Nectar of the Gods Dump

It was also when Nightmare would spread his legs in a very suggestive pose. Or how he would sometimes let out...very inappropriate moans when Cross ignored him. It was all very distracting.

Yes, Nightmare was attractive. That was obvious to just about anyone.

But Cross just couldn't stand his personality and character (or lack thereof).

So Cross did his best to ignore Nightmare's antics and agree that yes, it was very hot and splash his face with a bit of cool water.

If Nightmare wanted to try to seduce Cross for the fun of it or to manipulate him in some way, then he would find that quite difficult.

Cross looked to the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in. It had been humid when he first woke up, but he hadn't thought much of it. That and it had been nothing but blue skies all around.

He hoped it wouldn't be a storm...

Cross got to work making sure he would have plenty of cooked food and purified water before it rained.

Sure enough, he was part-way through cooking a heron when a drop of water fell onto his hand.

Soon it was pouring and the temperature dropped much more than Cross expected.

He was eating a grilled potato when he brought it up to his mouth and noticed his hand was shaking.

A violent shiver wracked its way through his body.

That was fine.

He was fine.

He could handle a little cold. His training in the royal guard had been worse.

A loud pounding broke through the sound of the rain, dragging Cross' attention from his potato.

Nightmare was...building?

Ugh. He was probably trying to rebuild the wall now that he believed Cross couldn't stop him.

He stuffed the rest of the potato into his mouth and rose to his feet.

It would be good for him to get moving anyway. It would help keep him warm.

Cross was about to go over and stop him, but then Nightmare made a portion that stuck out perpendicular to the edge of the raft. And Cross noticed the original wall wasn't near the edge...

"What are you doing?" Cross called, over the pounding rain.

Nightmare just looked at him, unimpressed, before getting back to work.

Soon his creation had three walls and a roof.

Was Nightmare making a shelter?

Cross didn't think Nightmare got cold...

Unless...it was for him?

Nightmare finished attaching a few palm leaves over the entrance to the structure. He looked over to Cross before going in.

Cross was confused.

Should he go in, too?

He walked over, but hesitated in front of it. What should he say?

Nightmare's head emerged from the palm leaf entrance.

Cross stiffened.

"I didn't think you needed shelter from the elements."

"I don't," Nightmare replied. "I do not have nerves for the cold to damage and my physical form is far more resilient than the hardest metals."

Prick. "Then why did you make that?" Cross asked evenly.

"I wanted privacy." That smug look was back on Nightmare's face. "You may come in if you like. You must be simply freezing."

Cross was not. freezing.

But he was also not stupid.

Without another word, Cross parted the leaves and went inside.

He refused to look at Nightmare. The bastard would probably just mock him.

It was nice to be out of the wind and rain, but he was still shivering quite a bit.

The structure was oddly well-insulated, though.

A light tapping pulled Cross' attention to the grill Nightmare must have pulled out. He had two rocks in hand and was striking them to make sparks. Once the driftwood began to smoke, he blew on it until it caught fire.

"You look like you've done this before," Cross commented. "You even got the right kind of rocks."

"We did not always have modern technology, Cross."

"Even so, you said you didn't get cold."

"...Not anymore."

Soon the fire grew and Cross' body temperature finally began to rise.

He watched the fire's dance for a bit as it flickered and swayed. It burned his eyes, but quieted his soul.

Anyway, Cross replaces the plastic jug the shark stole a piece of and gets back to work.

He finishes taking down the wall, makes a water purifier and grill, and fishes. When he puts his catch on the grill, he makes sure to keep a close eye on it, to make sure it wasn't messed with.

It's just a pomfret. Barely a mouthful and certainly not enough to fully satisfy the hunger beginning to gnaw at his insides. It's a start, though.

Cross fishes and cooks until the sun begins to set, making sure to stay hydrated all the while. He's finally satisfied by then, but new worries arise.

It shouldn't be too much trouble to make a bed, but does he really feel comfortable sleeping near Nightmare?

And now that he thinks about it, when it gets dark, how does he know Nightmare won't come up behind him and try something?

Cross decides to set up a torch and continue working through the night. It's not a permanent solution, but it'll do for now.

The head of the torch bursts quickly into flame, casting a strong, orange light over the raft and its occupants.

"I am surprised you would trust me with such a dangerous nightlight while you sleep," Nightmare says, leaning against the torch as if it were a sturdy, not-on-fire pillar.

"I am not sleeping tonight," Cross says.

Nightmare scoffs. "Then you are only leaving yourself more vulnerable to my ploys."

Cross' jaw tightens.

"Truly" Nightmare says, voice going soft, "I have no reason to harm you while you sleep.

"After all, you cannot react when you leave the realm of consciousness. That is no fun."

There it was.

"Not to mention, if you were dead, then I would have no more entertainment!"

Nightmare drops the fishing rod into the ocean. He doesn't give two shits about gathering food. I mean, it's not like he needs it. Or water. But Cross does!

So Cross dives to retrieve the rod, swallowing his frustration for now and planning to give Nightmare an earful once he gets back on the raft.

When he resurfaces, there's walls around the raft's perimeter.

So Cross sighs and climbs them (since we're not following video game logic) and the raft nearly tips...But it doesn't!

Meanwhile, Nightmare is smugly laughing, all while Cross is yelling at him about being an asshole and how they're not gonna find out a way out of this unless they work together. Blah blah.

Nightmare just puts a hand on his hip and says that he has all the time in the world. ;) And no need for food, water, or sleep.

Cross resigns himself to doing everything himself...He makes sure to keep an eye on Nightmare just in case, though.