Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

38.

-

Riven grimaced in disgust as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, blood mixed with silva smeared on his skin,

His throat ached, his whole body hurt, and he was so tired, but he couldn't make himself fall asleep. It was hard, harder than before.

He cursed his stupid mind that was racing with unwanted thoughts. It was late at night, and most of the sick people were sleeping.

Riley was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, his arms crossed over his chest, his head down, his chin pressing against his chest, His eyes close, breathing evenly.

He was sleeping. Riven envied him, he made it look so easy, like all you had to do was close your eyes, and you'll just drift off into dreamland, forgetting all about the world, but it was different for him.

He didn't drift off to dreamland like everyone else when he did actually fall asleep. He was in a constant timeloop.

A timeloop of his life, replaying his worst memories over and over again. He guessed it was because he didn't have any happy moments in his life.

Riven let out a small quiet cough and looked at Riley, who surprisingly slept through him, vomiting nothing but blood and silva.

Riven stood up and picked up his knives, staring at them for a moment. They were new ones, and Daryl had found them a while back, giving them to Riven for a bet they made.

A bet about Rick and Michonne. The Dixon brothers saw how close they grew, and Riven made a bet that they were banging, but Daryl said they weren't.

He remembered the conversation he had with Michonne.

-

Riven causally leans against the railing, looking down at Michonne, who was cleaning her sword, "What?" She questioned without looking up.

"Are you banging, Rick?" Riven questioned, and Michonne head snapped up towards him, her eyes narrowing,

"No." her response was quick, and Riven grinned, "bullshit. you denied it so quickly."

Michonne held her sword out towards him, the tip of the sword inches away from his neck, and he laughed,

"Oh, I was right.."He smirks, "Ooh, I was right, that means Daryl owes me new knives, thanks, samurai."
-

It was never really confirmed by either Rick or Michonne, but Riven was just glad he managed to get new knives from it all.

Now that he thinks about it, he never really had the chance to threaten Rick if he ever hurt Michonne.

"..you keep staring at your knives like that, I think you had fallen in love with them." Riven turned his head towards Riley, who was awake, letting out a yawn as he stretched his arms above his head.

"I don't..fall in love, like you do, you literally cream your pants whenever you see something new you like." Riven replied, his tone teasing

Riley huffs, "I don't cream my pants, and how do you know that expression anyway? As far as I know, you're a virgin."

Riven narrowed his eyes at him, "So, what? And I lived with Merle, what do you think? That I turn out as innocent minded like most children?"

"For a virgin, you're very dirty minded, I'm just saying." Riley told him, and Riven scoffed,

"Says the guy who hasn't been laid since high school." Riley looked at him, surprised,

"Who told you that?" Riven grins at him before a cough escaped past his lips, and Riley quickly stood up, passing him the tea his father left a while ago.

"Here, drink some of this." Riley told him, and Riven looked down at the cup of tea,

"Are you trying to poison me?" Riven questioned, and Riley scoffed,

"If I was, I would've done it back at the farm." Riven chuckles and slowly drinks the tea.

Riley led him back to the bed, helping him sit, and Riven let's out a deep sigh,

"How's everyone else?" Riven questioned, and Riley shrugged,

"Beats me, I haven't checked in." Riven gives him a look,

"Please don't tell me you left your old man to deal with all those sick people by himself?" Riven said,

"I didn't." Riley replied, and Riven sighs,

"It was rhetorical, Riley. Go, help your dad, I'm fine." Riven told him, lying down,

"You had a seizure, and you were choking on your own blood. You could've died if Lizzie wasn't there." Riley told him,

Riven turned on his side, His back facing Riley, staring at the plain grey wall.

"It help you make up with your dad, Maggie said it'll work, and it did." Riven quietly said,

"Oh, so Maggie told you to go have a seizure and choke on blood?" Riley sarcastically questioned, and Riven rolled his eyes,

"No. She told me that she used to lock you and your dad in a room until the two of you made up. It always worked, and it did." Riven told him,

"Huh? She did? I always thought the door was jammed or something," Riley said before chuckling,

"Kidding, I knew she did. She wasn't so quiet about it." Riley said, letting out a small sigh

"Thank you, Riven. I mean it. You've done a lot for me and my family. You've done a lot for everyone, you and daryl both," Riley told him, rambling, "I mean, you dixons act tough, but you both real softies.."

Riven lifted his head and turned to look at Riley, "Are you banging my brother?"

Riven laughs as Riley goes into a coughing fit, his face turning red, "What? No! What gave you that expression?"

Riven shrugged, "The way you talk about him, there might be something wrong with my brain, but I'm not that stupid."

Riley frowned, "There's nothing wrong with your brain, Riven, and you're not stupid. You're actually pretty smart when you decide to actually use your brain."

"Carl was right, though, there is something wrong with me , maybe a fail safe flaw in my brain, where it keeps making me fail people." Riven quietly said

"Riven.."

"I mean, I tried to kill myself at twelve because I thought my family would care if I just dropped dead," Riven interrupted,

"I'm not suicidal... but at that time, I kinda wished I was dead. Maybe it would've saved everyone the pain of meeting me." Riven said,

"Bullshit, "Riley scoffed, shaking his head, "without you, most of us would probably be dead, Michonne wouldn't have her best friend, Beth wouldn't have a crush on you,"

"Wait, she has a crush on me?"

"I'm saying is that you're important to everyone, Riven, and as much as it pains me to admit it, Judith wouldn't have a favorite person if you weren't around." Riley told him,

Riven smiled, "it wasn't much of a competition there, Riley. I've been her favorite since we met."

Riley chuckled, "I think you're everyone's favorite, kid."

"Not Carl's, apparently." Riven mumbled, and Riley raised an eyebrow at him,

"What? Did he say something to you? Hey, I may be in my thirties, but I can beat that kid up if you want me to." Riley offered, and Riven shook his head, lying his head back on the pillow.

"Nah, it's fine. He's a kid. He doesn't understand much about me..that makes two of us," Riven quietly said,

"I don't even understand me."

⭐️
1229 words

Thoughts?