"Colette, the pot-!"

She already upturned said pot onto the ground, sending a sharp clatter onto the rocks that ringed around their small campfire. "Ah! Sorry, sorry!" She tried to retrieve it, but then pulled back her hand with a sharp breath.

"Did you burn yourself?" Lloyd asked, his voice just a little louder above normal. He reached for her hand, already seeing the light pink that blossomed around her thumb.

"I'm sorry…"

Genis only sighed, careful to use a towel he had brought with him to fix up the mess. "Honestly, this is the last time I try going camping with you guys."

All three were at the front yard just outside Genis and Raine's home, playing at camping with the comfort of a village around them instead of a dark forest. Lloyd had tried to convince his friends that they should have had their trip further down the gates, but Raine wasn't having it. And even if Raine had agreed, Colette's family, and the rest of the village, would certainly never let a twelve-year old Chosen go for a trip through the dark. One never knew when a hungry wolf would come by.

Or when Colette was being Colette.

Lloyd gently squeezed her thumb as he tried to see the damage, which made her wince. "This is why you need to be careful," he told her.

"I know. I'm sorry."

Genis leaned forward to get a better view. "It's not too bad. At least not something we need to get my sister out here for."

Lloyd was already winding a cool bandage, after administering a salve that his father made him carry on him at all times. His daily treks through the forest to get to school made him no stranger to scrapes and the like.

"I'm really sorry," Colette said again, her voice soft.

"Colette, enough. It's fine now!" Seeing her eyes still downcast, Lloyd gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, lips brushing against her fine hair. "Just let Genis get the food next time."

Lloyd didn't notice the way Colette and Genis stared at him after that. Not until a full minute later once he gathered up the discarded sliced carrots and onions to throw away later.

"Huh? What?"

Colette was blushing – maybe she was too close to the fire? Genis had this weird smirk on his face.

"Wow, Lloyd, didn't think you'd be that straightforward."

"What are you talking about?"

"Haha, you really don't know? How thick-headed are you?"

"Hey! Shut it!"

Colette held out her hands to them both peacefully. "It's okay! Just, um, thank you, Lloyd." She reflexively touched her head, her nerves still thrumming from his kiss. "I'll be more careful next time."

The way she smiled at him was enough to jumpstart Lloyd's brain.

"Oh! Uh, um, I was just... I… I really did that, huh?" Why did he actually do that? It had seriously been reflex…

"Yeah, but it's fine!" Colette reassured, unable to stop the cheer from her voice as she took on the role of reassurance. The dimming fire highlighted her hair, burnished gold underneath the starry sky. "Right?"

Lloyd had to take a moment. "Y-yeah, but… sorry, I was just worried-"

"Alright, alright, enough apologies out of the both of you, okay?" Genis reached into his knapsack, one that was entirely devoted to his cooking tools and ingredients. He brought out a pack of marshmallows, a bundle of chocolate squares, and some crackers, since dinner was no longer on the menu. "Now, who wants s'mores?"