Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

77.

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".. I want to apologize for what I said," Adan spoke as he laid in his bed. They were back at the sanctuary now, and Riven was forced to share a room with Adan of all people.

Thankfully, they got different beds, and he only had to share with Oreo, who was sleeping soundly by his head.

"Back at Hilltop. I didn't mean it." Adan turned on his side, facing Riven, whose back was turned on him.

"You are not baggage, Ri. You are like, super cool, a total douche, but I like you." Adan told him, a small chuckle escaping him.

Riven stared at the plain grey wall in front of him, hearing Adan speak to him, apologizing for what he said back at Hilltop.

Riven had been called a lot of names before by his father and his brothers. Being called something wasn't new, but it still hurt him.

He didn't show it, of course. He couldn't let people know that their words affected him in more ways than they knew.

He buried those words deep down inside of him, and he carried them around for a very long time.

They were right, which is why it was so hurtful to hear those words coming from them, from the people he cared about.

"I was hurt, you know? When you punched me in the face, that hurt my feelings, usually I wouldn't care, but there's something different about you," Adan continued to speak, sitting up,

"I actually like you, like, like like you." Adan admitted,

Riven didn't know what to do with that. He didn't like Adan like that. As a matter of fact, he never liked anyone like that.

He never had a crush before, nor had any type of romantic feelings for anyone. He always thought it was weird, all of it.

It confused him at most times, and it frightened him as well. The thought of being with another scared him.

It always had. The thought of another touching him in ways others did without his consent terrified him.

"..Riven." A hand suddenly touched his arm, and he flinched, sitting up with a wince, and Oreo loudly barked at Adan, who raised his hands, backing up.

Oreo growled at him, and Riven stared at Adan with slightly wide eyes. His breathing was picking up,

Riven narrowed his eyes into a glare, trying to keep himself from having a panic attack, "Don't touch me."

"Sorry, I just thought you probably fell asleep." Adan said, eyeing Oreo,

Riven pulled Oreo closer to him, "I'm leavin', don't follow me."

Riven quickly put on his boots, not really bothering with his shoelaces, and he limped out of the room, closing the door behind him with a slight slam.

He quickly wandered down the hallway, not really paying attention to which way he was going. He just needed to get far away from Adan's room.

As he turned a corner, his head connected with a chest, and he stumbled back by the force of colliding with another person, and he narrowed his eyes before relaxing a little when he saw it was only Reagan.

Reagan stood in front of him, slightly surprised that Riven had bumped into him, and he looked down at Riven with a questioning gaze, "Shouldn't you be bunking with Adan?"

If his tone was a bit bitter by the fact that Riven had decided to bunk with Adan, well, that was his business and his business alone.

Riven's arms tightened around Oreo at the mention of Adan. Reagan noticed, and he tensed,

"Did he do something to you?" Reagan asked, and Riven shook his head,

"No, I just.."He trailed off, and he let out a small sighed, "he snores, and I can't really con..conc..con..shit, I can't really think with all that snoring."

Reagan hummed, "It's concentrate."

Riven glared at him, and Reagan simply smiled at him. "You had it. You just doubted yourself."

Riven continued to just stare at Reagan, and Reagan sighed, "So, you and your mutt just taking a walk?"

Riven nodded, "Yeah, so if you excuse us." He stepped aside of Reagan and walked past him, but Reagan's hand shot out, grabbing Riven's arm.

Riven flinched back, stumbling, but Reagan wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him closer to keep him from falling.

Their faces were inches away from each other, and Reagan stared into Riven's eyes, feeling his heart began to flutter in his chest,

Then a paw smacked against his face, and he pulled away from Riven, who eyed him with a judgmental look in his eyes, his mutt matching his expression.

"Did your mutt just slap me?" Reagan questioned in a ridiculous tone,

"She had a valid reason."

Reagan nodded. Of course, the dog had a valid reason to slap him.

"Why'd you do that?" Riven questioned. He couldn't get his heart to stop racing. He was probably having a panic attack or possibly a heart attack.

He didn't know why he felt his cheeks warm up when Reagan was so close. It was confusing and frustrating.

"Do what? Catch you? Did you prefer I let you fall to the ground like a hopeless damsel?" Reagan sarcastically asked,

Riven frowned. Was he making fun of him or something? "I'm gonna head to the infirmary."

"Why? Are you hurt? Did you get hurt earlier?" Reagan questioned, and Riven narrowed his eyes in confusion but also in a slight glare

"No. London is in the infirmary." Riven replied in a duh tone, and Reagan cleared his throat,

"Oh, right, well, um, I'll walk you to the infirmary. You'll get lost and probably find your way into the chamber of secrets." Reagan told him, a small smile on his face.

"What the hell is the chamber of secrets?" Riven questioned as he began to walk towards the infirmary,

Reagan quickly fell into step beside him, and he chuckled before realizing that Riven was serious, "Wait, you serious?"

"Have you been living under a Rock this whole time?" Reagan sarcastically asked, and he let out a sighed,

"Alright, so the chamber of secrets..."

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1040 words

Yeah,... Reagan and Riven will be awkward. I am warning you, it's awkward

Thoughts?