Raimundo wiped the trickle of sweat from his face as he stared at the half-naked boy pacing nervously in front of him. As the temperature in the cave rose, clothes were shed and they were both left in their boxers. Jack let out a whimper as he stared at the pile of boulders obstructing the exit. It had been many hours.

“Do you know what happens when that river of magma under the cave reaches us?” asked Jack, “We’ll be melted into oblivion!”

Raimundo rolled his eyes. What could he say to get the evil genius to stop whining? Maybe he could point out the less severe ways they could die. “Ya know, we’ll probably suffocate before the lava reaches us. That’ll hurt less.”

Jack let out a long whine. “It’s called magma.”

“What?”

“It’s only called lava when it’s above ground. We’ll be cooked long before it becomes lava. Considering the rapid temperature rise and the size of the cave, we’re most likely going to be melted alive before we suffocate.”

Raimundo grumbled. Now he felt worse, and Jack was whining even louder. What could he say to shut him up? What would divert his attention? “Jack, are you gay?”

Jack stopped pacing and glanced over at Raimundo. “What in the world instigated that thought?”

Rai wondered the same thing as he mentally slapped himself.

“It’s just that you seem so…”

Rai stared at Jack, whose’ attention was so wholly turned to him it was startling. Jack’s eyes were an intimidating shade of red and his body was rigid. Rai’s eyes traveled over him, noticing that the few years of fighting over the wu had left his body with a lean coat of muscle, not like Rai’s carefully toned build but still quite prominent. Even with the muscle he was smaller than Rai, and not to mention white as a ghost next to his own natural tan.

“I seem so what?!”

“Uh… I dunno. I just thought you might be.”

“There has to be a reason! What is it?”

“Well um, I guess it’s that you…”

“Yes?”

“Your screams are girly, and so is your whining, and your posture, and the fact that you wear eyeliner, and that time I caught you tanning in your lab even though it obviously makes no difference, and that you hate getting dirty, and you’re afraid of spiders, and that you started shaving your legs.”

Jack glared as he trudged over to where Rai sat, leaning forward to meet Rai’s face. “You certainly keep an eye on me. How do I know you’re not the gay one? It’s definitely plausible with the way you dress.”

“You got a problem with my clothes? They’re fine!”

“Fine? Don’t you mean perfect and completely in-style all the time? Don’t hide the designer jeans you wear and those impossibly spotless sneakers. No straight guy dresses the way you do. The only thing going against you is that hoodie.”

Rai frowned as he glanced at his pile of clothes, and the white hoodie on top of it that he loved so much. “What’s wrong with my hoodie?” growled Raimundo.

“Look at it!” Jack spat, “It’s so thin you can see through it and you can hardly call it white with all those grass stains. It’d probably disintegrate if you washed it. If I recall, it’s not very manly to carry around a security item.”

Jack had obviously won the verbal dispute. “I apologize for accusing you of being gay,” admitted Raimundo.

Jack smirked and walked away, studying the wall of the cave. “You shouldn’t apologize, because it’s true.”

Rai’s jaw dropped.

“But I’m only saying so because we’re about to die! Besides, I’d be a wimp for taking it to the grave with me. What about you? Are you fagalicious?”

Raimundo scratched his head nervously. He guessed it wasn’t a big deal to be honest if they weren’t going to be around much longer. “I eh, I think I’m bi. Uh, hello?”

Jack’s attention was focused on the pile of rocks.

“Jack?”

“Shh! Do you hear that?” Jack walked over to the boulders. There was silence followed by a far away boom and a vibration through the cave. Rai jumped up and grabbed Jack’s arm, pulling him away from the exit as the rocks shook and collapsed. With a cloud of dust came a wonderful gust of cool, fresh air. Rai summoned a rush of wind to blow away the dust, and there before them stood Clay, Kimiko, Omi and Dojo.

“I knew they’d be alive!” said Dojo confidently, “My dragon instincts told me so.”

“So the sobbing was your Dragon instincts?” asked Omi, “Impressive acting, for I thought you believed them dead.”

“Guys!” cried Rai gleefully as he went to give them hugs.

“Eww, don’t touch me!” whined Kimiko, “No offence but you’re really sweaty and grose.”

“It’s good to have you back, Partner,” said Clay to Raimundo, “We thought you were gone when the tunnel collapsed after the showdown. Finding you was harder than finding a gold nugget in a frozen river.”

Rai looked behind him at Jack who was already dressed and pulling on his boots. He slinked past them, exchanging a knowing look with Rai that their secret would stay between them. Jack nodded and ran off.

Kimiko raised an eyebrow, “What’s with you and Spicer?”

“N-nothing,” said Rai as he smiled conspicuously.