His Destructive, Toxic Love

"In this freezing weather, sleeping outside is just asking for trouble. You could catch your death or, at the very least, a nasty cold." Eliza set up the sleeping bag for Casper.

But Casper waved it off, saying, "I'll just pile on some more blankets. I'm a man; I'll be fine."

Eliza gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely. Get some rest," Casper reassured her. After arranging his blankets, he lay down beside her, watching as Eliza snuggled into her sleeping bag before he finally closed his eyes. Later that night...

Eliza was woken up by Casper's sporadic coughing and restless tossing. The tent was anything but cozy, and the blankets they had weren't exactly thick. Was he catching a cold? Eliza reached out gently to feel his forehead. It seemed a bit warm.

"Casper," she called softly.

With his eyes still shut, he murmured in response.

"Casper, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied curtly, keeping his eyes closed.

His voice was a bit raspy, and after another cough, Eliza switched on a small lamp, her eyes falling on his pale face. "Casper, why don't you... come and share the sleeping bag with me?" "What did you say?" He struggled to open his eyes, looking towards Eliza, his gaze heavy and slightly foggy.

Eliza repeated herself more clearly, "I said, why don't you come and share the sleeping bag with me? It's pretty roomy, and it's really cold out."

"Oh," he mumbled, scooting closer to her.

He looked half-alive, but his movements were surprisingly quick. Crawling into Eliza's sleeping bag brought a chill that made her shiver.

Nearly turning into an ice block, yet still no complaints from him. Dillon should've definitely brought an extra

sleeping bag. If Casper fro

would be on Dillon.

The temperature in the sleeping bag quickly shifted from cold to warm, but Casper still clung to her tightly.

"Do you still feel unwell?" she asked, noticing how warm his body was. He must have had a fever. "Casper, did you bring any medicine?"

He didn't reply, just nuzzled his face into her shoulder, half-asleep. They were way too close for comfort.

Eliza didn't dare move. Too anxious to sleep, get too tired to stay awake. She yawned and gently turned over, only for Casper to press against her again. Assuming he was cold, she let it slide.

el?

The sleeping bag was meant for one, and with two adults squeezed inside, comfort was out of the question Eliza's back ached from exhaustion, and feeling uncomfortable, she turned again. Their faces ended up just inches

apart.

She awkwardly shifted back, careful not to let their noses touch. In the dim light, she could barely see his face. But his breath lingered around her, like a shadow.

"What's wrong?" Casper's deep, slightly hoarse voice suddenly whispered in her ear.

Eliza's heart jumped. "Nothing, just... turning over." She shifted to the side, but with the limited space, she couldn't move far.

"Maybe I should just go," he suggested.

Eliza quickly grabbed his arm. "Just hang in there a bit longer; it should be dawn soon."

No point in fussing over a little discomfort now. They were already in this together.

"I can tell you're not feeling well."

"It's nothing," she said, biting her lip as she settled back down, her eyes blinking towards the tent's fabric.