You Owe Me Two

Chapter 3 - The Urge Of Contact

××Zypher××

Halfway in our walk to the town nearest to the secluded cabin, I noticed Wild begin to tire. I had slowed down a considerable amount but Wild still could not seem to keep up. The slow pace was starting to annoy me greatly.

"You clearly need to rest. I don't know how you are so tired but we won't make it at this pace." I stopped walking and turned to see Wild taking in deep breaths. Sweat was starting to cause hair to stick to the sides of her face and dark circles had taken a home under her golden eyes.

"I'm sorry. I am unused to this form," Wild explained, "Not by choice," she added with a grumble. She closed her eyes tight in a poorly concealed yawn and that was my snapping point. I could deal with a short rest but I did not feel the need or want to sleep in the woods another night because she decided to take a nap.

I wrapped a hand around her wrist and yanked her forward. As she fell forward, I grabbed her up into my arms. She gasped and immediately started struggling. One of her hands came into contact with my face and I growled low in my throat at the action.

"Stop it!"

Her head whipped in my direction and I paused my shouting. Her golden eyes were glazed over in panic; she was looking at me but she wasn't really here, at least she didn't seem to be.

I stopped trying to hold her down and just let my arms loosely hold her up. Her struggling seemed to stop all at once.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, eyes downcast. Her hands held tightly around herself, her nails pinching onto the soft skin on her upper arms.

"It's alright. I wasn't thinking," I said. Not wanting to get into a deep conversation, I began walking again with the fairy held in my arms. Wild took the hint and kept her mouth shut; after a moment her head hit my shoulder.

My eyes roamed her face freely now, admiring her slightly pink cheeks and her tall, pointed ears. I didn't have to see her eyes to know that they were beautiful and shined brighter than any I'd seen before.

I shook my head swiftly, almost giving myself whiplash in the process, my goal being to clear the thoughts flooding my brain. I would help her get home and then that would be it; I'd never see her again.

×××××

My lips upturned in the slightest when I finally reached the town gates. I nodded at the guards posted on night watch and stalking inside, still carrying the slumbering fairy.

I found a cheap hotel and bought us a room that cost a higher price than its worth but that was too be expected. All towns surrounding the wizarding capital would be high prices, even slummy ones like this.

I walked up the creaking steps carefully. I had to turn my body to the side and go up awkwardly to make us both fit in the cramped stairwell. I struggled with the door but finally was able to budge the old thing open.

I dropped Wild on the bed before looking around. I had paid for a two bed room but this held a single bed and a pile of blankets on the floor. I sighed and just shook my head in disappointment, resigning myself to the fate of sharing.

I checked the only other door in the room and found a grimey bathroom. In the small space, a sink, a toilet, and a shower had been placed. I hung my coat and bag on the door before peeling out of my clothing.

The water only seemed to reach lukewarm but it was enough. I stepped under the weak spray and instead of using the supplied shower amenities, used my own. You never knew what to expect in those bottles with a wizard owner.

After my quick shower, I realized that the bathroom held not a single towel. I grumbled in annoyance and began throwing a new set of clothes on, dampening them in the process.

Footsteps met my ears as I opened the door. I found Wild staring at the door, hair an absolute wreck and marks on her cheek where my coat had been pressed. Despite all that, she still seemed cute.

"Want to take a shower? I'll loan you some shampoo for that monster you have on your head," I offered, trying to make a poor joke along the way. Wild shook herself out of her sleepy daze and looked around the room in confusion.

"How did we get here?" She asked.

"Well, I walked and you got carried." Wilds eyes went wide as the memories came back to her.

"You carried me all the way here," she rushed up to me and turned me this way and that, "You should have woken me up. You could have strained yourself walking that far while dealing with my dead weight!"

Her panic was slightly endearing.

"Calm down, I'm fine. You barley weigh anything." I waved her off and shoved her towards the bathroom. As soon as her feet hit the wet floor, she was falling backwards. I swore under my breath and rushed to catch her.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I righted her footing. Her arms were tightly wrapped around me and it took her a second to figure out how to let go. Our eyes met and we both froze at the proximity. Then we were both pulling away in fast, frayed movements.

"I'm okay. Thank you," Wild rushed. She stood there a moment, catching the breath that had left her and clearly dying of embarrassment.

"Showers all yours. Shampoo's on the counter," I said, stepping away from the door and closing it afterwards, saving her and myself from anymore embarrassing moments.

I thanked myself slightly for choosing more comfortable pants; I hadn't been thinking of sleeping when I chose the clothes. I clambered into the small bed, exhaustion already reaching my brain. I shut my eyes but opened them again when the water was shut off.

Wild came out of the bathroom in the same shirt and pants. The top half of her hair that had been bunched in a messy ponytail was now down with the rest, all dripping wet and darker than before. I turned on my side immediately.

I felt the bed dip after a few moments and the candle illuminating the room was blown out.

"Goodnight," Wild mumbled. I felt movement as she pulled the blankets up around her before everything stilled and became quiet. I could faintly hear the mumbled conversation from our temporary neighbors above.

The image of Wild kept me up and before I knew it, I had turned back to face her. She was turned my way fortunately.

"Vision," I spoke, barley audible to my own ears. My eyes readjusted to the dark and soon I was viewing a slightly dulled version of Wild but she was perfectly clear. I resisted the urge to reach out and simply touch the soft looking skin of her cheek and instead settled with just watching.

What was she doing to me?