The room fell into a heavy silence as the aftermath of the altercation weighed on them. Jacob, attempting to break the tension, made a biting comment about Connor's missing legs. But it only deepened the bitterness in the air.
Jacob flashed a sheepish smile. "What? Too soon?"
"Way too soon," Connor replied, but the faintest twitch of his mouth betrayed a reluctant amusement.
As the others began to move, some seeking a place to rest, others preparing for the next phase, Lyle lingered. Leaning casually against a splintered wooden beam with his arms crossed, he watched the twins closely, as though silently assessing their worth.
Eventually, night fell, and they were all exhausted one by one.
The majority of the party had woken up, refreshed, and prepared to go by morning. However, Finn sat aside from the others, his dark bags under his eyes and disheveled hair indicating that he had not had enough sleep. Clearly drained, he chose to stay behind and recover.
Connor awoke to find Jacob still asleep beside him, their bodies awkwardly tangled in the limited space. He stayed still for a moment, watching as the others began to stir and settle into their morning routines with practiced ease. They assembled in a loose circle to talk on their next course of action, as though by some unwritten agreement.
Prioritizing hunting, Finn was tasked with remaining behind as watch while the others got ready to go.
After a while, Jacob stretched and felt his muscles become rigid, a reminder of their restless night. He sighed softly, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand, trying to shake off the residual warmth of sleep and the chill of the morning air.
With a yawn, he pushed himself up on one elbow, his tousled hair falling into Connor's face. In response, Connor inhaled sharply, his breath becoming a fraction heavier at the sensation.
Jacob tensed, his eyes darting around the area where they had been resting. "Where did everyone go?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of concern.
Connor glanced up, his expression unbothered, though his tone was matter-of-fact as he adjusted his makeshift leg. "Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing. You're gonna need to stand on your own at some point." He gestured to his leg. "Why don't you help me find some scrap to fix this?"
Jacob heard him, but it was too early to deal with Connor's energy. Not about to let it ruin his mood, Jacob glanced toward Finn. With a lazy look in his direction, he called out, "Hey, Finn."
Finn, half awake and lazily twisting his finger in his ear, barely looked up. "Yeah?"
Jacob gestured vaguely at the empty space around them. "What happened to everyone?"
"Oh... that," Finn muttered, catching his knife and tossing it lazily into the air. "They went hunting."
Jacob grunted, his gaze falling to the broken stick on the ground. He didn't have much choice—he was stuck here with Connor, unable to move freely, especially with only one leg between them. So, he grabbed the stick and began to draw a tic-tac-toe grid in the dirt.
He began to play round after round against himself. The reality of their combined circumstances prevented him from asking Connor to join in. Because their bodies were united, they had to make uncomfortable concessions for any joint action, and neither of them wanted to do so.
Gazing at the stick he was holding, Jacob let out a sigh. He played another round without thinking, the sound of the stick scratching the ground filling the void. His thoughts were straying as he looked at Connor. Perhaps he ought to have invited him to play. But the truth was, moving with Connor like this was complicated, and every effort to do something normal felt strained. They couldn't afford to let themselves sink into despair—not here. If they did, survival would become that much harder.
Still, it wasn't easy to keep up the facade. "Guess I'll just keep beating myself," Jacob muttered, drawing another "X" on the grid before scratching it out with a huff.
Connor, who had been watching silently, finally spoke. "You know, if you're that bored, you could help me figure out our next move instead of sulking."
Jacob rolled his eyes, but didn't look up. "Sulking? Nah. Just waiting for inspiration to strike." He tapped the stick against the ground, the rhythm an attempt at distracting himself. "Any second now."
Finn, still half-dazed, snorted. "Inspiration's overrated. They'll be back before you find any."
Jacob glanced at Finn, smirking. "Yeah? And what are you doing that's so productive, oh great lookout?"
Finn stretched and yawned. "I'm looking. Out." He waved vaguely at the horizon.
Jacob chuckled and shook his head. "Right. Well, let me know if you spot anything other than the same empty wasteland we've been stuck in for days."
Connor shifted slightly, his voice quieter now. "We need a plan, Jacob."
Jacob finally looked at him, eyes scanning the familiar, worn lines of Connor's face. The casual banter they shared couldn't mask the weight of their situation. With a resigned sigh, Jacob tossed the stick aside. "Yeah, I know. But planning isn't exactly my strong suit." He gave a half-hearted grin. "That's your job, right?"
Connor frowned, but didn't argue. Instead, he adjusted his position, feeling the dull ache in his body. "We'll figure something out. We always do."
Jacob nodded, leaning back on his elbows. "Yeah... we always do."
The silence between them was thick but comforting, the kind only twins could understand.