Crimson & Clover {OC x GUTS} Berserk

15. Heat

When the sun rose, they stood, breathless and soaked in rancid mud.

"You two stink!" Puck said as he pinched his nose.

"So fucking gross. Please, Guts, let's stop up here. It's private enough and the water is clean," she motioned to a river just up ahead and started walking towards its bank.

He only nodded looking to Puck whose jaw was dropped at the princess's use of foul language.

"You'ra bad influence on her," Puck's wings fluttered as he flew after Marcella.

Guts stood behind for a moment. The sludge from the bog really did stink. He'd be more than happy to wash up. He needed a minute to process the nights events. Marcella had held her own for quite some time. She used techniques he had shown her. At one point they had been completely overwhelmed and she resorted to blindly slashing around. Not once had she resorted to using magick to cocoon herself away from danger.

He wasn't sure if he admired her or feared for her.

He shrugged his bag over his shoulder and followed after Puck. Ahead he could see Marcella as she rushed into the water with all of her clothes on. He found that he had held his breath as she disappeared below the surface.

He'd always hated soft things... but not her. Her ultra-femininity shone through at times and regardless of how she denied it, Guts was entranced by it.

He took off his armor and shirt. Avoiding the temptation to watch as she took off hers.

Her toned arms and back had water droplets rolling down her skin. He focused once more on the material in his own hands.

She stayed turned away from him, careful not to let him see, but rushing to get the soiled clothing off of her body. She stood where the water covered her from her belly button and down. The thick mud was out of her clothes now and eventually she'd have to make her way to the river's shore to hang her clothes up. She had a cloak in her sack she could use to dry off and cover up with.

She turned slightly to get a glimpse at Guts. He was absorbed in scrubbing the muck off his armor. Now was the best time to rush to her sack and cover herself.

Guts watched from the corner of his eye as she quickly ran to the shore. She held the dripping pile of fabric to her chest, squeezing the excess water while covering herself as best as she could.

He knew he needed to look away and give her the privacy she was entitled to. But his eye lingered on the rippling muscles in her thighs and calves with each step she took. The curve of her ass was beautiful. She was beautiful.

She bent down, covering any hint of her breasts, thankfully, because Guts wasn't sure how much longer he could do this – watch and pretend he wasn't watching. Pretend to himself that she wasn't stirring up his primal instincts. Think with his brain and not his head.

He quickly looked down, seeing that the bog sludge was now out of his shirt.

When he turned back, she stood wrapped in a cloak and on her tippy toes, her back towards him. She was hanging up her clothes. Even that made emotion swirl within him. Her clothing was petite. Yeah, she was strong, she knew how to fight. She was learning to kill quicker and more efficient. But seeing her stand on her toes like that, the cloak hovering just at the back of her knees, it made his heart swell.

The wind blew, pinning the fabric of her cloak against the curve of her body. Somehow he found this even more sexy than just moments ago when she had been completely nude.

Guts carried his wet shirt over to the branch she had hung her clothes on and hung his up, his shirt four times the size of hers. He set his armor on dry sand and began to build a fire.