Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

12.

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"..No, you keep whatever is in that thing, far away from." Riven told Hershel, who held a needle in his hands,

Shane had returned earlier, just with the supplies and no Otis. Otis had died when getting the supplies, but something told Riven it was bullshit. The way Shane sounded when he told the story, it sounded fake, but Riven didn't have time to think about it when Hershal pulled out a needle.

"It's too numb the pain while I pull out the bullet." Hershel told him, and Riven shook his head,

"No, I don't want it." Riven said, and Daryl scoffs from beside him,

"Would you stop being so stubborn and let the old man prick you." Daryl told him, and Riven glares at him,

"I don't want drugs in my body," Riven turns his head towards Hershel, "last time someone injected me with a needle, I almost ended up addicted,"

"Just pull out the bullet, I'll be fine. Trust me, I've dealt with worse things." Riven told him, and Hershel sighs, placing the needle down,

"Alright, Riley, Daryl, you hold him down. Don't let him move so much." Hershel ordered, and Daryl nodded, putting a hand on Riven shoulder, and Riley held his legs.

"Now, Riven, why don't you talk to me? Tell me why you hate needles so much?" Hershel questioned, trying to distract Riven as he grabs tools to take out the bullet.

"What are you? My imaginary therapist?" Riven questioned, gritting his teeth as Hershel starts the process of removing the bullet.

"Keep talking to me." Hershel demands.

"..I ain't afraid of needles, shit, I just don't like what's in them.." Riven clenched his eyes shut,

"My brother. My other brother, Merle, his friends, used to come over, and I don't remember how old.." Riven, let's out a groan, opening his eyes to glare at Hershel as pain filled his entire body.

"..I was..and one of his friends..he..caught me in the bathroom..and he injected me with somethin' in my neck..it made feel weird.." Riven mumbled, his eyes slowly closing.

"Don't hate needles...hate what's in them.." Riven's eyes closed, his head turning to the side,

"Hey!" Daryl shook Riven's shoulder, a worry look in his eyes, thinking the worse,

"He's just unconscious, probably passed out because of the pain." Hershel told him, and Daryl briefly glanced at him before looking down at Riven with a frown,

Riven never told him any of that, but then again, why would he? He was a shit brother to Riven,

Maybe it was because he was jealous at first. Their dad paid more attention to Riven when he was a baby, actually tried to be a good dad, but it didn't work out in the end,

At some point, he felt satisfied watching Riven go through the same thing he and Merle did, but then he started feeling bad for the kid, and he tried to be a better brother but it was hard,

Riven didn't make it easy either. He was always angry, and he never outright showed it.

Riven wasn't a loud, angry person until he snapped, and he's been doing that a lot lately.

He heard Riven and Riley talking earlier, and he felt jealous that his own little brother trusted a complete stranger, but it was his fault.

He didn't make it easy for Riven to trust him, to come to him and talk.

He was going to change that, and he was going to take the chance that Riven wouldn't be able to walk to speak to Riven.

"..bullets out," Hershel spoke, with a heavy sigh, "he needs to rest, and I mean it."

Daryl nods, watching as Hershel starts to stitch Riven's wound,

"I'll make sure he rests."

⭐️

The next time Riven awakes, he wasn't as much pain as before, and he was alone again.

He lets out a small groan as he sits up and swings his legs over the bed, taking a deep breath before standing up.

"..shit." Riven muttered under his breath,placing a hand on his wound,

"Just like always, Riven..don't be a pathetic little shit. You can handle this." He thinks to himself, and he sees his jacket draped over the chair, and he grabs it,

Carefully putting it on before he walks out of the room and into the hallway.

He could hear chatter outside, familiar voices reaching his ears, he reaches the top of the stairs, and holds the railing as he walks down the stairs,

Upon reaching the end of the stairs, he paused as he saw Shane leaving a room,

"The fuck happened to your hair?" Riven questioned, wondering why Shane didn't have hair, "did the walkers take your wig?"

Shane glares at him, "No. I saved my head. Shouldn't you be in bed rest?" Shane asked,

Riven steps off the last step, "bald isn't a good look on you. You look like a goose egg."

"Keep talkin', and I'll have a reason to shoot you again." Shane threatened, and Riven smirked, stepping up to him.

"I'll like to see you try." He quietly said before stepping aside of Shane, and Shane grabbed his arm, stopping him, and Riven turned his head towards him,

"I'd be grateful if I were you, I did bring back those medical supplies that saved your life." Shane told him, and Riven scoffs, shrugging Shane's hand off of him,

"Yeah? I think I should be more grateful to the man who shot me, right? Cause he's the one who gave his life for those medical supplies," Riven leans closer,

"Tell me, Shane," his voice just above a whisper, "Did you kill him cause he shot Carl? Wanted justice for a boy who isn't yours?"

"You have no idea what you are talking about," Shane told him, "but I keep my mouth shut if I were you.." He leans in closer,

"Wouldn't want you suddenly dyin' on us." The threat was clear, but yet Riven showed no fear.

He wasn't scared of Shane.

Riven grins,

"I'll like to see you try."

⭐️

1020 words

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