Jim's Lean-To

"Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go to the archery range?" I smiled and looked up at him.

"Do you want to?" I asked emotionlessly

I nodded. "It makes me feel better."

I raised an eyebrow. "I was hoping you could come with me, if you wanted." Did he want to be alone? I could do that if is made him feel better. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I wanted to show you something...." I looked down a little.

I grinned at the curiosity in his voice. "A trick I picked up. Is simple, really."

I stared at the ground. "I-I can't..."

I lifted his chin so I could look at his face. "Why not?" I whispered. I'll admit, I was a bit hurt. But I tried not to show it on my face.

"Oh." I said and removed my hand from his chin. I nestled back closer to him, pressing my head to his heart again.

I sighed. "It's comfortable out here." And it was. I felt very comfortable out in the woods, well really just outdoors period. It felt.....natural.

I said nothing, thinking she probably hated me for shutting her down. For running away. For being a coward.

I felt his heart rate change a little. Sadder. I looked up again. "Are you okay?" I asked concerned. My eyebrows pushed together out of habit when I'm worried.

"Yeah, fine," I mumbled, slightly flinching. I stared at the geound

I pressed my lips together and studied his face.

I followed his gaze to his absent right hand. Is that what this was about? "We could find you a new hand if you want. I know someone good with tools. But that doesn't bother me, if that's what all this is about." I bit my cheek, thinking.

"N-no its not that,"

"Then what's wrong? Talk to me." I looked at him using my puppyface. I hoped it worked.

"I'm a coward, Demetri! I'm a coward... And you're going to die trying to protect me because I'm too much of a coward to protect myself!" I cried out

I cringed away, shocked by the anger in his voice. I crawled to a tree stump and brought my knees to my chest. I looked at him with somewhat shocked features. I waited for him to cool down.