Notiieeess~~ Ok, I'm sorry for spewing out new stories like nuts and then not concentrating on others. But you see... The plot bunnies-- THEY DON'T FEED ME UNLESS I WRITE WHAT THEY WANT!! CRAP! Here they come now!! *runs away from rabid plot bunnies*

Two Boys, One Island

Chapter 1: Awkwardness

Mello took a cruise because he felt the need to do something impulsive and wanted to have a little fun.

Near took a cruise because he had never been on one before and felt he needed the life experience.

Neither was aware the other was on the ship, but they found out eventually. They found out when the ship sunk, and they were stranded together on a deserted Caribbean island.

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Mello was lying on the white sand of the beach. His black leather vest was off. He decided that if he was going to be here a while he might as well work on his tan.

Mello had escaped death by jumping in a life boat when the rest of the passengers were panicking. He had rowed in one straight direction until he found this small island. Now he was resting his sore arms, dozing on the beach, and getting a great tan all at once. Nope. Mello was not at all concerned that he was stuck on a small island with no food, communication, or running plumbing. It was a great vacation.

NEARNEARNEARNEARNEARNEAR

Near now hated all forms of water transportation. Sure the cruise itself was nice, but once the ship broke down he hated it. No one was willing to take him on their life boat, and his head had been bobbing in and out of the water for hours until he had drifted on to the jungle shore of the island. He had then collapsed onto a mass of weeds, and from then on had been wandering aimlessly in search of fresh water. Worst vacation ever.

IFYOUAREREADINGTHISLINETHENICOMMENDYOUONYOURPATHETICNESS

Near stumbled out of the thick mass of trees and vines with tears in his pajamas and leaves in his hair. Now out of the jungle he noticed that the jungle he had drifted upon was actually on a cliff. Beyond the cliff was a small meadow of light green grass which thinned out into lush sand.

After a couple moments of scanning the horizon he spotted a life boat that looked like it belonged to the ship Near had been on. His gaze shifted to the section on the beach the boat was landed on.

What Near saw confused. A lean figure was lying on the beach. He had blond hair and was wearing tight leather pants. Near rubbed his eyes, blinking. The person who appeared to be Mello was still there.

Near began to scramble down the cliff. In his haste he scraped his foot on a sharp rock, and he grimaced at the blood trickling down his pale ankle. Progressing more cautiously, Near made his way down the cliff without further injury.

Being impatient for once in his life to make contact with a human, when there was two feet left to climb Near jumped. Due to his ungodly lack of athleticism he landed on a sandy patch of grass exactly the wrong way. He twisted the other ankle that wasn't already bleeding with a vengeance, tripped, and gained a face-full of sandy greenery.

Spitting some sand out of his mouth, Near stood up and limped towards Mello. Three feet away from Mello, Near's breath was coming in as ragged intakes due to his pain. He plopped himself down beside Mello on the sand, no longer caring about how he presented himself towards others. He supported his weary head with his upright knee.

Mello was lulled out of the sound of waves crashing on the shore when something sat down next to him. Mello blinked his eyes open and turned on his side.

"Near?"

"Mello." Came the weary response.

Mello sat up and slipped his vest back on. "What are you doing here? And what happened to you?!" Not like Mello actually cared. He had just never seen Near so bedraggled looking.

Near looked at him. "You were on the cruise ship, Food, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Well after the ship… Malfunctioned I just drifted for a long time and I ended up… Here."

Mello smirked, cold ice blue eyes flickering to his lifeboat then back to Near.

"Good thing this water is warm. You would have had a serious case of hypothermia by now if this happened back in England."

Near nodded, twirling a bit of sodden hair between his fingers.

Mello saw Near's bloody ankle. "Oh Lord in Heaven, what did you do?"

Near pointed. "I was climbing down that cliff."

Mello sighed in annoyance. "Tear the sleeve off your shirt and tie it around the wound."

Near looked rather reluctant.

"Fine. I'll do it." Mello walked over to Near and found the seem of his top. The vicious tearing made a loud ripping noise, and Near watching in silent wide-eyed horror as his shirt was from then on permanently crippled.

Mello waved the strip of cloth in slight breeze, airing it out a little. As he was doing so Near felt along the edge of his now short-sleeved right arm.

"Now give me your foot." Mello commanded. Near shifted and stuck out his foot. Mello took it, to Near's surprise, gently, and began to tenderly wrap the cloth around is ankle. Near winced when Mello pulled the cloth around tight.

"Sorry Near, I'm doing this to cut off the blood flow, you know that."

Near nodded, and then realized what Mello just said. "You just apologized to me."

Mello frowned. "Don't get used to it." He said gruffly, tightening the knot on the cloth.

When Mello's gaze turned to the azure sea Near let the tiniest smile escape him. If he had to be stuck on an uncivilized island with anyone, he guessed he wouldn't mind being stuck with Mello.

Mello turned back to him sharply, his golden hair catching the sunlight. "We probably should look for food and fresh water, shouldn't we."

Near nodded. Mello stood up and brushed some sand off his pants. Near stood up too and took a step forward. On his twisted ankle. He stumbled forward, fell, and just barely caught himself on the ground. He flipped over on his back and lay in the sand, taking deep breaths and shivering despite the warm air.

Mello laughed. "Never mind. I'll go search by myself for a while."

Near nodded.

"I'll help you over to that palm tree over there," Mello pointed. "So you can get some shade. No doubt your skin is sensitive to the sun. I'll meet you back here at sunset or before. If I don't make it by then…" Mello brought a finger up and slowly slit it across his throat.

Near stood up shakily and Mello walked over to him, putting his arm around Near's shoulder. Leaning on Mello Near hobbled over to the large palm tree. Mello carefully sat Near down, making sure not to put too much pressure on his foot.

Once Near was safely leaning against the trunk Mello said, "Stay here. I'll be back."

And with that, Mello jogged off around the other bend of the shore, and Near's eyes were trained on his figure until the curve of the island consumed him. Near stared out into the sea, now deathly bored. He hoped Mello would find something to eat fast. Not that he was hungry.

For Near felt plain afraid without Mello. All the bad things had happened alone. Mello only seemed to heal him.

While Near was musing this, a fat coconut fell and landed between his two legs, snatching him away from his thoughts. Near picked it up and held it in his two hands. Mello could crack this open and they could have the juice and fruit from it…

Mello had found what appeared to be a banana tree on the outskirts of the jungle. Peering up at the bunch, Mello wondered how he was supposed to get them down. He gave the tree a good hard kick, only to injure his big toe.

Growling under his breath, Mello took a running leap onto the trunk. He scooted himself on to the tree until he was able to grab them. In his triumph Mello's grip on the tree loosened and he flat out fell on his butt.

Rubbing his sore backend Mello saw a flash of red dart out from the undergrowth. Great. Poisonous salamanders as well.

Inspecting the banana bunch Mello found that one of the bananas was severely bruised. Mello gagged as brown banana-gook drizzled on his gloved hand. He separated the maimed fruit from the rest of its clan and dropped it on the ground.

He cradled the healthy bananas in his left arm and plunged deeper into the jungle. Mello figured that a source of fresh water would be farthest away from the ocean. Also he noticed he was going up a slight incline.

After a steady ten minutes of threading his way through vines and exotic flowers, Mello stumbled out into a clearing coated in a layer of liquid steam.

What Mello found entranced him. It was a clear bubbling spring, being shone upon by the sun shining the clearing of trees. Mello noticed that the waterfall flowing down a cliff onto the spring concealed a cave. Putting the banana bunch on the grass, Mello walked around the spring and got as close to the waterfall as he could without being spattered. Looking down Mello found a cleverly placed stepping stone. Using it, Mello hopped into the cave.

It was dry and air. Clean and relatively smooth surfaced.

Mello approved of it. Sadly, he had to wait until Near's feet recovered.

Walking out of the cave Mello stuck his head under the cool waterfall. It cleansed his spirits somewhat. Mello drank in some of the water as it fell past him. It was clear and clean and so beautiful to Mello compared to the salt water he had been tasting all day.

Smiling, Mello through back his wet hair like a dog and walked back to the bananas. He picked them up, and ventured back into the jungle.

Mello returned just when the sky was beginning to be stung by oranges and pinks. Just when Near was beginning to get anxious.

Mello sat down on the ground in front of Near and started to separate the bananas.

"We're feasting on fruit tonight."

"I found this…" Near held up the coconut.

Mello's face fell temporarily. "You didn't- Oh." Mello looked up at the two remaining coconuts. Peeling a banana and handing it to Near he said, "I don't get why they're even called coconuts. They don't taste anything like cocoa."

Near chuckled, nibbling off the top of his banana. "I bet you really want some chocolate right now."

Mello bit his lip then tore off a third of his respective banana. Chewing with a glare in his eye he mumbled, "Yeah."

Feeling he just disrespected the leather clad blond Near put a finger to his hair, looking down at his lonely coconut. "How do you think we could get it open?"

Mello threw down his banana peel just as Near took his second bite. Mello took the round fruit, his hand just barely brushing the side of Near's leg. Deciding not to mention it to Mello, Near continued to watch as Mello experimentally tossed the coconut up and down a few times.

"Well I could just whack it against the palm tree."

Near tilted his head, looking up at Mello who was now standing with coconut poised.

"Well judging by the density of the coconut and the force of your throw I would say-"

Mello slammed the coconut on the ground.

"Look Near, if you want my help surviving on this island then I'm going to need practical smarts from you, not book smarts! Go it?"

Near nodded firmly, eyes widening. Although Mello had gotten far more threatening back at the orphanage Near was deathly afraid of what would happen if Mello left him.

As Mello leaned over to pick the coconut up he looked into Near's eyes. In that moment of stillness Near noticed how Mello's eyes were like the sea in front of him. In both color and nature.

Mello smiled truly for the first time in front of Near.

"Good. Now move so your head isn't showered in coconut bits."