Was that your stomach?

Flashback

The cave was unbearably hot when we first landed—or more accurately, when Ren collapsed. I'd barely managed to keep my balance after the nauseating teleportation spell when I turned to see her crumple like a rag doll.

At first, I didn't even think. "Ren!" I shouted, rushing to her side, shaking her shoulders. She didn't move. Her skin was burning to the touch, her entire body radiating heat like a furnace.

"Great," I muttered, my voice rising in pitch as panic set in. "Fantastic. What now?"

I wanted to strangle her for pulling such a reckless stunt, but at the same time, the sight of her lying there, unresponsive, made my stomach churn.

"Don't you dare die," I snapped at her, as though yelling would bring her back to consciousness. "You're my bodyguard! You're not allowed to die until I say so!"

She didn't respond, of course, and the heat in the cave was suffocating, sweat dripping down my face and neck. My mind raced as I pressed my hands to her forehead, recoiling instantly. She was way too hot—like touching molten metal.

"Fine," I muttered through gritted teeth, forcing myself to think clearly. "You want to be a walking bonfire? Two can play that game."

I summoned my ice magic, letting the chill seep into the cave. The frost spread quickly, creeping over the walls and floor, lowering the temperature enough to make it tolerable. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best I could manage.

For hours, I sat there, alternating between checking her pulse and glaring at her unconscious face. The worst part was the waiting—wondering if she'd wake up or if I'd somehow failed to keep her alive.

"Why do you always have to play the hero?" I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "You're such an idiot, Ren."

When her eyelids finally fluttered open, I nearly fell over from relief. Not that I'd ever admit it.

Present

"I could teleport us some clothes," Ren said, her voice hoarse but determined.

I shot her a sharp look. "Oh, brilliant idea. Let's waste even more of your barely-there magic so we can play dress-up."

Her brow furrowed, and she pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing slightly. "It's not wasting magic. We can't exactly wander around like this." She gestured at her swimsuit, which—fine—was not exactly practical in a freezing cave.

"Wandering around isn't even an option," I countered, crossing my arms. "You can barely sit up, and now you want to burn what little magic you have left for clothes?"

"I'm not burning it," she replied stubbornly. "It's a tiny spell."

I opened my mouth to argue further, but then I caught sight of her abs.

Damn her.

The muscles on her stomach were perfectly toned, glistening slightly in the dim light, and it was impossible not to notice. I snapped my gaze away, my cheeks warming despite the cold.

"Fine," I snapped, more curtly than I'd intended. "Do it. But if you pass out again, I'm not catching you."

She gave me a faint smirk. "Noted."

Ren raised her hand, and a faint flicker of magic sparked to life. A moment later, a bundle of clothing materialised on the floor between us. She let out a small sigh, clearly drained but trying not to show it.

"There," she said, leaning back against the wall. "Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," I said dryly, reaching for the clothes.

The bundle contained a mix of simple garments—nothing fancy, just enough to cover us decently. I picked up a tunic and leggings and tossed another set to Ren.

"Turn around," I ordered, narrowing my eyes at her.

Ren arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, really," I said, glaring. "I'm not changing in front of you."

She rolled her eyes but complied, turning her back to me. I quickly slipped out of my swimsuit, shivering as the cold air bit at my skin.

"Done yet?" Ren asked after a moment.

"No," I snapped, fumbling with the tunic.

By the time I was dressed, I realised she hadn't moved an inch. "Your turn," I said, waving a hand.

She gave me a look, clearly amused. "Do you want me to turn around too?"

I scowled. "Just hurry up."

Ren stood, albeit shakily, and began changing. I turned away, but curiosity got the better of me, and I stole a quick glance over my shoulder.

Mistake.

Her back was just as defined as her stomach, muscles shifting smoothly as she pulled the tunic over her head. I quickly looked away, mentally berating myself.

"Enjoying the view?" Ren asked, her tone teasing.

I whirled around, heat rising to my face. "What? No! Don't flatter yourself."

She smirked, clearly revelling in my flustered state. "Sure, Princess."

I huffed, sitting back down and refusing to look at her.

A loud growl interrupted the silence, and I froze, my face burning.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Was that your stomach?"

"No," I lied, crossing my arms over my midsection.

Another growl followed, even louder this time. Ren's smirk widened.

"Sounds like someone's hungry," she said, leaning back against the wall.

I glared at her. "And whose fault is that? We're stranded in the middle of nowhere with no food because someone decided to play the hero."

Ren shrugged, clearly unbothered by my outburst. "I could try hunting, but considering I can't even stand properly, that might be a problem."

"Brilliant," I muttered, my stomach grumbling again.

The cave was silent for a moment, save for the occasional drip of water. I glanced toward the entrance—or what I thought might be the entrance. The faint light filtering in suggested it was still daytime, but the idea of leaving the relative safety of the cave seemed impossible with Ren in her current state.

"Can we get out of here?" I asked, more to myself than her.

"Not unless you're carrying me," Ren replied with a wry smile.

I scowled, annoyed both at her and at the situation. "You're impossible."

"And you're stuck with me," she shot back, her tone light but her face pale with exhaustion.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The cold gnawed at my bones, and hunger made my stomach twist painfully, but I couldn't bring myself to look at Ren.

Because no matter how frustrating she was, no matter how reckless her actions, she'd done it all to protect me.

And that was a truth I wasn't ready to face.