name is a problem.” She says rubbing her scalp.
“That’s my point you already know each other's name, and after the surgery, you’ll be unable to love them, what's the harm in them knowing?”He asks calmly.
‘Us getting kicked off the league.” She scoffs rolling her eyes
“You told them your name and nobody knew, and you didn’t around the league you could tell them the same way you told them your name far away from everyone.”
“I-I’ll think about it.” The logic is flawed but tempting oh so tempting.
Three days later the Injustice league decided to cause havoc in Metropolis; it was an all-leaguers need-to-help moment. The battle got done pretty quickly but a But luckily a quick battle, but a quick battle doesn’t mean a quick debrief. And Jess’ case of the love bug was acting up. Andy had saved them earlier in the battle while they were distracted by Cobalt Blue, Flood tried to attack them by Andy warned them and blocked him. And she looked amazing while doing so she was calm and collected, you wouldn’t believe the incredible power she held in the palm of her hand. Jess felt the flowers in their lungs grow.
It didn’t hurt that Jess’ hanahaki was getting worse so no matter what they’d throw up flowers. So with the meeting dragging on Jess needed to distract themself from falling asleep. Their brain decided that thinking of Andy was how they’d stay entertained. About how regal and powerful she looks when using her powers, and how beautiful and angelic her voice is when she laughs. How her hair looks incredibly soft Jess' mind wanders imagining sitting in their apartment, Andy laying across their lap and the rain pounding outside, the warm glow of the T.V. illuminating both of them but mainly Andy her hair looks like it's glowing as brightly as the day they met.
The flowers grow more reaching the top of their throat. Their mind decides to push the boundaries of imagination and in this peaceful fake future Andy turns to look at Jess, her stunning, blue eyes gaze at Jess, and her hands reach up to grab the sides of their face. Pulling their face down…And Jess can't breathe!!!
NO NO NO NOT NOW NOT DURING THE MEETING!!!! They quickly grab a Handkerchief coughing into it. Green lantern stops Her lecture but Jess can't stop coughing. Why can't they stop coughing? This isn't the first time Jess had imagined this scenario. As they keep coughing blood fills the handkerchief, and starts to bleed through.
"Someone help them!!!" Andy yells fear for her crush fills them.
Jess pulls the handkerchief away from their face getting a few words out between coughs. "I'm fine! I swear! It's just…" One more major cough later blood splatters across the corner of the table, purple asters covering a few feet of the tables. The coughing still doesn't stop. "I got to go."
"I have a lot of questions." Superman is very concerned for his teammate.
"Me too, what's going on with them."
"Hanahaki is the love disease when a person falls in love and flowers grow in their lungs.
"Aquawoman, you know the most about this. You should talk to them and make sure they won't die on us." Green lantern commands, but before she even finished Andy was out the door and half away down the Hall.
She reaches the bathroom and sits outside the stall door. Coughing echos around the room. "Flash, how are you doing?¨ Andy pauses awkwardness fills her.
"Andy?" A violent cough, cuts them off "I'm dying Andy…and there is nothing I can do, the person I'm in love with can even know. In a few weeks, I'll never hear her beautiful laugh. Or watch her powers, or hell's not like I'm special, I'm only the flash because the other disappeared, and nobody knows what happened. I'm thousand of earths from home, Robin was right I'm not cut out to be a hero."
"SHUT UP!!! Out of all of us, you are the MOST worthy to be on this team batman is here because he needs to be, superman and I are a part of the team cos our parents were heroes Yara is only here cos she saw the collapse of a hero society same with Green Lantern. You Are here because you ran across thousands of earths to save a random alternate universe that you have no connections to, you are selfless and unbelievable kind. “ Andy can't bare them talking so awful about themself, and so lovely about the person they love she hopes whoever Jess loves is happy they are sniffing out the brightest star in the galaxy!
“Besides you are not the only one dying for love." Passes her own bloodied handkerchief covered in bloodied flowers.
“You’re dying too?” Jess asks leaning their head against the stall door. The coughing has stopped but it will start up again. Sadness swells up inside their heart and it sinks deeper into their stomach. Jess also starts to silently cry that the love of their life is in love with someone else. Jess can’t blame her for not being royalty or Atlantean.
Andy Chuckles “Ya, I uh I have to get the surgery.” Tears well up in her eyes as her throat closes up “I can’t risk my kingdom.” A couple of tears slide down her face.
Jess nods holding back a sob. “Andy I...I hope the surgery goes well.” ‘No, please don’t give me a chance. ‘They want to yell but they can’t, rules are rules.
“Thanks.” There's a quiet content silenceAbfy thinks Jess is I love with someone else she’s getting the surgery maybe Jackson is right what really is the harm? Nobody is close by anyways they’re well out of Superman’s hearing range. “ Jess, I think you should know since after the surgery I’ll never be able to feel this for you again.” she pauses pushing back the lump in her throat. “ I love you. I have loved you since the day you told me your name. But I know you don’t love me…” She waits for a few seconds for Jess to respond but the typically talkative speedster is quiet, She loves them like they love her!!! This is amazing!!!!!
Andy takes the silence a different way, as rejection. Of course, Jess doesn’t love them why else would the typically talkative speedster be so quiet? She pushes herself off the ground, tears now freely flowing down her face.
Jess hears Andy’s footsteps retreat causing them to snap out of their thoughts. Wait no no no no where is she going? She loves them and they love her. She knows that rig-they forgot to say “I love you too.” Idiot! The flowers grow almost reaching their mouth by this point. They need to go to her before the next coughing fit starts.
Andy is already halfway back to the meeting, when she is suddenly in the same dimly lit corridor she told Jess her name, speaking of Jess they were incredibly close to her so close Andy can feel the rise and fall of their chest. Andy blushes violently as the flowers crawl up her throat."Wha-"
"I love you too." Jess gets out hastily, their breath against her lips. Ï love our voice when you laugh I love the color of your eyes filled with the spite and calm of the sea, I love the way you look out for others I love the way you're hair curls and flows and it looks soft so incredibly soft. I love how powerful you look controlling the entire ocean, bending it to your every whim like it is nothing. I love your smile and the way your ee crinkle, I love your voice and how it holds the kind calmness of the sea and the roughness of a typhoon. I Love you everything about you. I only realized I loved you after you told me your name, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you I love you sooner."
"I love your puns, the way you immediately go to the children after the battle and check on them, I love the way you believe everyone can change, I love how embody a Disney prince with your chivalry, I love how sweet your laugh is as if the air is filled with sugar and opened the heavens, I love how strong you look and are. I love your lips and how incredibly soft they look. I love your autumn brown eyes, I love every part about you, I meant what I said earlier I've loved you since I learned your name"As Andy spoke Jess and her's face got closer and closer until they are practically breathing the same air Jess' Aroma, surround her; Dirt, sand sweat, and a hint of asters, honestly Andy wasn't anticipating them to smell so sweet.
While to Jess, Andy smells like Saltwater, Dirt, and sweat, and surprisingly tulips. Jess looks Andy in the eye their own half-lidded. "Can I?"
Andy nods "Y-yes." Jess scans her eyes before closing the gap between their lips.
It's sweet and soft but full of passion. As they kiss they feel the veins crawl back down their throats, until they fully disappear, turning into oxygen. As the flower goes down, the kiss becomes rougher more coarse, Jess runs their hands through Andy's hair slowly the soft recently braided fiber catching on their fingertips a few times. Six months of passion pushing them forward until they need to come back up for air.
After a few seconds of catching their breaths, Jess asks "So Are my lips as soft as you thought they’d be?"
“Softer, what about my hair?” Andy smiles kindly at them.
“Incredibly soft goodness I never felt anything as soft.” Jess sighs, before leaning a bit forward “The kiss was the best part I think.”
Andy Chuckles. “Hold it right there lover, we still have a meeting to get back to.”
Jess groans “But Andy that’s not fun I’d rather stay here with you.”
“How about this after the meeting you and I hang out at the lighthouse. My Parents and Jackson are out in the confluence right now. And my brothers are with their families. We can watch a movie, have some pizza, maybe kiss more.” She pushes Jess back gently a bit.
“Wait are you asking me out on a date??” Jess’ eyes widen they feel their face heat up causing a slight blush.
“Yes isn’t that what you do when you date somebody?” Andy asks raising an eyebrow before a slight amount of fear strikes her. “We are dating now right?”
“Yes! Yes! Uh I mean I wanted to ask that but I didn’t know if you wanted to be called my girlfriend.” they look down messing with their hands.
“I’d love to be called your girlfriend if you want to be called my partner.”She smiles at Jess and they swear they are about to faint maybe they still haven’t caught her breath.
“I’d be overjoyed to.” They smile bouncing on the balls of their heels.
“Great!” Andy gives them a quick kiss. “Now we better get back to the meeting before our teammates get suspicious.”
“Fair enough. Just one question when did you learn my name?”
Andy smiles already walking back. “When we first meet.”