#V practically rapping the bible verses in their head

[childrenofcain-if]

Going to make sure my MCs were the most sluttiest yet practical gear when they go hiking with V. V prayed for an angel but God gave them a devil instead.

Those water breaks are going to be torture.

the sun was a pale disc in a milky sky, casting a diffusing, almost celestial glow over the forest. the air was heavy with the smell of pine and earth, each breath a blend of freshness and decay, as though the very air were steeped in the steps of everyone who walked here before you.

V led the way, their steps sure and steady, navigating the rocky trail with the kind of practiced ease that spoke of someone who had spent a lifetime in the wilderness. their back was straight, their shoulders squared against the weight of the small, rugged backpack that seemed almost an extension of their body. the forest had always been their sanctuary, a place where the tangled underbrush and towering trees offered a kind of solace they found nowhere else.

you followed just a few steps behind, your figure contrasting against the muted greens and browns of the forest. your outfit, while practical enough for hiking—sturdy boots, fitted cargo pants, a lightweight jacket tied around your waist—was also undeniably provocative. the top you wore clung to your skin, accentuating every curve and line with a casual sensuality that seemed almost out of place amidst this wild corner of nature. the fabric was thin, clinging to you in the heat, and V couldn’t help but notice the way it shifted with each movement, catching the light in ways that made their breath hitch, just for a moment, before they forced their eyes forward once more.

it was impossible to ignore, try as V might. the rough terrain did little to distract them, each step only serving to heighten their awareness of you right behind them, your proximity comforting but also maddening. V could feel their resolve slipping, their grip on the silver cross around their neck tightening with every passing moment. the chain felt cold against their flushed skin, a stark contrast to the heat that had settled in their chest, burning away any remnants of rational thought they could muster.

the trail steepened, the forest closing in around them, and V could hear your breath quickening just behind them, could almost feel the warmth of their presence brushing against their back. you reached a small clearing, a break in the trees where a fallen log offered a makeshift bench.

“need a break?” your voice cut through the heavy silence, casual and almost playful, as if you weren’t entirely aware of the strange heat brewing in V’s chest. or maybe you were, and that made it worse. the devil, after all, had a habit of wearing a familiar face, didn’t they?

“yes,” V said, the word coming out more breathless than intended. they cleared their throat, trying to regain some semblance of composure, as they nodded toward a shaded area up ahead. “water break sounds good.”

you smiled—a lazy, knowing thing—and made your way to the spot, pulling out a bottle of water from your bag as you settled onto the fallen log. V followed suit, but with none of your ease. they sat beside you, keeping a careful distance as they took a slow sip of water, hoping it would cool the fire that was threatening to consume them from the inside out. but then you shifted closer, the movement so subtle yet so deliberate, it felt like a test. a test of how much you could push them before they broke.

“V?” you asked, voice soft and laced with concern, but also with a hint of subtle amusement . “are you okay?”

V swallowed hard, right hand reaching to grab the cross around their neck as they tried to focus on anything but the way your hand had brushed against theirs.

“i’m fine,” they managed, though it sounded more strained than they wanted.

your gaze lingered on them, and for a moment, they thought you might press the issue. but instead, you leaned back, stretching out with a contented sigh, oblivious—or maybe just uncaring—of the effect you were having on them. and as your shirt lifted slightly, revealing a sliver of skin, V’s fingers tightened around their cross, knuckles going white.

‘lord, shield me from temptation, protect me from these sinful thoughts,’ they recited in their head. ‘purify my heart, o god, and make me whole. let not desire lead me astray, for i am weak, and i need your strength. i seek refuge in your grace, that i may not falter in the face of temptation. guide me, lord, keep me pure, and grant me the will to resist. in your mercy, i place my trust, and in your name, i find my salvation. amen.’

you threw a smirk over at them, as if you could hear the prayer in their head. as if you knew that no amount of devotion, no amount of faith could exorcise how you had taken root in their thoughts, twisting them in ways they never wanted to admit.