MELISSA'S POV
The hut smelled like damp earth and dying embers, the last traces of last night's fire lingering in the cool morning air.
Melissa was the first to wake up. Her body heavy with exhaustion but her mind already awake, restless. The warmth beside her was comforting, familiar in a way she hadn't expected. Shauna was still asleep, her dark hair a tangled mess, lips parted in sleep, her breath slow and steady. She looked peaceful while sleeping. Her features were relaxed, free from the usual tension she carried while awake.
Melissa remained staring at her for a while. The memories of the previous night returned in vivid, overwhelming flashes—Shauna's lips on hers, the hungry—almost animalistic—way they had reached for each other in the dark, the whispered sighs and hushed moans that echoed within the small hut.
Melissa swallowed hard, suddenly hyperaware of the intimacy of it all.
It seemed impossible that she had actually woken up in the arms of Shauna Shipman. It appeared even more surreal that Shauna had been the one that claimed her in front of everyone the previous night before leading her inside her hut. In her own personal space, that she never allowed any of the others to even consider stepping a foot inside.
For a brief moment, she wondered if this was all just a figment of her imagination. A dream perhaps, or just another hallucination.
But no. The overwhelming sent of Shauna's skin—a mix of smoke, earth and something metallic like dried up blood—was real. Shauna's arm draped over Melissa's waist—solid and grounding in a way—was real. The slow rhythm of her breath against Melissa's exposed shoulder was real. Surely, if this was a dream, it wouldn't feel this real.
Suddenly, Melissa felt Shauna shift beside her. She moved slowly, her arm tensing slightly before relaxing again.
She's waking up.
Melissa's heart pounded in her chest, and a wave of panic washed over her. This was it—the moment Shauna would pull away, sit up, realize what had happened last night and regret it. Maybe she would immediately kick her out of the hut, pretend it hadn't meant anything, or worse, put a knife to her throat. Nothing she hadn't done before, but this time she might actually go through with the threat.
Melissa braced herself.
But then...nothing.
Shauna's breathing remained steady and slow, her expression still calm. She wasn't waking up...she had just moved in her sleep.
Melissa let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
She had been seconds away from seeing the look in Shauna's face—whatever that look would have been. She hadn't woken up, but it didn't change the fact that eventually, she would.
And then what?
As much as Melissa hoped that last night had meant something to her too and it was more than just physical gratification she knew how unpredictable Shauna can be. She wasn't ready to face the possible rejection and the heartbreak that would follow. She wasn't ready for the possibility that last night had only mattered to her.
The walls of the hut started to feel like they were closing in, every breath Melissa took felt heavier. She couldn't stay here, trapped in her own thoughts, waiting for the inevitable to happen. So instead, she carefully lifted Shauna's arm, that was now resting on her lower abdomen, and placed it gently on the blanket before slipping out from under the covers.
She needed to stop thinking so much. She had to do something.
Breakfast.
That was something she could focus on. Something simple, something normal.
She took a deep breath to stabilize herself. The morning air felt chilly against her naked skin. She grabbed the nearest clothes she could find, pulling them on quickly and with one final glance at Shauna's sleeping form she walked out of the hut.
It was quite early in the morning. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a soft golden glow across the sky.
Nobody else was awake. Good.
The last thing Melissa needed right now was to see the judgmental looks they would surely give her after last night's events. The quiet stares that would be filled with unspoken words of disapproval.
She hurried over to a nearby bush and picked some small, dark purple berries. She then placed them on a handmade plate and fetched some water for both of them.
It hadn't been long before she returned to the hut with the breakfast. She paused briefly at the entrance, taking a deep breath.
Then, pushing the flap aside, she stepped inside.
SHAUNA'S POV
Shauna woke up to an empty space beside her.
A strange unease crept over her as she sat up, slightly confused as to why she was alone. It's not that she wasn't used to it. She had spent weeks waking up to the silence of an empty hut, isolated from the world around her.
But this time was different. She hadn't gone to sleep alone.
Last night's events came to her mind, pulling her thoughts back to the moments she had shared with Melissa. They had spent hours exploring each other's bodies, discovering what made the other moan in pleasure with an unwavering intensity.
Neither of them had held back. Nails had dug into skin, teeth had grazed over flesh, sure to leave scratches and bruises as evidence of their encounter.
There was an undeniable rawness to their bond, a combination of power and vulnerability that left Shauna breathless.
After they were both completely spent and satisfied, they had stayed there together. Melissa had hesitantly wrapped an arm arourd her and Shauna felt herself sink into the touch. She had closed her eyes, focusing on the soft, steady sound of Melissa's breathing and subtle rise and fall of her chest.
For the first time in months, she had slept without being constantly jolted awake by the terrifying nightmares she never mentioned to anyone. The way Melissa had held her—firm and protective—had made Shauna rest a little easier.
But now Melissa was gone, and Shauna was alone again.
Something about the way Melissa had left—without a word, without waking her up—made her chest feel tight.
Had she regretted last night?
Despite all her efforts not to, Shauna started overthinking.
Maybe Melissa had gone back to the hut she was sharing with Gen. Maybe she finally realized how messed up Shauna truly was and wanted nothing to do with her. Or maybe Shauna pushed her past her limits yesterday. She did make her cut Ben's Achilles after all. But Shauna could have sworn that there was a spark in Melissa's eyes, a small smile on her face afterwards. She didn't appear repulsed or remorseful at all.
So if it wasn't because of that, then why would she leave?
Shauna hated how much it bothered her, how quickly the doubt crept in.
It didn't matter.
Shauna told herself that, as she started looking for her clothes. It didn't matter that Melissa was gone. It didn't matter that she had woken up alone once again. It didn't matter that, for a moment she had reached out, half-asleep, expecting to feel warmth next to her—only to find nothing.
But it did matter. And no matter how much she tried to push it down, it was eating her up inside.
Shauna forced herself to push down the feeling of disappointment that had settled in her chest as she started getting dressed for the day.
She wouldn't allow herself to think about Melissa any longer. She would go about her day acting like she hadn't even noticed she was gone. If Melissa had left because she decided to distance herself from her, fine. Maybe it was for the best.
As Shauna turned toward the entrance of the hut, ready to go outside and focus on her daily tasks, the flap rustled—and Melissa stepped back inside.
For a moment neither of them spoke. They just stood there, studying each other. The tension between them was rising, thick and suffocating.
Melissa was the first to break the silence.
''Hey'' she said softly. ''I..um..I brought breakfast'' she finished as she hesitantly offered a small plate of berries to Shauna.
Oh. She had gone to get breakfast.
As the realization hit her, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She didn't let it show though. She kept her expression blank as she reached for the plate Melissa was offering her.
''Didn't realize you were the type to sneak out'' she said, her tone cool, detached—like she hadn't been consumed by worry a few minutes ago.
''I...I wasn't sneaking out. I went to get food'' Melissa said anxiously.
''Same thing'' Shauna pushed, secretly enjoying the way she could make Melissa nervous that easily.
Melissa hesitated, then took a small step forward.
''It's not'' she argued, more confidently this time.
Shauna's gaze remained fixed on her, sharp and unrelenting. She noticed the tension in Melissa's jaw, the slight furrow of her eyebrows and the way her piercing blue eyes looked right at her, searching.
When Shauna caught herself staring for a little too long—she had been doing that a lot more, recently—she let out a small chuckle and stepped away from where they were standing.
She moved a little further into the hut and sat down against the wooden wall. Then, she picked a berry from the plate and popped it in her mouth, savoring the sweetness.
Melissa remained in the same spot, clearly unsure of what to do next.
''Are you just going to stand there and watch me eat?'' asked Shauna. It came off a little rude, but she didn't mean it that way—there was a hint of teasing behind her words.
''Sorry, I.. Do you want me to leave?'' Melissa asked, trying to be respectful of Shauna's personal space.
Shauna looked at her in disbelief. They had spend the entire night moaning each other's names, and she was being all shy, now?
''For God's sake Melissa... Come here'' she said a little frustrated. However, she really appreciated the way Melissa was always so careful not to cross any boundaries or make her feel uncomfortable.
Melissa chuckled softly as she begun to approach her. She sat down beside her, their knees slightly touching.
For a while, they ate in silence. Shauna was surprised by how soothing and familiar the silence between them was. It felt surprisingly natural—the way they just sat there sharing food, comfortable in each other's presence.
Eventually, Melissa turned to look at Shauna, waiting for her to meet her eyes before speaking.
"Did you...did you think i wouldn't come back?'' she asked with a playful look on her face.
Shit.
Melissa must have noticed the flicker of relief that crossed Shauna's face when she saw her enter the hut, before she could mask it.
Shauna hated how easily Melissa could see straight through her. It was like she didn't have to try—like she could just glance at Shauna and see past all the walls she had built around herself. No one else had ever managed to read her like that, and Shauna wasn't sure if she hated it because it made her feel vulnerable—or if a part of her secretly liked that someone actually noticed.
When Shauna didn't respond for a while, Melissa continued.
"I'm not going anywhere'' she said, her lips curled into a smile.
Despite her best efforts to resist, Shauna couldn't stop a small smile from spreading across her face.
"Good" she said finally, her voice softer than she intended.
Shauna watched as Melissa's smile grew even wider, lighting up her whole face.
She would never admit it to anyone, but deep down, she secretly hoped she would get to see that smile directed at her more often.