ORDER (sequel to Trouble) [TWD]

happy place

Nope.

Absolutely not.

Dozens of people, laughing, talking, drinking, dressed prim and proper, and absolutely not.

Nanami turns on his heel as he got close enough to the house the see through a window.

"Nanami!" a voice calls for him- the direction of the party.

Nanami flinches, shoulders tensing up as he closes his eyes and slowly turns.

"Hey," he speaks, careful and cautious.

His eyes peel open, seeing Carl standing on the deck of the porch, hands on the railing as he looked down to Nanami.

"Are you not coming in?" Carl asks, "It's not that bad."

"Um.." Nanami sighs, "I was.. But.."

Carl turns to look at the door, then back to Nanami, "You can come with me. I''m hanging out with Ron and Mikey."

"I don't know," Nanami hesitates, "It's not really my scene."

"Mine either," Carl agrees, "But, we can go together."

Nanami's heart was racing and he curses the anxiety he was feeling. Over going into the party. He blinks, meeting Carl's eyes only to feel his heart pick up speed even more.

"Nah, I uh.." Nanami looks away, wiping his hands on his jeans, "I'm just gonna go rest. Have some time to chill."

"Are you sure?" Carl frowns.

"Yeah," Nanami nods, "Thanks, though."

Before Carl could say anything else, Nanami is all but jogging down the street.

--

"What's good Keith Urban?" Sakiko calls to Daryl.

"Who?" Daryl asks.

"Some singer. Saw him on a CD and he's got the same hair as you," she shrugs, "You not gonna go to the gathering?"

"The par-"

Sakiko's eyes flare up and Daryl scoffs, finding that the girl had a new trigger word.

"Hell no," he denies, "Aaron tried to get me to go. But, nah."

"Smart," Sakiko nods.

"You been out here all day?" he asks, taking his jacket off to wrap around Sakiko's shoulders.

"Yeah," she nods, pulling the jacket tighter around her, "I like the water here. It's quiet. Not like the freakin' mansions around us."

Daryl grunts as he sits down beside her, "Houses are big, huh?"

"Nana and I always shared a room. You saw the old house," she reminds, "Then, we slept in tents and stuff.. The houses feel so empty cause they're so big. Does that make sense?"

"It does," Daryl assures, "I used to sleep on the couch in Merle and I's old place. Didn't even have two rooms."

Sakiko smiles a bit, surprised to hear Merle's name so open.

"He'd fucking hate it here."

Daryl nods, "He would."

"I kinda hate it here."

"Only 'kinda'?"

"It does feel nice to not sleep on the ground for once. Showers are rad, too."

"I feel gross," Nanami declares as he walks over, "Shower or no shower."

"Thought you were going to the thing?" Sakiko questions as Nanami sits on the other side of Daryl.

"I didn't even make it to the porch."