Title: Breaking the Ice 1/1
Author: Dark Temptations
Beta: Vash is my Angel
Rating: R
Warnings: Warm Fuzzies
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of its characters. The elf world and its cast of wonderful characters, including Kalin, Fin, Tola, Keelia the dog, Oralie and Celebrian, are the incredible creations of Vash is my Angel and are used in this fic with her permission. The characters George and Wilder were created by Shadow's Mirror and are also used in this fic with her permission.
Summary: While out hunting, Fin has an accident. Will anyone hear his cries for help before it's too late?
Elven words: A'mael - beloved.
Author's Notes: Fin mistrusts most Dark Elves, and Kalin in particular since he has a habit of pulling Ryou (Fin's bondmate-to-be) into alleys and molesting him. But Fin's feelings towards Kalin are based on misunderstandings and old fears - he doesn't know the real Kalin. I wrote this based on the thought 'what would it take to get Fin to reconsider his feelings towards Kalin?'
@-->-->----
Dark Temptations Presents
Breaking the Ice
@-->-->----
Kalin sighed and stretched, relishing the feeling of freedom and space after spending the entire morning cooped up inside his room in the tunnels beneath the forest. He would normally have been able to at least pace up and down the corridors, but George had been determined to clean every last bit of every single corridor and the dust had been so bad that Kalin had retreated to his room to wait until the energetic sprite was finished.
He had not been hiding in his room in fear of being scolded a second time for tracking dirty dirt across George's nice clean dirt floor. No, definitely not.
It was a complete mystery to Kalin how one small sprite could possibly do so much work in such a short time, but it was even more incomprehensible how George could tell the difference between regular dirt and dirt that he had personally cleaned.
He chuckled to himself and shook his head, then took another deep breath of the fresh cold air as he looked around. There had been another snowfall in the night. The ground was covered in a thick layer of white. Kalin made a note to be careful. Covered in snow, every part of the forest looked different than normal and it would be very easy to get lost.
As much as he would have liked to have just stood there, basking in his freedom, Kalin did have a reason for being aboveground. He needed to get dinner for himself and the two sprites that were living with him. George had also requested that he bring back some berries and nuts and herbs, if he could find any.
Kalin was determined to do his best. After all, the more ingredients he brought back, the better dinner would be. George was a very good cook. Kalin's mouth watered just at the thought of what the clever sprite might produce that night. With his goal firmly set, the Dark Elf set off through the forest.
@-->-->----
Fin was not having a good day.
He had barely awoken that morning when Ryou and Tola had teamed up against him in a very enthusiastic pillow fight. Things had just been getting interesting when Tola had realised that Keelia, his dog, was sitting at the base of the bed, her head on the mattress, watching them all with great amusement. The shy Tree Elf had been so embarrassed, he had immediately vanished under the bedclothes. It had taken patient Ryou over an hour to persuade him to come out again.
Then Fin had misplaced his favourite dagger.
Then his bowstring had snapped during practice, stinging his hand in the process. At least Tola hadn't been there to see it. He'd taken Keelia back home to rest by the fire.
As if all that wasn't enough for one day, now his prey had somehow managed to escape from him, despite the fact that he was at least ten times larger than it was!
He was so busy mentally listing his grievances of the day that he failed to notice the area he had wandered into while pursuing his prey. When he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye, he didn't hesitate before changing course and moving stealthily in that direction.
Fin smiled as he caught sight of the small furry creature he had been hunting. Perfect. One good shot and it would be his! But it was in a bad position. He needed to get a little closer. Just one more step...
There was a loud cracking sound and the ground beneath his foot suddenly gave way.
Fin cried out as he fell, his startled cry giving way to something more like a screech as he felt icy water close around his legs. He twisted, trying to throw himself forward and out of the water, but it was no use. He went down.
At the last moment, Fin turned his bow so it bridged the break in the ice that he had fallen through. He hung on, desperately trying to keep his head above the water. His other hand tried to grab hold of the ice but he couldn't get a good grip. The water was freezing and he could already feel it numbing his body.
Fin knew he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer. He tried to call out for help, but only a weak cry emerged. The cold shock of the water had proven too much for his voice. He tried again and managed something a little louder, but he didn't have much hope of being heard. He had broken away from the rest of the hunting group to pursue his prey and he was unsure just how far away they were.
He called out again, but his voice was weak and thin. The cold water was draining his strength far too quickly. Already he barely had strength enough to keep his head up and dark shadows were encroaching on his vision.
As the darkness claimed him, Fin thought of Ryou and Tola, Oralie, Bakura and Celebrian and could only hope that he would see them all again.
@-->-->----
Warmth.
It was the first thing he felt as the darkness began to lift.
Fin slowly opened his eyes, confused as he saw a low, rock ceiling that he did not recognise. He tried to move, to sit up, even to look around, and groaned as his head informed him of just how bad an idea moving was at that time.
"You are awake? Are you well?"
The voice was soft, low and filled with concern as it spoke into his ear. It was also unfamiliar to Fin. As the warmth at his side shifted slightly, he realised that the speaker was lying beside him. In the back of his mind, it occurred to him that he should be uneasy, especially since he could feel the other male's bare skin against his own. But there was something about the voice that Fin found strangely reassuring.
Belatedly, he realised the stranger was awaiting his reply. "A...Aye. I believe so. What happened?" Talking was more of an effort than he would have wished. He closed his eyes again, suddenly very tired.
"You fell through the ice covering one of the streams."
Fin remembered that, vaguely, but there was something wrong with his memory. "I recall the ice breaking but... I did not see it." His voice was little more than a thready whisper.
"No, it had been covered by last night's snowfall. There was little difference between it and solid ground, in appearance."
That explained it. Fin was relieved to know that he had not forgotten seeing it, although he mentally called himself all kinds of fool for not noticing the signs, as he should have.
With that question answered, another presented itself as being most urgent. "Where am I?" He wanted to ask why his eyes were refusing his mental command to open so he could look at the one who had most likely rescued him, but instinctive caution made him unwilling to reveal his weakness.
"You are in my home. In my bed. It was the closest place to bring you, where you could be warmed. You were very cold." The stranger pressed a little closer, a hand moving on Fin's chest. "You are still very cold, although you have warmed a little."
The darkness was returning. It took all of Fin's remaining strength to whisper one last question. "Who are you?"
"I am Kalin."
Fin was just conscious enough to be shocked before the darkness claimed him again.
@-->-->----
The darkness was fading again.
For some reason, Fin was reluctant to open his eyes. Then he remembered. Kalin. He was in Kalin's bed. Kalin was holding him. He had been on his back earlier but now he was on his side. The warm body lying against his front had to be Kalin, he could feel the evidence of the Dark Elf's maleness. But... He could feel another length pressing into him from behind as well! Who was behind him? Fin slowly opened his eyes.
Ryou smiled at him, tears glistening in his eyes. "Fin... Oh Fin... I am so glad... So very glad. You have had us so worried." A hand slipped out from beneath the covers and began to gently stroke Fin's cheek.
Fin did not know how to answer for a moment. His mind slowly began to process the realisation that he was not in Kalin's home now, but his own. With Ryou and...
"Aye Fin, you worried us so very much." Tola cuddled him close from behind.
Fin relaxed and sighed softly. A dream. It must have merely been a dream. "Forgive me." But... it had seemed so real. He had to know. "What... happened to me?"
Ryou snuggled into him from the front as Tola did the same from behind. "Apparently you fell through some ice into one of the forest streams. You were rescued and taken to safety. While you slept, the other members of the hunting party started searching for you. Your rescuer heard them calling your name and realised who you were. He got a message to Bakura, who told me where you were and I brought you home again." He smiled at Fin but he looked a little uneasy.
Fin tested his movement and was pleased to find that, aside from a little stiffness, he could move enough to hug Ryou back. "My rescuer... I should thank him. Who was it?"
Ryou blushed deeply and bit his lip. "There is no need. He does not expect any thanks."
Fin knew why Ryou would not speak his name. He felt the heat surge into his own cheeks as he remembered their discussion about him outside Oralie's two days earlier. He had felt ashamed of himself at the time and now that shame returned, even more strongly.
"Ryou... I awoke briefly while I was there. I did not see him, my eyes opened for only a moment and then refused to obey me any longer, but I thought he said his name was Kalin. It was just as I passed out again, though, so I cannot be sure. But even if it was... I need to thank him. Please, tell me. Did I mishear, or was Kalin the one who rescued me?"
Ryou bit his lip harder, then nodded slightly. "You did not mishear. It was Kalin. He was hunting too, near the stream, and he heard your cry as you fell through the ice."
Fin wasn't sure what to think or feel, but there was one thing he knew for certain. When Kalin had held him, he had not felt threatened. He had felt safe and protected.
"I believe... I may have misjudged him." Fin was man enough to admit it.
Ryou smiled tenderly at him and stroked his cheek. "I am glad you feel that way, A'mael. You should try to sleep now. It will take a little time for you to be completely well."
Fin nodded and snuggled happily between his two loves. Within moments, he was asleep.
Tola looked over Fin's head at Ryou and spoke softly. "You did not tell him of Kalin words to you."
Ryou blushed deeply. "Somehow, I do not think he would rest as easy knowing that Kalin had complimented me on finding 'such a beautiful lover', or that he hoped to 'get to know him more intimately' at some point."
Tola blushed just as deeply and nodded. "Aye. That is true." He and Ryou snuggled close to the one they had come so close to losing that day and soon joined him in slumber.
@-->-->----
Back in the underground tunnels, Kalin ate dinner with Wilder and George, his thoughts distracted by the image of a certain blonde human who was very much on his mind. He hoped that they would meet again, but even more than that, he hoped that Fin would someday be agreeable to a threesome with him and Ryou.
Perhaps even a foursome, if that adorable Tree Elf he had seen with them was willing.
end