The Badlands: Kinship

 Mia is walking with normal composure and I am now wondering if we even have a water supply. I didn't think of it when we were going through Roku's shop earlier. Just the thouEthaght brings that scent of rust back to my nostrils.

Mia and I have made it this far. We can make it further. I feel my eyes getting heavy. I start to ponder the idea today is hotter than the past few as I wipe the sweat from my forehead.

"You sure you're okay Etha?" Mia asks me.

"I am not so sure." I say.

"Wanna setup camp for a while?" She asks.

We have been travelling for hours now. Who knows when we will hit the next settlement. I only think about water in this moment. It's the heat getting to me, I know it deep within myself.

"Maybe that's an idea Mia." I say.

"Then let's make a campsite." She says dropping stuff down and grabbing at the campsite's tech.

Once more the spur of the camp setting up amazes me. I can't begin to imagine how they ever managed to think of putting a whole campsite in one little piece of equipment. She sets everything up within moments. I just find myself trying to not let the heat force me to sleep.

"Alright, now..." She starts sifting through her collection of stuff.

"I wish I would have known to get some sort of water renewal system." I say.

"Well, we don't always think of the most vital." She sighs. pulling out a canteen. "Go in the tent for a bit to cool off. I'll keep watch." She says.

I simply nod. She has a point. She has alot more experience with the heat and all of this travelling to begin with. I can't believe I even am thinking that this is my answer to the issue right now. I take the canteen from her and have a drink.

"Mia, Thanks. For.. Everything." I say as I hand her the canteen back.

"You feeling alright Etha?" Mia asks.

I can tell the way she is asking about me it isn't just a general wellbeing type of worry. It feels deeper to me. I can't let this flow freely through my head though. I flush deeply.

"Yeah sorry. I just, I know you've done alot for me." I admit.

"You've helped me out a fair bit too you know." She laughs.

I love the sound of her laugh. I can't even seem to think straight when she is around me. I sigh.

"I get that but, I been on my own for a while now and so you make me feel alive again." I admit.

"Yeah, the heats deffinitely gotten to you." Mia laughs, I think trying to rationalize what I'm saying to her.

"Not that badly." I sigh.

"Okay into the tent mister, we need to get you out of the direct heat." She huffs.

I don't know if she doesn't want to acknowledge it or maybe the heat hit me harder than I expected. She grabs my arm and half carries me into the tent.

"Don't be stupid Etha." Mia exclaims.

"What do you mean?" I ask as she half throws me into the bed.

"Rest up is what I mean. you clearly didn't have long enough in New Boston." Mia huffs.

"You genuinely worry don't you?" I ask.

"Well..." She looks away from me and huffs. "Let's talk about it when we get back from the mission, how about that?" She offers in a soft sigh.

I can't help but sigh as my back throbs. Suddenly I feel the pressure give with an audible snap. I can't help but realize that she is truly someone who has decided I am worth investing in. Does she see something I don't? I can't quell the feeling within myself.

"So, we are going to follow the canyon?" I ask.

"Yeah, that's the idea, it should lead pretty well right to where Old Ottawa was." She explains.

"Was Ark Tech headquarters in Old Ottawa?" I ask.

"No, but we heard of the possibility of it being host to Project Purity." She says.

"Who is we?" I ask.

"We, the Mercenaries. We don't have a fancy name like the Stormriders did." She huffs.

"So, you're with a group like them?" I ask.

"You're peaking with curiosity today ain't ya?" She asks.

"Yeah I am." I laugh.

She rolls her eyes as the tent rustles from the blowing wind outside. I can't help but wear a grin. She chooses to travel the desert wastes with me of all people. She even has allies and she travels with me. I get a feeling of high energy deep within myself.

"Well, I suppose we may as well look at going to bed for the night." She yawns.

"Well, Yeah, I guess so." I reply.

"This cat can go for a nap." She laughs.

"What is a cat?" I ask.

"It's what they called women who could fight in the Old World." She says. "I am almost sure there is a logical reference, there usually was." She laughs.

"Wait, so you don't even know?" I ask.

"Not really, no." She admits.

"Wow Mia, I would have never expected this one of ya." I laugh.

She rubs the back of her neck and she sighs. I roll onto my stomach and she closes the tents door with the zipping being quite obvious. It honestly is so much louder than one would expect for such a small device.

I sigh as I try to relax. I can hear her rustling around. I know she's going to be ready to relax for a while too. I guess she doesn't find comfort in a settlement. I suppose safety in numbers doesn't exactly stand true when it comes to the Badlands.

Before I can draw my breath for the next exhale I feel weight get added into the bed. I only wonder if perhaps this is a figment of my imagination. After all, the heat got me pretty bad from what Mia was saying to me.

The weight shifts and I feel warmth line up with my own body. I shudder. I can't be dreaming if I feel her there next to me, can I be?

"You get into bed with me?" I ask her.

"You mind?" She whispers.

"Not at all." I say, trying to repress my excitement.

I do my best to hold as still as possible for myself to be. I don't dare disrupt her comfort. I find myself able to be awake for some time like this it seems to me.

"Etha?" Mia whispers for me.

"Yes?" I answer.

"We will make it back from the canyon. You do know that right?" She says.

"Well, we will do it or die trying." I reply. "I don't believe in giving up." I huff.

"Me either." She says and I can feel her wiggle from a quiet giggle before she wraps her arm over my back.

I feel as if this was always the way we were meant to be. I could never imagine how she got the courage to act this way when I wouldn't dare. Women are scary courageous.

"So tomorrow we will actually go out and travel." I say.

"No, we're gonna travel at night. Less heat and we can spare more water for longer." Mia says.

She has a point. I sigh and find a yawn right after. I can feel her chest press against me as she silently yawns. I feel her head cradle against my neck and I feel in a state of bliss. it may be hot in this tent but the moment still has the highest value I have ever come to experience.

My mind races around and she ends up pulling me so my back is against her, rather than me being on my stomach. I dare not move now. She is comfortable. There are no words to have exchanged between us when the warmth of eachother says everything we could possibly need to right now. we have eachother and that's alot for the Badlands.

I sigh deep in the pit of my lungs. The silent night is cooler than the day as the sun comes to set. I fight my drowsiness. I listen to Mia's breathing. for some reason the sound is soothing to me. I can feel my back begin to relax as I sigh again before my eyes get too heavy to hold open.