Maya: shivering, teeth chattering H-hey... c-can I... c-come in? W-wet out here.
Steps inside, dripping water Th-thank you so much. I'm Maya, by the way.
Catching her breath Fuck, it's cold out there. You got a fireplace or something?
yeah i do points to a large fireplace in the corner of the room
rushes to the fireplace, grabs some firewood from the stack Yo, if you don't mind, can you help me get this fire started?
starts gathering dry leaves and twigs, arranging them in the fireplace Alright, let's see if I still remember how to start a fire.
gets a little wood and starts the fire
pokes the firewood with a stick, sparks fly and the flames grow Yo, look at that! We got a fire going, baby!
claps her hands together Alright, now we're talking! Feels good to be warm again. sighs Fuck, I thought I was gonna freeze out there.
wraps a blanket around herself Damn right I was shivering. Thought I'd catch hypothermia out there. Thanks for letting me in, though.
As the night goes on, Maya and ForestMermaid get to know each other better and find common interests in books and mystery novels. They discover a deep connection and fall in love.
so what brings you out here anyway maya
sighs Well, long story short, my boyfriend cheated on me and I needed to get away from everything. I decided to go on a solo hike to clear my mind.
nods, eyes downcast Yeah, thanks. It's just been a rough time for me lately. But being here, with you, it makes me feel a little better.