LOYAL [TWD] (third book to TROUBLE)

glenn and maggie

Why did Nanami wake up?

He sighs, rolling over to put his feet on the floor.

He looks over to the bed, rolling his neck in pain from the uncomfortable position he was lying on the couch. Maggie was still asleep. Good. This was probably the first night since they got here that he woke up before him. First morning that he woke up to silence instead of Maggie puking through her morning sickness.

Nanami stands up, rubbing his eyes, and walking to the table. He writes a little note for Maggie, just telling her to rest up and he was going to go do some work.

Earn their keep. That's what he and Sasha signed up for. Rather that be doing the Hilltop's laundry, cleaning animal corrals, or whatever Gregory threw at them.. He was going to keep doing that.

But, he had something to do first.

He leaves the note for Maggie there, tossing a blanket over her to keep her warm. He felt himself smile when she snuggled further into the warmth.

He walks out of the trailer as quiet as he could manage, heading to the graves of Abraham and Ryan.

"Hey," he breathes, "Sasha's doing good. She's.. Really helping me out a ton. I wouldn't be able to do all this without her."

He removes the old flowers, knowing Jesus would replace them with fresh ones. Then, he takes the ones from Ryan's grave and sighs.

"Still no word on Kiko.." he tells Ryan's grave, "But.. I'm holding out hope. She'll be home soon."

--

Sakiko throws the cork from the wine bottle up in the air, catching it just before it hit her face.

"You're gonna break something," Sherry tells her.

"Good."

Sherry laughs a little, shaking her head.

"You got any work today?" she asks.

"I might. I wanna get my dad some shoes."

"I could get them for you-"

"Nah," Sakiko denies, "You've already given me enough. You've helped me keep him from eating dog food for days now. I can't keep leeching off you."

"It's not leeching if I am telling you to do it."

"I need to do this. I need to figure this out."

"Why.." Sherry sighs, sitting down next to Sakiko, "Why don't you just do it?"

"Marry him?"

"It's not ideal. You know my story. But, it could save your dad. And it would get you a lot more at ease."

Sakiko sits up straight just to fall back against the couch.

"Besides, it's not like it's an actual marriage. It's not like I had to sign divorce papers on Dwight."

"Negan killed my husband," Sakiko reminds, "If I was in your position, maybe I would've done the same to.. to keep Ryan alive."

Sherry frowns, reaching over to rub Sakiko's shoulder.

"I didn't agree with marriage before. I've never seen a relationship work out until my in laws. Then.. I had Ry," Sakiko's eyes tear up and she blinks away the emotions, "I'm still married. I.. I can't move on. I won't move on."

"This isn't moving on. It's using him to get a better life."

"No," Sakiko shakes her head.

"Why?"