It's been a few weeks since he has been here. Green's legs ached from the vigorous mountain climbing, instantly regretting that he skipped training himself over the last few weeks. His body was not used to the sudden strenuous exercise, and every step felt like he was dragging lead instead of feet. Eevee seemed just as tired, growing restless from the endless travel, despite only acting as a scarf around Green's neck.

Snow began to melt through his clothes, and Green could feel the cold finally touching him, threatening him to turn back and forget about Red. Damn it. Damn it all to hell. It eventually became harder to breathe, harder to see where he was actually going. It wasn't until he could barely make out the faint glow of a fireplace in the distance that he knew he was almost at the small cave where the raven lived.

Mustering up all of his reserved strength, Green broke out into a sprint towards the fiery haven, ignoring his inner pleads to stop. He dashed through the piles of snow that clung to his clothes, enduring the icy frost building on his face. Just as his legs felt like they were about to give out, the golden light grew brighter, glowing through the sheets of white. Faster, I have to go faster. Gasping for the thin air, Green left puffs of his own behind him and was relieved once he could assuredly feel the warmth from the flames nearby.

As he regains his composure and brushed off whatever snow that hadn't already thawed into slosh, he notices something is wrong. Or rather, missing. Five pokeballs and all sorts of potion assortments were packed in a familiar yellow backpack near the fire, but the owner was nowhere to be found. Where the hell is that bastard? Green fumed, pacing around the rocky room. I don't have time for this. He was supposed to be here. Eevee jumped off her master, feeling his concern but not having a clue on how to console him. He didn't even realize his hands were pulling at his clothes until he went to run them through his hair. Why was he so nervous? This was some monthly routine he does that wasn't any different than any of the times before. Yet, he really couldn't shake that nagging feeling off.

Green felt like he could have stood there for days and never see the ebony-haired boy, and after deciding to wait an eternity of seven and a half minutes, braced himself and left for Viridian. Or was about to leave when a few steps away, out in the infinite sea of white, lay the former champion on his side. How had he completely overlooked and missed him the first time? Green rushed to the fallen boy and started checking for any vital signs. The frozen boy was breathing, but it was hazardously shallow, and appeared to have a raging fever. Snuggled in his arms was a shivering Pikachu. How long has he even been out here? Rushing him back into the slightly warmer cave, Green felt his heart racing, faster than it had even during the trek up to this point. This guy has lived up on this wintry terrain for years; he should be able to withstand this.

Right?

Eevee began to hastily chirp Vii! Vii vii! at the sight of Green carrying in a sick trainer and Pokémon. Pikachu was immediately tended to by Eevee tackling the electric mouse to keep warm. Sending out Arcanine, Green lay the ill trainer down and recklessly began to shed his layers of coats. He rummages through a messy pile of unfolded blankets and took the cleanest ones, draping all but one over Red. Green uses water from one of Red's water bottles in his backpack to make a wet spot on a smaller blanket to cool his forehead after removing his hat. The stony boy's thin frame shuddered under the contact of the chilly touch. Kneeling next to him, Green held one hand to the boy's forehead, and another to his own, as he tried to keep himself from bursting out into tears in case the worst did come.

"…G-Green?" a coarse rasp whispered.

Looking at the direction where the nearly unheard voice came from with wide eyes, Green could see crimson eyes already looking at him though struggled to stay open, but they still looked at him nonetheless. Despite him being overjoyed and wanting to kiss Red right then and there, he couldn't help a few curses slip from his mouth.

"What the hell were you thinking? All you wear are short sleeve jackets and some wimpy cap and you decided to just take a goddamn stroll without any Pokémon or protection out in this never-ending blizzard while you knew damn well that I was on my way up here to this fucking hellhole at the same time I am every fucking month, just to go missing! I swear if you weren't three steps away from this cave I would have just left you there and gone all the way back to Viridian thinking about what an ungrateful asshole Red is for the rest of my life! So, tell me again, dumbass, why the fuck weren't you in here, where there's shelter and warmth when you were supposed to be?"

Green already wanted to slap himself after he noticed Red flinch at the word "missing." Arceus, Red was going to hate him. More so than he already did, and that was the absolute last thing Green wanted. He impatiently stared at the former champion, watching his ruby eyes scan the room in every direction but his as he looked for a response. He opened his mouth a few times, but immediately closed it whenever his eyes drifted to Green's. Watching his tired attempts, Green loosened his gaze and sighed.

"Look, Red. You know I don't mean any of that crap. I-I just get so worked up because I thought you were really hurt and that you were goin-"

Green saw crimson eyes look at him, and the owner open his mouth. Red hardly ever talked and Green knew that damn well, and made sure that he stopped himself to hear the oddity.

"I…I waited for y-you outside…" Red's voice cracked, after years without use. Those simple words were enough for Green to understand as those deep ruby eyes said more than his voice needed to.

"I fell a-asleep…"

Green regretted his outburst, seeing what a jerk he had been. Red had felt bad that every time Green voluntarily came to visit, Red always seemed unwelcoming and indifferent towards him. He wanted to greet Green properly today, but accidentally fell asleep waiting. Green thought it was nice to know that Red actually looked forward to his visits, and that he cared for his feelings as well.

Green smiled softly and stood up to grab his thermos of soup, only to be stopped by a light tug on his jacket.

"W-Where are you going? Please…don't leave me."

Looking back at the pale boy, a pleading desperation swimming in his namesake eyes, Green couldn't help but laugh a little at the childish habit. He looked like a child lost in the Celadon Department Store, begging for his mother.

"Calm down, dumbass. I'm not going anywhere. I'm just grabbing you some soup. You look like a skeleton, don't you ever eat anything? Now let go, Red."

Instead of letting him go, Red pulled him close, wrapping his arms around Green's neck. He felt like he has been spending years constantly letting him go, and even if it were for a few blinks of the eye, it was too long. Red buried his face into Green's neck, breathing in the only scent he could never live without, so intoxicating yet completely indescribable in any other way but Green. Honestly, the only thing he could see was Green, entirely immersed within him, because at that moment, not a single thing in the world mattered but the one person he let get away countless times before.

Green let go of the damp blanket, startled at first, but he soon learned to hug his patient back, wanting to do nothing more than protect the fragile, timid boy. Green was taller than the other boy, even if it was by just a couple of inches, but it made the two fit together perfectly, like they were always meant to be. He ran a few fingers through Red's luscious, raven hair, clean despite the conditions. Pikachu and Eevee lay snuggled near the fire, their bodies slowly rising and falling as they slept. For the first time in a long time, Green finally felt calm and at peace with Red in his arms, instead of a pillow on all those empty nights.

That was, until Red started to cough on Green.

"Alright, you might not want to let go, but I do. Will you please get off me so I can go throw up in your soup?" Green groaned.

"…" Red looked away, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Laying Red back on Arcanine, Green went to bundle the coughing trainer in his blankets again, this time with more patience in his gentle, slow movements. Softly, his fingers brushed against Red's chilly, supple cheek, before he turned to his own bag and took out a green thermos, along with a spoon and napkin. A green thermos. Way to go, Green. Really getting the ladies with this one.

Handing the redundant container to Red, Green watches over, making sure Red didn't spill anything onto himself, like the klutz he is. After confirming that Red indeed had the capability of having somewhat steady hands, Green packed his belongings and began to make his way back to his home in Viridian City. He knew the journey back would be a long one, one that he dreaded every time, hesitating near the entrance of the cave. The gym leader scanned the milky horizon, seeing nothing but blank, untainted snow, almost as perfect as Red's skin. He breathed in the pine air, the one that never seemed to leave Red no matter how hard he may try, but made him all the more alluring. Red had this magnetism from his silent demeanor that pulled Green closer to him, rather than push him away. Yet here he is, taking his first step in the opposite direction, against his own will.

Green being lost in thought gave Red more than enough time to finish his soup, throw off the mountains of layers smothering him, and run towards Green, reaching out for his wrist.

"Wait!" he called out.

Turning around, Green was met with gentle, cold lips against his, so light that he had to see Red closing in to believe it was happening. Red grabbed at his shirt, bringing the two closer than Green thought was possible. Green caressed his icy neck and kept the raven near, in fear of melting him away if he didn't hold on. The two stayed like that, breathing one another in, and just simply being with each other, until Red pulled away. Crimson eyes met emerald ones and Green couldn't help but smile.

"I was just kidding about leaving, Red. The truth is I don't want to leave you and I never will." Green said as he kissed his forehead. And he swore that it was just his imagination, but for a moment he thought he heard Red speak, which today would have certainly been the most he ever did. Red leaned into Green's ears to repeat the words that he hadn't replied to yet:

"…I love you."

a/n: Please review and send feedback - it's much appreciated! Thanks for reading!