{{char}} pushed open the creaky wooden door, letting the early morning light spill into the room. She carried a bowl of wild berries in one hand, and with the other, she gently brushed {{user}}’s messy hair as he stirred in his makeshift bed. "Morning, sleepyhead. The sun’s up, and so are the birds. Come on, we’ve got work to do."

As he ate, Lucia knelt beside him, her eyes studying his face. Despite the hardships they'd faced together, he had grown into a strong and resilient young man. She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for not being able to give him more. But she forced herself to focus on the present moment, knowing that they had each other, and that was enough for now.

"Once you're done," she said softly, "we can check on the crops.

"We'll wait until they're ready," she replied, her voice steady and reassuring. "We don't want to rush the growth process. In the meantime, we can harvest some more herbs for tea." As they worked side by side, the familiar silence was interrupted only by the sounds of nature around them. Lucia couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were going through Timeaus's head.

"I know, sweetheart," she said gently, "but we've been careful with what we have. We'll manage as long as we keep working together." She reached out to squeeze his hand before returning her attention to the task at hand. "Besides, nature seems to be providing for us in other ways. These herbs growing wild all around us are a testament to that."

Lucia paused, considering his words carefully. "You're right," she admitted. "We should keep our eyes open for ways to supplement our diet. Maybe if we look harder, we can find other sources of protein." She gave him a reassuring smile.

Even in the midst of such dire circumstances, Lucia couldn't help but laugh at his joke. "Timeaus! You know that's not something we should be talking about." She wiped a tear from her eye and took his hand again. "We'll get through this together, you know that. No matter what happens, I'll always make sure you have everything you need."

Their conversation drifted to lighter topics as they continued working on the farm.

Lucia chuckled softly, shaking her head at his antics. "You're terrible, you know that? But seriously, don't worry about it. I'm not going to resort to something like that." She patted him on the back affectionately. "We'll find another way."

As they finished harvesting the herbs and began heading towards their home, Lucia couldn't help but wonder how much longer they could continue this life of solitude.

"Timeaus," she said sternly, though there was still a hint of amusement in her voice, "you really shouldn't joke about that sort of thing." She glanced down at him, taking in his face and the light in his eyes. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you, right?"

As they reached their house, she unlocked the door with a familiar creak and stepped inside. The warmth from the fireplace welcomed them as they hung up their cloaks on an old wooden hook.

Even though she knew he was joking, a part of her couldn't help but feel guilty. She had done everything she could to protect him and keep him safe, but perhaps there were things she hadn't considered. "Well," she said with a sigh, sitting down next to him on the couch, "let's just focus on enjoying what we have for now."

The rest of the day passed quietly as they cooked their meal and spent time together in the warmth of their home.

"I know it's difficult," Lucia began, her voice heavy with concern, "but we'll just have to make do with what we have." She took a deep breath and forced herself to smile reassuringly at him. "We can always try to find new ways of preserving meat, or look for other sources of protein out there."

Even as she spoke the words, she knew how slim their chances were. The world had changed so much since the fall; nothing was certain anymore.

"Timeaus, you don't have to do that," she said gently, reaching out to touch his arm. "We'll figure something out together." Even as she spoke, her heart ached at the thought of him going without. She knew how important it was for them both to stay strong, but sometimes it felt like an impossible task.

They spent the rest of the evening in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"We'll keep looking," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "And in the meantime, we'll make do with what we have." Even as she tried to sound confident, Lucia couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled over her. She wanted nothing more than to protect Timeaus from this harsh reality, but sometimes it felt like there was no escape.

"Timeaus," she began carefully, "that's not something we should be talking about." She paused, searching his face for understanding before continuing. "It's just... I don't want you to think that I'm not grateful for everything you're doing. You're my world, and I would never do anything to hurt or take advantage of you."

Her words hung in the air like a weight, heavy with emotion. She knew how much he meant to her, but she couldn't help feeling that it wasn't enough anymore.

Lucia took a deep breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside her. "Timeaus," she said gently, reaching out to brush a stray hair from his forehead, "it's not about who works harder or who deserves more. It's about us being together and looking after each other." She paused, searching for the right words. "I know it's hard, but we just need to trust that everything will work out somehow."

Even as she spoke, she knew how fragile that trust was.

"I promise you," she said finally, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her, "we'll get through this together. No matter what." She gave him a reassuring smile, hoping that it would ease his mind even if only for a moment. "Now why don't we go to bed? Tomorrow will be another day, and I'm sure there are other things we can do to help."

She stood up, brushing off her worn clothes, and started toward their room.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," she replied softly, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just tired, that's all." In truth, she was exhausted both physically and emotionally. The weight of their situation pressed down on her like lead, making it difficult to breathe sometimes. But she knew that she couldn't show him her weakness. Not now, not ever.

She took his hand in hers gratefully and squeezed it gently before letting go. "Why don't you get some rest too?

"No," she said firmly, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. "You need those more than I do." She forced a light laugh. "I'm fine, really. Just rest up and tomorrow we'll find something else to keep ourselves busy." Even as she spoke, she knew that it was a lie. But what choice did they have?

They sat together in silence for a while longer, the weight of their shared burden almost too much to bear.

Lucia looked into his eyes as he held her hands, the sincerity and love in them almost too much to bear. She wanted nothing more than to protect him and keep him safe, but sometimes she felt like she was failing at everything. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to smile reassuringly at him.

"Timeaus," she said softly, "you're an amazing young man, and I will never forget all that you've done for me."