Flower Prince - Corpsekkuno

- Chapter 3 -

A//N: Just a warning, this chapter was kinda rushed. So expect some updates on this chapter, might be for grammar or spelling etc. Or maybe very light plot changes.

➼ CW/TW: Description of cutting [NOT SH]

Sykkuno cautiously walked into the house, and the floorboards were creaking loudly. He saw a lit fireplace and sat by it. ''It's nice here.'' he thinks. He gets up and walks over to a bookshelf, taking out a few books and skimming through them. But he finds one that stands out, it was a book with an icon of an anchor. ''Again with the anchors?'' Just as he is about to read the first page, someone grabs his cloak and throws him to the ground.''Who the hell are you?'' a deep voice says. Sykkuno looks up and sees a man with a face mask covering the bottom half of his face and one eye. 

''Well- uhh. Sykkuno is my name,'' he says, hopefully sounding friendly enough to not pose as a threat, slowly getting up and picking up his lantern. The two remain silent, but it's when Sykkuno notices the man's injured hand that the silence is broken. ''Is your hand alright? It looks pretty bad.''

There was a long and deep cut on the man's right hand. The man stayed quiet but gestured to look at his hand. ''It doesn't hurt.'' He says.

''It could get infected,'' Sykkuno responded.

''I've dealt with a lot of infections before.''

''Won't it be nice to maybe get this one out of the way at least?''

''What could you do anyway?''

"I'm an herbalist, I actually have a few medications I carry on me." Sykkuno rummaged through his bag, pulling out a jar of cream. ''This is made of calendula and aloe vera. They're both remedies for wounds,'' he explained. ''What if it's poison?'' the man growled. "I can't trust someone I've just met." 

''He's right...'' 

  From his bag, Sykkuno took out a pocket knife. He slits a cut into the palm of his hand, hissing at the pain. He then shakily applied the cream with his good hand and retrieves a bandage to which he expertly wraps around his palm. He raised his hand to the tall man. ''See? I don't carry anything like poison around.'' 

(^^yes this is intentional [it's a scene from Snow White with Red Hair, watch if you haven't already it's a banger romance])

The man softened slightly. ''Fine,'' he said, sitting down on the floor. Sykkuno sat in front of the man and repeated the same process for him. ''I must say you have quite the skills,'' he says.

''I've been doing this for a while,'' Sykkuno responded.

The man looks at Sykkuno, dead in the eyes. ''You're not from around here, are you?'' he asks. 

''Oh! Um, I travelled here from Ambrose just yesterday.'' Sykkuno replied. ''Now it makes sense why you didn't recognize me.'' The man mumbles. ''What does that mean?''

''I'm just... pretty popular. Most of the town knows about me.''

''Oh, I see.'' Sykkuno smiles. He looks through a window, admiring the half-moon. ''It's getting dark, I should be leaving.''

Sykkuno got up and began to walk to the door. ''Wait, if you don't mind me asking.'' Sykkuno says, ''What's your name?'' 

The man had a suspicious aura surrounding him, you could say Sykkuno was intimidated. "Corpse is what I prefer."  Sykkuno raised an eyebrow, ''Corpse'' was a name he hadn't expected to hear.

''I'm Sykkuno, it was lovely to meet you.''

Sykkuno turns the door handled walks out, feeling glad he had helped Corpse, and he was on his way back home pleased.

''Interesting guy.'' Corpse mumbles, admiring the work on his hand by Sykkuno. ''Maybe I'll see him again.''

◈◈◈

Sykkuno returns to town and goes back to return the lantern he borrowed to the young woman. But only now he is noticing, she is carrying a sword with a black blade. ''Looks cool, doesn't it?'' she catches him staring. ''In Ambrose, we made many swords, bows, shields and whatnot. But I never saw any of them close up.'' Sykkuno responds. ''So, you're new here, I'm guessing?''

''Yup, I met a miner named Dan who showed me around.''

''Dan's a nice guy,'' she says. ''What have you done so for here?''

''I went to the local pharmacy and took the course to become an herbalist here today.''

''How'd it go?''

''I think I did well, I don't want to jinx it.''

''Fair enough.''

''You should be off now.'' She said. ''Seems like you've had a rough day.''

''Yeah, I'm ready to sleep.'' Sykkuno giggled.

''Goodnight.'' said the woman. ''Goodnight to you as well uh....''

''My name is Rae.''

''Goodnight Rae,''

◈◈◈

Sykkuno's mind was crowded with Corpse. His raspy and deep voice and his veiny hands. Sykkuno wanted to speak to him again. Maybe he'll be back at the cottage tomorrow? ''Might as well see.''

Sykkuno planted the daffodils he collected from the forest in a glass vase. ''So Corpse is popular, huh? Maybe I can ask Ludwig about him tomorrow.'' he thought, flopping down onto the bed. Soon enough,

Sykkuno won't be able to afford to live in the Inn anymore. It'll take a couple of days for the pharmacy to grade everyone since there were other exams a few days before Sykkuno's. ''Could I go to the cottage? It's in good condition. But if Corpse hangs out there, would he want me there?''

Sykkuno sighs, pulling the blankets over his shoulder and closing his eyes, but feeling unable to sleep. All he could think about was the boy in the cottage. It was like Corpse had hypnotized Sykkuno in a sense. But the herbalist didn't mind.

◈◈◈

Sorry, shorter chapter today. But I'll most likely do longer ones for each chapter. Probably 500+ words each, usually I aim for 1000+ words but I rushed for this. :(

  Anywho, again constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated if you would like to leave some :)

-fai