Golden Sands

by vladamsandler

Summary:

Sportacus and Robbie become stranded on a deserted island.

Title is based on 'Beyond the Sea' by Bobby Darin.

Notes:

Watching some survival skills videos with the Succateers gave me the idea for this! Also big shoutout to ghostofanonpast who is helping me figure out the mechanics of surviving on a deserted island.

I'm really excited about this! I hope to update frequently with relatively short chapters.

Chapter 1

“Robbie…”

Cold. Wet? He can’t feel his legs. Is this the time to panic? Another wave of cold. Oh, there they are.

“Can you hear me?”

He cracks his eyes open but shuts them again quickly. Maybe he’ll just wait for the sky to stop spinning… Robbie groans and brings a hand up to hold his head.

“Robbie?”

“Sportac..ugh…” He starts coughing. He chokes up some seawater as he rolls to his side. After a few deep breaths he shakily props himself up on one elbow. He shades his eyes as he tries to take in his surroundings again. His ears register the rhythm of the crashings waves on the shore and his skin feels cold under his soaking pinstripe suit.

“Are you okay?” Sportacus asks urgently.

Robbie turns to him with a scowl. He coughs again. “I’m alive.” He looks away from Sportacus’ relieved grin out at the ocean. Its blue horizon seems to go on forever in front of them. “What happened?”

“There was a malfunction in one of the engines. We came down in the water about an hour ago. I think you passed out.”

Robbie squints one eye warily at the elf.

“I kept swimming until I spotted land…” Sportacus shrugs.

“You…?” Robbie shakes his head. Leave it to Sportacus to miraculously save his life once again. He glances at a couple seagulls crying overhead. “Well.” He stands slowly, limbs creaking as he rises to his feet. He futilely brushes away some of the sand covering every inch of his body. “Now what?”

Sportacus stands with him and poses with his hands on his hips. “We’ll have to wait to be rescued, I suppose.”

“That’s the plan? Just… wait?”

Sportacus looks at him with a frown. “I wasn’t able to salvage anything from the ship before it went down. My wristguards won’t function after being submerged in water… We have no way to contact anyone.” He shrugs.

Robbie scans their surroundings with a gulp. The beach they’re standing on seems to stretch far in both directions on this side of the island. Behind them, a huge jungle of palm trees and other smaller frond plants looms, too thick to see even a handful of meters into it. Robbie scratches the back of his head nervously. Is this the time to panic?

He approaches the treeline and sits in the cool, shaded sand, covering his face with his hands and trying not to think about the possibility of being stranded for months on a deserted island… with Sportacus.

“Robbie? What’s wrong?”

“I’m gonna die here, aren’t I?” Robbie groans.

Sportacus laughs. “Don’t worry, someone will find us. It won’t take long for the residents of LazyTown to notice our absence.” He begins to take stock of the vegetation, thinking aloud. “It shouldn’t be too difficult to construct a shelter…” He glances upwards. “Oh!”

Robbie uncovers his face at the excited gasp, but Sportacus is nowhere to be seen. He whips his head in search of the source of some shuffling sound. “Sportakook?” A shiver runs down his spine at a sudden lonely and vulnerable feeling.

He starts at a spray of sand from something falling from high above.

CLACK

Another coconut falls and smacks into the one below it. Robbie scoots away from the lethal projectiles and watches as Sportacus hops down from the neck of a nearby palm tree.

“Look, Robbie!” He grabs one of the coconuts and begins husking it. Robbie is entranced by his strength and efficiency as he violently rips off the outside layer.

Sportacus smacks the coconut against the trunk of the palm tree hard enough to shake the fronds at the top and pulls it into two pieces. He hands one to Robbie with an excited grin.

Robbie eyes it warily, nerves on end from the loud crack of the coconut against the tree and from Sportacus’ energetic shredding. “…Sportscandy.”

Sportacus laughs and sips from his half. “The juice is sweet, I promise. It’s good for you!” When Robbie finally takes his share, inspecting it skeptically, Sportacus husks the other and breaks that one open too.

Robbie jolts again at the resounding CRACK of the second coconut against the tree, but slowly lowers his hackles as Sportacus nestles down into the sand next to him. He watches the elf slurp the juice and narrows his eyes when Sportacus turns to smile at him.

“Just try it,” Sportacus chuckles. He begins to scoop the meat from the edges with a leaf and Robbie curls his lip.

He eyes the coconut again with a frown and finally takes a sip. The watery juice actually is sweet and he hums, surprised. He tips the the makeshift cup back until the rest is gone and licks his lips. Sportacus watches approvingly and grins at him again as he chews.

Robbie’s mouth quirks at the sight. Sportacus’ hair is sandy and the salty curls have dried in several directions. His freckles are beginning to emerge from the time they spent in the hot midday sun and Robbie laughs.

“What?” Sportacus chuckles.

“A beach elf. Who could’ve known.”

They smile and laugh at each other again and Robbie forgets their dire predicament for a moment. Perhaps being stranded on a deserted island with only Sportacus for company was not the worst thing that could’ve happened.

 

Notes:

I haven't decided yet how I want this rated bc I haven't exactly planned out the plot... but if the rating goes up I will warn you guys in the preceding chapter.

Chapter 2

"F- ...funnel cake!"

Robbie snorts. "That's a new one."

Sportacus squints at him and regathers the collapsed shelter made from palm fronds. "The sun is going to set soon and you won't be laughing if we get caught in the rain tonight."

Robbie rolls his eyes and takes another sip from his coconut. He doesn't move from where he's lounging under a short palm tree, but he waves his hand in Sportacus' general direction. "You have to establish a central structure of support. It's not like building a house of cards."

Sportacus sits back on his haunches and furrows his brow for a moment. "You're an engineer."

"Nice work, detective. Who did you think built my lair?"

The corner of Sportacus' mouth twitches. "I guess I'd just assumed it had always been there, in Lazytown. Just like you."

"I'm not that old!" Robbie retorts.

Sportacus laughs. "How's this: if you build the shelter, I'll go collect some firewood."

Robbie flops out dramatically and groans. "I was just about to take a nap!"

"All you've done today is nap in the sun and drink coconut juice!"

"I was drying my wet clothes... and conserving my energy, seeing as how we'll both be on a deserted beach-island diet for the foreseeable future!"

Sportacus shakes his head with a smile and moves to stand over Robbie with his fists on his hips. "I'll forage for something for us to eat in the jungle. We'll have to settle for coconuts and anything else I can find until I can figure out a way to catch fish."

Robbie grimaces up at him. "Ugh."

"The natural food will be good for you! If anything is going to kill you, Robbie, it's going to be exposure to the elements." Sportacus winks at him and sets off into the jungle.

Robbie sits up suddenly. "That's dark! Especially for you!" he calls after Sportacus. He only hears laughter as the elf disappears into the foilage.

Robbie grumbles under his breath as he gets to his feet and brushes off his suit. He takes a short moment to survey the supplies Sportacus collected to build the shelter before setting to work bracing the support structure between a couple of thick palm tree trunks. The layout is simple enough in his head, but the manual labor soon becomes too much for the villain. Combined with the humid heat and lack of any substantial meal in hours, Robbie quickly tires from lifting and securing palm fronds to the shelter structure.

After a short while he grabs the coconut he was drinking earlier and sits under what shade he'd been able to construct before he needed a break. The thought disgusts him, but he suddenly realizes living on this island may require him to get into shape a bit.

Robbie squints at nothing in the air as he absentmindedly pictures himself with the same rippling muscles as the sports elf. Not that he doesn't already look good naked, but he wonders what Sportacus would think of him with a fitter body. Would he like that?

He's mid-slurp from his coconut when he hears something rustling in the bushes. "Sportacus?" he asks with a blush. There isn't any answer.

Robbie listens quietly for more movement. "Cut it out, Sportasneak, you're not fooling anyone." Further silence. Robbie uneasily sets his coconut down and returns to constructing the shelter. Must've been the wind, he supposes.

A handful of minutes later, Robbie takes a step back to survey his work. The palm fronds provide a water resistant roof for a small patch of flat dirt between two palm trees. Robbie holds his chin as he tries to estimate how much room he'll have if he'll be sharing the sleeping space with the elf. He secretly hopes he doesn't unconsciously curl towards Sportacus' body heat in the middle of the night after the fire dies. He knows he's a bit of a cuddler when he sleeps...

"I found a grove of pineapples!"

"AH!" Robbie hunches relexively and hops away from where Sportacus appears out of the brush without warning. "Don't do that!" Robbie points at him, "Stop sneaking around!"

Sportacus holds his hands up, full of fruit and sticks, eyes wide at Robbie's reaction. He glances over his shoulder and grins excitedly. "Wow, Robbie! That looks great!" He sets his findings down on the ground in a neat pile and moves forward to inspect their new temporary home. "I wouldn't have thought to use the trunks to brace this here..."

"DON'T touch that!" Robbie barks. "I still need to resecure those junctions with more vines, and I ran out palm fronds so it's not going to be this open here..."

Sportacus just smiles up at him. "It's perfect, Robbie. Thank you."

Robbie blushes and clears his throat. "Well. I don't half-ass my work. If I'm going to build a shitty stick house, it's going to be a damn good shitty stick house."

Sportacus barks out a laugh as he stands and covers his mouth with his wrist. "You've got quite a mouth on you without the kids around, don't you?"

"This is how adults talk, Sportacus. You are literally the only person I've ever met who names unhealthy foods in place of profanity."

"Well it's normal where I come from. Sets a precedent for the children."

Robbie crosses his arms and toes the bundle of twigs Sportacus piled on the ground. "Is it also normal for elves to use matchsticks as firewood?"

Sportacus sighs. "That's all I could find just lying around. I'll need time to hone a stone axe to chop something more substantial."

Robbie squints at him. "Hone a stone axe? Catch fish without a fishing pole? Smashing open coconuts like pistachios? Since when is the hero of LazyTown secretly Bear Grylls in disguise anyway?"

"Who?"

Robbie rolls his eyes. "Nevermind."

Sportacus shrugs. "These are all considered essential skills for young elves. We are taught survival techniques from a relatively young age in our commune. I suppose there's also an element of tradition to the training as well."

"Wow. You were a boy scout." Robbie giggles. "Elf scout."

Sportacus just shakes his head with a smile. "I guess so."

The twigs end up being sufficient enough to fuel a small fire for about an hour. They snack on Sportacus' assortment of fruit as the sun sets. It doesn't take as long as Sportacus had expected to convince Robbie to eat the sportscandy, but the audible growls from Robbie's stomach suggest he didn't have much choice in the matter anyway.

Sportacus yawns as he watches the embers in the firepit smolder.

"8:08, huh," Robbie murmurs from where he's lounging under the short palm again.

Sportacus nods and covers his mouth with his wrist as he yawns again. "I can gather some more palm tree leaves if you think you'll get cold tonight." He blinks blearily at Robbie in the falling darkness.

Robbie's mouth quirks at the sight. Sportasleepy is adorable. "No, I think I'll be alright. I'm the one in long sleeves anyway. Just don't hog the dirt, okay?"

Sportacus smiles at him, "Okay," and crawls under the shelter. He's out like a light in less than a minute.

Robbie watches the embers dim for awhile. He listens to the waves crash on the shore in the distance and lets his mind wander. He hasn't really given much thought to their fate on this island yet. Sportacus' company and resourcefulness has eased his anxiety immensely. He doesn't want to imagine what it would be like to be here alone.

Robbie frowns as he wonders how long they'll be stranded here. How long until people give up looking for them. If he's being honest with himself, everyone back home could already assume they're dead considering the circumstances of the crash.

What if they were going to be stuck here forever? Are they going to die here?

 

Chapter 3

"Mm, Sportacus, your skin is so warm from the sun... I had no idea you had so many freckles..." Robbie mumbles and shifts in the dirt under the shelter. "Hrmm scoot closer... I'm so cold..." He frowns as his fingers grasp at empty air. "Sportacus?" he murmurs.

He hears rustling in the bushes behind him and his eyes snap open. He blushes at the blurry memory of his dream and rolls over to see if the elf had heard him saying his name in his sleep.

But there's no one there.

Robbie squints at the bushes and listens intently. "Sportasneak..." He hears rustling again, closer now. "Wh-who's there? Show yourself," Robbie stutters. His eyes widen as the brush parts.

"SPORTACUUUS!"

Sportacus drops the heavy stone he'd been lugging across the beach at the sound of the scream coming from the jungle. He takes off across the sand, gait unsteady as it gives way under his feet. He picks up speed as he reaches the hard packed dirt at the treeline. "Robbie!"

"Ah! Shoo! Go away!"

"I'm here! What's wrong??" Sportacus pants as he slides under the shelter. Robbie's curled up near the back corner and pointing insistently.

"Chase it off!"

Sportacus follows his line of sight and blinks his eyes for a moment. "Aw," he smiles.

"It tried to bite me!"

Sportacus eyes Robbie skeptically as he stands. "This little thing? Hey there cutie." Sportacus squats and holds out a small banana from the pile of food he'd foraged yesterday. "I doubt that. Look at its little face!"

"Don't feed it! It'll never go away!"

"I think it's a spider monkey," Sportacus says with a toothy grin as the visitor grabs the fruit and quickly shucks the peel. "They're friendly, I promise." He watches with amusement as the little monkey scoots away and shoves the whole banana in its mouth in one go.

Sportacus stands and glances back at Robbie. "Could you come help me with something on the beach? It won't take as long if we work together."

"Fine," Robbie keeps a wary eye on the little monkey as he speaks, "But I need regular breaks in the shade or I'll roast. We can't all be graced with freckles and the bronzing of a demigod." Robbie looks over at Sportacus and raises his eyebrows at his bare chest and shoulders.

Sportacus turns away to hide his blush, shaking his head at Robbie's strange teasing. He stoops to grab another sportscandy from the pile and tosses it at Robbie. "Have some breakfast, you'll need the energy."

"Oof!" Robbie catches the fruit in the stomach and glares at the grinning sports elf. "As long as you don't feed it to all to the wildlife first!"

 

---

 

Robbie stalks along the shore, glancing behind him every so often. "Go on! I have nothing for you!"

The little spider monkey follows behind him like it's a game, sqeaking and hopping away every time he spins around.

"Shoo! Ugh, where is that blasted elf?" He stops to roll up his pant legs and moves closer to the water, hoping to shake his tailer, but also to find relief from the hot sand. He bends down and swipes at the water, bringing his wet fingers up to slick his hair back off his face.

Robbie takes a deep breath and smiles as the wet sand squishes between his toes and seagulls circle overhead, cries nearly downed out by the crashing waves on the shore. If it weren't for the life-threatening circumstances, he could actually find himself enjoying this place. It was so peaceful and quiet here... No loud, noisy crowds of annoying people. Just him and Sportacus on their own little beach vacation. The only thing that would make this perfect would be an accompaning full buffet. What he would give to be reunited with his instant cake and ice cream machines again...

"AH!"

Robbie yelps as the spider monkey screeches and jumps on his shoulders. "Get off me you little rat!" He tries to grab it but the monkey is too quick, snaking around his neck and upper arms to avoid his hands. "UGH." He gives up, dropping to his knees in the wet sand. The monkey sqeaks again and hops on top of his head as a thin sheen of water washes up around them before retreating back.

Robbie raises an eyebrow and looks upwards. "If it's the water you're afraid of, why did you follow me all the way out here?"

The monkey circles around in place, eyeing the seawater washing up again nervously.

Robbie stands and keeps walking, ignoring his new fuzzy accessory. "How did a monkey even get on a deserted island..." He shakes his head in bafflement as he trudges along.

They find Sportacus a bit farther up the coast. Robbie watches as he lugs a large stone a ways before dropping it in the sand, stepping back to inspect its placement before readjusting.

"S... O... S?" Robbie reads aloud.

Sportacus turns around and immediately bursts out laughing.

"Yes, yes. Go on, get it out of your system," Robbie sighs, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

Sportacus clears his throat and points at the monkey sitting primly on top of Robbie's head, but before he can say anything he sputters and starts cackling again. He leans over on his knees as he shakes with laughter.

"What? You've never seen a man with a monkey on his head before?" Robbie starts giggling too, unused to seeing such boisterous amusement from the elf before.

Sportacus straightens and wipes tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry... that's just... the cutest thing I've ever seen." He steps forward and strokes the soft tail wrapped around Robbie's neck, looking upward with a glowing smile. "Adorable!"

"Yeah, well, you can have it." Robbie reaches up and nudges the monkey forward until it hops on Sportacus' shoulder. He shakes out his hair with his fingers, then combs it back again.

"Aww," Sportacus coos. The monkey sniffs his fingers before inspecting his pointed ears curiously and digging through his curly blond hair.

"It kind of reminds me of someone... Sticky boy? It's got those beady little eyes just like him."

"Ziggy??" Sportacus starts laughing again. "They both sure are cute."

"Ah, yes. Ziggy. That's suitable." Robbie pats the monkey on its head awkwardly.

Sportacus just smiles and shakes his head. "Come on, I'm just about finished. What do you think? Does it need to be bigger?"

Robbie follows Sportacus as they walk across the sand to stand in front of his large message written on the beach with sizable stones and logs.

"Hmm... I suppose we could add to it as time goes on if we need to." Robbie taps his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think they'll send search parties?"

Sportacus sighs. "We can only hope..." He looks at Robbie solemnly for a moment before tearing his eyes away. "Come on, I'll carry the heavy ones."

Ziggy hops back onto Robbie's shoulder as Sportacus walks up the beach towards a pile of stones near the treeline. Robbie frowns at his back before following.

 

---

 

"How's that, hm?" Robbie watches in amusement as Ziggy snatches up the leaf he's holding out to him. The monkey quickly licks the coconut meat off the leaf and holds it back out to him.

"Good, yeah?" Robbie smiles and scrapes more off the inside of the shell with the leaf.

"Sh-sugar cookies!"

He glances up from where he's laying in the sand, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He holds his hand up to shield his eyes from the late afternoon sun. "Still no luck?" he calls.

Sportacus simply sloshes out of the water with a look of defeat and trudges up towards where Robbie and Ziggy are lounging near the treeline. He tosses his makeshift spear in the sand and plops down cross-legged, facing away from them. He leans forward and covers his face with his hands.

"Here, go crazy," Robbie murmurs, handing what's left of the coconut to Ziggy. The monkey snatches it away and scoots up a nearby palm to feast in seclusion.

"Hey." Robbie moves to sit next to Sportacus. "You've been at it for hours, I think we'll be fine for tonight. You can try again tomorrow."

Sportacus sighs. "I'm sorry."

"I don't even like fish, to tell you the truth. At least the fruit is a little bit sweet. It's not like candy, but..."

"I'm so sorry, Robbie. For all of this."

Robbie pauses with a frown. He watches as the sun begins to sink into the horizon over the ocean. "...This wasn't your fault, Sportacus."

Sportacus looks at him with sorrowful eyes. "I should've checked the engines before I left. We could've died out there in the ocean..."

"Well we didn't." Robbie eyes him pointedly. "And we're still not dead. All thanks to you."

Sportacus frowns at him.

"Don't give me that look. I know, this sucks." Robbie furrows his brow in response. "But we've just gotta keep doing what we're doing. Things will work out, they always do. I'm sure they're looking for us."

"I'm so sorry I put you into this situation," Sportacus mumbles, piercing blue eyes holding his gaze pleadingly.

"Come on now, chin up. We're both stuck here. You stranded on a deserted island is the best I could hope for after years of trying to get you out of town." Robbie smiles painfully. "Can't let a little setback like my accompaning you ruin it."

Sportacus fights a smile.

"You've got the better end of the deal anyway. I'm stuck here with you, but you get to be here with me."

Sportacus scoffs and shakes his head with a smile, looking away.

"Ah, there it is." Robbie smirks and follows his gaze. They watch the sunset for a few minutes in silence.

Sportacus murmurs as the colorful sky dims in the waning light, "There's no one else I'd rather be here with than you."

 

Notes:

aww

Chapter 4

Sportacus' eyes snap open. He quickly brings his breathing back under control and wipes the sweat from his brow. Just another nightmare.

He glances at the shadow curled up beside him to reassure himself with a sigh of relief. He's fine. They're fine. Well, they're not fine, but no one is in immediate danger. Not here at least...

He pushes thoughts of the children back in LazyTown out of his mind. There's nothing he can do for them here. All he can hope for is that the lessons he's tried to instill in them over the years have been enough to teach them how to take care of themselves and each other when he's not around.

In a way, it's been somewhat of a relief having only Robbie to worry about. He's done his best since the crash to ensure his safety and comfort in this unfortunate situation. He won't forgive himself for endangering the precious man's life... but if all goes well, he may be able to make it up to him by taking care of them while they're stranded here. And hopefully they'll be rescued at some point and everything will go back to normal.

Sportacus sighs.

He glances at Robbie's back with a frown. He can't afford to allow it to show, but sometimes keeping a positive and optimistic outlook at all times can be exhausting. But there are simply too many people relying on him to rest. For now, Robbie Rotten is his priority.

Sportacus quietly curls up on his side, mimicking Robbie's position. He gently presses his forehead against Robbie's nape and sighs again as he holds himself and tries to fall back to sleep. This man is all he has now. Can't bet everything on optimistic hypotheticals.

Sportacus squeezes his eyes shut, slows his breathing down, and hopes for peaceful rest. Robbie is safe, and he won't allow himself to fail him again.

 

---

 

Robbie's skin prickles with goosebumps at the subtle pressure between his shoulder blades and warmth emanating from Sportacus behind him. He'd already been awake when Sportacus had awoken from his nightmare. He suspects the elf doesn't want him to know about them, but Robbie's insomnia plagues him still, and he's aware that something is troubling his companion.

Should he ask him about it? He thinks back to Sportacus' words at sunset. A tickle curls around his stomach and he grins slightly in the darkness.

So he likes to overthink things. So what? He can't imagine how else the sports elf meant for it to come across... Why not be happy and not question it?

Obviously Sportacus would never actually feel the same way about him, but at least he appears to be feeling like he can trust Robbie enough to open up to him? A bit? He doesn't expect him to tell him about his deepest fears or anything, but Robbie's had his fair amount of anxiety in his life. If it's something he can talk through with him, make him feel even marginally better about, it may be worth asking... It's the least he can do for everything Sportacus has done for them so far on the island. He hasn't want for a coconut in days.

Robbie purses his lips in the dark as he thinks things over. What he ought to be doing is clearing his mind and closing his eyes, trying anything to fall asleep, but he gave up on it hours ago. It's easier for him to fall asleep in the heat of the day anyway.

"Robbie..."

He freezes. Did Sportacus just say his name? It was hardly audible and he just mumbled it... but it couldn't have been anything else.

Sportacus dreams about him? The ticklish feeling returns. He feels like child with his first crush. Maybe it is time to stop overthinking things... Robbie frowns.

If he tries anything and completely embarrasses himself, he'll be unable to avoid Sportacus on this small island. Better to leave it be.

Robbie closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. He doesn't want to be awake anymore. If anyone were to ask though, he wouldn't admit to inching just a bit closer to that warmth behind him.

 

Notes:

eh, here's just a short thing. haven't had much time to write lately but the story is moving forward soon, I promise.

Chapter 5

clink, clink, clink

"You're going to scare off Ziggy."

"Nah, he's a brave little monkey. Aren't you, cutie? Besides, I can't say no when he asks me for food, so I'd say he's becoming quite attached to me."

clink, clink, clink

"Yeah and he's going to get fat if we both keep just giving him whatever he wants." Robbie strokes Ziggy's tail as he watches Sportacus hammer away.

clink, clink, clink

"Well that'd make at least one of us..." Sportacus slaps the rocks together with a look of frustration.

Robbie frowns at him for a moment before sighing and getting to his feet. "If you're going to start lecturing again about the necessity of proteins and the benefits of fish oil, I'm going to leave." He brushes the sand off his pants and reaches out his hand to allow Ziggy to swing up to his shoulder.

Sportacus stops hammering and looks up at Robbie with a small pout. "I'm sorr-"

"No! No more apologizing!" Robbie holds his palms out and shakes his hands. "Listen, why don't we leave you to it. We'll go forage for a bit. Make ourselves useful."

"Robbie, that really isn't necessary. I can-"

"Ah ah! It's fine, just keep doing what you're doing." Robbie backs away into the jungle and Ziggy wraps his tail around his neck loosely. He squeaks as a palm frond pokes into his flank. "And wipe that sad look off your face. You've been breaking your back for us, just worry about one thing at a time for once. We'll be right back."

Sportacus' shoulders slump as he watches Robbie disappear into the foilage. He tests the sharpness of the rock he's been hammering against the skin on his thumb and, satisfied, starts roping vines around it and a sturdy wooden handle.

He doesn't feel like he's been breaking his back... He just wants Robbie to be comfortable. Sportacus waves the axe through the air experimentally. He's determined to fell one of these palms, actually catch a fish with the spear just like Pabbi taught him, and serve Robbie a warm meal over a hot fire tonight.

Sportacus flips the axe in the air and catches it by the handle as he stalks into the brush to appraise the nearby trees. How could he explain there's only been one person he's been worried about this whole time anyway?

 

---

 

"Well, it looks like I'm going to have to teach you how be a VILLAIN!"

Ziggy blinks idly at Robbie from the spindly branches of a papaya tree, listening intently.

Robbie yanks a ripe yellow fruit from the bunch nestled against the trunk. He pauses, eyeing Ziggy pointedly. "First thing's first, you're going to have to stop looking so cute. Villains have to look mean and intimidating!" He drops the papaya to the ground and starts twisting off another. "Except for me. I can pull off the cute villain look. Do as I say, not as I do."

Ziggy's tail twitches and he squeaks excitedly, suddenly hopping up and swinging away into the trees.

"Alright then. Lesson adjourned I suppose," Robbie huffs with a small smile. He stoops to grab the pile of food on the ground and starts trekking back towards camp.

His thoughts wander back to the previous night. What could possibly be so frightening to cause Sportacus, of all people, to wake in a cold sweat in the middle of the night? He's yet to ask the elf about it, too flustered about what he'd heard him mumble afterwards.

There were simply too many complicated questions leading to awkward and potentially sentimental conversations strung between the two of them like a sticky web. To be fair, Robbie would prefer to avoid it altogether if possible. Especially on this island where there was no escaping the overprotective elf for more than an hour at any given time.

Robbie had expected to miss the solitude of his quiet lair back home... but so far the time he's spent alone with Sportacus hasn't been quite as exhausting as company usually is for him. He furrows his brow as he considers this. They're stranded here, with little hope of rescue, for who knows how long. Wasn't it too soon to begin to allow himself to actually enjoy this? Sportacus is supposed to be his worst enemy, not his closest friend. He can't give up on the perfection of his old life just yet, he's spent too many years constructing a comfortable bubble of solitary independence. He isn't about to let some handsome sports elf waltz in and tear down his meticulously assembled walls like he's some enamored fool.

Robbie drops his armful of food with a jolt as a discordant scream suddenly echoes out of the jungle, scattering birds out of the trees. He runs the rest of the way back to camp. "SPORTACUS?" he calls out, nerves on end.

"FUDGE!"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Sportacus," Robbie laments as he drops to his knees at Sportacus' side, out of breath. "What have you done?"

Sportacus smiles up at him, grimacing in poorly concealed pain. "So much for grilling bears, huh?"

"What? Shut the hell up, you absolute nutcase." Robbie shoves the tree off Sportacus' leg with great effort and quickly pulls his shirt off. He rips one sleeve without hesitation and gently wraps it around Sportacus' knee.

"I don't think- ahh," Sportacus hisses and jerks at the contact against the wound, "I don't think it's broken."

"It had better not be broken or I'm going to break your other one for being such an idiot."

Sportacus sits up gingerly and Robbie helps him scoot up against the short palm. "Look, I can still wiggle my toes." Sportacus wipes the sweat from his brow and breathes deeply through the pain.

"I understand that this might be the most difficult thing that has ever been asked of you Sportacus, but can you please, for once in your god damn life, just fucking sit still." Robbie uses the rest of his shirt to mop the blood smeared on Sportacus' shin and off his own hands. A tense silence stretches between them and Robbie sighs. "And don't even think about apologizing," he says without looking up.

Sportacus shuts his open mouth. He bites his lip and swallows his words. After a moment, he says quietly, "Okay, I am though." He smiles cheekily at Robbie when the latter glares at him.

"How much luckier are we going to get, hm? What if that had conked you in the head? You think that's funny? Getting brained by a palm tree because you're an empty-headed elf who thinks he's invincible?"

Sportacus tries not to laugh. "If I'm empty-headed, how could I get brained?"

Robbie fights a smile. "Stop it. I'm mad at you. You fucker." Robbie shakes his head. "Who's going to fetch me my coconuts now, huh?"

"Ziggy," Sportacus giggles. "Maybe. If you ask nicely."

Robbie sighs and smiles, looking upwards as if to beg for some kind of divine intervention. "I'm going to kill you." He drops himself down next to Sportacus and leans against the tree with him. "Unless this island kills one of us first."

"Now who's being dark?" Sportacus murmurs. He wraps his arm around Robbie's shoulders and pulls him close. "It'll be alright, we'll be fine."

Robbie allows himself to drop his head back and closes his eyes. "You're already not fine."

Sportacus frowns and remains silent, unsure how to respond. What could he say? I know you hate it when I apologize, but I'm sorry I've doomed us both and that we're going to die here because of me?

Sportacus closes his eyes and tries to focus on the pain.

 

Chapter 6

"Honestly, I think I can stand on it."

"Don't even think about it." Robbie doesn't look up from where he's leaning against one of the palm trunks underneath the shelter, twining vines in his hands. "Your only job now is to sit there and look pretty."

"Your old job?" Sportacus grins at him, arms folded behind his head and leg elevated on an unhusked coconut.

Robbie drops his hands into his lap and looks at Sportacus with a neutral expression. "Yes." He props his feet up on Sportacus' stomach and returns to his crafting. "Are you annoying me because you need something? All you have to do is ask."

Sportacus sighs and stares at the frond ceiling of the shelter. He hates being a burden. He hates it even more than when someone is hurt or in trouble. At least in that situation he can be useful. "No."

"Don't be stubborn, Sportapout. If I hear your stomach grumble I'm going to throw a pineapple straight at that empty head of yours. I'm a crack shot."

Sportacus chuckles and shakes his head. He glances at some movement in the brush. "Hey there little guy!"

Robbie looks up and smiles. "Aw, hey Ziggy."

The little spider monkey hops forward curiously, sniffing the air. He scoots towards Sportacus and squeaks inquisitively.

Sportacus strokes his soft black fur. "Just a little accident. Everything's fine."

Robbie scoffs.

"Okay, everything will be fine." Sportacus squints at him, but Robbie simply continues twining.

Ziggy suddenly starts hopping around and sqeaking excitedly. He swings himself atop the shelter and the fronds shake under his movements.

"What's gotten into him today?"

"Not sure. He was hyper earlier as well. Too much candy I guess." Robbie smirks at his own joke, but Sportacus just smiles weakly, suddenly realizing how much he misses the real Ziggy. And all the other kids too.

Ziggy shoots up a palm and swings away, screeches fading as he disappears into the jungle.

"Huh. Weird," Robbie mumbles. "Well! Time for the best part of the day. If you actually need anything, tell me now." Robbie coils the rest of the vines and sets them aside.

Sportacus smiles affectionately and slides over a bit. "No, I'm good."

"Alright." Robbie scoots next to him and rolls onto his back. He lets out a deep breath and closes his eyes.

Sportacus doesn't try to nap with him. He's still nervous about the horrible images in his nightmares returning, so he just quietly watches Robbie try to fall asleep. He smiles softly, admiring his handsome profile. After a couple minutes he notices Robbie's breathing doesn't slow so he speaks quietly, "You're going to start looking like Rottenbeard soon."

"Shh. I need my beauty sleep," Robbie mutters.

"The facial hair suits you."

Robbie squints one eye at him with a slight blush. He scratches the stubble cropping up on his cheeks self-consciously. "Thanks... I guess."

Sportacus turns to look back up at the ceiling. "You're welcome," he says with a satisfied grin.

Robbie turns his head to the side and inspects Sportacus' immaculate chin. "Can you even grow a beard? What's the deal with that ridiculous mustache anyway."

Sportacus glances at him and smiles bashfully. "No." The pointed tips of his ears blush slightly. "Don't tell anyone... but I had to use an enchantment to grow this."

Robbie purses his lips, fighting a smile. He inspects the frond ceiling of their hut with sudden interest. "Oh my god," he remarks. "It's elf magic. Why didn't I consider that before?" He covers his face with his hands, losing composure. "You enchanted your face for the aesthetic."

Sportacus' blush spreads. "Children find it endearing..."

Robbie wipes away the escaping tears from his efforts not to laugh. "It is."

Sportacus glances at him. "You're making fun of me."

"No, I'm not." Robbie smiles, suddenly realizing how perfect the mustache has remained despite the lack of wax on the island. "I think it's cute," he admits quietly.

Their eyes meet for a moment. Sportacus smiles at him and Robbie blushes, looking away.

"Anyway... I'm in charge now, naptime is law, and I won't stand for any impertinence." Robbie shuts his eyes with a hardened expression.

"Okay, boss." Sportacus smirks and closes his eyes too.

Neither fall asleep right away, too many happy, excited thoughts buzzing around in their heads.

 

---

 

The nap lasts longer than they expect. Sportacus is the first to wake, seeing as how light of a sleeper he is. Sounds of muffled shuffling and moving bodies disturbs him into consciousness.

His eyebrows shoot up when he sees what's in their camp. He sits up with a grimace and rubs his eyes, blinking. Is he seeing double? Or... triple?

Sportacus counts blearily as five spider monkeys bounce and chase each other around their shelter. "Ziggy?" One of the monkeys squeaks and hops over to him. "What's going on? Are these your friends?" He watches as a couple of the monkeys carry away some of their food, but before he can protest he sees the fruit replaced by the other two. "What?" The new items aren't familiar to him but they look appetizing.

The monkeys squeak and hop around in bustling excitement as they work. Ziggy squeaks in response and climbs up onto Sportacus' shoulder. He wraps his tail loosely around his neck and idly sorts through his hair.

"Uh, Robbie?" Sportacus prods Robbie in the back. "Wake up."

"Hrmngh... sports elf..." Robbie mumbles.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty. We have company!" Sportacus laughs. He pokes Robbie in the side again.

Robbie rolls onto his back and glares at Sportacus sleepily. "Wha..." He blinks at the sudden crowd in their camp and sits up. "What the hell?"

"I think Ziggy brought some friends," Sportacus chuckles. He grins watching the little monkeys dart across the dirt and chase each other around the short palm. It's really quite adorable.

"I think you're right. Look, I see Stingy and Trixie and Stephanie and Pixel." Robbie points at each monkey in succession with a blank expression.

Sportacus barks out a laugh, scaring Ziggy off his shoulder. The monkey hops onto Robbie's head and settles into his mussed waves. Sportacus smiles affectionately at the sight and reaches up to scratch Ziggy behind the ear. "A crown fit for a king."

"It's about time someone recognized my eminence around here," Robbie mutters, raising an eyebrow.

Sportacus grins at him. "Oh, I think they brought us some new food." Sportacus points out their reshuffled stock of provisions.

"Is it edible?"

"I think so... I didn't consider to look for nuts before."

"Whatever. I'm dying for some variation." Robbie gets to his feet and squats near the pile, digging through it with his fingers. Ziggy squeaks and clings to his head to maintain his balance.

The other monkeys perk up at the noise from their friend and hop over to investigate.

"Um, Robbie," Sportacus covers his mouth to muffle his giggles.

"What." Robbie stands and turns to him with his hands on his hips.

Suddenly, the monkeys all decend on the gangly man, whooping and squeaking playfully.

"AH!" Robbie yelps as the little monkeys swing around his extended arms and scale his long legs. Ziggy swats playfully at his cohorts, defending his position as king-of-the-hill.

Sportacus bursts out laughing at the sight. He watches with glee as the monkeys chase each other around Robbie's limbs.

"Get them off me-ee-!" Robbie starts giggling uncontrollably, "THAT TICKLES!"

Sportacus wipes his eyes, "I'm sorry I can't help you. I've been relegated to this sole position." Sportacus props his leg back up on the coconut with his hands and lies back with his arms behind his head.

The monkeys squeak playfully for another moment or so before they all become quiet. Robbie doesn't notice it at first, but Sportacus frowns at the monkeys' sudden stillness with alert observation.

Ziggy is the first to move, screeching and hopping onto a nearby tree. The others follow suit, swinging away into the brush, quickly disappearing from sight.

Still laughing, Robbie shakes out his hair with his fingers. "Little brats..."

"Robbie."

"What?" Robbie straightens. His smile falls at the look on Sportacus' face. "What's wrong?"

"Come here. Grab the axe."

The expression on Sportacus' face, directed at something behind him, sends a chill up his spine. He swoops to grab the axe as he carefully crawls back under the shelter.

"Don't move," Sportacus whispers. He takes the axe from Robbie and repositions awkwardly to shield him with his body.

Robbie swallows his snide remark about Sportacus' inability to protect anyone in his state when he follows Sportacus' line of sight. His heart starts to hammer in his chest when he spots two yellow eyes staring back at them.

A tense silence blankets. It's so quiet, Robbie can hear the waves crashing on the distant shore. He doesn't realize he's holding his breath as he and Sportacus wait silently.

The jaguar seems to acknowledge that it's been spotted and, without looking away, rises from its crouch in the shadowy branches of a large, over-hanging tree. It moves stealthily backwards and finally slips away, disappearing into the falling dusk.

Robbie chokes out a shaky breath and rests his forehead against the back of Sportacus' neck, pressing damp eyes against the elf's warm skin. His anxiety feels like a unrelentling vice in his chest and he struggles to catch his breath.

Sportacus simply takes his hand with a solemn expression.

 

Notes:

I literally don't know anything about monkey behavior so please don't yell at me.

Chapter 7

Robbie squints. A challenging look.

Sportacus doesn't flinch, staring back at him with an unnervingly neutral expression. He notes Robbie's haggardness, the bags under his eyes, with a stab of remorse. "Please, Robbie."

"I actually have experience with this. You don't. Also, you're injured."

"I can hold my own."

"Shut up." Robbie curls his lip and crosses his arms. The men stare at each other from where they're leaning against the palm trunks under the shelter. A light rain patters down onto the frond roof and their faces are dimly illuminated by a small fire at the edge of the dry patch of dirt.

Sportacus is tired. Not like he knows Robbie is tired, but rather exhausted with the weight of this responsibility. Doesn't Robbie understand that he is the priority? What could he even do if it came back? "I don't care how long you've suffered from insomnia, you can't go on like this."

"I'll sleep during the day."

"That's fine, if you'll allow me to forage and chop wood then."

"No." Robbie furrows his brow. Sportacus was the most stubborn elf on the planet.

"Then let me take the first shift."

"You can't trick me, elf. You'll just let me sleep until morning."

"Maybe because you need it."

Robbie balls his fist under his arm. He's inspects Sportacus' dull eyes and blank expression with frustration. 48 hours without sleep is a walk in the park for him. He knows Sportacus, on the other hand, can hardly function without at least 8 hours a night. He chews his lip. Is this about something else? "You've been having nightmares. Is that what you're worried about?"

Sportacus smiles weakly at him. "They can't hurt us."

"What are you so afraid of?" Robbie asks quietly. "I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

Sportacus' eyes glaze over, or seemingly focus on something between them that isn't there. His smiles fades and the corners of his eyes pinch almost indiscernibly. He doesn't respond.

Robbie sighs, the tension in his body melting away with his concern for his friend. In all the years he's known Sportacus, he's never seen such repressed apprehension on his face. "I don't know if we're going make it through this," Robbie admits quietly. He stares at the flames dancing in the darkness. "But I know if we're going to try, we have to work together. Which means you have to trust me." Robbie looks up at Sportacus under furrowed brows.

Sportacus holds his gaze with an open face.

"Come on, we'll suffer together." Robbie pats the dirt and lays down on his back. Sportacus hesitantly follows suit. They lay there quietly for a moment. Robbie waits patiently, listening to the unrelenting rain.

"I dream about... you," Sportacus whispers. "I see you... tired, and hungry. Gaunt." He bites out the word with a grimace.

Robbie frowns. He listens carefully with his heart in his throat.

"I guess I'm just... worried about what's going to happen to you... since I've stranded you here..." Sportacus' throat feels tight. He's unable to continue and pinches his burning eyes.

Robbie sighs. "Us. We're here together. Look at me. Together." Robbie stares pleadingly into Sportacus' watery eyes. "I don't care what happens to me as long as you don't give up on yourself. Okay?" Robbie wipes an errant tear off Sportacus' cheek with his thumb. "That's all I want."

Sportacus' voice breaks, "I'm sorry."

"Alright, come on now. Bring it in." Robbie sits up and turns around. He helps Sportacus sit up and pulls him into his arms. Sportacus buries his face into Robbie's neck and allows himself to choke out a few sobs. Robbie hugs him and rubs his back. "It's okay. I forgive you." He doesn't say what he wants to. That everything's going to be fine, that they're going to be alright.

Robbie just closes his eyes and holds onto Sportacus as tightly as he is holding onto him. The rain shrouds their embrace with cold indifference.

 

---

 

"Okay, good news. I am allowing an expedition. I have something I want to show you."

"What a benevolent warden you are. A surprise?" Sportacus smiles up at Robbie from under the shelter. He sets his coconut aside and allows Robbie to help him to his feet.

"Keep your weight off it, you lug," Robbie chides him.

Sportacus nods with a grimace and leans on Robbie's shoulders. They move slowly through the brush towards the beach. It's a warm, overcast day and Sportacus is itching to move around. Just being outside the camp for the first time in days is exhilerating and Sportacus grins with excitement. "Let me guess. A wacky new invention. A shiny new shower-matic 6000. A robot butler."

"Keep that up and I'll invent the wise-ass slapper 2.0."

"What happened to the prototype?"

"I've got it right here." Robbie pinches Sportacus' cheeks between his hand and wiggles his face. "Keep moving, Mr. Comedian."

They amble out of the trees into the sand and Sportacus closes his eyes at the cool sea breeze ruffling his hair.

"Well? What do you think?"

Sportacus opens his eyes and his mouth falls open. "How..."

"You're not the only resourceful one around here." Robbie stands a bit straighter and lifts his chin with a proud smile.

Out near the shore, a small vine net is crumpled in the wet sand. Several live fish are still flopping around inside it.

"Robbie! You are brilliant!!" Sportacus clasps Robbie's shoulder and shakes him a little.

"Don't thank me yet, just wait until you're sick of eating fish for a week straight." Robbie blushes at Sportacus' praise. He gently removes his arm and moves forward to collect the net. "We can enjoy it tonight at least. Bon appétit!" Robbie holds the net up victoriously as he rejoins Sportacus in the dry sand. He wraps Sportacus' arm over his shoulders again and they move back towards the treeline.

In a moment of impulsive affection, Sportacus leans in and smooches Robbie on the cheek.

"W-what was that for?" Robbie stutters, laughing nervously as his whole face turns color.

"I just think you're great." Sportacus grins at him unabashedly. "Thank you for this."

"Don't mention it..." Robbie mumbles. He has trouble fighting a smile the whole way back to camp.

 

Notes:

smoochy-smooch

I didn't feel like including it but it's totally canon that the rainstorm moved back over the ocean and there was a big gay rainbow behind them in that last scene.

Chapter 8

Things change, but so slowly he hardly notices. Small moments give him pause. Thoughtful gestures, gentle words, a prolonged gaze. He really tries to ignore it for the most part.

Everything else seems to stay exactly the same. Life on the island continues, unconcerned with most minor developments. The tides wax and wane, storms move in and quickly pass. They learn these rhythms and adjust accordingly. Their survival depends on it.

If you'd asked him within in the first week, Robbie certainly would not have had much confidence in their chance of living through this, of being rescued. Returning to their home and the way things were before seems like a lost cause now, but at least life on the island has improved marginally. They're learning, and adapting. They are changing together.

Robbie frowns as he ponders this. Was he really happy before? He can hardly remember anymore. LazyTown feels like a lifetime away. Could he be happy here?

Robbie drops the last stone in place and wipes his brow. He brushes the sand off his callused hands as he inspects the refurbished SOS sign. The evening sun feels warm on his tan skin and he looks out over the water, a part of him struggling to resolve his unspoken feelings, another part of him just trying to push them all away.

He sighs and walks down to the shore to gather their dinner. Was this all inevitable? Is it real or just a product of their isolation? His stomach twists thinking about all the questions he has no answers for. Robbie threads a piece of vine through the gills of two fish from his net and sloshes back to the sand with the strung catch.

It is all this uncertainty that feeds into his anxiety and paranoia. That, and the new constant threat looming over them. He tries to remind himself of the real danger they're living under here now. An awkward conversation or two isn't going to really hurt him.

He still avoids it all the same.

Robbie grabs the axe out of the sand and loops the vine around the stone. He slings the mock-bindle over his shoulder and trudges into the brush. His old long sleeve shirt had long been sacrificed for makeshift footwear, protecting his feet from the hot sand during the day and blind missteps in the thick underbrush of the jungle at night. He absentmindedly reminds himself to construct some sort of headcover for his fair-haired companion at some point, perhaps sometime before he is able to start venturing out from under the shelter on his own again.

Robbie smiles at the familiar voice he hears behind the trees.

"Now, now, Stingy. You gotta share that with Trixie."

"That's actually Stephanie, but I can see why you'd make that mistake."

Sportacus glances up at Robbie when he pushes aside a frond plant and moves into camp. "How can you tell?"

Robbie hangs the fish vine and the axehead on nubbed branches of a tree and starts to gather firewood from their stock. "Stephanie has the white spot behind her ear there. See?"

The monkey in question rips the nut out of the other monkey's hand and races up one of the shelter's palm trunks. The victim of the theft squeaks and chases after her.

Sportacus cranes his neck to watch where they disappear, but the dusk light is becoming too dim. He returns to his exercises with a shrug. "Mm, bon appétit." He smiles at Robbie's catch as he gently straightens and bends his leg from where he's sitting in the dirt.

Robbie raises an eyebrow at him as he positions the tinder. "Don't be a smartass or I'm gonna eat your serving."

Sportacus smirks. "Good, you're looking thin."

"Sounds like I'm getting seconds tonight."

"That was a compliment!" Sportacus laughs. "It's that deserted beach-island diet, it's doing wonders for your figure."

Robbie blows softly on the sparked tinder and sets the small flame under the driest piece of wood in the pit. "Ha-ha. Jokes on you, elf. I've always had a great figure." Robbie flicks the drill stick at Sportacus and it slaps him in the chest.

"You've got me there," Sportacus says with grin. He flicks it back at Robbie and it pokes him in the butt. Sportacus snickers at his reaction.

"Hey! Watch it! This is valuable merchandise here," Robbie chides as he gathers more wood to reassemble their small spit.

Sportacus leans back on his elbows and watches Robbie work. The growing fire warms his toes and he smiles lazily. "Indeed."

Robbie glances up and blushes at Sportacus' suggestive stare. "My eyes are up here, Sportaperv."

Sportacus grins at him innocently and wiggles his toes. "I think I'm ready to start walking again tomorrow."

Robbie sits back on his haunches and frowns at him. "Are you sure? I could probably fashion some sort of crutch or something to fix your knee in place..."

"I'm gonna go easy, I promise. I miss the ocean."

Robbie scoffs. He stands to fetch their dinner and lays it out on a flat rock to gut with a sharp stone. "Well there's plenty of it just over yonder. You know what I miss? Television. God, it used to be one of the only things that would ever put me to sleep..."

"Isn't nice to be active though? To be outside, working with your hands? Living off the land?"

Robbie squints at him, unsure if he's kidding or not. "No? I feel like taking a nap every time I finish doing anything on this god forsaken island."

"Aw," Sportacus pouts at him, "How 'bout this? When my leg's better, you can take as many naps as you want, whenever you want. I'll take care of you."

The last sentence sounded jarringly sentimental. Robbie smiles to himself. "I'm going to hold you to that. But don't push yourself, elf." Robbie points at Sportacus from across the firepit with the bloody stone. "You might not be so lucky next time you fuck up."

"I know," Sportacus relents quietly. He's had plenty of time to think about what he'll do when he can move around again. He smiles affectionately as he watches Robbie fix the fish onto the spit. He was really quite impressed with how well Robbie adapted to caring for both of them, and he'll never be able to fully put his gratitude into words. All he wants now is to be able to do the same for Robbie. For as long as they're both stranded here, Robbie will never have to ask for anything.

Sportacus ignores the small voice in his head reminding him just how bad he's got it for this man.

 

---

 

"Wake up, princess. It's your turn." Robbie nudges Sportacus in the back with his foot.

Sportacus blinks sleepily and rolls onto his back. He sits up and rubs his eyes against the bright light of the small fire still burning in the pit. "How was it?"

"Well, we're still alive." Robbie yawns and flops onto his back in the dirt. "Ziggy stopped by for a bit. I think I saw a shooting star." He yawns again.

"Did you make a wish?" Sportacus teases him. He props himself up against one of the palm trunks, facing into the jungle.

"Nope." Robbie turns over and remains silent after that.

Sportacus pushes his hair back off his face and rubs his eyes again. He pokes the embers in the firepit absently with a long stick and trains his ears on the sounds of the jungle. He can hear the waves washing on the shore in the distance. The hours blur. He's unsure just how long he's been awake when he hears a twig snap.

Sportacus sits up straighter at the sudden sound. He squints into the darkness, senses alert. The light of the fire causes the long shadows of the foilage around them to dance.

He remains silent, listening for another sound. He knows that if Ziggy had come back, he would have made more noise and revealed himself by now. Sportacus glances up to see the axe still hanging on the tree across the dirt and calculates the movement it would require to reach it.

He hears another muffled sound, a rustling of leaves. He can hear the blood rushing through his ears as he strains to pinpoint the location of the commotion.

The firelight suddenly seems to dim beside him and the blackness around him swirls. The idle noises of the jungle and the shore fade away and he's left in some sort of unnatural silence, hearing just the sound of his own shallow panting.

His eyes flash white when he glances at Robbie's sleeping form. How can he protect him? What must he do to keep him safe? He'll do anything.

Sportacus' racing heart stops when he notices two yellow eyes shining from the empty darkness just beyond where Robbie is curled away from him. He holds his breath and stares into the spotted visage.

In a moment of adrenaline-fueled clarity in his mind, he accepts the option to sacrifice himself in order to give Robbie time to escape.

 

Notes:

hm

Chapter 9

"ROBBIE!"

"FUCK!" Robbie flails and falls onto his back in the dirt.

Sportacus sits up so fast, he almost rolls into a crouch despite the lingering stiffness in his knee. His chest heaves as he takes in his surroundings, whipping his head and blinking in disorientation.

"Jesus Christ, Sportacus..." Robbie pants. "What the hell was that?" He sits up with wide eyes.

"I..." Sportacus blushes, realizing the situation. "I'm sorry Robbie... I had another nightmare." He rubs his forehead and sighs.

Robbie frowns. "About the...?"

"Yeah," Sportacus responds without uncovering his face.

Robbie grimaces at the following awkward silence. He hestitantly scooches over to the elf and pats his back. "Uh, well. It's fine, it wasn't real."

"Not yet," Sportacus mutters. He takes a deep breath and threads his fingers through his hair. He's so exhausted.

"Hm. Okay, let's go. Come on, I know you can stand."

Sportacus glances up at Robbie, confused. "What?"

Robbie brushes the dirt off his pants and raises his eyebrows at Sportacus. "You said you missed the ocean, didn't you? So let's go."

"Right now?" Sportacus' mouth curls into a half grin despite himself.

"Come on, lazy," Robbie says as he's walking away.

Sportacus scoffs and stands slowly. He limps after the other man as he disappears into the brush.

The sound of the waves on the shore breaks the silence of the night. The cool air raises goosebumps on Sportacus' arms as he tries to navigate the dark jungle, and he smiles at the smell of salt in the air as he picks up speed. He spots Robbie standing in the sand when he breaches the treeline and limps up to him.

Robbie glances at Sportacus with his arms crossed and then looks back out over the ocean. The light of the full moon shimmers on the calm waters beyond the shore. "I'm pretty sure cats hate water. Care for a dip?"

Sportacus raises an eyebrow. "You wanna go swimming? Right now?"

Robbie toes his makeshift shoes off in the sand and grins mischeviously. "This may come as a surprise to you, Sportacus, but it's not illegal to have fun after 8:08."

"What are you doing?" Sportacus squeaks, blushing hard as Robbie slips off his tattered striped pants.

"Last one in is a rotten coconut!"

Sportacus laughs at Robbie's pale ass in the moonlight and tries to pull off his old blue pants.

"The water feels fine~" Robbie croons at him.

Sportacus glances up to see Robbie walking backwards into the water and his legs get tangled in his pants as he glances away, flustered. He loses his balance and falls into the sand.

Robbie just laughs as he turns away and wades deeper into the warm water.

Finally Sportacus frees himself and sloshes after Robbie. He slicks his overgrown curls back and feels his blush spreading to his chest as he slowly approaches his friend. He comes to a stop next to him and follows his gaze up at the bright moon and blanket of glittering stars. They stand there quietly for a few minutes, just enjoying the comfortable silence and peaceful moment.

"You worry too much," Robbie murmurs.

Sportacus crosses his arms, uncomfortable with the truthfulness of the statement. "Do I?"

Robbie crosses his arms too and glances at Sportacus with a smirk. "You worry about me too much."

Sportacus shuffles his feet in the soft sand under the water. "Well, I care about you," he says softly.

"I know." Robbie sighs. "I care about you too." He holds his hand out and Sportacus takes it.

"We might die here," Sportacus says miserably, frowning at him.

"We might," Robbie nods. "But the good news is that we're here together." He looks over at Sportacus and smiles. "And I love you."

The words surprise him. Sportacus' mouth twitches into a smile and his eyes light up. "I love you too."

Robbie squeezes his hand and they step toward each other. An affectionate smile curls his lips as he caresses Sportacus' pointy ear with his thumb.

Sportacus' stomach feels like it's making up for all the backsprings he's been missing out on since he's been injured. They twine their fingers together and Sportacus slides his free hand around Robbie's back. He leans forward with a small smile on his face and closes his eyes. Robbie's beard tickles his face when they kiss.

It's slow, gentle. When Robbie's hand slides into the long curls at the back of Sportacus' head, the elf pulls back with a sputtered laugh. He covers his mouth and then his eyes, his whole face flushing red.

Robbie glances down, "Oh yeah, I forgot we took those off." He blushes too but laughs it off. "You know we could live here, just the two of us." He loops his arm around Sportacus' shoulders and pulls him back against the side of his hip. He smiles up at the shining moon, feeling happier than he has in a long time. The notion feels ironic to him, considering they could likely be stranded here for the rest of their lives.

"I could build you a house. A little shack on the beach." Sportacus wraps his arm around Robbie's midsection, smiling through his lingering blush and feeling thankful for the change of subject. "I'll string you a hammock between two palm trees and you can take a nap whenever you want."

"That sounds lovely," Robbie murmurs. They fall silent after that, holding each other loosely and listening to the water wash on the shore behind them. Sportacus rests his head on Robbie's shoulder, and Robbie feels something settle in him. A deep contentedness that permeates and warms him to the core. He smirks, trying to picture the two of them with grey hair, skin wrinkled from the sun, grouching at each other as they sip coconuts over a fish dinner.

He's always imagined himself growing old in isolation. Deep underground, body failing him in his poor health. If he ever even made it that far. He wonders if things were always meant to end up this way. Was this inevitable? Does he deserve this? This happiness?

Robbie tries to push those thoughts away before they begin to spiral. It doesn't matter anymore. This is his life now, and he might as well enjoy it while he can.

 

---

 

"Robbie."

"What..."

"Please wake up."

"What is it, Sportacus?" Robbie grumbles. He throws his arm over his face, trying to fend off consciousness.

"Am I awake?"

"Unfortunately, we both are. Go back to sleep."

"Is that real?"

Robbie uncovers his eyes and squints at Sportacus in the dawn light. "What?" He follows the elf's nervous gaze out at the ocean, noting in passing amusement that Sportacus put his pants on again and had draped Robbie's over his hips. "Is what real?"

Robbie rubs his eyes and sits up in the cool sand. Sportacus sits up with him and points.

A flashing light. Out across the water. It seems to be blinking at them, flashing some sort of signal.

Robbie's heart starts beating faster as he squints as hard as he can in the dim morning light. He sits up straighter and shields his eyes from a sun that hasn't even risen yet. "Can you swim?" he asks breathlessly.

Sportacus doesn't respond, rubbing his face and tugging on his hair through his fingers.

"Sportacus, get up. Can you swim?" Robbie jumps up and starts tugging on his pants urgently. "Can you swim us out there with your injury?"

"I just want to wake up," Sportacus croaks quietly.

"Sportacus, look at me." Robbie drops to his knees in the sand in front of Sportacus and grabs his face. "This is real, it's happening. We have to go. Now."

Sportacus' eyes widen as he stares into Robbie's intense gaze. Suddenly, he hops up with more vigor than he's shown in weeks. Robbie yelps as he's slung over Sportacus' shoulder like a sack of potatoes and Sportacus starts running at the ocean at a full sprint.

Robbie cackles as they splash into the water and he's swung around into position on Sportacus' back. He clutches at Sportacus' shoulders as the elf starts motoring through the water. "Breathe you maniac!" he shouts.

Sportacus turns his head to the side to suck in a quick breath and then buries his head back down in the water. His feet are kicking so hard there's whitewater behind them.

Robbie grins as the light grows closer, adrenaline coursing through him. "Keep going you magnificent dolphin!"

 

Notes:

What's better than this? Just guys bein dudes.

One more chapter me thinks. If I bump the rating it will only be to Mature, not Explicit.

Chapter 10

Notes:

Uhh, the rating ended up not going up, sorry. Consent is important, so I had to rewrite a scene.

And it helps to have heard 'Beyond The Sea' before reading this chapter, I guess.

He drinks to forget. How cliché?

Robbie scowls and swirls his drink. The singer on the dark stage behind him serenades the nearly empty collection of tables in the club with a sorrowful tune.

They'd been rescued by the cruise liner days ago. Maybe weeks. Robbie doesn't keep track anymore. The days and nights blur together for him in his secluded suite on the ship. It's where he spends most of his time now, besides this pathetic club bar. The alcohol may also have something to do with his loss of time.

He was in heaven at first, sleeping for hours at a time in his luxurious king sized bed. But the routine of stuffing himself sick on cake and sweets during the day and drinking himself sick at night has turned this trip home into an endless cycle of meaningless distractions.

It wouldn't be so bad if his bed wasn't so cold and empty.

They were almost immediately separated when they'd boarded the boat. Sportacus' injury was inspected while the captain ordered food, water, clothing, and rooms for both of them. Robbie was led off to recuperate and reacquaint with civilization on his own.

The fanfare was too much. Too many people, too many questions. It wasn't long before the dark, quiet seclusion of his king suite became his haven. It reminded him of home, except for this strange new jarring loneliness.

Robbie knocks back his drink as the singer behind him retires for the evening and the low buzz of remaining patrons fills the silence of the club.

The bartender frowns at him but takes his glass. "Another?"

"No." Robbie rubs his eyes. It's becoming increasingly clear that the captain's generosity towards the salvaged castaways may have been too much. Free everything is unavoidably abused.

Robbie swivels on the barstool and stands on stiff legs. His mind swirls and he rubs his eyes again, feeling a headache coming on. How long has he been sitting here? He runs his fingers through his messy, trimmed curls and pulls on the cuffs of his uncomfortable borrowed suit. He purses his lips at the thought of returning alone again to his den of isolation.

As if summoned by his reticence, a handsome stranger awkwardly leans on the bar beside him. Robbie blinks at his words in the blurry, dim light. Is he being hit on? He tries to flirt back, but coherency is beginning to require some concentration now.

The man is charming, if not a bit shy. Robbie convinces him to walk him back to his room. He didn't want to spend anymore time at that depressing bar anyway. The thought of sleeping next to a warm body for the first time in awhile is enticing enough for him to move past the itch of guilt in his mind. He doesn't remember what they were talking about or what he was just saying before his first move, but hopefully it wasn't too slurred.

He presses the man against the wall of the hallway outside his bedroom. He knows his kissing probably feels desperate but he hopes it doesn't show. At least the man still seems interested. Robbie slides his hands under his jacket and kisses his neck.

"You're drunk."

Apparently not very astute, unless Robbie was getting better at this being drunk thing lately.

"We can't do this..."

Well, he'd seemed interested. Robbie sighs and leans his forehead against the wall as the man slips out from under him.

"I'm sorry..."

He disappears around the corner hurriedly and Robbie squints at his departure with a dejected frown. He digs the key out of his pocket and slips through to his dark room. He leans against the cold door behind him once he's inside and closes his eyes to the numb feeling eating away at him.

Did he really expect he could ever be so lucky to end up living on a private beach with the company of such a perfect man for the rest of his life? Obviously the circumstances weren't ideal, but at least they were happy learning and adapting to their new home together.

He was happy.

 

---

 

He doesn't need him anymore. Sportacus doesn't, that is.

Robbie rubs his sweaty face as he leans on the toilet in his suite. Perhaps he'll take a break from cake for awhile... Also fresh air doesn't sound like such a bad idea right now.

He steps carefully through his messy room in the dim light. Clothes and empty bottles are strewn about haphazardly. Good thing overnight company seems to avoid him like the plague... Their cruise must be nearly over anyway, not long now until he can live like a piece of garbage in the comfort of his own home again.

He slips on a dark blazer and a pair of sunglasses and navigates his way to the surface. Robbie angles away from crowds and finds a mostly secluded spot at the edge of the deck, a short space between a long wall of the ship and the outside bannister over the ocean. He leans on the metal barrier on his forearms and threads his fingers together, waiting for the last of the nausea to pass with a few deep breaths.

The sun is low on the horizon when he glances up. He watches the water dip and swirl far below him with an empty feeling.

Things were different there. Home isn't like the island at all. Sportacus doesn't need him... What did he expect?

A seagull calls out above him, floating on the cool, salty breeze.

He's really being foolish. They could've died out there, easily. Especially after Sportacus' injury and the realization that they were being stalked by that monster. Everything can go back to normal now. Sportacus doesn't have to worry about him anymore, he's got all the noisy brats at home to occupy himself with. Robbie can go back to living peacefully alone in his cozy underground lair and plotting ways to keep the town under his control.

He considers his old schemes to get Sportacus to leave town. Does he still want that? Robbie runs his fingers through his hair with a sigh as he realizes he'd rather just leave himself. Wouldn't that be the logical solution? LazyTown has been his home for longer than he can remember, but perhaps it was time to move on.

Robbie feels himself warming to the idea as he breathes in the sea air. He could move somewhere on the beach... Sleep in a hammock under a palm tree and sip coconut cocktails... He frowns at the familiarity of the thought.

Well, he doesn't have to decide right now. Robbie pushes away from the bannister and stalks back to his bedroom. He'll spend one more night at the club and then he's cutting himself off, no more lonely drinks at the bar, no more pining after what's done and over with. He's cleaning his room, dressing up, and meeting someone tonight. He refuses to wallow pathetically any longer.

It's been a while since he's done his full makeup and hair. It's a bit of a comfort actually. Looking good makes him feel good. He realizes that this is the best he's felt since that night out in the water under the moonlight. He pushes the thought away gently. Tonight is for himself, not memories of something that doesn't exist anymore.

The club is a bit more lively at this hour. Couples fill the dinner tables out in front of the stage and they chatter idly as the singer for tonight prepares with his band.

Robbie sits in his normal spot at the bar. A few people are there flirting with each other and Robbie sizes them up out of the corner of his eye. He can be patient.

The bartender serves him his regular without a word and Robbie knocks it back. This is going to make him feel better right? Doing this?

Some of the people move from the bar to the dancefloor as music fills the air. The song is something old and tritely fits the scene of the cruise nightclub.

Somewhere, beyond the sea,
Somewhere, waiting for me,

Robbie sips at his next drink, too lost in bored thoughts to notice someone approach him.

"Wow... you look incredible."

My lover stands on golden sands,
And watches the ships, that go sailing...

Robbie glances at his company and his stomach drops. "Sportacus..."

"Hi, Robbie." Sportacus smiles shyly and leans up against the bar. "How are you?"

Robbie turns away with a carefully blank expression and takes another swig from his drink. "Been better." He doesn't let his nerves show, but this was not what he was expecting in the slightest. At least Sportacus can see him looking his best, cleaned up and confidently independent.

Sportacus frowns nervously. "Would you, um, care to dance?"

It's far, beyond a star,
It's near, beyond the moon,

Robbie considers it. Just one dance wouldn't hurt. "Fine." He throws the rest of his drink back and they move to the dancefloor. Sportacus gently grasps his waist and Robbie holds his shoulders. Robbie frowns at the comfort of the contact.

"I've missed you," Sportacus admits quietly, finding the honesty easier when they weren't looking each other in the eye.

Robbie frowns over his shoulder. "Where the hell have you been?"

I know, beyond a doubt,
My heart, will lead me there soon,

"I'm sorry..."

"Just leave it. It's fine," Robbie mutters impatiently.

"Robbie, please." Sportacus leans back to look him in the eye. He braces himself for the confession he'd dragged himself here for. "I still love you." His brows pinch and there's pain in his eyes.

Robbie grimaces at the unexpected words. His throat burns when he speaks, "Then where have you been?"

Sportacus caresses the soft skin on Robbie's bare cheek. "I wasn't sure... if things would be different. I... didn't know how to approach you, I'm so sorry."

"You stupid fucking elf." Robbie flicks his dumb pointed ear and Sportacus scrunches his nose with a smile.

We'll meet beyond the shore,
We'll kiss just as before,

"I told you I loved you. Why haven't you stopped worrying about me?"

"I'm sorry," Sportacus grins at Robbie's words.

"And stop apologizing." Robbie strokes his fingertips through Sportacus' shorn hair at the back of his head.

"I am though," Sportacus smirks, "Sorry, that is."

"Please shut up." Robbie kisses him so he doesn't have a choice. It's a bit angry, but also happy. He should've expected being with this elf would be exasperating. He wraps his arms around his shoulders, realizing he can really have this if he wants it. That happy endings do exist.

"You kiss better when you're not drunk," Sportacus chuckles, hugging him close.

"Oh my god... it was you," Robbie drops his forehead on Sportacus' shoulder with a deep blush. "I'm an idiot."

"It's okay, we can try again." Sportacus pecks him on the neck, his own face flushing a bit red.

"Yeah?" Robbie picks his head up and smiles affectionately at Sportacus' shy smile.

"We can... try this again." Sportacus tucks a stray curl back into Robbie's gelled coif.

Happy we will be, beyond the sea...

"I'll bring a knife and sunscreen next time, though."

Robbie shakes his head with a smile. "I'm still holding you to that shack on the beach. And I want my hammock."

"Of course. I'll take care of you."