#Disclaimer: I do not own Ocean’s eleven nor do I claim to

[bluewritinghood]

Petals

Rusty never gets sick, like ever, so he’s surprised to say the least when he feels a burning tickling sensation building in his lungs. He sighs pops a coff drop in his mouth and chalks it up to the cold whether. Then it builds into a slight but nagging cough, that cough quickly enough becomes persistent.

“Hey Rus?” Danny says stopping him in the hallway on their way to play poker he doesn’t have to actually ask the question on his mind Rusty knows it’s about his coughing.

“Don’t know it just won’t go away.” He tells him.

“You don’t.” Danny says confused.

“Get sick?” Rusty finishes. “Yeah I know.”

“You think it’s the…” Danny says.

“Probably, it hasn’t gotten above thirty two degrees in over a week.” Rusty dismisses Danny’s concerns.

“But we’ve pulled jobs in whether colder than this and you never…” Danny points out.

“Yeah, I know.” Rusty sighs earning himself a few short coughs.

“Not to mention we’re not even working right now.” Danny continues.

“Maybe I’m allergic to downtime?” Rusty jokes.

“Hmm?” Danny says skeptically.

Rusty dissolves into a coughing fit one of the worst he’s had yet and has to hold onto Danny’s shoulder for support. When he can breathe again there’s three tiny petals in his palm.

Danny furrows his brow. “Are those…?”

“Marigold petals.” Rusty confirms.

“Your… in love?” Danny asks astonished.

“Apparently.” Rusty says grimly.

“And it’s unrequited?” Danny’s eyebrows very nearly meet his hairline.

“It would seem that way.” Rusty agrees.

“But you…” Danny trails off

Rusty looks hard at the petals in his hand “Don’t do love.”

“Exactly.” Danny looks thoughtful for a minute. “So who?”

“Marigolds are October.” Rusty says mentality going through everyone he knows with birthdays in October.

Danny gets there first. “Linus was born in the beginning of October.”

“Damn, it’s Linus isn’t it?” Rusty asks and it sounds more like a statement than a question.

“You have always been fond of him.” Danny says. “And you both are here for the month over the holidays.”

“You can’t tell him.” Rusty looks from the petals to Danny. “He won’t understand.”

“Give the kid some credit Rus.” Danny persuades.

“No. Even if he understands he doesn’t feel the same I watch him enough to know that.” Rusty says firmly. “I won’t put that pressure, that guilt on him.”

“You watch everyone and think you know what’s going on in their heads.” Danny says but Rusty cuts him off.

“That’s because I do people are open books. Worse than that actually their audiobooks at full volume.” Rusty says as though he’s stating a core fact of the universe.

“But Linus isn’t so simple, he’s not as easy to read as everyone else, you don’t always know what’s going on in his head Rusty. So maybe…” Danny suggests.

“He’s not.” Rusty cuts off Danny’s line of reasoning.

“Alright if you don’t want me to tell him I won’t.” Danny promises.

“Thank you.” Rusty says.

“You gonna be okay for poker?” Danny asks worriedly.

“Danny it’s literally a game centered around bluffing I’ll be fine.” Rusty dismisses him heading to where Linus is setting up the poker table forcing him to drop the subject.

“Hey.” Linus says sitting down in his chair. “Who’s dealing?”

“I’ll do it.” Danny offers motioning for Linus to hand him the deck.

Linus places the cards in his palm his attention drawn to Rusty who is persistently clearing his throat. “You okay Rusty?”

“Yeah, just a persistent tickle.” Rusty says pointing to his throat.

Linus stands up and disappears into the kitchen. “Where do you think he’s going?” Rusty asks as Danny shuffles the deck.

“I don’t know.” Danny shrugs as they hear the sounds of dishes being moved around in the kitchen.

“Awfully trusting with his cards though.” Rusty comments.

“He knows we won’t cheat him.” Danny pokes Rusty’s chest. “It’s one of the reasons you’re coughing up salad.”

Linus returns a few minutes later with a mug of something warm in his hands little wisps of steam rising from it, he hands the mug to Rusty. “Here, this’ll help with the tickle.”

Rusty takes a sip of the drink. “Lemon tea?”

“Good for your throat.” He says sitting down.

Linus worry continues to grow as Rusty’s coughing doesn’t subside instead worsening as they continue their poker game.

“Okay.” Linus says laying down his cards in the middle of the third hand. “This isn’t just some tickle in the throat is it?”

“I’m fine it’s just this cold weather.” Rusty protests.

Linus gives him a look that says he doesn’t believe a word coming out of his mouth. “Try again you’ve visited me In Chicago when it was minus four degrees outside and didn’t so much as clear your throat.”

“It’s probably just a cold.” Rusty dismisses.

Linus crosses his arms over his chest. “If it was that the tea would have helped not made it worse.”

Rusty sighs screwing his eyes shut and whispers. “It’s Hanahaki disease.”

“Hardly anyone gets that these days.” Linus says surprised. “Is it Isabel? I know you really loved her.”

Rusty shakes his head. “The breakup was mutual.”

Linus furrows his brow. “So they tuned you down?”

“Didn’t have to it’s obvious they don’t have feelings for me.” Rusty tells him.

“You haven’t even tried?” Linus asks astonished.

“No point.” Rusty says simply.

“Your just going to give up just like that?” He turns to Danny. “He’s kidding right?”

Danny shakes his head. “Afraid not.”

Looking at Danny he asks. “We’ve pulled off some of the craziest con’s I’ve ever seen surely between the three of us we can get some one to fall in love with Rusty.”

“It’s not happening Linus.” Rusty says firmly getting up and leaving the room.

“He’s got to be kidding.” Linus says throwing his hands up in the air.

“Linus I know it bothers you to see him like this but you’re going to have a tough time pulling a name out of him.” Danny tells him gently.

“He’s my friend Danny, you and him are my family. I can’t stand to see him suffer.” Linus whispers.

“He’s like family to you?” Danny asks with a crease between his eyebrows.

“Yes.” Linus says emphatically. “So help me help him.”

“I’m sorry Linus he’s my best friend and I have to respect his wishes and feelings on the matter.” Danny say standing up.

“His wishes are going to kill him.” Linus pleads.

Danny shakes his head and goes to find Rusty.

“Hey.” Danny says finding Rusty sitting in his room on the edge of the bed.

“What are you doing here?” Rusty asks.

“I’m sorry.” Danny says sitting down next to him.

“What did he say?” Rusty asks.

“He said your his family.” Danny tells him.

“So you see how pointless telling him would be?” Rusty asks.

“Yes.” Danny admits. “I do.”

Rusty dissolves into a coughing fit leaving him holding a handful of blood speckled marigold petals. “I love him so much it’s going to kill me.” Rusty whispers.

———

Linus didn’t give up he spent the next two weeks coming up with plans and begging Danny to do something, anything about what was happening to Rusty.

Most of his appeals had been to Danny trying to leave Rusty in peace with his worsening condition, he had gone from coughing up a few petals to coughing up whole marigolds which wasn’t doing anything to help Linus’s anxiety. So now Linus was taking his appeal to Rusty because he honestly wasn’t sure how long he had left.

“Rusty?” Linus asks knocking on the door to his room.

“Come in Linus.” Rusty’s voice sounds from the other side of the door.

“I need to talk to you.” Linus says sitting down on edge of the bed next to Rusty.

“There’s nothing you can do.” Rusty tells him.

“There has to be.” Linus chokes hot tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “I can’t watch you die Rusty, I can’t loose you.”

“There’s nothing you can do.” Rusty repeats.

“Your really just going to lay down and die?.” Linus asks angrily.

“It’s my life.” Rusty counters.

“Your un fucking believable!” Linus finally breaks. “Your Rusty Ryan damn it! You always have a plan and you never just give up. I would sell my soul to Terry Benedict or the Devil himself if it would save you but you’re just going to do nothing when something as simple as words could save your life!?”

“Linus you don’t understand…” Rusty begins.

���No Rusty you listen I understand more than you could ever possibly know I’ve been in love with someone for so long and it’s been cutting away at my heart for a long time now so don’t you dare say I don’t understand.” Linus growls.

“You should tell them your a great person Linus they would be lucky to have you.” Rusty tells him leaning back on his pillows.

“Yeah well it’s you Rusty it always has been and you’re making me watch you die. I would rather see you with someone else than see you die but yet here you sit slowly dying because you refuse to tell someone you love them.” Linus half yells half sobs at him.

Rusty just stares at him for so long Linus asks him. “Are you okay?”

Rusty opens his mouth to say something but promptly shuts it again.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” Linus lowers his voice back to his usual gentle tone. “I just can’t stand to see you hurting like this.”

“Your in love with me?” Rusty asks in an astonished voice.

“Yes, I don’t know how you couldn’t have seen it.” Linus whispers.

“You told Danny we’re your family.”

“And you are but family can mean a lot of things.” Linus explains.

“Linus..” Rusty is interrupted by Danny coming into the room.

“Hey Rus?” Danny starts but stops upon seeing Linus.

“Just try and think about what I said?” Linus pleads walking past Danny out of the room.

Rusty moves to go after him but Danny walks fully into the room shutting the door behind him. “How are you feeling?”

“Cured.” Rusty tells him.

Danny raises his eyebrows. “Mind saying that again?”

“Linus is in love with me.” Rusty tells him.

“Is that what?” Danny asks pointing over his shoulder with his thumb in the direction Linus had left.

“Yes.” Rusty answers.

“And does he know you are…?” Danny begins.

“No, you kinda walked in just as I was about to.” Rusty tells him.

“God the kid is going to give himself a panic attack. Go, go tell him.” Danny shoos Rusty towards the door of his room.

Rusty finds Linus just sitting in the kitchen staring at the wall.

“Can I talk to you?” Rusty asks pulling a seat over near Linus’s.

“Uh, yeah.” Linus sniffs wiping the back of his hand over his red rimmed eyes.

“You still want to know who this is all about?” Rusty asks.

“Yes.” Linus sits up straight.

Rusty takes one of Linus’s hands in his own and kisses the back of it. “You Linus, I’m in love with you.”

“I’m the reason you’ve been in all this pain?” Linus asks a tear slipping down his cheek.

Rusty wipes the tear away. “No, your the reason I’m healed. The reason I was in pain is because I was stubborn unwilling to say how I felt.” He cups Linus’s chin with the hand that’s not holding Linus’s. “And blind apparently.”

Linus laughs sniffing as he does so. “I wish you would have told me so much sooner.”

Rusty smiles. “Me too.”

Rusty leans forward gently kissing Linus lips and pulling him onto his lap, Linus straddles Rusty’s hips sitting on his lap kissing him back deeper.

They stay like that kissing in the kitchen until Danny walks in and yells into his cupped hands. “Get a room you two!”

The break apart laughing and Rusty drags Linus upstairs.

They were happy in each other’s company even if Rusty could never quite look at a marigold without clearing his throat, Which turned out to be especially fun when they got roped into a con involving an industrial sized greenhouse filled with marigolds, but that’s irrelevant the point is they lived as happily ever after as they could for a pair that thieves.

Ao3 link

[bluewritinghood]

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Oceans Eleven nor do I claim to. I do not own any characters in this fan fic or from Oceans Eleven or Deadpool This transformative work has been created purely for entertainment purposes. No profit is made or sought.

No copyright infringement is intended. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the respective owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

[bluewritinghood]

Flowers

He sighed and picked it up from where in lay in the bathroom sink of course the person he fell in love with had to be a December baby and now he was coughing up freaking poinsettia flowers. He had a sneaking suspicion he already knew who the unrequited feelings were for, after all he had been lying to himself that he only admired Rusty professionally for a long time now.

He shook his head and cleaned up the rest of the blood from the sink burying them as deep as he could in the bathroom wastebasket. He really hoped it wasn’t Rusty because he couldn’t hold down a relationship for more than a week if it wasn’t related to a con. So in short if it was Rusty he was screwed.

He turned exiting the bathroom to seek out Danny knowing he would be able to resolve this once and for all. Danny was in the kitchen getting snacks for the poker game they had all been playing before he had to excuse himself.

“Hey Danny,” he said as nonchalantly as he could. “I remember the rest of the crew mentioned that someone had a birthday coming up in December who is it?”

Danny turned to look at him. “Well the only person I know who has a birthday in December is Rusty.”

“Fuck.” Linus hadn’t meant to let the expletive slip out

Danny gave him a surprised look that quickly turned to concern. “What’s wrong Linus? This isn’t really about the crew talking about birthdays is it?”

This was of course when his traitorous body decided to send him into a coughing fit leaving him holding two more poinsettia petals in his now blood streaked hands leaving Danny to give him a very confused look. “Linus what’s going on?”

“Ever heard of Hanahaki disease?” Linus asked giving him a grim smile.

“Yeah but hardly anyone gets it nowadays.” Danny says his voice indicating he is beginning to slowly understand.

“Yeah well.” He grimaced.

“Rusty?” Danny guessed.

Linus nods not trusting himself to speak. Danny sighs heavily looking from Linus to the petals in his hands. “Poinsettias huh?”

“He’s a December baby so yeah. Please you can’t tell him Danny.” Linus pleaded.

Danny sighs heavily. “You’ll die Linus.”

“I know.” Linus says his voice breaking. “But you know he can’t love me back he’s incapable of it and he’ll only hold himself responsible for what he can’t control.”

“Fine, your right but you can’t keep this sort of thing from him he’s to observant for that and the petals are kinda obvious so if he asks I’ll tell him what’s wrong but I wouldn’t tell him who it’s about.” Danny compromises.

Linus gives Danny a grateful look. “Thanks, let’s get back to the game I just wanna take my mind off this and enjoy the time I have left.”

Of course actually avoiding the subject doesn’t last long because halfway through the card game the three of them were playing Linus dissolves into another coughing fit knocking himself and his chair over backwards.

Rusty comes over to help him up only noticing the petals he’s coughing up after he’s got Linus on his feet again. “What the hell are those?”

Linus looks down at the mouthful of petals he just coughed up leaning over to pick them up pulling one more out of his mouth and adding it to the pile in his hands. “Petals.” He says simply.

“Why the hell and how the hell did you just cough up petals?” Rusty looks from him to the pile in his hands and back again.

“I’ll explain everything why don’t you just go get some water Linus.” Danny says gently.

Linus has barely sat down at the kitchen table and taken a sip of water when he hears an angry shout and a crash of something that sounds like a beer bottle hitting the wall in the other room it’s not ten seconds later that Rusty joins him in the kitchen looking more pissed off then Linus has ever seen him.

“Who is it kid.” His hands are clenched into fists his fingernails digging white crescents into his skin.

Linus laughs hoarsely. “And you’ll what force them to love me?”

“If I have to, yes” Rusty practically growls the words.

Linus shakes his head. “No Rusty you won’t, you can’t”

Rusty opens his mouth to protest but Linus leaves before he can say anything else.

It goes on like this for a week Linus doing his best to avoid Rusty and Danny playing go between. But after a week Rusty has had enough breaking into Linus’s room while Danny’s out barging In with a simple statement. “Who ever they are their a fool.”

Linus laughs leaning back into his pillows on his bed. “No their not.”

“Well if they don’t love you than they absolutely are.” Rusty insists.

“No,” Linus repeats “their not.”

“Prove it,” Rusty is on the verge of screaming. “tell me who they are.”

“No.” Linus shakes his head.

“Why not if they rejected you they don’t deserve your protection Linus.” Rusty perches on the edge of Linus’s bed.

“They didn’t reject me I just know they can’t love me back I haven’t told them.” Linus doesn’t meet Rusty’s eyes.

Rusty inhales sharply. “Linus your dying you have to at least try.”

“No,” Linus sets his jaw stubbornly. “I won’t put that on them they’ll only blame themselves for what they can’t control.”

“I will never forgive myself if I can’t at least try to save you Linus.” Rusty’s voice is little more than a broken whisper.

Linus laughs almost hysterically. “Fuck me, there really is no winning.”

“I won’t let you die Linus.” Rusty says softly.

Linus dissolves into another coughing fit leaning over the wastebasket he kept on hand almost constantly now. Once he’s able to breathe again he wipes the blood from his lips and stares down at the petals covered in blood that fill the basket.

“It’s you.” Linus croaks out hoarsely.

Linus barely dares to look at Rusty following his confession purposely avoiding his gaze but Rusty persistently pulls Linus chin to meet his gaze.

“I wish you would have told me sooner Linus you could have avoided so much pain.” Rusty says giving him a small smile.

A tear slips down Linus’s cheek. “Love isn’t your thing I didn’t want you to feel responsible for my death.”

Rusty sighs. “Do you know why things didn’t work with Isabel? Because I’ve been in love with you since the moment I met you.”

Linus inhales sharply and for the first time in a week he didn’t feel petals rattling around in his chest. “Rusty..”

Rusty cuts him off by kissing him and Linus sure isn’t complaining.

———

Danny comes home an hour later to find Linus asleep and Rusty perched on the edge of his bed.

“Please tell me he’s just sleeping.” Danny says feeling the fear fill his heart.

Rusty nods standing and pulling Danny out of Linus’s room gently shutting the door behind him, he doesn’t speak until he’s pulled him down stairs into the kitchen.

“Did you know?” Rusty demands

Danny blanches. “Know what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me Danny.” Rusty growls.

“Yes I knew.” Danny admits.

Rusty swears profusely. “Why didn’t you tell me Danny.”

“What good would it have done Rusty?” Danny placates

“The world of good!” Rusty only keeps himself from screaming so as not to wake Linus it was the first real sleep he’d gotten in a week.

“He doesn’t want you to blame yourself Rusty.” Danny needs him to understand.

“I love him and I had to watch him spend a week in agony!” Rusty hisses viciously.

Danny balks at him. “You.. Really?”

Rusty nods. “Since the moment I laid eyes on him but I told myself that I’m no good for him I tried to stay away and make things work with Isabel but it’s always been him.”

Danny laughs. “Well I’ll be damned.”

———

Linus looked in the mirror one more time before heading down stairs where Rusty was waiting to take him on their first date.

“Hey,” Rusty gives him a loving smile and hands him a box of chocolates. “I didn’t think that you would ever want to see another flower as long as you live.”

Linus laughs. “As grateful as I am for the end result no I definitely do not.”

Rusty grins and grabs his hand. “Common I can’t wait to get you out of here.”

“How come?” Linus questions.

“Because I wanna get you home.” Rusty says with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes

“Oh now I can’t wait.” Linus smiles.

Linus may never look at a poinsettia the same way again and the holiday session might make him a little uneasy but he would forever be grateful for the happiness it had brought him with rusty.

[bluewritinghood]

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Oceans Eleven nor do I claim to. I do not own any characters in this fan fic or from Oceans Eleven. This transformative work has been created purely for entertainment purposes. No profit is made or sought. No copyright infringement is intended. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the respective owners. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.