Ace sighed out as he stood straight, feeling his body ach all over his back from the stinging pain from the throbbing muscles. Sweat streamed down his back, chest and temple.
It had been two full hours of digging and breaking pumps, not to forget weeding and removing some rocks.
His breathing was short and quick as he gazed around the field, completely surprised he managed to do half of the yard in just two hours. The man earlier seemed extremely weak and he doubted her would have been able to get half the field done like he did. It might even take him days.
Ace licked his dry dusty lips as he turned towards the tree he remembered Penelope was under while dragging the rake and shovel behind him, staring straight at the haze in front of him.
It was excruciatingly hot as the time ticked by. The sun was well above his head and the hours were possibly past twelve. His entire body was shaking and wiggling at his knees from the excessive heat clouded up inside his body. His lips brittle ad dry to the point they tore just a little at the edges when he stretched them out.
He was entirely covered in dust from his feet up to his hair that turned a dirty brown than before.
As he approached the tree, he noticed she was still asleep. Laying down with her knees folded to her chest to squeeze herself into the spot where she lay a pile of leaves in between the protruding roots of the large tree.
A small breeze glazed past his skin, causing his muscles to twitch at the refreshing breeze. The breeze combed through his hair as he slowly sat himself down, wanting to rest for a moment before they venture back to the pack.
The food he barely ate in the morning had completely vanished from his stomach through all the intense work out and since he was too annoyed in the morning to eat anything refilling.
His eyes trailed back to Penelope who turned over and tucked her hands under her head, using them as a cushion to help herself feel a little more comfortable.
Her long dark hair draped down all over her body and plastering slightly on her forehead from tiny drops of sweat glaring the edge of her forehead where the roots of her hair began. Even though there was a refreshing breeze under the tree, it was still hot enough to irritate someone.
Ace leaned back to the tree and shut his eyes, letting his heart calm down together with his entire body. Trying to relax himself from the aching pain all over his body.
He just wanted to prove he was a very strong person to the only one person who just happened to have slept through it all and hardly cared less about it. So she wouldn’t be able to understand the pain and efforts he went through to get half the field done and how fast he worked. Merely wanting to prove he can do it twice as fast as her farmers.
It was clearly something he wouldn’t want to do the next day again and again…. Until the rest of the year.
His field was in training just so he can feel the powerful feeling of victory against even the toughest opponents.
But since he came over, the pack protectors hadn’t taken anyone from the rogues because they wanted to see if they were really trust worthy and would not run away during a war or stab their backs and fight against them.
It was just a small untrustworthy feeling they had.
“Oh you done?” Penelope yawned as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head as she sat up slowly. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“I’ve just finished. I need a rest.” He rolled his eyes and sighed out slightly. “I’m exhausted.”
“I thought you were strong enough?” She chuckled out as she smirked at him while running a hand through her hair, fixing it back into place and away from her face. “Or was that just a way of making yourself look strong when you are not in the slightest?”
“I am. I didn’t eat breakfast, need I remind you.” He frowned as he glanced at her with an annoyed gaze.
“I bought you breakfast and you didn’t need, need I remind you.” She pressed her lips together and laced her fingers as she moved slightly and sat beside him. “Wow, you’re a sweaty mess Ace.”
“As you can see, the sun as way up above my head. Almost melting me down while you were just here sleeping it off under a nice breezing tree.” He furrowed his brows as she smiled out cheekily and chuckled slightly.
“Well I had to rest up to cook for you right?” She asked as she turned her gaze to the field and raised her brows amused he did half of it. “Wow, you did a great job! I didn’t think you’d make it that far!”
“And you slept through it all.” He growled as he rolled his eyes as folded his arms to his chest.
“It’s not like you’re trying to impress your girlfriend. I see the end results and I’m amused. That’s enough.” She shrugged her shoulders as she glanced back at him with a tiny smile.
“It would have been more rewarding if you watched.” He whined as he shifted his gaze from her and down to her laps.
“Aww.” She chuckled and got up to her knees, getting up and throwing herself down on his laps but careful enough not to hurt him. He jerked back, completely taken back as she sat on his laps and smirked at him deviously. “You’re crying because I didn’t watch?” She chuckled and reached out, grabbing his cheeks and pinching them softly. “Despite all your annoying, rebellious, self absorbed, irritating and hot-headedness, you’re actually really cute.” She smiled as she gasped into his eyes and a soft smile. “Like a baby.”
“You should have stopped at cute. That was bearable.” He chuckled as he smiled and stared back at her.
“Well the baby part completed it.” She shrugged and sighed as she got up from his laps and distracted her dress. “Hey, I’m really hungry, lets go, please.” She groaned out in boredom as she glared down at him.
“I complained first, what gives you the right to get angry at me?” He rolled his eyes as she reached down for him to get. He grinned out and grabbed her arm, letting her help him off the ground, though putting most of the effort sine he knew too well she hardly had the power to pull him up on her own.