Death Stranding: Higgs

Chapter Forty-Seven: Whilst My World's Crashing Down

-Higgs' POV- Sam wasn't joking when he said he'd kiss me awake. I feel his lips kiss my cheek gently and feel his arm around my stomach.
"Wake up," He whispers, his lips brushing against my ear softly. "It's too early..." I mutter, pulling the Homo Demen hood lower over my head, trying to block him out.

"Aw, c'mon, Higgs." I gasp as his hand moves up my stomach slowly, so it tickles. I laugh, shoving his arm off. "Okay. Okay! I'm up." I turn to face him. For once, he looks well rested, his hair is clean, and his eyes aren't bloodshot.

He brushes a strand of hair away from my eyes, putting the hood down in the process. "You know, I never realized how attractive you are."
"Is that your way of teasing me?" I say, feeling my face grow warm. His lips pull up into a slight smile.
"Maybe. Maybe not. You decide, Porter." His voice is low, sounding a bit ribald.
Maybe even provocative?

I can't really tell. He chuckles at my confused face and kisses me slowly, catching me by surprise. Then again, I should expect this by now.
Like before back in the hot spring, the kiss is tender and relaxed. He then pulls away, panting softly as his forehead touches mine since we're so close.

"Never thought I'd fall in love with a Porter, of all people." He whispers, his hand gripping my shoulder. I look away shyly, feeling flustered at the fact that he is so sweet.
"What about everyone at Bridges? What will they think?" And my father, I realize. I told him Sam was my enemy....
"They don't have to know." He smiles. "We'll run off together. You and me and Nava. Once this whole fiasco is over, we'll be free! Then we can all live in peace wherever we want."
I frown. "Run away?" I shake my head. "Sam, I can't just run away."

He laughs, kissing my forehead before getting up. "I ran away, Higgs. You can as well. Trust me, being chained down by Bridges was horrible. Once you break the ties, there's no turning back."
He looks so sure about his plan, not realizing how anxious that makes me feel.

"But, my father—"
"I'm sure your dad will be fine with the news. Besides, he saw the both of us in the trenches together." He waves the issue off, helping me up off the ground.
Before I can say anything else, Sam looks out at the cave entrance. "We should get going. We're burning daylight. C'mon!" He runs out of the cave and into the sunny day.

I blink rapidly once I'm outside. After I rub my eyes, I see Sam crouching by a small stream, filling up his canteen with water. Once that is done, he smiles at me, looking like the happiest person on Earth.
I smile back, heart racing.

We both walk again, talking to one another to pass the time. After an hour, we rest. I lean against a rock, listening to the water flowing in a river close by. Sam is sitting near said river, drawing with a stick on the mud of the riverbank.
He keeps glancing up at me occasionally, then resumes drawing whatever it is.

"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Drawing you." He states.
"Make sure to get my good side." I joke.
He grins. "Are you implying that you have a bad side?"
"Hey, you said it first."
He scoffs, trying to look offended but still smiling.
"I'm just imagining what you'd be like as a Homo Demen. Could you imagine being their leader?"

I laugh. "Me? Pfft. That's crazy. That's like saying you'd remain a Porter. Could you imagine some alternate universe where that actually happened?"
He laughs as well. "With you licking my face? I can't see you doing that, Higgs."

He sets the stick down, then lays on the ground with a groan. "My whole body hurts. I haven't walked this much in years."
"What? Do you want me to carry you all the way to Edge Knot?"
He looks up at the sky. From the one side of his face that I can see, his lips curl up.
"Would you really do that? Carry me like cargo?"
"I'll slap a fragile sticker on you just to be sure." I respond. He laughs, looking mildly offended, placing a hand over his heart. "Ouch. Hit me where hurts, why don't you? Might as well say: 'they can slap a sticker on you, but you're still gonna break in transit.'"

"Ooo. I should say that if you ever get on my nerves."
"You saying I haven't taunted you before?"
"Absolutely not," I mutter, crossing my arms.
"Coming from the man who blushes cutely every time I compliment or kiss you. I still find that adorable, by the way."
Almost on cue, I feel my face go pink.

Sam snorts so hard, he would have knocked himself over if he wasn't already on the ground.
"See? Adorable!"
"Stop. I can only handle so many compliments!" I pull the Homo Demen hood over my face, even though it isn't raining.
"You're adorable, Higgsie.~" He sings.
"I will throw a rock at you, dang it. I've already chucked your gloves at your face. Don't make me do it again." I squeak out. "I'm serious."

I hear him laugh. "I'd like to see you try and hit me, Higgs."
"Then I'll curse you out in southern slang." I huff, pulling the hood lower and wanting to sink into the ground.
"Go ahead. Call me a wet blanket or whatever."
"Oh, bless your heart, you really mean well, don't ya?" I say in the most forced sympathetic voice I can muster.
"That's an insult? I thought you'd call me worse."
"It's one of the worst things I can call a person if you're from the south." I explain.

"Well, I'm not from the Deep South, Princess. You're gonna have to call me something a lot worse."
"I'll keep that in mind...." I mutter, then look up.
"Did you just call me princess?"
He barks out a laugh and I watch him get up.
"Just to see the look on your face, yes!"

I get up as well. "We should get going." I say, putting the hood down.
Sam groans, dragging his feet in an exaggerated way, looking like he wants to collapse again.
"Come on, you big oaf. Maybe we can sleep in another Private Room." I tease.
"What, so we can both shower at the same time?" Sam muses.
"N-no!" I stammer, waving the idea away immediately. "So I can finish reading that book, and THEN shower. Alone. Hopefully...."
He snickers. "Whatever you say, Porter...."