Lost

*Disclaimer: we have no rightson characters in this story. *
We made this together, though Britt did all the editing. She is amazing!

Lost
By Sailor Poison and Seraphim-Sephiroth

Part Two


Now he was stuck here.. With the last person he'd ever want to set eyes on, Kyo Kusanagi. The only comfort he had, was that he had taken the emergency kit out of the boat before going in search of the raven-haired man.. Thus the first aid kit and other emergency supplies laid there safely on the beach down by his feet.

Kyo acted in that calm and friendly manner of his, “Oh well.. Umm… Thanks for the rescue anyway. Not much we can do aside maybe I swim out there.. and I can’t swim that well with one arm like this.”

Kyo looked at the boat and considered the effort. He wasn’t bleeding or anything but it would be risky. The fact the island was a paradise was also not helping his desire to leave.

“Iori, there is a source of clean water more in the island. You can fix your leg there while I get us some food.” Kyo informed and hoped this might gain some favor in Iori. They were going to be stuck together. It was easier if they got along. In the back of his mind he pondered the feeling of danger from unknown source. Was there a monster aside Iori’s temper here?

“You’ll be shark-bait out there, Kusanagi… Don’t think I got this bite-wound from some mangy dog. It’s fruitless..” He uttered out in that spiteful tone as he gathered the emergency supplies. Luckily for them both, the supplies included a pair of flare guns in order to summon help from sky or sea.. For the moment, Iori wasn’t thinking of escaping.. His calculated mind turned to more important things.. Like trying to survive the day, stuck on a desert island with the biggest moron to hit Japan.

The Yagami cast a dispassionate glance at Kyo and headed into the woods, and stubbornly lead the way, even though he had no idea where it was.. Only that Kyo said it was in the middle of the island.

Kyo followed to make sure Iori didn’t get lost and hinted directions once in a while. Otherwise he stayed quiet. Not that it was hard to get there, as the path to the lagoon was the easiest one to follow.

The lagoon itself was a very beautiful sight like rest of the place. The waters were a blue that seemed to sparkle like it was full of small diamonds due to the light of the sun. The water was as good as they could hope for in a place like this.

Kyo pointed in the direction of the cave, “You can rest in a cave over there. Great shelter for the moment. I’m gonna go get us some food. Maybe try to hunt up some meat. Just try to not bleed all over the place, kay?”

And thus Kyo departed before Iori could protest this plan as he needed to get away a moment to think about what just happened here. He needed to figure out how he was gonna handle having his rival as his only company. And he wondered why part of him felt thrilled. Despite the fact Iori might try to rip his face off at any moment.

Iori narrowed his crimson gaze and grumbled obscenities under his breath as he stalked off to the shelter… it was a pretty good place to take residence at… Yet he wouldn’t let Kyo have the benefit of the doubt. His fiery irises watched as the raven-haired boy walked his merry way away to find food for them. The Yagami turned his head away sharply cursing at himself.. Why did the Kusanagi always have to be so nauseously nice and hospitable towards him?! Kyo was too cocky and carefree for his own good… He thought to himself as he began to rewrap his bandages.. Tossing away the old ones that were soaked with his dark red-life.

The Yagami narrowed his scarlet eyes upon the bloody bandages… how he loathed seeing his own blood.. It made him feel weak.. And brought the horrible realization that he was mortal.. And that he did have limits. Iori didn’t like that.. Not one bit. He strived to live forever, and never ever show any kind of weakness towards anyone or anything. To show weakness, meant imminent death for himself…

Iori breathed a raspy sigh as he tied the ribbons tight around his leg, and sat down, leaning his back against the cavern wall. He brushed his long fingers up into his combed-over bangs that hung carelessly in front of his eyes, dusting the sand out of it and attempting to pick out the sea-wend wnd whatever ocean-creatures that had decided Iori’s head would make a good home.

“Damn him..” He finally uttered to himself, flicking a bit of sea-kelp from his hand, “Damn him to hell..” Iori would curse Kyo again an again for how he seemed to defeat him in every way possible.. Even now he hadn’t the energy or will to go and kill him this very instant.. What was stopping him? …Why did he have to wait till the tournament? .. Why didn’t he just finish the job now? Fulfil his destiny and end it! He had nothing tying him down, didn’t he?

Iori found himself looking wide-eyed and blankly at the other side of the cavern.. His gaze distant, as if his mind was a million miles away, and fighting a war he did not know how to stop.

“Kusanagi…”

Kyo grabbed his little crude spear he had made and walked through lush brush, looking forethiething with meat to cook. Meat was useful stuff, he decided. Like a bird or some small deer. It would help Iori heal faster and make get him not so damn grumpy. Iori... How he wanted the man to just not get all pissy and ‘wanna kill you’ mood around him. Yet, he couldn’t help but keep trying and hoping things will change. Kyo took a moment to pout about being stuck with such a Meany.

Kyo was in such deep thought that he almost didn’t notice the first attack. The strange cat was a mixture between some tiger and leopard but with teeth like a saber-tooth. Kyo dodged back as claws cut his chest to draw blood. The smell of blood seemed to excite the creature more as Kyo jabbed the spear at it. The cat just knocked it aside and lunged, pinning Kyo down. Kyo yelped as the creature clapped down on the wrist of his bad arm. His other hand started to glow from crimson flames as he punched the cat many times on the head. The claws scratched across his stomach and left leg, bringing up blood, before the cat let go and fell to its side. Kyo knew this was not something he could let live, so he struck down one last hit to the head, killing the cat.

But it had a mate. The other didn’t come out right off as Kyo tried to head back... His wounds bleeding but he had no way of bandaging them. Pain was what he was used to. Kyo knew he had to get some help, even if it was from Iori. The second cat took the moment to attack. Kyo tried to roll away, claws grazing his cheek as he kicked the beast off.. The beast suddenly bit into his shoulder deep. Unaware, he screamed out in pain. Kyo shook the beast off, sending it backwards, but it disappeared in the brush.

Kyo staggered, as he just knew he wanted some one to help… Walking towards where he thought the cave lied. He barely knew that he was bleeding. Just that he had to keep moving. He then fell as he tripped on a root and lay flat, trying not to pass out. He had to get to Iori.

The maroon-haired Yagami had closed his eyes in deep nostalgic thought… his mind drifting to where this war first started. He scowled fiercely, remembering his days as a young man… How his father wished him to fight.. And Iori wanted no part of it. Iori had always hated violence.. He loathed it.. Despised it.. Yet his father lived to fight. He told him, that those who do not fight are weak.. And those that are weak will die. Only the strong survive. Iori had a will to live that far surpassed any other… and that single revelation, that tt fit fight, meant death.. Drilled into his mind, that to survive.. He must fight.

The rivalry between the Kusanagi and Yagami was legendary… going on for hundreds of years. Iori's brainwashing father convinced him that if the Kusanagi clan lived, they would kill him. Little did Iori know at the time.. That the blood that flowed in his body would truly be his own demise. The Orochi that lived through his blood, fed off his anger, and his powerful will.. Until it seized control of him.. Letting lose all the pain and hatred that lay pent up in the flame-haired Yagami's body.. Turning him into a psychotic beast.

Even now with the Orochi dead, and his blood still tainted, his body often twitched with the pulsating rage that often put his usual insanity to shame. He dwelled upon the first time he met Kyo.. Forcing the Kusanagi to challenge him... He remembered seeing those flames of crimson that danced so elegantly in his hands.. The glimmer in his dark eyes.. That cocky smile.. How confident he was.. How every time Iori struck him down with a devastating blow.. Kyo would jump right back up.. No one.. No one survived an attack from the violent Yagami.. No one.. But Kyo.

He reveled in how the Kusanagi looked as he cringed with each strike against him with those claw-like hands of his.. Delighted in the feel of his blood staining his palms.. The smell.. The taste of it.. How he often leaned down close to Kyo, smelling his panting breath as he was pinned down.. Drowning in his exhausted sweat.. The determination in the Kusanagi's eyes that could nearly match his own.. The sound of his voice.. The sound of his cry.. His sharp lulling cry of pain.. He could almost hear it.. As if he was slashing into him that very moment.

Wait a moment.. "Kusanagi!"

Iori's eyes snapped open as he realized that that sound he heard, was no mere day-dream.. Kyo had shouted in pain.. And he was not the one inflicting it!

The Yagami leapt to his feet, his cheek twitching from the pang that shot up his body from his wounded leg. He promptly stalked outside the cavern.. Lifting his nose to the air, smelling it in a deep breath.. Kyo's blood was perfuming the air, as he caught the scent immediately.. And went on the prowl to find him. He could feel his heart aching again.. His mind asking himself why was he even bothering? Why did he care? Because no one was allowed to bring about Kyo's death, but he and he alone! He told himself, fully denying any other accusations.

Iori's crimson gaze caught sight of the Kusanagi lying on the ground as he stepped down in front of him.. He towered over Kyo like a cold stony statue, casting his heartless gazwn uwn upon him, "Hmph.." he muttered, "I figured you could not survive out in the wild on your own, Kusanagi.." Ioreereeered icily and knelt down next to the boy, looking over his wounds to see how bad off he was.

Kyo thought an eternity passed before he heard Iori’s voice. His other wounds were nasty, but his shoulder and wrist ws wes were the worst, or so he thought. His leg was throbbing as well.

Kyo spoke with a smirk, “I found something uglier then you, Iori.” He chuckled as he tried to get back up, “There were two. The second one got away before I could finish the job.”

Kyo then fell back down again on his knees, as his leg couldn’t seem to hold him and he winced sharply. It was about then that he wished he wasn’t stuck on an island. Though he did wish he was on one with a sexy nurse to make him feel all better. He then got the image of Iori in a nurse’s dress. That was so wrong and yet a little appealing… The truth would be, Iori would most definitely administer the pain before the gentle care… or so he thought.

Kyo looked up to Iori, “Maybe we can find us a sexy nurse?” He babbled a little.

Iori sneered at Kyo as he noticed that disgusting look in his dark eyes, “Maybe I can leave you here for the second little kitty to tear you apart..” and with that he shoved the Kusanagi onto his back coldly, “Yet.. That would be going against my will.” His will that only he would tear Kyo to ribbons.. He narrowed his crimson gaze and slid his long strong arms under the Kusanagi, not bothering to be careful with him as he rose to his feet with the bloody boy and turned promptly on heal.

The Yagami remained distant and eerily silent as he carried the Kusanagi back to the cavern and laid his body down on the cold unforgiving ground. Iori did not even bother looking at him directly.. Only casting dispassionate glances at Kyo as he gathered the medical supplies he had left.

“Don’t squirm or I’ll make this hurt a whole lot worse..” He threatened the boy as he tended to Kyo’s wounds, cleaning them up with stinging iodine, and wrapping them tight with the thin white adhesives. “Leave it to you to screw up a simple trek for food, Kusanagi. Why do you even bother?” He did not look at Kyo as he spat out these words and fixed him up, till all his wounds were attended for, “It is like you are asking the world to come and kill you..”

Kyo winced a few times but lay still not looking at Iori at all either… His smile gone from his face. His mind echoing Iori’s words. His forehead was a little warm. This angry mystery before him said one thing but tended to his wounds anyway. He did as he is told by staying still.

Kyo muttered lightly, “Why don’t you just do it. Just kill me while I’m weak and defenseless.” He asked softly. “I know you hate me. Always hated me. Then maybe you might be happy, na?”

Kyo didn’t really wanna die but he had to ask Iori why. He suspected Iori probably would not really answer with anything satisfactory or nice. He gave a sigh as he felt dizzy even while lying down.

Iori paused for a moment, his dark bloody eyes that stood out in the darkness of the cave set down to gaze at his claw-like hands, "I want you in your prime, Kusanagi... It would dishonor myself if I were to kill you while you were down..." He could have.. He could have just killed him now... while he was down for the count.. Yet his overwhelming pride kept him from doing no such thing. He angrily denied any other reasons for him to not kill Kyo right now.. And it could be seen in his eyes that he was contemplating this very problem..

Kyo looked into Iori’s face, “That might not be an option...” he whispered as he felt cold and not from the cave floor as it was cool and the air was warm here. He suppressed any shivers as he studied Iori’s face. Iori’s handsome face that looked appealing even when cold. Even more if he showed some warmth or emotion.

Kyo explained a little weakly, “Those cats were not natural. If you run into it, don’t let it bite you. Something about them that is just plain wrong. I would hate to see you get hurt even worse. I know you hate my guts but I always cared about you.” It was then that he wondered why Iori really didn’t want to kill him right at this moment.

Maybe it was honor or maybe he had fought Kyo so long, he needed him as much as Kyo needed Iori. Maybe he did care? Naw... Iori only loved his cats. Though had had to admit kitties were so adorable. The thoughts of cats almost made his mind wander off again.

Iori shot an icy look in Kyo’s direction, “Don’t you dare start speaking like that to me, Kusanagi! You’re not dying, so do not hint to such a blatant lie!” Knowing most people said irrational things as they thought they were going to die.. And Kyo saying he cared for Iori was completely unthinkable.

He sat Kyo up, propping him against the wall, “If those felines are as toxic as you say, then you’ll need anti-venom..” he was not about to lose Kyo over such a weakling death… Wait.. Lose Kyo? What was he thinking! He had no ties to the Kusanagi! What did it matter to him if he ‘lost’ him… The Yagami almost looked pale for a moment on his stoic hard expression as he looked over the boy’s dancer-like body.. This whe bhe body he pummeled to oblivion in every match. The body he burned and slashed.. The body that never seemed to change even with broken arms and legs, and ripped muscles.. He shook his head quickly, to wipe the image of that body, screaming so delightfully under him, and touched his forehead as he felt pressure building between his eyes.

“You’re not going to die... Yet. So quit whining..” He muttered deeply and rummaged through the emergency kit.. Finding a hypodermic needle and a bottle of sea-snake anti-venom.. “This should fight the toxins, just don’t move, so it wont spread faster..” And filled the needle with the metallic liquid and injected in into Kyo’s shoulder.. He did not know how long it would take for it to counter-act the supposed poison in him.. Nor did he know the effects of it.. He simply went on his cat-like instinct that this was the right thing to do for the feverish Kusanagi.

Kyo pouted a moment, “But then I can’t get all angsty and go off about how my life could have been…” He then tried to smirk but it was weak attempt for a smirk. He figured he might be laid up for a while like this.

He never stopped watching the man who pushed him beyond all he had in every fight. Maybe that was the reason he became the best. The man who was in conflict over Kyo. He wondered whas gos going on inside his head.

Kyo spoke stifled, “You confuse me, Iori...”

"You irritate me, Kyo.." Iori uttered softly, actually using the Kusanagi's first name as he applied pressure to the injection hole he made in Kyo's flesh.. Leaning himself very close as he did this, keeping his blazing red eyes focused on what he was doing with his hands, and absolutely NOT on the dazzling dark eyes of his most hated rival. The look in those deep scarlet eyes seemed as i was was contemplating the universe.. Or rather.. Why he was truly doing this.. Why did he insist on keeping Kyo alive for so long.. Why did he fight? Why did he just not give up when he was beaten numerous times, and just let the Orochi win and take his body..

He closed his eyes for a moment as he continued to apply pressure to Kyo's flesh, longer than he should have.. "It must be the way you live your life... You haven't a care in the world.. And act as if every situation you find yourself in will have an outcome of good... the way you look every time we engage in battle.. Your very existence seems to cause me undue irritation.." He was frustrated.. Immensely.. For it seemed, no matter how much he tried.. How much it looked as if he was going to kill him again and again.. Something insignificantly small tugged him back.. And what it wae die didn't understand.. And what he didn't understand.. Caused him irritation.. And with irritation came anger.

Kyo quirked a brow slightly, “I irritate you? I was hoping I did more then that.” in an almost flirtatious tone. He then went quiet. He loved to watch Iori’s face when he was deep in thought. His fiery eyes were hypnotic. He had the idea that Iori might hate him but be too proud to let him die, anyway. His fists strangely hurt as he thought this. He wanted Iori to care about him… But why?

Kyo was pondering himself. How he always seemed to seek out Iori in away. If he was in town, where? If in a battle, with whom? He was compelled to test himself against Iori but was that why? Maybe in truth he was trying to get something else from Iori. Something hopeless in a way, something a dreamer would only seek. Or someone, who had never grown up, eagerly seeked from other.

Kyo looked directly at the brooding Yagami, “Want me to blink out of existence for you?” as for a moment he would so do this… to make Iori happy or to even smile.

Iori furrowed his brows as a flash of confusion wavered over his glacial exterior.. Looking Kyo directly in the eyes. Was he insane? He knew Kyo had no brain, yet was he absolutely serious in saying such a thing towards him? If Kyo were well, he would strike him point-blank with no remorse ever involved.

“And they say I am the one who is insane…” The Yagami uttered as he looked back down at his hand which covered Kyo’s shoulder with tight pressure, having held it there ent entire time. He could feel the boy’s blood beat in his veins.. That lulling sound that began to echo in his head as he felt it through the palm of his hand.. Every beat of his heart was like a stroke to his back in delight, like a cat being petted. He had always reveled in Kyo’s heartbeat.. His was unmistakable and he could point it out from within a crowd.

Iori knew everything about Kyo.. From his family.. To his friends.. To his feelings and emotions. He could tell when he was angry.. Sad.. Content.. Joyful. Yet the feeling he was getting from him now, was bewildering… and for a moment he found himself staring directly into the Kusanagi’s dark eyes with those fiery irises.. That were as scalding as hot coals, and as frigid as glacial mountain peaks, “Once you are gone from existence, Kusanagi.. My purpose on this earth shall be completed…” The answer was left open for Kyo to figure out.. He could almost see the wheels turning in Kyo’s head from it. For once he succeeded in killing the Kusanagi.. His purpose for living would be finished.. And like the Yagami of old.. He would die.

Kyo spoke wistfully, “I wish you didn’t hate me… Why when all others have no effect on me. They can love me or hate me and I could live with it.” The thought if Iori dying left him breathless. Wait, no, that was the venom and anti-venom fighting inside him.

Kyo sweated and felt as if the room was crushing down on him. A soft moan slipped from his lips. Breathing was a little hard and he felt so hot. The anti-venom was helping to keep him alive of course. But this wasn’t a pleasant ride for Kyo. He didn’t say what he was feeling.

He pondered Iori’s last words… The world without Iori? That idea was disturbing. His lips frowned as he tried to even imagine this world. A world he wanted no part of.

Kyo spoke truthfully, “I don’t want you to die, Iori. The world wouldn’t be worth living in without you around..”


To be Continued.....