"I can do it!" I said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I know you can, I am choosing to not let you" Brittock explained, holding the miscellaneous bag of guns above his head. I unsuccessfully tried to jump and reach for the weaponry, but his large hand on my shoulder kept me thoroughly grounded.

"Look, I'm not five. Let me clean the guns. You won't let me cook, clean, or hunt, so at least let me do this" I persisted.

"I think his point is that in a camp with two men, you should not have to do anything but keep up with your own things" Rodney interjected from his place by the Humvee.

"That's stupid" I shot him a bland look, "I haven't needed anyone to take care of me since my parents died! Now give me!" I yelled. The mention of my parents must have struck Brittock on some emotional level because he lowered the bag into my arms reach and let me snatch it at the end of my childish rant.

The bag was slightly heavier than Brittock made it seem, and when he let the straps go I almost dropped the cache. Hoisting the duffle up with two hands I waddled to the flat area where the large bench and table we had brought with us sat in the perfect place for cleaning. I tried to lift the bag high enough to place on the table, but couldn't quite get it high enough... until Brittock lifted it the last few inches.

"Thank you" I reluctantly said, sitting down and pulling all the weapons out.

"You are welcome" he wanted to make a comment, I could tell. Just one small, snide little 'I told you so'.

He sat down opposite me and began stripping down a hand gun.

"You are too stubborn" Brittock said casually.

"Thank you" I sneered, wiping down a shot gun.

"But I like it" he continued as if I had not said anything. I looked up to find his intense, sapphire eyes scanning my face slowly.

"Erm, thank you, clean your gun" thank goodness for tan skin or my flushed cheeks would make me even more embarrassed.

"You get embarrassed so easily" he said as he returned to his weapon.

"Is it 'point the flaws out on Katherine' day?" I muttered.

"That would take more than a day" was Brittock's short reply.

"Wow, thank you! You're no perfect keeper yourself" I retorted.

"No" he agreed, which frustrated me even more.

"You're too intense" I said snidely, putting the now clean gun down and picking up a rifle.

"I am intense, yes."

"And your temper is vicious"

"It can be"

"And on top of those two deal breakers, you're also not that attractive" I lied through my teeth, looking down at the table, attempting to look nonchalantly busy.

"Interesting. Do you always lust after unattractive men?"

"Lust after- Lust? I don't lust after you" I snapped.

"No, you just stare at my abs and butt every second you can."

I sat there, mouth open, gun forgotten, staring at the man before me.

"Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth right now?"

"Obviously" he said with the world's smallest smile and chuckle.

I shook my head and tsked him, smiling as I looked down at the table again. He had been doing that more, smiling. The bright luminescence of it hurt my eyes and heart sometimes.

We finished cleaning the weaponry and headed back to the fire, over which Rodney was cooking food.

He ladled out the soup... Chili... Stew... Stuff... into a bowl and handing it to me. The bowl was metal and flaming hot, instantly burning my hand and melting my flesh. I shoved my spoon in my mouth and gritted my teeth, making my way to a small folding chair. As soon as I sat down, I pulled my hand out from under the bowl and pulled the spoon out of my mouth.

"Watch out, the bowl gets hot" I warned as I spread my singed palm outward, exposing it to the cooling night air.

"Really?" Rodney asked, turning to look right as my hand began to heal. Brittock stood over me, watching the scene slowly.

"Definitely" I answered.

"I'm sorry" Rodney looked bothered by my pain but not necessarily worried.

"It's ok. I hurt myself all the time" I said with a laugh, blowing on a spoonful of food to cool it.

"So does he" Brittock commented from his relaxed pose, arm draped across his knee.

Before Rodney could say anything, I replied, "and so do you, or are you forgetting all the broken necks and puncture wounds?"

Brittock gave me a cold stare before standing up to get his only bowl of food. Rodney nodded obligingly to me before tucking himself away in a little nook between the truck and the wall. He sat on a sturdy tub filled with field supplies.

The three of us ate silently, trying to avoid the awkward tension.

Darkness had truly fallen now, and the pitch black night sky was broken only by the gleam of radiant stars. I put my bowl down and stood up, tilting my face to sky, looking in awe and wonder at the constellations and galaxies swirling overhead.

"I wish I had spent time learning constellations" I said with a sigh.

I jumped slightly when I felt Brittock's body behind my own. reaching around my body, he pointed upward.

"That is the North Star" he whispered. I could feel his warm chest pressing against my back.

"Y-yeah" I managed to stutter.

"Those three in a line, that is Orion's Belt" while his right hand point, his left hand circled my waist and brought me closer to his body.

"Do you see that bright star near it?" he asked, looking down at me.

"That one?" I pointed.

He placed his large hand on my forearm and moved my arm to the left slightly. He slid his hand down my arm and engulfed my hand in his own. Using both our fingers, he corrected "That one".

One semi-bright star was surrounded by other well lit bulbs, in a shape that I would almost call... Animal-esque?

"That is Canis Major. And over here is his smaller counter part, Canis Minor" he moved our view to the left and higher up.

"Mmhmm" I nodded, my head becoming fuzzy from his masculine smell.

"And that-"

"Shut up and kiss me" I said, grabbing his neck and pulling him to me.

"Now who is the intense one?" he asked with a smile before returning my kiss.