Pertemis A Moon's Tale

Chapter XXIX: Tale of the Cottage

Lunar's POV:

I jerked awake with the sound of fire cracking and someone gritting their teeth. I was still in my sitting position. When did I fall asleep?

The gritting teeth came again and I turned aground to see the man squirming on his bed. I went over and checked on him. He wasn't sweating, but he seemed to be in pain. Probably a bad dream. But when my hand placed on his forehead, I jolted back from the heat. Gosh, he was burning. Staying in the cold water for so long must have given him a fever. His teeth was clattering madly and I had to put a cloth in his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue. His clothes was tattered, it wouldn't offer much protection from the cold.  I rushed over to the fire and moved the smoulder closer to his bed. Then I began to blow the smoke until the flame came and a second fire was set up. He was still cold, I could feel it by the way he crouched himself. Without something to wrap over him, the man would be dead. I went to check on my clothes, it was dried now but too small for his size. I was in the cave and my basket didn't contain any herb that would reduce the fever. If we were back in my cottage, I could treat this in no time.

He was breathing hard from the cold now and panic began to rise. I had to save him soon or he will die. The looked down at my body, at the only thin undergarments that covered me. The only last option was body heat. Without hesitation, I went over to the fire and spread out my arms, trying to let my skin warm up from the fire as much as possible. Once I felt my skin was already hot enough, I went over and sat on top of him. I didn't know if my small body could cover all of his, but this was the only way now. I closed my eyes and laid on him, our skin embraced and I hissed by the temperature of his body on my stomach. Gosh, he was burning.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed closer, reducing any gaps that were between us. Perhaps it was the situation that prevented me from realising it, but the moment he started to calm down and I grinned for my method was working, conscious hit. The only thing both of us had on were our undergarments, in order words, we were hugging each other naked. Heat started building up on my cheeks as I looked away from his chest. I forgot my lips were touching his sculpted chest for a moment there. Being close to him had its positive really. He smelled good, like too good for a male that probably had been out in the wild for years. There a a citric mixing with fresh ocean scent from him. The more I laid closer to the man, the more I enjoyed it.

Suddenly, a pair of hand hooked around my back and squeezed. I went rigid. Somehow being conscious still have him the strength and knowledge of where to place his hand. He flip us over so now I was laying at his side. The man continued to bury his face to the nape of my neck, his legs tangled with mine and his arms still pulled my closer to his body.

My heart forgot how to beat. His breathing, it was warm and the way it fanned on my neck did not help at all. I tried to push him away, but the more I struggled, the closer to pulled me towards him. I saw his jaws moving, probably mumbling something. But I couldn't make up a single word he made. After awhile, he finally felt unconscious again and his arms stopped squeezing me. But since I was locked in the position, there was no escape route. Just hope I wake up before him and dawn and get away from this mess.

What did I get myself into?

With that, we somehow cuddled ourselves into sleep.