Warning: This chapter contains explicit content and is intended for mature audiences (R18).
"No, no, no…" Aiah dropped to her knees beside Isaac and grabbed his shoulder.
"Wake up!" she said, shaking him harder. But he didn't move.
His eyes stayed closed. His body was cold with sweat.
Aiah looked around. The sky was getting darker, and strange sounds echoed through the trees.
"We can't stay here…" she whispered.
She moved to his side and slipped her arm beneath his. Using all her strength, she began to pull.
But Isaac's body was heavy, tall, exactly six feet, and solid with muscle. At just five foot five with a petite frame, she struggled. Her arms ached with every step.
"Why do you have to be built like a damn wall?" she muttered under her breath.
Still, she kept dragging him, inch by inch, looking around for shelter.
After what felt like forever, she saw a small opening in the rocks up ahead.
A small cave.
She left Isaac by the entrance and stepped inside, holding her palm up.
[Fire Burst.]
A quick flame lit up the dark cave. She scanned the inside, no monsters, no bones, nothing strange.
It looked safe enough.
She ran back and started dragging Isaac inside, breathing hard, sweat dripping down her back.
When they were fully in, she let go and dropped beside him, gasping for air.
Then she looked at him. His face was pale. His chest slowly moved up and down.
"You better be okay," she whispered.
Aiah remembered the moment Isaac saved her.
But it was his face that stayed clear in her mind.
It was symmetrical and youthful, with a strong jawline and high cheekbones. His skin was smooth and fair, with a healthy, clean look.
His eyes were sharp and intense, framed by thick, dark lashes and perfectly arched eyebrows.
His nose was straight and fit his face well. His lips were full but firm, the corners slightly lifted in a quiet, confident smile.
His chestnut brown hair was thick and messy, falling in soft waves around his forehead and ears. It gave him a bit of a wild, adventurous look.
Before she could think more about it, she forced herself to stop.
She stepped out of the cave entrance and looked around for dry wood to start a fire.
When she returned, she lit the fire. The warm glow lit up the cave. Then Aiah leaned against the wall near Isaac.
"That fool… he trusted me with his life, and now I have to worry about him," she said with a sigh.
She tried to focus on something else, but her mind kept drifting back to Isaac's face.
She shut her eyes tightly, trying to forget. But soon, her stomach growled. She clutched it.
"If I knew this would happen, I would've packed food," she muttered.
She had thought they'd be back at camp by the end of the day.
Her hunger grew stronger. She stood up to distract herself, then thought of checking Isaac's trouser pocket. Inside, she found a piece of bread.
"I'll just replace it tomorrow," she whispered, and ate it quickly.
Her stomach felt a little better, but the cave was still cold, and her body ached from the long day.
Exhaustion crept in. She lay down, curling up beside Isaac. Before long, her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.
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Aiah woke with a start. Isaac was trembling beside her. She reached out and touched him, his body was ice cold.
The fire in the cave had already burned out, and only the faint light of the moon near the entrance gave any visibility.
"No... not now. Please don't let him get worse."
Panic hit her. She sat up, heart pounding.
Isaac needed warmth. She thought about going outside to gather wood, but heavy rain started pouring down without warning.
"Nice. Just perfect," she muttered, shaking her head in frustration.
The wind howled outside, blowing cold air into the cave. The temperature dropped fast, and Isaac's shivering only got worse.
"Come on, think. Do something. I can't let him get worse."
She summoned a small flame in her palms with fire burst, but the warmth barely lasted a few seconds before she let it die..
'No... I can't keep this up. I'll burn out. And if something attacks us, I'll be useless.'
Frustration bubbled up inside her. She looked at Isaac, helpless and pale.
She clenched her fists, jaw tight. But there was no other way.
With a deep breath, she lowered herself beside him.
Then she lay over him, pressing her body against his to share what little warmth she had. Her arms wrapped around his chest. Her legs tangled with his. She held him tightly, trying not to think about anything else.
'This is just for warmth. That's all. He needs heat.'
His skin was like ice against hers. Her heart beat faster, not just from the cold, but from how close they now were.
Minutes passed.
Still, nothing was working.
Aiah looked at Isaac. He was ice cold, and his body hadn't stopped shaking.
She sat beside him, trying to think of another solution, but her mind kept going back to one idea she didn't want to consider.
'No. There has to be something else. Think…'
But the more she tried, the more it made sense. Nothing else would warm him fast enough.
Her heart beat faster as she reached for the bottom of his shirt. She hesitated. Then, slowly, she pulled it up, revealing his stomach and chest, lean, muscular, and well-defined.
His abs were sharp and his chest broad, the kind that looked strong but not bulky. Warm to the eyes, even if cold to the touch.
Her hands shook as she pulled off her top, exposing her chest to the cold air. Her skin was smooth and soft, but the chill made it tighten slightly. Her breasts rose and fell with each breath, full enough to fit perfectly in a hand, natural in shape, with a gentle curve that matched the rest of her body.
She moved on top of him, pressing her body against his. Their skin touched. Her chest against his. Her arms wrapped around him tightly.
'Please work.'
At first, he didn't react. But then, his breathing shifted. His body relaxed just a little.
Isaac's mind stirred in a haze. He wasn't fully awake, trapped in a dream or a memory. In the dark, warm blur, he thought it was Mikaela, her body, her touch, her scent.
A memory came back. The two of them, alone, laughing in some hidden place. Her lips brushing his. Her naked body on top of him.
His breath caught. His hands twitched slightly.
Aiah felt it. Something moved beneath her. She froze, eyes wide.
He was getting hard.
Her cheeks burned, but she didn't move. She bit her lip and closed her eyes.
'I'm just trying to keep him warm. That's all. Just warmth.'
Still, she felt it again. Bigger now. Pressing against her leg.
Her heart pounded harder, but she didn't stop. She held him tighter, trying to stay calm. Slowly, his shivering eased. His skin wasn't as cold.
It was working.
Aiah stayed like that for a while, but she couldn't relax.
Her heart still raced, not just from the cold or worry, but from the way his body reacted to hers. From the things she was feeling and didn't want to admit.
'This doesn't mean anything,' she told herself. 'It's survival. Nothing more.'
Still, a part of her didn't believe it.
She laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was stronger now. Warm.
Her eyes drifted closed.
Tomorrow, they'd deal with everything else. But for now… this was enough.