†RUNAWAY

"Is there anything on my face?" Ryan asked, still eating his food, his eyes never left the can as he scooped up another bite.

He could feel Aria's gaze on him, her eyes roaming over his features, and that made him smirk.

Aria's cheeks flushed slightly as she realized she has been caught staring. Her eyes had been drawn to the sharp angles of his face, the curve of his lips as he act the food like a starved man.

"No," she quickly answered,her eyes darting away to the corner.

Ryan's gaze lifted meeting her eyes with a grin.

"I could swear I feel your eyes burning a hole through me," he said with a smooth voice.

Aria's flush deepened and it spreads from her cheeks to her neck even going over to her ears and eyes. (^^)

"I was just checking it you wouldn't chock from the way you devour the food" she muttered.

Ryan chuckled, the sound husky to her ears

" I guess I was hungry," he said wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Aria's eyes drifted back to him, drawn to the rugged charm that was emitted from him.

"And someone's got to keep their strength up," he said finishing the food.

Aria rolled her eyes as she tossed a bottle of water to Ryan.

"Here, drink this before you dehydrate," she said.

Ryan caught the bottle mid-air.

"Thanks, captain," he teased while unscrewing the bottle cap.

Aria chuckled while Ryan took a long swig of water, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.

"Refreshing," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand again, he doesn't even remember when he had a clean water to drink, his only water was from rain falling.

They fell into silence and the only sound that could be heard was the distant hum of the creatures outside.

Aria's eyes began to droop, she struggles to keep it open.

"Hey," Ryan said softly, his voice breaking the stillness.

Aria's eyes fluttered open and closes again.

Ryan saw the way Aria head sways and how her eyes dropped from exhaustion.

"Rest," Ryan said. "We would stay here for the night"

Aria's gaze dropped to her bandaged leg, a surge of frustration coursing through her veins. She didn't want to always depend on Ryan, a total stranger who had helped her more times than she could count.

They had just met, and yet he had risked his life and time for her to survive.

"I can keep going," she insisted.

Ryan can see that Aria was a lady who doesn't like depending on someone but he can also see that she was injured.

"Sleep" Ryan said "I will keep watch."

Aria shakes her head." Am not tired" she said with a yawn.

Ryan doesn't say anything again as he knows she would eventually sleep with the way her eyes are dropping again.

Aria's eyes closed again and she let out a soft sigh. Ryan's gaze lingered on her, ensuring she doesn't fall of the table.

His eyes drifted to her injured leg, wrapped in a makeshift bandage while Aria still sat with eyes closed.

As Aria drifted off to sleep after some minutes, Ryan stood up and walk towards the table, he carefully lowered Her to lay on the large table inorder for her not to fall with the way she was sleeping while sitting.

Ryan walks back to his sit and sat down.

His thoughts turned to their situation. They needed to find a safe place and fast because the creatures could return at any moment.

Ryan's eyes drifted to his gun that was holstered at his hip.

His hand slowly goes to the weapon, only to remember that the bullets had run out early.

He glanced over to Aria as she slept, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath.

She doesn't have any bullets with her, only that empty gun he had seen.

The faint moonlight gave them some light through the window.

Ryan unclipped a small worn out bag from his waist that he always carries around.

The bag contained his essentials for survival, gunpowder, lead pellets, a makeshift mold, and a very tiny hammer, all this is used in making his bullets.

Ryan brought out everything and began to craft the new bullets, his hands moving around with precision.

The soft clinking of metal and the faint smell of gunpowder filled the air.

As he worked, his eyes occasionally moves to Aria, to ensure that she isn't sleeping near the edge of the table.

After a few minutes, Ryan finished making the bullets and reloaded the gun, the weight of the gun was like a reassurance in his hand.

He arranged everything back to their places and walks to Aria sleeping form, he searched for her gun and brought it out.

He reloaded the gun too and kept it back for her.

Ryan moves quietly to the window to keep watch, his eyes scanning the darkness, while the silence outside was oppressive.

Ryan's thoughts turned to his own situation, he doesn't want to have someone to take care of, he doesn't even want someone near him.

He has been alone for so long and loved it even though some days he had needed a helping hand.

Ryan starts to think, Should I just steal her things and run away, that would give me extra food and less load.

Aria stirred slightly from her sleep.

"Ryan?" she whispered.