eldia

11 | the fire between us

"Wait!" Your ears pick up the sound of Jean calling out to you along with his footsteps chasing after you. You tried your best to hide the smile on your face but you couldn't help it.

Everything was going exactly the way you hoped.

He refuses to look you in your eyes as he walks beside you. "Fine. I'll go with you but only because I know you're going to go anyway so might as well have someone protecting you."

You noticed that the apples of his cheeks were glowing with a pretty shade of pink. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, Jeanbo." You tease him.

He finally snaps his head in your direction. "Don't call me that!"

You grin as you walk over to the hidden corner where you kept your belongings. Maximus was tied to a nearby tree, patiently guarding your things.

The same tree your horse was tied to, had a large opening at the base. You reach in and pull all your stuff out.

"Really? That's where you hid your things? In a tree hole?" Jean asks, hands on his hips.

Crouched down, you stare up at him with furrowed brows. "No one just goes digging their hands into tree holes. Besides, Maximus is guarding it."

He stares at you as you stand up again, your belongings bunched up in your arms. "The horse? You're putting your trust in the horse?"

You glare his way. "Try to touch my stuff."

He doesn't feed into your game at first, much too prideful to give in. You lift your eyebrows. "Go on."

He smacks his lips as he decides to indulge in your game for a moment by reaching over to grab the things you carry in your arms. The second he's even near it, the horse snaps its large teeth in his direction and he quickly pulls his hand away. "Ahh!" He yells as he shakes his hand in the air.

You pat the horse on the head. "Told you." You then menacingly smile at the boy beside you. "Good thing you have fast reflexes. One second later and you would've had to kiss that hand of yours goodbye."

Of course if he hadn't pulled away quickly enough, you would healed any injury he would've suffered but it was fun to tease him anyway.

"I can't believe you taught it to do that." Jean grumbles under his breath while he rubs at his almost bitten off hand. He then watches as you shove the book you stole into one of the bags you carried with you. "What is that?"

You ignore him and continue to forcefully shove the book into the bag. When you come to terms that it isn't going to fit, you groan and pull on whatever it is that's taking up all the space.

Out comes the clothes you had on originally before you changed into the nurse uniform. "Stay here." You order as you walk over to an empty tent to change.

He could've swore he saw a glimpse of something familiar in your arms before you turned your back. "You're gonna leave me here with the demon horse?!" He shouts, hands cupped over his mouth so his voice echos louder.

The horse neighs at the perfect time and Jean gives it a dirty look before moving further from it. "Stupid horse."

Once you're out of sight and alone in the lonesome tent full of boxes of supplies and cans, you take a moment to recollect your thoughts and catch your breath.

This was the first time you've seen Jean since that night. The night he discovered how you felt about him years ago and the same night he tried to return those feelings to you before you stopped him.

You weren't stupid. You knew Jean had always felt a certain type of way about you. From the way you caught him glancing at you on several occasions to the way he found any little excuse to touch you when no one was around.