Sky Fall [ReaderxGeneralHux&KyloRen]

(9) Flyby Vol. 2

Your shoulder hurting like hell wakes you up just when it gets light outside. Armitage is sleeping behind you. He must have turned away from you in his sleep because he is now hugging himself, still passed out.

Quietly, you get up, rolling your shoulder in hopes to release some of the pain. Then you stretch your back and legs. If you have to sleep on stone another night, you will give yourself up to the Rebellion voluntarily.

You step outside the cave and breathe in the morning air. It's not as crisp as it was in the forest. It's drier out here in this weird wasteland. You cannot wait to get back to the river. It is at least one sign of life. Also, your hand: carefully, you take off the bandage. It doesn't hurt as bad, but it stings, and you need to clean it soon.

Squatting down next to Armitage, you tap his arm and say: "Hey, rise and shine."

He lets out a groan: "Tell the bridge I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes? That seems awfully fast to get up and into uniform. Do you not eat breakfast?"

Irritated by your reply, he turns around, squinting at the sunlight.

"Ah shit." He breathes out.

"Good morning to you too."

Blinking a few times, he sits up.

"I didn't mean it like that..." He starts to explain himself, rubbing his face. "I just really wished a Trooper had woken me on the base. Not that I don't want to get woken up by you! I just-"

"Me too." You interrupt him and offer him your hand to help him stand up.

Making your way back up to the river, you don't talk. Neither of you appears to be sure what it meant that you almost had sex yesterday. Armitage helps you climb a few times so that you don't have to put too much weight on your injured hand.

You let out a relieved sigh when you get to kneel down next to the river and wash your face and hand and quench your thirst.

"Listen." You break the silence. He looks alert, like he's expecting for you to rebuff him.

"I really want to take a bath in the water. I cannot stand the feeling of dried sweat on my skin any longer."

"Oh." Armitage immediately eases up. He looks around. There is still no cover in sight, only the forest in the distance where you came from. "I'll stand guard." He declares.

"Thank you." You start to take off your clothes. As soon as you open the zipper of your pants, he turns away to observe the horizon. It makes you grin. It's very modest of him.

It feels weird to be naked for the first time in days. But my oh my is it amazing. With a loud sigh, you step into the water, careful not to slip on a stone. Since the river gained some momentum out here, you don't dare to go all the way to the middle where the current rushes by fast. Holding your arms out to keep balance, you wade in as deep as you dare to before you dip your head under the surface. You move around under the water, spinning around to feel weightless for just a moment. It takes the pressure off your body.

When you come up again, you catch Armitage no longer observing what's in the distance, but you. You throw your heads back to get the hair out of your face. You don't break the eye contact and it's too late now for Armitage to pretend he didn't look at you.

You swim to the shore and say: "Hand me the knife."

It takes him a moment to get moving, taking his eyes off your exposed shoulder and upper chest. He grabs the knife by the handle and holds it out for you.