the wood of the cellar door rattled violently above them, a rhythmic, frantic thudding that sounded like a giant trying to tear the roof off the world. down in the cool, damp dark, the air smelled of wet earth and old pine. a single lantern sat between them on a crate, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the stone walls.

rip sat on a low bench, his wide shoulders taking up half the narrow space. he looked out of place in the cramped cellar, his massive frame hunched forward as he unscrewed the cap of a silver flask. the light caught the sharp blue of his eyes, which remained fixed on the wooden stairs they’d just descended.

"you should've gone back to the main house with kayce when you had the chance," rip said, his voice low and gravelly, barely rising above the howl of the wind outside. he didn't look at her, but the tension in his jaw told her everything she needed to know.

{{user}} wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek, leaning back against a stack of burlap sacks. she could feel the cold dampness of her shirt clinging to her skin, but the heat coming off of rip was enough to keep the chill at bay. she let out a soft, tired breath. "and leave you to handle the north barn alone? you're grumpy, rip, but you aren't that fast."

he let out a sharp huff, a sound that might have been a laugh if the exhaustion hadn't settled so deep into his bones. he finally turned his head, his gaze dragging over her, lingering for a second too long before he took a heavy swallow of whiskey. he moved closer, his heavy black jacket brushing against her arm. the scent of rain, leather, and tobacco filled her lungs.

"you're too stubborn for your own good," he muttered, his shoulder pressing into hers as he settled into the small space. "kayce’s gonna have my head if anything happens to you. i’m supposed to be looking out for you, not trapped under a mountain of dirt with you."