This story is thanks to the flu. If I've been in bed I've been typing under the influence of beer and cold medicine, if I've been up (well not really up) then I've been playing Skyrim...also under the influence of cold medicine and alcohol.

Fell in love with The Companions. They are all amazing, especially Farkas and Vilkas (though it's really hard to choose). Started writing this a bit, have most of it fleshed out but will tweak it depending on how everyone likes it.

So here's to me stepping outside of my Fallout/Dragon Age element finally. Hoorah!

As with everything I write there will be blood, language, and sex. The game is M so this is M.

Disclaimer: don't own Skyrim...

No matter how consistent her gaze met with the flickering fire it remained just as unknowing of her intentions – it didn't shy away or burn further with interest, just continued its fast dance and simmering crackle of firewood like always.

Her mouth set tight. In a way the fire was just like Farkas. The stones fortifying the flames was like Farkas. The burning cherry wood, the wearing steel soles on her boots and the metal rash under her gauntlets. They were all just as...uhghh...as Farkas.

She turned a bothered eye to said Nord sitting down beside her on the toppled pine log; fire highlighting his pronounced features with a dim stain of orange. He looked the same as ever, staring blandly into the fire with forearms resting on his spread thighs. Ever since they'd had to survive the southern Windhelm mountains he'd become much less talkative...much more distant.

Aside from a few sparse comments here and there, he remained to himself, almost like he was home-sick. She'd catch him staring up at the sky when it was particularly windy, only muttering comments under his breath when she stared too hard. The noisy gusts seemed to be about all he paid attention to when they weren't fending off wild animals or bandits.

Her gaze narrowed as he stared ahead.

Even if it was a racist assumption, she'd assumed he – a Nordic man – wouldn't have minded holding a naked elf against his equally naked skin to overcome the frost. In fact, she'd imagined him taking advantage of her – or about as much as someone could take advantage of her...

Her initial explanation was that he was a man discouraged by the same sex. For her race it wasn't uncommon, but she hadn't expected it of a Nord honestly. Though that assumption also proved wrong the next time they'd reached a small milling town; bent on lying down for a night in a warm bed.

It'd taken a full cycle to forget the noises he'd gotten out of a Mill worker's daughter. The grunts, loud mewls, and filthy speech that made her – a Dunmer – blush still made her gut warm even now if she thought long about it.

After that she'd avoided anything with a granary...

The fire cracked and sprouted up under the cooking pot, causing it's stewing contents to bubble over for a brief second; spilling and steaming on the coals under it. The sight of it wasn't great, but the salty smell of overcooked carrots and rabbit made her mouth water.

With a tired and famished breath she looked over at him, watching his nose wrinkle and a short cough take over him.

The sprinkle of old leaves falling behind him caught her eyes for a second before she returned to the state of his bored expression. Even in the dark her sight couldn't keep a dedication direction, everything about this place made her bristle with awarness.

She knew he could see her head turned to him. His sigh wasn't that bad, and yet he paid her no mind. Farkas never complained or questioned her requests, and he certainly didn't show any abhorrence if she cut down a seemingly innocent traveler...or two. No, Farkas had little to say to her one way or the other anymore and honestly? - she missed the gleeful bonding they'd had at every heart pounding risk they'd taken. Of all the places they both cleared and relished in, and now he was even less open than when she'd first met him...at least then he had teased her in his own way.

Helping him, fighting beside him after they chatted with smirks about everything from the perfect steel to the sweetest pastry was a moment she missed.

Now? Now they barely spoke. Unless she was throwing off commands or asking him to sit tight while she scouted on ahead, he was just as distant as the rocks and the flicking fire. Even when he took a sword to the stomach a dozen moons ago – the blade bashing hard into his guarded stomach – he didn't say anything to her, just shook it off and picked himself back up.

Abruptly she smacked the cooking pot with the butt of her axe – the kissing flames burst into small sparks until the pot ceased it's disturbed swinging. That caught his attention. Farkas stared at her a brief moment, one eye brow raised before going back to watching the glowing embers like they were a Bard's one woman dance, and it infuriated her to no end.

They ate dinner just as silently and with a bitter sneer she muttered that he had first watch.

He nodded – the fire casting inside his eyes, making them shine like she'd seen them the night of her own changing. Those dark war painted pits where his eyes rested only made the whole sight that much more intense, but she remained just as outwardly bothered despite any golden recollection. No one could hold an unnecessary grudge like a Dunmer, and despite the rational Nord influence her time in these lands had nourished, she pushed into her bed furs with a frown.

In morning perhaps she'd let him fetch back to Jorrvaskr indefinitely, even Meeko had been more conversation than the Nord at this point...and he was truly a dog.

In the land of nod she found nothing but Daedric lords bathing in fire salts and water nymphs seducing frost spiders. Her dreams had never been sensible, nor amusing to callback the next morn, but when her sedated mind was shook awake in the midst of serving sweet rolls to Sheogorath, the first thing out of her mouth was, "...I forgot the tea you swine!"

A threefold voice growled at her gawk, and a dirty hot hand closed around the bare skin of her upper arm; yanking her up and off her warm furs whilst she still had her eyes glued shut with sleep. Such a bastard of a Nord he was to drag her as he did through prickly brush without even an explanation. The rough bark of an evergreen scratched against her lower back and the side of heavy plated armor pushed her front further into the tree.

Farkas breathed quietly down her body, shoving an oil-scented hand over her mouth just before she got the first tumble of curses out. Crunches of dead leaves and snapping twigs got her attention. The camp fire had burned out completely and even with her eyes open the difference between blindness was only the stars dimpling above the branches and leaves.

"Trolls...", a hot gush of breath hushed her over the side of her face. Damn all the Trolls to Oblivion.

With a small rubbing of her thumb and forefinger – flames sparked inside her palm. A few firebolts aimed in the proper direction would take it out. But his hand over her mouth ripped off quickly to ball up her burning hand.

She hissed like the beast she still was and he was still not until he pushed three fingers into the skin of her cheek.

There was three Trolls then, and suddenly the flames both in her palm and in her chest steamed cold at the very thought. More distance grunts – drawing closer – made her heart race. If there was anything she hated more than Trolls then it was being pushed further into the tree by Farkas' body, but it was either patience or dying by disembowelment...

A part of her had known she should have taken first watch, but the catty and fitful part of her got the best of the moment once more. She remained silent and unmoving, just as Farkas did, stewing in her heated shame as the terrifying sounds of herding Trolls sniffed heavily, wading through the thick density of trees. The breaking of branches and heavy shaking steps set the fine hairs down her neck and arms on end.

The hard metal on Farkas' gauntlet rubbed into the angle of her jaw as his palm slowly and most importantly, silently, spread out on the bark beside her head. Even in the unending darkness she knew he was forming a human shield around her; ever the dedicated companion – a shield-sibling, a friend...and unrequited-

"GwrahH!", went the guttural (spit and flesh clogged) throaty call of an Alpha Troll.

She shivered at the vibration of the roar – it rattled her bones and set the left side of her body cold. It was close, so much closer than she'd let herself realize, but a few hallow moments and the steady stomping and ruining of shrubbery signaled it was heading past them. Other tracks, just as noisy, followed away from them. Farkas slid against her; releasing stiff tension that barely make a sound despite his combative armor. His weight fell heavy on her bent hip; legs pushed deeper against her torso to accommodate his more imposing position.

Loud growls and calls became soft and muted, and eventually nothing was calling but the crickets and owl hoots.

As soon as the minute of patient straining wore off she growled heatedly against his face and shoved him back. She couldn't see him clamor back, but she could hear him, as well as the confused grunt that followed.

"How could you have allowed them to get that close? A watch is described as a duty to look, hear, and be ready – ready to awaken me should danger lurk close and when I act you fo-"

"Engaging them would have killed us both.", he drawled out gravely, the tone so indicative of his new usual that she could see his expression without the gift of sight. He was right though, despite the heated anger and self-loathing of being wrong and expressing it through a swift rebuttal, she kept up her act; glaring without use and huffing as she ignited a flame with her deft fingers.

With was snap she started the dead fire anew. Seeing his eyes honed on her even before she knew he had any right to know where her face was.

"They were hunting. I didn't hear them until they made a kill...", he spoke, never breaking eye contact.

Another thing she couldn't stand anymore was his infernal need to keep eye contact with her when ever she seemed quick to bark – and...it always took her off guard. Her lifted sneer lowered and her eyes softened regardless of the brimming adrenaline running through her roots. Trolls almost instilled the same reaction and she hated herself for being so terrified of them, as well as Farkas' reaction to shield her. He more than likely felt her fear, maybe smelled it and reacted as any loyal friend would...any shield-sibling...

A wash of uncomfortable silence passed like seasons during a hard freeze. These past three lunar phases with him only grew more tense, and with a deep sigh, as if that would release the tension, she shifted closer to the fire with a frown. "I need a tavern...with a warm bed and a bottomless belly of mead."

A shudder of breath sounded from Farkas, but she ignored it – it sounded like he was in agreement anyways. Perhaps a night of indulgence would restore their abrasive companionship. The more the moon fell and rose the more she found her attention drifting to their dwindling synchronicity.

"You take your rest Farkas. I'll keep watch till morn.", she said into the rekindled flames; pushing the redwood chips with a broken twig. Her sharp ears were better than his anyways. First watch should always be hers...though, she should have realized that long ago.

"For what it's worth I 'm sorry." When he wasn't speaking it was hard to imagine his deep voice being soft, at any point, but his apology was tender almost, and his eyes...

She didn't even dare look at them. They were probably half closed and intense in the heat of the fire, and she wasn't well in spirit enough to meet them.

"No, don't...A woman first I am before a warrior, I have moments of...", the corner of her mouth twitched unhappily, "...unnecessary anger."

It was a feeble apology, if anyone could ever call it such a thing, but thankfully it helped the resentment dwindle. When he didn't move or speak she gazed over at him wearily, catching a curious look devoid of any annoyance or negative emotions. He was always quick to cast away his enmity or depression when there was no need for it – the opposite of her own need to let the feelings fester.

She forced a smile, "Rest my friend. We'll make our path for Riften with the dawn."

He nodded, leaning back on the fallen log in a way that to her seemed plainly uncomfortable, but in a minutes time he started the shallow snores of a Nord in sleep. The fire shown off his plated armor and the blade of his sword at his side. Occasionally the flames grew to cast a light over his dirt covered cheeks and pronounced Nordic nose. She stared for longer than appropriate; admiring his features in an exotic way his race may study her. His pale skin, his dark hair...even the body hair that sometimes blended in with the soot and the grime from the journey – it all was a curiosity to her.

It never mattered how used to this land she became. The inhabitants never ceased to bore her, especially the traits they had that ran deeper than skin. The honor, the faith, the companionship drew her in to the Companions; drew her in to Farkas, his brother and the late Kodlak whom she thought of more each time the change took her...and even more when she'd awake naked when the beast slept.

One last time she allowed herself a studious look at the sleeping Nord, then she pinned her gaze on the fire; opening her palm flat. Her eyes twitch and the flood of magic slipped down her body through the core veins in her arms to the tips of her fingers.

A tiny blue dot of light sucked up heat from her palm, gathering like shards of glass into a bouncy orb until dissipating. She had the rest of the darkness to practice her spells...and they would take up her attention better than most other activities.

"...better than most, indeed."

Hope it was acceptable. I know this chapter is much shorter than what I normally post, but...it's a new fandom for me...so my apologies. Please review if you have the time. (Anon's are welcome). I hope I'm not the only one that found Farkas as intimidating as he was adorable.

And as always, thanks for reading!