Pokeluv101

Tim ran to the field of wild cornflowers a few feet from them. They had discovered the flower patch when they were teenagers exploring the countryside. Gotham was made of towering skyscrapers so Tim found the simple flowerfield charming. He used to pick a few each time he visited Kon so he could take them home as souvenirs. He didn’t have a reason to visit since he left for space.

Once he was close enough to see the flowers in detail, his heart sank. He dropped to his knees in front of the flowerbed and touched a tightly closed bud. The cornflowers hadn’t bloomed yet. He knew there was a chance of this scenario. It was the early days of February and snow was still melting on the ground. In spite of logic, he found himself disappointed. He bought roses and lilies from a flower shop but he had his heart set on picking the cornflowers in Smallville.

Cornflowers were special to him. The day they first came across the field, Tim realized that he was in love with his best friend.

He carefully cupped his hand around a flower bud and imagined it in full bloom. Their deep blue hue was the same as the eyes he could get lost in. The petal’s unique shape created the illusion of a starburst in its center. They grew taller than most flowers and could easily reach his waist, their soft texture brushing his hand as he walked by them. Above all, Tim had read that cornflowers symbolized devotion and a hope for love. Holding a bouquet of cornflowers was the closest thing to holding Kon’s hand that he could have.

Tim told himself that he would confess to Kon with the cornflowers. He had been agonizing over the plan since he returned to Earth. Perhaps, the unbloomed buds were a sign that he shouldn’t. His heart tightened painfully in his chest. He always knew that there was the risk that Kon would reject him. Why would Kon love someone ordinary like him? He never showed an interest in the decade that they’ve known each other. What if his time in space made their friendship more distant— and any chance of love even further?

“They’re not fully grown yet? Valentines is still two weeks away so you can come back and try again.” Kon noticed Tim’s downcast expression and tried to comfort him. Tim smiled back weakly, knowing that Kon could never know where his feelings were truly rooted. “You can visit the farm any time that you want. I’m going to be staying for a while.”

“It’s nice to have you back. I’ve missed you.” He confessed. At least, that was the closest to a confession he could manage. Tim closed his eyes and his body naturally leaned towards Kon. He rested his head on his strong shoulder like he would when they were younger. Between his jacket and Kon’s bodyheat, Tim was protected from the February chill. “Let’s try again next week. If that fails, the batcave has a conservatory that can preserve plants. Maybe I can take a few back to speed up the cultivation process.”

“Of course you bats have something like that. Next, you’ll tell me that Batman has a simulation machine where you can copy crime scenes and help you solve them.” Kon chuckled at his own joke.

Tim continued to keep his eyes closed even as he shifted. He didn’t need to see him for his lips to find Kon’s ear. “It’s behind the giant penny. Don’t tell Batman that I’m the one who revealed it to you.”

Kon threw his head back and let out a deep laugh. It was only then that Tim opened his eyes so he could see his smile. Warmth and happiness stirred in his heart at the sight. Another emotion underlined those emotions: longing. He thought he outgrew the pining and uncertainty that he felt as a teenager but all those old feelings returned with Kon.

“Oh, there’s a cornflower here that you can use.” Kon waited for Tim to stop leaning on him before he plucked the single fully bloomed flower. He had a proud smile on his lips as he held it out to him. To his surprise, Kon slipped the cornflower behind Tim’s ear. He used the long stem to secure it in place by gently twirling his hair around it with his telekinesis. “I’m sure there’s more. Let’s look!”

Before Tim could answer, Kon had flown off and searched through the field for another open bud. He didn’t follow him, taking a moment to calm his racing heart. He touched the flower in his hair. The petals were small and that was likely why it bloomed earlier than the others. Perhaps it was his imagination but it felt warm against his fingertips. Would Kon’s lips feel as soft and warm as the petals?

An irritating sensation suddenly scratched at his lungs. He made a dry cough to clear the bile blocking his throat. Tim was confused by how the cough wrecked his body more than a usual cold would. He covered his mouth to try to contain the loud cough. There was still a strange burning that made his chest feel hollow as it expanded.

Tim slowly lowered his hand from his mouth and his heart stopped. A blue petal laid in his palm. He instinctively knew that it wasn’t from the flower in his hair or the field around him even though it was a cornflower petal. It had been from his heart. His mind began to race but he couldn’t linger on the implication for long. Kon called his name and raced back to his side.

“Tim, are you okay?” Kon stood next to him and gently patted his back.

He subtly dropped the petal to the ground to be lost among the cornflowers. He didn’t want Kon to see it. Tim smiled at Kon to ease any concern he could have. “I’m sorry. This cold is worse than I thought. We should go back.”

“Are you sure that’s all?” Kon asked, his voice filled with concern. He didn’t appear satisfied when Tim shook his head, as though he could see the truth. He slipped his arms under his body and carefully lifted him into his arms. “Do you want me to take you back to my place or Gotham?”

“Ma’s soup sounds great now.”

Hanahaki. The word stared back at Tim. He knew the diagnosis from the first moment that he coughed up a petal. He hadn’t been able to sleep since that day and he would spend his nights researching the disease.

Hanahaki was rare but well known due to its unique origin. When someone fell in love, the feelings would become a seed in their core. The seeds were usually harmless if properly loved where they could grow safely. On the other hand, if the love was neglected by the person suppressing their own feelings, it could grow into their lungs and become hanahaki. Most cases were temporary where the person would move on from unrequited love or confess to the person.

It was rare for someone to silently hold onto a love long enough for the flowers to reach their lungs. Tim believed that he had let go of Kon years ago. However, seeing him again, he realized that there had always been a part of him that held onto hope that they could be together. The rush of those feelings returning when he saw Kon again caused his hanahaki to blossom in a flurry.

Tim had desperately searched for ways to cure his hanahaki or rid himself of the flowers in his chest. There were medications that could manage the symptoms but that would only change his hanahaki from a terminal illness to chronic pain. Another option was a surgery that could completely cut away the flowers but that would also remove the feelings connected to them.

The logical side of Tim knew that the simplest solution was to confess to Kon. Even if he was rejected, voicing the feelings he usually kept locked away would finally free them to grow properly. A rejection also meant that he would have an answer and he could let go of his unrequited love. Love wasn’t that easy for Tim.

Red Robin could swing from buildings without fear. Timothy Jackson Drake wasn’t as brave. Losing people terrified him. He lost Kon once and it almost broke him. Would confessing to his best friend mean that he would lose him all over again? Kon would be kind enough to reject him gently but it would change their dynamic forever.

Tim sighed and returned to his research. Wallowing in his feelings had caused enough problems and he needed to focus on finding a solution. He typed a few keywords into the search bar, hoping to find an article about someone surviving their hanahaki without surgery. A blank screen answered him. He could almost slam his laptop close in frustration.

An urban legend caught his attention, White Day’s Hanahaki. A person’s feelings would disappear once the flowers were removed. However, there was a chance that those feelings could be restored if the flowers were returned to the person by the one they loved. He wasn’t able to find a record of such a scenario so it was likely a rumour and nothing more.

Something bitter rose in his mouth and he recognized the sensation. A painful cough rolled through him until a few flower buds fell onto his lap. His hanahaki had progressively grown since he visited Smallville. Tim rubbed his throat to soothe the area. The gesture didn’t help. Nothing seemed to help lately. He wished that he could see Kon. Would that make the flowers better or worse?

He hugged his legs to his chest and then rested his head on his knees. When he closed his eyes, he pictured Kon gifting him cornflowers. Tim knew that he should push him from his mind because such wistful thinking could trigger another attack. Despite his best effort, it was impossible. Tim loved him and Kon was his best friend. He inadvertently filled his thoughts.

“Master Timothy?” Alfred approached him. “Conner is at the door. He heard from Master Jason that you are taking a break from patrol because you were feeling unwell.”

After Bruce found blue petals at Red Robin’s workstation, he ordered him to refrain from patrols and focus on detective work in the batcave. Tim had tried to deny that they were hanahaki flowers. Unfortunately, keeping a secret was nearly impossible in a family of detectives. Tim understood that it was for the best since an attack in the midst of a mission would endanger himself and his team.

“I instructed Conner to wait by the waterfall entrance while I see if you were well enough to see him. How should I answer him?” He didn’t tell him directly but Tim knew that Alfred was being considerate of his feelings and hanahaki. Even with Kon’s superhearing, the waterfall should drown out their voices and allow them to speak privately. He was grateful for the elderly butler.

He pressed a few buttons on the batcomputer and shifted through the security cameras until he found the waterfall entrance. Like Alfred told him, Kon was standing next to the water. Tim wanted to run to him. He wished his heart didn’t hurt so much. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a frustrated groan. “Fucking Jason. How does he even have Conner’s number?”

“Master Jason was careful not to mention your hanahaki. We’re all worried about you.” As complicated as his family could be, they loved each other. Tim could easily see Jason texting Conner to force him to face his feelings. “We know this is difficult for you. But we’re worried that your hanahaki will progress until surgery is the only option left. We know that’s not what you want.”

“And Jason thinks forcing this kind of scenario before I’m ready is what I want?” Tim snapped yet Alfred’s calm expression never changed.

“You and Master Bruce are similar.”

“Because I inherited his paranoia and messy love life?” He laughed sarcastically. While only Damian was related to Bruce by blood, their friends would often joke how each Robin inherited something from Batman. Dick had his leadership, Jason his sense of justice and Damian his heart. Tim couldn’t see himself as more different from Batman, whether it was his strengths or weaknesses.

“You both love deeply but never allow someone to love you back. You focus far too much on your shortcomings.” Tim didn’t know how to respond to that. He had relationships in the past but even he had to admit that he only committed himself to a few. A part of him was always waiting for them to leave for someone or something better. Through his parents, he learned that someone could love him and still leave.

Alfred took the petals that rested on his keyboard and pressed them into Tim’s hands. “You’re a bright lad. Trust that you’ve chosen right.”

Kon alternated between staring at his phone and looking up at Wayne Manor at the top of the hill. He debated whether he should try calling Tim again or simply fly to the manor. When they were teenagers, he wouldn’t hesitate to knock on his window or sneak into his room and wait for him to return. Things had changed since then.

Tim had been avoiding him for the past few days but Kon didn’t know why. They remained best friends even after he left for space and talked to each other often. He hadn’t sensed anything strange when they picked cornflowers together. They fell back into easy conversation and banter as though they had never been apart. That made Tim ignoring his calls all the more confusing.

He was so lost in thought and worry that he didn’t hear Tim emerge from the waterfall. “Are you here to see the VR machine or the giant penny?”

“Curious to see your bat-laboratory and what bat-experiments you’re doing on the now bat-cornflowers.” He retorted and tilted a grin at him. Tim lingered beside the waterfall and used the shadow to conceal himself. Kon hoped that he did so due to Batman’s ingrained training and not because he was hiding something from him. He reached out and gently cupped his cheek in one hand. To his relief, Tim allowed him to ease him out of the shadows.

In the moonlight, Kon studied his face. He couldn’t help feeling worried after the text that Jason sent him. Tim’s skin was pale and there were bags under his eyes but he didn’t appear to be sick. “Your family can be dramatic. I thought you caught the plague from the way he was talking. It’s just a cold, right? You should get better in time for the Valentine parade.”

“I… I don’t know.” His voice was small and shook. They would confide to each other about their deepest insecurities but Kon had never heard him so vulnerable before. He wanted to gather Tim in his arms and comfort him. Then, Tim opened his hand between them, revealing a cornflower bud in his palm. He didn’t understand why he showed it to him at first.

The answer made the floor fall under him. “Hanahaki.”

For a moment, the only sound between them was the waterfall. Kon looked from the flower in his hand to Tim’s face. They were both at a loss for words and waited for the other to speak first. Tim never knew that a tiny flower bud could feel so heavy. He was grateful when Kon cradled his hand in his larger ones, lessening the weight of his hanahaki. Feeling his warmth again, he could finally take a breath without petals stifling him.

“Who? How long? Your hanahaki are already buds so you need to talk to your crush right away!”

“My crush?” The term tasted like dirt in Tim’s mouth. A crush would be manageable and far easier to let go of compared to being in love with his best friend. He took his hand back and cradled the cornflower to his chest as though to protect it. His sharp action made hurt appear on Kon’s face as though he had slapped him. “I love… I love him.”

“I know.” Kon said, not taking his eyes off the cornflower and the evidence of Tim’s feelings. “Do I know this guy? I’ll take you to him so you can confess to him. I’m surprised you haven’t confessed and let your hanahaki get to this point. You’re beautiful, smart and strong. He’ll never reject you so don’t be scared.”

Tim parted his lips to answer. A small cough and a petal came out instead. He bit his lower lip and leaned back against the rocky cliff face, his legs suddenly unsteady. When he left the batcave, he intended to tell Kon everything and confess to him. He must’ve gone over what to say a thousand times during the short walk to the waterfall. Now, in front of Kon, he lost his courage.

“It’s complicated. I’ve known this person for ten years.”

“Ten years and he hasn’t asked you on a date yet? He’s either blind or an idiot.” Kon went through a list of people Tim had been close with for ten years.

“He’s not an idiot! He—” Tim stopped himself before he could reveal too much. “Don’t talk about him that way, Conner. My hanahaki isn’t his fault. We’ve been friends for so long that he has only seen me in that light. If I tell him that I love him and I have hanahaki, it could ruin everything. He’s the type who would see these flowers and feel obligated to accept my confession. I don’t want that.”

“What do you want?”

“Batman said I should work through this hanahaki with the person. He’s giving me leave from patrols with no pressure to return to work right away. After the way he meddled in my past relationships, I’m glad he finally learned his lesson. Though, he said that I must get the surgery if my hanahaki progresses enough to kill me.”

“I don’t care about Batman right now. What do you want, Tim?”

“A relationship shouldn’t just be what one person wants. It’s unfair to put that on him when I have hanahaki.” He argued back. While they would clash in the early days of Young Justice, he couldn’t remember the last time they raised their voices like this. Intense love spilled out of him as desperate and heated words. “He can give me everything I want and I’ll spend the rest of my life questioning if it’s true at all! This isn’t how I wanted to tell them.”

Something rose in his throat, blocking any further words. His chest heaved and he clutched his shirt as though he could keep the pain in place. Flower buds fell out of his mouth followed by a hollow wheeze. Tim hated how weak his knees became. He started to bend down so he could pick up the cornflowers from the ground. Kon was quicker. He twirled the flower between his fingertips and narrowed his eyes at the spot of blood on the petal.

Fear gripped Kon. He took Tim’s arms and gently pulled him closer. “Let me tell you what I want. I want my best friend to live. I don’t care if I have to play your wingman or drag you to Batman for the surgery. I’m not going to lose you, Tim! You’re too important to me. I don’t know who this guy is but he’s not worth more than your life.”

Tim’s lips twisted into a frown and refused to answer. What could he say as his heart was crumbling under the pressure of his hanahaki? Kon’s reassurance would’ve been enough if another friend had said them. Currently, it was a reminder he only saw him as a friend. Without a word, Tim pushed him away and then tried to take the bloodied cornflower back.

“These are my feelings! My flowers! I will decide what I do with them. I might tell him but not now. Not like this.”

“You’re going to suffocate over this guy? How important can these flowers be when you don’t love him enough to confess? If you actually loved him, it would be enough to take the risk. But you’re here talking to me instead of him. Maybe you want someone to tell you to finally let go. You can hate me for telling you to let this guy go and never talk to me again. But, at least, you’ll be alive.”

“I don’t want to lose what we have already!”

“Can’t you just tell me what you want?”

“I can’t have what I want.” I can’t have you.

Tim grabbed Kon’s shirt. He wanted to shake him and scream how he loved him. He wanted to pull him into a kiss. In the end, he doubled over in pain as petals expanded in his chest until they threatened to suffocate him. Kon noticed the moment pain appeared on his face. Without air, he suddenly felt lightheaded and his vision blurred.

“Tim!” He couldn’t see Kon’s expression as he called his name. Instead, he felt his arms catch him and sweep him off his feet. A heartbeat echoed in his ear as consciousness drifted away from him. He wondered whether that loud heartbeat was Kon’s or his own.

The first thought Tim had when he woke was how raw his throat felt. He lifted his hand to touch his neck and the hospital blanket dropped with his movement. Tim slowly took in the brightly lit room, from the sterile walls to the monotonous beep from the machine next to his bed. His gaze eventually fell onto Kon and Bruce standing a few feet from him. He would’ve called out to them but his voice was still weak.

“Tell me who Tim loves! You’re the world’s greatest detective so you must know.” Kon demanded. Memories of their argument next to the waterfall flashed in Tim’s mind. Now, he was grateful that he hadn’t called out to him. He didn’t want to have another fight with him, especially with how exhausted he was. He pulled the blanket tighter around him, wishing that it was Kon’s jacket. Being plunged in the lake wouldn’t be as cold as how he felt at that moment.

“It’s not my place to tell you, Conner. I trust that he will make the right choice if you give him enough time. Just stay by his side.”

“This is when you decide to stay out of your children’s business and respect their privacy? Tim could die! I’m not planning to punch this guy if that’s what you’re concerned about. I want to make him talk with Tim and maybe he’ll confess. That would put his hanahaki into regression.”

Bruce placed his hands on his shoulders and solemnly repeated: “Stay by Tim’s side. That’s all he needs.”

Tim read the tension in Kon’s shoulders and could predict his next movements. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. From the sound of frantic footsteps, he knew that he had been correct. Kon paced next to his hospital bed for a few minutes and then sat on the edge. What he didn’t expect was for him to take his hand. Tenderly, he squeezed his fingers. Something soft and warm brushed over his knuckles but Tim couldn’t name what it was. It was the sweetest kiss that he could never taste.

“I don’t want to lose you, Tim, but… Whoever those flowers are for, I hope he actually deserves you.” All too soon, Kon laid his hand back down.

His footsteps retreated and grew distant. When he couldn’t feel the light sting his closed eyes, he reasoned that both Kon and Bruce left and turned off the light to let him sleep. Tim opened his eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the darkness. Kon’s voice echoed in his heart. I don’t want to lose you. There was so much in his voice: fear, desperation… devotion. The last one lingered in his mind.

Cornflowers symbolized devotion. Tim unfurled his hand and stared at the blue petal in his palm. The flower was wrinkled from being clenched in his fist for so long. He had clung onto the flower throughout the entire flight to the hospital and the treatment. He hadn’t intended to and it was something he did unconsciously.

Staring at the flower, he thought of what he should do. If he confessed everything, he would only date him out of a sense of guilt and responsibility. That wasn’t fair to someone like Kon who deserved love. Suppressing his feelings was far from the solution as well. Even without his hanahaki, keeping secrets would cause more fights and eventually end their friendship.

There was only one solution he could think of that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Tim sat up and grabbed his phone from the bedside table. His fingers trembled as he texted Kon. I’m sorry, Conner. I’m going to get the surgery.

After the endless stream of paper work and release forms, the words became a blur to Tim. The doctors had repeated the consequences and risks of the surgery to him as though he hadn’t struggled with the choice himself. He was emotionally exhausted by the time the final page was signed. Tim placed the clipboard in the doctor’s waiting hands. He had already scheduled the surgery for that afternoon so he wouldn’t have time to lose his resolve and courage.

“May I ask a question?” He found himself hesitating in spite of everything. Tim couldn’t meet the doctor’s gaze, not knowing whether the elderly woman’s expression would be pity or understanding. “After you take out the flowers, I won’t have feelings for the person anymore. What about platonic friendship? Hanahaki flowers are more often tied to romantic love.”

“Perhaps. It depends on how deeply entwined the roots of your hanahaki are.” She explained in a clinical voice. A heavy weight fell onto his chest that crumpled his resolve by the slightest amount.

You’re doing this for Conner. Tim told himself.

“There is one more release form.” The doctor pulled him out of his thoughts. He was certain that he completed all of the paperwork for the surgery. She explained: “The hospital would like to know if you have any request for what we will do with your flowers after they’re removed. They’re a part of you so it’s only right for you to decide.”

“My flowers…” Tim placed his hand over his chest where his flowers were growing. It was best to let them go but it would be a shame to let them be thrown away or burned. They held his love for Kon and ten years of memories.

In his mind, he listed several places that he could trust to care for his flowers: laying them to rest on his parents’ grave or replanting them in Bruce’s garden. Then, he pictured the cornflower garden he would visit with Kon. The legend of the White Day Hanahaki replayed itself in his mind. If someone collected the flowers and returned them to the person who had the surgery, their feelings would return as well.

Even now, he was holding onto the hope that he could still have Kon. Tim rolled a cornflower petal between his fingertips. He wished that he had the courage to kiss him by the waterfall when he had the chance. It would’ve been the sweetest kiss. It was a kiss that he would never have now.

“The Valentine parade is in a few days. Please, have my flowers donated as decoration for a float.”

“Tim, it’s Conner. Did you schedule your surgery yet? Wait to get it. We need to talk first. We can work this out so you don’t need to have your flowers removed. Please, call me back soon.” Kon had left a thousand similar voicemails since he left the hospital. Each text and missed call that went unanswered made him more worried. He assumed that Tim was keeping his distance after the fight that they had. It wouldn’t be the first time and Tim usually called back within the week.

He hoped that he wouldn’t have the surgery in that time. During their argument, Tim refused to tell him what he wanted to do. He didn’t need to when Kon understood him. They were best friends and they had been together for ten years. Even if Tim decided to get the surgery, it wasn’t what he truly wanted. He would want to at least try to be with the person despite his fear and insecurities. If that made Tim happy, Kon would do everything to help him. That was all he wanted: Tim happy and alive.

Why couldn’t those cornflowers be for me? The question passed Kon’s mind. He would take Tim into his arms and shower him with enough love to erase his hanahaki. There was a bitter irony that he discovered how much he loved Tim only when he was about to lose him. Would things be different if he realized it sooner? Tim had been in love with someone else for years.

“I love you, Tim.” He whispered to the empty room.

The floorboard creaked behind him and it was clear that he wasn’t alone. He would’ve heard Ma and Pa’s truck if they had returned early. His brows furrowed and he turned on the person, expecting an ambush. Batman stepped through the door. Kon was taken aback by his unannounced visit but his mind immediately went to Tim.

“Did something happen to Tim? Is that why he hasn’t been answering my calls?” In answer, Bruce took out a bouquet of blue cornflowers that had been hidden in his cape. Kon refused to take them. He was certain that the flowers had been taunting him since he realized that he loved Tim.

“The surgeon removed these from Tim. He is recovering well.” Batman explained but Kon barely heard him. He raced to call Tim, desperate to hear his voice again. The dial tone echoed through the room, long and eerie. Why hadn’t Tim told him that he had the surgery already? No matter what kind of fight they had, he would always tell him about something that important.

Batman stood next to him and gently laid the bouquet on the kitchen table. “Tim always wanted to give these to you but he never had the courage.”

“Me?” A mixture of feelings clashed within Kon. The brief moment of happiness that Tim loved him, had always loved him, was overshadowed by why the flowers were in front of him now. He had let Tim’s love slip away and the only thing he had left was a bouquet of cornflowers. As he was still spiraling with the truth, Bruce turned to leave him alone to absorb everything.

He paused in the doorway and looked back at Kon. “Tim will be at the Valentine parade tomorrow. You should talk to him there.”

The bouquet Tim bought for the parade was large and elaborate. He carefully chose each flower for the people important to him. Roses were Gotham and New York’s trademark flower. Themyscira was decorated with lilies. He couldn’t buy a flower from the future but Bart liked irises like his grandmother. The florist had carefully arranged the flowers into a bouquet and it was beautiful.

However, Tim felt as though there was something missing from the bouquet. It was too late to parse through why or to buy another bouquet because he was already standing in line to decorate the Valentine float. Couples surrounded him and they were likely there for the legend of how they would stay together. Seeing them happy and hopeful, Tim was reminded of why he became Red Robin. Even a city like Gotham had a ray of sunlight and he would protect that.

“Tim!” Someone called his name. He didn’t recognize the voice but the person’s desperation caught his attention. His training from Batman made him guarded, questioning whether the voice was from an old classmate who he didn’t remember or if someone he arrested discovered his true identity. When he turned towards the voice, he saw a stranger.

A tall man with dark hair and blue eyes stopped in front of him. The couples waiting in line muttered among themselves and Tim could feel their glares on him. The person didn’t appear to notice them, his attention completely on Tim. “Thank goodness, I found you. I was afraid that you already left. I need to talk to you.”

“I’m sorry, I think you have me mistaken for someone else.” He said but he knew that was impossible when he had called his name specifically. The way the man’s face paled and became downcast, it was clear that he was hoping for another response. Tim studied his face and searched his memories for where he saw him before.

“Tim, don’t you remember me? Conner Kent. Kon-el.” With the name, a spark of recognition flashed in Tim’s eyes.

He took Kon’s arm and pulled him away from the crowd. He led him into an alley far from the crowd and people who could overhear them. Tim pushed Kon against the wall and stepped closer to him so only he could hear him when he whispered. “What are you doing here, Superboy? Approaching me like that was dangerous when our civilian identities have no reason to know each other. This is Gotham and you live in Smallville. This better be a League emergency.”

“You… You don’t remember me?” The heartbreak in Kon’s voice confused him. They weren’t close enough for either of them to have any expectation of the other. At the same time, something about his lonely expression tugged at Tim’s heart. His own reaction surprised him.

“We were teammates on Young Justice and Teen Titans.” Tim described their history as though he was recalling someone else’s report. His voice was levelled, professional and distant. The memories of their time together were there but the emotional weight behind them was gone. What terrified Kon was how he didn’t list any memories from their time outside of missions and crime fighting. It was as though they had been completely cut out of his heart.

“Tim, I want you to have these flowers!”

He thrust the bouquet of blue cornflowers into his hand. While he couldn’t know why, Tim cradled the flower against his chest. They both stared at each other for a silent moment. Tim waited for Kon to give him a reason for the flowers. Kon held his breath and prayed that Tim would smile at him like he did in the cornflower field only two weeks ago.

“Superboy, you’re acting strange. Did Poison Ivy do something to these flowers? This better not be a trick like when we first met.” Tim finally broke the silence. He shifted the two bouquets into one arm so he could place his free hand on Kon’s shoulder. He gently urged him to lean down until their foreheads almost touched. “Your eyes are clear so you’re not being controlled. Conner?”

When he heard the name, Kon gathered him into a desperate hug. The flowers became crushed between them. Tim rarely allowed someone to hold so close when he didn’t know them well. He couldn’t bring himself to push him away though. Instead, he reached up and stroked Kon’s hair to comfort him. “I heard that you just returned from space. Are you having trouble re-adjusting?”

“I lost my best friend. I thought that I could fix it but…” Kon straightened but he didn’t step away from Tim. He cupped his face and tenderly brushed his thumb over his cheek. There was a warmth in his deep blue eyes that Tim distantly remembered. His father used to look at his mother the same way. He dropped his hands before he could recognize anything deeper in his eyes. “Sorry. Batman said I should give these to you. Looks like I was too late.”

“I told Batman that I wanted another flower for my bouquet but I couldn’t think of anything. Is that what this is about? These cornflowers are beautiful.” He reasoned that Batman requested Superboy to deliver the flowers to him. Cornflowers grew in Smallville and he was fast enough to give the flowers to him before the parade ended. The outburst about his best friend was likely unrelated. “I didn’t put my bouquet on the float yet so you’re not too late. Thank you, Conner.”

He took a cornflower from the cluster and eased it into his own bouquet. He carefully arranged them with the other flowers. Tim was surprised by how well that they fit when he first intended to have only flowers important to him for the bouquet. He reached the last cornflower and held it for a moment. He slowly twirled it between his fingertips and then lifted it to his nose.

“I don’t know what happened between you and your friend but it’s clear that you really care about them. It’s never too late so you should try talking to them again. Your feelings will reach them.” Rather than adding the final flower to his bouquet, Tim held out the cornflower to Kon with a soft smile. “Don’t give up.”