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The clueless edition (a side story)

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Long after Ben and Lucas said their goodnights, Natalie sat cross-legged by the fire pit, nursing the last of her tea. Dax lay sprawled on his back beside her, arms folded under his head, jacket bunched like a makeshift pillow. He looked unusually peaceful. Which, for Dax, meant he hadn’t said anything idiotic in at least thirty seconds.

Nat poked his knee with the toe of her boot. “You’re suspiciously quiet.” Dax blinked up at the sky. “Just looking at the stars.” She sighed, barely avoiding an eye roll. “…You can’t see any, it’s cloudy.”

“Oh.” He squinted. “Right. That explains a lot.” Natalie stifled a laugh, shaking her head. “Well, since you’re in a thoughtful mood… Can I ask you something?” Dax turned to look at her, brows arched dramatically. “Is this the part where you ask for my kidney? Because you can have it, but only the left, the right one had a rough life.”

“Dax.”

“Yes?”

She lowered her voice, glancing toward the tent where Ben and Lucas were. “Have you really not noticed what's going on?” His eyebrows knitted. “About the kidney?” Oh, for god's sake. “No, not about the kidney.”

“I mean Ben and Lucas. Have you noticed anything going on between them?” He stared at her. Then stared at the tent. Then stared back at her. “…Like what?” He whispered, leaning in as if discussing espionage.

Natalie exhaled slowly, weighing her next words. This was it, the moment she could tell him, bring him into the loop, let him be helpful for once. And then she remembered who she was talking to. If she let Dax anywhere near that knowledge, he would not only run with it, he’d sprint, trip, fall and crash directly into Ben’s dignity with all the grace of a drunk deer.

Absolutely not. So she smiled tightly and said. “Don't you think they went to sleep too early? Bunch of lightweights." Dax blinked. "Oh, yes, totally!" Natalie took a sip of her tea to hide her smile.

He'd get it eventually, as would those two.

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