The briefing suddenly feels claustrophobic the moment you step through the doors, his eyes subtly watching as you make your way to the only open seat next to him. Part of your hair was still damp, your body so close he could smell your shampoo, and it has his fist closed tightly under the table on his lap, his eyes trying to stay focused on the Captains drowning voice.
He could feel the warmth slipping from your skin, his body leaning back against the support of the chair as he crosses his arms. He eyes the way your head is cradled in your palm, elbow on the table, knowing your hangover is probably making the briefing even harder to withstand.
Curious gazes and inquisitive looks at the blackening mark on his face were silenced with a single look of his gaze, not wanting to relive the night you could have possibly been taken advantage of. Or worse.
If he hadn't stopped by the bar...
He inhales sharply, pushing the thoughts away, not willing to even let it be a possibility of something that could have happened. Instead he stretches his leg out, ankle brushing yours as he stiffens slightly, watching your body straighten up ever so gently.
Your ankle knocks back into his, making his lips tug slightly, the events of this morning seemingly staking a huge milestone in the tumultuous relationship between the both of you. Part of him feels the relief of getting back onto your good side, while the other part of him is afraid of what getting too close again might bring.
He side eyes you, only to find that you're subtly looking at him already, that teasing, hardly there smirk on your lips something that has his chest blooming warmly. He knocks his ankle into yours, tipping his head towards the Captain in a silent gesture for you to focus.
He doesn't miss your eye roll, that fiery personality of yours coming back out as he settles into his seat a little more, his fingers tensing into his biceps. His phone buzzing in his back pocket as his focus momentarily distracted, subtly pulling his phone out as he reads a text from one of his buddies.
Lake tonight? 👀
His lips quirk into a smirk as he eyes his buddy across the room, before he finds himself gazing at you. The thought of being around you again has his pulse rate quickening, his body leaning forward causally as he comes back to the same level as you.
His shoulder brushes yours, making your head turn as he subtly slides his phone towards you, watching your eyes scan the text as you suppress a scoff, shooting him a look. Just because he took you in last night and let you sleep in his bed didn't mean things were suddenly back to normal between the two of you.
Nah.
He reads your lips as you mouth them, shaking your head slightly as he rolls his eyes mockingly.
Come on.
He mouths, but you're turning back around after giving him the same head motion to pay attention to the briefing, his eyes widening slightly, unable to help the grin slightly spreading on his lips at your intoxicating attitude.
...
The sun-warmed sand cools under the nights air as his feet sink into it, the lake down the highway from base the hot spot for the soldiers looking to hang out more casually than inside of a bar. The smell of a bonfire and laughter fills the air as he pads down the beach with a couple of his buddies, his eyes seemingly always trying to find you.
After the briefing you had holed up inside of your room to try and sleep off the hangover you had, so the chances of you coming to a bonfire at the lake was slim. He wasn't sure when the days when he had prayed you wouldn't be at parties or bars he was at had vanished, and instead turned into desperately craving your presence wherever he was.
