The late morning light filtered through the uncovered front window, almost blinding Hanna as she searched for Steve's car. She took another sip of her lukewarm black tea. It was only their second day here and she was already sick of the stuff. If there was anything to look forward to today, it would be a fresh cup of coffee. Plus the fresh clothes, she thought optimistically as she looked down at her dirty, ripe blouse and pants.140Please respect copyright.PENANACgdfGOYINR
140Please respect copyright.PENANAroPCZ2wscD
As much as Hanna was looking forward to what he was bringing, she couldn't shake that nagging feeling that Steve might have told the dealers about Ethan originally. Ethan trusted him, but that didn’t mean much to her, so she decided to stay vigilante. If Steve was a greedy backstabber, then she knew how to deal with him, as she'd handled those kind of people her whole life. Keep your enemies close, Hanna thought coldly, and, preferably, within stabbing range.140Please respect copyright.PENANA5VmpYVnh5q
140Please respect copyright.PENANAgGhytN8UFS
Hanna looked at her phone again, based on his last text, Steve should be arriving now. She checked the window for the umpteenth time but there was no sign of his car before she glanced back at Ethan, lying on the sofa, evidently still tired. Despite his closed eyes, she knew he was awake, the way his hands kept fidgeting was an obvious tell.140Please respect copyright.PENANA7fAiU7R5aG
140Please respect copyright.PENANAQackEZ2wPU
"Steve should be here soon, you might want to wake up," Hanna teased.140Please respect copyright.PENANAb9I0TOYnVK
140Please respect copyright.PENANAXs4HW64Rhf
Ethan let out a quiet, irritated groan from the sofa.140Please respect copyright.PENANADnNf9gm4ko
140Please respect copyright.PENANAaENm7vdevT
Hanna wondered if this was going to be a bigger problem than she had thought, given his reaction.140Please respect copyright.PENANArs0i52GepG
140Please respect copyright.PENANAH6gcJgvrh1
"He doesn't have to come in, I can meet him outside," Hanna suggested quickly. "You won't have to see him."140Please respect copyright.PENANABA2xOayQkk
140Please respect copyright.PENANAsALFOZOL5M
"I want to see him.” Ethan scowled slightly at the ceiling. "He's my friend too."140Please respect copyright.PENANAtzcgJ96Ld8
140Please respect copyright.PENANAlwSaWAn5bs
"Okay, but are you going to be okay with this?" Hanna asked bluntly.140Please respect copyright.PENANACMGPboloNy
140Please respect copyright.PENANAuF9NA3FJbt
Ethan shrugged noncommittally.140Please respect copyright.PENANA780Z969r2V
140Please respect copyright.PENANAXgd2vq3KuX
"Then... me talking to him won't be a problem?" Hanna pressed.140Please respect copyright.PENANAYM6M1crKyy
140Please respect copyright.PENANAlNi96qzSMT
"You're not—" Ethan started to answer bitterly, then reconsidered. "You can talk to whoever you want to."140Please respect copyright.PENANAOUmBS6yBI8
140Please respect copyright.PENANAVzFCsEEByK
"So you're not going to get... territorial or possessive or anything right?" Hanna asked awkwardly.140Please respect copyright.PENANA4UzbJhJK0k
140Please respect copyright.PENANAF40mBu4wCW
Ethan was very familiar with the Terran stereotypes about Charax heats. "No. That's not a symptom," he stated dryly. Maybe I'd feel more aggressive if every inch of me wasn't sore, he thought grumpily.140Please respect copyright.PENANAJOavc8KlMf
140Please respect copyright.PENANAPEXo59VXP8
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a car outside. Hanna went to the front window to see Steve's silver car driving up in from of the building.140Please respect copyright.PENANAnRerRLuaL9
140Please respect copyright.PENANAV8TfIbzT0a
"He's here," Hanna announced, heading towards the door.140Please respect copyright.PENANAv5ePRdMst9
140Please respect copyright.PENANAW1hZ1XvpBh
Ethan got up off the sofa, stretching his stiff muscles, preparing himself. His body only wanted to do two things right now. Pretending to act like a Terran was not one of those things, but he’d been doing that his whole life, a few minutes was nothing in comparison.140Please respect copyright.PENANAbk2VcCjMhU
140Please respect copyright.PENANAwYZF4CdwS7
Hanna opened the door for Steve, who had way too many grocery bags in his hands, as Ethan walked into the kitchen. "Let me take those," Hanna offered, taking the bags from him and carrying them over to the kitchen easily.140Please respect copyright.PENANA0YYhuNZabt
140Please respect copyright.PENANAzEUPdO807s
"Thanks for coming." Ethan's gratitude was sincere, even if his pleased tone was a little forced.140Please respect copyright.PENANAUGZfDWU5ui
140Please respect copyright.PENANAzBv1At3hPt
"Yes, thank you for bringing these," Hanna added gratefully, setting the bags on the table.140Please respect copyright.PENANA4xr81jhQck
140Please respect copyright.PENANAWUGxIEUHbr
Steve joined the two of them in the kitchen. "You're welcome, it's good to see you're both alive."140Please respect copyright.PENANAv3FsBbT4I8
140Please respect copyright.PENANAZocamDcSJr
"Alive and kicking, that's us," Hanna joked back as Ethan started unpacking the bags silently.140Please respect copyright.PENANAmnzVEBgUss
140Please respect copyright.PENANAqJFlBSqFeK
"So, it really was a gang? They were after Ethan specifically?" Steve asked curiously.140Please respect copyright.PENANAaeycW60jFI
140Please respect copyright.PENANAQHxNIiItF4
"That's what it seemed like, looks like they knew what they were doing," Hanna answered vaguely, adding false uncertainty in an attempt to cover up her own knowledge. She’d avoided giving Steve too many details, out of concern that he might not accept her lies as easily as Ethan did.
"That's crazy. Hard to believe the rumours are true, that people really do hunt Charax for a living," Steve commented grimly, then he turned to Ethan. "But, hey, you got out alright. Looks like they messed with the wrong Charax this time."140Please respect copyright.PENANA0MrkIS5i6x
140Please respect copyright.PENANAA7P7CeYgpv
Ethan flinched as Steve gave him a friendly pat on the back.140Please respect copyright.PENANAg9wtUWgUhK
140Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZynoRtBC9
Steve pulled his hand away. "Sorry, didn't mean to hurt you."140Please respect copyright.PENANA08mbIov4eA
140Please respect copyright.PENANA7t5auQFg7Z
"It's nothing, just bruises." Ethan shrugged dismissively.140Please respect copyright.PENANA4pYgiP3ZBM
140Please respect copyright.PENANAL7bhqKVloL
Hanna eyed him curiously. She'd seen every inch of him and knew he didn't have any bruises on the back of his shoulder. He’s probably just tired and irritable, she thought.140Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ6MaGqTMR
140Please respect copyright.PENANA9X9ZGwb8BV
"Was this all you could get?" Hanna asked quickly.140Please respect copyright.PENANANmaG79wA58
140Please respect copyright.PENANA7xnPM6s16Z
"Nope, there's more where that came from," Steve announced as he headed back out to the car.140Please respect copyright.PENANAvtywNEcX5e
140Please respect copyright.PENANAWNKL7zxJkA
"Is it okay if I help carry stuff in?" Hanna asked Ethan quietly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAdrlyieuJfV
140Please respect copyright.PENANAV3Kn46rQEl
Ethan nodded hesitantly, so Hanna went to join Steve. He used the opportunity to take a deep breath, trying to steady the slight tremor in his hand. He resolved to try to focus his complete attention on the task in front of him and try to forget about the returning heat symptoms.140Please respect copyright.PENANAyGLBiv4NgB
140Please respect copyright.PENANAU3K8fazI7L
Steve and Hanna brought the rest of the bags in, and by the time they were done, Ethan had already unpacked half the groceries.140Please respect copyright.PENANAMWoTZ4EXce
140Please respect copyright.PENANAUWMp2g62YT
"What about the bag I asked you to pick up?" Hanna asked as she looked over the chaotic pile of bags spanning the kitchen and living room.140Please respect copyright.PENANAxaWuf5wzRj
140Please respect copyright.PENANAYsrqsCKwD3
"Over there." Steve pointed to a black duffel across the room, near the hallway.140Please respect copyright.PENANATxyx5iMw67
140Please respect copyright.PENANApfbDZHnEWh
Hanna saw the bag from her apartment, that she'd given him the access code for. "Clothes, yes!"140Please respect copyright.PENANAFxa8wV20tk
140Please respect copyright.PENANA8rlNfUD5Hn
"Exactly where you said, I was a bit surprised that you had a bag of clothes packed already," Steve commented.140Please respect copyright.PENANAZB4UMUXAE7
140Please respect copyright.PENANAQtoHSezEKO
"I packed it weeks ago for a trip that ended up cancelled and I never got around to unpacking it. Good thing I procrastinated," Hanna lied smoothly as she opened it up, checking the contents. She'd always had an emergency bag packed but she'd never needed to use it before, nor had she ever expected to use it for something like this.140Please respect copyright.PENANAnrS2avX6MQ
140Please respect copyright.PENANAbljKbeQIBa
"Let me help you with that," Steve said as he walked over to join Ethan.140Please respect copyright.PENANAFx6GlS5BF6
140Please respect copyright.PENANASGLt5SeeoH
"Sure," Ethan answered with false enthusiasm as he kept unpacking the bags, purposely avoiding Steve's gaze.140Please respect copyright.PENANATjJrl7S6g9
140Please respect copyright.PENANAah1yE7oDVU
Ethan was almost done with the bag in front of him, the last item was a bag of potatoes. As he went to put them away, he accidentally dropped them. The heavy bag hit the kitchen floor with a loud thud, drawing everyone's attention, and Steve went to pick it up.140Please respect copyright.PENANAmu8XYprwTV
140Please respect copyright.PENANANkJucwhzUS
Ethan snatched the vegetables up before Steve could reach them. "I have it," he mumbled, sticking them in a cabinet. He noticed the tremor in his hand worsening.140Please respect copyright.PENANAXzLSKrSCrI
140Please respect copyright.PENANAA3HjB0UZss
Hanna shot a puzzled glance over at the two men in the kitchen. She couldn't put her finger on what was wrong with Ethan. She'd have guessed that he was frightened, except that he had no reason to be scared of Steve... unless he had the same gut feeling she did.140Please respect copyright.PENANADqtfl3HcZf
140Please respect copyright.PENANABarFK9sXWr
Ethan thought he was doing a better job of handling the tremors until he grabbed the jug of milk and it slipped out of his grasp onto the floor. "Damn," he swore at a low volume, reaching downwards towards the undamaged plastic container.140Please respect copyright.PENANAOIhwSVAwMm
140Please respect copyright.PENANAZwDHZ3ilX7
"I've got it." Steve went to pick up the jug and his hand barely brushed Ethan's.140Please respect copyright.PENANAfxHMWDQ3HA
140Please respect copyright.PENANAJd3sY6zwQT
Ethan jumped away from Steve, as if shocked.140Please respect copyright.PENANAmjBQ7SSxdY
140Please respect copyright.PENANAKbZ4Q6CEVA
The two Terrans stared at Ethan, suddenly very aware of his strange behaviour.140Please respect copyright.PENANA7WVh9rZl8Q
140Please respect copyright.PENANAr7PUE4gLId
Ethan realized everyone was looking at him. "There are more bags to unpack," he stated awkwardly, trying to shift their attention away.140Please respect copyright.PENANAiM6FHHrHpN
140Please respect copyright.PENANAsRWgPY4tD5
Steve didn't move other than frowning slightly, as if he didn't know what to make of the situation. Hanna stood on the other side of the room awkwardly, her forehead creasing. Despite his previous comment, Ethan didn't move from his position on the other side of the kitchen, rubbing his hand nervously.140Please respect copyright.PENANABjqgZHLq5s
140Please respect copyright.PENANAsaqhzPsrde
"Let's talk outside," Hanna told Steve before exiting through the door.140Please respect copyright.PENANACi3LypR0JY
140Please respect copyright.PENANAtub4ZWQHXr
Steve glanced back at Ethan hesitantly before following Hanna reluctantly.140Please respect copyright.PENANASLK6M6YNmt
140Please respect copyright.PENANAluX6TENQHJ
Hanna stopped to the side of the door, taking a deep breath of the crisp spring air. Sunlight was filtering through the evergreens, bathing their surroundings in a relaxing glow, in a way she would have usually enjoyed, but she was too preoccupied to appreciate. She heard the door shut and the crunch of footsteps behind her.140Please respect copyright.PENANAgPA952srUZ
140Please respect copyright.PENANALtGGzp3Ewr
"So what's—" Steve was abruptly cut off by Hanna spinning around to push him harshly against the wooden wall of the cabin and putting a knife to his throat. His expression reflected his state of pure shock.140Please respect copyright.PENANAZXnJgAwWF0
140Please respect copyright.PENANADulMRZBaoF
"I'm going to make myself very clear. I won't turn you in. You can keep whatever fee you got.” Hanna pressed the blade into his skin without drawing blood. “But if you even think of selling Ethan out again, then there won't be anywhere on this planet where you'll be able to hide," she threatened lowly. "Don't get greedy or I will skin you alive, do you understand?"140Please respect copyright.PENANASdkrNmA7uk
140Please respect copyright.PENANASGzgkqY2S7
"Whoa, hold on now," Steve replied, very still, very conscious of the knife pressed to his throat. "I did not tell anyone Ethan was Charax."140Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3nrccc52S
140Please respect copyright.PENANAJo1naGwAJ2
"Me and you are the only people who know Ethan is Charax. I know I didn't tell anyone," Hanna accused angrily.140Please respect copyright.PENANAFTSPl63whJ
140Please respect copyright.PENANAv909wQ9JOG
"Then we aren't the only people who know," Steve reasoned in a rush. "But you figured it out without anyone telling you, someone else could too."140Please respect copyright.PENANAynevp3QqCe
140Please respect copyright.PENANAhwaH23tlfU
Hanna considered that as she continued eyeing him suspiciously, holding her blade steady.140Please respect copyright.PENANAZJbLwVL65T
140Please respect copyright.PENANAeSwpTNcp73
"I tried to tell him that he wasn't doing a good job of keeping the symptoms hidden but he didn't listen to me," Steve argued further, fear bleeding into his voice.140Please respect copyright.PENANAiOQhKfOKfD
140Please respect copyright.PENANAGwnlL6nvX4
Hanna pressed her lips together. She had to admit he had a point. Someone else must have given Ethan the Trazinol, she reasoned, and Steve looks like he’s telling the truth.140Please respect copyright.PENANANBqETvvZTr
140Please respect copyright.PENANAoUIjkR7bNn
"I've known him for years, don't you think I would have cashed in earlier if that's what I wanted?" Steve argued fearfully.140Please respect copyright.PENANA7pAL9n3PbF
140Please respect copyright.PENANAQfDwwqM2UA
Hanna lowered her knife slowly, persuaded by his words. "Okay," she relented, taking a step back.140Please respect copyright.PENANA3C1DeAk6nf
140Please respect copyright.PENANAROeW6TLbos
Steve rapidly backed away from her, along the wall and away from the door. "You really think I would have come up here on my own if I'd sold him out?"140Please respect copyright.PENANAPPwodyGHNN
140Please respect copyright.PENANAR42tKh6krh
"Everyone gets greedy sometimes, and that can make them do stupid things," Hanna answered coldly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAO91HOasK9t
140Please respect copyright.PENANAN5Ochn6jIW
"Yeah, well, not me. I'm not going to get my friend killed for some cash," Steve defended bitterly.140Please respect copyright.PENANApp6GmkN3wG
140Please respect copyright.PENANAOYub6ZRvdG
Hanna twirled her shiny knife. "Still, if you tell anyone about—"140Please respect copyright.PENANAUMKUxLfetC
140Please respect copyright.PENANACy1yH2Qrpz
"You'll kill me. I get it," Steve interrupted. "But I wouldn't do that."140Please respect copyright.PENANADzuMbbbqr1
140Please respect copyright.PENANAYZ8iAFQXYQ
Hanna put the knife away. "Sorry, I needed to be sure. I hope you understand."140Please respect copyright.PENANAcZUnECHFMf
140Please respect copyright.PENANAGL11i7nTl2
Steve chuckled awkwardly. "I'm sure this whole thing would make anyone paranoid."140Please respect copyright.PENANAUh0uQwfT9g
140Please respect copyright.PENANAgwyPrYYSwj
"Yeah, we're both a little on edge. Whoever kidnapped him is still out there." Some of them, that is, Hanna thought smugly, keeping those details to herself.140Please respect copyright.PENANACIBxKhyfqb
140Please respect copyright.PENANAacyPRgLoW7
Steve nodded, accepting the excuse. "Um... I should go then."140Please respect copyright.PENANAGpkIsoRN91
140Please respect copyright.PENANACFFpt6HA4f
Hanna glanced back at the door, thinking about Ethan's earlier reaction. "That's probably for the best. Thanks again for helping us."140Please respect copyright.PENANAOl54TQCI53
140Please respect copyright.PENANAXXczMwdvIQ
Hanna went back inside as Steve got back in his car. She entered the main room to find that Ethan had vanished, the remaining bags left unopened on the table. That might have sent off alarms in her mind, but there was only one door to the place and she'd been next to it the whole time. He must still be here and, thankfully, there wasn't much cabin to search.140Please respect copyright.PENANAj5sprYsLBV
140Please respect copyright.PENANAF8P8iapwu6
Hanna hadn't expected to find Ethan sitting on the floor in the corner of the bedroom, of all places. In the bedroom itself, not strange. Sitting on the floor, a bit odd when there was a perfectly fine bed to sit on right next to him. In the corner, that just seemed uncomfortable.140Please respect copyright.PENANA1vGHrwHPrk
140Please respect copyright.PENANAtQE6O1r8XL
As Hanna entered, Ethan didn't move from his position, his right leg stretched out in front of him with his forehead resting against the wall. He'd wrapped his left arm around him, between him and the wall, keeping it out of sight. It might have been an effective strategy if Hanna hadn't already noticed that the tremors were back.140Please respect copyright.PENANANScyECyVf9
140Please respect copyright.PENANA1PZsLB2TsY
"There you are," Hanna remarked softly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAdeeFlMItDe
140Please respect copyright.PENANAjrrKE9ehjG
"Yeah," Ethan mumbled.140Please respect copyright.PENANAP8XEDLz4Db
140Please respect copyright.PENANAIMNeJeRvFs
Hanna sat down on the end of the bed. "How are you?"140Please respect copyright.PENANAAB7i1y0iwS
140Please respect copyright.PENANAvsNdAuLq3B
Ethan tilted his head up to look at her. "A little stressed."140Please respect copyright.PENANAfa5jJJ3b6W
140Please respect copyright.PENANAED1luTKgqo
Hanna nodded understandingly. "You looked... a little uncomfortable out back there."140Please respect copyright.PENANAafj3i8BLVz
140Please respect copyright.PENANA6yBrxY9LnP
"Yeah," Ethan agreed quietly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAKOg3T97zzU
140Please respect copyright.PENANAfuoPA9eGQj
"Why didn't you say anything?" Hanna had an exasperated edge to her voice.140Please respect copyright.PENANAkZp4USbGCu
140Please respect copyright.PENANAVfwSHjK83e
Ethan sighed softly into the wall. "I thought I would be able to deal with it."140Please respect copyright.PENANAqikHIo3EP8
140Please respect copyright.PENANA1eysI4Tfzn
"With what exactly?" Hanna probed.140Please respect copyright.PENANAL8aROb2weX
140Please respect copyright.PENANA1KKZAikEy3
Ethan paused briefly. "Someone coming into this space, being near me."140Please respect copyright.PENANA9fnPnBc8Wy
140Please respect copyright.PENANAsW9nU2vVOP
Hanna didn't know what to make of that. He'd been going to work the whole week... she'd never imagined the extroverted salesman would prefer to be alone. Maybe this is a heat symptom, she wondered. "Um... hey, at least you didn't try to attack him or do something crazy," Hanna tried to reassure him jokingly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAWbcLURIKtm
140Please respect copyright.PENANAXh5Jtc27LC
"It's not—" Ethan scowled then took a long breath. "I just felt like I had to get away."140Please respect copyright.PENANAVhkeYVe8g1
140Please respect copyright.PENANA3en8A4p5no
"Was this just about Steve?" Hanna probed gently.140Please respect copyright.PENANAFxuzy5yMDX
140Please respect copyright.PENANAenvs8ynoV6
Ethan nodded, adjusting his arm to press into his side. "I really don't want to be around people right now."140Please respect copyright.PENANAoAvpU4PVC8
140Please respect copyright.PENANA2MATEF2t3a
"Am I okay?" Hanna asked hesitantly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAKpIpoVnk3r
140Please respect copyright.PENANAig3L2dsTD5
"Yeah," Ethan answered softly, taking her hand gently and nuzzling it. "You're always okay."140Please respect copyright.PENANAdNAFhrg6dQ
140Please respect copyright.PENANAuPxd7FiNnD
"Um... I'll keep that in mind," Hanna responded uncertainly, absolutely mystified by his behaviour. "You going to get up?"140Please respect copyright.PENANA08EA4XL8Ni
140Please respect copyright.PENANAq6xvFvITlo
"I think I'm going to stay here for a bit." Ethan let go of her hand.140Please respect copyright.PENANAXbsrllXOnY
140Please respect copyright.PENANAtv5bYUqF3N
"Okay," Hanna responded, before getting off the bed and walking out of the room.140Please respect copyright.PENANASY3WVwzgRu
140Please respect copyright.PENANA2ehe8v1fXQ
Ethan watched her go regretfully. Having her walk away from him... hit something inside him. It left him feeling empty, with undertones of a different kind of pain. He was struck by the realization that he wanted her to stay with him. He decided to ask her to stay, before noticing she had already gone and he had been staring at an empty doorway.140Please respect copyright.PENANAQnoEwsUbXO
140Please respect copyright.PENANAVMkwR3g2Cl
Part of him was slightly unnerved by how dependent he'd become on her, and how rapidly. The heat was bad enough without his body punishing him for every moment they were apart. Irritation chased the thought, making him change his decision. He relaxed into the wall as he pressed his fingers into his injured ankle, letting one kind of pain wash away another. The emptiness inside him persisted, settling deeper as he continued to watch the open doorway.140Please respect copyright.PENANAADrHmAQKeO
140Please respect copyright.PENANAqn0xTCrBvL
Ethan was surprised to see Hanna come back into the bedroom a few minutes later. She'd changed into a t-shirt and skirt, a more casual outfit than he'd ever seen her in. The light mix of pink and orange suited her well, and matched her new upbeat mood. Without saying a word, she sat down next to him on the floor and opened the book she'd brought in.140Please respect copyright.PENANAm7pk8iWxOP
140Please respect copyright.PENANAyhLGR3IAB6
Ethan subtlety moved his hand away from his ankle as he glanced over her shoulder. "Crosswords?"140Please respect copyright.PENANAUvkgpZ3vjp
140Please respect copyright.PENANAojXxNgBQHC
"Yup," Hanna answered happily, pulling out a pencil.140Please respect copyright.PENANAk8gbYUJRfi
140Please respect copyright.PENANA9A6WZdMrx4
Ethan leaned his head on her shoulder, deciding to watch her solve it. He didn't want to admit to himself how much her simply being there made him feel better. The way she gnawed on the end of her pencil as she stared at the page intensely made him want to smile. He caught himself relaxing into her, pressing his body into hers, and consciously readjusted to not put too much weight on her. He hoped it hadn't been a noticeable mistake, given how Hanna was still engrossed in her puzzle.140Please respect copyright.PENANAie9OkBzpXM
140Please respect copyright.PENANADmRDo9Xvp7
Five minutes later, Hanna had yet to put in a single answer.140Please respect copyright.PENANAzFAdZnpktp
140Please respect copyright.PENANAe0Tl6audgN
Ethan sat upright, stretching out his neck. He'd already solved most of the puzzle in his mind and didn't actually need to look at it anymore to solve the rest.140Please respect copyright.PENANAExyB9pCHxr
140Please respect copyright.PENANATJYfDqIVys
Hanna was now biting the end of the pencil, hard.140Please respect copyright.PENANA2y3sR77L62
140Please respect copyright.PENANAkT9dodbJWA
Ethan decided she could use a hint. "Seventeen down is pineapple."140Please respect copyright.PENANAJGSSlkzqpR
140Please respect copyright.PENANA540959KDQQ
"Hey, this is my puzzle!" Hanna protested, angling the book so he couldn't see it anymore.140Please respect copyright.PENANAJRUVmWVlnm
140Please respect copyright.PENANAFn2SFO46vK
"So you don't want help?" Ethan asked, amused.140Please respect copyright.PENANAbZPABjaBD7
140Please respect copyright.PENANAZmE1XaN2WI
Hanna muttered in annoyance as she wrote in the answer, pointedly not answering his question.140Please respect copyright.PENANArqalS0MiQh
140Please respect copyright.PENANAjJYZS8H53U
Ethan silently watched her continue to struggle with the puzzle. Occasionally, she would glance up at him before returning her eyes to the page, the pencil still in her mouth. Minutes later, she still hadn't put a single word in.140Please respect copyright.PENANAH29JT7Qdsj
140Please respect copyright.PENANA2XS5QCpel9
"Maybe you should start with an easier one?" Ethan suggested helpfully.140Please respect copyright.PENANA3NHjxkeWkv
140Please respect copyright.PENANAVVCIqXWLpQ
"No," Hanna answered stubbornly, without looking up.140Please respect copyright.PENANAGjc4weumwb
140Please respect copyright.PENANAadORTHHulH
Ethan smiled, already feeling much better, and relishing her frustration a little too much.140Please respect copyright.PENANAy1pODmsGH7
140Please respect copyright.PENANAxi4SgNKDDY
Hanna struggled for a few more minutes. Nose still in the book, she suddenly spoke quietly. "Six letters. One of the five senses. Ends with N."140Please respect copyright.PENANAd0JCXUKrph
140Please respect copyright.PENANAtK2TQPa3Lv
Ethan paused for a second to think. "Vision."140Please respect copyright.PENANAa6KRiUoU8m
140Please respect copyright.PENANAsYM9Vnds2N
"Okay." Hanna marked down his answer. "Seven letters. A light source. Second letter is A."140Please respect copyright.PENANAw8MP2xdKS4
140Please respect copyright.PENANADTnZI5vVm7
"Lantern," Ethan replied quickly.140Please respect copyright.PENANAVtncBJGldC
140Please respect copyright.PENANAqv5CtIHne0
Hanna gave him a skeptical look and stared at the puzzle.140Please respect copyright.PENANA63K5T502zn
140Please respect copyright.PENANA0UjbUqI3c4
"That's the answer. Lantern," Ethan repeated.140Please respect copyright.PENANAtAjqtVHRo7
140Please respect copyright.PENANASyeSd1BvEp
"I'm just checking." Hanna said with a huff. She paused, staring at the page. "Seven letters. A piece of furniture like a foot stool."140Please respect copyright.PENANAorUvLF6H8e
140Please respect copyright.PENANAMgOvpRDTU4
"Ottoman." Ethan smirked slightly as Hanna filled in the sheet again.140Please respect copyright.PENANAesdadAv06a
140Please respect copyright.PENANA7rzR97OCKQ
"You're good at this," Hanna commented.140Please respect copyright.PENANAaVGgedp0RM
140Please respect copyright.PENANAH3stnNzKBM
Ethan couldn't resist smiling openly now.140Please respect copyright.PENANApBjuRqSq56
140Please respect copyright.PENANAKiCY0c9nSw
Hanna smiled back at him as she handed him the crosswords book and chewed up pencil. "You solve it then."140Please respect copyright.PENANA1rEdT6SiJq
140Please respect copyright.PENANA3HOkJebh76
"What happened to 'this is my puzzle'?" Ethan teased, smirking at her.140Please respect copyright.PENANAAUzgrSAJ5F
140Please respect copyright.PENANAzAAtIhCvXg
Hanna laughed lightly. "You already solved half of it, I don't think it's mine anymore." She noticed the look on his face as she got up. "I'm not leaving the cabin, I just need a shower," she reassured him.140Please respect copyright.PENANAbUcA3NPk0m
140Please respect copyright.PENANAYubIaSpnYT
Ethan quickly hid his expression and nodded slightly in response before turning his attention to the half-finished puzzle, aiming to complete it in the next couple minutes.140Please respect copyright.PENANA5BsyE5JsCS