Moonrise ✔ [Complete]

44 Chocolate (Part 2)

They didn't say much to each other as they diverted from their previous path, continuing at a slight left. And even if she had wanted to break the silence, it wasn't long until they heard the faintest gurgle of a stream.

They both halted and listened. When they were certain their ears hadn't misled them, he grinned over his shoulder at her. "I think that's water."

"Praise the gods," she muttered.

To their relief, water had only been more than a hundred yards away from their small campsite. They quickened their hike, stepping over branches and tiny boulders in order to reach the rocky riverbank. The sound of trickling water sang louder in their ears, and in the darkness, the light from Reo's heat dome reflected off flowing, but moderate ripples. The wide stream flowed north, down from some higher elevated point in the mountain range.

While Maeyune examined their surroundings, Reo charged forward. He made a soft exclamation of triumph. "I was right!"

He fell to his knees on the riverbank, leaned over the edge, and scooped water into his palm. In repetition, he raised his hand to his mouth and drew in a short gulp each time.

She watched him, momentarily concerned with the probability of contaminated water, but remembered he was capable of healing and perpetually restoring his own health. She needed to hydrate herself and hoped she wouldn't need his healing services because of it. Her mouth set into a straight line of defiant independence.

As Reo proceeded to pour water over his face and neck, she knelt beside him and lowered her fingers into the water. Though, the moment she touched the stream, a hiss escaped through her teeth, and her hands shot out again.

The water was freezing.

Reo had gone quiet, and when she glanced at him, she found him observing her. "Want me to warm it up for you?"

She thought he was offering a kind gesture--until she saw the flash of white teeth in the dark.

She wasn't sure if she was miffed or relieved that he was still his arrogant self.

"No, thank you," she said. It was an effort not to grumble.

He ignored her, pushing his glowing hand into the stream right as she did, and the water around her hands developed a much more tolerable temperature. Refusing to acknowledge his help, she cupped her palms together and brought water to her lips, taking in careful sips before thirst demanded an entire gulp. It tasted fresh and untainted at least.

She brought up another palmsful, splashing water across her face and using her fingers to scrub off as much of the dirt and grime as possible. Then, she ran water down the strands of her hair, washing away accumulated dirt.

"Thank Vaius," she breathed, feeling refreshed a minute later.

Reo laughed in agreement. "Yes, thank Vaius."

There was a moment when she felt the need to inquire into that dream of his. But before she could give in to her envy, there came the sound of unzipping. She looked at him and found him stripping off the jacket of his battlesuit. Then, her eyes went wide when he removed the black undershirt over his head, revealing his bare torso.

Regardless of the darkness, she could still distinguish the definition of his body. She glimpsed the tattoos on his left chest--black ink on tanned skin--and felt the smallest tinge of curiosity to move closer and see them more clearly. Catching sight of a sun, she knew they were the same tattoos that she'd seen before in the Overlord's dream trap. The intricate details traveled over his left shoulder to his back.

Her mind--of its own will--drew from memory and completed the imagination for her. The only other time she'd seen him half-naked had been in that dream. She and Reo had wrestled one another in that fighting cage. They'd been strength against speed, skin on skin--