I looked at the meat, there was nothing worse than over cooked meat, chewing on it like an old leather boot. I bit into the meet he offered me, the juices exploded in my mouth causing me to moan softly. “Mmm, it’s perfect,” I popped each finger into my mouth sucking off the leftover juices.

“Let’s eat,” I offered him a smile.

At first we just ate in silence which I didn’t really mind all that much as I was used to it. I watched as the flames lapped at the wood, blistering the bark until it cracked under the heat. At the base of the flame it was white, melting into a red or an orange. Even the embers danced giving a beautiful light show.

“Penny for your thoughts,” I asked softly. He slowly turned his head to me, one eyebrow raised in confusion. Then he blinked, and seemed to think about it.

I noticed the intent look on his face as he chewed. I wondered if he had ever been haunted by the death of his paths. I felt a pull towards him. Not just sexual though I do enjoy his body it was more like a kindred spirit type of way. I knew I cared for him deeply already which is something I didn’t think I could do any more, not after Gnarl any way.

He made me feel alive when in many ways I was sure my soul to be dead.

“I was… Thinking of how alive this world is.” His voice was soft as he stared at the fire. He reached out and laced the fingers of one hand with mine, and shifted his gaze to them for a moment. “My world was - trapped, locked in an endless cycle. Most people never knew, but I - I was in a rather unique position, and tried to fight it. Hence, my curse to bear the scars. And I only ever got to see the end of a cycle - when the world was dead, decaying, in desperate need of rebirth. The people there - nothing like this, like us, would have ever happened. No, because everyone was locked into struggling for survival. Romance? A dream of a better time.” His fingers tightened against mine.

“I thought being cast out from my world was the worst thing to happen, because then no one would ever know to break the false cycle. But.. They were happy. And now - now I am too. It's strange.” He returned his gaze to the fire, not letting go of my hand. “I didn't think I would ever be in a place where I could say that.”

My heart swelled, did he mean that since meeting me he was happy, maybe my ego was just getting in the way. Obviously we cared for each other in some odd strange way. Was it that we were both so simply broken and lonely that we cling to one another? You are acting like a love sick school girl. Nikita scoffed. She didn’t need to feel loved or wanted not after her heart had been broken in so many different ways.

“Do you think in another world if we found each other and were just normal humans that we would be like we are now?” I looked down at our hands intertwined and then to his face. He blinked, and seemed to be considering it before he shrugged slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked at me.

“I would hope so.” He gave my fingers a squeeze before continuing. “I quite enjoy spending time with you, and you don't mind if I get bit - well, vicious.” I couldn’t help but laugh a little, I believe I was the more vicious one.

“I find it odd that there is this sensation or pull towards you, I don’t just enjoy being around you I love it. It is scary for me because of how long I have been alone. With you though your touch brings parts of me to life that have been dead for many years.” I rolled my eyes at how silly I was sounding, I was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush.

He laughed, that deep booming laugh again, and shook his head. “I had a wife, once. Centuries ago. But - it's been centuries. I've lost track of how many. I've seen women in the mean time, but I haven't felt any kind of attraction to any of them. Quite honestly, until you decided to make a move, I didn't even know those physical parts still worked. And I'm still trying to figure out what's going on in here.” He tapped his chest with his free hand. “But what I do know, is that I'd much rather have you by my side than away from it, sweetheart.”

A smile danced across my lips as I leaned against him, my head resting on his broad shoulder. “Look at us, one of the most dangerous partnerships I know of, and here we are, reduced down to talking about our feelings.” A small giggle left my still smiling lips.