I couldn’t sleep.

I was laying on my bedroll for like... hours? just staring at the dark tent, hearing the camp go quiet as everyone settled in.

But something felt... off. I don’t know. Just wrong.

I kept rolling over, first on my side then my back. My chest felt kinda tight.

Every time I tried to figure out what was bothering me, it just... vanished. I was left feeling really, really restless.

So I finally got up and crawled out of the tent to breathe a bit.

The air was cold. Smelled like smoke and trees. I took a deep breath, thinking it might help me clear my brain.

But then, my feet started moving on their own... toward the fire. toward him.

He was sitting there alone, tossing wood into the fire. The light hit his shoulders and he looked so calm.

When our eyes met, something inside me shifted.

I ended up walking over and sitting down right next to him. I started talking about all the stuff I’d been keeping inside for a long time.

I didn’t even remember how the conversation started. It was strange.

Thinking back on it... the feeling that something was wrong had started when he joined our party.

But I don’t think that the reason. Because whenever he was near, I felt... comfortable.

As I spoke, my voice didn’t tremble. My chest didn’t ache like it usually did when those memories surfaced.

Instead, in the middle of my words, I felt it begin to ease—as if the guilt that had been consuming me every day had suddenly been lifted from my shoulders.

That familiar weight, the one that gnawed at me every single day... It vanished. Just like that.

I lifted my head instinctively—and I saw... Red?

For a split second, I thought his eyes were red... Dark red.

I focused harder, my gaze locking onto his. Then I shook my head slightly. It was just the firelight.

Just reflections of fire in his dark eyes. Yet... I couldn’t help staring. His eyes were pitch black. Deep—darker than the night around us.

They were beautiful... and somehow soothing.

I didn’t notice when it happened, my thigh was pressed against his. Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body through the fabric of our clothes.

Even so, I didn’t pull away. Instead, I found myself leaning closer... my face drifting nearer without realizing it. My eyes locked with his as my thoughts slowed to a quiet hum.

I could feel his warm breath hitting my lips, my heartbeat quickening, and my temperature rising.

Then, just as I was about to do something I shouldn’t have done.

Rustle-

The sound of rustling from the tents behind them echoed in their ears.

Both of them froze.

Kyle’s gaze shifted first, sharp and alert, while Alara instinctively pulled back, her breath hitching.

He glanced over, seeing Weston emerging from the men’s tent, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Oh?" Weston murmured, noticing Alara’s presence beside Kyle. "Couldn’t sleep, Alara?"

Alara blinked, seeming to come back to herself. She glanced at Kyle, a faint blush on her cheeks, before turning to Weston.

"I... I was just talking to Kyle about the mission."

Weston nodded slowly, stretching his arms above his head. "I understand. It’s a lot to take on."

He glanced between the two of them, sensing a strange tension in the air. But he simply shrugged.

"I’m going to relieve myself, then head back to bed. Wake me in an hour for my watch." He said with a yawn, walking away towards the bushes.

Silence fell between them once again, with nothing but the sound of firewood burning.

`Couldn’t you find another time to do it, you son of a—!` Kyle cursed internally.

Alara stood up abruptly.

"I-I should go back," she said quickly, avoiding Kyle’s eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, her heart still pounding in her chest. "It’s... late."

Before he could respond, she turned and hurried back toward the women’s tent, disappearing inside without looking back.

Kyle watched her go in silence.

The moment the tent flap closed, his expression darkened.

`...Fucking Weston.`

***

Morning light filtered through the tent as Kyle stepped out of it, stretching his arms as the chill of night finally faded.

The camp was already stirring with activity.

Weston’s messing with the horse straps, just humming to himself, while Mira’s right there fixing her cloak and yawning like crazy.

"Morning," Mira says, looking totally half-asleep. "You’re up pretty early."

Weston chuckled. "You did a fine job on watch. I slept like a rock."

Kyle gave him a flat look for half a second—then smiled faintly. "Glad to hear it."

Mira grinned, completely oblivious. "We’ll be moving soon. Alara wants us on the road early today."

As if summoned by her name, Alara emerged from the tent shortly after—fully armored. Her cheeks flushed slightly and she looked away when she noticed Kyle.

She moved straight to the supplies, checking the bags and giving quiet instructions without meeting his gaze again.

Kyle noticed immediately.

He leaned casually against the wagon and summoned her status screen.

[Name: Alara]

[Strength: 39 | Intelligence: 19 | Endurance: 29 | Agility: 28 | Mana: 0]

[Affection: 16%]

Kyle lifted an eyebrow. `It went up way more than I thought.`

He looked back at her for a second.

Alara got all stiff, like she could totally feel him watching, and then she moved so the wagon was blocking him.

`Running away already?` Kyle smirked.

He swiped away the system’s screen and walked over as the others finished getting the horses ready.

"Ready whenever you are, leader," he said.

Alara nodded, didn’t even look his way. "Let’s go." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The wagon started moving after that, leaving the old camp behind as they hit the long road.

Kyle sat back in his spot, watching her out of the corner of his eye while the wheels started turning.