Kat-wings: Kinda mushy chapter, centering around Honda and Kaiba and someone you'll have to read to find out. The survival stuff will come in strongly next chapter, for all of you who were just thinking that this was going to be the way the whole thing would be. I HAD to add a little romance, and a little conflict between characters, or else.. I wouldn't be able to continue it. Apologies for my dorkiness.
To all those who frikken ADORABLY nicknamed Ryou, I must say I love you all.
Ryou almost pushed Kaiba entirely away, Kaiba now only holding his hand, and barely even that. Ryou breathed onto Honda's face, his heat-wave hands moving to Honda's thighs, his sides, slowly reheating Honda's body to a safe temperature. Kaiba hated Ryou as of that moment. He was touching Honda in a way... only he was allowed to.
Kaiba kissed Honda's hand, and backed off, realizing it was freaken hopeless. Kaiba put his shirt and trench coat back on, and headed towards the mouth of the cave.
"Kaiba, where are you going?" Bakura asked.
"To do what must be done." Kaiba sighed.
"What is he talking about?" Marik asked
"He's closing up the mouth of the cave." Yami explained.
"You do realize if he's going to pack it in enough for it to be useful at all, he'll have to do it from the outside." Mokuba noted.
"How is he gonna get back in?" Jou asked.
"It's one or nine." Yami went and snuggled with Malik and Yugi to keep them warm.
There was silence following that statement. It was true... and the truth hurt... Yami kissed Malik, and Yugi's forehead, then fell asleep with them in his arms. Mokuba was in shock, and Jou held him close as he cried for his brother, who was still very much alive at the moment. Marik and Bakura stood there by the fire, until Marik hit himself in the head.
" The cold must be making us all idiots... We -could- always go help him." Marik chuckled. "That way he can get back in... somehow..."
"And I thought beauty was the only thing you had going for you." Bakura smirked.
The two walked to the mouth of the cave, Marik hitting Bakura for his comment.
Ryou held Honda close, heating him up as much as he possibly could. Ryou was beginning to think this was hopeless. It felt like Honda was there, but also like this was a dull, lifeless manacan who looked like Honda in a pastey form. Honda's color was getting better, but not much at all. Ryou knew it was a sign, but it wasn't a good enough one.
"Honda, you better as hell wake up." Ryou swore under his breath.
"S...So... c-c-cold..." Came out of Honda's lips, trembling, and slowly regaining color.
"Don't worry, Honda, -I'm- here." Ryou smiled, and whispered into his ear. "-I'll- keep you warm."
Ryou kept him warm, long through the night, and early the next morning, the three boys, cold, and tired, finally made it back inside to the fire. Kaiba noticed the way Ryou was holding Honda, no longer laying with him, but sitting up against a wall, feeding him rice. This was wrong on so many levels to Kaiba. Ryou knew he was overstepping his boundries here, and yet, Ryou had a smile on. Ryou was enjoying this.
The same Ryou who in fact had admitted his love for Honda when Honda was concious, 6 weeks or so ago. Honda told Ryou he loved him back, but that there was another, and he could never love Ryou as much. Ryou accepted that, and they stayed close friends.
The same Ryou Kaiba hated. Ryou heard Kaiba tell Honda he loved him, and yet made advances unwelcome. But, if Honda wanted Ryou more than himself, so be it. Kaiba knew love hurt, he knew that if you loved someone, you had to let them go. He also knew this wasn't a prime time for having a grudge against someone you knew you were going to be spending a LOT of time with.
"Ryou, I need to speak with you." Kaiba said curtly.
Honda looked up at him curiously, and smiled at him.
"Anything you have to say you can say here." Ryou stated.
Kaiba was impatient however, and he grabbed Ryou by the collar and dragged him off deeper into the cavernous cave. Kaiba stopped, and pushed Ryou to the ground.
"You better as hell take good care of him. If I find out that you did anything to harm him, whatsoever, you will be dead before you have time to explain yourself." Kaiba snarled. "And if you ever, EVER make him cry, I'll make you suffer so much you'll wish you were dead."
Kaiba spat on Ryou, and walked back to the fire. He sat away from Honda, near the mouth of the cave, where he could barely see the others, and could barely feel the warmth. He sat in the cold, wishing he had died out there, wishing Marik and Bakura hadn't come to help him. He wished he'd be dead so he couldn't feel this pain. He wished this pain would leave. He wished he was still out there. Dead, frozen, unfeeling. He wished he'd never met Honda so he wouldn't even be there.
Kaiba sighed, and knew this would be an adventure he'd wish never happened. He knew that he had given up the best thing in his life, and... gosh... it hurt...
"Is everything okay?" The newly awoken Yugi asked Ryou as he got back to the campfire.
"Everythings fine." Ryou nodded.
"Then what's up with Kaiba?" Malik asked.
"Nothing." Ryou said a little too quickly for anyone's taste.
Honda took one look at Kaiba and knew that there definatley WAS something wrong with him. He wanted so badly to go over to him, to tell him he heard what he had said... but maybe it was just a dream... Maybe he didn't really... love.. him. Honda would have gone over to him, but his legs... were currently uncooperative.
The day went on, long, unending it seemed. There was nothing to do but keep warm, and tell stories. When every story was told, and every game was played, they all decided that there should be sleeping arrangements, and explorations going deeper into the cave, seeing what there was, what was waiting at the other end. They all understood it was probably unending, and there was a bear at the end of it, but there was not much they could do about that.
"Pair up." Yami said. "Pick someone who you wouldn't mind snuggling with, and someone who you think will keep you warm. Body on body is the best way to transfer heat."
"Get down to your boxers, and use your clothes as blankets, it's the best way to keep the heat." Jou nodded.
Yami and Jou insantly stepped together, Hands entertwining. Mokuba and Malik nuzzled into eachothers long hair, Marik and Bakura were already standing together, Ryou grabbed Honda roughly, explaining Honda was 'still under 96.0'. Yugi jumped in with Mokuba and Malik, who welcomed him fully, and Kaiba was still sitting alone at the entrance to the cave.
No one even noticed Kaiba was gonna sleep alone, just Honda staring at him sadly.
"Kaiba..." Honda pointed out.
"I'll be just fine." Kaiba said just loud enough for them to hear from his distance.
Kaiba was soon forgotten, as everyone settled down for sleep. Kaiba sat watch at the mouth of the cave, staring at the snow packed wall, waiting for it to melt. He thought deeply of what else would need to be done in order to survive. They'd need food. They'd need more wood. They'd need blankets, some way to keep warm.
It wasn't his fault they were even here in the first place. He was an idiot for letting his brother convince him to come out here. Then again it wasn't Mokuba's fault either.
Kaiba sat alone long into the hours of the night. He just wished he could get the scene out of his mind. Ryou touching Honda, feeding him, sleeping next to him, it was unfair. Kaiba didn't even notice the cold getting to him, turning -him- into the 'oh-so-pastey-one'. It suited him, he didn't care, he was far too wrapped up in his thoughts.
So wrapped up, he barely noticed the body laying on him, until their full weight was laying on him.
"You're going to get sick if you keep this up." Honda whispered. "Pnemonia isn't a pretty way to die."
"Neither is Ebola, but I don't have either." Kaiba snorted. "Does it matters to you?"
"Bastard. Don't talk like that, you know it does." Honda looked into his eyes. "I heard your words, I know what you said."
"Go back to your boyfriend." Kaiba snarled.
"He isn't--"
"Then why did you let him touch you? Hold you? Feed you?" Kaiba asked, not meeting his eyes.
"Because you were too busy getting yourself killed." Honda snapped. "I don't know what is up your ass, but you keep seeming like you want to be dead the way you're acting."
"Maybe I do." Kaiba muttered.
WHAM- Honda's fist connected with Kaiba's face. "Now shut up, and sleep."
Kaiba was too in shock to actual say anything else. Honda started pulling at Kaiba's shirt. Kaiba was blushing horribly, and knocked Honda's hands away.
"Do you want to die!" Honda asked. "We need to preserve heat. Get back to the fire." Kaiba had never seen Honda so serious, so angry... so gosh-darned hot...
Kaiba nodded, stood, and Helped Honda back to the fire. Honda pushed Ryou into Jou and Yami, they'd sleep together. Honda pulled Kaiba down to himself, pulling off his coat and shirt slowly, blanketing them. When Honda reached Kaiba's pants, Kaiba grabbed his hands and shook his head.
"Please... don't." Kaiba whispered feebly.
Honda looked deeply into his eyes. Kaiba couldn't meet his eyes, though.
"Who touched you?" Honda asked softly running a soft hand over Kaiba's cheek, making the boy look at him. "Who hurt you?"
Kaiba didn't answer, he just sighed deeply.
"I won't hurt you like he did." Honda knew by that sigh what Kaiba really meant was: Gazarburo.
"I... I know..." Kaiba said shakily.
"I won't even touch you there, if you don't want me to." Honda whispered even quieter.
Kaiba nodded. "Just... let me do it..."
Kaiba undid his pants and slid them down, taking them off completely. Honda kissed his forehead chastely, and brought Kaiba closer to him, draping the pants over them, pulling them closer. They lay chest to chest, and Honda's leg draped over Kaiba's thigh in a possesive manner.
"I do love you." Honda whispered into Kaiba's ear. "I will never let anyone hurt you again."
Hearing those words made Kaiba the happiest man in the world.
"Ai Shiteru." Kaiba whispered even softer, and kissed Honda's cheek, before falling into a peaceful sleep.
Kat-Wings: Next chapter will focus on a different pairing, and more survival rather than romance, I promise. You Pick the pairing, loves. Anyone here is for the taking.