Dangerously Close (Aris x Reader)

14) Side Effects

I want to throw up and die, I want to throw up and die, I want to throw up and die! That Thomas nerd and his special DNA, I swear I'm going to kill him. I’m going to stab him and drain him of his life saving blood.

We weren't in danger of becoming Cranks, but Brenda and I were both going through the motions. She had worked up a sweat and literally passed out when she was just eating breakfast. She's fine now, but it still was definitely not fun for her.

I had wrapped my jacket as tightly around me as possible when I was accidentally in a crowd earlier so nobody would be able to tell. I didn't want to be forced to go back to Mary. I just wanted to sit and wait for us to get moving.

I couldn't eat. I wanted to, but food didn't seem to be cooperating. That's why I decided to say screw it and hide in the trees at the top of the Safe Haven. Nobody spotted me, and nobody will. That leaves me safe and sound to just mind my own business and take a nap.

That didn't prevent the pains from shooting up my body though. Or the chills.

With gritted teeth, I shut my eyes as I hugged the branch with my arms and legs. Clenching my jaw, I tried to take deep breaths as the pain left me almost paralyzed. Damnit, this sucks.

Sighing, I let my arms dangle for a moment as I decided to just try to ignore it and sleep for maybe an hour. Just one.

“Hi.”
“Ahh!”

Jumping up at his voice, I hit my head on a higher branch. As I instinctively went to rub my even more achy skull my foot slipped, leaving me plummeting to the ground. Reaching out, as I grazed the sharp bark I winced and pulled away as my bandages were cut by it. Going for my last defense, I covered my face with my hands to roll as I got ready to hit the dirt.

Somehow though, I didn't.

Oh wait.

Because this dufus caught me in his arms like I’m some damsel in distress.

“I’m sorry. I thought you heard me,”He apologized as I awkwardly put my hands to my chest. Not really knowing what to say, I chose silence as I slipped out of his grip and onto my feet. Letting out another sigh, I walked over to the tree and sat beneath it, covering my eyes with my hands to help with the blinding sunlight. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Aris,”I mumbled.

“Are you sure?”

“Do you need something? Or no?”

“I just wanted to check on you. I know it might have been the cure that's made Brenda kind of sick so I just wanted to make sure the same thing isn't happening to you.”

“It’s really not that deep, okay?”I sighed, too exhausted to figure out a lie.

“You should see Mary then. Just to-”
“Please, not right now? I can't deal with an interrogation on my health right now.”

“You should probably go back to the tent then. Just so you're out of the sun,”He suggested.

“I don't want to run into her on the way,”I explained.

“I’ll walk you then. Come on. It's not safe to sleep in trees anyway.”

Pulling my hands away from my face, I silently asked how exactly he would even cover for me.

“It's okay. I’ve got it handled.”

“You should just go hang out with your friends. I’m fi-”
“You are my friend.”

Turning my eyes to his worn out shoes, I picked at my broken nail as I told myself that his words don't have any effect on me. I don't have friends so they don't even matter. Friends are for normal people, or at the very least nice ones. Friends are for people like Aris.

His shoes stayed exactly where they were though, and with them so did he.

He also wouldn't be going anywhere soon. I already know that much about him.

“Yeah. Sure,”I hesitantly gave in, walking beside him, resisting the urge to cuss as the sharp pain chorused throughout every part of me. Even though he didn't say that he was, I could tell that he was walking just a little slower than usual but the perfect pace for me right now.

I don't want to say anything about the kind gesture. Words and I still have a complicated relationship.

So I just didn't speak as we walked past a group of people packing up kitchen supplies, the handmade pots and pans banging against each other in a way that almost echoed. That's just awesome. That really helps my headache.

Going away from them, we scurried past the medical tent, a group of people playing some kind of game with rocks, and even his group that he had been traveling with before getting near the edge and to our still standing tent. Feeling some of the weight lift from my shoulders, I unzipped it and crawled inside. Collapsing on my stomach, I didn't even bother to roll over as I let the tiredness and whatever kind of sickness the healing was causing overtake me.