Asphyxiation

窒息

Chapter One

Changed

"When are you leaving?" Red's voice, over the past month, had found itself. When Green had first arrived at Red's little cabin on the top of Mt. Silver, and once speaking had become necessary, Red's voice had been not much more than a whisper. Over time, the more Green coaxed words out of Red, the less harsh with disuse his voice became.

"I'm not." Green replied curtly. Staring out the tiny window, his eyes focused on the never-ending white blanket of snow. He stood, shoulders slouched and hands in pockets. Red was seated not far from him on the mismatched couch in front of the fireplace. Several blankets and pillows were sprawled over the couch underneath Red. The couch had been Green's bed for the last month.

"Then why have you been staring out the window so intently? Despite it being June, the snow won't melt while you watch it. It doesn't ever melt." The last part was spoken at a whisper and Green had to strain to hear it. Green had been staring out the window ever since Red had shuffled, bleary eyed, out of his bedroom and settled on the couch.

Green finally turned around to look at Red, narrowing emerald eyes at him, "I told you I'm not leaving until you've decided to leave this godforsaken mountain with me." He growled before stalking over to the kitchen, cupboards and drawers banging as he went through. "Where are the fucking matches?" The words had barely left Green's mouth before the box of matches went sailing through the air to hit Green on the side of the head.

Green snatched the box from the floor where it had landed before scowling at Red, who had the biggest smirk on his face. Green went about fumbling with the matches and lighting the gas stove while Red walked, silent as ever, over to the kitchen and behind Green. He leaned his face over Green's shoulder and spoke into his ear, "What are you doing?"

Green sucked in air and jumped, "Shit Red! I told you to stop doing that." Another scowl was sent Red's way, "I'm making breakfast; do you want eggs?" Red nodded a silent confirmation and continued to stand behind Green as he cracked eggs into a frying pan.

Almost exactly a month before, Green had finally given up on stubbornly waiting for Red to come down from Mt. Silver. He showed up a few days later, shivering and scowling on Red's doorstep. Red had done what Green expected he would, and refused to leave. Green's response was to move in until Red realized he was serious. A month later and Green was still keeping house, as Red tended towards complete slobbery.

Red ambled around the small kitchen while Green made breakfast, picking things up and putting them down, opening the fridge only to close it, just generally pissing Green off. "Why don't you make yourself useful and butter the toast." Green had turned from the stove to glower at Red, issuing him a task to get him to stop his poking around the kitchen and getting in his way. Red set about doing just that, silent as ever as he found a clean knife and buttered the toast. The two worked in silence, Green glowering at the food in general soreness.

"Wake up on the wrong side of the couch?" Red murmured, his face picturing disinterest as he opened cupboards, looking for plates. Green ignored the comment and tilted his head disapprovingly at Red, "You've lived here how long and you can't remember where the plates are in your own damn place?" Red turned to Green and grinned sheepishly. Green couldn't help the grin that pulled at his mouth as he shook his head and opened the cupboard that hid the plates, raising his eyebrows at Red as he went back to the stove.

The two were sat at the table, discussing battle tactics when a knock at the cabin door halted the conversation rather abruptly. Red had his fork halfway to his mouth which hung open, Green shot him a look. They were both very clearly wondering the same thing, who the fuck had climbed Mt. Silver knowing where Red's cabin was at the peak?

Warily, Green got to his feet and made his way to the door, Red following close behind him. With his hand on the doorknob, there came another impatient rap before Green swung the door open wide. A boy, younger than Red and Green, raven-haired with his golden eyes half open and a lit cigarette hanging from his lips, stood before the two in ripped jeans and a baggy sweater.

At the sight of the two, the golden eyed boy grinned ear to ear, "Hey, Green I didn't know you were here. What are you two shacking up now? Didn't realize you took it up the ass Green, though I already knew Red did." He winked and drew on his cigarette. Green snatched the cigarette from the boys mouth, ignoring his words while Red stood behind him, mouth gaping, "Gold you idiot, get inside before you freeze solid."

Green ignored Gold's protest's as he smoked the cigarette and waited for Gold to step inside before shutting the door behind him and heading back to the table. Red still stood by the door, his mouth wide open before Green shot him a look. Clearing his throat, Red shuffled over to the kitchen, "Want some coffee Gold?" He muttered, clearly avoiding Gold's gaze as he turned his back to him, not waiting for an answer, already pouring the coffee into a mug. Gold, his eyes on Red's back, took Red's unoccupied seat and lit another cigarette, leaning back in the chair.

Green left no room for social conversation and got straight to the point, he didn't like to beat around the bush, "So, what are you doing here Gold? Couldn't have taken a trek up Mt. Silver in jeans for a social visit, so what's up?" Gold regarded Green carefully before turning his golden gaze back to Red, who had since joined the table with Gold's coffee.

"Why don't you ask Red?" Gold spoke quietly, the happy turn of his eyes replaced by a careful consideration as he looked from Green to Red again. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he drew on his cigarette. Red began to stutter out a reply but couldn't form a coherent sentence and instead turned bright red and stood up from the table in a rush.

"What's wrong Red?" Green stood up nearly as fast as Red had, concerned for the boy who's eyes looked like they would burst from his head any second. All suspicion for whatever the hell Gold was hinting at lost for worry. When Red didn't reply, Green turned to Gold, "What the fuck is wrong with him?" He hissed.

Gold had since adopted a smirk, "I have no idea. All I meant was that I was here to deliver his mail. Like I always do once a month, I don't know why he's spazzing out." Gold shrugged his shoulders, still smirking and quite obviously hiding something.

"Don't lie to me Gold, I'm not an idiot." Green now had Gold by the scruff of his shirt, his eyes staring daggers at the younger boy and fist drawn back, while Gold starting laughing in his face, "You're not going to hit me." He seemed pretty sure of himself.

"Wanna test that theory fuck face? You know I've always wanted to wipe that little smirk off your-" Green was cut off mid-sentence by the sound of the front door slamming shut. Red had done something very un-Red-like and lost his cool.

"Where the hell did he go?" Gold said, clearly unaffected by the fact that Green still had him by the shirt. Green let go and Gold fell back to his slumped position in the chair. "I don't know but I'd better go and get him. You better be gone when I get back." Green warned with a pointed finger before he too had left and slammed the door behind him.

He found Red standing on the edge of a rocky outcrop, looking out at the expanse of snow and rock before him. Something caught in Green's chest, and he had to stop short when his heart clenched at the sight of the emotion in Red' eyes.

What the hell was that? Green thought, and when he couldn't come up with any logical answer, he composed himself and continued the last few steps to Red, placing his hand on Red's shoulder. "What's wrong with you?" Green's bluntness didn't faze Red, who was used to it by now. He turned to face his friend, "Nothing, I'm fine. Let's go back to the cabin." Green wasn't convinced, but didn't press the issue.

Back at the cabin, Gold was long gone, a small pile of envelopes on the kitchen table. Green set about cleaning the dishes and kitchen area while Red leafed through the envelopes. Neither seemed to know what to say after the fiasco that had taken less than an hour to unfold, and unsettle both.

Green had just finished drying his hands and turned around when Red surprised them both by making his way over to Green and wrapping his arms around Green's waist, his head on Green's chest. "Red, what are you...?" Green didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before Red had let him go and turned his back to Green, "I think I'm ready to go home."

Red left Green standing, open mouthed, to wonder what had changed Red's mind in the last hour. What was up with him and Gold? Why had Red left him like this, with his stomach tied up in knots?

Hey Guys~

So a bit of a short beginning, don't worry this will probably be the shortest chapter of the story. Anyways please let me know how I did, was it too fast or not enough detail? I'm unsure about this style, like how I just jumped right into the story. Things will be explained in more detail next chapter though.

Also s/o to anyone who's read Oil to the Fire, this one's for you! (I promise I will finish this story, I swear.)

Sunny