Winter's Soulmate | Winter Soldier ✔

Chapter Seven

~Amelies POV~

I woke up quickly, feeling strangely wide awake after falling asleep utterly exhausted. I remembered feeling bitterly cold, but as my eyes fluttered open, I felt nothing but warmth.

The source of heat was mainly the fleece and waterproof layers I'd shoved on the night before, and I was still wearing my thick socks and shoes too, but I was warm from something else.

Winters arms were holding me, even though his body was twisted away. I gently lifted my head up on the pillow, to see the back of his head, covered in tangled and knotted hair. He wore a jumper, which had faint flecks of what looked like dirt and mud scattered across his back.

His arm was twisted from his lying position, to hold both my arm and lie across my stomach protectively, holding me against him as his body lifted slowly with each breath.

"Winter?" I whispered softly into the room. Sun was streaming through the cracks in the wood that made up the walls of the shack, and the cloth that hung over the window was growing translucent.

His head snapped back to face me, his eyes scanning my face with an intensity that made me want to look away. I forced myself to smile at him though, maintaining eye contact in the hopes his stiff body would relax a little.

"We need to leave. How quickly can you get ready?" He asked, as he stood up from the bed and ran his hand through his hair.

I frowned, and glanced around the small room, "I can leave, I just..." the urge to use the bathroom took over, and I squeezed my legs together.

Winter must have read the expression on my face as he nodded solemnly. "There's a river. The water is very cold, as it's winter, but if you want to freshen up and..." he trailed off, but I understood what he meant.

I nodded, and followed him out of the wooden hut.

It was a short walk to the river, and he stood on the top of the bank. I waited for him to walk a little further with me, but his arms were crossed and his glare was focused on the surrounding trees.

"Aren't you freshening up too?" I asked gently, part of me wishing he was, just so I wouldn't be alone in trying to get clean in a river.

He shook his head. "Lookout." He muttered, describing his task with one word. I nodded, and climbed down the steep bank to the edge. I managed to clean my body without removing too many layers of clothing, after sneaking behind a bush downstream to relieve myself.

I was attempting to climb back up the bank when my foot slipped, and my body fell forwards. I threw my arms to the ground, hoping they would soften my fall, when instead two thick arms wrapped around my upper body and yanked me to my feet.

I stumbled, and gasped for breath as I was hugged into Winters chest, his hand resting on my back as he stood a little taller than he usually did.

I tried to glance around, but his hand slid up to push my head against his chest.

I was about to argue, when he took two steps forward, and lowered us to the ground, effectively hiding us behind some plants that were growing around the base of a tree.

He rested on his arms, his face inches from mine as he twisted his face. I assumed he was listening out for a noise of some kind, but when I was about to ask, he lifted his finger against his lips.

I closed my own, and squeezed my eyes shut as I heard the rustling of leaves and twigs snapping underfoot, hoping to vanish as Winter gently lowered even further, pressing more of his body against mine.

The noises faded away, and Winters eyes finally returned to look into mine. I felt my cheeks heat up as I noticed the intimate position our bodies were in, and I wiggled a little, trying to move. "Winter..."