It, like always, backfires on me because he turns his head slightly to give me a broad grin and says cheekily, "Yes, sunflower, I do have the hots for you. Glad you finally noticed. I also have a-"
I stare at his back for a few seconds before I grin widely. "I'm getting a piggyback ride?!" I exclaim excitedly, jumping on his back and putting my arms around his neck.
He snuggles me closer to his warm body. His arms hold me closer and he mutters something quietly to himself. "Hmm?" I ask distractedly as his chest vibrates. I look up at him when he whispers, "You're home, sunflower."
I sigh, rubbing my forehead in pain. "Fine," I whine, "What do you want me to, uh, do? Where-how do I sit?" I ask without looking at him; I can't glance at him because, yes, a part - an unreasonable, foreign part - of me secretly does want this.
"So?" He shrugs, unaffected. "Unlike you, I don't get so angry at what she says to me. What's she gonna do anyway? She'll pull my ear, ask me to start behaving with you, but I'll lie and then forget about it- don't be shocked, Naira. We have already established that I'm shameless."
Holding the rope, the archer tightened his grip on it, 'This is why the boy's shirt was torn! He distracted me with using the fabric to topple the rocks after running in the opposite direction; hence why I heard the noise in a completely different direction.'