August

it was the middle of the day when nat couldnt take it anymore. her entire body ached, she felt uncomfortably hot but she couldn’t stop shivering. her throat felt scratchy and her nose wouldn’t stop running no matter how many times she wiped it.

she decided to go back to her hut. she stumbled in and cursed under her breath as she collapsed on her makeshift bed. wrapping herself in a blanket she tried to ignore her symptoms. it was just a cold, she could handle it.

but her fever persisted- she kept coughing, kept sniffling, and kept swearing she would die in this hut. her tough exterior always crumbled when she was sick, making her a little bit melodramatic.

a tap from the entrance of her hut pulled her out of her thoughts. she groaned and sat up, still wrapped in her blanket. “are you serious?” she mumbled to herself.

“uhh nat?” mari asked, awkwardly ducking into natalies hut. she looked at nat curiously. “woah- you look line hell,” she commented with her usual grin.

natalie forced a smile, a weak attempt at humor, before replying “thanks. i feel like hell,” her voice was stuffy from her plugged nose. mari tilted her head at natalie.

“you know, we’ve all been sick out here,” she told nat, taking a step closer to natalies cocoon of sickness.

“yeah? so?” nats tone was defensive, the congestion making her voice sound even more irritated than she intended.

maris grin returned. “sooo, you’re kinda acting like a baby about it,” she teased her with a laugh, nudging natalies leg as she sat down beside her on the cushion/bed situation. nat rolled her eyes as she went from sitting up to having her face buried in her pillow. “whatever,” she muttered.

mari paused for a moment, watching her. she hadnt seen nat like this often, but then again her and nat weren’t exactly close. there was something about seeing her like this, vulnerable, that made her heart soften. sure there was dried snot under her nose, her face was flushed from the fever, and her eyes were glossy with unshed tears. but the sight was kind of adorable..? she tried to push down that thought.

“okay, okay,” mari said breaking the silence. “do you need anything? water? another blanket? i could make you soup..?” she offered, placing a cautious hand on nats leg. she felt the way nat tensed for a moment and then relaxed under her touch.

“im fine,” natalie said harshly. but after a moment, she felt warmth creeping up her face- and she tried to convince herself it was from the fever- but deep down she knew. she knew that maris hand felt… nice.

“im sureee you are,” mari dragged out teasingly. her voice was light but there was a certain tenderness underneath that nat couldn’t ignore. she shot mari a death glare before muttering. “some water would be nice,”

mari laughed. “what was that?” she asked, leaning closer to nat, cupping her own ear with her hand so that she could ‘hear nat better’. nat groaned, rolling her eyes at the gesture, but still her heart rate rose at the proximity. “some water? please?” she repeated, a little louder this time, feeling her cheeks flush.

“ill be right back,” mari promised, a genuine smile on her face as she got up and exited the hut.

~

when mari returned, a cup of water in hand, nat was still curled up in a ball of sickness- her blanket tangled around her. “here,” mari said softly, kneeling in front of her. “thanks mar,” natalie croaked out, her voice hoarse. when she took the cup their fingers brushed for a moment, neither of them flinched or pulled away.

mari settled back down text to her, and nat pretended not to notice how she kept stealing glances at her as she drank. but she did feel a warmth grow in her chest.

“y’know,” mari said quietly, “you aren’t as intimidating when you’re sick,” natalie couldnt help but scoff as she put down the cup, her voice less dry.

“intimidating?” she repeated, half-amused, half-intrigued as she looked at mari. mari however was already looking away. cheeks flushed with embarrassment. nat laid back down. she didnt want to take her eyes off mari, she pretended to not know why.

she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “i dunno,” she shrugged, looking everywhere in the hut besides natalie. “forget it,” she whispered. but when she finally looked back at nat, nat was already looking at her. their eyes locked and something in the air shifted. they both felt it, both of their breaths hitched. she placed a hand on nats leg again. it was more intentional this time.

“i’ll, like, get out now,” mari said with a strained laugh, reluctantly pulling her hand away and moving to get up. “wait-“ she heard nat say. the words slipped out before nat could stop them. she looked up at mari, her eyes wide. “stay?” her voice was quieter than she meant it to be, a little bit pitiful.

mari’s grin was again turned into a genuine smile by nat. “tryna get me sick too scatorccio?” she asked playfully, but she stayed in place complying with nats request. nat simply nodded jokingly. they stayed like that for a bit, mari sitting on the edge of the bed and nat laying down. eventually mari adjusted, laying down next to nat. “getting comfortable?” nat teased.

mari rolled her eyes and leaned closer so that she could whisper to nat. “don’t forget… you asked me to stay,” her voice was low and it caused nat to shiver. they were close- almost too close, but not quite touching. they laid together in silence, and nat could feel maris breath on the back of her neck.

nat tried to push thoughts of mari away, why did she want to be close to this girl? why was her mind racing with thoughts of her? she knew why but she wouldn’t admit it to herself, she barely knew mari. they weren’t close. so why were they laying in her bed together.

she tried to shake off the thoughts. she didn’t have a crush on mari… that was so- middle school. but she couldn’t stop herself.

~