"What's wrong?" The kids hands were fragile and thin yet they were held with all the love of a mother.
"What's your name.." the raspy voice asked the dimly lit shack covering its face with the dark.
Its nails were chipped and his fingers were bruised from bites and getting stepped on yet the man didn't know that.
"Mike! But you can call me anything really." Maybe if the room wasn't so dark he could see how much his smile meant to the kid.
"Are you hungry? I don't have any food I don't think but i could get you something." The offer was genuine as he already subtly began to scan his surroundings.
"You'll.. go out and get me something?" The child timidly asks as its hands began to retreat from the mans fading into the shadows barely leaving a silhouette visible to the eyes.
"I'll try, I don't have any money I don't think.. but my friends taught me a trick so don't worry!" He slowly began to uncrouch his legs shaking from his own weight as he dusted off his rather luxurious attire, his eyes never leaving the silhouette of a child.
"I have money. Take it." "Where?" "Find it."
Despite more questions the child never responded as Mike began to search slowly.
His surroundings were dusty, making him cough alot. The furniture was old and broken yet he made sure to pry everything open with care until when he finally gave up seemingly checking the entire shack.
"I can't" he came to a halt when he turned back to the child it's hands holding an old leather pouch seemingly filled with something.
"Oh you found it!" A laugh left him clearly unaware of his surroundings.
When he slowly moved closer he went back onto his knees to carefully extract the pouch from the childs shaking fingers.
"What do you want to eat? Some meat on sticks? Maybe you like veggies.." he began to ponder as the silhouette of a child shook its head.
There were no more answers.
"Hey?" he calls out to confirm yet there was no more response.
"I'll be quick then." Making his way outside he was surrounded by water with only a broken bridge leading him towards another place.
His jumps were precise. Mike's hair glowed in the light, luscious and well maintained, a flower crown on his head, unaware to him.
He began to follow the empty houses of fishermen looking for anyone or anything with life and the smell of food soon led him back towards a small fishing dock far more lively.
It was lively, yet when he arrived he could feel some people turn silent.
It didn't matter to him, he had a job. When finally arrived at a small fish place he noticed some already made fish sticks.
'So much fish theme.'
His eyes wander up to the salesman, "How much for three?"
"Do the likes of you not have better food to eat than this?" A scoff left Mike confused, the words leaving him a little lost.
Seeing the innocence of the man the salesman rolls his eyes. His built rather muscular for a fisherman, yet it seemed like everyone around him had a similar build.
"So..? How much?" Mike confirms to ask.
"Excuse me!?"
The salesman was angry.
'Why is he so mad at me!'
No one ever was outright mad at him outside of "him" on the day they met.
His hand raised to his chin lost in thought before finally looking into his pouch, there was not much, ten silvers and thirty copper.
'Maybe i can find someone else.' before he turned to leave the salesman called out.
"Ten cop"
Finally!
The exchange was quick and Mike could feel a lot of side glances as he began to make his way back.
"I'm home!" He calls out instinctively his usual jumps returning to the small island where he found the shack.
"I mean, I'm back! Sorry!!" Old habits die hard.
When finally reaching the broken door he carefully moves it, some light shining through as he sees nothing but black.
"Kid?" He called out yet no response.
"I must've taken long." Mike chuckled to himself as if reminiscing on a memory before carefully taking a broken table and dusting off a plate he saw earlier as he placed the fish sticks down.
The pouch followed close by staying behind with the full plate as mike began to take his leave.
He took a deep breath of fresh air, the wind seemed to blow his hair soothingly as he searched his pockets.
In it were a beautiful comb seemingly covered in beautiful gems almost looking as if made of lavish silver.
When finally dusting off his head he feels something soft, something blooming. He carefully took off the flower crown hes been wearing, it's flowers were freshly picked and the vines elegantly intervening with each other.
Truly the work of a professional.
"Well.. I'd feel bad just throwing this away." He held the crown as if fragile to his brute touch, the colours seemed to be a radiating yellow and gold followed by a beautiful blue haze of a glow neatly held together by a beautiful green of the flowers many stems.
After being lost in his admiration he carefully took the comb and began to straighten out his hair once more along with ridding himself from all this dust.
When finally clean and what he thinks looks presentable he carefully placed the crown onto his head once more adjusting it a few times before finally getting his hands off of it.
"I must've looked ridiculous to the owner!" He laughed to himself as he gazed at his water reflectin.