FAKE Fic: Seeking Shelter
Title: Seeking Shelter
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: After the manga.
Summary: The weather in the mountains can change unexpectedly, so it’s important to be prepared.
Word Count: 1313
Written For: Challenge 391: Storm at fan_flashworks.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
“We need to find shelter!” Ryo had to shout to make himself heard over the howling wind even though Dee was standing right next to him.
“No kiddin’!” Dee shouted back, pulling his jacket more tightly around his body and leaning into what felt like a gale straight out of the arctic.
It was late fall and the two men had come to Maine on a short break, looking forward to spending a few days hiking through the mountains and valleys, enjoying the picturesque scenery. It was three weeks later than they’d originally planned thanks to work; the trial for a major case they’d been involved in had unexpectedly been brought forward, and their presence had been required to testify on behalf of the prosecution. Nevertheless, they’d been determined not to miss out on their annual trip, even though the schedule change had forced them to cancel their hotel room and re-book for a later date.
The previous day had been perfect, with mild, sunny weather, and blue skies that created a perfect backdrop to the trees in all their autumn splendor. When they’d left their hotel this morning after an early breakfast, the weather had been slightly cooler but still good, with only a few clouds in the sky drifting on a light breeze, but that had been four hours ago; a lot had changed since then.
Negotiating a treacherously rocky slope into a shallow valley, concentrating on where they were putting their feet so they wouldn’t trip on something, or slip on the fallen leaves, they hadn’t noticed the clouds thickening and piling up on the horizon, their view mostly blocked by the terrain and the abundant trees. The first they’d known of the rapidly deteriorating weather had been when they’d reached the top of the next ridge. Stepping out from amongst the trees and bushes, they’d scrambled up the last dozen yards over bare rocks, expecting to be rewarded with a magnificent view, and instead the wind, driving in from the north, had hit them like a fist, making them stagger and clutch at each other to remain upright.
“Maybe we should turn back!” Dee shouted in his lover’s ear, but Ryo shook his head.
“We won’t find shelter back that way, not good enough to protect us from what’s coming; that valley’s not deep enough!” He pointed up at the roiling, greenish grey clouds, advancing steadily on their position, carried by the gusting winds. “Might be rain, sleet, or even snow, but from the color of those clouds and the feel of the wind, hail is more likely. We need to get as low as we can and find cover!” He tugged Dee towards the far side of the ridge, and they started down the steep slope, holding on tightly to each other so they wouldn’t become separated.
The wind kept slamming into them, first from one direction, then another, snatching their breath away and tugging at their clothing with icy fingers. Twice Dee nearly fell, not as accustomed to negotiating the rough terrain as his lover was, but each time Ryo steadied him and urged him on, directing their course not straight down towards the trees at the bottom of the next valley as Dee would have expected, but at an angle across the slope towards a rocky outcrop. Dee didn’t understand why until they got there.
As soon as they’d scrambled up and over the tumbled boulders, the wind seemed to drop away, and they leaned their backs gratefully against the cold, hard rocks, taking the opportunity for a few precious moments of badly needed rest. They couldn’t afford to stay there for long though, and as soon as they’d caught their breath, they continued downslope, following the ridge of rock, which got taller the further they went.
Ryo led the way, checking out every gap they came to among the massive boulders and slabs of rock, looking for somewhere they could hole up. About three-quarters of the way down the slope, still a fair distance above the valley floor, well clear of any danger from flash flooding, he found a narrow crevice just big enough for the two of them to squeeze through, leading into a mostly dry space. It wasn’t much of a cave, but it looked like it would serve them well enough; it was unlikely they’d find anything better before the full force of the storm hit.
Already rain was beginning to fall, mixed with sharp, stinging hail, and from the way the sky was darkening, making it look like late evening despite it barely being midday, even Dee could tell it was only going to get worse.
“We should be okay in here,” Ryo said, sinking into a crouch on the hard-packed earth beside Dee and opening his backpack, which he’d shoved into their refuge ahead of him.
“Okay being a relative term.” Dee, hunched and shivering, pulled his gloves off and rubbed numbed hands together, feeling chilled through from the bitter wind. “Not much use findin’ shelter if we wind up freezin’ to death.”
“We won’t freeze as long as we’re sensible. Here.” Ryo tossed their groundsheet to his partner. “Spread this out and sit on it.”
Dee did as he was told. It was thin but marginally better than sitting on the cold, damp ground.
Pulling a couple of foil emergency blankets from the bottom of his pack, Ryo shook them out, draping them over his lover before sliding under them himself, snuggling close to Dee and settling both their packs against his other side to help block out the draft coming through the narrow entrance.
Huddled together in the dimness, they listened to the storm that by now was raging outside, the howling wind accompanied by deep rumbles of thunder and the sound of hailstones skittering across the rocks. Every so often, sheet lightning lit up the world outside their makeshift shelter like a camera flash going off, half dazzling them. The floor of the cave was hard and lumpy, not particularly comfortable to sit on, but as the minutes ticked slowly past, the thin silver blankets did what they’d been designed to do, and gradually Dee stopped shivering.
“Better?” Ryo asked quietly during a brief lull when the wind dropped enough for them to hear each other without having to shout.
“Yeah, thanks.” Dee grinned at his lover in the gloom between lightning flashes. “For a while there I thought we were done for, stranded in the middle of nowhere with no hope of rescue, but this isn’t so bad; it’s even kinda cosy. Good thing ya had these blankets with ya.”
“I never go hiking without them, and other emergency supplies; people can die from exposure even in midsummer. They don’t realise how quickly the weather can turn bad, storms coming up out of nowhere.” Reaching into his backpack again, Ryo pulled out a thermos and poured them each a cup of coffee. “We might as well have our lunch here while we wait for the storm to pass.”
“I like the way you think.” Dee cradled the plastic cup in both hands, sipping the steaming brew. “I guess when the weather clears, we oughta head back to the hotel.”
Ryo nodded, unwrapping some of the food they’d brought with them. “I just hope it lets up before nightfall; I’ve got flashlights and spare batteries, but it’s a long hike, and after a storm like this we’ll probably have to detour around fallen trees, flooded creeks, and other hazards.”
“Fun times.” Dee sighed as he accepted a sandwich. “Don’t get me wrong, I like adventure as much as the next guy, but I’d just as soon not haveta go through anything like this again. Next year, we’re bookin’ early and no matter what happens, we’re not gonna postpone our trip just because of someone else’s scheduling screw-up.”
The End
Fandom: FAKE
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ryo, Dee.
Rating: PG
Setting: After the manga.
Summary: The weather in the mountains can change unexpectedly, so it’s important to be prepared.
Word Count: 1313
Written For: Challenge 391: Storm at fan_flashworks.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
“We need to find shelter!” Ryo had to shout to make himself heard over the howling wind even though Dee was standing right next to him.
“No kiddin’!” Dee shouted back, pulling his jacket more tightly around his body and leaning into what felt like a gale straight out of the arctic.
It was late fall and the two men had come to Maine on a short break, looking forward to spending a few days hiking through the mountains and valleys, enjoying the picturesque scenery. It was three weeks later than they’d originally planned thanks to work; the trial for a major case they’d been involved in had unexpectedly been brought forward, and their presence had been required to testify on behalf of the prosecution. Nevertheless, they’d been determined not to miss out on their annual trip, even though the schedule change had forced them to cancel their hotel room and re-book for a later date.
The previous day had been perfect, with mild, sunny weather, and blue skies that created a perfect backdrop to the trees in all their autumn splendor. When they’d left their hotel this morning after an early breakfast, the weather had been slightly cooler but still good, with only a few clouds in the sky drifting on a light breeze, but that had been four hours ago; a lot had changed since then.
Negotiating a treacherously rocky slope into a shallow valley, concentrating on where they were putting their feet so they wouldn’t trip on something, or slip on the fallen leaves, they hadn’t noticed the clouds thickening and piling up on the horizon, their view mostly blocked by the terrain and the abundant trees. The first they’d known of the rapidly deteriorating weather had been when they’d reached the top of the next ridge. Stepping out from amongst the trees and bushes, they’d scrambled up the last dozen yards over bare rocks, expecting to be rewarded with a magnificent view, and instead the wind, driving in from the north, had hit them like a fist, making them stagger and clutch at each other to remain upright.
“Maybe we should turn back!” Dee shouted in his lover’s ear, but Ryo shook his head.
“We won’t find shelter back that way, not good enough to protect us from what’s coming; that valley’s not deep enough!” He pointed up at the roiling, greenish grey clouds, advancing steadily on their position, carried by the gusting winds. “Might be rain, sleet, or even snow, but from the color of those clouds and the feel of the wind, hail is more likely. We need to get as low as we can and find cover!” He tugged Dee towards the far side of the ridge, and they started down the steep slope, holding on tightly to each other so they wouldn’t become separated.
The wind kept slamming into them, first from one direction, then another, snatching their breath away and tugging at their clothing with icy fingers. Twice Dee nearly fell, not as accustomed to negotiating the rough terrain as his lover was, but each time Ryo steadied him and urged him on, directing their course not straight down towards the trees at the bottom of the next valley as Dee would have expected, but at an angle across the slope towards a rocky outcrop. Dee didn’t understand why until they got there.
As soon as they’d scrambled up and over the tumbled boulders, the wind seemed to drop away, and they leaned their backs gratefully against the cold, hard rocks, taking the opportunity for a few precious moments of badly needed rest. They couldn’t afford to stay there for long though, and as soon as they’d caught their breath, they continued downslope, following the ridge of rock, which got taller the further they went.
Ryo led the way, checking out every gap they came to among the massive boulders and slabs of rock, looking for somewhere they could hole up. About three-quarters of the way down the slope, still a fair distance above the valley floor, well clear of any danger from flash flooding, he found a narrow crevice just big enough for the two of them to squeeze through, leading into a mostly dry space. It wasn’t much of a cave, but it looked like it would serve them well enough; it was unlikely they’d find anything better before the full force of the storm hit.
Already rain was beginning to fall, mixed with sharp, stinging hail, and from the way the sky was darkening, making it look like late evening despite it barely being midday, even Dee could tell it was only going to get worse.
“We should be okay in here,” Ryo said, sinking into a crouch on the hard-packed earth beside Dee and opening his backpack, which he’d shoved into their refuge ahead of him.
“Okay being a relative term.” Dee, hunched and shivering, pulled his gloves off and rubbed numbed hands together, feeling chilled through from the bitter wind. “Not much use findin’ shelter if we wind up freezin’ to death.”
“We won’t freeze as long as we’re sensible. Here.” Ryo tossed their groundsheet to his partner. “Spread this out and sit on it.”
Dee did as he was told. It was thin but marginally better than sitting on the cold, damp ground.
Pulling a couple of foil emergency blankets from the bottom of his pack, Ryo shook them out, draping them over his lover before sliding under them himself, snuggling close to Dee and settling both their packs against his other side to help block out the draft coming through the narrow entrance.
Huddled together in the dimness, they listened to the storm that by now was raging outside, the howling wind accompanied by deep rumbles of thunder and the sound of hailstones skittering across the rocks. Every so often, sheet lightning lit up the world outside their makeshift shelter like a camera flash going off, half dazzling them. The floor of the cave was hard and lumpy, not particularly comfortable to sit on, but as the minutes ticked slowly past, the thin silver blankets did what they’d been designed to do, and gradually Dee stopped shivering.
“Better?” Ryo asked quietly during a brief lull when the wind dropped enough for them to hear each other without having to shout.
“Yeah, thanks.” Dee grinned at his lover in the gloom between lightning flashes. “For a while there I thought we were done for, stranded in the middle of nowhere with no hope of rescue, but this isn’t so bad; it’s even kinda cosy. Good thing ya had these blankets with ya.”
“I never go hiking without them, and other emergency supplies; people can die from exposure even in midsummer. They don’t realise how quickly the weather can turn bad, storms coming up out of nowhere.” Reaching into his backpack again, Ryo pulled out a thermos and poured them each a cup of coffee. “We might as well have our lunch here while we wait for the storm to pass.”
“I like the way you think.” Dee cradled the plastic cup in both hands, sipping the steaming brew. “I guess when the weather clears, we oughta head back to the hotel.”
Ryo nodded, unwrapping some of the food they’d brought with them. “I just hope it lets up before nightfall; I’ve got flashlights and spare batteries, but it’s a long hike, and after a storm like this we’ll probably have to detour around fallen trees, flooded creeks, and other hazards.”
“Fun times.” Dee sighed as he accepted a sandwich. “Don’t get me wrong, I like adventure as much as the next guy, but I’d just as soon not haveta go through anything like this again. Next year, we’re bookin’ early and no matter what happens, we’re not gonna postpone our trip just because of someone else’s scheduling screw-up.”
The End