A/N: phew, did I have a block of a time. Now I'M thinking about that 'stubble' now…..lol……okay, he sports a goatee, so it's fine......thanks for the reviews. BTW, Seto has dipped into the sideof OOC-ness, but he's funny when he's OOC, and this is part humor, so.....

Disclaimer: All Day plus YGO = Don't Own.

"talking"

thoughts, emphasis

Day Ten: Breaking the Ice

The steady drip drip somewhere in the cave was the only sound in the vicinity, except for the occasional sigh or two. Ten days…..ten days stuck; had passed since the beginning of their estrangement from society. From the outer world. And it's all my fault…..

….no actually, it's all her fault!

Even though it wasn't true and he didn't really believe it was, either, it did make him feel better just thiniking it. For the past six hours, he'd been mulling over the events during those past ten days. And he'd come to the conclusion: that it wasn't his fault ! None of it.

Hmph! he grunted.

She just HAD to do it, didn't she. Just HAD to do it.

He growled, crushing a block of sandstone between his strong fingers. It crumbled all around the front of his pants, tumbling down his leg, back in the sand where he sat, where they once were begat. Born from the dust, return to the dust.....like man....

The wind whistled, cheerily and obscenely loud, cutting through the silence like a deadly knife plunging, through the crack between the boulder and stone wall, where Serenity was, stirring her long hair and ruffling his. She didn't stir from her huddle, just as he didn't.

Waiting…..both waiting.....for death.....

She just HAD to kiss me. Even death seemed something more forward to look to, more better to handle, than this tension between them, now; the one that she put there.

Why couldn't I have been alone? It would have been so much better. He would've felt much less lonelier.

Even though, technically, he was 'with' someone else, he still felt a lot less lonelier when alone. Alone was good. Something….un-new. Typical. Usual.

He sighed in frustration, feeling sorry for himself. And hating feeling that way. Then again, no one was here, no one had to know, no one could know. About him feeling sorry for himself, that is. It was like a little mental vacation, since working constantly always kept him busy; too busy enough to brood. Much. That was how he liked it. Ugh.

Girls. Romance makes me want to retch.

Especially this one. Just a little girl. Puny, really. No bigger than his shoulder. Pretty, yes, but……a lot of girls were! So what!

She saw you naked, taunted a voice, mocking him mercilessly. No ONE. No One EVER sees ME naked!!! Humiliation and fury surged up again. Not even Mokuba had seen him unclothed, ever. To him, nakedness was being all .....v-vulnerable, such a horrible word....

And that's why he put on so many clothes all of the time; although, now, he was wearing some cheap-ass shorts and plain shirt, because he had to; his clothes were ruined by the tornado that had hit them at sea. I should hate her…but I don't. All because of that …..kisssss, she just HAD to do…The words slid quietly from his lips, sounding like a hiss of hate, underneath his breath. Idiot.....that changes everything....I must be an idiot, too.

Meanwhile, Serenity had her knees drawn up, her head buried in them, wondering if her brother had given up on her yet. Probably so……and maybe crying his eyes out because of her eternal disappearance. Knowing he had failed her…..failed at keeping her safe….sigh....

Not able to stand it, she turned her head, as the sound of quiet growling emitted behind her. for the last hour or so, that guy had been talking to himself, muttering, grumbling, the works. And staring at her, when she wasn't looking. But feeling. She felt like Swiss cheese must, with all the holes he'd bored with his eyes. I'm too miserable to even wonder about him…..what is to become of us. Her head hurt and she smiled sleepily, hair falling over her face and arms like a shield. If I am to die……at least I won't be alone….it sucks to be alone, at a time like this.

Her hand reached behind her, searching for a blanket from the pack at the same time he was looking for some new pants. (He still hadn't changed from his soggy ones). Their hands collided and it was like a jolt of white lightning. His eyes jumped towards hers, and then he snatched the pack, turning away while speaking to her.

"What?" he muttered, as she blinked in confusion, he hand still where the pack had been on the sandy floor. "Did you want something?" Your highness?

"Er, just a…." she stuttered, sitll hopelessly confused, as he tossed her a blanket they'd used for a hammock.

"….blanket. Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he muttered, then looked back at her, suddenly, forcefully. "Or whatever happened on this island when we get back. Got it?!"

"Don't worry, I won't." Not that anyone'll believe me, anyway! That's me; always thoughtful. Trying shake the unshakable, she murmured into her knees, staring through the tiny stream of light. Besides, it was his fault they were stuck there; otherwise, they would've been already home. Her eyes told him this, and he avoided them, feeling a sharp stab of guilt, since it was true. "What's wrong....?"

He muttered that nothing was, and turned to sulk at the wall, again, like a little boy.

She thought she had saw another person yesterday, when the uproar had begun of their almost being saved. Her hand touched his arm lightly, questioningly, and he looked down at it. But then he just grunted again, his soft grunt/snort, and said no more. He didn't want her being nice to him, it would just rub in the guilt more.

Day turned into night, and complete and total darkness settled in their little den. "I should...make a fire..." she barely heard him mutter, since she was nearly asleep, curled up on the floor in the warm blanket, shivering profusely. Her biggest fear was falling asleep in the vicinty of the quicksand, and drowning, was it? Oh, yes, it was just another fun-tastic day/night on Marooned Island.

Mustn't think....like that.....must be....optimistic.....zz....

Meanwhile, Seto glanced at the ceiling; it was pretty high, so the smoke wouldn't be able to reach them, but he was taking no chances. Then again, there was a pretty good chance of freezing, she was already shaking and shivering in the thin wool blanket. Rather uncontrollably. Glancing at her, he asked in concern what hurt.

"Ouch....My......neck...." she mumbled into the blanket, which was pulled up around her mouth, making her words nearly incoherent. Slipping in and out of conciousness, she slurred, "So sleepy.....and cold...." Another burst of shivers racked.

I guess I'll be making the fire, after all. It wouldn't do to die of hypothermia, she has to die of asphixiation first. Chuckling totally without humor at that, he glanced at her again while fixing the fire. Good thing......the fire was roaring in a blaze, crackling loudly. Still, she shivered miserably, even though only a few feet from it.

Sensitive.....

Remembering, he sat her up and turned her head to the side; it didn't take much because her head was lolling over away. He saw with alarm that the cut on her neck, the one she'd sustained from having the life supply pack dropped on her, had tore open and was trickling blood down her shoulder blades. Muttering an oath, he pressed a clean, damp cloth and gently wiped it clean, then put another bandage he'd fashioned from an old shirt.

Her skin felt unusually warm....probably suffering from a fever.....her forehead confirmed that. Her eyes were half closed, no doubt in deep delusion, a common side effect. The amber hair seemed to catch the movement of the flames.....

Whoa. When did----where did that come from?! Sputtering, he laid her back down, glad she was asleep so she wouldn't hear it, and gathered up the pack again to see if there's was any food left to eat. Rummaging, he found some......berries. Half smashed to pulp, no less.

That's it? This wouldn't feed an ant! Half an ant! Half a smashed ant! Muttering, he bit into one, wrinkling his nose at the bitter taste of it. This is almost as bitter....as me! Hah, made a joke. He raised his eyes up to eye her again, still, with her face turned the other way, violently trembling. Her breathing sounded shallow, she might not make it. "Wake up," he commanded, shaking the shoulder, lightly but firmly. "Time to eat....."

She muttered something, in her sleep, and rolled over.

"Come on, you have to sustain..your strength...." He trailed off, rolling her back to face him. "I know you're hungry.....eat." It was a simple enough direction to follow, but she just continued to moan and mutter, in pain.

Biting into another, he studied her tiny, limp, feminine frame. It's best if she does sleep, she's obviously in pain. Still, she HAS to eat! Neither of us has ate well in days. Even while curled up, her long amber hair fell obscurely aganist her creamy face, the fire making it alsomst the smae color. It was much shaggier than before they'd arrived at the island. He knew his was as well; he had to keep shaking it out of his eyes to see. I guess stress does make your hair grow faster. "Come on, wake up.....you can't just fall asleep here!"

Nothing. She stopped her moaning, now she was completely silent. The fire crackled cheerfully for them both, as if the entertainer in a deserted stadium. Only the soft sound of her light peaceful breathing was audible over it. Outside, something loud scampered by, but they were safe inside here from it, so her didn't pay it much attention.

She still has to eat. If not, she'll get weaker and weaker....with....more time that passes. He bit into another and chewed slowly, watching her so critically, he hardly blinked, watching. So soft.....so quiet.... he could hear loud pounding in his ears, from his own daring, as an idea slowly whispered up and took form. Bending over her, he opened her mouth a little with a thumb on her delicate, tiny chin, stared, and closed his lips on top of hers. There, he pushed the warmed food inside, not too far in, then pushed away. The heat from her fever had seemed to have combined and gathered in her lips, they'd felt incredibly warm. Definitely a fever. And look--I'm not retching! It wasn't bad.....really......

She uttered a short mutter of content; chewed and swallowed automatically, and was still. The sounds seemed to echo of the walls, the silence and tension was so thick. At least, for him. She just contined to look peaceful, a tiny smile forming dreamily, while he was a wreck, inside.

Chewing into another berry, almost thoughtfully, he had the thought of the 'bittersweet taste.' Sweetness mixed in with bitterness, how it seemed to symbolize them, and what they were doing to a T. Repeating the process again, he tried as hard as he could to pretend that this wasn't a kiss, exactly, he was just trying to keep her from starving, to death, it wasn't like he liked her, or anything....but....

By the third time around the berries were forgotten......

To be continued next chapter.


A/n: I really do think Kaiba sometimes acts like a little boy: greedy, greedy, mine, mine, that sort of thing. Yum.....Now I feel like a bowl of berries. I should have had cream 'mysteriously' drop in the cave, lol. see you next chapter, after you review !