They ate supper quietly and when it came time to sleep, Cole didn't unroll his bed roll on the floor. Instead, he sat on the edge of the cot and looked at her waiting. Nia didn't tell him no. She just slid over enough to make room. They lay side by side in the dim light of the dying fire, not touching at first.
Then, slowly, Nia shifted closer until her head rested near his shoulder. Cole let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and rested his hand lightly over hers. Outside, the rain softened. The wind carrying the smell of wet earth through the cracks and shutters. For the first time since finding her at the creek, Cole felt the cabin wasn't just a place to guard.
It was a place that might hold both of them if they let it. When sleep finally came, it came easier. And when Cole woke once in the night, reaching for the rifle by habit, he felt Nia's hand still resting against him and let himself relax. The morning after the rain, the sky was washed clean, the air sharp and cool. Cole woke to find Nia still lying beside him, her dark hair spilling across his shoulder.
For a long moment, he just stayed there, listening to the soft rhythm of her breathing. When she opened her eyes, there was no startle this time, only a steady look that made his chest feel tight. "You sleep?" he asked quietly. Nia nodded. "First time," she said.
Cole sat up, pulled on his boots, and went to stir the fire back to life. The cabin smelled of damp wood and last night's ashes, but it felt different now. Lived in, not just a place to wait out trouble. When they finished breakfast, Cole saddled the horse. "I'm riding into town," he said.
Nia's face shifted, the calm she had gained the night before slipping just a little. "You stay here," she asked. "You can come," Cole said, watching her carefully. "Your choice." "But if you do, you stay close to me." She hesitated only a moment before nodding. "I come." The road into town was still muddy from the night's rain, so they rode slow, the horse picking its way carefully.
Cole felt Nia's hands grip the back of his shirt, not in fear exactly, but like she was bracing herself. When they reached the main street, people were out early hauling water, sweeping the front of the stores. Conversation slowed when they saw Nia riding behind him. Cole felt the eyes on them, but he didn't turn his head. He tied the horse outside the general store and helped Nia down.
She kept her chin high, shoulders squared, though Cole could see how tight her jaw was. Inside, the storekeeper looked up from behind the counter, eyebrows raising slightly when he saw who had come in. Cole nodded once. "Need flour, sugar, coffee, nails," Cole said. The man packed the order without comment, though his eyes flicked to Nyan now and then.