"Relax I'm fine!"

Drista barked out. I lifted my gaze up from my scythe. She instantly closed her mouth while her mother helped to wrap her forearm.

Minx walked into the room from the linked balcony. She threw her mask off and fell onto the bed. It creaked and groaned in response.

"And?"

"The tenant has been paid enough to keep his pretty mouth shut. But soldiers are slowly being deployed further. The messenger just arrived at the commander's office ten minutes ago."

"Holy crap."

It was the first thing Sapnap had said since he saw the plan to get out the main city. I smirked as I watched his cogs work through his hazel eyes. Drista laughed then winced as the pain must have shot up her arm.

"You like the show I put on?"

"You did the smoke thing?"

She shook her hair out.

"Course it was. No one here, besides maybe Y/N, could do that ,no offense. I've been making chemical reactions and potions ever since he sent mom and I off to the south under his supervision."

Her brain was perfect for mathematical equations, recipes for different concoctions. But her loud character and her itch to pick fights certainly can get in the way sometimes.

"That's amazing. So you're the mechanic of this team...which makes Aunt Puffy?"

She took her tight curls and tied them up.

"It makes me the cartographer and quite frankly the muscle."

Sapnap made a dismissive sound. Puffy's brow raised.

"Ooohh you made her mad pandas."

He put his hands up in surrender.

"Alright alright. So cartographer means..."

His hazel eyes lit up.

"You don't need a map!"

She nodded.

"We don't need a map. I know each town, village and city in the SMP and in my 'isolation' I started to study the less studied areas to lie low."

I placed my scythe down.

"So why dress up as soldiers and rain fire on the Azure whoevers? They were helping."

I smiled.

"Come on surely you can understand?

"Alright enough chatter. Get to bed. I'll be first watch. Drista go and shower you stink."

She pulled her tongue out but went. The rest went to sleep slowly as I sat down and watched the stars.

"So you planned this. The brain, the beauty and goodness knows the madness."

Sapnap whispered as he sat down next to me.

I tried to ignore the brush of his hand on my bare thigh.

"We leave west in the morning. Straight to your home town."

He frowned. Then shrugged.

"Oh well. About time I went to to say hi to my Dad."

He's too close.

I felt my stomach churn.

"Do you regret it?"

He turned his head, losing his smirk. I looked to him.

Like autumn leaves we used to pile.

"Do you regret it?"

He swallowed. His gaze went from my eyes to my lips and back up again.

But he didn't answer. I could feel his breath. One nudge and his lips would finally meet mine.

"Y/N! I'm done!"

Drista's voice snapped us away.

"Uh...okay whoever's next go then and Drista for Nethers sake be quiet."

"Right my bad."

I stood. Sapnap did the same. I could feel him hovering behind me.

Please...I can't do this...

"Go inside. Get rest while you can."

"Y/N-"

"Do as I say."

I gripped the railing. He eventually left slowly. Tears pricked.

"YOU'RE NOT SPECIAL!"

He never answered.