Full Bloom (Katakuri X OC)

Chapter 5. Ocean Breeze

Flore had settled into bed hours ago.

He was unable to sleep, haunted by the idea of the posters already having arrived to Wano.

Plans had been set into motion for years now. With people out for his head he could become injured, or even killed, before he could accomplish his goals.

He sighed, in an aggravated manner, and thought back to the discussion he had with Katakuri the day before.

--

"If Wano and Totto Land are under alliance, then you could be admitted to enter the Flower Capital with me as your guest," Flore paced around the room. "If I can just stay there a few days, I can locate where the shipment is being held and we can subdue it from being spread. It could actually work!"

Of course it was alot to demand, seeing as Katakuri was still injured and left in charge of Totto Land by his mother. Leaving now could jeopardize his loyalty.

Although, the more Katakuri thought, the more he realized he respectfully owed Flore a favor now for traveling just to heal his wounds.

Flore of course was expecting a flat no from the man. He knew that Katakuri possessed firm loyalties, and even if the wounds were healed there was still the matter of leaving the entirety of Totto Land unguarded under a powerful leader.

He would have to find a different means of travel, hopefully finding an important figure associated with Wano to let him accompany them.

Although that would also be an issue, as Wano is a very closed off country, and the outside world is foreign to them. There wouldn't be anyone around to take him.

Of course he could try and sneak into the capital, or have someone allow him in against their will, but even then there could still be difficulties.

"Alright," Flore heard, his thoughts of travel nearly spacing him out long enough to not hear Katakuri speak.

"What?" Flore turned to the man, shocked and stunned.

Katakuri gave out a stressed sigh. "I'll have someone else take my place in charge for now," he said. "But it will be at least two days before I'm fit to travel."

Flore wanted to ask why the change of heart so suddenly, but didn't want to dare say anything that could potentially jeopardize the agreement.

"I see..." Flore nodded, speaking somewhat slow. "And in the meantime?"

"I'm going to rest," Katakuri announced, preparing to lay down. "Take the room next to mine and meet me in the hallway on the second morning."

--

Flore left the room, having realized sleep wouldn't come to him and set out towards the highest point of the island.

It was an hour's travel on foot. A hill overlooking a sparkling moonlit ocean, not having ever been touched by human hands.

Below it layed a rocky shore that was constantly rippled over by the tide. It issued a calming oceanic noise that of waves rolling against the shore.

Flore, surprisingly, was never much for the ocean. The beach, the water, the people, it just didn't strike excitement in him.

But times like these, with the glowing moon shining rays down onto the dark water below, was when he felt most at peace.

~~

Katakuri stood by Flore's door. He had knocked several times already with no reply, and was starting to wonder if Flore was in a heavy sleep.

He had already done his best to push away the thought of the young man already leaving out.

"Hell," Flore muttered a curse, straggling in the doorway down the hall as Katakuri turned towards him. "Sorry sorry I was just out all night," he fumbled as his coat was stuck on the closed wedge of the door.

Katakuri approached him right before Flore nearly fell over. He had tugged so hard to where the force of his coat coming loose sent him flying over.

Katakuri walked past him, turning to face the man sitting on the floor. He immediately noticed Flore's tired features and slowed movements. Even his speech was somewhat jumbled.

Flore, embarrassed, started to get up when Katakuri knelt down. The very tall man extended an arm down to Flore, which the latter took in order to be pulled up.

"You look like you haven't slept," Katakuri opened the door, having Flore follow him out towards the dock.

"I just... couldn't really," Flore said somewhat slow. "I ended up just sitting out on the high cliff right out of town.. then noticed the sun coming up and hurried back here."

"I had thought you were in deep sleep," Katakuri thought aloud.

"The opposite..."

Katakuri kept quiet, knowing Flore was too exhausted to keep conversation, or speak much at all.

The two walked onto the dock in silence, with Katakuri gradually having to slow his pace so Flore could keep up.

Flore had been trudging along slowly, feeling pained and sluggish from the walk. Rest was crucial for him to have in order to perform at his best, and staying up an entire night was very detrimental to his body.

"Shit," he muttered, having walked right into Katakuri's leg as the man stood towards the ship out beside them.

"We're taking this one to get to Wano," he instructed. "There's a room or two on board for you to rest in."

"Right, thank you," Flore grumbled at the notion of an oncoming headache.

"Sorry"

"For what..? I bumped into yo-"

Katakuri easily lifted up Flore, throwing him up onto the deck of the ship where he landed with a thud. Katakuri jumped up next to the half dead body that proceeded to turn over with a red scratched face.

"I wasn't going to wait all day for you to climb on board," Katakuri walked past to go on to the controls.

"Fair," Flore layed there, feeling somewhat comfortable enough to where he fell asleep soon after.

Katakuri had gone to set out to sea, having the ship leave out of the dock towards open water.

The journey to infiltrate Wano was now underway.