traded my life [TWD]

『90』

Slowly, man after man, they exit the room. There's only two left- Daniel and another.

"You mind?" Daniel asks the man. "Go wank in the bathroom, Len."

"That's your first time finally claiming something," Len says.

Daniel smiles. He rests his hand on my side and I send him a glare. "Guess I just couldn't pass her up."

I peer over Daniel's shoulder at Len. He sighs and scowls at the back of Daniel's head.

"You wanna watch?" Daniel asks. "Or are you gonna fuck off?"

Len doesn't move. Daniel looks down at me and rubs his lips together. He pushes me back into the wall, resting an arm over my head as he leans in, face near my neck.

"Asshole," Len complains, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

Daniel is still for a few seconds. Then, he glances behind him.

"You okay?" he asks.

My eyes widen. I push him off me. "What the hell is wrong with you? Who are you?"

"I'm your goddamn knight in shining armor, that's who," he scoffs. "You have any idea what they were about to do to you?"

I swallow roughly, but don't answer.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," he whispers. "But, I had to put on a show or else those pricks wouldn't let it go."

"You're with them," I remind and pick up my bag. "You're a prick, too."

"It's difficult," he argues.

"Well, thanks for 'helping' me. Now, can I go?"

"Go?" he repeats. "You expect to just walk away?"

"Tell them you had your fun. After you blew your load, you blew my brains out," I offer. "I have to go."

"Do you have a group?"

My eyes roll so hard I felt dizzy. "None of your business. Move."

Daniel side steps and blocks my way to the door.

"Are you serious?" I ask.

"They'll hunt you down," he informs. "And they won't stop."

"Then tell them you killed me," I urge.

"No body, no crime," he defends. "They won't believe it.. Besides, it's not the first time this has happened."

"Well, aren't you just a saint," I scoff.

"Not me. My friend," he explains.

"Look, man.. I'm gonna be honest with you- I don't give a shit," I say. "Now, let me go."

"Let me come with you."

I fight the urge to laugh out loud in his face.

"I'm serious," he pushes. "Can't you see that I'm not like these guys?"

"I'm not in the mood for this bullshit, okay?"

"Those assholes are maniacs. Either we get away together, or.. you're just gonna have to stay with us."

"Is that a threat?" I question.

"No, it's common sense. If you try to leave without my help, they'll make you wish you were dead. If we go together.. we got a shot."

There's a tense silence between us. He looks desperate. Begging.

"How many walkers have you killed?" I ask.

"Walkers? Like the dead?" he asks and I nod. "Just.. however many I needed to get by. How does this correlate with anything-"

"How many people have you killed?" I cut him off.

Daniel hesitates.

I go to push past him, but he grabs my arm to stop me.

"One," he answers.

I look down at his grip on my arm, then his eyes. "Why?"

He rubs him lips nervously. "Because if I didn't.. then he'd be another monster. Either way, I'd have to kill him. I didn't want to see him turn, so I.."

I jerk my arm free from him.

He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs. "It was my brother. He was too soft and caring for this world.. He couldn't kill our friend that turned already. He attacked and Ben got bit.. So, I.."

"I didn't ask how," I remind.

"What was the point in that?" he asks, throat restricted with emotions.

"Evaluation," I answer simply. "Your own personal assesment."

"Did I pass?" he jokes, shaking off the heaviness in the air.

I look up at him carefully. He did. His answers were just right.. Rick would let him in. Hershel would.

"For now," I decide. "Now, can we go?"

"We?" he repeats, a small smile on his lips.

"You said both of us or neither of us," I remind. "So, are we going, or not?"

He smiles fully and straps his bag to his back. "We're going."

I head to the door, but pause. I look up at him again, his frame over my shoulder as he was ready to be on guard.

"What?" he asks.

"Wah," I complain. "Too bad you're an ashsole. You're hot."

"What?" he asks, dumfounded.

I smile this time. "Nothing."

"You never answered my one question," he says. "One question for three is only fair."

"My group is seperated right now. That's why I need to go."

"Your family?"

"My son. My.. other kids. My.." I hesitate on Rick's postion in my life. "My dad. Uncle, too."

Daniel reaches out to my face, like he was going to brush my hair back and I recoil back. He sighs and drops his hand to his side. "We'll find them."

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

the chemistry is chemistrifying