VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴1

Eleanor's eyes open, looking up at the bare ceiling above her. She sighs, throwing her blanket to the side and rolling to the edge of the bed. Holding onto her bed, she drops down to the floor.

"Wakey, wakey," she kicks Beth's hand that was hanging off her bed.

"No," Beth mumbles under her sheet. 

"You've gotta watch a kid."

"Judith.." Beth breathes, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Early. I don't know."

"I was talking to Zach all night. Goodness," Beth giggles, turning to place her feet on the floor.

"Gag," Eleanor shoots her sister a glare. "Just don't make me cover for you next time. I've been covering you and your activities with boys since I was little and didn't know what you were doing."

"We weren't doing anything! And besides.. you know Jimmy was different."

"Yeah, that's what you said about Hunter, too."

"Whatever," Beth smiles, pushing Ellie. "You'll get it someday. When you find a boyfriend."

"Gross. Men."

"I'll catch up with you for lunch, okay?"

Ellie sends Beth a peace sign and the two go their separate ways. 

Ellie hums to herself. For a second it sounded like a song she and Beth had written a long time ago and it causes her to stop. It was always Matthew's favorite song to hear them sing.

She shakes the memories out of her head, taking a lazy stroll around the prison. She rests against the bar doors, a chill from the metal going up her arm and down her back.

The Woodbury people in her living quarters felt like ants infecting her personal life. They were scattered every where and it was frustrating to see their faces in her area.

The Governor.. He almost killed Glenn and Maggie. He did kill Merle and Andrea.

Rick had told her that it wasn't the same. These people weren't him. They were innocent lives that had no idea  the kind of person that their leader was. They were kids, elders, and everyone in between.

Eleanor scoffs at the memory of Rick trying to calm her down, heading back to her cell. She thought about going outside, but then she'd see even more of the people she was annoyed by.

"Lazy day?" Carl asks her as he steps out from his cell.

"You're the one that just woke up," she teases.

"My dad didn't wake me up. I'm supposed to help him in the fields. Wanna tag along?"

Ellie's top lip curls as she hums. "Just you two?"

"I think your dad is out there, too."

Ellie tilts her head back and forth. "Okay. I'll be farm girl for the day, I guess."

The two make their way outside and Ellie groans at the sight of all the people. This was why she didn't want to come out here. She keeps her head high, though. She and Carl fall into conversation about when they might get their weapons back as they walk to the fields.

"Here comes trouble," Rick teases as they get closer. "Nice to see you out, Ellie. How are you feeling?"

"I'm here. That's something, right?"

"It is," Rick assures, patting her shoulder. "You here to help out?"

"Yeah. Carl said my dad would be here, too."

"He's up sending Glenn off. There's that Big Lot run today. He should be down soon."

"Well, what can I do?" she asks, forcing a smile.

Rick gives her a real smile. He was happy to see the young girl bouncing back after.. everything.

"If you feel up to it, you can start uh.. making the holes."

"Tilling?" she asks.

"Yes," Rick points like he already knew the word.

"It's a work-in-progress, Sheriff."

"That it is," he agrees, handing her a hoe.

"Beth used to come down and help. Ever since she and Zach started dating.." Carl makes a face.

"Aw, poor lover boy," Ellie whispers with a giggle.

"I do not have a crush on Beth."

"You used to," she reminds. "Back at the farm. And when we first got here. Admit it, Copper, you get your heart stolen by anyone and everyone."

"Maggie's prettier."

Ellie rolls her eyes and Carl snickers.

"Please," she scoffs. "Maggie has her head up Glenn's ass too much to pay attention to anyone else."

"You really should start being nicer to her, you know."

Ellie shoots him a look before slashing her tool into the ground. "Just because you're a sibling now doesn't mean you know it all."

"I know that I wouldn't want Judith to hate me like you hate Maggie."

"I don't hate Maggie," she clarifies. "We've just.. never got on. I've told you this a million times."

"It's worse now, though. Ever since Matth-"

"Don't."

Carl gives her another look.

."Don't," she repeats, this time sounding more like a beg.

"You gotta talk about it, El. You're the one that got me to talk through my shit with Shane and my mom."

"That's different," she brushes it off. "He wasn't my dad. He was just.. someone that was there."

"And Shane wasn't my dad. I still had to talk about it."

On the tip of her tongue, Ellie feels a comment of 'but he is Judith's' threatening to come out. She bites it back in favor of stabbing into the ground once again.

"You know I'm here when you're ready," Carl sighs. "All you gotta do is let me know."

Guilt stirs up in her stomach as she thanks the God above she didn't say anything out of the way to him.

"Thanks, Carl."