Hold Me When I'm Here

Protect Your Ambition

[A/N: Couldn't resist making a prequel to tide you guys over. This happens during the long trip to Sumeru which will take oh a couple days time wise give or take. Longer if Aloy hadn't joined their party. Again if you do not know what happened please go read "I See Your Monsters" first then "War of Hearts" for the full details. But I won't lie, Ajax's now fighting a different battle, one for his life and is slowly getting sicker as they go.]

........................................

Dawn came in like a frigid, howling wolves of Boreas over the cold frosty canyon landscape of the Chasm. What little water and foliage there was had been frozen with thin coating of ice or hoarfrost. Lumine shivered and knew with autumn in full swing this chill was a foreboding promise to this world that winter and harsh rainy season would strike in various parts of the continent of Tevyet as she got out of the bed of furs provided in the makeshift tent. The rich smell of meat just finished being smoked and cooked drifted in on the cold autumn breeze. Not far away the smell was stirring her celestial fairy companion. Beside her though she could hear the faint whimper of one messy haired ginger Snezhnayan.

Lumine frowned at the sight of his pale complexion. This was their second day since the ordeal where Ajax had an attempt on his life for his choice to desert the Fatui to be with her. Because of her he was no suffering. "No, get your head away from that. What is done is done and it was his choice, not your's idiot."she thought taking a near by rag to dry the sweat from his brow. Even with his injuries and the deadly poison that creeped like slowly growing ivy on a wall he seemed happier and...free.

The kind of freedom that made you feel truly and sincerely alive. It showed even when his eyes were dull from suffering and fatigue. His azure eyes once dark now seemed to be as unpredictable as the ocean itself. Calm, bright, and cheerful one moment but could so easily become a raging tsunami of passion and excitement the next. She looked up at hearing a rustle of the fabric drape door of the tent as her new Nora Tribe traveler friend had opened it. "Morning, Lumine."she greeted as she carefully went in and offered one of the bowls full of simple scrambled eggs with onions and some rice. Lumine readily accepted her's and the bowl Aloy had brought for Ajax. "Morning, Aloy and thank you."

"Mmm~! What smells good?"hummed Paimon once she woe up.

"There's more for you outside in the pot Paimon."Aloy stated flatly. 

"Wooo whoo~!"Paimon cheered before flying out of the tent, earning an amused look from the girls.

Aloy's gaze turned to the ailing, slumbering boy beside her blonde companion. "Scoot over."she said getting in closer to look over Ajax as she tapped the device on her ear. Meanwhile Lumine watched her friend remove the blankets and was about to unbutton his shirt when she felt a firm hand grab her arm. 

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing? I don't recall giving anybody but Ojou-chan permission to touch me."came a tired huff as azure met jade green. 

"Quit your fussing, Ajax. Aloy's just trying to help you out."sighed Lumine earning a confused glance from the still half asleep archer as he sat up with a hiss. His head was honestly really bothering him this morning and energetic Paimon's shout hadn't helped with how light his slumber was recently. Sleep was a luxury he wanted yet was evading him. His mind slow to process why there was a tomboy of a redhead here with them.

"Are you that out of it you don't remember I saved your ass from that cliff yesterday?"sighed Aloy looking at him in annoyance as she easily freed her wrist and to both their shock the young Nora huntress had with her bare hands restrained Ajax, and proceeded to rid him of his shirt in one go. "Fine by me, I just love it when people make things difficult."