Disclaimers: This is VERY long, lots of angst, don't worry he's ok. Also, sorry for any inaccuracies. I did some research but tbh there was a lot of guessing.
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"Don't go to sleep." The child heard his marine savior mumble. With the adrenaline and fear pumping through him sleep would be impossible. Had it not been for the marine, the child would have been killed by the pirates before the storm hit. He huddled closer to the marine, trying to stay warm in the man's arms. The marine may have been carrying him, but the snow was within arm's reach. Briefly he opened his eyes to see the red rut carved out by their unsteady path before closing them again.
"There's a cave. We'll stay there." The voice was weaker than before.
Inside the cave wasn't a whole lot warmer, but it protected well against the wind. Several yards in the child winced as his savior fell to the snow-covered ground.
"D-don't g-go t-t-to sl-sleep." The child echoed the marine's words. There was no response. The child stayed where he was, curled up in the marine's arms. There was nowhere else to go. He looked up to see his savior's face frosted and blue, covered in frozen blood. "C-c'mon. Wa-wake up." Still no response. The child pressed himself against the other's chest, despair gripping him. "Help!" He cried, "Someone, please!"
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Coby pulled his thick coat tighter around him. Being out in the storm was a bad idea, even for the ice villagers. But with a child and marine missing, there wasn't much choice. They were prepared, though. Ice village guides and nurses were assisting the search and two Snow Wagons carried supplies- one general and one set up to be a makeshift infirmary.
"Do you see anything?" Coby shouted over the wind to a nearby guide.
"Yes sir! There's a trail here. But we must hurry if we are to follow before the storm fills it!" Coby gestured to the rest of the group and began to follow the guide. The further they went the deeper the tracks were, and more evidence showed itself. The snow was tinged a dark color. Blood. It had to be. That wasn't a good sign. After what felt like forever Coby spotted a cave. He pointed it out to the guide.
"They must be in there, I'll go ahead and see." The guide nodded and he was off, trudging fast through the snow. At the mouth of the cave he could hear a small voice.
"Help! Someone, a-anyone!" Coby rushed inside. Here the blood remained red on the snow, as no new powder covered it. The trail ended at a snow-dusted marine with wildly tangled blonde hair. The tall, thin form was unmistakable.
"Helmeppo!" The cry was almost a sob. Coby ran to the man and went to roll him onto his back, only then noticing the small, shivering form in his arms. The child looked up.
"P-please. H-he wo-won't w-wake up."
"Shh, Caleb, it's ok. You're safe now and so is he." Coby wanted to believe his own strained words, but the other marine felt cold and lifeless. Please, he thought, please be alive. Don't let me be too late. Just then the others arrived, and the two nurses rushed over. One scooped Caleb up and carried him to the Snow Wagons to get warm. The other kneeled across from Coby and began ripping open the blonde's shirt.
"Is he-" The nurse shushed him and pressed and ear to his chest. She waited a few seconds before-
"Damn it! Captain I'm going to need your help." Coby nodded. She tilted Helmeppo's head back and told Coby to hold him. "When I say 'now' breathe into him twice, got it?" He nodded. CPR wasn't a good sign. He did what he could to suppress the panic filling him. Helmeppo didn't need him losing it now. Only a minute had passed of her quickly pressing down on his chest before she snapped "Now!" Coby did what he'd been told and had learned in the marines- nose pinched, chin up, two short breaths. As she continued Coby thought briefly on how, of all the times he'd imagined their mouths to meet, he never considered it may happen like this. Another "Now!" and Coby repeated what he's done before. He flinched at the sound of snapping bone. Another "Now!", another repeat. Twice more they repeated. Coby was just about to give up when...
"Yes!" The nurse was triumphant. Helmeppo was taking shallow breaths on his own. Coby let out a sigh of relief. "Help me move him into a Snow Wagon, we need to warm him up."
"Of course, thank you." He gently picked up his friend and followed the nurse to the wagon, stepping inside and placing Helmeppo on a mat inside. She began to cut the rest of his snow-covered clothing off before she turned to Coby.
"Go check on your crew. Once I've patched him up the best I can, you can come see him." Coby reluctantly left. He was still afraid. What if Helmeppo stopped breathing again, and couldn't be revived? He couldn't bear the thought. Still, he went to where the rest of the group had gathered, a small fire they had started growing larger. Caleb was wrapped in blankets and curled up in his father's lap. Coby blinked back tears.
Would he ever get to hold his friend again? Would he get to see his smile and tell him everything he'd been holding back? The uncertainty hung on Coby like weights. But for the sake of his crew he straightened and joined the group. Food was distributed along with the blankets. Coby wasn't hungry but he ate anyways. It would be better to stay strong for his friend and crew rather than end up regretting it. It was at least good to see Caleb doing better. But the little boy kept glancing over to where Coby sat. At one point the captain watched as he picked up his blankets and cautiously approached Coby.
"Is he gonna be ok?" He asked. Coby looked at the ground.
"I don't know. I really don't know."
"I think he will be." Coby looked up, confused. Caleb continued, "My momma says a warm heart is the first key to surviving the cold."
"Thank you." The words were comforting. He looked over at the wagon again and saw the nurse waving to him. He hopped up and quickly went over to her. She stepped off the ledge and stood in front of him.
"He's going to be ok, but we need to get him back to the village. I've done what I can but this is no hospital." She said. Coby nodded.
"Thank you. Can I see him?"
"Of course. But if he happens to wake up, just call me. He needs water but I can't give it to him here unless he's awake." Again Coby nodded, and he climbed into the Snow Wagon's surprisingly spacious room. It was just light enough to see his friend laying covered in blankets on the mat Coby had placed him on earlier. He'd been mostly cleaned up though, the blood and snow cleared from his face and his hair in some order. Coby put a hand on the other's cheek. Cold, but still felt warmer than the frozen form he was only an hour ago.
"Hey." Coby's voice cracked. "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. Maybe then you'd have one less injury." He gave a small laugh, thinking of the broken rib Helmeppo had gotten from the nurse. "But you're going to be ok now. And... and when you wake up..." He couldn't finish. He wanted to tell Helmeppo everything. How he was the most important person in Coby's life, how much it would have hurt if Helmeppo hadn't started breathing again. But he couldn't find the words for it. So instead he sat in silence, running his fingers through the blonde's hair. Eventually sleep found him.
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The next morning, or at least what was assumed to be morning, the storm had lessened some. The group set out once more, trying to get back to the Ice Village before the storm got worse again. It was a difficult trek with the snow deeper than before, but eventually they arrived at their destination. Coby stayed at the hospital at his friend's side, a hand on the blonde's comforting him as the other's skin grew warmer. Nurses buzzed around, going in and out to check on the marine.
Eventually, Helmeppo opened his eyes. Relief washed over Coby.
"Coby? You ok?" He rasped. Coby nodded, moving closer.
"I... I just..." He'd missed the soft blue eyes that looked up at him, the way one would eyebrow raise in confusion, how his smile always seemed a little crooked. He'd nearly lost Helmeppo, "I missed you."
"What happened?" It seemed he was starting to notice his situation and surroundings. "Where are we?"
"You... you and Caleb were caught in the blizzard. But it's ok. Were back in the village."
He leaned his head back against the pillows. Coby thought he seemed tired, but not the kind of tired that warranted a nap. It was the kind of tired that came to a person who had suffered, and was forced to keep going despite wanting to give up. "I was gone, wasn't I?"
"Yeah. But it's ok. We found you." Coby's voice cracked.
"No. I was gone. I wouldn't be here if you came any later." Tears fell from Coby's eyes.
"I thought... I thought..." How unbecoming it was for a captain of the Marines to lose composure. But this was his friend, the person who'd walk through hell with him if asked. Coby pressed his forehead against the other's shoulder. Fingers moved through his hair, comforting and calming. They stayed silent for a long while.
"Coby..." Helmeppo broke the silence, "thank's for not leaving me out there. Sorry we got separated."
"Hey, it's fine." Coby lifted his head. "Besides..." there was no better time than the present, so he pushed the words put the best he could. "You mean a lot to me. I don't know what I'd do without you, y'know?"
"You'd be fine without me, probably a lot less worry."
"No, Meppo. I... I really like you."
"I like you too."
"No... no, I mean I like you like you."
"So do I."
It was like being hit by a train. He stared in shock at the blonde smiling up at him. Tears came back to his eyes again as he smiled in return. He felt Helmeppo's hand brush against his cheek. Coby leaned into the touch, the gesture meaning so much more to him now. A wet smile formed on Coby's face as they continued in comfortable silence, grateful to have the moment to themselves.