"Can I keep you? What a ridiculous question! What the hell is wrong with me!?" I huffed as I tugged at my unsightly long hair. It looked like I was growing a mullet and not a stylish one at that. I tried my best to keep my thoughts in check as I continued stuffing the remaining parts of the tent back in the carrying case. Good thing I didn't get a chance to fully ask...

I paused as I lifted the strap onto my shoulder. "Kay, I'm ready." I assured myself aloud before turning to see what Nathan was up to. He'd just finished packing up his own stuff. I watched him as he used the tip of his boot to lift his cap off the floor before kicking it into the air and catching it on his head.

I found myself laughing at his actions, a hand covering my mouth as I did.
Nathan noticed my amusement and promptly proceeded to stick his middle finger out in response. His lower lip extended into a slight pout. I shook my head as I watched him walk away. His hair was shaggy as well. It stuck out beneath his backwards cap in a messy way. It looked so good on him though. It was unfair. Just how did he manage to be so...adorable?

We walked in silence beside one another as Roland led the way like before. When I saw Nathan slip on his headphones, I relaxed. At least that meant that he wasn't expecting us to talk anytime soon. Not that he'd said anything prior about it anyway, but still; it allowed me to focus on my internal monologue for a bit.

The topic?

What exactly was the nature of my relationship with Nathan Hart?

We walked and walked until the barren desert terrain began to morph. Eventually we found ourselves trekking through more tolerable weather as we hit the plains. "I wish I had some sunglasses." I complained as I shielded my eyes with my hand. The heat, along with the brightness of the sun, was making my hangover worse.

"Here. I swiped some from a department store awhile back before we met. Take em. I don't really use em anyway." Nathan chimed in before pulling off his pack. He rummaged around for a few minutes before producing the shades.

"Nate, you didn't have to -"
"I know, but I'm certain you can put them to better use." He enthused with a smile. "Just take em." He urged, holding them out for me. "I've got my prescription ones anyway." I hesitated, not entirely sure why. Perhaps it was that selfless smile he had a habit of showing me. The kind that assured me I didn't owe him anything. That was the kicker though. In a way, I owed him everything.

We didn't stop till it was nearly sunset. As soon as we reached the first line of trees, Roland halted us. "Them clouds over yonder don't look too promising. We should expect some rain tonight. The air strip is about half a day's walk from here. Tomorrow by noon you'll be getting aquatinted with my bird." He muttered as he took a seat on one of the overgrown tree roots beside us.

He began to unpack, tossing down the squirrels and snakes he'd hunted earlier that day. We were out of canned food, so as much as I hated the notion, we would be sharing with him tonight.

It took us a few hours to completely set up camp. By the time we'd finished, the wind had picked up, making it hard to keep the campfire going. "Here. Help me tie this tarp!" Nathan called, snapping me out of the trance I'd been in for the majority of the day. I walked opposite to where he stood and took hold of the stretchy ties that he was using to secure the sheet of blue plastic to the sturdy branches.

"Perfect! Good job!" He cheered, both hands on his waist as he admired my handy work. "This thing will block a good chunk of that breeze. Enough so that we can finally start cooking!" He enthused as he made his way over and took a seat by the now budding fire.

He took the animals Roland had captured and skinned them before skewering them above the fire to roast. As Nathan took care of dinner, I opted to freshen myself up in a nearby creek that ran through the emerging forest. The water was cold and refreshing. I bottled up a bit of it before taking my much needed bath. "I'm sure he'll love it." I said to myself, smiling as I set the bottles aside and stripped.

I felt my thoughts clear as I rinsed the hotel shampoo out of my hair. It made me sad to know that I was almost out. Maybe I could ask Nathan for some? I considered as I made my way back to the camp.

"Enjoy your bath?" He called as he slowly turned the roasting animals. They were nearly done cooking. "It was heavenly; I really needed it." I admitted as I hung my towel from a branch above us. "Good. You deserve some chill time." He said with a smile before holding out a skewer for me to take.

"Thanks." I told him gratefully as I dug in. "Mmmh." A pleased moan resonated from the back of my throat as I swallowed half the squirrel in one bite. The meat was delicious. It was seasoned and tender. "What did you put in this?" I asked, my cheeks unceremoniously large as I spoke with my mouth full.

Nathan couldn't contain his laughter. "You look like a chipmunk." He teased, causing heat to rise to my face. "Shuddaup." I mumbled, covering my mouth before swallowing the rest of the meat whole. "Damn, chill! You're gonna choke if you don't chew properly." He chastised, holding out one of the bottles of water I'd gotten for him earlier.

"Ahh! I let out a satisfied sound once I'd chugged half. "Good?" He asked with a smile before drinking from his own. I became hyper focused as I watched him. I followed a stray trickle of water as it dripped from the corner of his lips and down his slender neck. "Shit. I spilled some." He mumbled before wiping himself with his sleeve.

I averted my eyes when I caught myself staring. "Stop being a creep." I hissed to myself a little louder than intended. "Hm? Did you say something?" Nathan asked curiously as he slipped the bottle into an insulated sleeve before placing it down beside his leg.

"You haven't told me what you used to season the meat." I reminded, hoping that a change of subject would help me regather my thoughts. "It's a family secret." He teased with a wink before standing up and stretching. "No fair! Here I thought you didn't know how to cook!" I protested.

"I never said I didn't know, you assumed, which by definition means you made an ass out of you and me." I rolled my eyes at his lame retort. "Hardy har har." I shot back, causing him to laugh. The familiar sound sent shivers through me. I loved hearing it.

A note of loneliness pricked at my chest as I saw him retreat into the forest. "I'll be back, gonna take leak!" He shouted back before giving me a dismissive wave of his hand. "Watch your step!" I called out as he disappeared among the ferns.