Alvaro sat still, his body stiff as he felt the cold breeze slip through the cracks of the cave. Though the small fire in front of them offered some warmth, the chilling night air still cut through to the bone.
He looked over at Laura, who was trembling in her sleep. Her face was pale, lips bluish, and her breathing shallow.
Taking a deep breath, Alvaro inched closer and touched her forehead.
"She's burning up," he muttered. If she didn't get help soon…
He glanced at her soaked and thin clothes. "Is this fever from the stitches?" he whispered, eyeing her bandaged leg, which looked stable enough.
"Hey… hey… wake up, Laura…" Alvaro gently patted her cheek, but the woman only murmured incoherently with her eyes closed.
"She's delirious now," he groaned. "Come on, Miss Princess, wake up!" Alvaro patted her cheek again, a bit more urgently.
"Your clothes are wet, and you're burning up. If you don't wake up, I swear I'll strip you myself," he warned. Still, Laura remained unresponsive, only mumbling nonsense.
"For God's sake, you're so troublesome," he muttered with a sigh. The only method he knew to reduce a high fever like this especially with no supplies was body-to-body contact.
Taking another deep breath, Alvaro looked down at her fragile, trembling body. He knew this wasn't ideal. But if he didn't do something soon, she could go into shock.
"All right… just don't freak out when you wake up," he whispered under his breath.
Alvaro started undressing Laura, piece by piece. She was soon left in nothing but a black bra, one that struggled to contain her flushed, fever-warmed skin.
"Shit," Alvaro muttered, turning his face away. "Control yourself, Al. You're not a pervert. She's sick, and she needs help." He repeated those words like a mantra.
He took off her soaked pants next, revealing thin, black underwear. Her fair skin, smooth and flushed, was almost glowing in the dim firelight.
"Damn it!" he cursed again, struggling to keep his eyes away.
"Okay, Al… just hold it together," he whispered repeatedly to himself.
Alvaro then took off his own shirt until he was bare-chested. He knew his body wasn't exactly warm either, but it was all he could offer. He gently pulled Laura into his arms, skin pressed against skin. Her body felt scorching hot and that was a good sign. Hopefully, it would help stabilize her temperature.
Every second felt like an hour. Time dragged on as he held her close, anxiety tightening in his chest.
"Shit. This is torture," he groaned, especially when Laura's soft chest pressed against his. It didn't help that his lower body was starting to betray him.
He moved closer to the fire, trying to warm himself up too.
"I can survive this," he whispered, breathing in deeply and slowly.
He shivered, but kept holding her tightly, trying to share as much warmth as he could.
"You're seriously making this hard for me, Chatty Girl," he whispered, trying to ignore the awkward heat rising in him.
After a while, Alvaro checked her forehead again. It was still hot, but her breathing seemed more regular.
"At least it's working," he thought with some relief, even though his own body was starting to feel drained.
Laura stirred slightly in his arms, whispering something faintly.
"Water… I'm thirsty…" she murmured.
Alvaro quickly reached into the bag for a water bottle he had filled from the river earlier. He unscrewed the cap and carefully brought it to her lips, letting her sip slowly.
"Drink it slowly," he said softly.
Laura drank a few sips before going limp again. Alvaro adjusted their position to make sure she stayed warm and protected from the cold night air.
In the stillness, he stared up at the dark sky sprinkled with stars.
"I hope we get out of this place soon," he muttered, exhaustion creeping into him. But he stayed awake, keeping watch over her.
The night stretched on. Alvaro glanced at Laura's face, now slightly flushed with sleep. "I never thought I'd end up doing this," he whispered. He had never shown this kind of empathy to anyone. He was known as a workaholic cold, ruthless, indifferent to everything and everyone but his job.
Eventually, Laura stirred and opened her eyes. They were clearer now, not as foggy as before.
Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock when she realized she was in Alvaro's arms, his shirtless body pressed against hers, sitting upright against the cave wall.
"W-what happened?" she whispered, lowering her gaze—only to find herself dressed in nothing but her underwear.
"Ahhh!" she shrieked, jolting Alvaro awake.
"What?" he grumbled, annoyed at being shaken from sleep.
Smack!
Laura slapped him across the face and scrambled back, covering her chest with crossed arms.
"What the hell is this?!" she yelled, her face red with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Why am I… why am I only wearing this?!"
Alvaro rubbed his stinging cheek, his face expressionless. "Seriously? You're unbelievable," he muttered. "You had a high fever last night. Your clothes were wet and freezing. I didn't have a choice."
Laura glared at him. "No choice? So, stripping me was your best solution?!"
"Yes. Unless you wanted to die from hypothermia," Alvaro replied flatly, though his eyes showed clear signs of exhaustion. "And I even held you all night to keep you warm. Instead of thanking me, you slap me?"
Laura was speechless, torn between gratitude and burning shame. "You… held me?" she asked, her voice tiny.
"Yeah. You were barely conscious last night. I didn't have time to consider other options," Alvaro said firmly, standing up. "If you're done with your drama, we should get moving. Unless you'd rather go separate ways. Honestly, that might be easier. At least I won't have to babysit a spoiled, loudmouth woman anymore."
Laura bit her lip, guilt creeping in, but her pride held her tongue. "There… there really wasn't any other way?" she asked quietly.
"No," Alvaro replied without looking at her. "And if you still think I had bad intentions, that's your problem. I'm not explaining myself again."
Laura watched as he buttoned his shirt and slung his jacket over his shoulder, walking away into the trees.
She ran her fingers through her hair, embarrassed and confused. "He's so harsh… but…" she mumbled, glancing around.
"Alvaro, wait! Please!" she shouted, quickly putting her now-dry clothes back on.
After slipping into her pants, she threw on her shirt—leaving it unbuttoned—and grabbed the food bag before jogging after him.
"Al… wait!" she yelled, panic rising as he disappeared into the forest.
"Alvaro…!" Her voice cracked with fear and guilt.
"Al—"
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth and yanking her into the bushes.
***