With You

Chapter 10

It's almost been a whole week since we returned from town and it has gone by in a blur. Every day I wake up with a smile on my face, I'll pull some of my new clothes out of the bag near the bed and get myself dressed. I'll make my way down the stairs to always find Kyran in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

Every morning I've been topping up or even starting the fire before joining Kyran in the kitchen, he teaches me new things each day. From cooking, laundry, to the dishes, he's even given me a demonstration of his gun. Although the moment he shot it, I had to spend the rest of the day hiding in the bedroom fighting off the flashbacks of running through the forest. That was the end of that.

Kyran will always disappear after lunch, only ever returning long after dark to cook dinner with me. Well, Kyran cooks dinner, I'm normally just being shown how to do things and being forced to drink a protein shake. Once our bellies are full we'll sit down by the fire and read.

The day after we returned, Kyran had sat me down and shown me how to spell out some bigger words. I still have to interrupt him every 30 seconds for help but I don't think he minds, I've noticed he doesn't ever actually read. I imagine he just pretends to when really he just waiting for me to ask for help. It puts a smile on my face.

Learning all these new skills has me excited about the possibility of independence. I've admittedly come out of my shell a lot with Kyran, his patience and gentle smiles made me realise for certain that if there's one person to ever rely on. It's him.

He hasn't hit out at me or treated me poorly in any way. It's a big change to the life I was living not even 2 weeks ago.

I'm happy with where I am now, I sit at a window in the living area watching as very a light dust of snow falls in the valley while I think of the life I'm living. The crackling of the fireplace fills the room behind me, bringing warmth to the cozy cabin.

The door opening in the entranceway makes me involuntarily jump, dragging me back into reality. I push myself away from the window and make my way curiously to the entrance. Seeing Kyran pull off his snow-covered beanie and gloves. He looks my way as I get closer and gives me a sweet smile. I smile back at him in greeting, excited that he's back so early.

"So I got something to show ya but you have to turn around and close your eyes" He says to me with a cheeky grin making its way to his face. My smile widens at his statement, happy that something exciting is happening.

I hastily do as he says, turning my body away and covering my eyes with my hands. I can hear the door opening again and a loud ruckus. A thump hits the floor behind me, making a flush of nervousness go through me. I remind myself it's Kyran and think happy thoughts until he interrupts me.

"Have a look" His deep voice huffs out. I waste no time whipping myself around and looking at what Kyran wants to show me. Almost standing at my height, a wooden bookcase-type shelf stands before me. I walk over to it and look over it as Kyran begins to speak.

"It's nothing special, honestly was a rushed job but I thought maybe you'd appreciate somewhere to put your clothes that isn't the dresser or the bag. If you don't want to use this one either that's completely fine, I just wanted to give you that option in cas-"

"Is this what you've been doing all week?!" I cut his rambling off, in shock that he built me a shelf from scratch.

"Do you like it?" He mumbles, his voice sounding husky as it drops an octave. My face lights up with excitement over the gift Kyran made me.

"I love it, thank you so much!" I rush to him and grab his hand, giving it a big squeeze as I smile brightly up at him.

"I'll treasure it!" I whisper out in awe, blind with excitement. This being the first gift I've received since my parents, it could almost bring me to tears. The fact that he spent so much time making it fills my heart.

"Hmm, it's really not that big of a deal..." Kyran uncomfortably mumbles, shuffling his feet.

"Anyways, let's get it up to the room" He says quickly, removing my hands still gripping his. He picks up the cupboard with his big arms like it's nothing. My eyes widen as I watch his form walk away from me, my breath completely taken away by him.

Without a moment to recover, I chase after him as he takes it into the bedroom, placing it to the side of the dresser. Once it's placed down, he moves to the dresser and takes all the drawers out. I find that it's filled with clothes already, peaking my interest but I still refuse to go anywhere near it.

I watch Kyran move the now-empty frame of the dresser out the room and down the hall. I follow behind him as he takes it to a door I haven't seen behind yet.

"Could ya open the door for me, Addie?" He huffs out while readjusting his grip on the bulky frame. I scurry towards him and slide myself the furthest I can against the opposite wall as him to stay far away from the dresser. This earns a funny look thrown my way but I ignore it and open the door quickly for him. He pushes his way through and drops it with a puff.

I take a good look around the new room and find it completely empty aside from a sleeping bag and pillow on the floor. A light bulb goes off above my head as my eyes slide accusingly over to Kyrans retreating frame.

"Hold on a second" I call after him, narrowing my eyes. He hums in question, still walking away to go get the drawers filled with clothes that now make complete sense to me. I follow a few steps behind him as I continue.

"This is actually your room, isn't it?" I interrogate, hinting at the room I've been staying in.

"Uh, yeah?" Kyran looks down funnily at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world. A small gasp leaves my mouth, feeling terrible he's had to endure a sleeping bag in an empty room while I selfishly take his comfy bed. Kyran picks up a drawer and begins to walk out the door. Only I jump my body into the doorway to block him.

"No" Is all I say, my tiny body barely taking up the door frame. If he wanted to, he could just trample me like I was nothing but a bug. Instead, he stops with a disapproving look.

"No?" He asks me, staring me down. I squirm under his disapproving gaze but hold strong.

"I can't let you sleep in a sleeping bag while I'm in your room taking up your bed" I say, guilt leaking through my voice.

"What do you suggest we do then Adeline?" He grumbles back at me, I take a moment to try and come up with some answers or solutions for him.

"Your only other options are for us to bunk up together or for you to take the sleeping bag and I can promise you that won't be happening." He says, taking my silence as uncertainty to his question. What he says makes me freeze up, the idea of both of us in the bed fills my mind and makes my face flush.

I move out of the doorway without looking his way. He mumbled something under his breath as he takes the drawers into the other room. I stand off to the side trying to work out what's happening to me.

Before I know it Kyrans walked out of the room with the last drawer, telling me to start unpacking into my new shelving unit. Only I'm too in shock to reply. I watch my hands shake instead, trying to work out if I'm trembling in fear from the thought of Kyran in bed with me, or if it's excitement.

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Authors note 💕

Please don't forget to give this chapter that pretty little star 💫 It makes all the difference and warms my heart every time someone does.

Spicy! I fell down the stairs today so now I'm stuck in bed tonight with nothing else to do but write 😈🙏 Lets get typing baby!