Luminous arrived at camp trailing right behind Barrett. The bright vermillion sword glowing in the campfire light.

“Hey, short stuff, what happened? M.r super serious over here just jumped up from what he was doing and ran off.” Asked the Dawn of Fate.

That’s when the Dawn of Fate spotted Luminous wrapped in nothing but Barrett’s oversized red hood.

“Oh, I see, when you were calling me a leecher you were projecting.” Said the Dawn of Fate.

“Shut up stupid sword!” Barrett blushed.“It’s not like that! Nothing happened!”

Not long after Luminous sat down near the campfire, Barrett grabbed a clear bottle with clear liquid out of his satchel. Barrett daybed the liquid into his strong hands before rubbing it onto Luminous’ scratched-up cheeks.

“Oww!” Luminous bellowed pulling away from him. “What is that stuff? It burns!”

“Oh, be quiet you big baby! It’s just disinfectant!” Said Barrett grabbing her checks and rubbing more disinfectant on them. “That stinging sensation is your germs screaming as they die.” Grinned Barrett opening up a light purple bandaid and sticking it on Luminous’ cheek.

“Pfft! Hahaha!” Luminous laughed.

“What’s so funny?” 

“That sounds so silly, but you said it really seriously. Haha.”

“Whatever…” Barrett blushed.

Barret ignored Luminous, he continued putting disinfectant and colorful bandages on her scratches. Luminous got a closer look at Barrett now that he was patching her up. His muscles on his sender arms were more noticeable without anything covering his upper body. Luminous lowered her gaze staring at his abs, her eyes fell lower and lower until...

“So, about your hair?” Asked Barrett.

Luminous’ gaze snapped back up to his face.

“Your hair?” Said Luminous, her cheeks glowing pink. “I wasn't staring...”

“Look I don’t know if that choppy lopsided hairstyle is what you were going for or what but I could cut it.” Said Barrett. “It would be really short, but it won’t be uneven anymore. So what do you say?”

Luminous looked back down at his hand to see a hunting knife in it. She put her hand up to her uneven hair.

“Oh, umm, is this going to cost me extra?” She asked.

“You really are generous huh?” Smirked Barrett. “Na, you’re already one of my best-paying customers. Let’s just call this, I don’t know. Part of the care package…”

“Okay, uh thanks.” Luminous bit her lip feeling guilty.

“It’s nothing.”

Barrett took his hunting knife to the longer side of her hair. Carefully he cut it down to her chin.

“There, it’s not going to be long, girly, and flowy for awhile. But at least you don’t look like a bum anymore. You want to see it?” Asked Barrett handing Luminous his knife.

Luminous looked into the knife's reflection and..it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Her short bob actually looked pretty cute. The colorful band-aids made her look like a rough and tumble warrior woman.

“You think you look like a warrior?” Asked the Dawn of Fate. “Pff! That’s cute short stuff.”

“What, but how did you?” Asked Luminous.

“You mumble all the time.” Said the Dawn of Fate.

Luminous blushed. Just how much did she mumble about?

“What? You never noticed?” Asked the Dawn of Fate.

 “I don’t suppose you have a sleeping bag with you either now do you?” Barrett asked Luminous.

“Oh, umm.” Luminous looked away from Barrett. “I’ll just uhh..”

“Good, you can take mine. It’s too warm out here for me.”

“Are you kidding it’s freezing!” Squealed Luminous.

“It’s hot out. I, don’t, need, my sleeping bag. Got it, idiot.” Huffed Barrett sitting on the tarp. “I’m going to be up all night anyway...I have to sew up your outfit so you can give me back my favorite hood already.”

Luminous lay in Barrett’s sleeping bag wrapped in Barrett’s red hood. But she couldn't sleep, instead, she watched the big muscular hunter, who was too concentrated on sewing the loose buttons back onto Luminous’ pink pajama shirt to notice her staring at him. 

“So, you sew huh?” Asked the Dawn of Fate. “That’s kinda girly.”

“I’m self-sufficient.” Replied Barrett cutting the extra string with his sharp teeth. “I’m in the woods all day, clothes and other equipment get torn all the time, just faster and cheaper to fix it myself. If you have any grips you can do this yourself. Or I could just let your sword welder run around butt naked in the cold harsh forest. I’m being nice to you, don’t be a snarky little prick.”

“Or maybe I could hold onto your hood.” Said Luminous, her voice startling Barrett. “I never imagine it could feel so warm.” She said feeling the soft velvety fabric in her hands.

“It’s not for sale.” Barrett snapped almost immediately. He stopped what he was doing and stared at the red hood. “Vainglorious could save her anytime he wants to, he just chooses not to…” He grumbled to himself.

“Vainglorious could save her?” Luminous repeated knitting her eyebrows together.

“You know I might not be as powerful as Vainglorious.,” started Barrett. “But maybe I could…”

“You could...?”

Barrett shook his head. What was he doing, he’s only a paid tracker. None of this concerned him.