Tell me: who decides who should live or die?
Kiku whimpered and fell to the sand, breathing heavily as the soaked cloth fell from in between his fingers. He pushed himself up on shaky arms after catching his breath and crawled over to the man lying unconscious next to him, ignoring the blood that ran down his side and mixed with the salt water that drenched his body.
Brushing the wet hair out of his eyes, he pinched the man's nose before leaning down. He pressed his lips against the other's and blew carbon dioxide into the man's mouth. Out of his peripherals, he saw his chest rise with the forced intake of air.
Kiku pulled away and placed his hands on the man's chest. He drew in a deep breath and pressed down harshly, wincing at the slight crack of his ribs. He continued his chest compressions before blowing more air into the other's mouth. He repeated the process multiple times, his efforts never granted with a single response besides the occasional sound of cracking ribs.
Growling in frustration, he slammed his fist onto the chest.
Emerald green eyes snapped open and he immediately rolled over, coughing out water onto the sand. His body wracked violently and his throat burned from the salt water that he heaved out. Tears started gathering in his eyes as some of the water went to his nose, causing him to cough and sputter and gasp even more.
Finally, his coughing seized and he bowed his head, breathing heavily as he swallowed painfully. His nostrils and his throat were on fire, and his chest ached as if it were bruised. He lifted his head and found Kiku walking away, a hand on his side.
Arthur gathered himself onto his feet and rushed after the Japanese, stumbling on his shaky legs that were threatening to give out at any moment. "W-wait!" he cried out.
Kiku turned deadly amber eyes onto the pirate, his face twisted into anger. "What?" he snapped.
Arthur furrowed his brow. "Where are you going?"
"To look for shelter," Kiku said simply before walking away again, slipping off the soaked jacket of his military suit. He tossed it on the sand, wincing at the sharp pain in his side.
"What happened?" Arthur questioned, his throat sounding hoarse and feeling like it had gravel in it as he spoke.
"What do you think happened?" Kiku snapped, not looking back at the Brit who followed him.
Arthur frowned. "I nearly drowned because you decided to tie me to a bloody bed. The least you can do is tell me what the hell happened," he said sternly, his green eyes staying on Kiku's frame.
Kiku sighed and turned around, nearly causing Arthur to bump into him. "You see that?" he asked, pointing at a large gathering of darkened rain clouds. Arthur glanced at it. "That means it's going to rain and I don't fancy getting caught in the rain. After we find shelter, I'll explain."
Arthur nodded, observing the clouds as he saw a few flashes of lightning in the distance. He turned back to Kiku, who was already walking once again. Arthur quickly scrambled up to Kiku, rubbing his aching chest. He coughed a little and brushed the wet hair out of his face as he trailed behind the Japanese silently, his body shaking from how weak he felt and the chill that clung to his skin.
Kiku was lost in his own thoughts, chewing on his lip as he pulled his katana out and cut away a barrier of foliage. The blade hit something solid, scraping along the surface and causing a tiny spark to light up his irises. He brushed away the remaining vines and leaves, finding a stone wall. He trailed his hand along it until he found an opening, peering into the cave.
"This will do," Kiku muttered before stepping inside, shivering a little at the cold and damp air gathered inside the stone cave.
Arthur followed and frowned. "It's kind of cold in here," he murmured as he trailed his hands along the stone wall, wrinkling his nose. It was soaked with water, probably from previous storms and the foliage that was gathered around it.
"We'll find a better one tomorrow, but this is all we've got," Kiku murmured, his voice strained as he sat down in the sand, panting quietly. In the dim light, he pulled his hand back and swallowed as he could just barely make out the red substance decorating his palm and fingers.
"Perhaps a fire will make it somewhat better," Arthur muttered as he sat down as well, grateful the ground wasn't as wet as the wall.
"You want to go gather firewood and start one, be my guest," Kiku said quietly as he leaned his head against the cave wall, covering his side again. His breathing was shallow and quick, his vision dimming every now and then.
Arthur sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to rid the feeling of sandpaper from his eyelids. "I'd like an explanation," he said, glancing at Kiku's outline in the near darkness.
Kiku shifted before clearing his throat so Arthur wouldn't detect the pain in his voice. "My ship was attacked. By who, I don't know, but they nearly destroyed my entire fleet. Only a few of the ships managed to escape and who knows if any of them are aware that I made it off the ship," he muttered, closing his tired eyes.
"Lovely," Arthur muttered, rubbing his face. "So we're stranded here until someone is willing enough to search every island?"
"No. Someone will probably circle around to the last spot my ship was seen and search the three islands around it. But who knows how long that'll take."
Arthur sighed and stood up, rolling his shoulders. "I'll go and gather firewood, then," he said, placing his hand onto the wall and making his way towards the opening.
Kiku swallowed and counted to ten in his head after he saw Arthur's figure disappear and hesitantly lifted his shirt up. He bit his lip, holding back a quiet whimper as the fabric stuck to the blood staining his skin and the open flesh that oozed with the red substance. He blinked away the blurriness in his vision as he managed to get the shirt up far enough for him to see the large gash on his side. He drew in a shaky breath before gingerly touching the edges of the wound.
He gasped as a searing pain ran through his side, tears lining his bottom lids. He breathed out a curse in Japanese before settling against the cave wall. He closed his eyes and struggled to take steady breaths, his heart pounding almost painfully. He shifted in discomfort and felt his body shake slightly.
Why hasn't it healed? It's been at least an hour after the ship wreck. It should be healed by now.
Kiku's thoughts drove him into a panicked state. He worried what was happening to his country if his wound was still open. He was concerned for his people. And he had no way to get back to them, stranded on this damn island until someone found him. He opened his eyes halfway and glanced at the cave opening, considering just getting up and setting up a signal, almost forgetting about the storm that was closing in on the two nations.
The Japanese placed a hand on the smooth wall behind him, shakily getting on his feet and grunting in pain. He gripped his side, blood seeping out from the fabric of his shirt and onto his fingers, staining his skin. He panted as he slowly walked out of the cave, his vision dimming every now and then. He had lost a lot of blood, causing him to limp with pain.
The scent of rain plagued the island and the ominous rain cloud seemed to get closer. Kiku glanced around the empty space, searching for Arthur. The pirate was nowhere in sight and the Japanese was regretting his decision in standing.
"Arthur!" Kiku called weakly, his voice only carrying a few feet from him before dying. He walked a few steps before falling to his knees in the sand, breathing heavily as he placed both hands on his wound. He bowed his head and squeezed his eyes shut, blood steadily pooling onto his hand and seeping through the cracks of his fingers. His body shook lightly and he was slowly losing his will to keep his consciousness. He opened his eyes halfway and drew in a shaky breath. "Arthur..." he tried calling out again, but his voice was quiet and weak, seemingly far away to his own ears. He saw the familiar face of the Brit and reached out, mouthing his name before falling to the sand, slipping unconscious as his life blood pooled out onto the white sand around him.
Arthur sat back inside the cave, gazing out of the opening as thick and heavy rain drops pounded onto the island. It was the only sound that could be heard except for the steady dripping in the back of the stone shelter, almost like that of a sink that hadn't been turned off all the way. The Brit slowly brought his eyes down to the head resting on his lap, sighing softly. He brushed some of the hair away from the man's forehead. He glanced at the white shirt Arthur had used as a bandaged that was wrapped around the man's stomach, the blood visible on the fabric.
Arthur rested his head against the stone wall and closed his eyes, letting the sound of falling water fill his ears. One of his hands lazily played with the tangled black hair while the other softly rested on the man's chest, the faint pounding of his heart and the almost non-existent rise and fall of his chest easily noted with Arthur's palm.
Kiku lie still, like the dead would lay inside their coffins buried under the ground. He didn't react to the fingers combing through his hair, nor did he respond to when the soft touch of lips met his own. Arthur sighed again and traced Kiku's bottom lip with his thumb. He stared at the sleeping face, conflicting emotions swirling inside him.
"Why did you save me?" he whispered, desperately wanting to know the answer. But he knew, with Kiku's unresponsive state, that he wasn't going to get an answer.
If Kiku hated him so much, he could've left Arthur to drown in that sinking ship, never to be seen again and no one would have to fear him. Yes, the nation would've been reborn, but it would've taken years before the others would have to worry about Arthur again.
So why didn't Kiku do as such?
More importantly... Why did Arthur repay the other by fixing the open wound as best as he could?
Arthur scoffed and chewed his lip. There was a sense of attachment for the island nation, even though Arthur resented what Kiku had done. Despite the fact Arthur had hated the man at first sight, he still had the confusing admiration deep within him. Somehow, the admiration was starting to overcome the hatred, and Arthur didn't know how or why.
Was it because the man saved the pirate's life? Arthur's captor, the one who had chained him to a wall and slaughtered his crew, saving his life? It was something almost out of a story: the wanted criminal who was given a second chance by his own captor. It was unbelievable and Arthur didn't understand why he was saved.
Sighing, the Brit ran a hand through his own dirty and tangled hair. His stomach felt hollow from the lack of food and his mouth was dry, his lips already starting to crack from the humidity and need for water. Arthur turned his attention back to the rain falling, his emerald eyes reflecting a streak of lighting that cracked the sky. A low rumble of thunder echoed along the island, birds in the distance crying out at the sound. The rain fell harder as the wind blew harshly, the leaves on the palm trees billowing in a mad dance as they struggled to remain on their branches.
Arthur closed his eyes, trying to drone out the rain. He needed sleep and there wasn't anything he could do outside of the cave; not with the weather like this. Besides, he wasn't going to do anything unless he knew Kiku was okay. He had to know that the two were getting off the island alive. Why, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to have either of them die because of a bloody ship wreck.
Arthur slowly drifted off into a light sleep, his hand seizing its movement in Kiku's hair.
Immediately after, Kiku stirred and groaned softly. He hesitantly blinked his eyes open and froze as he was greeted with the sight of Arthur sleeping against the stone wall. Kiku furrowed his brow and glanced down, seeing the hand on his bare chest. His eyes widened as he tried to sit up quickly, hissing lightly as the movement sent a sharp pain down his hip. He felt something tied around his waist and he peered over Arthur's hand, finding his missing shirt wrapped tightly around him. A stain of red was evident on the white cloth, but the pressure had somehow stopped the bleeding.
Kiku glanced back up at Arthur, his brows still knit together. He... saved me?
Kiku reached up with a hesitant and shaky hand, cupping Arthur's cold cheek. His thumb traced the curve of the Brit's cheekbone, a light smile ghosting over Kiku's face. "Arigato," he whispered. Using his other hand, he intertwined his fingers with the hand on his chest, keeping his eyes locked on Arthur.
For the first time, Kiku realized Arthur wasn't some egotistical pirate who was too cocky and arrogant for his own good. No, the man had a heart. Though it was surrounded by a wall of steel, it was there. Why else would Arthur help Kiku, his captor?
Kiku chuckled dryly. He figured Arthur had thought the same thing when Kiku dragged the nearly drowned pirate onto shore and revived him. Perhaps Arthur only saved Kiku as repayment?
Kiku shook his head. Since when did pirates repay their debts? Kiku clicked his tongue.
"You're incredibly confusing, you know?" he whispered, the light smile remaining on his lips.
Arthur furrowed his brow before opening his eyes. Blinking in confusion, he glanced down at Kiku, who yelped quietly and dropped the hand on Arthur's cheek to his side. Arthur smiled. "You're awake," he said hoarsely, the need for water evident in his voice.
Kiku's cheeks turned a light red from being caught, but he smiled back and nodded. "Uh, thank you for... helping," he said softly.
Arthur chuckled a little. "You gave me quite a scare when you passed out on the ground like that," he said, observing their intertwined hands with a questioning look.
Kiku blew out a long breath. "I apologize. I didn't think my wound was that bad," he said, blushing even more as he tried to pull his hand away from Arthur's.
Arthur immediately held onto Kiku's hand. "It's fine. I could've helped earlier if you had told me."
Kiku shrugged. "I am not used to having help," he answered quietly, chewing the inside of his cheek as Arthur's thumb ran along his knuckles.
"How are you feeling?" Arthur asked, bringing his eyes back to Kiku's amber gaze.
"Hungry."
Arthur chuckled. "That makes two of us. Sadly, we're going to have to wait until this storm dies down."
Kiku sighed. "Very well," he muttered, using his free hand to rub some sand stuck to the side of his face.
Arthur smiled, but said nothing as he kept his eyes on Kiku's, who did the same.
"You have very pretty eyes," Kiku whispered, noticing he had said the words aloud.
Arthur's smile brightened. "As do you," he responded in the same quiet tone, tilting his head to the side.
Kiku held his breath and reached up with his free arm, looping it around Arthur's neck and tangling his fingers lightly in the golden hair on the back of Arthur's hair. Barely recognizing what he was doing, he started pulling the pirate's head down, amber never leaving emerald. Kiku's lips parted right before Arthur's met his, and his eyes closed. They locked themselves in a gentle kiss, neither of them moving except for their lips. Arthur's breath kept hitching in his throat and Kiku struggled to breathe properly.
This kiss was different than any of the other's they had shared the night before. Arthur's part was filled with the concern and worry for the other while Kiku kissed with a gratefulness of his life being saved. Kiku hardly registered the tears gathering under his closed eyelids and didn't bother to open them when they broke away for air. Arthur's lips hovered over Kiku's, causing another smile to grow on the Japanese's face.
"Thank you for saving me... Arthur," Kiku whispered, shivering lightly when his lips brushed Arthur's.
"Thank you as well, Kiku," Arthur whispered back, his heart pounding in his ears. He smiled, his eyes still closed.
"You're not just an arrogant and crude pirate, huh?"
Arthur opened his eyes and met Kiku's gaze. He slowly shook his head. "Looks like you've figured it out," he said.
Kiku nodded. "You still have feelings... You just hide them behind this impregnable wall," he whispered, cupping Arthur's cheek again.
Arthur tilted his head into Kiku's hand and chuckled weakly. "Feelings don't get me the things I want."
"Well, Arthur," Kiku started with a glitter in his amber eyes. "That all depends on what it is you want."
