The water rushed over Lucas' face as he dove into the lake. The heat of this climate had caused a lot of sweat to accumulate on his body. It also seemed to be affecting his behavior as of late.
'What had he done?'
He didn't even think about it. The worst part was he didn't want to stop. The feel of her lips against his was now burned into his mind forever.
'But it wasn't a real kiss.'
The reality was that he had touched his lips to hers. Lucas could not just simply forget how that felt, not with how he felt about her.
The water's surface broke as he gulped in the hot dense air. Glancing to the shore and seeing Eva lying there unconscious, caused him to remember the sensation once more.
'I was just treating her.'
He floated on his back as he let the cold water numb his body. If the heat affected him this much it was probably worse for Eva.
'We need to leave this heat as soon as possible.'
Swimming back to the shore, he walked out of the water dripping wet. He probably should cool his head longer, but he couldn't leave Eva alone in this heat.
She seemed to be struggling on the blanket he laid out for her. Pulling a fresh set of clothes from his bag he quickly dried off and changed.
Her long hair was messed up and stuck to her face. Pulling out the comb he had carved for her he began taming the half dried hair.
It was partially his fault that it got so unruly. It was not just because he wanted to run his fingers through it, or feel the silky smooth tendrils against his skin.
The heated sensation from earlier prickled his skin. Shaking his head he cleared his mind of all impure thoughts.
'This heat is really dangerous.'
Packing all of the bags so that it would be easier for him to carry her, he reached down and picked up Eva. Even in this heat she always curled up into his chest and grabbed at his shirt.
Lucas loved this feeling of closeness with Eva. If he could remember one thing of his time with her it would be this feeling.
Taking a moment to appreciate the soft features of Eva's face, Lucas sighed inwardly. If only all his interactions with Eva could be like this.
"Mmm… Lucas.."
She mumbled in her sleep. Lucas hugged her closer and rested his head on top of hers briefly. Eva smiled in her sleep making his heart skip a beat.
'Adorable.'
Remembering his task, he made sure that their water skins were full and began the long walk across the grasslands. The heat in her face reduced the farther he walked.
Occasionally, he would stop and pour a bit of water at Eva's lips so she could stay hydrated. He didn't dare try the mouth to mouth maneuver again.
It felt like he was betraying her trust. He would have to find a way to apologize to her once she was feeling better.
The bright, sunny day eventually turned into a cold night. Lucas had to stop to wrap Eva up in a blanket after she started shivering. She showed no signs of waking.
Since the night was cooler he felt more confident in covering ground more quickly and soon the overbearing grasslands were replaced by forest once more.
Finding a clearing near a stream was easy for Lucas and he quickly set up camp in the slightly warm forest. The area made him feel uneasy at first, but a quick sweep of the surrounding area told him that the area was safe.
Lucas sighed as he settled into the side of a tree next to Eva. He would need to sacrifice a few hours to rest. Instead of a deep sleep like Eva he settled into a meditation.
This was a technique taught to young elves to stay alert in the forest when they were alone. It allowed them to quickly react to any dangers they might face.
Lucas was glad he had this ability, because otherwise Eva would have to take watch while he slept. It was more efficient for him to use meditation, so they both got plenty of rest.
A dryad and a cat sat in the trees staring at the two on the ground.
"Seriously, why are these two being so stubborn? I had to wait forever for them to finally come to a forest too!"
The dryad puffed out her cheeks in annoyance as she crossed her arms on her chest. The cat made a laughing noise next to her.
"Isn't it more fun like this?"
The dryad glared at the cat next to her.
"They love each other, why don't they just get together already?"
She was impatient as usual. The cat internally shook its head at her impatience. He set his head on his paws and calmly stared at the two.
"You are still young. It is more fun to watch a slow burn romance. Besides, don't you think it is cute?"
The cat spirit had taken a liking to the elf and human. It had been many years since it had given a blessing to a mortal. Watching mortals was somewhat a hobby of his.
"If you say so. It is just so frustrating because there have been so many pushes and yet nothing has happened."
The dryad sighed and sat on the branch and kicked her feet out as they dangled from the branch. Yawning, the cat spirit lounged next to the dryad.
"I don't know how you are so calm about this."
The dryad twirled her green hair with her finger. She looked down at the cat spirit and saw that it was resting. Huffing, she merged with the branch and decided to return to her territory.
The cat spirit opened one of its eyes and sighed in relief.
'The young are so impatient. I have been waiting centuries for a chance meeting such as this.'
Filling the clearing with some magic, it created a protective barrier that hid it from most predators. He would be keeping his entertainment safe for the time being.
Snorting out a breath, it put the elf to sleep. A light breeze swept through the clearing and the cat laid its head back on its paws once again.
'There, now I can rest in peace.'
******
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