Dear Fellow Traveler - ThatsNotMyLeg (2024)

Chapter 1: Getting Ready

Chapter Text

He nervously tugged at his collar as he looked himself over in the cracked mirror. The idea of "shore leave" made his stomach churn, even more so because it was a requirement rather than an option.

Why do they even call it that? There's no ocean for at least two hundred miles…

Stev flinched slightly as the door of the makeshift barracks' bathroom opened suddenly, causing his fingers to catch in the awkwardly standing collar of the vest he had been given, causing the other side of it to slap him in the cheek.

"Stev! Finally off to mingle with sandbillies?"

"Gavin," Stev coughed as he readjusted the vest. "You're supposed to knock."

"If you're finally taking your turn, that means our rank's list is starting from the top again!" Gavin ignored Stev's discomfort as he thumped him on the back before grinning at him in the mirror. "Means it's only a month before I get to lay my eyes on the Desert Rose again."

"I just don't understand why it's necessary," Stev huffed as he tried and failed to smooth the wrinkles from the assigned "civilian clothes" that had been shoved at him an hour prior. "I'd be perfectly happy to take a week of shifts on the excavation team instead of running around gawking at foreigners."

"You forget, buddy. We're the foreigners," Gavin sighed, patting Stev's back more gently this time. "And it's required because if anything goes wrong, everyone has to have at least a vague understanding of the layout of the town. We may answer to the Commander, but this one came from above him, if the rumors I heard are true."

"R- rumors?" Stev nervously brushed at his hair with his fingers, the constant tight upward pull on the longer parts at the back bearing the telltale ridge from the visor and helmet of the usual uniform.

Gavin glanced toward the open door behind them, pausing to listen before leaning in.

"You know that high-ranking Knight? The one that likes to talk about his conquests? The one that was said to have gone deep undercover three years ago?"

Stev swallowed roughly and nodded.

"I didn't see him when I went down there, but others swear that they've spotted him in the town, strutting around and acting like he was one of them."

Stev jerked his head to look directly at Gavin, trying his hardest to search his face for any sign of a lie or a prank. Gavin returned the look with a nervous grimace.

"They also say one of the top brass is there too. Remember the paintings in the recruitment office? They swear up and down that the lady General with the big hair is there too."

Stev shivered. The Knight alone made him uncomfortable enough; having met the man once in passing was more than enough for a lifetime. But an actual General? If he screwed up and said even one wrong thing, there was a good chance that he'd be-

"Relax!" Gavin grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a friendly shake when he noticed his comrade's fear. "Just pick an easy cover story and stick with it! You'll be fine! Even Zach Cohhadler was able to keep from running his mouth like he always does; if anyone asked him his name, he just showed them a card that said 'Cohh.' and wandered off pretending to be mute!"

Gavin chuckled as Stev visibly relaxed.

Easy cover story…

Lucy stretched as she sat up from her workbench. The slouching over the tables all day had certainly done a number on her back, but the long hours had been worth it to get the final truss for the bridge ready for transport in the morning along with a huge load of smaller parts to help the foundation team.

As she wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm, she smacked herself with her watch in the process, wincing as the bronze buckle scratched her head slightly. She stared down at the offending accessory with a frown, pondering why she had even bothered putting it on before starting her work as her eyes followed the thinnest arm as it swung around the face.

2:30 pm. Made pretty good time today.

Wait.

sh*t.

The tea party at 3!

Lucy jumped from her stool, sending it toppling over as she sprinted toward her home to scrub the grease and dirt and metal shavings off and change into something more suitable for the occasion. It wasn't every day that a person gets the chance to sit in on the most exclusive gossip groups in town, and there was no way she would miss this opportunity or risk becoming the subject of their talks by showing up in her nasty, ratty work clothes.

She dug furiously through the small cluttered wardrobe, throwing aside leather aprons, coveralls, and heavy denim into a heap on the floor. I know ma made me pack it, it's got to be here somewhere!

Relief washed over her as her fingers met with blue and green satin. The whole eveningwear ensemble would certainly be way too over-the-top for a tea party, but the blouse would pair perfectly with one of her darker pairs of nice jeans and her green-laced boots. Matching shoes to shirt would be enough to keep Pablo from making any snide comments, at the very least.

Once her hair was mostly back where it belonged, she snatched the fragrant little pouches Amirah had asked for and rushed out the door.

Chapter 2: Getting Set

Chapter Text

Stev warily glanced around the huge room, reaching up to adjust his visor out of nervous habit only to remember he was forced to leave it behind. The awkward transition to scratching the back of his head made him flinch as his fingers met his loose hair. It wasn't that long, per se, but three years without a proper haircut had left it just long enough that he had taken up the same habit as some of the other soldiers of gelling it up into their helmet with whatever grease they could get their hands on to avoid getting the rusty old razor from their squad leader. Having it hanging loose felt… foreign.

Foreign like the smiles that were so casually offered to him as he wandered along the sunbleached cobbled streets. Foreign like the sweet smell of cactus flowers wafting in the early autumn breeze, a refreshing change from the smell of old dust and overheated electric motors and acrid spent oil down in the ruin he had been stationed in for three years. Foreign like-

"Hey there!"

Stev jerked his gaze toward the source of the voice to find yet another jovial smile pointed in his direction.

"Can't say I've seen you in town before," the tall man behind the bar chuckled, gesturing toward the open bar stools in front of him. "If you're here to visit, we've got rooms available upstairs. And food and drink, of course."

Stev couldn't help but give a small smile back as he approached. The man almost reminded him of the old woman that managed the apartments he had grown up in. She was always so warm and kind, ready to lend a helping hand or sneak him a small meal when she could see he was hungry.

He settled in the seat with a wistful smile still plastered on his face. "I, uh, could use a room. A week, I think."

"A week it is," the bartender affirmed, dashing his fingers over the keys of the till without even looking at them. "The rooms are at a discount right now due to the bridge being out. I can't offer any free showers for the moment, but a paying guest is always welcome in my humble establishment."

"Thank you, sir," Stev said, wincing at how stiff the words sounded as they exited his mouth, pulling a handful of gols out to pay the amount scratched into the paper placed in front of him before stacking the coins neatly on the counter. "You mentioned food?"

"Of course!"

He could hardly believe the man's smile could grow broader, and yet it did as he retrieved a beautifully illustrated menu from beneath the bar and set it on the counter in front of him. The images almost looked like photographs until Stev spotted a single errant pencil stroke on the picture of the omelet.

"Just give me or Grace a shout when you're ready to order. I'll just be in the back." The man nodded toward the nearby door with a smirk. "The 'society' likes their tea piping hot, so I like to be ready for them on Wednesdays."

Stev gave a nod as the bar owner retreated through the door, turning his attention back down to the menu in front of him.

After his enlistment, he had finally been to a real restaurant for the first time, but never one that had multiple pages of options. He had been told endlessly about how the town was struggling and would be easily subdued, but the massive list of dishes with beautifully illustrated examples of what the meal might look like painted a completely different picture.

His attention was pulled upward by a clearing of a throat. The blonde woman stared him down with an uncomfortable intensity despite the smile on her face.

"I'll be taking your order when you're ready, sir."

The title almost made him wince.

"I've, uh, never been here before. What would you suggest?"

He almost flinched again at his own faltering words.

"Well, my boss cooks a mean steamed sandfish," she mused, glancing around the large room as if she was looking for someone before her searching gaze landed back on him. "And you definitely have to try yakmel milk while you're visiting. It's a local specialty."

"I guess I'll have those, then."

"Uh huh…"

Stev felt almost like he was standing naked in front of her as she stared at him while scribbling down the order, the sound of the door behind only just barely registering in his mind as he averted his eyes to the floor beside him.

"Grace, darling, you'll scare away the second best looking mug I've seen in this place in weeks if you don't get that R.B.F. under control."

Despite the softness of the voice, the woman's face took on a defeated look as she turned away. Stev tilted his head to look toward the source. A man around his own age stood halfway between him and the door, flipping a lock of his vivid green hair as their eyes met, a smirk on his face.

"The proper response would be 'thank you, your majesty'. Or any slight variation thereof. I'm not too picky."

"I… thank you?"

Stev shifted nervously as the green haired man looked him up and down, an almost terrifyingly neutral look on his face. Stev felt himself shrink beneath the gaze when it was interrupted by a scoff and a swift waving gesture.

"You'll do."

To say she felt nervous was an understatement. Her first haircut had felt less like a salon experience and more like an interrogation. Pablo almost seemed to be disappointed that her reason for moving to Sandrock was just to help a struggling town.

"Well, I suppose sometimes the hero is the princess. But no tragic backstory? Sweetheart, you need at least something to drive the plot in this podunk town!"

Lucy sipped at the warm cup of tea, hoping it would cool by the time the cup was half full so she could throw it back and leave. It wasn't like she didn't like the gossip and rumors, she just didn't feel like she had anything to add to the conversation.

"And how 'bout you?"

Lucy startled as Heidi planted her hand on her shoulder from across the table.

"Me?"

"Well, you ain't from around here, surely you've got somethin' you heard or saw. Or done."

"Not much more than what Nia told me about," Lucy mumbled, worrying her fingers against the silverware on her empty plate.

"A second nice one was a problem," Pablo sang, twirling his fingers around the straw in his cup before training his eyes on Lucy. "But an innocent one? Light, what would the old crones say if they thought I was losing my touch. This won't do."

Lucy leered at Pablo and he smiled wryly in response.

"Don't give me that look, my sweet little firebrand. I'm sure you've seen your fair share of action. But perhaps it has been a while. I'm sure you've noticed by now that not a single person in town will even dare to rest a hand against that pretty little cheek of yours without a heart knot in the other."

Lucy deflated with a huff of a chuckle.

"I really am sorry about my brother's actions," Amirah sighed before giggling. "I'd say he usually isn't like that, but that would be a lie. He actually is always like that."

"Tourists are always an option," Heidi drawled, gesturing toward the handful of unfamiliar faces at the bar. "Can't catch feelin's when you'll never see 'em again."

Lucy glanced at the bar. The guests all seemed to look the same in her eyes. Ever since the Atara tracks were cut by the collapse, the only guests seemed to be from Highwind and they would surely know her family name. The last thing she wanted was her mother catching wind of anything and insisting on rescuing her. She wasn't a teenager, she was a twenty-eight year old woman with a career! No rescuing required. Her face soured until Pablo interjected.

"My dear, might I turn your attention to the poor nervous fellow in the corner?"

Lucy turned her eyes in the direction Pablo had gestured and watched as the man stared down at his meal and nervously poked his fork into the whole sandfish in front of him.

"Would love to bring that one into the salon, and not just to tame that mop on his head."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him as he smirked.

"Well, if none of you will help him, I will."

Lucy rose from the booth to approached the stranger as Pablo sighed. "Light, I hope you do."

Amirah and Heidi shared a laugh as Lucy blushed and left the table.

Chapter 3: Getting Going

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The fish placed in front of him was bizarre.

Not that Stev had much of a point of reference on the subject considering the pollution-filled creeks and ponds back home, but he was fairly certain that the pictures of fish he had seen back in school did not have a pair of small legs dangling off of them. His brows furrowed as he tentatively poked his fork into one of the dubious limbs.

"If it's too strange for you, I'm sure Owen wouldn't mind making you something else."

The petite woman that had suddenly appeared beside him smiled softly at him before glancing down at the plate.

"I'm not really a fan of sand carp either." Her face scrunched in the direction of the plate, before turning back to softly smile at him again. "The legs are freaky and the giant lips are downright weird."

"That's what I thought too. I just didn't want to seem ungrateful," Stev sighed, pushing the plate a little further away. "I'm sure it tastes great, I'm just, uh... sort of out of my element here."

"I could practically see you sweating buckets from across the room," Lucy chuckled, gesturing toward the booth behind her as she slid into the bar stool next to him. "If it's any consolation, I was in the exact same situation as you a few months ago when I moved here. Though my torture-on-a-plate was one of Grace's sand omelets. With extra sand."

Stev chuckled in return before looking back over his shoulder in the direction she had pointed and spotted the green haired man watching them with a mischievous smile painted across his face while the two women sitting with him giggled.

"O-oh, I-" he stammered, turning his eyes back toward the woman beside him. "I'd hate to keep you from your lunch with your friends, miss…"

"Lucy." She smiled brightly, extending her hand. "And you're not keeping me from anything, I've been looking for a way out for a while."

"I'm Stev." He took her hand and gave it a polite shake, suddenly noticing just how small it was. How small she was. He considered himself to be fairly average in size, but the tiny woman smiling brightly in the stool beside him had him feeling like one of the skyscrapers in the capitol. A faint blush began to tint his cheeks as he realized he was still holding her hand, quickly releasing his grip and scratching the back of head as he cleared his throat. "I'm, uh, not from around here…"

"I gathered as much," Lucy laughed, smiling at him again before turning for a moment to flag down the waitress. "Somehow even a struggling town like this gets tourists. If the clothes hadn't already given it away, the accent certainly would have. Where is it from?"

"Duv- Ah, I mean…" Stev began to panic, stumbling over his words as he desperately tried to remember the backstory Gavin had helped him create. "With the refugee crisis, and- Uh, what I'm saying is-"

Lucy placed her finger on his lips to quiet him, the delicate touch sending a shiver down his spine. Her expression of gentle understanding further softened her already soft features as their eyes met.

"You don't have to say it if you don't feel comfortable." Lucy lowered her finger from his lips and it took Stev a moment to remember to breathe, letting out a quiet shaky sigh. "A friend of mine here in town is also a refugee from Duvos. Her hometown of Baja was invaded and annexed. She'll talk endlessly about the literal garbage dump she grew up in, but still hasn't said a word about the rest of her experience."

"Yeah, it's… complicated." Stev gave her an apologetic half smile as the waitress approached.

"I see you're not a fan of the local fare," the blonde chuckled, lifting the plate and unopened bottle from the bar.

"You've got to stop giving tourists the most jarring dishes you have, Grace," Lucy huffed as she leaned herself forward on the bar, planting her elbows on the wooden surface and shaking her head as Grace continued to smirk. "You're from Atara, you know exactly what their reactions would be."

"It's just a little fun, Luce!" Grace placed the dishes onto a large tray behind the bar before turning back towards them. "Seems your new friend here was just too polite to say anything himself."

"Just get him some sandberry juice and a plate of sand tea beef. You're not a vegetarian, are you?" Lucy turned her face toward him, the lean forcing her head to tilt and causing her short bobbed haircut to fall over her face. She blew a puff of air out to push it out of the way only for a group of strands to land directly between her eyes, causing her to pout at the offending locks.

Cute...

"Oh, uh, n- no. I- I'm not." Stev coughed into his sleeve as he turned away, praying that the warmth in his cheeks would subside.

When he turned back toward her, the waitress was gone and Lucy was now seated upright and glaring daggers over her shoulder at the giggling girls and ruthless ringleader at the booth behind them. Stev cleared his throat and she turned an apologetic look toward him.

"Don't mind them," Lucy grumbled before turning her head toward the trio again and raising her voice slightly. "Those menaces just have too much free time!"

"Sticks and stones, darling," the green haired man sang back in a lilting tone. "Better than being a bore with no free time at all."

"Your rumor mill is full of nothing but flour and hot air!" Lucy stuck her tongue out at them and then smiled before turning back toward Stev. His face must have shown his confusion at the flying insults because her smile softened. "I promise they really are good friends, they just like sticking their noses in other folks' business. The banter is all in good fun."

When the food arrived, Stev heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of it. The heavily spiced seared meat glistened on the plate and sent his mouth watering as the smell of the heavy seasoning intermingled with the sweet aroma wafting from the glass of juice. Back in Duvos, meat was a luxury few but the Emperor could afford and he had only just gotten his first taste of it out in the desert when a group of scouts decided to try their hand at hunting the local animals. That first taste had been completely unseasoned and half burnt, but that didn't stop the pure bliss that seemed to run through his veins at that first bite. To get this chance to finally be able to taste meat prepared properly almost made him completely forget about all his fear and trepidation about coming into town. Maybe he could ask the tall saloon owner to teach-

"Are you going to try it? Or are you going to ask it to dance?" Lucy giggled beside him as Stev shook himself from his daze, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment as he glanced at her. Her arms were crossed on the bar and she was resting the side of her head on them, a wide grin glowing on her face that wrinkled the skin beside her eyes. "Thought for a second there you were about to get down on one knee and propose to the plate!"

"It looks amazing," he spouted, breaking eye contact to search for his fork. "We never had anything like this back home."

"Owen's a wonderful cook," Lucy mused as Stev took the first bite, her smile broadening as his eyes widened. "Even though we use all the same local ingredients, when I make it at home it's never quite as good as his."

"You know how to cook this?" Glee poured unrestrained from his words and expression as he turned to her again, his next bite suspended midair by the fork in his hand. "Can… Can you teach me?"

"Oh, um, s- sure." This time it was Lucy's turn to blush, the pink tones spreading all across her cheeks and nose, stretching far enough over her face to tinge the tips of her ears red. "I have an outdoor kitchen setup back at my workshop across the train tracks. You could come by during your stay in town and I could show you, i-if you want…"

"Yes! Please!"

Chapter 4: Getting Distracted

Chapter Text

Smooth move, Luce, she thought, mentally kicking herself for letting his sudden, excited question catch her off guard. Watching his face change from panic to amazement to delight when the new plate of food arrived had somehow gotten her imagination going again.

When she had made the offhand comment about Owen's cooking, her mind had been decidedly elsewhere, conjuring up images of what other expressions Stev might make in other circ*mstances. The request itself was more than likely entirely innocent, but that did nothing to stop her brain from taking off and racing straight down that lewd track it was already on.

Though she would never admit it out loud, Pablo was right on the money; It had been a while, and even the little comments and compliments she had gotten from the townsfolk had a habit of riling her up.

At this point, her face was so flushed that all her addled brain could muster was a nod and mumbled nonsense as Stev turned back toward his food.

"I give it two hours."

Heidi smacked Pablo's shoulder with a menu.

"You know she ain't like that!"

"And you, sweetheart, know that she is." Pablo snatched the menu from her hand as she primed it for another swing and pressed it to the table. "Have you ever seen our darling associate not rushing into things?"

Heidi deflated before glancing back towards the bar, watching as Lucy blushed and smiled up at the tourist as he shoveled his new meal into his mouth.

"He's only here for a week, darling," Pablo cooed, placing a hand on her back as she slouched over the table into a slump. "You'll both get your chances the same as anyone else in this town. Though once he's gone, you'll need to make haste. While you two were giggling and pining, I just so happened to spot a certain saloon owner grimacing in the window of the kitchen door."

"He wouldn't!" Heidi shot up to look at him as his smirk grew. "I thought he only had eyes for Amirah!"

"He has been visiting my shop less frequently of late," Amirah hummed. "I thought perhaps he had simply finally accepted my disinterest."

"Mayhaps once our intrepid builder blows off some steam, her heart may be ready to let one of the locals in," Pablo sang as he lifted the menu from the table and softly patted it against each of their heads. "But staring is my specialty. You two just look far too forlorn to give the right effect for the situation at hand."

"So what do you think of the guy?"

The girls flinched at the sudden voice as Pablo smiled toward Grace, the devious smirk returning again.

"Well at least from what I have seen," he began, settling himself against the cushion behind him. "A bit above average in the 'show' department though probably painfully vanilla aside from the occasional hair pull or ass slap. Might have a secret tattoo, but it would be something small and meaningful. And it seems he keeps his fingernails well trimmed."

"You know what I mean," Grace groaned as she tilted her head, annoyance coating both her voice and stern expression.

"Positively harmless," Pablo mused as he checked his nails before waving his hand as if to brush away her sour expression. "Every devious thought that seems to cross his mind is sure to cross his cheeks in equal measure, as I'm sure you've already seen."

Grace huffed as she placed a fresh round of drinks on the table before leaving, Heidi and Amirah staring after her.

"Wait, does Grace also-"

"Not like that, my darling Amirah." Pablo sipped at the drink in front of him, giving a flippant gesture. "More like a lioness defending her cubs, as far as I can tell. Or perhaps stalking her next kill. Hard to tell with that one. But if anyone can dig something up on the tasty little morsel, it's her."

"But why climb into the sinkhole too?" Lucy laughed. "Why not throw down a rope or grab a ladder?"

"He was my best friend and we weren't exactly the brightest kids in the village," Stev chuckled in response, letting the laugh fade as his fork met the empty plate.

"Do you ever miss him?" Lucy's face took on a panicked uncomfortable look as the words slipped out before her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"All good. No need to feel sorry. He, uh, got out of there with me. I saw him just before I came out here. We actually work together."

"That must be nice," she sighed, staring off into space for a moment. "I miss Nia."

"Nia?" Stev raised an eyebrow as he placed his utensils on the plate and pushed it forward.

"She's my best friend, back in Highwind. We grew up together like you and Gavin." Lucy tapped her finger against Stev's empty glass as she frowned. "She says she'll come visit me once her botany midterms are done, but that's still two months away."

"Botany? Drusilla studies botany too!"

Lucy stared blankly at Stev's smiling face as the gears in her mind started turning. Drusilla. A woman. A wife? A girlfriend? A lover? Stupid! You didn't even think to ask about that first, and here you are jumping in, neck deep already!

Stev's smile faltered, falling into that nervous look again as he raised his hands in front of himself as Lucy's expression began to drop.

"Oh, I mean… It's nothing like that. Drusilla is Gavin's baby sister. Well, maybe not a baby any more, obviously. And she's way younger than-"

"Okay lovebirds," Grace interjected, causing both to jump at her sudden presence. "Bar seating is closing for dinner prep and cleaning."

Lucy blushed as she looked back over the rest of the room, the entirety of the booths and stools now empty. Her eyes shot to the watch on her wrist.

"sh*t. Sorry Grace. I didn't even realize it was almost five already."

Grace waved her away and gathered the empty dishes as Lucy scrambled off of the stool, hurriedly adjusting her blouse before sliding herself out from in front of her seat. As she turned she let out a yelp, the sound muffled by the fabric her face had collided with. As she bounced off the solid surface beneath, steady hands caught her shoulders to keep her from falling back against the stool behind her.

"Are you, uh… alright?" Concern creased Stev's brows until she giggled up at him while rubbing her nose, a flush to her cheeks and light tears escaping the corners of her eyes. He was struck again by her size, the top of her head only just reaching his shoulders. She was only a few inches away from him and had her head tilted far back to look up at him, exposing more of her pale neck that had been hidden by the collar of the elaborate blouse. The skin of her one bare shoulder felt soft beneath his fingers, but he could also feel the lithe strong muscles hiding just beneath the surface under his grip.

"I'm alright," she laughed softly, removing her hand from her face to smile broadly up at him. "I have a bad habit of rushing around constantly. Thankfully I'm more prone to running face first into doors and furniture than people usually."

Stev let out a chuckling sigh as he reluctantly released her, his hands hovering in place for a moment to ensure she wouldn't fall before lowering his arms back to his sides.

"Would-" Lucy hesitated a moment as she glanced down at his chest in front of her, realizing just how close they were to each other before blushing anew as she looked back up at him. "Would you like a tour of the town? I already finished all my work for the day. I mean, if you don't have any other plans?"

Chapter 5: Reminders

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"They're… quite a bit larger than I thought."

Lucy giggled and grabbed Stev's wrist to guide his hand.

"Don't be shy, you should touch them!"

"So… soft."

The yakmel continued to chew its feed lazily, paying Stev and Lucy no mind as they stroked its fur and laughed. The first stop on the impromptu tour was an easy choice. It was almost a requirement that every visitor to town pet a yakmel and sample the milk down at the ranch.

"You have to at least give it a little taste!" The tiny cup she pressed into his hands was far less intimidating than the huge bottle he had been presented with in the saloon, but Stev hesitated nonetheless as Lucy giggled. "If you end up hating it, you can always just spit it out and I promise I won't laugh… too much."

"Well, bottoms up I guess." Stev gulped hard before throwing the entire cup back as Lucy and Mabel watched on in delight. He scrunched his face for a moment then raised his eyebrow in thought before raising both in surprise.

"See," Mabel cooed, pouring more into his cup from the pitcher in her hands. "That wasn't so bad, now was it? Even better than that cow's milk from Portia, if I do say so m'self."

"The, uh, texture was a bit surprising, but the flavor is..." he muttered before taking a sip of the second serving and coughing. "-rich?"

"Rich? What's rich is you doubtin' th' in-teg-ri-ty of this here establishment o' mine, boy!" Cooper rubbed at his chin, his eyes seeming to look off toward some far away place. "Why, when my ole grandpappy was still runnin' 'round these parts, he'd'a never stood fer none'a this doubtin' or rabble rousin' or tomfoolery. Matter'a fact, when I was-"

Lucy grabbed hold of Stev's wrist and tugged, the raw strength of the pull causing him to stumble over his own feet in the direction she was dragging him at very near to a full run, the small cup falling from his hands to the ground before he could even get his footing. She finally stopped her sprinting as they reached the shade of a reinforced tunnel where she leaned her back against the cool steel walls, laughing through her breathless panting.

"Was hoping he'd still be out in the pasture," Lucy gasped, her giggles still coloring her voice. "You have to wait until the right moment and run, otherwise you'll be stuck for an hour at least!"

"I think he's still going," Stev panted with a laugh, one hand planted on his knee as he crouched over slightly to catch his breath.

As their heavy breathing slowed, the faint sound of Cooper's drawl carried on the breeze, the only discernible words coming to them as a brief shout of "and th' dang carrot cake too!" which sent both into another fit of laughter. It wasn't until he moved to wipe the tears from his eyes that Stev realized Lucy's hand was still holding onto his wrist while she dragged her other sleeve across her face, her giggles slowly subsiding.

"Light knows, I needed a good laugh after the week I've had!" She glanced up at him with a mirthful smile, suddenly noticing how very red his face was. Her brows creased as she worried for a moment that making him run in the hot weather had sent him into the first stages of heat exhaustion until she glanced down and realized her hand was still clutching his wrist, her palm pressed against his while his fingers rested gently against her pulse point. Her face flushed immediately to a matching hue as she released him, his fingertips ghosting along the length of her hand along the way.

"We, uh- We have a g-game center too," Lucy stuttered, shoving her hands into her pockets in an attempt to resist the urge to reach out and grab hold of his hand as she stood back up from her lean. "That I can show you. I- I can show you the game center!"

As she turned and began stiffly walking up the slope of the tunnel, Stev couldn't help but smile as he watched the slight bounce of her hair in front of him as he followed. How long has it been since I smiled this much? Since I really laughed? His smile faltered at the thought for a moment until they reached the end of the tunnel. The golden light of the setting sun poured around her as they emerged, casting a radiant glow that seemed to shine off of each strand of her hair as she turned her head back toward him. It was as if the Light itself was coming from her. His gasp caught in his throat as she smiled back at him, beckoning him to catch up with the movement of her arm and a nod of her head.

As they approached the building, a loud boastful laugh echoed through the open space. The uniformed man that stepped into view and down from the platform just beyond the structure had only the barest hint of a smile at the edge of his lips, and Stev briefly wondered how such a subdued expression could produce such a large sound until he heard loud stomping footsteps following behind the man.

"Unsuur! Pen!"

Stev's smile dropped into the practiced neutrality of standing at attention before quickly shaking the matching pose from his limbs in a panic as Lucy's stride changed to a slow jog. The Knight seemed somehow larger than he had remembered as Lucy ran forward and gave each man a friendly hug. His pulse quickened as he watched the mountain of a man lean down over her to return the embrace with an unsettling grin in his face. While Stev may have felt tall beside the small woman, the Knight made her look tiny. He gulped back on the lump in his throat as he took a step.

He continued carefully forward until the Knight's face shot up from the prolonged hug that Lucy seemed to be trying to squirm out of, the cold look in his eyes freezing Stev to the spot as Lucy finally freed herself. His mind returned to that dreary gray day during training, standing at attention for hours in the humid darkness as the Knight walked along line after line of tired soldiers, regarding each with a scowl. His gut clenched as he stopped in front of him, glaring down at him before grasping the man beside him by the helmet and throwing him to the ground.

"Stev?"

He flinched as his mind returned to the present, Lucy now standing in front of him with her hand gently resting against his arm, her brows pinched together with concern.

"Ah, sorry. I was just, uh, remembering something…"

Lucy patted his arm with a reassuring smile as she turned back toward the others.

"These are my friends. Unsuur is the deputy-in-training and Pen is the Church Enforcer."

"And Protector of Sandrock! Don't forget the entire title now, Skinny, I have a reputation to uphold!" Pen flexed both arms before planting his fists on his hips, a broad grin on his face.

"And this is Stev," Lucy said, reaching up to pat him on the shoulder with a smile. "I'm showing him around town."

Stev gave a nervous wave as Lucy turned to walk towards a slope at the other end of the square. Stev moved to follow, trying to look as relaxed as he could as he passed by the men. When he had nearly made it between them and the sparring ring that dominated the space, a large hand collided with the top of his shoulder, the firm grip pinning him in place as the Knight loomed over him.

"Remember your duty," Pen hissed into his ear, each word dripping with malice as the fingers tightened, the pressure feeling as if it would dislocate his shoulder. "Either remember it yourself, or I will remind you."

"Yes sir." Stev's voice was a shaky whisper. His shoulder was released, the fear in his response apparently enough to placate the man. Stev picked up his pace to catch up with her as she stood waiting on the slope, looking back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What was that about?" Lucy continued her walking as he matched her shorter stride up the hill.

"He just wanted to offer some advice, I guess." Stev shrugged as he suppressed the shudder as best he could as the Knight's words replayed in his mind.

"I will remind you."

Chapter 6: Warm Glow

Chapter Text

"I hope you don't mind that we're not stopping by the church," Lucy said, vaguely gesturing toward the back of the pale stone temple as they walked, turning her head to face him with an odd expression that Stev couldn't quite place. "The clergy in town are nice enough on their own, I've just never really been interested in the sermons. I prefer to revere the Light in my own way."

Stev nodded, glancing briefly at the back of the building as they continued along the path that ran behind it. The stone cobbles gave way to hard packed sand that met with a series of steel catwalks, the metallic clank of their feet seeming to carry out into the open canyon below as he moved to walk behind her on the narrow path. As they slowly rounded the massive rock that loomed over the center of town, Stev was unable to contain his gasp.

The sun was even lower now, nearly kissing the tops of the far off mountain range in the distance and painting the vast undulating landscape before them with warm golden light. Even the deep crevasse below seemed to be filled with the glimmering glow, pooling in the darkest reaches as it refracted and reflected off the glass and polished metal of the ancient exposed structures beneath them.

Stev's eyes did not take in the landscape, instead beholding a different awe-inspiring view as Lucy approached the railing and leaned against it with a sigh. Again he stared in wonder at the sight of her bathed in the shimmering warmth of the sun that almost seemed to radiate from her in equal measure as she gazed wistfully into the distance with a soft smile on her face. Even her eyelashes seemed to glitter in the warm light.

"This is how I like to revere the Light," she sighed, reaching a small hand out over the railing, flexing her fingers in the slowly fading glow of the sunset before returning her arm to rest on the railing. "It feels right to be out here enjoying the Light that Peach returned to the land, not cooped up in a stuffy dark hall just talking about it. I don't think he broke through the darkness to be worshiped. I think he did it because it was the right thing to do."

Stev took a tentative step forward, finally forcing his eyes to stray from the ethereal glow that seemed to surround her before moving up to lean his elbows on the railing beside her, finally taking in the scenery that seemed so much less radiant than the woman beside him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lucy hummed, leaning against his arm with a sigh. "I make sure to come out here to watch the sunset as often as I can. Seeing how truly magnificent the desert is always helps me shake off the stress and worries of the day. It makes me feel small and insignificant, but in a good way. As if any mistake I make or embarrassing thing I do or say is no big deal."

Stev hummed out his agreement as he crossed one arm to rest a hand on her forearm, running his thumb gently back and forth over the satiny fabric of her sleeve as they both watched the sun slowly dip beneath the horizon in companionable silence.

"Peach, Grace! I thought I told ya to quit sneakin' in there!" Justice rubbed at his brows as Grace crossed her arms, a smirk on her face. It was probably the third time he had caught her exiting the ruin in the last week alone and his exasperation was written all over him.

"And I told you that if you're willing to let a builder go in unsupervised, there's no reason to keep an actual archeologist out."

"Lucy's case is different," he groaned. "She's a part of the Civil Corps. You're just a student and a part-time cook!"

"Grad student," she chuckled, uncrossing her arms to rest her hands on her hips. "Which means I've been in worse ruins than this one."

"Just get out of here," Justice sighed, waving her off. "But know that I'm keepin' an eye on you if you ever come sneaking around The Breach again. It's still closed to the public and you know it!"

Grace snorted and turned on her heel to walk across the square as the sunlight slowly dimmed, a handful of lamps along the road flickering to life as her hand clutched the hastily transcribed telegram in her pocket.

As the golds and reds of the sunset gave way to the blues and violets of twilight, Lucy shivered as that first cool breeze of the evening whipped up from the canyon below. Feeling her shaking against his arm and beneath his hand, Stev pulled himself up from where he had been leaning beside her and hastily fumbled with the buttons of the thick canvas vest he had been assigned. Though the fit of the garment had been tighter than he would have liked, it seemed comically large as he draped it over her shoulders. She turned to him wide eyed as she stood up straight.

"Won't you be cold now?" Despite her question, Lucy grabbed hold of the vest and pulled it tighter around herself, relishing his warmth that still lingered in the fabric. "Desert nights can get downright freezing!"

"I guess you could say I'm used to the cold," Stev shrugged as he tried and failed to smooth the wrinkles from the thin long sleeved shirt before looking back at her. She had somehow cocooned herself thoroughly in the vest, the thick fabric wrapping around her face leaving only her eyes peeking above the tall collar and he stifled a chuckle as he extended his hand toward her. "It's, uh, getting dark."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened for a moment before her hand shot out and grabbed his before retreating back beneath the warm layer. "I'll show you the way back!"

The angle was a bit awkward as she gripped his arm with one hand and his hand with the other beneath the vest, but he didn't mind it one bit as she led him past a suspended tram, along another catwalk, and down multiple sets of stairs as the darkness descended.

"This is our shooting range," Lucy announced as they made their way under a dimly lit awning and past a table littered with spent rounds. "It's not very big, but the moving targets make it more fun."

"You… you shoot?" Stev glanced at the targets for only a moment before turning his gaze to the top of her head as she continued to walk him along the wooden platform. There's so much I don't know about her.

"Oh, yeah," she chuckled nervously, releasing his arm for a moment to push her hair out of her eyes before returning her grip. "There was a bit of an incident last week involving falling into the canyon and crash landing into a den of angry mutant lizards. I had to learn on the fly. I got a proper lesson afterwards though, and I'm a pretty good shot if I do say so myself."

"I'm sorry… Canyon? That giant canyon back there?!" Stev froze in his tracks, causing Lucy to stop as well as she turned her face to offer him a sheepish grin in response to his look of abject horror.

"Well, we started the day with two trams and you may have noticed that there's only one up there right now..." She watched as the fear and concern on his face remained, the glow of the nearby lanterns casting deep shadows on his furrowed brows. She tried to reassure him by shaking his arm gently. "The sheriff and I made it out safe and sound though! And we got rid of the creatures that were pulling apart the bridge!"

Lucy tugged at him in an attempt to continue their journey and Stev reluctantly followed her lead as his mind remained stuck on the idea of the petite woman that was clinging to his arm killing untold numbers of enemies with only one other person to help her. He felt a tingle run up his spine as he recalled the feeling of his hand on her shoulder in the saloon and the strength of her pull on his wrist at the ranch. He tried his best to match her stride and his cheeks warmed again as he attempted to commit the feeling of her current grip on him to memory. The square they walked through was dimly lit by street lamps that buzzed in the quiet night, only just barely loud enough to distort the hushed muttering coming from the porch of a nearby building as she suddenly pulled him in the opposite direction toward a narrow stone staircase with more haste than before.

Grace fell silent just before Pablo raised his hand and both leered out into the darkened square beyond his porch. The sound of footfalls on the cobblestones quickened and their eyes followed the pair as they descended toward the oasis before returning their attention to the task at hand.

"So we have nothing," Pablo sneered, crossing his arms and thumbing at his elbow in thought.

"Nothing from my friend in the immigration office and nothing in Jensen's passenger records either." Grace crossed her arms as well and glanced back toward the path the builder and tourist had taken before continuing. "Either he somehow snuck through the border and walked his way across the country, or this 'Stev' guy is hiding something."

"I still stand by my initial judgment, sweetheart. That flush and fluster absolutely screams 'terrible liar', so I doubt he'll be able to stand up against even the gentlest of needling." Pablo's sneer fell away with a tired sigh. "I was hoping for a little more 'whirlwind' and a little less 'smolder', considering our darling Lucy's penchant for rushing into things. I just don't want to see her getting hurt."

Stev stumbled slightly over the boulders as Lucy led him over the makeshift path that passed through the center of the oasis. She had released his hand and arm to keep her balance, and hopped off the rock onto solid ground in front of him with a huff.

"Sorry to cut the tour short like that, but Pablo was keeping watch." She turned a tired smile toward him as his feet finally met the stable compacted sand. "Half of the gossip and rumors in this town are about me as it is, I don't need Pablo coming at me sideways with as busy as I'll already be tomorrow."

"I could maybe lend you a hand if you want."

"Working during a vacation?" Lucy's smile broadened as they walked along the train tracks.

"Well, I didn't really plan anything out before getting here…" Stev's words trailed off as they stopped beside a fenced yard, Lucy turning to him as she unlatched the gate. His eyes scanned over the rumbling machines chugging away in the otherwise quiet night before looking back at her. "Just let me know if you have any wants or needs and I'll see if I can help you out."

"I'll be getting everything ready to haul bright and early tomorrow and I told the others that offered help that I would be ready by 9am." Lucy prayed that the dim backlight from her workshop was enough to obscure the vivid red she could feel burning in her cheeks again. "You can come by as early as you like."

"I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then. Good night, Lucy." Without thinking, Stev reached out and grasped her hand and squeezed before turning toward the glow of the saloon across the tracks.

"G'night Stev."

Chapter 7: Good Morning

Chapter Text

Lucy stared down at her hand still on the doorknob as she stood in her entryway, the click of the mechanism having passed her by a few minutes before.

I could tell him. I should tell him.

The back of her hand still tingled as she replayed the moment again in her mind, the warmth of his grip and the broad closed-lip smile sending her heart into a dizzying beat. As she finally slowly turned toward her tiny bedroom to undress for sleep, her fingers met the coarse canvas of the vest still draped over her. She placed it gently on her mattress with shaking hands before undressing, throwing the expensive satin shirt haphazardly into the same pile as the rest of her clothing from the last week before tugging the chain of the lamp beside her bed. There in the darkness she grabbed hold of the vest, hugging it tightly to her face and chest as she took a deep breath in. It smelled of dust and simple soap, but also a warm earthy scent tinged with oil and the tang of sweat. He smells like a workshop. Her exhale was a gleeful squeal as she kicked her legs and rocked her shoulders. Just the thought of seeing him again was enough to warm her thoroughly before rolling over with the garment still clutched tightly against her.

"You can come by as early as you like."

Stev sat on the edge of the bed of his room at the saloon, staring at the wall. He had been invited. He had been told the time the others would be there. And then she had said that. His heart fluttered with excitement and fear in equal measure. What if she didn't mean it that way? He ran his hand through his hair with a shaky sigh, trying and failing to keep himself from overthinking it when another sentence ran through his mind.

"I will remind you."

The memory of the Knight's words made him shudder. Had he simply recognized the assigned shore leave garment? Or had he remembered his face from training? At this point, it didn't really matter; The Knight knew he was a soldier and would likely be watching to ensure he didn't put the operation at risk. Before his nerves could win the battle and send him into full-blown panic, Stev took a steadying breath as he rose from the bed and headed out the door to the bar below.

The owner of the saloon hummed an off-key tune as he wiped down another glass before placing it below the bar and grabbing another. The only patrons were a pair of young women sharing a meal at a booth and a blond man fiercely scribbling away in a notebook at the far end of the bar.

"Looking for a night cap? Or maybe a late dinner?"

Stev took a seat on a stool fairly close to the owner, "Owen" if he was remembering correctly. He decided he very much preferred the man's friendly demeanor to the downright terrifying woman that seemed to see right through him.

"Oh, yeah. A, uh, drink would be good." Stev rubbed at the back of his neck, as Owen looked expectantly toward him. "Maybe something strong?"

Lucy woke with a start at the sound of the alarm on her watch. She blindly slapped at her empty bedside table, cursing as the unrelenting beep continued, refusing to be ignored. She rose from the bed with a groan, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she leered into the darkness, willing the offending accessory to reveal itself. By the time she found the wrist watch on the floor in the far corner of the room and finally silenced it, she had already thrown on a coat that hung down to her knees, not even bothering with any other clothing to start her usual routine. Scrap loading, wash, dress, work. With her coffee pot percolating with the promise of caffeine upon her return and her list of tasks running through her head, she trudged her way out into the yard to begin her usual early morning task of reloading her recyclers.

The world seemed so much quieter in those early hours of the morning. Distant night birds were singing their final songs and the soft sound of crickets and frogs carried over to her from the oasis. She always hated interrupting the gentle symphony of the desert dawn with the cacophony of industry, but the sooner the machines were up and running, the sooner her work could begin. But she would relish the comforting music of the morning for as long as she could. Even the sound of approaching footsteps against cobblestone and sand had a pleasant rhythm.

Lucy shook herself from her reverie in time to spot Stev approaching her yard, a soft smile on his face that broadened as he spotted her and waved.

"I wasn't really sure how early 'bright and early' was, so I just guessed," he laughed as he approached, pausing at her fence line.

"You're just in time for coffee," Lucy giggled, loading up the last of her scrap into the now loudly thumping recycler before giving it a kick, dislodging the uneven weight and allowing the machine to run with no more than a low hum. "I have every intention of finishing off the whole pot before anyone else gets here."

Stev unlatched the gate and followed as she trotted to the front door and swung it open. "It's a bit messy," she mumbled, fiddling with the zipper of her jacket nervously as she realized just how little she was wearing. "But it's been a bit of a busy week for me."

The entryway opened directly into a small living room and a kitchenette equipped only with a counter-mounted sink and hot plate. The coffee pot steamed and hissed on the single burner, filling the room with a warm and inviting aroma as he closed the door behind him while she busied herself with searching the cupboards, producing a pair of mismatched mugs. Noticing the builder's bare feet and the pile of shoes beside the door, Stev kicked off his boots before sitting himself on the plush couch on the far wall and watched in enraptured silence as she carefully filled each cup before turning to join him.

"I ran out of yakmel milk two days ago, so I hope you like your coffee black." Lucy smiled as he nodded his thanks, his fingers brushing hers as he took the mug with both hands. She was thankful that he shut his eyes as he breathed in the smell of the drink as her cheeks flushed. She set her own cup down on the low table in front of the couch after a tentative sip as she joined him, worrying at the seam of the seat beneath her with her fingers. "I've got a bit of a confession to make…"

Stev looked up from his drink, eyeing her curiously as her face flushed brighter still as she stared down at the floor. His own cheeks reddened and his pulse quickened as he set his cup down and foolishly hoped that the next words out of her mouth might be the ones he had dreamed about all night. Lucy chewed at her lip before looking up at him.

"I think I like y-"

Before the words could even fully leave her mouth, he was already right beside her, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other pressed to the small of her back as his lips crashed into hers. She reciprocated immediately, grabbing hold of the front of his shirt to pull him even closer, inhaling deeply through her nose before parting her lips. Desperation drove the deepening of the kiss with each second that they held tight to each other, tongues dancing against one another as she leaned back and pulled him down with her.

His hand moved from her back to slide up under her coat against her bare skin, her soft whine swiftly swallowed up by his mouth as his fingers brushed over her ribs and breast. She threw her legs around him, pulling him closer still as her back pressed into the cushions beneath her, his fingers kneading into the soft flesh. She let out a breathy sigh as his mouth released hers to trail soft kisses down her neck.

The place where nervousness and uncertainty had once resided in his chest had been replaced summarily with an all-encompassing warmth that he had never felt before. He had known her for less than a day, and yet he felt so sure of his feelings that he was willing to risk everything just to see her. Just to taste her. Just to feel her. Just to know this woman that had stolen his heart with a smile. She writhed beneath him, grinding against him as his mouth recaptured hers. His arousal strained against the fabric of his pants as he matched the motion with a low groan. She released her grip on his shirt to fumble with the zipper of her jacket as he pulled away from her to pull his thin shirt up and over his head before leaning back in to help her pull the coat off.

Stev marveled at the nude woman beneath him, her pale skin flushed with arousal as her chest heaved with each panting breath she drew. Lucy lifted her hands and placed them on his shoulders for a moment, her fingers slowly tracing the lines between his muscles from his chest all the way down to the dark hair just barely peeking above the waistband of his pants. The ill-fitting shirt had betrayed nothing of the physique beneath, the muscles toned by years of constant drills and exercises forced upon the soldiers on a daily basis. Stev shivered at the soft gentle caresses as she mapped every slope and valley with a look of awe slowly growing on her face.

Stev's cheeks flushed under her unrelenting gaze as she drank up every inch of him with her half-lidded eyes as her fingers trailed further down to his belt. She fumbled with the buckle with one hand as her other dropped to her exposed sex, rubbing soft circles over herself as he watched. He reached a hand down to caress her cheek as his other hand helped her with the buckle and fly.

"I knew you were beautiful from the moment I saw you," he hummed, brushing a stray lock of her hair from her face. "Beautiful both inside and out."

"Inside," Lucy mumbled before grabbing hold of the waistband of his pants and wrenching them down. She had felt his length beneath the heavy fabric, but that didn't stop the hungry hiss that erupted from between her teeth as his arousal stood proudly before her. He took her approving sound as his cue and lowered himself down to press his chest into hers as he slid himself back and forth against her soft folds, his precum intermingling with her dampness as he let out a shaky ragged breath right beside her ear.

Her sigh was a barely-audible plea as he pressed himself against her, the springs of the couch groaning along with him as he pushed his way into her yielding warmth. She threw a hand over her own mouth to stifle the yelp that escaped her lips as he buried himself into her. He held the position for a moment, relishing the way she tightened around him before capturing her lips again, drinking in her moan as he drew back once more.

It was like nothing he had ever felt before. He had fooled around the girls back home, but had never felt such an aching need for another person, not like this. She let out a cry as he pushed back into her as their lips separated, taking a moment to really look at her. She seemed like that light in darkness, that glowing ray that seemed to break through the gloom of where he had been.

"You're my sunshine," he hissed as he pushed into her again, her cry matching a tightening around his co*ck that nearly sent him over the edge. "You clear the smog and the darkness."

She panted beneath him, a pleading look on her pouting lips. He thrusted again and took in every contortion of her face as he moved his hands to lift her up to meet him more thoroughly. Her soft whine turned to a shout with the new angle, truncated only by the gasp at the apex of each push into her. As his pace increased, she clung tighter to him, grinding her hips in time with what he thought might be an unmatchable rhythm.

Yet here she was, the woman of his dreams rocking in time with his name whispered on her lips with each desperate breath. Calling for him. Asking for him. Wanting him. His speed increased with the slow tightening that gripped him and her end followed soon after.

He felt the clench of her against him and was thrown over the precipice as well, holding tight before remembering himself enough to pull out and let the last threads pour over her heaving chest.

Stev sighed deeply as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, paying no mind to the mess between them. "My sunshine," he hummed into her neck as a loud knock on the the door echoed through the room.

Chapter 8: Playing With Fire

Chapter Text

"I could always just punch the door clean off its hinges."

Heidi shot a scolding scowl over her shoulder at Pen as he responded to the look with a shrug. She turned back to the door with an exasperated groan before reaching up to knock for a fourth time, only for the door to open before her knuckles had a chance to meet the wood. Lucy peeked her head out the narrow gap she had provided, her face flushed and eyes bleary as she held her long jacket tightly shut. Heidi offered her an apologetic smile before flinching at the booming voice behind her.

"Skinny Arms! Sleeping in, I see. I dare say, how very unlike you!" Pen crossed his arms and leaned slightly, looking over both women's heads and into the empty room.

"Sorry to wake you," Heidi sighed, raising a hand over her shoulder in an attempt to put a stop to whatever additional boisterous spouting she was sure Pen had in the works. "I know how hard you've been workin', you of all people deserve a little beauty sleep. I'm just checkin' in to see if we can get started movin' that first truss while you rest up for the installation this afternoon."

"Mmhmm," Lucy hummed with a nod, glancing toward the completed components beside the assembly station in the far corner of the yard. "I'll be out in a bit to load the extra materials, just need to get dressed and pour an entire pot of coffee into my face."

"Don't take too long, Skinny, you'll miss the entire show! And by 'show', I mean m- hey!"

"Take all the time you need, sweetheart," Heidi sang as she dragged Pen by the collar of his shirt toward the pile of bridge parts.

Lucy shut the door quickly, thankful for the reprieve as the muffled sound of Pen's complaints carried in through the walls of her home. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against the wooden surface with a thump as she let out an exasperated sigh and let go of the front of her jacket, allowing it to fall open. Stev stepped away from the wall beside the door's hinges where he had been trying to hide and snaked both arms around her middle as he stood close behind her, holding her gently to him as he leaned his head down onto her shoulder.

"Your friends," he chuckled nervously. "They're, uh, a bit early."

Lucy let out a short huff of amusem*nt through her nose, before lifting her head from the door to lean it against his. "It's a good thing I hadn't opened the curtains yet," she giggled, reaching her arm around herself and backwards to trail a finger down the bare skin of the side of his chest, causing him to shiver against her back at the delicate touch. "They would have gotten quite the eyeful."

They waited a few extra minutes after the voices faded from the yard outside before exiting the home, Stev now back in his clothing and reunited with his vest and Lucy smoothing a few wrinkles that her t-shirt had acquired in the messy pile of laundry before throwing back a final gulp of coffee and depositing the empty mug on her workbench. After a few brief instructions, Stev set about piling extra frames and rivets into crates while Lucy dumped screws and bolts into boxes and tied straps around stacks of thick metal sheets. A steady stream of people poured into the yard one-by-one from the building just up the hill, hefting as much materials as they could before starting off on their march down the train tracks. With the last and largest (and loudest) of the workers laden with supplies and making his way toward the building site, Lucy wiped the sweat from her brow with a sigh before turning a smile toward Stev as she lifted one of the two final crates left in the yard and closed the distance between them.

"This is the last of it. Thanks for the help," she giggled, hopping up onto her tiptoes for a brief peck on his cheek. "Once we get these dropped off, I'll be busy with the install most of the day. But I was thinking maybe I could give you that cooking lesson tonight, just after sunset?"

Stev cradled her cheek with his hand and planted a tender kiss to her lips before pulling back to give her a soft smile in return before he lifted the last crate.

"Yes please."

"Men's. Boots."

Heidi slammed the salon door shut behind her as she tried to catch her breath, sending the bells hanging from the handle rattling as Pablo looked up from the fashion magazine laid out on the counter in front of him with a raised eyebrow. The mad dash through town the moment she could step away from her work only left her gasping for a moment before she was able to collect herself.

"I think your little push did the trick," she chuckled breathlessly, rapping her knuckles on the wooden counter as he set his reading aside. "He was trailin' after her all the way to the construction site like a puppy, helpin' with the haulin' and everything. But I saw those boots by her door this mornin' when I came knockin'. And I saw 'em again on his feet."

A soft self-satisfied smirk spread over Pablo's face for only a moment before he returned to his usual calm and collected expression, flicking a lock of his green hair back into place. "Our lovely lioness suspects our darling builder's new pet is keeping secrets. I trust you'll keep your eyes and ears open, yes?"

"I'll be askin' her how her mornin' went, that's for sure," Heidi giggled before her expression drooped. "You said he's only here for a week, right?"

"Grace has confirmed his room booking," Pablo shrugged, lifting a nail file from the table beside him and busying himself with reshaping his nails. "And I doubt he's so presumptuous to think he'll be staying after said accommodations expire."

Heidi's deflation lifted away as the smile returned to her face, Pablo's smirk returning in response.

"Now, about those boots," Pablo sang, spinning the nail file in his fingers. "Mind sharing with the class regarding the size involved there?"

The sound of distant hammering on metal echoed through the main square as Stev slowly wandered the town. As he browsed the outdoor shelves at the first shop he encountered, the general store's owner sat beside the till sighing deeply as his face pressed against the wood of the counter in front of him.

Stev tried to give the young man space to feel whatever it was he was feeling, but after the third loud sigh, he started to get the impression that the shopkeeper wanted someone to ask him what was bothering him. With a brief glance around the square, Stev was pretty sure he was the only poor sap on hand.

"You, uh, doing alright there?"

"I'm destined to walk this world alone, forever spurned by every person I try to offer my heart." The younger man lifted his head and cast a sad smile in Stev's direction. "A walking romantic tragedy, really. Poets need only to look my way for inspiration of the saddest sort. The loss of one lover only to be followed up by a never-ending string of rejections."

Stev took a seat on a nearby rickety stool as the shopkeeper fumbled with a tightly woven red rope in the shape of a heart before tossing it over his shoulder into a box filled with more of the same with another dramatic sigh.

"I'm sure there's someone out there for you." Stev patted his shoulder as his own situation came to the forefront of his mind. The gravity of the mess he had gotten himself into finally began to sink in, causing him to chuckle tiredly at his own romantic blunder. "I mean, at least you didn't fall for someone you'll probably never see again. Or, like, an enemy or something."

The young man sniffled and tears began pouring down his cheeks, Stev sputtering out a hasty apology and patting his shoulder again as he cried.

"I should have stopped him," the shopkeeper sobbed, crumpling onto the counter in front of him as Stev fidgeted nervously, not knowing how to comfort the distraught young man.

"Now Arvio, dear, don't go blamin' yourself," a soft voice drawled as Stev turned to see it's source. The slender old woman stood tall and was clad in gold vestments, and despite her warm smile Stev had to fight back a shiver of fear as he recognized her aged face from the much younger portrait in the recruitment office. Her heels and cane tapped out an even rhythm on the shop porch as she approached them and rested a comforting hand on Arvio's back with a sigh. "I know how much Haru meant to you, but none of us could've known what those boys were plannin' on doin'. We ain't givin' up hope yet, though. I still firmly believe they can atone for their wrongdoin'."

"I know, Minister, I just…"

"Take all the time you need, dear."

"For the last time, Pen! That ain't helpin' us any. Put. The dang. Truss. Down."

"Are you kidding? Look at these muscles! You can almost taste the morale-improvement I'm providing here!"

The minister let out a sigh and turned away to begin making her way toward the raised voices in the distance. Stev rose from the stool, somehow more confused than before, and headed toward the saloon after a polite nod to the still-sniffling shopkeeper.

Lucy smiled at the large expanse of space that had been freed up in her yard. The trusses had taken up almost half of the workshop for more than a week while she waited for the foundations to be ready, and she couldn't be more relieved to finally have room to return her machines to their proper places. But that particular project would have to wait. Instead she made her way inside and shrugged off her clothing into the ever-present pile before unceremoniously kicking the entire mess of fabrics under her bed while muttering about needing an entire day dedicated to handling the laundry.

Her little wardrobe was nearly empty and she mentally kicked herself for not owning more pairs of pants before grabbing the only non-clashing things left. He probably wouldn't even care about what I wear to teach him the recipe, she mused to herself as she pulled on the skirt. He saw me in that ratty old coat and still went for it, after all. Lucy paused as she reached for the matching jacket, a sudden idea gripping her mind and refusing to let go.

She slid her hands up under her skirt and dropped her panties to the floor before shoving them under the bed with her foot, a devious smile on her face as she tore off her shirt and removed her bra as well. The stiffer fabric of the cropped jacket hid her secret well as she zipped it up, the visible strip of bare skin between the two articles of clothing as the only evidence of anything missing from the ensemble.

The sun had yet to touch the mountains far off to the west, but with the sounds of construction now silenced Stev was getting restless. He ate his lunch in the saloon as quickly as he could muster, feeling the pressure of the blonde waitress's gaze following his every movement. He had seen the green haired man pop in briefly and saunter behind the bar to whisper in her ear and Stev shrank further into the seat of the booth as both eyed him.

After wandering the town a bit and struggling with the games in the tiny arcade, he finally gave up on waiting. "Around sunset" was just as vague as "bright and early" and he held onto the hope that she was still willing to receive him even half as much as she had been that morning.

Stev hadn't even realized he was already at her door, having no memory of the walk or even the opening of the gate. He could hear shuffling sounds inside the home and reached for the doorknob without thinking, turning the knob before he could even stop himself.

Lucy jumped as he let himself in, dropping a wooden cutting board in the process. Stev silently scolded himself for just waltzing in as he reached down to grab the board and handed it back to her.

"Sorry," he mumbled, eyes downcast and face flushing with embarrassment. "I should have knocked."

"It's alright," she giggled back. "You just startled me, that's all."

As he looked back up from the floor, their eyes locked. Her smile bloomed across her face as she gazed at him, the seconds seeming to last for hours. She took the time to commit his face to memory, noting every detail. The way his thin-lipped smile almost seemed to stretch all the way across his face. The way the skin beside his eyes wrinkled as the smile broadened. The dimple on one cheek that gave him a boyish look. The vivid green of his irises fading to a soft gray near the center. The way that same gray seemed to disappear when he looked at her, consumed by the swiftly widening pupils.

Lucy cleared her throat, blushing fiercely as she tried to gather herself, fumbling with the cooking equipment she had laid out on the counter. All of the confidence she had felt only an hour before seemed to abandon her, leaving her feeling no better than a school girl with a crush.

"I thought m-maybe we start with the prep work?"

Stev shook himself from his own trance, approaching the spread of ingredients laid out before them. He watched in enraptured silence as she placed a small bundle of herbs on the slab of meat before rolling it tightly, the white fat of the beef glistening in the lamp light.

"The cilantro has a different flavor when cooked." Lucy deftly tied the roll together with twine, her fingers dancing as each knot formed beneath them. "It's not just for garnish."

She grabbed the spice jar from beside the board and dumped nearly half of the jar onto the meat, rolling the bundle to stick it to the surface.

"It may seem like a lot, but most of it will fall away into the broth." Lucy handed the laden cutting board to Stev before grabbing a small cloth wrapped bundle from the counter. "Let's get this into the pot."

The back door opened into a small covered space behind the house, the roof extending over the massive stove and blender with a small sturdy table and chair opposite the equipment. Despite the running machines in the main yard, the outdoor kitchen was nearly silent, only the sound of the shifting sands to the south and the occasional call of wildlife carrying through the quiet. The flame on the stove burst to life as Lucy turned the knob, the large pot already in place.

"We'll start by searing it, then set the pot to simmer for a few hours to get everything tender."

Lucy plucked the meat from the board in Stev's hands and dropped it into the pot, the exposed fat immediately crackling and hissing in response as the warm aroma of heavy spices filled his nostrils. He watched closely as she turned the roast in the pan, each movement starting the sounds and scents anew as the golden crust began to emerge on the surface. Once the entire surface was crisp, she tossed the small bundled fabric into the pot and dumped most of a pitcher of water in after it, scraping the bottom of the pot with a spoon.

"If this was a soup, I would be skimming the scum and extra fat off during the process." Lucy poked at the bobbing fabric bundle, the water saturating it to a near translucent tone and revealing the dark green within as the pot began to bubble. "But the tea broth is just to add flavor to the meat as it cooks. I usually just dump it on my compost pile to help keep things moist as they break down."

"So now... we wait?" Stev watched as she slid the heavy lid over the pot before she turned to face him, her cheeks glowing that pretty pink he had already grown to adore.

"I'm sure we can find a way to pass the time," she muttered, her cheeks glowing even brighter than before as she looked up at him through her lashes, her finger idly twirling a lock of her hair.

Stev set the cutting board still in his hands onto the nearby table and closed the distance between them and knelt down slightly as his smile turned to a smirk. Lucy let out a shrill squeak as he wrapped his arms around her middle and hefted her over his shoulder, his grip moving down to the back of her knees as she wiggled out a playful struggle, giggling as she smacked at his back.

He raised one hand's grip on her to hold her in place as he reached for the knob of the door with the other and found himself stiffening faster as his finger brushed against the bare skin of her ass that had been exposed in the process of lifting her, her skirt now bunched dangerously high on her hips. He hissed through his teeth at the tension of his own clothing as he kicked the door shut behind them and made a beeline toward the open door he hoped was her bedroom.

Lucy's back bounced against the springy mattress as he flopped her down, her laughter filling his ears as he unbuttoned his vest. He shrugged off the stiff fabric and leaned down over her, nuzzling his nose against her neck just below her jaw. As he held himself up with one elbow beside her head, his other hand trailed down her side as he breathed a contented sigh as his eyes followed the path of his fingers.

"My Sunshine," Stev hummed, leaning in to gently press a kiss to the soft skin below her ear. "You put the summer sky to shame."

Lucy shuddered out a breathy sigh, pressing her cheek against his forehead and lazily draping her arms over him. Every softly whispered word made her heart swell, her affections for him growing even greater than the lust that had driven her to pursue him in the first place. Her mind rolled comfortably through the feelings as if a weight had been lifted from her, as if she could finally see the world with clarity. She had only known him for a day, yet she loved the way he smiled at her. She loved to see that glimmer in his gray-green eyes every time she caught him looking her way. She loved the way he made her feel wanted, needed. She loved the gently worshiping words he would shower her with when no one else was around. She loved the idea of being his sunshine, breaking through the darkness. She loved the thought that he was her blessedly cool comfort of nightfall after a blisteringly hot summer day. Light dammit, she loved him. She truly believed she could lay like this forever, his heartbeat thumping against her chest right in time with her own, a soothing comfort in the harsh desert that tried its damnedest to break her time and time again.

The soft growl beside her ear surprised her from her thoughts, causing her to gasp as he lifted his head to capture her lips with his own. She inhaled deeply through her nose, drinking up the same scent as the vest she had clutched all night, now stronger still with the musk of his sweat from the day. She moaned against his mouth as she exhaled, his grinding motions against her only serving to amplify her already aching need for him.

He broke the kiss for only a moment to rip his shirt off over his head and unbuckle his belt as Lucy unzipped and wiggled out of her top before their lips crashed together again with renewed fervor. It felt as if he was trying to devour her every breath, his low groans with each exhale rumbling against her body as he pressed his chest against her while kicking off his pants. Her fingers desperately wove through his hair and grabbed hold as lifted her legs to wrap around his back, her skirt now bunched up around her waist as he slid his co*ck against her moistened folds.

"My-" he gasped against her lips as her hips rocked in response. "My sunshine."

"Stev, I- Ahn!"

Her words were cut short by her cry as he pressed himself into her, her hands scrambling to find purchase in the sheets beneath her. He held the position as he let out a shaky breath, his mouth slightly open and gaze unfocused as he looked down at her. She panted beneath him as he stretched her, her eyes glassy with desire as she slowly began to grind him deeper inside of her, her lower lip quivering before whispering what almost seemed like a prayer.

"Please."

It was the only encouragement he needed, drawing back to plunge into her again. He lowered his face to her neck as he thrust into her once more, groaning as her pleading whine filled his mind. The pace was slow and he could feel her legs around him pulling him in, but he swore he would make this last. Would make her feel every ounce of the seemingly endless adoration he had for her that had so quickly taken hold of him. Every part of him was meant for her and her alone.

He couldn't help but move faster as she pulled him in with the push of her heels in his back, her whines and cries with each thrust telling him exactly where he ought to be as he felt his own end draw nearer. As her shouts grew louder, he held the pace and position as long as he could, shuddering over her as her face contorted into a silent scream and her breath caught in her throat. The feel of her walls clenching down on him sent him over the precipice as well, unable to control the erratic bucking as he spilled himself into her with a low groan.

His ears rang as he slumped against her, her heaving chest and the feel of her tightness still gripping him the only things keeping him grounded to reality as they both came down from the high of that shared climax. As her breathing steadied beneath him, her voice was nearly a whimper as the words that he both craved and feared came spilling from her lips.

"Stev, I… I think I love you."

Chapter 9: Fear Burns, Guilt Will Scar

Chapter Text

There's something strange in the unpredictable way that time passes at important moments; an hour can pass by in the blink of an eye, a single breath can last a lifetime. Lucy's words filled him with immeasurable joy and endless suffering and, all at once, time slowed to a snail's pace, forcing his mind to weave through the implications. He would reciprocate the sentiment, of course, but in doing so he was dooming them both to unspeakable pain. In a few short days he would be back in that musty ruin and they would be strangers once more. They would be enemies, though Stev prayed she would never find that out. He would later return to Duvos with that handsome paycheck for taking part in the operation, but it would mean nothing when the only thing he needed, the only person he wanted, was out of reach thousands of miles away. He hoped for a moment that she would find someone else, be happy with someone else, but the thought of another person laying right where he was now only made him sick to his stomach. There was nothing he could do to stop the obvious truth that left his throat in a raspy low voice; he didn't have the strength left to lie to her any more than he already had.

"I love you too, Lucy." His vision grew blurry as the pain began to sink in, finally sliding himself out of her and pressing his cheek to her collar bone. "I love you so much it hurts. And it will only get worse when I have to leave."

Lucy sighed deeply, her breath shaky as it wafted gently through his hair. Her hands ran comfortingly up and down his back as she shushed him softly. His breathing rattled in his chest with the barely suppressed despair as his mind desperately grasped for something, anything that would keep her close.

I could take her with me.

He shuddered at the thought, knowing full well that Duvos would break her radiant spirit, if she even agreed to go at all. The more likely scenario was that she would reject him, throw him away with rage filling those glittering eyes, the fire that made them glow swiftly turning into an inferno that would burn him alive. He would truly be the devious foe masquerading as a friendly face.

"You don't have to leave," Lucy barely squeaked out, her hands twitching slightly in their motion. "You… you could stay here. With me."

"I wish I could, but…" Stev's words caught in his throat as his voice broke. Every ounce of guilt bubbled to the surface, threatening to swallow him up. Sure, he could try, he wanted to try, but in his heart he knew they would come down to retrieve him in a heartbeat, all in defense of the mission. Whether it be a single soldier or the entire garrison, it would put her in danger. And he couldn't even warn her of the danger he had already put her in. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the Knight was suspicious, and with the hasty whispers of the handful of others that seemed to watch him like a hawk, there was a high likelihood that the general and any other agent in town was already aware of just how close he was to throwing it all away.

Lucy clutched him tightly, steadying the shaking that he hadn't even noticed, so wrapped up in his own mind that his body felt as if it wasn't his own as the tremors came unbidden.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, nuzzling her face into his hair. "It's not fair for me to ask that of you."

Stev shifted to slide his arms beneath her, holding her body in a tight embrace as he pressed his cheek firmly into her bare skin, letting out a ragged sigh.

"Can we stay like this maybe? Be together like this?" Stev's voice dropped to a soft mutter as he turned his face to press his lips against her chest just above her breasts. "Just, uh for a little while at least?"

"Even if it lasts for only a little while, it still existed." Lucy squeezed her arms tighter around him, taking a deep breath and humming softly as she released it. "And that's already more than I could have ever hoped for. More than I've ever dreamed of."

Lucy muttered a groggy grumble at the sound of the buzzing timer of her stove carrying in through the walls of her home. She always set the timer for anything that needed slow cooking and all she wanted to do was keep her eyes shut in the comforting warmth she awoke in, but the shifting weight upon her had her eyes fluttering open.

Stev lifted himself off of her slowly, his bleary eyes betraying the same sleep that hers did as he offered her a soft smile. She relaxed immediately upon seeing his face, reaching up to press her hand to his cheek before lazily running it down his neck and arm.

They both got dressed wordlessly, the occasional sad smile or soft kiss the only interruption. It felt comforting, almost familiar, doing something so mundane yet intimate together. Even the serving of the meal was quiet, both settling into the plush couch with their plates in their laps. The open curtains of the windows revealed only the deep darkness of the night beyond, the inky blackness hugging the world around them like a blanket as the light of the overhead lamp bestowed it's warm glow only to them.

"I should…" Stev's words trailed off as he set his plate on the low table in front of them. "I should probably-"

"Don't," Lucy sputtered at nearly a shout, almost dropping her plate on the floor when she tossed it to the table as she stood. She panted for a moment, her gaze pointed at her own feet as her cheeks flushed. "Don't go. I… Well, we only have this for so long, and I thought maybe… I mean, I'd like you to stay here tonight?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course I'd love to."

When Lucy looked up from the floor, Stev was standing right there in front of her. The sadness that had tinted both of their smiles earlier seemed to melt away as they looked at each other. The warm light of the room made the slight freckling of his cheeks more visible than the harsh light of the sun, and as her gaze found its way to his eyes, she found herself lost in visions of gray stone mountains hugged on every side by lush green forest.

Chapter 10: Familiarity

Chapter Text

Waking up well rested felt like the most indulgent thing he had ever experienced. No nightmares, no shivering, no gasping suddenly into wakefulness, just comfort and contentment as his eyes slowly opened in response to the stirring woman wrapped in his arms as the morning light streamed in through the tiny gap in the curtain above their heads.

"Good morning, Sunshine," Stev mumbled into her hair as she snuggled even closer to him with a hum. He knew it was something he wanted to get used to.

Something that he would sorely miss.

He did his best to ground himself, holding her tighter as he refused to think of the future. Here. Now. We are here right now. His sigh had a stutter to it as he pulled her back tightly against his chest.

"I don't want to leave either," she muttered in a sleepy, raspy voice. "But I have to stock up for the next big emergency, you know?"

Their exit from the bed was decidedly slow, each taking their time to dress as they stole moments to watch the other. As Stev fought to untangle his long sleeve undershirt from his vest and pull it over his head, Lucy momentarily spotted a black marking on the back of his left shoulder as the fabric descended. Her eyes remained transfixed on the location as he shrugged the ill-fitting vest on and struggled to button it over his chest before she shook herself from the trance and pulled on her dirt-smudged coveralls.

Stev sat on the fence beside her gate, content to simply watch as Lucy loaded her tools into an oversized rucksack, marveling at the way she easily hefted the heavy bag onto her shoulder as if it weighed nothing. He couldn't help the smile on his face as she refilled her canteen at the massive tank that dominated the front corner of the yard, her skin glowing in those first rays of sunlight that began to peek over the massive mesa to the east. He felt like he could sit there for hours just admiring her when movement in the distance caught his attention and drew his eye.

Before he could even fully register that the train was coming, Stev was over the fence and sprinting as the man on the platform fell onto the tracks. His pulse pounded in his ears as he dove, grabbing the unconscious stranger and rolling the both of them off the track with the momentum just as the train blared its horn and came to a stop right where they had been only a moment before.

"You okay there, pal?" Stev was already back on his feet, dusting sand from his clothes before extending a hand toward the bleary eyed man.

"Huh? All I remember is…" He rubbed his eyes as Stev lifted him to his feet. "I was feeling sleepy when I got off the train last night, and…"

"Stev!" Lucy skidded to a stop beside him, throwing her arms around him and burying her face into his chest. "You scared me! That train was coming in fast and you could've… I was afraid you might…"

"I'm okay, Lucy." Stev wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head.

Her chest was heaving with exertion from her mad dash to catch up with him, shocked by the speed that had carried him right into danger and even more shocked as he seemed to effortlessly pull the man from danger and right himself without even breaking a sweat. Lucy herself was known for being fast on her feet, but Stev was notably faster and much more agile than his usual nervous fumbling would imply.

"Lucy? That must mean you're the builder I've been hearing about." Stev and Lucy separated as they suddenly remembered the man standing beside them, their cheeks flushing. "I'm Mint. I was sent here by the Ataran Government to inspect a railway bridge. Where can I find City Hall? I'm supposed to talk with Mayor Trudy."

Lucy looked up at Stev with a tired smile he had already grown familiar with, a smile that meant that she knew she had work to do. He gave her a nod and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I'll come find you at your workshop later," he whispered against her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine. "Go do what you need to do. I'll see you after you get back with your new materials, yeah?"

"Absolutely." Lucy's smile broke into a grin as she hopped up on her tiptoes for a brief peck on the lips before leading Mint back to the road and toward the center of town.

"Your husband seems nice," Mint mused as he followed the petite woman. "My wife is a builder too and we were just like that when we first got married. Newlyweds?"

"W-what?" Lucy sputtered, nearly tripping over her own feet as her face reddened. "Oh, we're not-! I- I mean… We're just…"

"Oh, sorry, my mistake." Mint offered her an apologetic look as they resumed the walk toward city hall, a smile forming on his face when the builder turned her head away. "Well, I'm sure it's not too far off from that at this point."

Stev's walk carried him toward the steel tunnel that led to the back half of town. He paused briefly before exiting the cool shade, remembering that soft glow that formed a halo around Lucy just two days prior. He still couldn't believe it. That radiant woman, that glowing beacon of warmth, had chosen to not only bless him with even the slightest hint of her attention, but had offered him her affection. The heat that bloomed in his chest dwarfed even the unrelenting sun overhead as he continued to wander, not even noticing the footsteps that fell in time with his own right beside him.

"Hey. Stev, right? That was a pretty cool rescue. I liked the part where neither of you died."

Stev jerked his head, finally registering the presence of the man beside him. He recognized him immediately as the one he had met alongside the Knight on that first day, "Unsuur" if he was remembering correctly.

"Oh hey, thanks." Stev smiled and rubbed the back of his neck as he continued to walk.

"Pen said he's busy with church stuff and can't play whack-a-mole today. Have you ever played whack-a-mole?"

"I, uh, can't say I have. Are you inviting me?"

"Yeah. Justice says I should try hinting at stuff first instead of just asking right away." Unsuur blinked a few times as they slowed to a stop in front of the game center, clasping his wrist as the barest hint of a smile curled his lips. "It seems pretty counterintuitive, but he's my boss and my first best friend. I trust his advice."

Chapter 11: Sweating the Details

Chapter Text

"You gotta hit it on the head." Unsuur swung the hammer down and the sound of a squeak signified a successful hit before he spun around to watch the other holes. "Unless it's holding something. Then hit that."

Stev swung his own hammer down on the next one that popped up beside him, hitting it just before it popped back down into the hole.

"Don't hit it if it's holding a rock. That'll hurt you. And also the rock."

After Unsuur's next swing, the fake moles all froze in place and both made a mad dash to take down as many as they could as the timer by the wall clicked down each of the last few remaining seconds. At the sound of the buzzer, the targets all dropped into the floor as the men finally took a moment to breathe.

A few rounds had become closer to ten rounds, though Stev lost count after the fifth. By the time Unsuur had finally decided to put his hammer back on the rack to signal he was done for the day, both were bare chested and dripping with sweat from the afternoon sun, having long ago shed the excess garments as the temperature had increased steadily with each new game started.

"Cool tattoo. What's it mean?" Unsuur took a swig from a huge jug of water. "Were you counting something?"

Stev reached his right arm over his left shoulder, pressing his fingers into the spot where he knew the string of numbers was. They were a familiar sight back in training and in the barracks, every soldier marked with their own string of blocky black numbers to help identify them in the event that other means of identification failed.

"It's…" Stev shuddered, trying to forget the feeling of the painful buzzing needle against his skin. "It's complicated."

"Oh. Mysterious." Unsuur dabbed at his face with a small cloth as he took a seat on the edge of the wooden platform. "I heard ladies like that kind of thing. Maybe I should try it sometime."

Stev offered a tired chuckle to the stoic man before he flopped himself down to sit on the edge of the game's platform as well, digging through the heap of fabrics beside him for the canteen he had been sent with. As his fingers met the metal container, there was a brief moment where there was nothing he wanted more than to simply pour the scant water within over his face and hair. He regarded the canteen for a few seconds before finally deciding to drink it instead when a woman's laughter caused him to jerk in surprise.

Stev immediately recognized her purple hair from the trio he had seen at the saloon booth on his first day in town, definitely a friend of that green haired man named Pablo, and eyed her warily as he took a drink.

"Runnin' around like that, y'all look like you could be relatives or somethin'," the woman chuckled. "Got any long lost cousins you wanna tell us about, Unsuur?"

"Hey Heidi. I don't remember having any cousins." Unsuur gave her a small nod before his face turned slightly away, looking out into the distance in thought. "I don't remember much before trying to cross the desert. I might not be the best guy to ask."

"I'm just jokin' around! It's not that serious." Heidi gave a wave as she continued walking south toward the main street. "Be seein' ya!"

"Heh. Good one. Bye Heidi."

"I'm startin' to think you should take up fortune tellin' in your spare time."

Pablo raised an eyebrow as Heidi approached him on his porch, shooting her a glance that silently demanded elaboration.

"You were right about the tattoo thing," Heidi giggled as she leaned against the railing beside him. "Spotted it while he and Unsuur were coolin' down at the game center. Definitely wasn't expectin' the rest of the view neither. Never woulda reckoned he was hidin' guns like that under those clothes!"

"My dear Heidi," Pablo sang, crossing his arms as a self-satisfied smirk began to form on his face. "Were you perhaps questioning my judgment? For shame! And here I thought you knew better than that by now."

It was well past midday and getting ever closer to sunset when Stev made his way toward Lucy's workshop. His eyes scanned the yard as he approached, noting the odd silence of the machines within. Once through the gate, he made his way methodically through the lines of equipment, keeping an eye out for any sign of her. As he reached the alcove at the back of the house where the outdoor kitchen stood, his heart was already pounding in his chest.

Would she really let her equipment run out of power before it ran out of materials?

His panic began to rise in his throat, buzzing in his head like a swarm threatening to break free as his hand gripped the knob of the back door. He rushed through the few small rooms of the house, checking every nook and cranny that her small frame could even possibly fit into before bursting out through the front door to check the yard again.

"Lucy?" His voice felt small in his throat, choking back on the anxiety that had already sent his fingers twitching as he weaved through the workspace again. "Sunshine?"

"Oh-ho, what's this? Already at the pet-name stage, are we?"

Stev whipped around and found his breath catching in his throat. There at the gate stood the Knight Commander, a wicked grin on his face. It took a moment for his mind to catch up enough to realize that the bundle Pen carried was actually Lucy, her breathing soft and shallow as she lay unconscious in the large man's arms.

"Congratulations, by the way, on your 'infiltration' of this town's keenest defenses, little recruit." Pen grin slid into a devious smirk as he approached the yard, his choice of words making Stev's stomach churn.

"I- I'm not-" he stuttered, keeping his eyes glued on the unconscious woman as Pen strode nonchalantly through the gate and stopped to stand directly in front of him.

"Ha! Silly me, of course you're not a recruit anymore if you've made it this far." The boisterous bravado of his voice slowly dropped into a low growl as he leaned in, Lucy's small frame acting as the only barrier between them as his next words left his lips at just above a whisper. "It's been what, three years? Four? And with your current exploits developing as they are, I'm sure another bump in rank is on the horizon. And who knows? Skinny Arms here might even be so distraught upon your parting that she'll give up altogether and just let this little puddle finally. Dry. Up."

With a snarling smirk, the Knight straightened up and very nearly tossed the woman in his arms at Stev. He scrambled to catch her, falling to the ground in the sudden struggle to keep her from landing on it herself.

"Well, have fun playing house! I've got another foolish builder that needs retrieving."

Stev kneeled on the sandy ground of the yard, his heart pounding in his chest as Pen marched off toward the exposed ruins to the east. Once the threatening figure was out of sight, he turned his eyes downward to the woman in his arms. The rise and fall of her chest was steady and he breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a soft unintelligible mumble escape her lips. With renewed resolve, he shifted his grip on her and rose from the ground to carry her inside.

Lucy didn't stir until he began unlacing her boots as she lay in her bed. Her muttered sighs weren't quite words, but Stev still took the opportunity to speak to her as he continued to diligently tug at the laces.

"You worried me, sunshine," he muttered, trying his best to be gentle as he eased the first boot off of her foot as she slowly opened her eyes. "I couldn't find you."

"I'm sorry, Stev." Her hand lazily cupped his cheek as he pulled the second boot away and placed it beside its mate on the floor beside her bed. "I just got a bit carried away after a bandirat swiped all my copper ore, that's all."

"Are you hurt?" Stev gulped back on his fears as he helped Lucy out of her coveralls, discarding the heavy dirty garment on the floor.

"No," Lucy giggled as he ran his fingers down her bare legs and back up to the sweaty tank top plastered to her skin. "Just overworked myself. I've got a bottle of heatstroke meds on the bathroom counter that should do the trick."

"You should… maybe take this off." Stev tugged gently at the bottom of her shirt before turning away, his cheeks beginning to flush at his own words. "I'll grab your medication."

Chapter 12: Worries Abound

Chapter Text

Stev returned to the room with the small bottle of pills and a half-filled glass of water he had found on the bathroom counter, pausing in the doorway as he watched Lucy struggle and fail to lift her arms high enough to pull her shirt up. He cleared his throat as he resumed his approach, feeling a pang of worry as she let out an exhausted huff and leaned back against her headboard, her shirt now askew. She offered him a tired smile as he sat on the bed beside her and opened the bottle to dump a few tablets into his hand before offering them to her along with the glass.

"I usually bring a bottle of those with me," she muttered, tossing the medication into her mouth and throwing back a gulp of water. "But I guess I forgot with all the excitement this morning. And then the rush to get that inspection equipment built. Did you know that guy didn't bring the tools he needed to do the job?"

Stev raised his brow with a soft chuckle as Lucy glanced over at the pill bottle sitting on her bedside table.

"I guess I'm not much better about forgetting stuff for work. But still…"

"I, uh…" Stev mumbled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I might have forgotten to refill my canteen before swinging a brightly-colored hammer around during the hottest part of the day. So you aren't alone in forgetting things this morning, at least."

"Whack-a-mole, huh?" Lucy giggled, her tone quickly regaining some of its usual brightness. "I bet you were sweating up a storm in those layers of yours. You really ought to ditch the vest before you give yourself heatstroke."

"Oh, yeah, for sure," Stev laughed as he unbuttoned the vest, letting it hang open. "We both decided that the shirts had to go about halfway through... Me and that Unsuur guy, I mean."

"That must have been quite the spectacle," Lucy giggled, grabbing at the coarse fabric with a sly smile and giving it a tug. "Now I'm disappointed I missed it!"

"Oh, uhm… Speaking of shirts…"

"Argh, right. And this was my last clean one," she groaned, pulling the shirt over her head with an ease she had lacked only a few minutes before as Stev stared down the mysterious bottle of what he could only assume was a miracle cure of some kind. "I'll have to wash all my clothes tonight. I could probably use a wash myself, what with all this sweat. You'll probably want a shower too."

"You, uh…" Stev turned his face back toward her, a slight smile beginning to curl his lips as the color of his cheeks began to take on a rosy tint. "Do you think we should 'conserve water', as you Sandrockers say?"

"All I'm saying is that it's more than a little suspicious." Grace tapped her fingers against the table as she leaned over it, agitation beginning to seep into her voice as Haru flipped through the latest notes she had brought down into the hideout.

"Havin' a romp with a tourist's practically a Sandrock right-of-passage, Grace," Logan grumbled, bouncing his leg impatiently. "Whole damn town is just a buncha sappy romantics, ain't exactly shockin' that a gal has needs."

"I'm familiar, don't you worry," Grace scoffed as she rose from leaning against the table to cross her arms. "The problem is that this is a little more than a 'romp' from what I've gathered. From the second she approached him, they've been inseparable. They're either a pair of desperate idiots or they already had a thing going. And that's the conclusion I came to before I got in touch with my contacts and received new intel."

Haru and Logan both looked up at her expectantly, the chance to move forward with more information keeping them both silent.

"First of all, there's no record of him anywhere. No name on the train passenger logs, no refugee status files, no citizenship or immigration paperwork, nothing." Grace reached forward to pull a paper from the pile, a slight grimace beginning to taint her usual confident expression. "And then the ACI intercepted this encrypted Duvos telegram coming from somewhere in Sandrock the day he arrived. I'm beginning to doubt that any of this is mere coincidence."

As Grace placed the paper back on the table, both men leaned in, scanning the words on the sheet over and over again in disbelief.

"The water," Haru muttered, as he returned to his seat to lean back, worry furrowing his brows. "So Duvos is trying to dry the town out?"

"My guess is that they plan to cripple the town in order to cut off the train line." Grace crossed her arms again with a slight scowl. "With communication and travel limited to roads, the Free Cities would effectively be split in two."

"And yer thinkin' that a scrawny lil tourist and a new builder up to her eyeballs in work are-"

"That's the problem," Grace interjected, cutting off Logan's words. "She's not that busy right now, the bridge is done. And the guy isn't scrawny either. I got an earful from Pablo before I got here, something about him being right about the guy having a tattoo and Heidi of all people being impressed with his physique."

"Heidi? Little Miss Gold-Star?" Logan scoffed, leaning his chair onto its back legs. "Forgive me if I find that hard to believe. Ain't never seen her give anyone a second glance, not unless they got a pair of ti-"

"The tattoo is the problem here," Grace interrupted, ignoring his grumbles as she continued. "Pablo said she was too far away to see what it was, but if he's been sent from Duvos, I'm willing to bet it was his identification number. Nearly every operative and soldier we've captured has one on their shoulder."

"So what's the next step?" Haru shifted forward to flip through the papers again.

"I'll see about working on a plan to investigate the tattoo situation," she sighed, rubbing at her elbow. "But one of you will have to check on the water tower. Justice caught me when I was leaving The Breach again and would be on me like stink on yaksh*t the second I end up on that side of town."

The large barrel that Stev helped drag over tilted and sloshed as Lucy pried the lid off in the middle of the kitchenette, a few splashes of water spilling on both of them in the process. Once open, Lucy padded her way over to the cupboard beneath her sink as Stev pulled her curtains shut. She paused her rummaging for a moment at the sound of the rings running along the rod to eye him curiously, his response being a gesture toward her as his cheeks reddened. Her own face flushed as she glanced down at herself, having completely forgotten that she was now dressed only in her underwear and bra.

She returned to rummaging as he continued to close the curtains throughout the house, finally producing the device she had been searching for as Stev returned to her side. She lugged the heavy machine over to the barrel and carefully lowered it in, dragging the long tube that trailed out of it back toward the drain of the sink before slowly pressing a large disk with a hole at the center over the strange winged rod that stuck up from the middle, her efforts ending with a barely audible click once she was elbows deep in the water.

"This design was my final project back in builder school. It's based on some of the more primitive old world tech, simple enough that even the local temple commissioned one from me." Lucy beamed up at him and Stev felt his heart skip a beat before turning his attention to the barrel with her. "The motor turns the spinner in the center, scrubbing the clothes against each other and lathering the soap. The gasket disk keeps the dirty water up top separate from the clean below. The first pump then drains the dirty water out through the hose before the second pump sends the clean water to the top to rinse everything."

Stev tried his best to keep up, but couldn't help but be distracted by the animated expressions she made as she explained the inner workings of the timers and rotors she chose. Every little smile and furrow of her brow captured his attention like a moth drawn to a lamp. His trance was finally broken when she suddenly scurried toward her room, returning with a large armload of clothing that she unceremoniously dumped into the water with a huff. She carefully scraped a knife against a bar of soap, the fragile curls falling into the water before she finally flipped a switch at the top of the spinner and plopped the lid of the barrel on top. The barrel let out a soft hum as she turned to him with a flush in her cheeks.

"So about that shower…"

Chapter 13: Running Water

Chapter Text

Lucy tapped at the temperature gauge on the large tank inset in the wall, a low hiss rising up from beneath the steel behemoth as the metal of the tank itself thumped and tinked in response to the slowly warming water within. Stev gently pressed himself against her back, softly wrapping his arms around her as she hummed out a sigh, leaning into him to relish the warmth as the chill of the descending desert night began to seep in.

"The warm water won't last long," she muttered, swaying slightly in his embrace while he rocked with her in response. "We'll need to be quick about it."

Their laughter echoed in the small bathroom as they rushed to get clean, both scrambling to scrub beneath the comforting spray whenever the other abandoned it to retrieve soap or wipe the water from their eyes. Lucy had only just barely rinsed the last of the products from her hair when a loud buzzer had her snapping her eyes open and scrambling for the faucet handles as the icy spray began to rain down on them.

As the frigid shower shut off, she looked up at him, both still wincing from the sudden cold onslaught. It took only a moment before Lucy began to giggle as she let go of the faucet handles, Stev quickly matching it with a chuckle of his own before scooping her up in his arms, his feet slipping slightly on the wet floor as he tried to spin her, just barely stopping their potential fall with the loud thump of his shoulder meeting the tile wall.

The gently fading laughter continued through the soft kisses they shared, the occasional giggle only slightly more muffled by the meeting of their lips with giddy smiles. On the next peck she planted, Lucy pushed on his shoulder and Stev turned with her to lean his back on the wall, huffing out a deep sigh through his nose as she deepened the kiss and threw her arms up around his neck and lifted one leg until her knee pressed into the cool tile beside him.

His fingers found purchase against her damp thighs as he leaned down over her, gripping the supple flesh for a moment before lifting both of her legs to his hips and releasing a deep shuddering breath against her lips as her warm wet heat met his already throbbing arousal. She ground herself against him with a desperate whine as he let out a gasping moan of his own, slowly turning them both around until he had her against the wall. Each little motion had him rutting in response. As Stev slowly released his grasp on her legs, Lucy lowered her feet back to the floor, grumbling at the loss of contact until her half-muttered complaints were cut off by her sudden gasp as he spun her around to face the wall, his arm snaking around her and his hand coming to rest on her sex.

Stev leaned down over her shoulder, his warm shaking breaths filling her ear and completely clearing her mind of anything but him as his fingers began to gently stroke her soft wet folds, her juices slicking the motions. She writhed against him with a whine as his fingers delved deeper, his thumb rubbing slow circles over her cl*t as his co*ck twitched against her lower back.

With a swiftness that surprised even himself, Stev removed his hand from where it toiled and gripped her hips as he plunged his length into her, pinning her to the wall in front of her. His lustful groan was nearly drowned out by Lucy's desperate cry as he slowly drew back and slammed into her again. His grip on her lifted her feet from the floor as her scrabbling hands rushed to meet the tile that kept her upright as he collided with her front wall, the sensation turning her gasping into shouts of ecstacy.

"My…" Stev's voice took on a raspy tone as he struggled to hiss out the words, the mix of Lucy's cries and her body clamping down on him as she tumbled off the precipice of her pleasure causing his mind to jumble all but one thought. "My Lucy. My sunshine."

Lucy cried out, her knuckles white as her fingers flexed against the wall that she was pressed against. Even as the final tails of her org*sm dulled her other senses, the gruff words shot a new sensation through her. Something primal. Something beyond her desire for him. His fingers dug into her hips as the speed of his thrusts picked up, the sweat beading on his brow slowly dripping and landing on her shoulder to mingle with her own perspiration and the drops that fell from her wet hair. Stev's mind felt like it was coming undone and his tongue hungrily met the droplets before he buried his face against the side of her neck with a growling groan that was cut short by a gasp as he spilled himself into her.

Stev leaned his forehead against the cool tile wall and closed his eyes, his hands shaking as his grip on Lucy slowly waned and allowed her feet to reunite with the floor of the shower. Her knees wobbled as she attempted to remain standing as his seed dribbled down her quaking thighs the moment he slid out of her.

"That was," Lucy panted, steadying herself against the wall in front of her as she turned around beneath his leaning frame with a soft laugh in her tone. "That was unexpected."

Stev jerked his eyes open again as his head remained against the wall, a bright flush blooming across his cheeks as she smiled, her face right beside his.

"Oh, yeah, uh… Sorry, I don't really know where that came from. I shouldn't have just-"

Lucy silenced him with a kiss, her fingers threading through his damp hair. She released the kiss to look him in the eye, a smirk slowly peeling across her face.

"I liked it."

The knock on the door in the morning startled them both awake and a struggle to untangle limbs ensued, the damp sheets and pillow cases adding an additional hurdle to be fought as wet towels were tossed from the bed in the fray. After tumbling her way through the mess of dried clothes hanging in a hodgepodge of makeshift lines criss-crossing her living space, Lucy finally found her way to the door in at least enough clothing to be considered decent for guests.

"Lucy! We were tryin' to find you all afternoon yesterday!" Catori smiled warmly at the threshold, giving her a pat on the arm. "Big day today after all, what with the bridge openin' ceremony comin' up this mornin'. Great work, by the way."

Lucy mumbled out her thanks as she glanced down the tracks, spotting brightly colored flags and banners just barely peeking over the slight slope of the landscape.

"Come on, I can walk ya to the ceremony! Be a shame if the star builder didn't make an appearance," Catori chuckled, offering an arm to Lucy just as a loud thump carried out the door from the room behind her. Stev froze in place, half bent over with one boot in his hands and the other unlaced on his foot as he stared at the women with a wide-eyed expression, his long sleeved undershirt still unbuttoned and his vest lying on the floor beside him.

"Ooh, your little friend there can definitely come too." Catori gave him a look up and down before raising her eyebrow at Lucy and giving her a wink, causing the builder's cheeks to burn a bright hot red in the cool morning air. "Say, how about I tell ya about this great idea I got for a new tourist attraction here in Sandrock on the way? I call it 'Sandrunning'. Any chance ya might be interested in investing?"

Chapter 14: Setting The Stage

Chapter Text

"Grace said the bridge opening ceremony would be today, so everyone will probably be celebrating this evening. If you head out tonight, you could make camp during the day then keep watch all night," Haru mused as he furiously scribbled away on a sheet of paper, occasionally glancing over Grace's notes spread across the table.

"Got a spot halfway up the mountain that oughta do the trick," Logan muttered, sloppily folding an old canvas tarp before unceremoniously shoving it into a worn rucksack. "And if I head back just before mornin', I reckon I can get a closer look along the way."

"Look at you, actually making plans this time," Haru chuckled, folding the paper and handing it over. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Hey now," Logan scoffed, a slight laugh to his tone as he shoved the paper in his pocket, "Don't go gettin' your hopes up just yet, I'm sure I'll find a way t'mess this up."

Lucy had to admit it actually was a good idea as she trudged her way toward the Blue Moon, a bundle of boards under her arm and Stev following close behind with a crate of what he could only assume was fish, based on the smell.

The early morning bridge ceremony probably wouldn't have snuck up on her like it did if she hadn't pushed herself so hard in the ruins and missed the letters in her mailbox, but what was done was done. Either way, the rude awakening and sudden requirement to be presentable still had her grumbling, but her sleep pattern had already been more than little thrown-off by her impromptu ruin nap and late night activities, so she had no choice but to pull through and do what needed doing while ruminating on the concept of sand sleds. She couldn't help but thank her past-self for choosing Owen's commissions the day prior, his usual request for lumber and ingredients being easy to complete even in her tired state, and offered aforementioned saloon owner a smile as she set the bundle of wood on the bar and gestured for Stev to do the same with the crate he carried.

"How you find the time in the day to get so much done is completely beyond me," Owen chuckled, stowing the wood behind the counter before hefting the smelly crate onto his shoulder. "At this rate, I might just have to start paying you with meals and stories until the tourist season picks back up again. Might run out of gols in the till to pay you!"

"Maybe you could compensate me with some opinions." Lucy pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket and unfolded it on the bar as Stev scanned the menu, shifting nervously on his feet slightly. "Catori had this idea for a new attraction for Sandrock and I think I might be able to bang it all out in two days."

"Sandrunning? Oh man, that brings back memories," Owen chuckled, running his fingers over the hastily drawn diagram. "Me and the guys used to sneak out every chance we got when we were younger. Of course, there was no designated track back then. Got ourselves into a whole mess of trouble when our folks caught wind of one little mishap where the sleds went flying into the canyon. Haven't thought about that in a while, but I can definitely say I'd be there opening day."

"This will be a closed course for safety reasons," Lucy replied, refolding the paper and slipping it back in her pocket. "But it's good to know that the locals will enjoy it too!"

"We'll have to race some time. I may be a bit out of practice right now, but I definitely won't go easy on you!"

As Lucy giggled and threw her own quips back at the mountain of a man behind the bar, Stev felt a knot form in his stomach. He felt the sudden weight of the two remaining days he had left, of course, but there was something more to the feeling this time.

This kind man that had welcomed him in with open arms, a friendly face he had never harbored any ill will towards, suddenly felt like a threat. His throat seemed to burn as he swallowed back the feeling as their shared laughter filled his ears and it took him a moment to realize that Lucy was asking him something, her single raised brow suddenly pinching toward the other with concern.

"Are you okay Stev?"

"O- Oh, uh," he sputtered, shaking his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. Just caught in my own thoughts, I guess."

"I think a good meal would do us both some good," she hummed, relaxing into a soft smile that sent his heart fluttering before turning her attention back towards Owen. "A pair of specials and some tea seems fair enough for the lumber at least."

"It was a joke, Luce," Owen laughed, sliding her a tall stack of coins pulled from the cash register, the heavy crate still precariously perched on his shoulder. "But we can call a pair of free meals a tip for the quality and quick delivery."

Stev was barely able to stifle a grimace as the saloon owner winked at her. At his Lucy. His sunshine.With a sudden swiftness, her hands wrapped around his arm and she was dragging him across the room and he nearly stumbled on the step that led up to the cozy booths.

She pushed him into the plush bench seat and slid in beside him, cupping his hand in hers. Concern creased her brow as she stroked her fingers over the back of his hand before looking up at him.

"Are you really alright?" Lucy muttered, running her thumb over the protruding tendons of his clenched fist. Stev blinked a few times as he slowly came to his senses, glancing down at his hand and trying to release the tension.

"I'm sorry, I just… when he-"

Lucy interrupted his words with a soft kiss, causing that unfamiliar burn to melt away into the comfort of her lips on his. He felt like he could stay there forever, basking in the warm glow that exuded from her very presence, her fingers weaving through his hair feeling like the tickle of static across his scalp.

"I'd tell you to get a room, but I know for a fact that you already have one," Grace chuckled, setting a pair of sand teas on the table. The pair separated in a flash, the flush of their cheeks equal parts arousal and embarrassment. "Not that I've seen you use it much. Or did you forget?"

"Oh, uh, thank you," Stev muttered, taking a long sip from his drink to hide the red that furiously spread across his face as Lucy giggled. The moment the woman was gone from the table, he slowly lowered the glass back down to the surface and heaved a sigh. "I should probably change into something cleaner while I'm here."

Lucy slid out of the seat to clear his path, leaning in for a brief peck on his forehead just before he rose from the bench and returned the gesture, both smiling softly before he turned to head for the stairs while she returned to sitting. She watched as he ascended the staircase and turned back toward her tea as she listened to his footfalls on the mezzanine overhead.

"I know you're technically still new in town," Grace huffed, causing Lucy to jump at her unexpected return before turning toward her. "But you have to know you're just setting yourself up for heartbreak in a situation like this. He hasn't tried to extend his reservation of the room, you know."

"I know," Lucy muttered as she deflated, frowning into the glass in front of her, Grace's stern expression softening in response. "He's just so… It's the first time I've felt this way about anyone. I meant it to be a fling, I really did. A little fun after that disaster that Arvio cooked up after I told him I wasn't interested. But there's something about him. He's such a kind person. And friendly. And attentive. Maybe a little nervous, but so am I considering the way the town always needs my work."

Grace sighed, lowering her hand from her hip as Lucy looked back up at her.

"Just be careful," Grace whispered, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Hurting your own feelings is one thing, but you never know what kind of person any of these visitors to town might actually be. He could have a wife back home. Or he could be a playboy, have a lover in every town he rolls through. Light above, he could be a criminal!"

"I find all of that hard to believe," Lucy huffed with a tired laugh, taking a sip of her drink before meeting Grace's eyes with a solemn expression. "He trusted me enough to tell me about some of his past at least, but he hasn't really gone into detail. And I don't really blame him."

"You could always just ask." Grace shrugged before heaving a sigh, glancing at the stairs before softly chuckling. "Does your boy always take this long to dress?"

Lucy turned her head toward the stairs and strained to listen for sounds coming from the upper floor until Elsie burst in through the door of the saloon, a very exhausted Mi-an in tow behind her. With shouts demanding coffee now filling the room, Lucy shot a pleading look at Grace that was answered with a shooing motion as she made her way toward the newly-arrived pair. Lucy took a final sip of her drink and snuck her way behind the panda-eyed builder and excitable yakgirl to make her way up the staircase.

Considering the lack of other tourists in town and the fact that there was only one closed door upstairs, Lucy hedged her bets and turned the knob without knocking.

Lucy paused in the doorway, taking in the view in front of her with a sudden urge that seemed to envelope her. Stev was shirtless and facing away from her, standing at the foot of the bed as he rummaged through a small pack on the bed, the surprisingly defined muscles of his back rippling as he tore through the contents of the bag. Her eyes hungrily took in each twitch and flex as she committed them to memory, the slight sheen of sweat beginning to shine across his bare skin. Her eyes lingered on the sloppy block of digits on his left shoulder as she quietly entered and shut the door behind her.

"1 4 7 2 8 0 1 3 6 9."

Stev flinched hard at the whispered numbers, dropping the garment in his hand in the process before turning his head toward Lucy's voice, a pained expression on his face. She offered him a soft smile as she approached, wrapping her arms around his middle and pressing her face to the bare skin of his back with a sigh. She could feel him shudder in her grip before the tension slowly seemed to fade.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she whispered against his skin. "But I-"

"147th regiment," he choked out before coughing, clearing his throat of the gravel that seemed to gather in his chest as he spoke. "28th battalion. The rest is my date of birth. I, uh… really didn't have much of a choice. Couldn't get a great job out of school and there weren't really too many other options..."

Lucy squeezed him tighter, pressing her face harder against his skin.

"You've been through so much," she mumbled, nuzzling her cheek against him as he let out a shaky breath. "But you are here now. And that counts for something."

Stev's hands gently met Lucy's before he pulled to loosen her embrace in order to turn and face her. He searched her face for any sign of disgust, any hint of knowing just how much he was still withholding from her. Instead he found that soft warm smile that left him breathless. He swept his arms around her as he leaned in for a kiss, his lips being the ones to yield as her tongue sought entry as her arm wove around him once more, her stumbling movements guiding him toward the nearest wall as she pressed her body against him.

She gasped as he pulled away, his fingers brushing a lock of her hair back behind her ear.

"My-"

His words were cut off by her finger against his lips, throwing his thoughts back to that first day they met in the saloon below.

"Yours," Lucy whispered as she slowly dropped to her knees. "Only yours."

Chapter 15: Making Moves

Chapter Text

Gavin strode down yet another hall of the makeshift base of operations that spanned multiple levels of the ruins, the route familiar after 3 years of patrolling the same path each afternoon. The solo patrol had become devastatingly boring for the past few days, absent of the usual friendly chatter he'd share with Stev on their shared shift. He let his mind wander as he continued through another corridor, wondering if his friend had even tried to leave the saloon at all. He quietly chuckled at the thought, imagining Stev sneaking down the stairs during the off hours to order food and quickly retreating back to the room before anyone could even notice his presence. Gavin suddenly snorted, barely containing his laughter as his mind conjured images of the locals trying to speak with him, his nerves causing him to sputter and panic. The humor faded quickly though, a feeling of concern slowly taking its place.

Ever since they were children, Gavin was always there to help him out, offering him advice and opening the door for conversations his friend was too nervous to start himself. They had made real headway in the last 3 years, Stev's confidence slowly increasing as he became familiar with the mundane regimented pattern of military life. His concern turned to worry as he wondered how much progress might be lost, how much this sudden change and isolation might regress all that they had accomplished.

"Why, I'd even bet money that she'd be willing to follow him right back to Duvos if he asked!"

"Though I generally trust your judgment, I would like to see her skills myself before making such a call."

Gavin paused a handful of paces away from the open door, straining to hear the conversation carrying out of Commander Lefu's office. The slightly muffled voice was immediately familiar, having been the source of nearly every order he had ever received, but he couldn't quite remember if he had heard the other speaker before.

"However," Commander Lefu's voice boomed before dropping back to its usual volume, "your insistence on this rank increase for the successful seduction of the town's builder seems reasonable enough. I'll promote this Stev upon his return. At the very least, she is less likely to be a threat if we have the means to subdue her within our own rank and file should the need arise."

"Exactly what I like to hear, Leafy! Glad to see you finally have the right idea… My idea!"

"Don't call me that."

Gavin shivered. There was no scolding or rage in Commander Lefu's tone, which meant whoever he was speaking with was at least of equal rank if they could get away with calling him the wrong name. At the sound of loud footsteps in the room ahead, he rushed to correct his stance and continue his patrol, doing his best to look as nonchalant as possible. As he neared the door, a massive wall of bright vivid colors emerged through the threshold, nearly colliding with him. Gavin jerked to a stop and chanced a glance at the large figure. The expression that met him as his gaze moved up toward the man's face was a terrifying grin that didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. Gavin gulped hard as he remained frozen to the spot.

"As you were, little soldier," the man declared, waving his hand dismissively as he pushed past him, nearly knocking Gavin off his feet as he strode past, cape flapping behind him.

What have you gotten yourself into now, buddy?

There was a shake to the breath Stev released, a shiver running down his spine as Lucy's fingers delicately ran along his skin just above the waistband of his pants before deftly unfastening the button. Though her face remained pointed toward the rapidly straining bulge in his pants, her eyes darted upward to gaze at him through her lashes as her fingers slid just under the fabric with a soft smile. She tugged the clothing, pulling everything down to rest around his ankles and he swiftly attempted to kick them off and away. Her glance pointed back down to the view in front of her, eyeing his co*ck hungrily as her fingers delicately wrapped around his shaft. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the precum beading at the tip, his arousal twitching in response as he let out a soft gasp.

Relishing the sound of his wordless plea, Lucy parted her lips and swirled her tongue over him as she took a deep breath through her nose. Stev shuddered at the sensation, his short fingernails digging into the palms of his hands as he clenched his fists, trying desperately to resist the urge to buck into her mouth or grab hold of the back of her head. He sucked another slow stuttering breath in through his teeth as she ran her tongue along the underside of him, the slight graze of her teeth along his length causing him to shake with the resistance he tried so hard to grapple with. He exhaled slowly in an attempt to maintain his composure until a lewd groan of a moan erupted from him as Lucy took his co*ck into her mouth and pushed herself as far as she could manage to take him.

Stev brought one fist up to his face, biting down on a knuckle as he failed to stifle a groan as Lucy pulled back slightly with a hum, her tongue applying pressure the whole way. She repeated the motion again, slowly taking him as far as her throat would allow before pulling back again, her cheeks hollowing with the suction as Stev let loose a moan against his hand as his other fist swung back against the wall with an audible thump. His reactions spurred her on and Lucy began to pick up her pace as she moved her free hand to slide inside the front of her own pants, matching both rhythms.

"Ahn… Lucy, I-" Stev choked out, his voice ragged and gasping as he threaded his fingers through her hair to pull her away. "I'm gonna-"

"Do it," she whispered, her breath wafting over his spit-slicked shaft sending a shiver through his entire body. "Come."

"N-not," he gasped, lightly tugging at her hair to urge her to stand. "Not without you."

Lucy gave him a warm smile as she rose from the floor, her cheeks flushing as her eyes sparkled up at him, sending his heart fluttering yet again. He released her hair from his grip and stared down at his hand as he flexed his fingers before following her toward the bed. The buckle of her belt hit the floor with a resounding thunk as her loose pants fell to the floor around her ankles, drawing all of Stev's attention as she leaned forward onto the bed with her bare ass pointing toward him.

"Could you maybe…" Lucy's face grew redder still as she turned her head to the side to glance back at him as he slid his hands over her hips reverently. "Do you think you could maybe pull my hair again?"

Stev felt a jolt shoot straight through him and eagerly ran his hand up the back of her head, the strands softly dancing before he curled his fingers to take hold as he aligned himself to her with his other hand. In response to the whine that escaped her lips as he pressed himself into her, he tightened his grip and gave a soft tug, causing her face to lift from the bed and her voice to carry further as her cry grew more desperate.

With each thrust, he pulled a little harder, lifting her body from the bed just enough to reach beneath her and slide his fingers down to her cl*t before pressing his chest down against her back to pin her in place. While her hands gripped the quilts beneath her, his fingers rubbed erratically at the tiny nub as he pounded into her, still tugging at her hair with his other hand. The legs of the bed squeaked against the wooden floor with each shake of the frame, summarily drowned out by her pleading cries of his name whenever she could formulate the word. His breath grew shallow as he felt her shake apart beneath him with a wordless shout, her walls clamping down on him as he kept up the pace for only a few more strokes before spilling into her with a shuddering gasp against the back of her head. His body bucked once more of its own accord as he groaned before slowly allowing himself to settle against her, unlacing the tight grip on her hair and sliding his other hand out from beneath her as he planted soft kisses at the nape of her neck.

Lucy heaved a contented sigh into the bedding beneath her, her legs still quivering as she relaxed her hold on the plush blankets. She allowed herself to bask in the warmth, paying no mind to the sweat that was nearly permeating the undershirt beneath her chosen shirt for the day. She could feel each of his ragged breaths press her further into the bed and hoped for a moment that they could just remain right there for the rest of the day, him slowly softening within her and her fully encapsulated by him. Stev released a sigh of his own, idly rubbing the tips of his fingers against her scalp with a hum.

"I don't want to work today," Lucy grumbled, pressing her nose into the blankets with a huff.

"Oh, yeah. For sure," Stev chuckled, combing away a few knots from his grasping. "But, I mean… the sooner it's done, the sooner you are free to do as you please."

"I suppose you're right," she giggled as he rose off of and out of her before swiftly pulling at the blankets in a feeble attempt to prevent a mess, causing her to giggle again.

Once they were both at least halfway decent, Lucy's hair mostly back in place and Stev in a fresh shirt without the stiflingly warm vest, they made their way toward the door to the room and paused after opening it. There at the threshold sat a bag containing a pair of to-go boxes, still warm to the touch.

As they descended the stairs together, Owen looked up from the glass he was wiping and coughed before averting his gaze, causing Lucy to blush furiously with the realization that anyone and everyone in the large room below heard everything through the thin boards of the floor above them. She glanced around the room, trying to stifle her mortification as she spotted Elsie and Mi-an giggling in the corner and Ernest furiously scribbling into his notepad at the far end of the bar. Though slightly embarrassed as well, Stev found himself smiling at the thought that the townsfolk were fully aware of exactly who Lucy chose to spend her time with. A sense of pride flooded through him and he reached to lace his fingers through hers as they exited the saloon and made their way through town toward her workshop.

Chapter 16: Approach

Chapter Text

As the sun began to kiss the mountains far off to the west, the light cast a golden glow over Lucy's yard as she and Stev carefully lifted another heavy marble brick from the furnace set up at the back of the yard and carried it toward the pile of finished materials beside the gate at the front. After pouring over the diagram that Catori had presented her, she found that she had a vast majority of the materials already on hand for the kiosk and starting platform.

After loading the furnaces up with raw marble, she and Stev had enjoyed their late lunch hastily brought from the saloon in the comfort of the shade provided by the awning at the far end of the yard, pausing their chatter occasionally to heft the finished bricks into the growing stack. Time seemed to breeze by with their laughter, neither noticing the hour growing later until they returned to the shade after the final piece was ready, the furnace slowly beginning to cool in the early evening air.

"We'll definitely have to make multiple trips," Lucy hummed thoughtfully, swinging her legs as she sat on the surface of her workbench. "Might need to call in reinforcements from the salvage yard too."

She let out a sigh, watching as the golden light of the oncoming twilight reflected off of the shimmering flecks of the dark marble, twinkling like early-rising stars as the sun settled low in the sky. Stev stood beside her and watched as her smile slowly shifted from satisfied to something softer and sadder, a sort of resignation tinting the expression. His fingers found hers, gently intertwining as he rubbed his thumb against her hand.

"I'll help in any way I can," he murmured, bringing their clasped hands up to his face to plant a soft kiss to the back of hers. He continued to hold her hand to his face, softly nuzzling against her skin as she leaned her head slightly against his side. A soft cough nearby startled them, sending them blushing and skittering apart as if they were caught by a chaperone.

Mi-an waved excitedly from the other side of the fence as Lucy rose from her seat atop the workbench, Stev following close behind. As they approached, Mi-an took a slight step to the side and gestured to the sandsleds behind her.

"Ta-dah," she sang, the bright grin on her face growing even broader. "It's the last two we needed! I already hauled the others out to the build site, but I thought you might like to use these to help drag your materials! Should be faster than waiting on the yak carts or carrying it all by hand, at least."

"You're a life-saver, Mi-an!" Lucy pulled Mi-an into a hug, squishing them both against the fence between them with a giggle before releasing her to admire the sleds. "If everything goes as planned, it should all be done by tomorrow night."

"How exciting," Mi-an squealed. "I'd never even heard of 'sandrunning' before, I bet it's going to be a blast! Be sure to save a race for me!"

The builders waved their goodbyes as twilight descended over the town, lights flickering to life as Lucy and Stev pulled the sleds into the yard and began to load the heavy supplies and crates of tools as carefully as possible.

Rambo let out an exasperated huff as Logan led him along the far edge of the outskirts and down a steep embankment near the edge of the canyon. It had been weeks since he had brought the goat out into the open and his agitation at the slow pace of their travels became clearer with each passing moment.

"If y'ain't gonna cooperate, I could always just take ya back," Logan grunted, planting his feet in the soft sand to grip the reins tighter as Rambo tried to rush forward. "We got all night, don't go thinkin' I'm above doublin' back."

Rambo snorted his displeasure, but eased up on his impatient tugging as Logan chuckled quietly and continued their slow hidden march through the dark. He probably could have just ridden the goat the whole way, but there was far too much at stake to risk someone hearing the sustained heavy hoofbeats of a full gallop in the middle of the night.

When they neared the top of the far end of the sloping path, he chanced a glance across the tracks and toward the Civil Corps office. The lights were still on, of course, but he couldn't see any movement on the porch nor in the main square beyond. He tugged Rambo to a stop, patting goat's flank.

"Looks like the coast is clear," he muttered, hopping up into the saddle. "Might as well let ya get it outa your system."

With a click of Logan's tongue, Rambo broke into a mad dash toward the bridge, leaping down the short cliffside above the track and taking off over the canyon and onward into the deep darkness of the open desert.

Shots rang out endlessly around him, the acrid scent of gunpowder and smoke filling his nostrils as he scrambled up the muddy hill on his hands and knees. The dawn was close to breaking, painting the clouds overhead a startlingly ominous shade of red as the pale city walls came into view. Massive cracks and dark singe marks marred their stone surfaces like the wounds of his comrades that lay on the short open expanse that stretched before him as his breath caught in his throat. He could hear their guttural pleading and pained cries with each lull in the sounds of the battle that raged just beyond the wrenched-open gates.

He took a shaky breath to steady himself, eyes searching the parapet for any sign of danger before rising to his feet in a low crouch to begin his approach.

"To me, soldier-"

The voice was cut off by a fit of coughing as he whipped his head around in the direction of the order. He recognized the armor immediately despite the gravely choked tone that made the voice unfamiliar to his ears. He grabbed his commanding officer's arms and attempted to pull him to his feet with little success before resigning to dragging the large man back down the hill.

"Those little rebels will regret this," the officer grumbled as he lifted his head, blood oozing down his mangled face and dripping onto the damaged armor that was barely held in place. The officer spat his disdain before turning his attention toward the smaller soldier struggling to pull him along the damp turf. "You. Who approved your deployment? Who's the fool that thought a ten year old would stand a chance out here?"

"I'm thirteen, sir," he choked out, straining again to tug the officer toward safety. "And I don't know."

He struggled again to pull the larger man's weight until another taller soldier joined him, grabbing one of the officer's arms from him. On the first pull, a loud crack rang out and the man beside him let out a choked gasp before crumpling to the ground.

His eyes darted up as his breathing quickened, his head on a swivel as he desperately tugged. The officer's free arm shot out and wrenched the gun off of the downed soldier before returning a few shots.

His ears rang as he pulled, fearful tears welling in his eyes.

It happened all at once. He saw the muzzle flash. Felt the rush of air past his face. Heard the loud bang.

Stev shot upright in the bed, panting as he clutched his chest, eyes darting around the dark room as he tried to get his bearings. As the blur of tears and slumber began to fade, he began to recognize Lucy's bedroom. His hands patted the bed around him in a panic as he realized he was alone, his racing heart still pounding relentlessly.

"Stev?"

He jumped at the soft voice in the doorway and felt his tension begin to wane slightly, his eyes meeting Lucy's in the dimness as her bare feet padded across the floor before she stopped beside bed and wrapped her arms around him.

"I heard a shout. Are you okay?"

"N-nightmare," he choked into her loose shirt, his voice scratchy with sleep and nerves as she gently rubbed her hand over his tense shoulders. His finger gripped the fabric of her clothes and he held her tightly, pressing her to him as if it could prevent them from ever being separated. "And then you weren't… and I just-"

"I'm right here, Stev," Lucy hummed, pressing her face into his sleep-tousled hair and gently running her fingers against his scalp while her other hand continued to rub his back. "I won't leave you. I-"

Stev froze as Lucy's voice cut off with a choked sob, a knot forming in his chest that seemed to weigh more than the massive marble bricks on the sleds in the yard outside. He suppressed a shudder as the first creeping tendrils of dawn's light began to seep into the room, pushing shadows back into corners but never quite warming him from the cold sweat that began anew.

They both felt it in those wee hours of the early morning, felt it like a great and terrible beast looming over them. They knew it would strike them down. They knew when it was coming.

They knew it would destroy them both.

The old half-dead tree cast deep shadows in the harsh midday sun, the gnarled patterns of darkness and light further obscuring his form as he peered through the rusted spyglass toward the movement down below. He watched as the pair dragged their loads across the sand, past the old outpost and watchtower, and onward toward the mess of construction at the top of the hill. He focused intently as he observed their movements, shifting his view from one to the other and back again as they toiled away. It was almost comical how mundane the scene seemed; just a builder doing her job and a man trying to help her out. Were it not for Grace's intel and suspicions, he probably wouldn't have even entertained the idea that one or both were infiltrators. They seemed more like a pair of lovesick teenagers than dangerous spies working toward the destruction of the town he loved.

And agents of Duvos ain't exactly known for buildin' up a town they plan on wreckin', he thought, watching as they unloaded the last heavy brick. What in the heck are they even… is that a sandsled?

Logan pulled the spyglass from his face and squinted into the distance, finally taking in the whole scene. Sure enough, the pieces that fell together were very clearly a sandrunning course, though definitely much more official than the makeshift races he remembered from his childhood.

Satisfied with his conclusion and sure that the subjects of his impromptu observation were likely to be occupied the entire day, Logan settled against the massive trunk behind him, sliding his hat forward to shield his vision from the blazing sun overhead.

Chapter 17: Questionable Moves

Chapter Text

"Wouldja look at that!"

Catori ran her fingers over the kiosk countertop before turning her attention toward the starting gate, gripping each set of doors and giving them a small shake before turning her attention back toward Lucy.

"And you're sayin' it'll be done today? Well shoot! It's not even noon yet! Got enough time to declare tomorrow opening day!"

"It's all thanks to Mi-an," Lucy muttered bashfully, patting one of the sandsleds. "If not for her, most of the morning would have been spent hauling things."

"And your little friend," Catori chuckled, elbowing Lucy and glancing over toward the man hammering a sign post into the ground. "Stevie. Stephan. Stevaroonie. Steppenwolf."

"S-Stev," Lucy stuttered, turning her attention in the same direction, her eyes lingering as he wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm, a satisfied smile on his face as he shook the post. "He's been… very supportive."

"I'd reel that one in if I were you," Catori chuckled, throwing an arm over Lucy's shoulders. "He seems to be good for business. And good for you, if ya don't mind me sayin'."

Lucy shivered. They hadn't talked about it, at least not really. He had mentioned that he couldn't stay, but each day felt like a lifetime of familiarity and the countdown grew more painful each day.

Six of seven, she thought to herself, her expression darkening as she watched him take a long drink from his canteen. Catori loosened her grip and patted Lucy's shoulder with a sigh.

"Wouldn't blame ya if ya followed him. Light knows I did the same with my ex." Catori sighed heavily before gripping Lucy tighter and pulling her into a hug. "Just take care of yourself."

Lucy settled her shuddering breath against Catori's chest. The weight of time felt heavy on her shoulders as she sighed again before pulling away from the embrace to look at the divorceé with tears streaking both of their faces.

"I'm trying."

It felt odd to still be watching the strangers so intently, regardless of the current circ*mstances. Keeping an eye on the townsfolk he knew didn't really seem so weird since he could always just tell himself it was to make sure everyone was alright. But these two? What little he knew of them had been secondhand through Grace, sanitized of any of the emotions of actually knowing a person; just a few dossiers on the table in the hideout in that cold, uncaring typewriter script that spelled out what few facts they knew.

He had tried to sleep the day away as he had planned, of course, but curiosity had gotten the better of him and he found himself transfixed by the distant figures busying themselves out in the shifting sands. The first to visit had been Owen, his familiar gait and frame easily identified even without the help of the spyglass, carrying a large pack on his back that he left with them. The next was the woman that had taken over the museum, her name escaping him due to how recently she had arrived before the temple incident. Next was the other new builder, joining the pair in flitting around the work area, pulling an impossible number of tools from her belt each time she stopped to tinker.

Logan held his breath as he watched yet another figure approach, his elbow braced on the rocky surface on which he lay prone. He steadied the spyglass as much as he could as he watched the self-proclaimed 'protector' march across the sand, the stance of his walk changing from a swift focused march to a nonchalant stride as he came within line of sight of the construction.

He'd never liked the man back before everything went to sh*t, and Grace's suggestion that the church may be the ones behind the water plot only made the sudden change in his steps all the more suspicious. The friendly hug with the builder seemed harmless enough, though a bit longer than it seemed the woman was comfortable with, but Logan continued his observation regardless as Pen approached the tourist.

The fear in the smaller man's eyes was clear, even at a distance.

While the builder toiled away with her work, the new target of Pen's attention froze in place, somehow stiffening further as a large hand clapped onto his shoulder. Logan felt a shiver run down his own spine as he watched the exchange, the smaller of the two standing stock still with a vacant look on his face as the Church Enforcer loomed over him.

"How about we stop for lunch?"

Stev jolted slightly, quickly turning toward her just before the Knight Commander's towering frame disappeared beyond the dunes to the east. Lucy wiped her hands against the legs of her coveralls before unzipping the front of them, sliding the heavy canvas from her shoulders before tying the sleeves around her waist. Stev couldn't tear his gaze away from her, staring in enraptured silence as the sweat glistening on her skin glittered with her every movement under the midday sun when she stretched her arms over her head with a soft groan before turning to meet his gaze.

"Could you grab the insulated pack Owen dropped off?"

Her voice finally shook him from the spell and he coughed before shuffling toward the kiosk where the bag sat sheltered in the shade. Stev slid one strap over his shoulder before jogging to catch up with her as she made her way across the sand.

"I thought maybe we could check out that old outpost building, see if it's any cooler inside than it is out here." Lucy grabbed hold of his hand as he slowed to walk beside her, the grip of her small fingers sending a flash of warmth straight through him as she grinned up at him. "Might help keep sand out of the food too."

The walk wasn't too far before the structure came into view. Though the tower beside it had certainly seen better days, the building itself seemed to be in relatively good repair, missing only one window and a few panels of siding. Lucy released her grip on Stev's hand and hopped up the sagging stairs, kicking away the sand that had piled itself against the bottom of the door as Stev followed her up.

"Might have some tools to get this open," Lucy mused, digging through various pockets and pouches strapped to her belt. "Worst case scenario, you could give me a boost through that broken window or-"

With a click, the door swung inward as Stev released his grip on the knob before offering her a sheepish grin. Lucy giggled as she snapped and buttoned her pouches shut, bowing her head slightly to hide the embarrassed flush that tinted her cheeks.

"I guess that works too," she muttered, making her way inside as Stev attempted to stifle a chuckle, a fond smile peeling across his expression as he readjusted the pack on his back before following her in.

The room was covered in a layer of dust and sand, but seemed to be in good enough condition for their purpose. The space was substantially cooler than the outdoors and contained a number of broken down pieces of furniture as well as a few stacks of crates and what appeared to be materials meant to fix the place up, all long abandoned and covered in a thick layer of grit.

After a cursory scan of the place, Lucy immediately made her way to the corner nearest the broken window where a large haphazard stack of lumber and fabrics sat. She carefully leaned down to lift one of the middle boards slightly before dropping it back down with a joyful laugh.

"We're in luck," she sang with a grin, gesturing for Stev to put the pack down before beckoning him over. "Those stools over there are good for nothing but firewood, but I found something much better for us to sit on."

With a few tugs and readjustments, they quickly lifted away more than half of the pile to reveal a slightly dusty quilt covering a mattress on a makeshift bed frame, both in surprisingly good condition. With the quilt folded and tossed to the side, they dragged one of the empty crates closer to serve as their table before unloading their lunch from the insulated bag.

Catori pressed the large paper against the bulletin board beside city hall, almost entirely covering the wanted posters and latest edition of the Tumbleweed standard as she smoothed the edges in place. With a satisfied smirk and a nod, she picked up the rest of the pile of oversized sheets from beside her feet and turned around to continue flyering the town only to nearly collide with Grace.

"Sandrunning course opening already," Grace chuckled as she reached out to help keep Catori from stumbling backward. "Hasn't the bridge only been open for a day?"

"Those builders are absolute rockstars, banged all the parts out in no time!" Catori beamed then glanced around the square before leaning in conspiratorially. "And of course Lucy's fella was lendin' a hand."

"Must be hot out there," Grace mused with a smirk, raising an eyebrow at the other woman. "I don't suppose he was missing any articles of clothing, hmm?"

"Hah! Now you're speakin' my language," Catori laughed, nudging Grace. "No, unfortunately not. Though I certainly wouldn't mind findin' out where else he's got those freckles of his, if you know what I mean."

Logan inched further toward the edge of cliff, knocking a few loose small rocks down over the precipice as he tried to get a better view of the duo as they headed toward his Pa's old outpost. Aside from the occasional nostalgic visit or an exchange of supplies and info with those willing to overlook his criminal status, he hadn't returned to the place often, but the idea of others potentially using it for nefarious purposes had his hackles raised.

As he peered through the spyglass, he kicked himself for never locking the door behind him as he watched them waltz right in without a care in the world. He shifted his view to the window opposite the one he had broken more than a year before to get in the first time, keeping the spyglass as still as possible to spot any movement. He caught a glimpse of large objects being moved through the space followed by a stillness, only just barely able to make out what might be the shoulder of the tourist.

Logan's arms grew stiff as he continued his watch, bracing his elbows on the stone to occasionally pull his face away from the spyglass to take in the rest of the scene visible from his high vantage point. Upon returning his eye to the lens, he noticed a flurry of movement through the window and steadied his grip on the spyglass for a clearer view.

A fight?

He strained his eye to pick out any possible detail that could incriminate either of them, holding his breath to prevent his own lungs from shifting his view. There was a flash of movement again, a pale blur moving past the window and-

"Ah sh*t," Logan muttered as he tore his eyes from his spyglass, his cheeks reddening as he scrambled to his feet and trudged back into the deeper shade of the old tree's gnarled boughs to plop down in his previous resting spot. He lowered his hat back over his face, grumbling about a sudden need to dispose of blankets.