╔. ■ .═════════════════════════════════════╗

╚══════════════════════════════════════. ■ .╝

THE CAVE WAS COLD AND DIM, the only light coming from the faint reflections of lightning flickering outside. The storm raged on, its relentless downpour echoing through the narrow entrance. It wasn't just cold—it was the kind of wet, bone-deep chill that made even thinking feel like a task.

Y/n paced the small space restlessly, arms wrapped tightly around herself, trying to keep warm. Her damp shirt clung to her body uncomfortably, and her teeth chattered, though she bit down hard to stop them. The uneven ground of the cave made her steps jagged, her boots crunching against loose gravel and mud. She glanced toward the entrance, the curtain of rain making escape impossible.

"I can't believe this," she muttered, her frustration audible over the storm. "Of all the places to get stuck, it had to be here. This sucks."

Kwon sat against the wall of the cave, one knee propped up and his hands resting loosely over it. He looked at her like a tired mother of five watching her youngest, most entitled child who knew nothing but to whine and cry, his dark eyes tracking her every movement with a mix of amusement and irritation. "You pacing around like a trapped squirrel isn't gonna make the rain stop, you know."

She froze mid-step and spun toward him, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel. "Excuse me for not wanting to sit on this freezing, wet rock like some zen master. Not all of us can just—" she gestured at him wildly, "—turn off our brains and brood in a corner."

Kwon's lips twitched, a smirk threatening to break free. He leaned back against the jagged wall, looking far too composed for someone who was just as soaked and miserable as she was. "Better than stomping around and complaining like a kid who lost her juice box."

Her jaw dropped slightly. "I am not complaining."

"Right," he drawled, clearly enjoying himself now. "Totally not complaining. Just... passionately narrating how much everything sucks."

Y/n opened her mouth for a sharp retort, but she closed it just as quickly, realizing she was, in fact, doing exactly what he said. Instead, she settled for an exaggerated huff and resumed pacing, muttering something under her breath about "smug idiots."

Kwon shook his head, amused, but his expression shifted when his gaze inadvertently drifted back to her. Her shirt—soaked from the relentless rain—clung to her frame, the thin fabric teasing more than it concealed. He felt a sudden, unwelcome heat crawl up his neck. He immediately tore his eyes away, internally cursing himself.

Focus, Kwon. Not the time. Not the place.

He could almost hear his grandmother's voice scolding him: "Eyes up, boy. Don't be disrespectful."

Clearing his throat, he stood abruptly, shrugging off his soaked jacket. "Here."

Y/n stopped pacing and turned toward him, her brow furrowing in confusion as he extended the jacket toward her. "What are you doing?"

"You're cold," he said simply, not meeting her eyes.

She crossed her arms, eyeing the dripping garment skeptically. "It's as wet as I am. What's that supposed to do? Magically dry me off?"

Kwon's jaw ticked in frustration. "Just take it," he muttered, gesturing vaguely toward her chest. "It's... uh... you might want to cover up."

Her confusion deepened for a moment before realization dawned. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she glanced down at herself, immediately crossing her arms tighter over her chest. "Oh," she mumbled, suddenly very interested in the cave floor. "Right. Um... thanks."

Awkwardly, she accepted the jacket and slipped it on. It didn't do much to warm her, but it added an extra layer of modesty, which was more than enough. She tugged it closed tightly, avoiding his gaze.

Kwon, now jacketless and shivering slightly, couldn't resist teasing her. "See? That wasn't so hard. I thought you were gonna argue with me for another five minutes."

Y/n glared at him, her cheeks still faintly pink. "You're such a jerk, you know that?"

He smirked, his confidence returning. "Yeah, but I'm a warm jerk. Well, I was until I gave you my jacket. You're welcome, by the way."

"Don't expect a medal," she shot back, though her tone lacked its usual bite. She hugged the jacket tighter, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Why do you even care? Isn't this where you're supposed to let me freeze to death and 'toughen up,' per Sensei Kim's orders?"

Kwon's smirk faded slightly, his voice softening. "You'll freeze later. Right now, just... stop complaining and sit down before you trip over your own feet."

She blinked at him, caught off guard by his tone, but decided not to argue. With a reluctant sigh, she slumped down against the wall opposite him, wrapping the oversized jacket around herself like a blanket.

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant rumble of thunder. y/n glanced at him, her irritation fading into curiosity. "How are you not freaking out? We're stuck in a cave, soaked to the bone, and probably gonna catch pneumonia. Isn't that, like, your worst nightmare?"

Kwon shrugged, his damp hair falling into his eyes. "I've been through worse."

"Yeah? Like what?"

He looked at her, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression. "You don't want to know."

She tilted her head, intrigued now. "What's that supposed to mean? You're not gonna drop some mysterious tough-guy line and leave it at that."

He leaned back, his smirk returning, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Maybe I like keeping you guessing."

"Ugh," she groaned, leaning her head back against the wall. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, you're still talking to me," he shot back, his tone teasing.

The banter came to a halt as another crack of thunder shook the cave, followed by a particularly strong gust of wind that sent a chill through both of them. y/n shivered violently, and Kwon frowned, his teasing demeanor replaced by concern.

The boy's gaze shifted from y/n to the pile of sticks they'd managed to gather earlier in the evening, back when the rain was only a drizzle and they still thought they'd make it back to camp before the downpour. The bundle was damp, sure, but not completely soaked. If they worked quickly, they might have a shot at starting a fire.

He pushed himself off the wall and walked over to the pile, crouching down to examine it. "We need to dry this out as much as we can," he muttered, mostly to himself.

Y/n paused mid-pace, watching him with mild confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Starting a fire," he replied simply, sorting through the sticks and pulling out the driest ones he could find. "Or trying to, anyway."

Her eyebrows lifted skeptically. "With what? Magic? Because unless you've been hiding a lighter in your pocket, I don't see how that's happening."

Kwon shot her a look. "I have a lighter."

She blinked. "Wait, what? You've had a lighter this whole time, and you didn't think to mention it?"

He rolled his eyes, pulling the small metal lighter from his pocket and holding it up for her to see. "It's soaked. Like everything else. But if we can dry it and the sticks enough, it might work."

Y/n crossed her arms, still shivering slightly. "Fine, oh wise arsonist. What do you need me to do?"

"First, stop complaining," he said dryly, earning him a glare. "Second, grab those slightly thicker sticks over there and start peeling the bark off. The inside will be drier. We can use that for kindling."

She sighed but crouched down to help, picking up a stick and fumbling with its damp, rough bark. "This is disgusting."

"Do you want to freeze or not?" Kwon quipped, expertly stripping a stick of its bark in one smooth motion. He glanced at her, smirking. "And try not to make a mess. We don't have much to work with."

Y/n shot him a pointed look as she clumsily tore at the bark. "Sorry I'm not a professional caveman like you."

"Survival skills, princess," he said, clearly enjoying himself. "They come in handy when you're not busy whining."

She huffed but didn't bother snapping back this time, focusing instead on the task at hand. Together, they worked in tense silence, their hands moving quickly despite the cold. Kwon carefully set aside the stripped bark and arranged the driest twigs in a loose cone shape, his movements precise and deliberate.

"Now, we need to create a spark," he said, setting the lighter down on a flat rock. "The sticks will need a little help catching fire. Find something to fan it with once it starts—your jacket, maybe."

Her eyes widened. "Fan it with my jacket? You just gave me this to cover up! Make up your mind."

Kwon exhaled sharply, clearly trying to keep his patience. "Fine, use your hands. Just don't set yourself on fire, alright?"

"Great pep talk," she muttered, but she grabbed a wide leaf from the cave floor and held it ready.

Kwon flicked the lighter a few times, his movements slow and deliberate as he tried to coax it to life. The metal sparked faintly, but no flame came. He cursed under his breath, shaking it out and wiping it against his shirt before trying again.

Y/n leaned over his shoulder, watching closely. "You're gonna break that thing at this rate."

"Do you want to try?" he snapped, his frustration evident.

She raised her hands in mock surrender. "Nope. Just enjoying the show."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the lighter sparked to life, and a tiny flame flickered against the damp air. Kwon leaned in, shielding it with his hand as he brought it to the pile of bark. He coaxed the flame gently, blowing on it with steady breaths until it caught and spread to the smaller sticks. The warm glow of the fire began to grow, its light dancing across the cave walls.

Y/n's eyes widened in awe, and she couldn't help but smile, her face lit softly by the fire. "You actually did it."

Kwon leaned back on his heels, a triumphant smirk on his face. "Told you. Caveman skills."

She rolled her eyes but didn't bother hiding her relief as she held her hands out toward the flames, savoring the warmth. "Okay, fine. You're useful. Happy?"

"Very," he said, watching her for a moment before turning his attention back to the fire. "Now, keep it alive. Feed it more sticks, but don't smother it."

"Yes, sir," she said sarcastically, tossing a stick onto the flames. "What would I ever do without your brilliant leadership?"

"You'd freeze," he said bluntly, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. His smirk returned as he added, "And complain the whole time."

"Ugh, I take it back," she muttered, though there was a faint smile tugging at her lips.

As the fire crackled and the warmth spread through the cave, the tension between them eased—just slightly. The storm still raged outside, but for now, they had a small victory. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

"Come here," he said suddenly. She blinked at him, startled. "What?" 

"You're freezing. Body heat works better than that jacket." Her cheeks flushed again. "Uh, no thanks. I think I'll stick with hypothermia." 

"Stop being stubborn," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "I'm not trying to—just—look, I don't want you passing out on me, okay?"

She hesitated, her pride warring with her common sense. Eventually, she sighed and crawled across the cave toward him, muttering, "This doesn't mean I like you." 

Kwon smirked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "Sure, sure. Just don't drool on me." 

"Don't push your luck," she grumbled, though she didn't pull away.

1.9k words