❝𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬...❞ ✔ Corpse x Sykkuno

Scene VI

"I haven't ever been outside the castle without my father, this is exciting."

"Wait, seriously?" Lily asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! And even then we go to private places or other castles, this is my first time seeing a village."

"Well, it's not much, but it's home." Lily gestures to the Village.

Rae's eyes sparkle with awe, "It's perfect." She mutters quietly.

Corpse, Rae, and Lily proceed to enter the village with Temmie going on to fly with the other dragons flying in the air. Corpse spots Bingus and he smiles at the bare, cat-like dragon, but his smile falters when he spots Bimbus joining in with them. He ignores the helpless, sad feeling that it causes.

They decide to go to Jack's Tavern because that's where Lily says everyone is. Rae's eyes gleam as she takes in the small Tavern. Corpse has to admit, that was him the first time he saw it too. Everything is warm, cozy, and so friendly, with orange lanterns on every table and lit candles here and there.

"There are so many people." Rae says in an awed voice. As her eyes dance swiftly across the occupied chairs and tables with board and card games.

"Yeah, welcome to the outside world, Rae. No more are you imprisoned in your castle." Corpse teases. Lily giggles and steers them to the table with their friends. His eyes scan the table for a certain someone before, he hears a voice call from behind.

"Corpse?" He whips around at the sound of the soft, gentle, and familiar voice.

"Sykkuno." He says breathlessly.

"Corpse, look I-" Sykkuno hesitates, and Corpse waits, "I wanted to tell you something."

"I'm listening," Corpse says. Always.

"That night, I was really mad, and I realized that I was being overdramatic." He says with a laugh which eases Corpse's nerves, "And I just wanted to say I'm sorry for-"

"Corpse!" Corpse tenses at the voice. Rae calls for him as she puts her hand on his shoulder. "Aren't you going to introduce your friends to me?"

Sykkuno looks at Rae in confusion, then at Corpse. His warm eyes suddenly turn cold and his walls build up again. Corpse's stomach drops.

"Rae, now's not the time." Corpse whispers to her frustratedly, and her jolly expression turns to one of perplexity. Her eyes turn to Sykkuno and she sees the familiar necklace hanging from his neck.

She gasps. "Oh my god, you must be Sykkuno! I'm Rachel Hofstetter, but you can call me Rae!" She says, as she sticks her hand out for him to take, Sykkuno looks at her with a hint of something Corpse can't quite catch on. Sykkuno shakes Rae's hand with a soft smile that he gives to everyone.

"That's me!" He said with that usual cheery voice of his. "Here, let me introduce you to everyone," he says, locking his eyes directly with Corpse's, and Corpse had the sweet luxury of pretending that that gentle smile was for him.

***

Rae gets along really well with everybody, she sings with Lily, talks about Coffee with Jack, she talks about weapons with Micheal. But the person she gets along with the most is surprisingly Sykkuno. They almost become the best of friends the moment they start talking. In a game of Amongst Us, they even make up a code word. Really, Rae? Russian? Rae and Sykkuno develop a habit of teasing one another, but more than that, teasing Corpse. And Corpse wants to imagine it but he can't shake the bite in Sykkuno's voice in every sentence directed at him.

Just as they finish another game of Amongst Us.

"Hey, everyone!" Rae announces excitedly. "Another round of beer is on me!" The table erupts with cheers of 'Rae! Rae!'. Chants of her name, echoeing in the Tavern. While everyone praises Rae, Corpse sees Sykkuno slip out the door. Corpse looks around to see if anyone notices Sykkuno's disappearance but no one seems to care, so Corpse gets up from his seat and walks out of the room and into the night, to follow Sykkuno. He sees Sykkuno walking towards the woods, probably home to his cottage. Corpse follows and shouts after him, saying "Why are you acting so weird towards me?"

Sykkuno stops and turns around and gives Corpse an incredulous look. "Oh, am I?"

"What did I do so bad that you won't even talk to me? I'm sorry if I hurt you in some way, I didn't mean to." Corpse said, sadness seeping into his tone.

"Corpse, please, I don't want to think right now."

Corpse's eyes start to water but he furiously brushes them away, not wanting to let Sykkuno have the pleasure of seeing him cry. "Stop pushing me away! Please," His voice gets dangerously desperate.

"I'm the one pushing you away?" Sykkuno laughs humorlessly. "You haven't even talked to me since Rae arrived!"

"Stop dragging her into this, she didn't do anything wrong. You're just jealous I'm spending more time with her instead of you!" Corpse defended her.

"Ooo, getting a bit defensive, are we?" Sykkuno teases but he sees something flicker in Sykkuno's eyes at the comment, "Good little Corpse finally speaking his mind." He says harshly.

"You're not being yourself right now at all, Sykkuno. What happened to you ?" Corpse shouted.

"I don't know, Corpse! I don't know what's happened with me,"

"At least tell me how to make it right. Please tell me what you want?" Corpse asks desperately.

Sykkuno went silent, Corpse opened his mouth to speak but Sykkuno spoke up, "You can't give me what I want, Corpse." He said in a hollow voice.

"What, what is it that you want that I can't-"

"I want you, Corpse! Because I love you!" Sykkuno shouted. So loud. It echoed.

Corpse went silent.

Sykkuno's face heats up and he turns his back on Corpse, starting to walk towards the woods. Corpse is speechless. He tries to say something but his throat is too dry.

"I-" He attempts to speak. "I love you too." Corpse says, his words as fragile as thin ice. Sykkuno stops in his tracks. Corpse speaks louder, "I love you too."

Sykkuno moves to turn around slowly, when he does, Corpse sees tears form in Sykkuno's eyes. Corpse runs to Sykkuno. Before, every step towards him felt like a mile, like he won't ever reach him. But this time he does, he reaches him and hugs him tightly, wrapping his arms around him. Sykkuno digs his face into Corpse's shoulder, it doesn't take long for Corpse to feel dampness on his shoulder, as Sykkuno clutches his back, as if hanging on for his life. Sykkuno shakes with silent uncried sobs. Corpse soothes his back, muttering reassurances in his hair.

"Sykkuno, look at me." Sykuno unburies his head from Corpse's shoulder at his command.

Corpse takes in Sykkuno's sight. He cradles Sykkuno's cheeks, looking him dead in his dark eyes. Sykkuno looks tired, soft and so, so beautiful. Corpse dries his tears carefully as if one wrong move and everything will shatter like glass. Corpse's eyes drop down to the pink smudge that was his lips. Sykkuno exhales shakily. Corpse looks back up at his eyes as if to ask permission. Sykkuno's eyes flicker to Corpse's lips and that's all the encouragement he needs to fill the gap keeping them apart.

Corpse chastely presses his lips to Sykkuno's mouth carefully, cradling his cheeks lovingly in his hands. Sykkuno presses back, and Corpse kisses him harder, tilting Sykkuno's head to get better access. Sykkuno brings his arms around Corpse's neck. And Corpse breathes him in, breathes in what is Sykkuno, who smells like everything good, like the rain or the ocean, he smelled like fresh citrus plucked from trees.

The need for air overcomes their need for each other as they separate, breathing in lungfuls of air. Corpse held on as tightly as Sykkuno held onto him. Corpse kisses him, this time harder, and more passionate, the way their lips slid right into place is sinful. Corpse kisses him again, and again, and again until he can't get enough anymore.

They stand there, under the glow of faint lanterns and dim moonlight, in an embrace.

 Word Count: 1335