A/N: Been a hot minute hasn't it. Inspiration suddenly hit for this one chapter and what could I do except write it? This is just a fluffy chapter between Blade and Dynamite. Note that they are not being shipped here, even though it may seem like it. They're just friends here.

Oh, and before I forget, they're wolves in this one.

Without any further ado, here it is! Enjoy :)

This was one of their favorite places to go.

When the base got too busy, too chaotic, or too stressful for them, they took a day and came here. It wasn't far from base, they could get there fast enough in case of an emergency. But it was far enough away, and closed off enough, to where nobody could find or disturb them.

It was a beautiful place. A brilliant waterfall ran through the open area, surrounded by gorgeous oak trees. When the light shone through the leaves, it created the most magnificent sight they'd ever seen. With the water reflecting the sunlight, the water reminded them of sparkling water and the entire area lit up, creating a vibrant, glow-like lighting around the entire field.

Blade had first shown Dynamite this spot a few years ago, when she'd had a near-breakdown moment a few weeks after she'd become smokejumper captain. When the nerves got the best of her, Blade had taken her here and told her she could come down whenever she was feeling stressed or needed a break. Since then, the two have regularly come to the place to relax and take time for themselves.

At first, they had been a bit awkward about sharing the space. Dynamite was a little intimidated by the sheer muscle on the male wolf, the scars that criss-crossed his body. He had been through a lot and was no doubt a powerful animal. Blade, being closed off and anti-social at the time, didn't initiate conversation. It was Dynamite that eventually broke the silence, opting to try and initiate a game of tag with her boss.

At first, Blade had looked about confused as a newborn pup seeing the world for the first time. He eyed her as she bowed in front of him, her tail slowly wagging as her tongue lolled out of her mouth. It was a friendly, relaxed invitation to play, and he had been hesitant to take her up on the offer. But after a moment of careful thought, he returned the bow and she took off running in the opposite direction.

He had only played tag a handful of times throughout his lifetime, but he enjoyed it. He ran after her, the grass tickling his belly as he burst through it. The game lasted hours, the two enjoying their break. In the end, it helped the two grow closer, along with relaxing.

And now, Dynamite lay on top of Blade in the middle of the field, him on his back as he allowed her to rest her face on his strong chest. The sound of the waterfall, the river, and the chirping birds paired with Blade's steady heartbeat and breathing were beginning to lull her to sleep, and she was sure she'd drifted off a couple times. Every once in a while, Blade placed a few gentle licks on her forehead.

Usually, when they came to the field, they would play a game of chase or tag before flopping down in the middle and napping, or just soaking up the sun. Sometimes they would talk, but they normally remained quiet and focused on the sounds of nature around them. Sometimes they laid next to each other, and other times one would be near the water or tree line, and the other would be a ways away from them. This much close contact was new for both of them, but neither seemed to dislike it. In fact, Blade was the one that let her lay on him in the first place.

They had come down to the field looking for an escape from the craziness, and played their game of chase. When Blade had turned towards her in the middle of the field, raising himself off his forelegs and balancing on his hind legs, she had caught up to him and tackled him. She was cautious about it, and it was more of a gentle push as they both fell over than it was an attack.

When she landed on him, her first thought was the scramble off - even though he had given her a clear invitation to do exactly what she had done. But one look at her boss, the soft and loving look in his eyes paired with the gentle smile tugging at his lips was enough to make her stay.

There were no words exchanged as they lay in the field. Dynamite had dropped her head onto his chest and he had licked her forehead, reassuring her it was ok. They had stayed that way a long time, when a question popped itself into her mind.

She picked her face up off his chest, looking at his face. The older wolf had his eyes closed, and for a moment she thought he was asleep when he opened one icy blue eye.

"Whats wrong?"

"Why aren't you like this with the rest of the team?" She didn't need to explain what she meant. By the deep inhale, and the opening of the other eye as he lifted his head up off the ground, she knew he understood the question.

"Because they don't want to see their Chief off guard."

She tilted her head a little, and deciding to push the topic a bit she asked, "Why not?"

"I'm supposed to be the lookout, the protector. Being relaxed like this is letting my guard down and I wouldn't be as ready to defend."

It was a good answer, as far as Blade goes, but she wasn't fully satisfied. However the chief had dropped his head back onto the ground and closed his eyes again, signaling the end of conversation. She let him have it for a little bit, resting her head against his chest again.

It had been another twenty minutes before she said, "We can't keep doing this."

The response she got was rough with sleep, she felt the vibrations of his voice through his chest. "Doing what?"

"You, me, the team."

He lifted his head of the ground, eyeing her for a moment before asking, "What do you mean?"

She picked her head off his chest, looking him in the eyes. "With you pretending you don't like anyone, and distancing yourself from the team, while we try to please you and get you to spend time with us. We love you, and we look up to you. We can't keep lovin' you if all you're gonna do in return is leave us alone for most of the day unless there's a fire."

He kept eye contact with her for a few more moments, then he let his head fall back again, closing his eyes once more and sighed. Dynamite let her head fall on his chest again, but she kept her eyes focused on him. Just when she thought he wouldn't respond, his voice cuts through the air.

"I guess I haven't been very good in the caring department, have I?" He lifts his head, opening his eyes and she caught a hint of apologeticness in them as he reached forward again to lick her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

He shook his head, pulling away but keeping his eyes on her and his head up. "I haven't been fair to you guys. As Chief I should make an effort to bond with my team instead of avoiding them."

Dynamite offered him a gentle smile, lifting her head to lick his cheek once. "They would love to spend time with you, Blade. I don't think they'd care if it was a game of tag, taking a walk, or chilling in the main hangar. They just want to be with you."

Blade smiled softly at her, "I'll have to make sure I do more with you all."

And Dynamite was happy with that. Giving him another lick on the cheek, she let her head fall back onto his chest as her eyes closed again. She felt him chuckle softly, "Do you want to stay here a while longer before heading back up?"

She nodded, as much as she could with her head against his chest, and he dropped his head back onto the ground. "Alright, we'll head back around sundown."

And with Dynamite satisfied, the two remained quiet as they lay together in the field for the next few hours until the sun began to go down. When they reached base, Blade gave the jumper hangar a quick look, then looked back at Dynamite. He gave her a nod as he headed to his own hangar, and she knew that meant he would be making good on their conversation, and he would do more with his team. She smiled at his retreating form before turning in for the night.

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it! RR for me?

Hope everyone is safe during the pandemic 3