Ties

                                    

                                          
1500 words of pure fluff<3
It was in the dead of the night, and most of camp was asleep. Two of the members were on guard, watching over the paths leading into camp for any intruders. 
 Ranza was asleep, but woke up quietly hearing the soft strum continue to play in the quiet atmosphere. She tiredly blinked her eyes open, and immediately noticed the soft light emitting in the tent. 
She turned over carefully, and could see Javier softly strumming at his guitar, Javier seemingly not noticing her as of yet. He was quite indulged in the melody he was playing. "What're you still doing up?"
Javier's eyes immediately flicked open, and his eyes looked a bit cloudy. His expression shifted a bit to a more guilty look. "I didn't mean to wake you." He murmured in a dull tone. Ranza shrugged softly, and pulled the blanket up some over her bare legs. 
It seemed he had something on his mind, but Ranza wasn't sure how to ask him what was wrong- or if he was okay. She fiddled a bit with the button up she was wearing, and bent her knees up. It had gotten quite warm the past few nights, and she'd resided in a button up shirt for her sleepwear. It was a lucky thing for her Javier was as much as a gentleman as he was. 
The two sat in a awkward silence, and Javier set his guitar down- the chords making a bit of a ting as they vibrated. Her brain was filled with a million different ways of asking if he was okay, and she was trying to figure out which one she should say. 
"Can't fall asleep?" She ended up asking, and he nodded, avoiding eye contact. He looked a bit embarrassed, but she couldn't tell if it was because she woke up, or if it was because of another reason. "Bad dreams..." he said with a shrug, and swallowed a bit. 
Ranza nodded, and looked away from him down at the ground. Though she understood- she'd had her own handful of bad dreams. It was just helping another person through their own she was at a loss for. 
Javier seemed to be avoiding looking at her too, and he looked up at her after a moment. "Can I re-braid your hair?" He asked, and looked at her. She blinked a bit confused, but nodded. 
She shifted a bit as he got up, and crouch-walked over to her bedroll, and plopped down behind her; and pulled her back into him gently. She could feel him brushing through the hair from the roots first gently, occasionally snapping a knot, and immediately apologizing softly after. He continued to idly brush her hair out with his fingers, and she could feel the tension in his body behind her. 
"Do you wanna talk about it?" She asked after a bit. Javier paused for a minute, before he busy-mindedly went back to untangling her hair. "It's stupid... nothing really." He murmured. 
Ranza tilted her head back to look at him, and his eyes flicked down to her; his gaze softened, and he nudged his cheek onto her head. His arms wrapped around her waist, and her head resting back onto him gently. 
The two rested with each other in a now peaceful embrace between them. Ranza could feel his breath a bit on her shoulder where her shirt was opened a bit. Javier's eyes blinked back open after a minute, and he dropped his head down to rest on her shoulder. 
"It was about down in Mexíco..." he murmured after a moment, and she thought for a moment, nodding in acknowledgment to what he said. "Y'know how it goes, just... memories." He shrugged, and straightened himself up behind her. 
Ranza nodded, feeling him separate her hair into sections, starting to braid it carefully. Ranza wrapped her arms back around her knees, and looked at the door of the tent absentmindedly. 
Javier finished his braiding of her hair a few minutes later. He swept the heavy braid over one of her shoulders, and bent his head a bit to place a chaste kiss on her neck. 
Her body tensed a bit, and she felt the ticklish feel where his mustache had poked at her skin. Javier rested his head at the crook of her neck, and was breathing softly. 
As a few minutes passed, Ranza could feel herself growing more tired again, and she let out a soft yawn. Javier seemed to pick up on the yawn, and scooted back a bit so he could move out from behind her. She let out a soft grunt not having anything to lean back on, and hesitated a bit, but laid back down on her side. 
She felt a hand against her face, and looked up seeing Javier looking down at her with a conflicted gaze. She looked at him a but confused. "What's wrong?" She asked softly. 
"Don't worry about it." He muttered softly, and lent down, turning her head a bit, and kissing her softly. Ranza's face turned warm again, and Javier stroked her cheek softly. 
Javier brought his hand away, but continued to sit next to her. She didn't mind though, and laid next to him as he thought. 
Her mind debated over things, and she gave in on a impulsive thought after a minute. Ranza reached up after a minute, and gently grabbed his hand that was resting on his leg, 
From the sudden touch on his hand he quickly looked down at her, Javier looked a bit taken about seeing her fumbling around with his hand. He watched slightly entranced as she traced around the lines of his hand. "Hermosa?" He sounded softly, trying to get her attention. 
Ranza looked up at him with half lidded eyes, and let out a soft hum as she blinked at him tiredly. Javier swallowed a bit. "Do you mind if I lay with you for a bit? He asked, and studied her face closely for a reaction. 
She caught her lower lip in between her teeth gently as she thought, and slowly looked back up to him, before she hesitantly nodded. 
Javier smiled softly, and watched as she scooted over on her bedroll a bit. He picked her blanket up a bit, and laid himself down next to her carefully- trying not to spook her. 
The two ended up laying on their backs next to each other. The silence was partially awkward as they laid under the canvas of the tent. The crickets chirped- almost adding onto the aura around the two. 
A hand rose up, and opened by hers a bit, and Ranza blinked towards the mans hand for a minute, turning her head to look at him. Javier looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and a small smile crossed his lips. 
After a minute she gave in, and hesitated before setting her hand in his own. His hand was rough, but not terribly. Javier gently pulled her hand over, and directed it so it was resting on his stomach- his own still clasped onto it. "I think your hand fits pretty well with mine. Think they were made to hold each other?" He asked with a smirk as he looked over to her. 
At the comment her face grew warm, and she rolled her eyes giving a mumbled. He chuckled next to her, and rubbed his thumb on her hand softly. "No? I thought so." He continued, and she huffed, turning her head the other way. 
Her face burned more as she felt him lift her arm, and gave the palm a kiss, and started trailing up her arm slowly. She turned her head hearing him shift, and felt the kisses continue. What triggered this sudden boldness? She thought. A small giggle escaped her lips as he kissed a ticklish spot on her arm. 
Javier smiled up to her softly, and eventually was kissing the fabric of her shirt. "Stop... that has to taste nasty..." she murmured, pulling her arm away from him, and rested her arm across her stomach. He shrugged. 
The two stared at each other for a minute, before Javier brought his hand up to rub up and down her arm. He slid in a bit closer to her, and Ranza tensed up a bit feeling him put an arm under her head. 
Javier started rubbing her other arm, and laid in a peaceful silence. He looked over to her after a minute, and looked at her with a smile seeing her already alseep. 
He himself was too almost asleep, but he felt Ranza shifting, and opened an eye watching her turn on her side, her back facing him. It took him a minute of debating before he pulled himself behind her, and rested an arm over her side carefully. 
His body tensed up, and he held his breath a bit as he felt her stirr, but thankfully she stayed asleep. He placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck. 
It didn't take Javier very long to fall asleep, and he had a soft hold on her as they slept in a quiet peace. And luckily, no nightmares came back that night to pester Javier.