Camping

I got reviews! (does happy dance) Thank you all to who did! I'm sorry if some of the spelling is a bit off, I don't know if writing with an auto-correct that does English from England has anything to do with it... or it's just me being unobservant :S Well here I shall continue with this yarn: I tried to make the first chapter kind of hectic and give you a small taste of the different personalities - while including some fluff :P Enjoy

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Chapter 2 - Being Freezing Cold Has Its Perks

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The hum of the engine and snippets from the badly-tuned radio broke the silence of the car. Bakura glanced at Ryou for what seemed the hundredth time that journey.

His slender fingers moved the steering wheel with ease and his brown eyes scanned the road ahead carefully. A small smile played over his lips that caught Bakura’s attention.

“What are you thinking about?” He enquired

Ryou jumped slightly, having just been brought back suddenly from his own thoughts. He quickly looked at the white haired one beside him, then back to the road.

“That’s a bit deep for this time of the day.” Ryou said softly, smiling to himself at his small joke, but swiftly continuing, “I was just remembering that time last Christmas with Malik. You know the one?” He threw Bakura a smile, and the other couldn’t help but to smile back, Ryou’s mood was infectious.

“Yeah, I remember. Marik couldn’t get that cranberry sauce out of his hair for a week - and I think that old lady across the street has been traumatised ever since…”

Ryou listened to the deep, soothing tone of Bakura’s voice that ended in a laugh that wanted to make him swoon, but he relaxed and continued their light conversation. It was a rare thing for them to be alone together, as Marik and Malik were always around. Sometimes, Bakura believed, it was a relief when the two went on one of their sex-marathons; it gave him quality time with Ryou – even if the noise was a bit irritating.

The scenery outside began to get more alpine and frozen. The pine trees grew in abundance and the pure white snow carpeted the surrounding land with a further quantity than the lower altitude. The scruby earth was now hidden under the frost and the sides of the road turned to brown slush.

Soon the car pulled in to a deserted car park half way up a mountain.

“We’re here!” Ryou said enthusiastically, unclipping himself quickly and jumping out of the vehicle.

Bakura got out as well, grumbling slightly about how he actually hated the cold with a passion. The view, however, took their breath away. The white and green expanse stretched as far as the eye could see. The forests were interrupted by planes of snow and mist hung in the small vales, the road was merely a dark ribbon running through the land.

“Wow… Bakura, isn’t it amazing?” Ryou said, standing next to the other now.

“Mmm.” He replied, looking down at the smaller one.

Ryou snapped out of his reverie to look into Bakura’s eyes and smile. Bakura returned the grin and nodded his head to the car.

“We better unload?”

“… Yeah, we should.” Ryou said, blushing and literally running over to open up the boot.

The two pulled out various bags and managed to cram what they would need into two large rucksacks that fit them snugly. Ryou needed a little help with his straps, and Bakura was only too happy to comply, perhaps lingering his fingers over the other’s slim hips for a little longer than was necessary.

Brushing his long hair out of his eyes and zipping up the front of his thick coat, Ryou pulled out a map and opened it with a flourish. Purple pen outlined their route; with little notes written in Ryou’s neat handwriting littering the laminated paper. Bakura trudged over to take a look, trying to compose his clothing – Ryou said thermals were essential; Bakura had to disagree on account of the comfort factor.

“‘Ryou is a cute angel and I want to do naughty things with him’?” He read off, looking at the other with an amused smirk.

Ryou blushed deeply and snatched the map out of Bakura’s hands.

“That was Malik. I can never do anything properly with him around…” Ryou said indignantly, folding the map into a small square and keeping his eyes to the ground. Bakura laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. I know their evil ways all too well.” Bakura said, lifting Ryou’s chin with his fingers, so as to look at him properly.

Ryou gave him a weak smile before nodding his head to the right.

“It’s up that way.”

They started up the groomed mountain path, Ryou leading the way and pointing out various things to Bakura. The incident with the map had soon been forgotten, with Ryou hastily folding over assorted corners of the paper to save himself the further embarrassment at Malik’s desires being revealed.

The mountain they were walking on was maintained by rangers, with the paths being groomed and the tracks cleared. The campsites were all marked on the map and each had a non-freezing tap for water. Ryou was set on making this a great three days.

“It’s only about half an hour away.” Ryou noted, looking at the markings in the fading light.

“That’s good,” a smooth voice next to his ear made him start. Ryou tried to keep his cool as the hot breath near his ear sent tingles down his spine. “The light’s going and I’m hungry.” Bakura finished, moving away from his position behind Ryou to continue down the path.

There was suddenly a clearing in the tree lined path the two had been following. A small plaque was nailed into one of the tree trunks letting them know that this was indeed a campsite.

Ryou sighed happily and made over to a corner slightly sheltered by branches.

“Do you think here’s Ok?” He asked

Bakura nodded, taking off his bag and dumping it next to the spot Ryou had suggested.

“Right then. I’ll start on the food; will you be alright with the tent?” Bakura said

“Sure. Make it quick though, I’m starving!” Ryou replied, giggling and bending down to pull the various bits of tent out of his and Bakura’s bag.

Bakura made his way over to a fallen tree, brushing the snow off the ancient wood and setting up a trangia (1). The water was soon boiling, and he selected the boil-in-the-bags that Ryou had carefully labelled “Day 1”. Bakura placed the two in the water, and glanced over to see how Ryou was getting on.

Said pale one was currently having a wrestling match with a flexible pole, its end destined for the small clip he was attempting to get it in to. Face contorted in concentration, he again made a bold try at sticking the end of the pole into the material. All of a sudden, the pole broke free of his hand and flicked up, swatting Ryou dead in the eye. He let out a yelp, dropping the mess of metal and material and brought his hands to his face, bending over in pain.

Bakura was by his side in an instant.

“Ryou! Are you Ok? I saw that happen – damn pole!” Bakura said quickly, getting the desired weak laugh from the male beside him.

“Come on now, let me see.” He asked, placing one arm around Ryou’s shoulders.

The other lifted his face to Bakura, removing both hands from his eye, but it still remained shut, tears leaking from under the thick eyelashes, redness already apparent.

Bakura raised his fingers to Ryou’s eye, carefully tracing the skin around it. He very gently pried the lid open, inspecting the eye for blood, but when he found none, he was satisfied.

“Will I ever see again, Doctor?” Ryou said weakly

Bakura smoothed away the tears from Ryou’s cheeks, smirking as the other unintentionally leaned in to the soothing touch. He laughed at the comment.

“Well… It looks like a serious case, but I think you may live, and see, another day.” Bakura said in mock seriousness

He bunched together a small amount of snow into a ball and held it between his fingers.

“I’m going to put some snow on it, Ok? To stop the swelling.” Bakura said gently, holding up the white object.

Ryou nodded and Bakura proceeded to hold the snow against the other’s eye. After a few moments, in which both were satisfied with the state of affairs they were in, Bakura suddenly had a thought.

“The food!” He cried

He pushed Ryou off his lap and disentangled his arms, as they had somehow managed to get into that position, and sprung over to the trangia, using the pincer to get the hot bags out of the water.

Ryou smiled, his eye didn’t hurt nearly as much, and he was thankful to Bakura – he didn’t think he cared nearly as much as he had just shown he did. He gracefully stood up, snow still pressed to his eye, and walked over to the log that Bakura was seated on.

“I did the chilli con carne ones.” Bakura said as Ryou sat down

“Oh, my favourite,” was the reply from the smiling Ryou, “Everyone always thinks that these things are going to be gross, but they never even know. You don’t know you like something unless you try it, don’t you agree, Bakura?” He said sweetly, ripping off the foil top and taking the spoon the other held out to him.

“Of course.” Bakura said quietly, looking thoughtfully at the lantern that he had hung up on the branches above them, giving them light, but also casting a nice glow over their faces.

When they had finished, and drank a hot chocolate so sweet that even Ryou thought he may not be able to stand it, Bakura swiftly set up the tent with ease (much to Ryou’s distaste) and Ryou set about sorting out what they would need for the night.

Bakura pushed in the last tent peg in satisfaction, looking over the perfectly erected tent with contentment and walking round to the front to unzip the spacious three man tent door. Ryou had decided on a larger one so they could put everything inside so it wouldn’t freeze. He wandered back over to gather up the trangia, noting on the way Ryou’s look of slight panic.

After placing the thing inside the tent door, he decided to find out what was troubling the other.

“Ryou?”

“Hmm?” Ryou replied, his eyes never leaving the bag he was rummaging through

“Is that eye giving you grief?” he enquired

Ryou smiled at him, looking up momentarily from his search to reply.

“No, no, it’s not that, my eye feels fine thanks.”

Bakura frowned, then what was it?

“What are you looking for?” he tried, eyes flicking over their belongings scattered on the snow

Ryou now gave him a worried look.

“My sleeping bag.”

Bakura assisted him then on, but even with their combined effort, the light blue bag was nowhere to be seen.

“You don’t think we left it in the car?” Ryou said anxiously

Bakura shook his head.

“There wasn’t much left in there, and we would’ve noticed a sleeping bag. Are you sure you packed it?” Bakura reasoned, wandering where this was headed

“Yes, I defiantly put it out… Unless…” A look of realisation passed over Ryou’s face. “Malik and Marik.” He said finally.

Bakura groaned: it was so like them to do something like this. Their efforts to get them together had not gone unnoticed – by either of the white haired ones. And they left his sleeping bag, which was the largest and most comfortable.

“Those two – I swear one day I’m going to kill one of them.” Bakura growled

“Well we can’t go back now,” Ryou reasoned, “It’s dark and there is some deep snow about. I’ll have to sleep in my clothes and maybe your jacket.”

Bakura sighed and shook his head.

“Ryou, you're going to be the one in that sleeping bag. No offence, but I think I would be the less likely to freeze to death. If you just give me your outer clothes, I’ll be fine.”

Ryou sighed, looking to the snowy floor, and nodded. He knew they would have to cut the trip short now, yet another thing he wanted to do was ruined.

Bakura saw his discomfort and put an arm around his shoulders in a consoling way. Ryou smiled weakly at him.

“Don’t worry, Ry.” He said soothingly

Ryou started, Bakura never used that name with him. Not saying he didn’t like the sound of it in the other’s voice.

“We’ll go on another trip, Ok? And next time, I’ll security tag everything, and padlock it all together.”

Ryou giggled softly, he was warming to Bakura greatly. He had always thought him to be extremely good looking, but was honestly too nervous to do anything about it.

“Come on then, I’m getting cold.” Ryou said, bending to stuff everything into the bag as Bakura grabbed the lantern and hung it up on the inside of the tent.

It was very cosy in their little room of fabric, Bakura thought, as Ryou zipped up the outer zip and then the inner door zip, carefully pulling off his snowy boots and putting them in a lightweight basin he had brought to keep the inside of the tent dry. Bakura marvelled at his thoughtfulness.

Bakura laid down his sleeping bag for Ryou as he watched the other pull off his coat, trousers and other various items of clothing, until the only thing that covered the slim body was skin tight black thermals.

Ryou smiled at him before slipping in between the feather lined sleeping bag and pulling it around his chin. Bakura arranged himself a bed of sorts, with the a as a pillow and Ryou’s coat over the top, and sat up to switch off the lantern.

In the deep silence and darkness, Ryou turned to Bakura,

“Night, Bakura.” He whispered

“Night, Ry.” Was the reply

Ryou had to calm himself down before his erratic breathing gave him away.

Bakura simply could not get to sleep. He was so cold, his body would not permit him to lose consciousness, lest it be the last time he did. It was a few hours since they had bade each other goodnight. Over his shivers and chattering teeth, Bakura listened out for the quiet, regular breathing of Ryou. The other was sound asleep. Coming to a conclusion very quickly indeed, Bakura shuffled over to the other slightly – he must be producing some heat that he could take advantage of.

His numb fingers pulled Ryou’s coat further around him and the scent of the other filled his nostrils. Bakura was momentarily calmed; the sweet, familiar smell of the one that he desired was comforting.

A sudden shiver brought him back to Earth with a bump and he moved closer to the sleeping figure, desperate for some more heat, yet scared to wake the sleeping angel.

Ryou was curled in a cocoon of warmth, something pulling him back into the world of the awake. His senses prickled, there was something against him, and it was shaking. He shifted slightly and slowly let his eyes flicker open, looking for the source in the dim light of the tent.

Finding Bakura huddled at his side, and shivering violently. Ryou propped himself up on his elbows quickly, a look of worry passing over his face.

“Bakura?” he questioned,

Bakura swiftly sat up, pulling Ryou’s coat around him

“Damn, sorry Ryou, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He said, his speech permeated by the chattering of his teeth.

“No, it’s fine.” Ryou said softly, not mentioning that he was very warm and comfortable and Bakura had just woken him from a deep sleep. He knew he had to do something about the extremely cold one beside him. The answer was obvious.

“Look, Bakura, why don’t you, um, come in here with me?” Ryou said softly, trying to keep the blush out of his voice.

“No, it’s fine, I’m sure I’ll warm up in a bit.” Bakura said, lying swiftly

“You’re going to freeze to death if you stay there though,” Ryou reasoned, and Bakura knew he was right. “Just, well, come in next to me and my body heat will warm you up.” Ryou said shyly.

Bakura knew this was very forward of Ryou, but all sexual innuendo aside, he knew that the other was right, and that the only way he would survive the night would be to get into his sleeping bag with the object of his fantasies.

Mind made up, Bakura swiftly pulled off his outer clothing, revealing the same skin tight black thermals that Ryou was also wearing. Ryou tried to look away from the dimly lit muscular body in front of him, but was quick to draw down the zip at the side of the bag to let the other in.

Ryou lay on his side with his back pressed against the far side of the sleeping bag. Bakura slid in beside him, and Ryou couldn’t help but gasp slightly at the cold legs pressed against his own.

“Sorry,” Bakura whispered over his shoulder as he lent down to zip the bag up again. It was a good job that this was the bigger size.

He faced Ryou and shuffled down into the warmth, his back pressed right up against the zip side but leaving a few inches between them still, with their legs together. Ryou felt the coolness of the other’s body and regarded the closed eyes for a moment. He involuntarily shivered, causing Bakura to crack open a dark eye.

The two gazed at each other for a moment, trying to work out the emotions in the other’s eyes, and Ryou did something very daring. He reached out tentatively to the other and let his fingers brush against Bakura’s own cool hand. The rest happened very quickly.

As though a flash of understanding had passed through both, Bakura reached out in the confined space and wound his arms around Ryou’s waist pressing their bodies flush up against each other. Ryou’s arms moved equally as fast as he wrapped them around Bakura’s neck, Bakura lifting his head slightly so his fingers wouldn’t get stuck in the tangled white locks. Resting his head on Bakura’s chest that had suddenly warmed up considerably – Ryou felt content. Bakura sighed, at ease, and felt Ryou slid a leg between his, Bakura complying and placing his own securely around the smaller one.

Burying his nose in Ryou’s soft hair, Bakura breathed in his unique scent, feeling the small breaths over his chest. Ryou sighed, he could certainly get used to the feeling of Bakura’s sculpted body pressed against his own. With these sorts of thought floating through both minds, the two drifted into a deep, comfortable sleep.

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Aww :) Don't worry, my trusty readers, the story isn't over that quickly (evil laugh) anyway - that little (1) explained -

(1) I did a thing called “Ten Tors” which is a challenge set over two days, organised by the army on a placed called Dartmoor (a massive moor in Devon.) Basically they let 2,400 teenagers out onto the moor, all in teams of six, and each team has to walk either 35, 45 or 55 miles over the two days. But the catch is, you have to visit 10 designated tors (natural granite formations – always on the top of hills!) on the moor and then get back to the army Camp before 5pm on the second day. There are things called “Crash Times” and if you don’t get to a tor before the Crash Time, you have to camp at that tor and you aren’t allowed to keep going to the next one, so you usually get around 7 tors done in the first day. The hardest thing about it is that you have to be completely self sufficient, with no help from anyone except team members, that means carrying absolutely everything on a special list the army gives out, and navigating this huge open country (filled with bogs, rivers, a few forests and wild ponies) on your own. Extremely hard work! Well, all this leads to the fact that we used these little stoves called trangias (from Sweden or somewhere like that) as we had to eat hot food, and they’re pretty light and have attachable gas and can be lit pretty much anywhere. Sorry, that was a bit of a roundabout way of telling you that, but if you would like to know more about the challenge, just Google it ;)

Actually, now I come to think of it, a combination of doing Ten Tors and a recent holiday skiing in Colorado gave me the inspiration for this story. On one training weekend for Ten Tors, I did actually wake up in my tent in the middle of the night as it was so cold, and it was the weirdest but also a kind of scary experience, as I didn’t have anything else to cover up with, so me and the other team in my tent all huddled like penguins :D

Thank you for reading! (I hope you're still alive if you decided to read ^ that ^ lol) Please leave your reviews, they make me happy :)