Cherry blossom beauty

Simone stared down at the small white blossom with a touch of pink near the middle. It was lovely. No one had ever given her a flower before. To receive one from a man was an entirely new experience, even if he didn't mean it in any significant way. 

He didn't buy it, or even pick it. She'd merely had something trapped in her hair, and he'd done her the small favor of removing it and handing it to her. She shouldn't get caught up in some childish fantasy or romanticize it. 

Even if by some strange twist of fate, he was interested in her, they would make a terrible couple! They'd fight all the time, tear each other's heads off. There was no way that would ever work. She should strike it from her mind and never think of it again. 

She lifted her head to speak and was startled by how close Shayn was. Had he leaned closer? Simone was frozen in place, staring into his green eyes. They were serious, and it made her far more nervous than if they were teasing or angry. 

Those, she knew how to deal with. Those, she could deflect or battle. But serious? What was she to say? What was she to do? 

"HUMANS, WE WILL REST HERE TONIGHT," Jarnsaxa declared in a loud whisper. "YOU MUST BE COLD, HUDDLING FOR WARMTH. CREATURE'S FUR MAY BE OF HELP TO YOU." 

The pair jumped apart at the beginning of the queen's statement, and Simone's cheeks flamed, though nothing about the interaction was her fault. 

"Thank you," Shayn called up. "I will make a fire for warmth." 

He glanced at Simone before turning away to begin to collect fallen wood. There was an enormous amount of… well, something, in that glance. Pain? Regret? Longing? Distaste? Mockery? 

She couldn't tell at all. The only thing that was clear was that, for the moment, they were going to pretend nothing happened. She could manage that, she was sure! 

Simone quickly gathered some kindling while Shayn got larger pieces of firewood. They moved in opposite directions in a wide circle, meeting back towards the center. 

He dropped his pile and took hers from her. Their hands touched for a moment, and their eyes met. The tension lingered, and Simone wasn't sure how to break it. It needed to be broken before she broke from it. 

Shayn's stomach gave a mighty rumble, and her lips tugged into a smile. 

"I'll get supper going if you take care of the fire," She invited, and he chuckled. 

"Deal," He agreed. 

She was gratified that her cooking had improved enough to not merit any hesitation or signs of reluctance on Shayn's part to eat what she prepared. Jarnsaxa at some point realized she had not given them the other pack and provided it to Simone, but the woman had already made do with the rations that Shayn had packed into his.

Their supplies were not exactly abundant, but it was enough. She made simple fare as the giants largely ignored the humans and prepared for bed. They must be tired from running so far and so fast… or at least, she imagined they were. 

It would be a strange thing, to apparently have gone many years without running and then be able to do so for hours on end. She tried to estimate how long she would be able to run, but came up short of being able to calculate the matter. 

Spending her days indoors, cooped up in the library, she rarely had time for such things. Sometimes she almost wished she had volunteered for a year of military service, but she imagined she would be poorly suited for it. She wasn't strong, nor had she ever felt the need to put her durability to the test. 

Although, on this grand adventure, it had been, at least to some small extent. Long days in the saddle or on the wagon, mixed here and there with walking when her rear end got too sore to take anymore, she was definitely more fit than before. 

To be fair, some of her job involved carrying and putting away very heavy books, but that was hardly the intense physical labor of a more outdoorsy life. 

Shayn was far more suited to it, obviously. He'd spent years living this way. He had a fire going before she even finished thinking about what to make, and she looked at him adding branches and blowing into it to grow it larger. 

The glow on his face highlighted his bone structure and manly jawline, and she had to look away. There was no use admiring him, he was already arrogant enough, wasn't he? When he was done, he took a walk, likely to have a private moment. 

She took over the place by the flames and cooked a simple meal and served him a plate when he returned. 

"Thank you," He said with a soft smile. She paused. 

"You're welcome. Thank you for the fire." She replied. 

"It's still a bit strange, using manners." He changed his tone. "Kyler and I never had any use for them between us. Just understood what needed doing and did it. It didn't seem weird with all the others here to say 'please' and 'thank you', but it's just two again." 

"Two people. And a large cat with six legs and huge teeth, and four giants," She corrected. 

"Well, sure, if you want to get technical," He conceded, "but you know what I mean." 

She did, all too well. The giants mostly ignored them and Judah couldn't talk, though he lay, watching them with interest, a short distance away. His spear-ended tail flicked now and then as he listened to them talk. 

The wind blew once more, a little stronger, and Shayn's comment about 'just two of them' made Simone realize that they'd never talked about sleeping arrangements. It was an awkward question to ask. They were technically chaperoned, but utterly ignored by Jarnsaxa and her family. 

Shayn scraped his dish clean and held out his hand for hers when she finished. 

"Oh, I can clean it," She blinked at him. 

"Division of labor. You cooked, I clean," He said evenly. 

"You made the fire," Simone responded. 

"Fine, do what you want. I'm not going to argue about every little thing," Shayn sighed. 

"How long did it take, before you and Kyler found the proper balance for dividing chores and labor?" She asked curiously. 

"A few weeks, maybe. Probably less than that. I can't recall, it's been so long ago now. We just fell into a rhythm eventually. See something that needs doing, and get it done." He shrugged. 

"Sounds like a good system," She offered the compliment with a smile. "Will you miss him after not being apart for so long?" 

"It's strange, I will admit, being away from him… I also didn't know it would be this cold or I would have commandeered one of the tents." 

Ah, he'd finally gotten around to the topic of sleeping. She stared at him quietly, waiting for him to continue or announce a decision. She could challenge him if she found it objectionable, but he was the experienced outdoorsman, so within reason she would try to defer to him. 

"At least we've got good firewood," He continued after a moment. "I'll take this side of the fire, if you don't mind. You can put your bedroll down there." 

She looked down where she was sitting. She'd never slept within the eyesight of a man before, that she could recall. Her mouth twisted. She wouldn't change into a nightdress; she'd just have to sleep in her clothes. 

"That sounds fine," She agreed. The sun had set, and the firelight was most of what lit the area now. The moon gave some meager light, but was overshadowed now and then by clouds blown in the strange wind. 

They prepared their bedrolls, and she was reminded of the day she was kidnapped. She'd stayed up late by the fire that evening, talking with Shayn. Probably the first time they'd really talked instead of bickered. 

She took a few private moments in the trees before bed, and when she came back, Shayn was sitting and staring into the flames. It reminded her once again of when they had stayed up late, talking. It was the most personal she'd ever been with someone who wasn't a roommate. Technically, for tonight, he was kind of a roommate under the stars. The thought made her face flame, and she was embarrassed for even thinking that.

Unsure about whether it was appropriate for her to retire first, or to wait for him to crawl into his own bedroll, she paused and stretched. She was terribly tired and didn't know whether to go straight to sleep or sit up like he was. What was the polite thing to do when alone with a man? 

It was certainly not something she'd been trained in etiquette about. She opened her mouth, ready to tell him goodnight, when he shot her a look that stopped her words.