THE FIRST THING I'M aware of is the warmth. It's a gentle, comforting heat that seeps into my bones, chasing away the lingering chill of unconsciousness. My eyes flutter open, the world coming into focus slowly, like a camera adjusting its lens.
I'm lying on my back, my body sinking slightly into soft, warm sand. Above me, the sky is a canvas of deep purples and vibrant oranges, the stars beginning to twinkle into existence as the last sun sets. It's beautiful, breathtaking, a sight that would normally fill me with wonder.
But right now, I'm too disoriented to appreciate it.
My head is pounding, a dull, throbbing ache that makes me wince. I bring a hand up to my temple, my fingers pressing against the skin, trying to alleviate some of the pain. What happened...? The last thing I remember is driving the transport, the desert stretching out in front of us...
I sit up slowly, my movements clumsy and uncoordinated. My gaze sweeps over the small oasis we're in. It's a secluded spot, hidden by a ring of tall, jagged rocks. In the center of it is a pool of water, the surface shimmering in the fading light. It's not big, maybe ten feet across, but it's enough. More than we've had in days.
And then my eyes land on him.
Alistair.
He's standing in the pool, his back to me, his hands running through his hair, water cascading down his body. My breath catches in my throat, my heart skipping a beat. He's... he's naked.
Well, he's not wearing a shirt, at least. I can't see below his waist, the water hiding the rest of him from view. But what I can see is... distracting. His back is a landscape of lean muscle and smooth skin, the faint lines of scars marring the otherwise perfect canvas. He's... beautiful.
I feel a flush creeping up my neck, my face heating. I should look away, should give him some privacy. But I can't. I'm rooted to the spot, my eyes glued to him, my mind blank.
He turns slightly, his profile coming into view. His eyes are closed, his expression relaxed, peaceful. There's a smudge of oil on his cheek, a streak of black that stands out against his pale skin. I have a sudden, almost overwhelming urge to reach out and wipe it away, to feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers.
What is wrong with me?
He must have felt my gaze on him, because his eyes open, his head turning toward me. For a moment, he just looks at me, his expression unreadable. Then a slow, lazy smile spreads across his face.
"Hey. You're awake." His voice is a low, rough rumble, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.
I blink, snapping out of my trance, my face burning. "Y-yeah." I clear my throat, trying to sound normal, casual. "What... what happened?"
His smile widens, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You crashed the transport."
"I what?!" That snaps me out of it. I'm on my feet in an instant, my head spinning with the sudden movement. "We crashed?! How?! Where is-?!" I turn to look for the transport, but I can't see it from here. "Why are you bathing?! I might have a concussion!"
"I mean. Yeah, probably. You hit your head pretty hard."
"Alistair!" I shout and clap my hands. "You're not supposed to let a concussed person sleep!"
"Yeah...? Huh." He considers that for a moment, like he hadn't ever learned that. Then he shrugs. "Well, either way, you're fine."
"I am not 'fine'! I-!" My head is throbbing with the increased blood pressure. "Why am I fine?! Where is the transport?! Is it-"
"Relax." He holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "The transport is fine. I got us out. It's hidden behind the rocks." He nods towards the ring of stones surrounding the oasis. "We lost some of the water, but most of the supplies are intact."
I deflate a little, my anger deflating along with my urgency. "Oh... okay."
"As for why I'm bathing... well." He gestures to himself, then to me. "You were covered in oil. I was covered in oil. You were passed out. Seemed like a good time to clean up."
"Oh." Right. The crash. The spilled oil. I glance down at myself, realizing for the first time that my clothes are stained with black, sticky patches. Lovely. "And you just... stripped?"
"I mean. I wasn't going to bathe in my clothes." He points out, stepping out of the water.
My eyes immediately snap away from him, my face heating up again. "Alistair!"
"If you don't want to see it, look away."
"I wasn't-! I wasn't looking at that!" That's a lie and we both know it. I was absolutely staring. I just didn't mean to. I didn't even know he wasn't wearing pants! I was - no! I am! Concussed! I'm not reliable! "Just go get dressed!"
He laughs, a deep, warm sound that does strange things to my stomach. "Alright, alright. Your turn." He walks past me, his wet skin brushing against my arm, leaving a trail of water in his wake.
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the fluttering in my chest. I turn towards the pool, taking a deep breath. I need to wash up, clean the oil off my skin. But the thought of undressing, of being naked in the open, even with Alistair's back turned, makes me nervous.
"Hey." I call out, my voice a little shaky. "Don't peek."
"C'mon, Sarah. I'm not a pervert." He sounds amused, as if he finds the idea that he'd do such a thing ridiculous.
I roll my eyes, even though he can't see it. "Just don't."
"I'm not gonna. You're scrawny anyway!" He hollers back, and I bristle with the insult. But it does what he intends, and I'm able to strip out of my clothing and quickly slip into the water without worrying about it.
The water is cool, refreshing. I sink down until it's up to my neck, sighing in relief as the water washes away the grime, the oil. I run my hands over my skin, scrubbing away the dirt, feeling the tension in my muscles slowly dissipate.
When... When was the last time I've been able to take a bath? Surely not since I've come to this wretched planet. I'm not someone who considers baths to be some kind of luxury private time but...
After so long without one, it really does feel so much better. The water clears up and allows me to move freely, my hair floats around my head, my skin feels cleaner than it has been in what feels like years. There's no soap, of course. There might be some in the transport, but I'm not going to waste the time to get it. But just... soaking in the water is enough.
I close my eyes, letting my head tip back, my hair floating around me. I feel... calm, peaceful. I just... I can't remember the last time I've felt this calm. It's almost disorienting, how much better I feel.
"You need some more time, or....?" Alistair's voice pulls me out of my reverie. I turn my head, opening my eyes to see him sitting on the sand, his back to me. He's dressed now, his clothes still damp, clinging to his skin.
Right. Right. I'm not alone. Nor are we done with our work. I sigh, standing up, water cascading off my body. "I'm done."
I walk out of the pool, the sand squishing between my toes. I reach for my clothes, and make a face. "Ugh...these are filthy though..."
My gaze turns back to the water. Technically, i could at least rinse these off...? Wet clothes will be uncomfortable for a bit, but once the sun comes up it'll actually be a comfort until they dry out. But I also don't want to waste time. After all, we've lost enough time with this, and if I'm concussed then Alistair will have to do the rest of the driving as it is...
"Put your fucking clothes on!" Alistair snaps, and I jump, looking at him in surprise.
I frown, "But-"
"No one has time for you to wash your clothes." He cuts me off. "Just put them on. We need to go."
He's. Right.
I just don't... like that he's right, because it means abandoning this first opportunity I've had to be in the water for years, to go to a place where I absolutely cannot be in the water. It's the right choice, but I hate it.
And he could stand to be a little less of an ass about it. I grumble and pull my dirty clothes back on over my still wet body. And it feels awful. But he's right.
I walk over to him, but he abruptly stands up and gets in my way. I try to step around him, but he moves with me, blocking me.
"What the hell-?"
"Just. Walk behind me!" He hisses. I don't understand the sudden irritation, and I glare at him, looking around his arm.
"Why? I need to-"
"Nope. Behind." He's firm on it, insistent, as he keeps moving to keep himself between me and where I want to go. "Don't make a fuss."
"You don't get to just-! What is wrong with you?"
"You-! Just shut up! You can't go in front of me!" He snaps.
I narrow my eyes at him, clenching my fists. "Why not?!"
He looks at me for a long moment, his jaw clenching, his eyes dark with something I can't quite place. Then he lets out a long, slow breath, his shoulders slumping and groans. "I'm gonna die..." He mutters, turning away from me. "Just. Let's go. I'll drive."
Before I can ask anything else, he walks away, towards the hidden transport, leaving me standing there, confused and more than a little irritated. What is his problem? Why is he being so... so... ugh!
I stomp after him, my anger simmering beneath my skin. He's being ridiculous, and I don't have time for his nonsense. We need to get back to the others, to make sure they're alright. I don't have the energy to deal with his mood swings.
I'll... just deal with Alistair later. Preferably when I'm not concussed.