Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️SEVENTY-FIVE: WON'T LET YOU DOWN⚠️

"You okay, (Y/n)?"

Once you reached the main floor, you ran into Ethan. He was holding onto his bat as usual, yet he looked... Different than you were used to seeing him.

His usual neutral and unbothered expression was now riddled with worry and doubt. He seemed on edge, as if disaster could strike at any moment.

"Yeah, uh... Lawrence just wanted to show me something," you explained awkwardly, still feeling odd about it.

"How is Lawrence?" Ethan asked, making you cringe inside. Ethan had always been one of the closest to Lawrence - he was strong and dependable, and took leader's orders without question. He'd never been away from Lawrence's side this long, ever since you'd known the two of them.

"Lawrence. He's, um," you begin slowly, trying to come up with a way to describe the leader's current state without causing Ethan too much worry.

Ethan seemed to find the answer in your hesitance.

"Not great," he finished for you, and you sighed, giving a reluctant nod.

"He's become a bit obsessive over studying the infection," you told him, feeling conflicted. On one hand, Lawrence's behavior made you feel sympathetic for his tireless work and efforts to protect his friends. On the other...

Lawrence was dangerous. There was no putting it lightly.

Not to mention. . . His obsessive personality didn't end with zombies and the virus.

There had been something nagging you for months. About Lawrence. About his interactions with you, and his interactions with others who mistreated you. Interactions that had only become more blatantly alarming as time went by.

You were certain... Lawrence was obsessed with keeping you safe, more than anyone else.

You weren't exactly sure why, or when it started. But now that the pieces were coming together, it was impossible to ignore that.

"Maybe he's just trying to think of the bigger picture," Ethan suggested, but even he looked skeptical.

He stood there, thinking for a long moment, before shaking his head with a sigh. You saw emotions cross his face that you had never seen - resignation, defeat, and uncertainty. He propped his bat up, leaning on it.

"We need to leave," he said.

You were surprised by his words. Ethan had already been thinking about leaving as well? It made your heart flutter with hope.

"Everyone's getting worse around here," Ethan went on, looking troubled. "Lawrence keeps himself locked in the basement. Eugene stays upstairs. Zion doesn't stop pacing around and trains for hours in the gym. And I haven't heard anything from Harry, except at meals."

You were even more surprised at Ethan's observations. Ethan always made himself appear laid back, not taking anything too seriously or analyzing things too deeply. He was simple... But all this time, he had been keeping an eye on everything.

"I... Already talked to Zion and Eugene," you reply. "We're all in agreement, too. We can't stay here. I'm... Surprised you feel the same, Ethan."

Part of you had expected Ethan to be more reluctant to act against Lawrence. He was the most loyal of the group to the leader, even when Lawrence's actions were questionable.

Ethan raised a brow.

"Do I really seem that dense?" he asked, and you immediately felt embarassed and guilty for implying such a thing.

"No, that's not what I meant," you reassured him quickly, shaking your head. "It's just... A lot of us have felt in the past that it's better not to go against Lawrence, to try and keep the peace. You always seemed to go along with whatever he thought best."

Ethan took your words into consideration, thinking silently.

"You're right," he agreed thoughtfully. "I did go along with Lawrence. I thought he was the most dependable of the guys, back then. Zion and Harry were both too emotional, in their own ways. Eugene preferred to do his own thing, rather than be a leader. And everyone else..."

He paused. Everyone else.

They were all gone now.

"Lawrence was most like me. Logical, straightforward. Not overly emotional, and a smart thinker. But... I'm not dumb."

"Lawrence has lost himself these months," Ethan admit. "He's much more emotional than any of the guys, now. He's more violent, too. And his sense of morals..."

Ethan shakes his head. It's obvious the situation is grim.

"At the rate we're going, we might end up being our own biggest obstacle," you agreed. "We can hardly make any major decisions as a team without it blowing up into a fist fight. And with tensions this high, it's even worse."

You hang your head, feeling a clench of your heart. Things used to be so different. These were the best friends you'd ever had... Now, it was like no one wanted anything to do with each other.

Ethan putting a hand on your shoulder brought you back from your thoughts.

"I always thought things would end up alright if I could just stick it out with Lawrence," he confessed, the look in his eyes sincere, as he bent down a little to bring you two face-to-face. "But I don't want to do that anymore. I don't want to be loyal to a guy like Lawrence."

Your heart was racing. Ethan was saying everything you'd been thinking. And he was so close to you now.

"I want to be loyal to someone strong, dependable, and smart," he said softly, his voice full of feeling. "Someone who can be compassionate, but firm when they need to. Someone who wants the best for all of us."

"I want to be loyal to you, (Y/n)."

Your eyes widened at his words, your heart skipping a beat.

"Me?" you repeated, your voice sounding weak. You were shocked by this. You never knew Ethan held you in such high regard.

He nodded, looking as serious as ever.

"You're everything a leader should be, (Y/n)," he said confidently. Then his voice softened. "You're everything... I want to work alongside. To stick by. To protect."

You didn't know what to say. You weren't even sure if you were breathing properly.

"I'm not loyal to Lawrence anymore," he whispered. "From now on... You call the shots for me, (Y/n). Whatever it is, whatever you need me to do... I'll do it. And..."

He gave you a small smile, a rare sight from Ethan.

"I'll be happy to," he finished, smiling.

You were dumbfounded. Zion, Eugene, and now even Ethan. They all trusted you, not just as a friend... But with some of the biggest responsibilities of the entire group. Trusted you more than their own leader.

"Ethan..." you murmured, your heart pounding at this new sense of responsibility. "I promise... I won't let you down. I won't disappoint you. Any of you."

Then, without thinking about it, you pulled him into a hug, holding him tight. He was always so strong, and now... He was offering his strength to you.

"(Y/n)," Ethan said, squeezing you back just as tight.

"You could never disappoint me."