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Day 1)
They were all drinking and laughing, thing that Thorkell's army loved to do in between fights. In a table a little far away from the others, Asgeir was talking to his boss about their future movements when it occurred for the first time; he began to cough violently, making him clutch his throat in pain before throwing up.
"Hey, what was that? We just started drinking!" Thorkell looked at his second in command with mocking eyes, but Asgeir paid no mind to him and focused on the thing that just came out of his mouth: a yellow flower petal.
"Oh shit, I told you not to eat seeds Asgeir! Now you have a growing plant inside you!" Thorkell grabbed the petal, looking at it as if it was the cause of all his disgraces.
"...I'm pretty sure that it doesn't work like that." Asgeir examined his drink before continuing. "There are chances that the flower was already in the beer and I swallowed it without realizing."
Thorkell was satisfied with that answer and without giving it a second thought both men kept on talking happily for the rest of the night.
Day 5)
Asgeir started to notice that it was getting harder for him to catch his breath after a fight. He was now left wheezing for air after a little quarrel, gaining looks of concern from the men. Due to this Thorkell went over and started searching for wounds in his body. "Are you okay? Where are you hurt?"
Asgeir was about to tell him that he might be getting rusty when a coughing spree stopped him. Closing his eyes with discomfort, he didn't notice the yellow petals descending to the ground. When the coughing receded and he opened his eyes once again, he was greeted with Thorkell's worried gaze and their men murmuring about a curse.
Later on that day, Thorkell scrutinized for seeds in his second in command's dinner and ordered the inn people to be mindful to not bring anything from plants. "Boss, please stop this madness, I'm sure that it doesn't have to do with that."
"And I'm sure that it has." Replied Thorkell while gazing at the just discovered seed with hostility. "We can try other things as well, maybe if I hit your stomach the plant will die."
"And I would die as well." Asgeir ignored his pouting friend and took another gulp from his beer, leaving the flower subject behind.
Week 1, day 4)
This time they were fighting against Mercia, at the end of a battle against an important croup of their forces, earl Edric fleed to gain reinforcements. Thorkell was in a hurry to follow them and behead said earl when Asgeir started coughing again.
Those episodes have been occurring the last days, so Thorkell rested importance when the shorter one fell on his knees. "Come on Asgeir! Get a hold on yourself and stand up! We are going to lose 'em!"
Asgeir was about to stand up when a mouthful of blood decided to come out alongside the coughing, freezing both of them in place.
Thorkell forgot about Edric in an instant and secured Asgeir in his arms. "Hey! He is wounded! Where is our medic?" Thorkell hurried about searching for their medic while showering Asgeir with questions. "Where did you get wounded? Those bastards will pay, don't worry. Why didn't you tell me that you were injured?"
Asgeir shook his head and indicated him to stop. "I'm okay, I believe that it's the flower's fault again, we should keep on chasing Edric without delay before he gets his reinforcements, don't worry about a cold."
Thorkell moved his gaze over Asgeir's hand, which was full of bloody flower petals, and with most care moved Asgeir over the cart.
With his heart full of wrath and resentment for those irritating yellow flowers, he resolved to vent on Edric.
Week 2, day 3)
When Thorkell learned that Canute came to the borders with Mercia he went to see him in a rage, since the king had declared a truce just before he could decapitate Edric.
Asgeir condition worsened over this time, he now coughed bloody flowers daily, and even if it didn't directly affect his fighting skills, breathing was getting harder by the day, and the constant pain in his throat made him irritable, thus snapping at Thorkell with more frequency.
Our commander blamed Canute for his misfortunes, so he couldn't wait to release his exasperation with him.
"Caaanuuteeee!" Thorkell smashed his cart while landing near the regent who was regarding him with tired eyes, "Now listen here you little shit! One good hit to Edric! One solid punch!"
"Calm down Thorkell," Canute neared the crazy Viking with his horse and Floki following behind.
Even as Thorkell was being held back by 6 men now, he continued. "Listen to me! There is only one thing that I hate more than frogs and yellow flowers... And that's being stopped in the middle of a battle!"
"Huh...Frogs? Flowers?" muttered the crowd that was watching the spectacle unfold.
"Mercia pleaded for a truce, thanks for your hard work Thorkell." Canute remained composed after that, despite watching Thorkell scream infuriated at his answer. "Don't get carried away, Edric can be useful."
"Listen here boy, you can't avoid war forever!" Thorkell huffed while pushing the men restraining him. "I'll back off today as a courtesy, but don't think that will happen again... And ah! Get me the best medic you've got as compensation, I will be needing him tomorrow."
Canute sighed. "I'll have it arranged."
Week 2, day 4)
The medic arrived early on the morning of the next day to their troops base and had to wait 3 hours for the men to wake up. Once he was welcomed in he didn't have the patience nor the time to necessities so he went straight to the point. "Who is the sick one and what are the symptoms."
Asgeir took out some bloodied petals coughed over the night and explained his situation. The medic's face twisted in a grimace at the end of the story and asked to talk with Asgeir in private, shutting out an annoyed Thorkell.
Once Thorkell was safely out of hearing range, the man started to explain to Asgeir about that disease. That you have it when you are in unrequited love with someone, that the flowers in his lungs will kill him and that the only way to make it stop is to confess his feelings or dying.
"Oh well, things might be uncomfortable later on but I guess that's better than dying, right?" Asgeir moved a hand through his hair and groaned, preparing himself for the conversation to come.
"Well...that, and you have to be reciprocated, or else you will die anyway."
"I guess I'm fucked then, thanks for the news." Throwing himself at one of the chairs in the room, he continued. "How much time do I have left?"
"One or two weeks, but you will start coughing roots by that time which is extremely painful, I recommend you to duel someone and get yourself killed before that."
Asgeir went out of the room looking dejected, worrying his friend that was outside of the room waiting for the verdict. "It looks like I'm dying Thorkell, one or two weeks... We should start looking for another second in command," he joked.
Thorkell didn't seem to catch it though because after hearing the "one or two weeks left" he destroyed his way inside the room, scaring the poor man indoors, "Hey you asshole! Heal him or I'll kill you! Don't get lazy on me, what is that 2 week bullshit!?" Thorkell held the poor sod up in the air, shaking him to make his point clearer.
"I can't do anything! It's ultimately up to him if he recovers or not!"
Thorkell shots a glaze at Asgeir, who replied. "I really can't do much either."
"Stop with this mysterious bullshit, what is this about?" The continuous shaking made the medic immediately answer his questions about the disease.
"If I kill that woman is this over?" Asked Thorkell while pulling out his axe.
"Sadly, it doesn't work like that."
"Then let's search for the bitch and threaten her, how can a lowly peasant not be madly in love with Asgeir." Thorkell grabbed his friend by the arm and guided him out of that room while questioning him about the whereabouts of this girl.
Before Asgeir could answer anything, Thorkell started to intimidate every woman on sight. "This is the best man in the world, why would you not love him? say that you love him!"
Of course, the smaller one tried to prevent that mess but Thorkell kept on causing a ruckus. Asgeir thought that Thorkell would end up injuring someone by the end of the day when a foreign pain attacked his throat.
It was a full flower, the first full flower.
Thorkell stopped, noticing that he was not being followed anymore, and saw the yellow flower on the floor. While crouching down to grab it, desperation started to saturate his heart. "Asgeir, let me help you, I don't want to lose you." At this point the flower was already crushed by his fist. "I need you to cooperate with me!"
Asgeir sighed loudly for the second time in the day and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "There is nothing you can do about this Thorkell, it will not matter how many girls you make announce their "love" for me, the one I love is you and there is nothing we can do about it."
That took the tall one by surprise, taking him a moment to process the confession, but before he could reply, Asgeir started coughing again, this time not only the flowers but their stem, getting unconscious after the trial.
When Asgeir woke up he felt warm and safe, taking his time to realize that he was being cradled by Thorkell, who was now sitting in the ground.
"For how long was I unconscious?" asked Asgeir a little confused.
"Long enough."
Asgeir, felling bashful after his confession, was about to tell his friend not to feel responsible for him when Thorkell cupped his face with one hand and led them to a kiss.
It was an awful kiss. Thorkell hands where shaking and Asgeir had his eyes open for his surprise, but it was charming and provided Asgeir with a wonderful answer.
"Well, I also like you. So you can stop thinking about crap." Thorkell blushed while avoiding his partner's bewildered gaze.
Asgeir laughed and went for a real kiss, putting his arms around Thorkell's neck and feeling the other's arms slowly hug his waist.
Sadly, here is when we are reminded that they are at a public space after all:
"Everyone! Is happening! This is not a simulacrum!" screamed one of their men, creating a ruckus within the troops. "Calm down everybody, calm the fuck down!"
"Oh boss I'm so happy for you! After so many years!"
"Asgeir you damn bastard, you made me lose a bet! You should have confessed over at the London Bridge or not confess at all!"
"No! He should have confessed after stopping the kid from killing boss! 'Because I love you' Sounds much better than 'Who else can lead an army of 500 beasts'"
Thorkell joined the discussion after that, leaving a very amused Asgeir watching at them contently, yellow flowers ignored in the ground.