Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 92 A Choice Made

Nate walked through the dimly lit cave, his mind preoccupied with how the crystals he found would help Ray achieve his goal. The weight of recent events pressed against his thoughts, if Ray successfully make weapons that makes them stronger then their chance of winning Zoro will increase and so does their chance of leaving this place.

It was then that he noticed Madison’s door slightly open, a soft light spilling from inside. His steps slowed as he caught a glimpse of her sitting on her bed, her posture tense, her hands struggling with something on her leg. The flickering lantern cast moving shadows on the rough stone walls, illuminating her face just enough for him to see the frustration etched in her features.

At first, he considered walking away. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his business. But something made him pause.

His instincts urged him to knock.

A soft voice, absentminded and distracted, responded, "Come in."

Madison didn’t even look up as he stepped inside. She was too focused on what she was doing, attempting to wrap a bandage around her leg, but failing miserably. Her fingers fumbled with the cloth, her movements clumsy.

Nate frowned. "You’re not wrapping it right."

Madison’s head snapped up, her eyes widening slightly as she finally realized who it was.

"Nate?" she murmured, blinking as if to confirm she wasn’t imagining things.

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He simply nodded and took a step closer. "Want some help?"

She hesitated, looking down at her failed attempt, then back up at him. Finally, she sighed. "Yeah… I guess."

Nate didn’t wait for further permission. He moved to the bed and sat beside her, his hands already reaching for the bandage. Without thinking, he lifted her injured leg onto his lap, the warmth of her skin against his jeans making his grip tighten slightly.

Madison tensed at first, but as his fingers worked with practiced ease, undoing the tangled mess she had made, she relaxed.

His touch was careful—gentle, yet firm. His hands brushed against her skin occasionally, sending an unspoken tension between them that neither of them acknowledged out loud.

As he focused on his work, he asked, "How did this happen?"

Madison exhaled sharply through her nose. "Training," she answered, shifting slightly as she adjusted her position.

Nate arched a brow but didn’t look up. "Training with who?"

"Some guy who uses ice powers," she said. "We were sparring, and he… well, he kind of hit me by mistake."

Nate’s hands momentarily paused before continuing. "Why aren’t you healing?"

Madison hesitated, then admitted, "I do heal. But if it’s an ice injury… I have to recover naturally."

That made him pause.

It was brief—so fast that most people wouldn’t have noticed—but Madison did.

Something flickered in his eyes. Fear? Doubt? Questions? She couldn’t quite place it, but whatever it was, it was gone in an instant, hidden beneath his usual composed expression.

She wanted to ask, but she held back.

Instead, she watched as Nate continued his work. His fingers moved with precision, wrapping the bandage around her leg properly this time. It was a strange feeling—having someone care for her like this. Not because they had to, but because they chose to.

The silence stretched between them until Nate finally broke it.

"Are you mad at me?"

Madison blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.

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"Mad at you?" she repeated, as if the thought had never even crossed her mind.

"For before," Nate clarified, glancing up at her briefly. "When I yelled at you."

Madison studied his face for a moment before a small, amused smile tugged at her lips.

"No, I’m not mad," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I felt bad when you shouted, yeah. But Bella explained why you did it, so I got over it."

Nate exhaled, nodding slightly. "Still," he said, his voice softer, "I shouldn’t have reacted that way. I’m sorry."

Madison tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. "It’s really alright, Nate."

For a moment, their eyes locked.

Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved.

And in that brief, fleeting second, something unspoken passed between them.

Then, Nate looked down at her leg and tightened the last wrap.

"Done," he said, patting the bandage lightly.

Madison looked down, flexing her foot slightly. It felt much better than before—secure, firm, but not too tight.

"Where did you even get this?" Nate asked, nodding at the bandage.

Madison leaned back slightly, stretching her arms. "Some guy was traveling with medical supplies before the crash," she explained. "He recently found his bag."

"Ah," Nate said. "Cool."

Silence.

But this time, it wasn’t awkward.

It was… something else.

Then, without warning, Madison moved.

She shifted closer—so close that their knees touched. Her scent, something faintly floral, filled the space between them.

Nate tensed slightly, his senses suddenly hyperaware of how little distance there was between them.

Madison’s expression softened as she placed a hand on the bed beside him, her fingers barely brushing against his.

"There’s something important I need to talk to you about," she said, her voice lower now, more serious.

Nate felt it again.

That shift in the air.

Nate inhaled slowly, steadying himself as he watched Madison. There was something different in the air—something heavier, more intimate. The way she sat close to him, her fingers lightly resting on the bed beside his, her gaze fixed on him with an unreadable depth—it was enough to make his pulse shift slightly.

Still, he kept his composure.

"You can ask me anything," he finally said, his voice calm. "Go ahead."

Madison opened her mouth, then closed it. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face, her usual confidence seeming to waver. She looked like she wanted to say something, but the words caught in her throat, tangled up in uncertainty.

Nate noticed it immediately.

Her fingers twitched slightly, her shoulders tensed, and her lips parted, only for her voice to falter. It wasn’t like her to struggle with words.

"Madison?" he prompted, tilting his head slightly.

She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "This is… really awkward," she admitted, laughing nervously. "It’s usually them asking me, you know? It feels so weird when I have to say it."

Nate frowned slightly. "What are you talking about?"

Madison bit her lip, staring down at her hands for a second before lifting her gaze back to his. "Since we’ve been on this island, I’ve felt it too," she said softly. "The effect it has on us. The way it… changes things. But I didn’t want to let it make a choice for me."

Nate didn’t say anything, just listened.

"So, I waited," she continued. "I waited until I knew for sure who the right person was."

A part of him already knew where this was going. He could see it in the way her eyes held his, the way her breathing hitched slightly as she spoke. Still, he didn’t interrupt. He let her speak, let her say what was on her mind.

And then she did.

"That person is you, Nate."

Nate’s breath stilled for just a second.

Even though he had expected it, hearing her say it out loud hit him differently.

His expression didn’t change much, but inside, something shifted.

The memory of Claire flashed briefly in his mind—how things had unfolded between them, how he had let his emotions get tangled in something he wasn’t sure of. He didn’t want that to happen again, didn’t want things to get complicated.

But then he looked into Madison’s eyes.

And he saw something else.

This was different.

The way she looked at him wasn’t like Claire. It wasn’t like anyone else.

There was something steady in her gaze—something real.

Before he could fully process his own thoughts, Madison spoke again.

And her next words made him freeze.

"I want to become your woman."

For a moment, there was silence.

A silence that stretched between them, thick with meaning.

Nate simply stared at her, the weight of her words settling into his chest like a slow burn.

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