He realized, in that moment, how little he knew about her.
Aria caught his stare again, and this time, her blush deepened, turning a rich crimson. She shifted, clearing her throat and folding her arms as if to steady herself. "Eat," she repeated, feigning irritation but unable to hide the slight fluster in her tone.
James smirked, biting into the fruit. He let the moment settle, letting the warmth of the soup earlier and now the sweetness of the berries ease him further into comfort.
James smirked, casually plucking another berry from the bowl, rolling it between his fingers before popping it into his mouth. He let the silence stretch just a little too long, watching as Aria stubbornly refused to meet his gaze.
"You always turn that red when someone thanks you, or is it just me?" he asked, his tone laced with amusement.
Aria stiffened slightly, her fingers tightening around the edge of the bowl. "I—" she started, but quickly shut her mouth, huffing in exasperation. "You should be grateful I'm feeding you instead of letting you starve," she muttered, clearly trying to regain some composure.
James chuckled, leaning back slightly despite the dull ache in his body. "Oh, I am. But watching you act like this is almost worth getting injured."
Aria glared at him, her blush only deepening, and without missing a beat, she plucked a berry from the bowl and pressed it against his lips with just a little too much force. "Eat," she commanded.
James held back a laugh as he obliged, letting the moment settle between them.
James smirked as he chewed the berry she had practically shoved against his lips. He took his time, exaggerating his movements just enough to make Aria shift awkwardly in place.
"You know," he mused, tilting his head, "for someone who lives in the middle of nowhere, you get flustered pretty easily. Do you have many warriors waking up in your hut, or am I just special?"
Aria shot him a look, half exasperation, half embarrassment. "You are impossible," she muttered, her fingers gripping the edge of the bowl a little tighter.
James chuckled, stretching slightly despite the soreness in his muscles. "I'll take that as a yes."
Aria sighed, setting the bowl down a little too firmly beside him. "Eat before I decide you're not worth the effort," she warned, though the lingering blush on her cheeks betrayed the bite in her words.
James grinned but obediently plucked another slice of fruit from the bowl. He had to admit, teasing her made the morning a little more interesting.
James leaned back slightly, his grin widening. "You know, if this is how you treat all your wounded guests, maybe I should get injured more often," he teased, plucking another berry from the bowl.
Aria shot him a look, her blush still lingering. "I can make sure you won't recover if that's what you want," she said, her tone dry—but the way she shifted in place betrayed the fluster behind her words.
James chuckled, savoring the rare moment of amusement in between everything else that had happened. "Tempting," he mused, "but I think I'd rather get better. Gives me more time to bother you."
Aria exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Unbelievable," she muttered, but despite her exasperation, a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
James smirked, satisfied. "You like it."
Aria huffed, standing abruptly. "Just eat your fruit before I decide to make it disappear."
James laughed, finally letting up as he grabbed another slice, watching as she busied herself with straightening the room—probably just to avoid looking at him.
James took another bite of the fruit, letting the teasing fade as his thoughts drifted to something more pressing. He glanced at Aria, who was still pointedly avoiding his gaze while tidying up the hut.
"How long until I can get up and move properly?" he asked, his voice steady, though there was a clear impatience beneath it.
Aria paused, then sighed, turning back to face him. "Depends," she said simply, crossing her arms. "You were half-dead when I found you. Your body's healing, but it'll take time. Days, at least. Maybe longer if you keep pushing yourself too soon."
James exhaled, drumming his fingers lightly against the wooden bowl. He hated being stuck in one place, but he knew she was right—his body felt like it had been through a war.
"You're getting better, though," she added, tilting her head slightly. "Grandfather's medicines work fast, and the books might help you understand how to recover properly."
James nodded, filing that away. He wasn't fond of waiting, but if knowledge could speed things up, he'd take it.
James leaned back slightly, letting out a slow breath. He was stuck here for now—might as well learn more about the place and the people in it.
"You've lived here your whole life?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with curiosity.
Aria nodded, shifting to sit more comfortably beside him. "As far back as I can remember," she admitted. "Grandfather says we've been here even longer than that."
James studied her for a moment. "And you don't ever want to leave? See the world beyond the forest?"
Aria hesitated, her fingers idly tracing the rim of the wooden bowl. "It's not that simple," she murmured. "Out there… things are different. Dangerous in ways that don't always involve beasts."
James raised an eyebrow. There was weight in her words, something more than just caution—it was experience.
"But this place—it's home," she added, offering a small smile. "The river, the trees, the quiet… It's all I've ever known."
James nodded slowly, letting the thought settle. A life untouched by the chaos of the outside world, yet bound by its own unseen restrictions.
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