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Weight
It's a different weight than he's used to, giving way beneath his hands in his effort to turn her. She's breathing, alive but unconscious and he finds himself looking down at her for longer than necessary. He sits like that, with her awkwardly cradled against his lap until the first drops start to fall from the sky. He hurries to grab a PCC, rotating through the options to fabricate a shelter so he could wrap her up in a travelling bag. She moulds easily against anything he puts her yet he can't bring himself to toss her onto his back.
Heavy bones
Sam sighs heavily, finally deciding to lift the weight up into his tired arms as the rain clears. His joints ache and burn during the shift to get her comfortable, but he doesn't pay them attention. Her head automatically rests against shoulder while he slides an arm beneath her thighs and another around her waist. Little Lou sits snugly between him and the woman's stomach, happy to have another with them. The woman wasn't easy to carry like this but the weight doesn't bother him and every step it seems to bother him less.
Bloody eyes
His eyes are bloodshot when he finally makes it to the safehouse, bags doubled beneath them from exhaustion. His feet hurt and his bones scream at him, almost making him collapse as soon as he stepped inside. The bed is too far and if it weren't for the person in his arms he would have fallen down and slept right there on the floor. But he makes it to the bed, gently settling her down into it before exhaustion claims him and the world blacked out.
Sweaty clothes
When Sam wakes, he feels awful and desperately needs a shower. His sweaty clothes stick to him like a second skin, clinging too tightly and it frustrates him. He disconnects Lou before he yanks at them, peeling the clothing articles roughly off his body on his way to the shower. Sam freezes when the doors open, eyes finding another pair staring back at him. He opens his mouth to apologise but the words don't make it out. She lowers her gaze, covering her chest and steps aside to let him inside. He doesn't know why he joins her.
New routine
She has no place to go, trailing close on his heels where ever he went. It was dangerous and sometimes she agreed to stay at a safehouse until he returned but most of the time she insisted in making the journeys with him. It was hard to adjust and fall into a different routine with someone. Eventually it started to work out pretty well and Sam didn't mind the companionship. If he had to admit it, he missed her when she wasn't with him.
Bit of land to understand and know
She was a quick study and paid careful attention to everything he did. Soon she had no trouble with travelling even the hardest terrains up in the mountains. He never let her carry anything more than a few weapons in case she needed to use them. Sometimes he allowed her to carry small packages when she insisted and she even navigated. She lit up like a flame whenever he allowed her to do something. A smile spread across her facial features and Sam let the words slip before he could stop himself.
"You're pretty."
Play my tricks
She was funny, trying to amuse him in any way she could. She pulled faces at Lou and danced strangely- everything made Lou blow bubbles and tumble around happily in the pod. Sam slips a smile of his own here and there when they were relaxed, the edges of his lips quirking slightly. Her eyes wrinkled in delight when she caught his gaze and her cheeks bloomed warmly.
Fragile mind
But everything wasn't fun and games. She was strong but she was also very weak. One encounter with BT's left her rattled, shaking and covered in black tar. She refused any contact, shying away from him and scrubbing at her skin until it had started to go raw. He wondered if it had broken her mind, seeing what she did when she was caught in those tar clutches and trapped in their screams. When her skin began to bleed, he reached impulsively at her to stop her. Shock hit them both at his boldness and as his arms wrapped around her, she started to cry.
Rest your head on me
It didn't hurt to touch her and it didn't hurt when she touched him. Sam pulled her close and held her for what seemed like forever. She fell asleep against him and couldn't find himself to detach her from him as he let her down onto the bed. So he kept her tucked close as he laid down with her, breathing heavily when she curled even closer onto him. Her fingers spread over his chest where his heart rest beneath the skin, its steady beat against her palm lulling them both to sleep.
Shut my eyes, I'm not here
He fell asleep with her but it was anything but peaceful. What he saw in the dark was exactly that- darkness. Sam couldn't imagine ever having to let her go after the months they spent together and through the many ups and downs. It upset him to only realise then how stupid he was to let himself fall and feel like this again. And when he woke he was gasping for air, his fingers clutching at her blindly.
There must be some mistake
It couldn't be real, the heat he felt against him was some trick- it had to be! He wanted to shove her away, yell at Higgs to stop his fucking games because there's no way a woman like her could just land in his lap. Then she looked up at him and he couldn't do it. All he wanted was to have her closer and protect her however he could. It scared him, these strong feelings that he barely managed to contain. He didn't remember when last he felt like that. He told her to tell him right then and there if it was a lie, if this was just his imagination or some twisted nightmare. She hugged him tighter, fingers curling into his hair.
"Don't be so serious." She whispered, frightened by his outburst.
Watch your words turn to dust
They didn't speak about it again and Sam accepted her being there for good now. They continued their normal lives, if you could call it that, wrapped up in each other's company pretty much all the time. Sometimes Sam still feels like this is a dream and that he could wake up at any second. Alone. But she's there everytime he opens his eyes and one small smile makes his heart jump against his ribcage.
As we forget, as we move on
They had more intimate moments together and Sam felt himself get more attached by the second. She didn't care for his marred skin, loving every inch of him and marking him in her own way with nips and scratches of passion. He thought it was impossible to get more attached and yet, here they were. He would give his life for hers if he had to and this time it didn't scare him. Eventually they forgot; all the negative thoughts and feelings were something completely distant and part of the past.
Still, I refuse to let you slip away
It was a hard few days and they were covered in blood and dirt. The shower was heaven, the heat instantly soothing on sore muscles and aching bones as they scrubbed gently at one another's bodies. They remained under the water a few minutes longer after they were washed clean, enjoying the moment of relief before they would have to face reality again. Sam sighed softly, mind flashing darkly for a moment and he stepped forward. His arms wrapped around her naked waist, tugging her back until her wet back was pressed against his chest. He brushed his lips over the wet skin of her shoulder and let his forehead rest against it.
"You're staying, right?"
She turned in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing up on her tiptoes to press her mouth against his. It was a desperate but loving sort of kiss, all their mixed emotions flowing through it and between their mouths. If he didn't think she was staying, she'd just have to assure he him of it every moment she got.
"Don't be so serious." She murmured against his mouth.
Of course she was staying.
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