Chapter 26: Human Habits
The night had passed quickly, giving way to dawn. The second day had come and gone, and a new one was just beginning. The morning chill crept into their bones, making them shiver down to their core.
Dylan hadn’t slept a wink. He’d been keeping watch, pacing now and then to fight off the pull of sleep. But in the end, he held strong.
His striking grey eyes lifted to the sky, where darkness was being gently pushed back by the radiant light of day. He closed his eyes, letting the sunlight brush against his face.
Now that morning had broken — and like any man — knowing the sun wasn’t the only thing rising, he looked for a spot to get a bit of... privacy.
"Nature calls, as they say."
When he came back, he saw his two companions curled up together, sharing warmth against the cold. He couldn’t help but give them a long look.
"Lucky..."
As expected, Maggie was the first to stir. Her eyes opened, and she spotted Dylan sitting across from them, leaning against a tree, still watching them sleep.
He saw her get up and shake the sleepiest one awake. Even though she groaned in protest, half-asleep, she eventually came to.
Maggie stretched in front of him, her joints popping in a way Dylan would never have dared if he were injured like her. And yet, she did it — chaining together a series of ridiculous stretches, while he had to put up with the noises she made... which were questionable, to say the least.
"Well, that’s what it’s like traveling with women," he thought. Even if he hadn’t quite admitted to himself that he kinda liked it.