Chapter 9: We Woke up Here

lina woke up early that day. sky was still dark. jaxon was sleeping in the hut, breathing slow. she looked at him for a while. he always looked serious, even in sleep.

she stood up slowly. grabbed the rope and one of the sharp sticks. her chest felt tight. not from fear. more like something else.

"i have to be useful," she whispered to herself. "i can't just eat and joke around."

she walked into the trees. air was cold. damp. leaves stuck to her feet. she didn't know where to go but just walked straight. looked around. listened.

birds chirped somewhere far.

then she saw it.

a small boar, sniffing the ground.

her heart jumped.

she crouched down. held the stick tighter. it was close. not that big. but still wild. still strong.

"you can do this," she told herself.

she moved slowly. step by step. almost there. then a snap under her foot. a loud crack.

the boar looked up fast. its eyes locked on her. then it charged.

lina screamed and stumbled back.

she held out the stick, but her hands shook. the boar hit her side and she fell to the ground.

"ah—!"

then she heard fast footsteps behind her. leaves crunching.

jaxon.

he didn't say a word. just ran in and tackled the boar sideways. rolled once. got up. pulled out the knife from his belt and stabbed it.

the boar twitched. then stopped moving.

everything was quiet again.

lina sat there, breathing fast. face pale. her hands were shaking. she looked at jaxon.

he looked back at her.

"you okay?" he asked.

she nodded fast. "y-yeah. i think so."

jaxon turned to the boar. pulled it by the legs.

lina stood slowly. brushed dirt from her shirt. looked at him again. his back was facing her as he dragged the boar toward the stream.

she followed behind.

her chest still felt weird. her face was warm. but not from the sun.

"he came so fast," she thought. "he just... ran in without thinking."

she looked down at her hands.

"why do i feel like crying and smiling at the same time? what's wrong with me?"

they reached the stream. jaxon didn't speak. he knelt down and started cleaning the boar with water. then used the knife to cut the skin.

he worked quiet and calm like always.

lina sat beside him. still holding the rope she never used.

"jaxon…"

he didn't look at her. "yeah."

"…thanks for saving me."

he nodded.

that was it. but it felt like more.

lina looked at his hands. steady. strong. her cheeks warmed again. she looked away fast.

"pull yourself together," she thought. "you almost got yourself killed and now you're blushing? what's wrong with you…"

they stayed quiet for a while. jaxon cleaned the meat, set the good parts aside. he worked like he'd done this before.

lina sat with her knees up. watching him. picking at the hem of her shirt.

"i just… wanted to be helpful," she said, voice low.

jaxon didn't answer right away.

then he said, "you don't need to prove anything."

lina blinked. looked at him.

he kept working.

"you're here. that's enough," he added.

she looked away again. hugged her knees. a soft smile touched her lips.

"that's… not fair," she thought. "you say things like that and expect me not to fall for you?"

jaxon stood up. picked up the meat.

"let's go."

she followed. footsteps light. heart not so light.

they got back to camp. jaxon set the meat down near the fire pit. he picked up wood. started a fire again.

lina watched him. still hugging her knees.

she thought back to the moment in the forest. the way he ran. the way he didn't hesitate. the way he didn't scold her or ask why.

he just saved her. then moved on.

"i'm sorry for going alone," she said softly.

jaxon looked at her for a second. then nodded.

"just don't do it again."

she nodded too.

fire crackled. sky was clearer now. morning light hit the trees.

jaxon started cooking the boar. small pieces. slow roast.

the smell filled the air.

lina stood up and walked over. sat beside him. close, but not too close.

"so," she said, voice lighter again. "do i at least get points for trying?"

jaxon looked at her. "no."

she laughed.

"what if i give you puppy eyes?"

jaxon stared.

"…nothing?" she sighed. "you're cold."

he flipped the meat.

"you're warm enough for both of us."

she blinked.

then smiled again.

"what the hell is this man doing to me?"

jaxon watched the fire as the boar meat cooked. fat sizzled. smoke drifted up slow. he didn't say anything.

lina leaned back with her hands on the ground. her shoulder touched his a little. he didn't move away. she noticed.

she looked at him.

he was staring at the meat like it was the only thing in the world.

"do you ever smile?" she asked.

he glanced at her. "sometimes."

"when?"

"when i'm alone."

she stared at him for a second, then laughed.

"you're so weird," she said.

jaxon didn't react.

lina looked down at her hands. picked at a leaf near her feet. then she looked at him again.

"you… always this quiet?"

jaxon nodded.

she leaned a little closer. "you ever had a girlfriend?"

jaxon didn't answer right away.

"…no."

"figures," she said, smirking. "you'd probably scare them off with all the staring."

he flipped the meat.

"you talk a lot," he said.

"you don't talk enough," she said back.

jaxon looked at her, just a little.

she smiled again, quiet this time.

"i don't know what it is," she thought. "his silence makes me want to speak more. it's like… i wanna fill it."

they sat like that. side by side. fire crackling. birds far away in the trees. breeze soft.

jaxon handed her a piece of cooked meat.

she took it. her fingers brushed his. quick, but enough.

"thanks," she said.

jaxon nodded.

they ate in silence.

lina chewed slow, then glanced at him again.

"you know," she said, "if this was a book, this would be the part where the girl falls in love."

jaxon didn't react.

she raised an eyebrow. "nothing? not even a chuckle?"

"i don't read books."

"of course you don't," she sighed. "you're too cool for that."

jaxon finished eating. stood up. walked over to the stream and cleaned his hands.

lina stayed by the fire. poked the ashes with a stick. her thoughts were spinning.

"i was almost killed by a boar," she thought. "he saved me without blinking. now he's back to normal like nothing happened."

she looked at his back.

"but something did happen. at least to me."

jaxon came back. sat beside her again.

lina looked at him.

"hey."

"what."

"what would you do if we were stuck here forever?"

jaxon was quiet. then said, "survive."

she smiled. "just that?"

"yeah."

she nudged him with her shoulder.

"you wouldn't miss anyone?"

jaxon didn't answer.

lina blinked. "oh… i'm sorry. that was a dumb question."

jaxon looked at her, then away again.

"…i don't have anyone to miss."

her heart sank a little.

she looked at the fire. then at him.

"then maybe… i'll be that person."

jaxon looked at her.

she looked away quick. ears red.

"kidding," she said. "mostly…"

jaxon didn't speak. but his eyes stayed on her for a second longer.

the fire burned low.

sun was rising now. morning light touched the leaves. air smelled like smoke and earth.

lina leaned her head back. closed her eyes.

jaxon sat still. watching the trees. the fire. then her.

he didn't say it out loud. but something in his chest felt strange too.

quiet. heavy. not bad.

just… unfamiliar.