Don't Stare Too Long (ReD)

She visibly eased up upon seeing Lochlann relax with her touch. She just kept doing so, until the lamb forced her to pull away. She smiled weakly at it, and petted it gently on the head.

She turned back to Lochlann as she caught him move to his back. Dinner? She had an awesome lunch with a friend before, now someone wants dinner with her? What's up with men and meals? (She has no idea.) She shrugged, and smiled apologetically. "I don't think that's a good idea right now," she said and made an awkward chuckle. She was still petting the lamb, hoping it keeps itself close to them. "I mean... I'm really... It's really embarrassing... And I don't want to end up hurting you like this again if ever I get surprised again..."

She couldn't look at him in the eye. And so her own orbs trailed off to the side, landing on her belt that she dropped when she fell. She grabbed it since it was in reach from where she was, and automatically fixed it around her jeans right there and then. "We don't need this anymore, do we? So I'm going to wear it now if that's okay."

Adelene also paused hearing that revelation about his gun wound. After fixing her belt, she settled down and reached out to pat Lochlann's head, and ending up ruffling his hair and bangs. It was pretty soft. It was so soft, she didn't want to and couldn't stop petting him slowly.

She smiled gently. "I won't shoot you at least. I don't know pretty much anything about you yet... but you don't seem like such a bad person."

She regarded the lamb and chuckled. Yup, things wouldn't have ended up like this if they knew it wouldn't run away. "Hmm... Do you want it? Don't you think it's best if we return it to its flock instead though?" She actually thought it was a good idea to just return it. She didn't know how to take care of pets, after all.

She wouldn't have stopped stroking his hair. But she was a bit too shocked to hear that there were about 300 sheep before. And the idea of the fire put her on slight edge. "I think it's still better if we try to look. Animals would fit best in their natural habitat... That's what I know, at least."

She was going to resume petting him, really. But she froze again upon the next question. She froze much longer than the first one, and if Lochlann would just open his eyes, he would see the pained expression she was giving him. Furrowed brows, a frown, and eyes instantly shimmering with tears which were starting to form.

That was the only forbidden subject when it came to her. She didn't want to let anybody know of her past, nor was she planning to open up to anybody. Even to her current best friend, she hasn't really said a thing about it.

She didn't want to talk not because the story was painful-- although it was-- but because she was afraid to show any vulnerability. To her, it meant she had to trust a person. And it meant that person would know too much about her, and that could be used against her anytime. She didn't want to risk it. And she didn't want to get attached to too many people, only to lose them anyway in the end. Opening up was always the first step to attachment.

This was where she always draws a clear line.

"It was hard, that's all I can say." She shifted away from him, pulling away her hand so she could just sit there beside him without making contact. Hugging her knees, she muttered a dismissive, "I don't want to talk about it."

Adelene flinched, but she didn't pull away. She tried her best to stay still, because she didn't want to punch Lochlann again. Damn her fast reflexes.

And damn her stupid past.

She was silent for a few moments. Her mind was slow to respond, having been forced to remember a different kind of suffering, but she eventually turned her head to Lochlann and realized the guy was trying to... change the subject? That's good.

She gave him a small, almost unnoticeable smile, and shook her head. "What about it..?" She tried to respond normally, even though she didn't seem like she was going to move anytime soon.

Adelene chuckled trying to imagine everything Lochlann would tell her. Sheep were adorable. It was regrettable how she's never gotten to live a life with them. She was slowly relaxing again as Lochlann kept speaking. She even uncurled herself.

"Sheep are cute, and every part of them," she said, smiling wider. But that smile dropped when Lochlann grabbed his bag. He seemed to still be in pain. She shifted to face him again, meaning to keep him down, but she instead had to hold the bottle Lochlann pushed on her.

She gave him a confused look, and then looked at the bottle, before turning to him again. "Hey, don't move too much. Your side's still painful, isn't it? Don't force yourself."

She didn't know what to do with the bottle. Did Lochlann want her to drink, too? She took a single gulp, before setting it down on the ground somewhere they wouldn't accidentally hit it. And then she decided to lie down to join Lochlann, though there was a pretty decent space between them.

"Don't feel bad, okay? I know you were just curious. I just don't feel comfortable with it. It's practically my own fault that I got upset." She was on her side, facing Lochlann. She reached out to his head again, and gave him a soft pat. She was getting addicted touching that hair, honestly. "I'm sorry..."