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CHAPTER SEVEN

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Jenn walked beside Karl as they trekked down the trail that ran behind his cabin, arm linked with his, and her other hand holding onto his bicep gently. The darkness had fallen quickly, and even with his flashlight, she found herself a bit disoriented.

The sounds of the forest at night were beautiful and intimidating in equal measure, and she had no qualms about sticking as close to Karl as she could as they made their way toward the meadow, moon rising overhead, about half full.

Karl tightened his grip on the flashlight, angling it downward to avoid shining directly in Jenn's eyes as they picked their way along the path. The beam danced over the uneven ground, illuminating clusters of ferns and brambles, casting long shadows across their feet.

“Careful of these roots,” he warned, stepping aside to let Jenn pass in front of a particularly gnarled oak trunk. He enjoyed watching her profile in the dancing beams of light, her features softened by shadow and illuminated by the shifting pools of illumination.

The forest thrummed with nocturnal sounds - the chirps of crickets and the distant hoot of an owl. Far overhead, bats darted silently between the sparse branches, hunting insects in the cool evening air.

As they emerged into the meadow, Karl swept the flashlight in a wide arc, taking in the expansive space. Here, away from the trees, the starlight seemed brighter, clearer. He pointed upwards with his free hand.

“Look there,” he murmured. “Those three stars in a line, do you see them?”

She tilted her head to look at where Karl was pointing, and she gasped softly.

Jenn was stunned.

She had spent countless hours since childhood looking up at the night sky, fantasizing about being there among them, seeing space, looking down at Earth from above... and she'd had no idea she was only seeing a fraction of the picture.

There were so many stars she was overwhelmed, speechless, nearly breathless.

She finally focused on where Karl was patiently indicating and nodded.

“Mmmhmm, isn't that Orion's belt?” she asked, eyes tracing over the rest of the constellation, seeing in her imagination the great hunter himself drawn out in the sky before her.

Karl's lips quirked in surprised pleasure, eyes softening as he looked down at her beside him.

“Yes, you know your stuff.” he gruffed, a warm edge to his tone giving away his true admiration even if the words were brusque.

“Lying on a blanket here, it feels like you could reach out and touch them,” he continued softly, wrapping an arm around Jenn's waist and drawing her against his side. The chill of the evening air settled into the spaces between them, making them cling closer instinctively for warmth.

“Pretty amazing, huh?”

The cool night made for a clear sky, not a cloud in sight, and the Milky Way was clearly visible, stretching across the entire broad expanse of the sky like a beautiful painting made just for her. For them.

“Oh, Karl...” she breathed, overcome with emotion. “I never imagined...” she shook her head in wonder, still staring up, hardly daring to blink. “Look at them all, I never knew...”

She tore her eyes away from the sky to look at him, her vision had adjusted to the darkness well enough that she could make out his eyes clearly.

“Thank you, this is... well, it almost makes everything worth it, just to see...” she looked up again, beaming as her eyes searched across the sky, taking it all in.

Karl felt his chest expand with a warm tenderness as he watched Jenn. It was moments like these, sharing something so simple yet profound, that reminded him of what it meant to truly live, to be human, among the shadows of his own tumultuous past. Something he'd denied himself, that he could not deny any longer.

He turned off the flashlight and spread one of the blankets on the cold grass.

“Here, he said gently, guiding her down to lay back on the makeshift bed, arranging the second blanket over both of them.

He laid beside her, their shoulders brushing together, and pointed out other celestial bodies: Taurus, Canis Major, the North Star, and a couple of shooting stars streaking across the sky like fleeting wishes.

The quiet, the closeness, it was a balm to his soul—one he hadn't realized he needed until she'd come crashing into his life.

Karl cleared his throat. “You know when I was in... well, before all of this,” he gestured vaguely towards the cabin, indicating his pre-mountain life, “I didn't spend much time looking up. Too busy with earthly concerns.” He paused, his eyes on hers. “Now, up here, it's like I can breathe again.”

With a gentle nudge, he encouraged her to lay her head on his shoulder, to watch the stars with him.

“What about you, Jenn? Why are you looking so hard up there?” he teased a little – she hadn't taken her eyes off the sky since they'd gotten there. Her neck must be getting sore by now.

She happily rested against his chest, eyes never moving from the beautiful tapestry of stars overhead, and contemplated his question in silence for a few moments.

“I never really found what I was looking for anywhere else I guess. Figured up there would be the next place to look,” she murmured, as if loud voices would spoil the beautiful view.

“I've always loved the stars. Didn't really have many friends growing up, to be fair I was a super weird kid. You know, bullied and all that shit,” she shrugged a shoulder, knowing he'd feel it with his arm around her.

“When it got hard, I liked to look at them. It makes me feel so tiny - but not just me, like we're all so little and insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe... I guess it was comforting. All the bullshit with my parents, with the other kids... I guess seeing how big everything really is made me feel better because while it might suck for me, none of it really actually matters at all. I guess nothing we do or don't do or suffer really matters at all. On a cosmic level. It kind of takes the pressure off, right?”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Karl's face twisted with a mix of anger and sympathy as he listened to her words. No child should have to endure so much pain that they'd escape to the stars for comfort.

Karl rolled onto his side, propping himself on an elbow and leaning over her. The moonlight caught the angles of his face, emphasizing the scar over his left eye, but his expression was soft, and encouraging.

“I guess that's the freedom of being tiny, Jenn. We can write our own stories. And yours doesn't have to be defined by what others did or said. You get to decide what matters.”

With that, he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear, his fingers grazing her skin in a delicate caress. The gentle touch sent shivers down her spine, and she trembled, the motion almost imperceptible.

His gaze held hers, intense and searching. “Don't let anyone ever make you feel small again, okay?”

He whispered the words, but the conviction behind them was unmistakable. He'd fight tooth and nail to make sure she knew her own value, her own significance, no matter how tiny she felt compared to the vastness of the universe.

Jenn felt her eyes grow warm and she swallowed thickly, blinking back tears at his words. Everyone had always liked her feeling so tiny and meaningless, liked the power it gave them over her. She felt truly seen in a way she never had before, and her resolve that all of this, with Karl, was right, strengthened.

They might have only just met, but for the first time in her life, she felt like maybe she finally belonged somewhere.

Too overcome to speak, she leaned forward to press her lips against his in an emotional kiss, trying to convey with her lips what she couldn't with her words.

'You make me feel alive, I never realized I wasn't until now. You see me, the real me. No one bothered to try before.' Words she longed to say out loud, she hoped he got the message as her hand threaded into his hair and her head tilted to deepen the kiss.

Karl closed his eyes, surrendering to the tide of emotions that washed over him. Her gratitude and burgeoning affection radiated through her touch, and her taste, igniting a fierce protectiveness within him.

Her fingertips ghosted across the rough stubble of his jawline, sending electric pulses racing down his spine, and he allowed himself the luxury of losing himself in her for a moment. Their breaths mingled, hot and rapid in the cool night air, the sounds of their shared rhythm a symphony against the backdrop of rustling leaves and distant animal calls.

Their tongues danced together, an exploration that was becoming more familiar, yet retained its sense of wonder with each new discovery.

Eventually, Karl broke the kiss, pulling back slightly to gaze into her upturned face, his thumb brushing across her cheekbone in a tender gesture. He knew he was playing with fire, knew that every second spent wrapped up in her was another second closer to potential heartache. But he also knew that he'd willingly walk through the flames if it meant giving her even a glimpse of happiness.

“Jenn,” he murmured, his voice husky with emotion. “You deserve the stars, the whole damn universe. And I'd tear down the heavens myself to make sure you get them.”

Before he lost his nerve, he leaned in, capturing her lips once more, pouring every ounce of his growing affection into the kiss. It was a sweet, lingering meeting of mouths that promised endless possibilities beneath the infinite expanse of the cosmos.

It was like the moment he let himself truly feel her, something had shifted completely within him. He was falling for her, and for the first time in a very long time, he didn't try to pull away from the plunge.

Instead, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, letting himself fall deeper into the abyss of feelings he thought he'd never have.

Jenn sighed softly against his lips, a sweet, contented sound she was pretty sure she'd never made before.

She'd never minded kissing in the past, she found it pleasant enough and had always thought that if things could just not go any further than that, she'd be very happy.

Now? She loved kissing, the feeling of Karl's lips moving against her own, the touch of his tongue, the taste of him, the heat... However, she was finding that she no longer wished things would stop there.

His body against her own, hands holding her tightly to him, all of it was fueling a little flame deep inside of her, a growing need she wasn't very familiar with. Memories of her earlier dream flooded back as they kissed, and suddenly the little flame was stoked into a raging inferno.

The cold of the evening autumn air around them was all but forgotten, and Jenn pulled back from his lips, staying close as she met his eyes almost shyly. Her lips were pink and slightly swollen from their kisses, and her cheeks were rosy from the cool air and her ardor.

She smiled sweetly at him, bumping her nose into his and rubbing it playfully, then looking up at the sky again, seeing the moon had risen higher. The light cast across the meadow beautifully, and when she looked at him again, his eyes reflected the light back to her, seeming to nearly glow in the darkness for just a moment.

“Mmm, I think I live in this meadow now,” she said, settling against his chest again. “That bear will just have to learn to share. It's too perfect here, I never want to leave.”

Karl chuckled softly, low in his chest, and wrapped his arms tighter around her body. The vibration of his laughter rumbled through her, a soothing, comforting sensation.

“I wouldn't mind that either,” he murmured, nuzzling his face into her hair. The scent of her mixed with the earthy smell of the meadow, a combination he found utterly intoxicating. Although, the bear might not appreciate it.

He shifted slightly, rearranging them both beneath the blankets for added warmth, and let his fingers play idly with the strands of hair trailing across her shoulders.

“Besides, I don't think I'm ready to let you leave just yet.”

The last remnants of caution and self-doubt seemed to melt away under her adoring gaze and genuine smiles. He had no right to demand her affection, given his complicated past and the danger it posed. Yet here she was, snuggled against him like he was the safest haven in the world.

Karl felt something crack open inside him, a door long locked and sealed with chains. For years, he'd kept his walls reinforced, his heart encased in a fortress of stone and steel. But in the face of Jenn's pure, uncomplicated joy, he couldn't help but let those defenses crumble just a little.

“You know, Jenn,” he began, his voice quiet in the hush of the night, “I never planned on getting involved with anyone out here. Thought it'd be safer, easier, to keep everyone at a distance. But...”

He paused, his throat tightening as he gathered his thoughts. “You make me want things I never knew I wanted. Make me want to believe in possibilities I'd dismissed as-as fairy tales.” he sputtered, nearly incredulous.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Karl tucked a hand under her chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze once more. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of tenderness and something darker, more primal.

“What if we stayed out here? Spent the whole night under the stars, waking up with the sun? I promise I won't let anything happen to you.”

It wasn't exactly a declaration of love, it was far too early for that of course, but it was as close as he dared venture. The mere suggestion of such intimacy was unprecedented for him, yet the thought of it thrilled him in ways he hadn't experienced since before the world shattered his illusions.

Jenn looked thoughtful for a moment, casting her eyes around the meadow. It seemed quiet and safe enough, and she had no doubt Karl would keep her safe - he wouldn't have suggested it otherwise.

“Okay,” she agreed, nuzzling her face into his neck as she squeezed as close as she could. “But it's probably going to get colder, so you'll have to make sure to keep me warm.”

She was pretty sure he'd have no problem with that, he always seemed to feel nearly hot to the touch, like he ran several degrees warmer than she did. Even now, in the cool air of the meadow, his body felt like a furnace under the blanket, and she slipped her arm around his waist, hand coming to rest across his ribs, fingers stroking random patterns as she enjoyed the closeness.

Karl exhaled heavily, relieved she had agreed. His pulse quickened, pounding like drumbeats in the quiet night as he registered the implications. This would be their first night together, even if nothing untoward occurred. Simply spending an entire night lying together felt deeply intimate after years of solitude.

“Don't worry,” he replied, attempting to infuse some levity. “Staying warm won't be a problem with me around. I'm basically a walking heater.”

He tugged at the edge of the blanket, adjusting it over them for additional insulation against the dropping temperature. The cool air kissed his skin wherever it touched, raising goosebumps, but Jenn's warmth nestled against him erased any discomfort.

As Jenn's fingers slid across his chest, Karl found himself calming incrementally despite the undercurrent of desire ignited by their closeness. Her touch felt like home, soothing yet electrifying simultaneously.

Unable to resist, he pressed a soft kiss into her hair before speaking again. “We should get some rest. Tomorrow we can hike back, and I'll cook us breakfast before you head home.”

“That's perfect,” she breathed, snuggling close with a little yawn.

Even as he spoke those mundane logistics, anticipatory butterflies fluttered in his stomach considering all he proposed entailed – waking up beside Jenn, sharing a meal together in broad daylight, not merely stealing precious minutes under the cover of night's anonymity.

Settling down slightly deeper into their cocoon of blankets, Karl allowed himself one final indulgence; he wrapped both arms securely around Jenn's smaller frame pulling her flush against the solid wall of his body. Contentment bloomed within him as exhaustion dragged him down into slumber, accompanied by the rhythmic rise and fall of his companion’s breathing and the lullaby of cricket songs echoing around their private sanctuary.