A dead man's jelly bean

Chapter 4: A numbness

Sykkuno sighed. The call with Corpse just ended. In all honesty Sykkuno was worried about him. He said he was okay and fine but Sykkuno's gut feeling was telling him it was a big fat lie.

If only Sykkuno could have gone with him. He knew these doctors appointments of Corpse's were routine at this point, and that he's survived years and years of them on his own but it didn't mean it was any less nerve-wracking for the man and like any good friend, he wanted to support him in any way. It really was horrible how much Corpse suffered with his illness's. Can't the man catch a break!!

A text from Rae popped up on his phone.

Rae: heyyyyy!! To do wanna play in 20??🤩🤩👻💚

Sykkuno: Yeah I'm going to stream just let me get set up. Brb

Rae: kkk

'Well streaming a bit earlier than expected,' he thought, not mad. He had planned to tidy up a bit before steaming as his kitchen was getting pretty messy. His favourite cup has mould in it. He did debate just leaving it to see how tall it would get. Maybe a world record.

'Ah well. To work I guess,' he thought out loud with a faint smile.

2 hours later....

'Oh Jesus!' Sykkuno exclaimed, as Leslie killed his character, he didn't even see her, real ninja like.

'That was a surprise, where did she even come from?,' he said to chat.

He chatted to chat for a bit, thanking subs,  watching his murderer ninja her way through the map as a ghost.

A dead body had just been reported when his phone buzzed on the table. It was a message from Corpse.

Corpse: Can you call me?

'Oh no,' he thought,'he must not be doing very well.'

He told chat he got a call and muted chat, left his streaming room and immediately called Corpse. It was accepted right away.

'Hi everything okay?'

....no response.

'Corpse are you there?'

Still no response.

'Corpse?'

'Hi.' corpse finally responded, and even that one word sounded very hoarse and painful.

'Oh Corpse your voice! Why did you want me to call you? It sounds like it hurts to talk. We could have just texted.'

'...wanted to hear your voice...' he rasped.

Sykkuno felt his face redden at that.

'Okay just tell me if it gets too much alright?' he said, not wanting it keep corpse if it was a hassle.

'I will,' corpse replied

'Did your appointment go okay? Dumb question I guess haha,' Sykkuno said, regretting the question. Obviously it didn't go okay, otherwise his voice wouldn't be like that.

'Alright...put camera down my throat...sgotten a lot worse than the last time...could completely lose my voice... Damaged them a lot...talked about surgery.'

'Oh Corpse I'm sorry.'

Corpse continued.

'I didn't know what to do,' he croaked, anxiety in his voice, ' I need this surgery obviously but it's going to take so much time and money and I'm not even sure if I'm mentally able to do it. Just the thought of hospital s and people and being away from home and and..'

Corpse became more and more panicked and Sykkuno could hear his breathing getting quicker and quicker. This was a full blown panic attack.

'Corpse! Corpse! I want to be focus on my voice alright? We're going to take some deep breaths together. Hum if you understand okay?

In between pants, Sykkuno heard a breathy hum.

'Okay breathe in and hold in for 3 seconds and then breathe out okay? I'm going to do it with you.'

Deep breath in. Pause. Deep breath out. Corpse and Sykkuno did this for a minute or so, until Corpse's breath slowed down.

'...thanks, sorry you had to see that' Corpse said hesitantly, sounded a hint shameful.

'That's okay. No worries Corpse, nothing to be ashamed of. To be honest, I use to get them all the time, thankfully not so much anymore.'

'Really?!' corpse exclaimed surprised.

'Yeah well I suffer from anxiety, had it really badly, especially while I was still at school. I still have attacks occasionally.'

'I would never have known.'

'It's not something I really talk about. You are really one of the few people who know about it.'

'Awww,' Corpse said a lot happier,' did we level up in friendship,' he giggled.

Sykkuno laughed, 'I guess we did.'

They lulled into silence.

Eventually Sykkuno asked, 'Do you feel any better now?'

'Yeah,' he said quietly.

'Are you still at the doctor's office?'

'Nah, I'm in my car outside.'

'Eh, I'll let you go then. I bet you'll wanna get home now. You must be exhausted.'

Corpse groaned,' But I wanna talk with you more.'

Sykkuno felt a smile tug his lips up.

' You can always call me when you get home. I'll be free....wait...oh jesus, I'm still steaming! They must be going crazy!'

Corpse burst out in crazed laughter, slightly maniacally

'Oh jesus! Oh jesus! I better go Corpse! Talk to you later.'

Corpse giggled goodbye before hanging up.

Sykkuno smiled down at his phone before turning in dread to his streaming room.

Oh jesus Rae was going to kill him.