Shadows and Shades (#4 Post-Order 66 Series)

Shadows and Shades - Part 10

Crosshair sat on the edge of the bed, watching Iden sleep peacefully. It had been a day since he'd apologized, and they'd spent the entire prior day barely leaving the bedroom, snacking on whatever they could find in the kitchen as they reacquainted themselves with one another after their week apart. Now as he watched the morning light start to filter into the bedroom again, he felt conflicted about waking her, but there was something he wanted to do. His fingers traced along her temple, pushing some hair out of her face before dragging along her collarbone and coming to gently grip her shoulder.

"Iden."

Her eyebrows knit together in annoyance, and he couldn't help but smile at her sleepy indignance. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before saying her name again softly.

"Wake up, darling."

"Tickles," she mumbled.

"Hm?"

She opened one bleary eye, affixing him with a surprisingly piercing gaze. "Your beard. Tickles my cheeks when you kiss my face."

"Remember, you said it would look good."

"I did. But that doesn't mean I won't complain about the drawbacks." Rolling onto her back, she stretched, wiggling her toes under the sheets and flexing her wrists over her head. "So what's got you up so early?"

"We're going somewhere."

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "No further details?"

"You'll find out when we get there."

"Reassuring."

Leaning down, he tossed a shirt at her, hitting her in the face. She glowered at him, but he ignored her, pushing himself to his feet. "Dress warm. And wear comfortable boots."

Iden watched him carefully for a few more seconds before apparently accepting that she would garner no further details from him. Stepping out of bed, she began searching for some undergarments, swaying her hips enticingly as she rummaged through the small dresser in the corner. "Fine then, have it your way, oh mysterious one."

He strode down the hall to the kitchen, where he threw some food and a thermos of caf into a pack before heading to the living room and retrieving the Firepuncher's bag from beneath the couch. Iden emerged as he straightened, tucking her hair up under a cap. She eyed the Firepuncher, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "Do I need to come armed?"

"You should always carry a blaster, Lieutenant," he teased. "But no, I'm not taking you into a fight."

Iden narrowed her eyes at him as she strapped her holster to her thigh before pulling on a jacket. "I don't get why you're being so cryptic right now."

"Part of my charm," he replied, handing her the pack with food. "Carry this."

"Oh, I see, you're just bringing me along as a pack carrier. I have other uses, you know."

"I'm well aware." He rested his hands on her shoulders before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just trust me. Now come on, we've got a ways to hike."

The sun was just above the horizon as they exited the dwelling. Their breath hung in the air as a swirling mist in the chill and the ground sparkled with an early morning frost. Crosshair pulled up the collar of his jacket before jerking his head at Iden for her to follow. He led her down a few side streets until they were at the city limit. As he strode towards the tree line of the surrounding forest, he heard her pause for a moment before apparently deciding he couldn't be that far out of his mind and resuming her pace behind him.

They hiked for a little over an hour, Crosshair leading Iden through the trees and over several foothills, the only sound being the crunching of their boots against the frosty ground and the occasionally labored breathing when there was a change in elevation. Finally, he grinned when he saw the clearing he'd pinpointed on the maps. Taking his binocs from his hip, he scanned the area to ensure they were completely alone before stepping out of the trees. He assumed in the spring, this area would be littered with wildflowers, but now, the grass was yellow and dead, the trees finally relenting to the oncoming winter and beginning to drop their auburn leaves. After about twenty meters, Crosshair stopped, taking the rifle bag off his back and kneeling down on the ground. Iden stood in front of him, inspecting the area.