SundaysTheory
The Phrase that Pays
After she had spoken she almost regretted her words immediately. Asa could already feel her body rejecting her suggestion to move. It took her sheer will power to not just pull Phayte back down next to her as he moved away. Yet, at first, he seemed reluctant, almost second guessing himself for some reason. She wondered why he hesitated... but his unexpected kiss to her leg wound was enough to make her heart skip a beat.
The kiss was light and somehow relaxed her stiffened muscles. Her thoughts wandered for a short moment on how amazing his lips would be... locked with hers. How soft they would feel. How intoxicating it would be. How irresistibly alluring... She couldn't remember the last time she had tasted the lips of another, but then like a sharp knife the memory struck her. She was fifteen, and in a men's bathroom stall at her high school. A dare that meant nothing but to only prove herself worthy of possibly gaining a friend or two. But no, his would be different. Her thoughts fantasized on how perfect it would truly be.
She was, however, pulled back to reality when his nose gently lingered on her knee letting a small smile played across her lips. Watching him rise slowly, she wondered exactly how she was to be getting up to join him. But he was already one step ahead of her, taking her arm and hauling her to her feet with surprising ease. Once upright, Asa immediately put all of her weight on her good leg and leaned against him. She felt safe and close as he held her up by an arm around her waist and his soft hand gripping her wrist.
Her eyes turned to meet his as he spoke. His had lost obvious amounts of life and animation, and she felt guilty for that. Would they return to the vague memory she had of him before all of the drama? He didn't know his way out, and it would be up to her to get them out. She understood his tactics completely, and was glad she was in the role as pathfinder. Asa knew these woods like the back of her hand, having ran through them many times for various reasons. The trick was simply knowing this particular forest was long rather than wide. Most of it had been cleared for the small town which was where she was headed. Her sense of direction and placement told her that they weren't far from where they wanted to be.
"We're not that far. It's just straight ahead. "
Then a ridiculous feeling of self reliance lodged itself in the back of her thoughts. Not once in her life had she taken this much assistance from another. The whole 'damsel in distress' deal annoyed her, and she had once told herself she would not wait for someone to rescue her. Asa was strong enough to rescue herself, to do everything herself, why would she need someone now. As her and Phayte started to walk slowly forwards, her bad habit of cockiness took over. She stupidly put pressure on her wounded leg. Bad idea. Gripping him tighter, she smiled sheepishly, embarrassed to think she could walk on her own. So to get the silent subject off of her stupid move, Asa turned the topic to Phayte.
"Tell me something about yourself, Phayte. Anything."