The surprise

Alex slowed his pace as they neared the camp, glancing back at Chloe and Sam. The heavy silence that had lingered for most of the trek started to bother him. "Hey," he called out, breaking it at last. "Now that we're back, I need you two to come upstairs with me. Got something to show you from where that battle I had with the mountain lion —Kaia also helped me snag it."

Chloe's eyes lit up with curiosity, though she crossed her arms in a failed attempt to look unimpressed. "What is it?" she asked, her tone skeptical but tinged with excitement.

Alex smirked. "You'll see soon enough. Don't look so serious, Chloe. It's a surprise. I think you'll like it."

Chloe, not one to let her curiosity simmer for long, glanced at Sam with a mischievous grin. "Okay then," she said, stepping ahead. "But let's make it fun. The last one to the room's a slowpoke!"

Sam blinked, caught off guard. "What?" he sputtered, before Chloe took off running.

Alex and Sam exchanged a brief, startled look, and then Sam took off after her. "Wait, no fair!" he shouted, his boots crunching against the dirt as he sprinted to catch up.

Alex let out a chuckle and jogged after them, keeping a more leisurely pace. "You know she's right, Sam!" he called, grinning as Sam turned to protest mid-sprint. "You're gonna have to pick it up if you don't want to be a slowpoke!"

"Not fair, Alex!" Sam yelled back. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Chloe was already a few paces ahead, her laughter ringing through the air. "You can't beat me, Sam! Admit it, I'm faster than you!"

"Not a chance!" Sam shouted, pushing himself harder to close the gap. His competitive streak kicked in, and for a moment, he forgot about the tension and weight of the world around them.

As they neared the building, Chloe glanced back to check on her competition, only to see Alex jogging casually behind them, barely breaking a sweat. "Come on, Alex!" she teased. "You're not even trying!"

Alex smirked and picked up his pace just enough to pretend to catch up, though he had no intention of beating them. He knew how much they both needed this moment—to just be kids for a little while longer.

By the time Chloe reached the entrance to the building, she skidded to a halt, arms raised triumphantly. "I win!" she declared, panting and jumping but grinning from ear to ear.

Sam stumbled in a second later, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. "That… doesn't count," he argued between gasps. "You got a head start!"

Chloe stuck her tongue out at him. "Excuses, excuses."

Alex finally strolled up behind them, his hands casually in his pockets. "Good race," he said, smiling. "But there's just one problem…"

Chloe narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What problem?"

Alex gestured toward the building. "Neither of you knows where the room with the surprise is. So technically… I win."

Sam groaned. "What? You could've told us that before we ran the whole way here!"

Alex shrugged, his grin widening. "Where's the fun in that?"

Chloe crossed her arms, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward in amusement. "You're so annoying."

"Maybe," Alex replied, leading the way inside. "But I'm still the only one who knows where the surprise is, so you'll have to follow me anyway."

They trailed behind him as he guided them through the dimly lit building, their earlier banter fading into anticipation. When they reached the room, Alex paused dramatically at the door. "Alright," he said, turning to face them. "You ready for this?"

Chloe nodded eagerly, while Sam tried to play it cool, though his fidgeting gave him away. "Just show us already," Sam muttered, trying to mask his excitement.

Alex chuckled and pushed the door open, stepping inside. He walked over to a table where a small bundle of clothes sat neatly folded. Turning back to them, he gestured to the bundle with a slight smile. "It's not much," he said, his tone softer now. "But I figured you could use it. Your clothes… they've been through a lot."

Chloe's eyes widened as she stepped closer, her fingers hovering over the fabric. "No way," she whispered. "You found these for us?"

Alex looked at them and put his hand behind his head, scratching his head, his expression warm. "Yeah. Yesterday I found it, as I got some for Kaya too, It's not much, but I made sure to sort out this morning what I could think that will fit for you two. Keep in mind that you'd need something sturdier. What you're wearing now won't hold up forever, and I don't want either of you getting snagged or caught because of a tear."

Sam picked up a shirt and a pair of cargo pants, his earlier irritation melting away. "This is… actually pretty cool," he admitted, holding the shirt up to inspect it. "Thanks, Alex."

Chloe was already rifling through the pile, her face lighting up as she pulled out a soft flannel shirt and a pair of leggings. "This is so much better than what I have now," she said, grinning. "You're the best, Alex!"

Alex chuckled. "Don't get too used to making some compliments. I'm still going to make you do your share of the chores."

Chloe rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Whatever. Can I try them on now?"

"Go ahead," Alex said, motioning to the corner of the room where a makeshift curtain hung that he made yesterday after Kaya's accident. "Let's see how they fit."

Chloe darted behind the curtain, humming to herself as she changed. Sam stood awkwardly for a moment, holding the clothes Alex had given him. Finally, he muttered, "You didn't have to do this, you know. But… thanks."

Alex clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you two are my family now. It's what family does."

Sam looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah. I guess we're stuck with you, huh?"

"Pretty much," Alex said with a grin.

When Chloe emerged from behind the curtain, she twirled dramatically, showing off her new outfit. "What do you think?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"You look ready to take on the world," Alex said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Practical and stylish."

Sam snorted. "Stylish? Please, you could put on some pants on a chicken and it still would look more stylish."

Chloe stuck her tongue out at him. "You're just jealous."

Sam grumbled something under his breath but disappeared behind the curtain to change. When he emerged, his new clothes fit well, though the shirt was slightly loose. He tugged at the sleeves, looking both self-conscious and pleased. "It's fine, I guess," he said, trying to sound indifferent.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Fine, huh? Well, I'll take that as a compliment."

Chloe giggled, leaning against Alex's side. "You're now like our big brother," she said softly. "You take care of us, even when we're annoying."

Alex's chest tightened at her words, but he managed a smile. "That's my job, isn't it? Besides," he added with a playful nudge, "you're stuck with me, too."

Sam smirked. "Yeah, we are. But it's not so bad."