Back Home (Edited) Book 4 of the Guardians Saga

Fluff Chapter - Lethal Laundry

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast of pancakes and sausages, Alex gazed down at the small mountain of dirty clothes scattered around their tent. "As much as I hate to say it, we need to do laundry," she sighed. "Back to reality. I doubt there's a laundromat nearby. How do y'all do laundry?"

"Don't worry, Rile will take care of it," Gabe said with a smirk, gesturing towards their brother who was already gathering up the laundry and tossing it into a large basket.

"What's so funny?" Alex asked, sensing some inside joke between the three boys.

"Nothing," Cale chuckled, exchanging a knowing glance with Gabe.

"They're just being idiots," Rile muttered under his breath. "C'mon, Alex." Rile hoisted the laundry basket with practiced ease.

As Alex trotted after Rile, her feet crunching on the rocky ground, she couldn't help but notice the tension in his shoulders. "What was that about?" she finally asked when they reached a small river surrounded by jagged rocks.

"They're a couple of jerks," Rile replied, not bothering to slow down.

Alex could tell there was more to the story, but decided it was best to just observe for now. As they approached the bank of the river, she saw a group of females washing laundry. Their clothes were colorful and vibrant against the earthy backdrop of the riverbank. The females greeted Rile with open arms, but their reactions towards Alex ranged from surprise to suspicion to outright hostility.

"So laundry is women's work." Alex commented, but Rile shrugged. "Which is why Gabe and Cale made fun of you." He shrugged again. "But the joke's on them, isn't it? Not only are there plenty of females to flirt with, I bet you always have someone do your laundry."

Rile hunched his shoulders and avoided eye contact as Alex continued.

"Next time though." Alex scrubbed a stubborn stain on a shirt. "Please come alone. I don't think I can survive another trip here. Talk about if looks could kill."

"You trust me?" Rile asked, eye-ridges raised.

"Of course I do," Alex replied. "I know you have plenty of options to fool around with someone else if you wanted to. Following you do laundry won't change that. All I ask is that if you ever get bored with me, just tell me right away. It'll hurt less that way." She paused, then went back to scrubbing the stubborn stain.

"Alex." Rile gently took the shirt away and held her hands. "Life with you is never boring. If it ever does become boring, I will enjoy the rest of my life quietly with you."

"What about when you grow tired of my craziness?" Alex pretended to study a stain on a shirt.

He tilted her face up to his. "I won't grow tired of your craziness. It keeps things interesting. I don't go for the sweet, submissive type." He brushed his lips against hers.

"Lucky me. Now, let's return to the laundry before the females here lynch me. I prefer to die fighting the bad guys, not killed by jealous females."

"You fought those Anolis females very well."

"The Anolis female were murderous rapists and they needed a beat-down. These Agama females are merely petty, so I don't think they need it. They use their words as weapons. It wouldn't be fair for me to fight back with a sword,' Alex said.

"It might curb their tongues."

Alex laughed. "How much trouble would we get in?"

Rile grinned at her. "A lot. Let's finish the laundry."