Friends
1096 Words
Alex woke before the sun.
For the first time since she’d arrived in the rebellion’s camp, she felt somewhat rested. Her body still ached, and her side still burned, but the pain was manageable.
And for the first time, she wasn’t in a rush to leave.
She’d been reckless before—too desperate to run without thinking. That wasn’t going to happen again. If she wanted out of here, she needed to be smart. She needed to be patient.
She needed to play the long game.
And that started now.
Alex slipped out of her tent quietly, feeling the cool morning air brush against her skin. The camp was mostly still, a few early risers tending to fires or checking supplies. She moved through the shadows, unnoticed, until she stopped in front of Gunnar’s tent.
A smirk tugged at her lips.
She crossed her arms, leaned against the wooden post beside the tent entrance, and waited.
A few minutes later, the tent flap shifted.
Gunnar stepped out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and froze the moment he saw her.
She grinned. “Oh wow, you’re finally up.”
Gunnar blinked, then smirked. “Well, you’re up early.”
Alex shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And you decided to stand outside my tent like a creep?”
“Obviously.”
Gunnar chuckled, running a hand through his messy blond hair. Alex noted how different he looked when he wasn’t grinning like he knew something she didn’t.
He actually looked… normal.
And that was almost more unnerving.
Alex pushed off the post, walking beside him as he headed toward the main part of camp. She watched as people straightened when they saw him, giving nods of respect or murmuring quick greetings.
She narrowed her eyes.
Gunnar wasn’t just well-liked here. He was in charge.
Alex glanced at him. “So, how long have you been running this whole rebellion thing?”
Gunnar looked at her, amused. “What makes you think I run it?”
She gestured around them. “People listen to you. They look at you like you matter. You give orders without thinking, and they follow them without question.”
Gunnar smirked. “I knew you were paying attention.”
Alex rolled her eyes. “So? How long?”
“A while,” he said vaguely.
Alex sighed. “Wow. That’s so specific. I feel like I know everything now.”
Gunnar chuckled, stopping by the supply tent. He leaned against one of the wooden beams, watching her. “Alright, your turn.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “My turn for what?”
“Your name.” Alex smirked. “Nice try.”
“Oh, come on. You clearly like names with colors. What about… Scarlet?” Jackie snorted. “Too dramatic.”
Gunnar tapped his chin. “Ruby?”
“Nope.”
“Crimson?” Jackie smirked. “Not bad, but still no.”
Gunnar sighed, shaking his head. “You are impossible, you know that?” “I’ve heard.”
He grinned. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”
Alex tilted her head, pretending to consider. “You could just accept defeat now and save yourself the trouble.” Gunnar chuckled. “Not a chance.” Alex only smirked.
Let him try.
She wasn’t planning on staying long enough for him to find out.
---
Alex woke up to the sound of boots scuffing against the dirt outside her tent.
She groaned, throwing an arm over her face as she heard the flap rustle.
“Alex,” Gunnar’s voice rang out, way too cheerful for this early in the morning. “Time to get up.”
Alex peeked at him through one eye. “Go away.”
Gunnar smirked, stepping inside. “Oh, come on. You’ve been here long enough to know that’s not how this works.”
Alex sighed, pushing herself up and stretching. Her side barely ached now—a dull throb instead of sharp pain. She had healed faster than she expected, and the realization sent a wave of satisfaction through her. She was finally strong enough to leave.
But… she hadn’t left yet.
That thought settled uncomfortably in the back of her mind.
Gunnar leaned against one of the tent poles, arms crossed. “I’ve decided that today, instead of making you work, we’re going to do something different.”
Alex narrowed her eyes. “Different how?”
“We’re going to hang out.”
She stared at him, waiting for the joke. “You woke me up for that?”
Gunnar grinned. “Come on, Alex. You’ve been here for days, and I still barely know anything about you.”
Alex smirked. “That’s by design.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved a hand. “I figure if I keep you entertained, maybe you’ll stop trying to escape.”
Alex’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.
“Come on,” he said, nodding toward the entrance. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t expect to enjoy the day.
But to her surprise, she did.
Gunnar led her through the camp, introducing her to some of the rebels she hadn’t met yet. Some were wary of her, but most seemed intrigued. It was weird, being treated like a person instead of a threat.
They sparred a little in the training area—Gunnar laughing every time she landed a hit on him, Alex rolling her eyes every time he dodged her attacks with ease.
They sat by the river, where Gunnar threw small pebbles into the water and asked her random questions, like what she’d do if she had to fight a hundred duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck.
"Neither,” Alex had said dryly. “I’d run.”
“Coward,” Gunnar had teased.
Later, they raided the supply tent for extra food, sneaking off to eat without anyone bothering them. Alex learned that Gunnar had a weird obsession with dried fruit, and he learned that she would absolutely stab someone for the last piece of bread.
By the time the sun started to set, Alex realized something unsettling.
She had fun.
Here.
With him.
And even more unsettling… she felt safe.
The rebellion was dangerous, sure. But it was organized. It had structure. It had people who actually gave a damn about each other.
It was safer than anything she’d had in a long time.
For the first time since arriving, she wondered—really wondered—if maybe staying wasn’t the worst idea.
But she didn’t say anything.
Not yet.
- Writer
