The Story of Rudy || The walking dead

40. Trouble in paradise

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"..you know for once I actually like to wake up next to you." Mitch spoke as he walked over to Rudy, who was cleaning his knife with a rag,

Anakin lay by his feet, snoring away with no care in the world.

Rudy lifted his head and looked at Mitch, "thought I let you sleep in."

"For the past whole week we've been here?" Mitch asked, sitting down next to him,taking in the spots of blood on Rudy's clothing.

He was wearing regular clothes, baggy shorts with a grey t-shirt, and his black combat boots. A red worn-out cap that's backward,

"Yep." Rudy reply was short and simple, putting his knife away once it was all clean.

"..still waking up at the same hour as you used to at the CRM." It wasn't a question but a fact.

"I can't just turn it off. You know that." Rudy told him, standing up, and Mitch stood up, walking beside Rudy.

It was early, and there were a few people outside, a few of them still waking up, or still sleeping.

Anakin ran past them, probably heading home to sleep.

"Are you even trying?" Rudy threw Mitch a look,

"Of course, I'm trying, but it's not easy, and you should know that you were at the CRM too, but instead of working, you were slacking off. That's why your sleep schedule is all over the place." Rudy told him,

Mitch sighed, "Look, I'm worried about you, okay? So, sue me if I'm trying to look out for you and that I want to wake up to my husband in the mornings."

"Not husband yet," Rudy mumbled before he stopped and turned to Mitch, smiling at him, "I understand your side completely,"

"But seriously, save the worrying for our kids." With that, Rudy turned around and continued walking.

Mitch huffed, quickly catching up with Rudy, "You don't understand if you're telling me to stop worrying about you."

"No, I understand completely, I just want you to stop worrying about me because I can see the grey hairs forming already." Rudy replied with a teasing grin.

Mitch gasped, his hands flying to hair, "wait, seriously!?"

Rudy let out a small laugh, "No, but you should've seen your face."

Mitch playfully rolled his eyes, smiling, playfully shoving Rudy.

"..looks like you two are early birds." Mitch and Rudy looked over and saw Carol walking towards them with a smile on her face.

She eyed the blood on Rudy's clothing, but she didn't say anything about it,

"Just heading back home." Mitch said, throwing an arm over Rudy's shoulders, pulling him close.

Carol scared him. She may look like some innocent old lady, but she wasn't.

She threatened him after Michonne had told her that he and Rudy were engaged.

She threatened to kill him in the most brutal ways a man could imagine if he hurt Rudy. Luckily for him, Rudy came to save him without even knowing about Carol's death threats.

Mitch was amazed at how quickly Carol could switch from killer mode to sweet old lady mode.

The kids loved her, calling her Aunt Carol, but the kids loved Uncle Ezekiel more.

He used to have a tiger, but sadly, the tiger passed away.

"He is. I'm not, need something?" Rudy questioned, going into his lieutenant phase that he still got.

It freaked most people out, not used to seeing Rudy so serious, so stern, but most of all scary.

The children thought he was awesome, always trying to imitate him whenever he was in the lieutenant phase.

"Just heading out." Carol replied, and Rudy nodded,

"I'll come with."

Mitch let out a sighed, "he'll be right there." Carol nodded, sending him a look before walking away.

"What? You look annoyed." Rudy noticed, and Mitch chuckled,

"What gave it away? My expression, my tone?" He sarcastically asked, sighing,

"You're annoyed with me." Rudy said, frowning, wondering what he did wrong.

"Yeah, no shit," Mitch replied, shaking his head, "It's fine, just go, like you always do, I'll have to go wake up the kids."

Rudy watched Mitch walk away, and he sighed before heading towards Carol.

He walked beside her in silence, his hands in his pockets.

"Everything okay with the two of you?" Carol questioned, glancing at Rudy as the two of them walked out of the gates of the new Alexandria.

Rudy glanced at her before shrugging, "he's mad at me."

Carol hummed, "And you don't know why."

Rudy nodded, "Yeah, I don't know why, it's not my fault my body isn't accustomed to waking up late, or that I'm not used to living a normal life yet,"

"It's not as easy for me than it was for him. It's only been a week, and I need more time." Rudy sighed, kicking a rock to the side.

"Have you tried telling him that? Telling him everything? And I just don't mean some stuff, I mean everything." Carol questioned,

That was the problem. Rudy couldn't just tell Mitch everything that happened to him in the CRM. He wanted to, but the second he tried, it was like the words he's trying to say are being blocked by something, and he couldn't get the words out.

It usually ended up with him being frustrated in himself. Mitch was trying, but Rudy couldn't even try without getting frustrated.

He was also afraid. He was afraid that if he told Mitch everything that Mitch wouldn't want him anymore.

He was scared of Mitch finding out how broken he actually was. He was afraid of Mitch seeing his scars and thinking they were hideous.

"..where are we heading anyways?" Rudy asked, changing the subject as he glanced around his surroundings,

"Here." Carol walked away from him and towards a vehicle she had hidden, uncovering it, she turned the engine on.

"I'm heading towards the Docks, I have weeks of supplies." Carol told him, and Rudy glanced inside of the car before looking at Carol.

"This is more than just for one person." He said, and Carol smiled at him.

"I don't think you would've let me leave to go look for Daryl by myself." She said, and Rudy chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, I wouldn't."

🪓

Once they arrived at the Docks, Rudy helped Carol load up the boat, and he grabbed the radio in one of the bags, turning it on.

He stared down at it as he held it in his hand, debating if he should radio Mitch, but he was annoyed at him the last time he checked.

".. Carol, you there?" Startled, Rudy accidentally dropped the radio, and he tried to catch it, but it only ended up with him accidentally dropping it into the ocean.

Carol let out a laugh, amused as Rudy snapped his head towards her,

"I didn't mean to do that."

Carol chuckled, "You owe me a radio."

Rudy nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

"Cut the ma'am, shit."

Rudy grinned to himself, saluting Carol.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

🪓

1170 words

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