Amell woke up-- and promptly wished she hadn't.

Her head hurt horribly and her body felt completely drained. Her eyes also felt fuzzy and just opening them left her more tired than before.

This felt suspiciously much like the one time Oghren had gotten her drunk, except she knew that couldn't be the problem, because she'd definitely learned her lesson the first time.

It was only after glancing around a bit and seeing the wagons that she remembered where she was. It was only after puzzling over the issue for a bit longer that she figured out why she felt like she had the grandmother of all hangovers.

She marshaled her strength and propped herself up on her elbows, ignoring the dizziness that came over her.

It was early morning, from what she could tell, because the light was low and the campsite was numb and silent. She spotted Sten off to her side, sitting with his back against the wheel of a wagon, sleeping with his arms folded and his chin leaning into his chest.

He must not have been sleeping very deeply, however, because his head rose and he looked over to her. He seemed startled to see her for a moment, but he moved from his spot and brought himself closer to Amell, sitting down next to her makeshift bed.

"Kadan, are you alright?"

Amell licked her chapped lips, though her mouth was so dry, it made little difference.

"Thirsty," she said hoarsely.

He passed the flask of water to her. She sat upright and accepted it, finishing the water in two gulps and wiping her mouth with a satisfied sigh.

"What did I do?" she asked.

"I am the one who should be asking that question."

"Oh... yes. No, I... I remember what I did," she said slowly, folding her hands in her lap. "I just don't remember what effect it had."

"The creatures were all killed," he told her.

"Oh..." She looked down at her hands, her expression unreadable.

Finally, she sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"I feel so tired..."

"You have been ill for three days."

She looked up in surprise.

"Three days?" She blinked. "Well, I suppose I should be grateful I'm not dead," she shrugged with a grim smile.

Sten did not say anything at first, but he gently placed a hand to her cheek and turned her face towards him.

"You should take greater care of your own life, kadan," he said softly. "If not for yourself, then because I ask this of you."

Her lips parted in surprise and her eyes widened marginally, but she grew paler all of a sudden. Swaying, she leaned against him heavily, burying her face into his shirt. His other arm came up around her back, holding her.

"...Kadan?"

"Don't read too much into this, I just became light-headed all of a sudden," her muffled voice sounded.

"Do you need to lie down?"

"I think I've done enough of that," she snorted. "No, just... give me a moment."

"As much as you need," he murmured. As he said this, she rearranged herself more comfortably, making him suspect she did not plan to move any time soon. He didn't mind it as much as he suspected he should have.

He held her like that for a time, before she let out a shaky sigh and sat upright again. He did not release her immediately (because she was still weak from the illness, he told himself) and she sat with his arms still around her, coming together over her shoulder.

"Sten..." she all but whispered in a strange, faraway voice.

"Yes?"

It did not happen very quickly, but he still did not have time to react as she turned her head and pressed her mouth against his. It was not a soft kiss; her lips were chapped by fever. But he still felt something inside him react at the contact, warming him unexpectedly and making him savor the sensation.

And then it was gone. Amell broke away from him and looked down, her hair falling to hide her face.

He remained paralyzed by indecision for a moment, before slowly drawing his arms away from her.

"I'm sorry if I made you worry," she said, as if they'd been having a conversation up to that point and not... not doing something completely different.

Sten only nodded, because there was nothing else he could do.