fallout - r.b.

twenty

blush - wolf alice

Reece and I only had to wait a few minutes for the next train home. He patted my knee as it approached, snapping me out of my own head a bit. I felt numb; it was like too many emotions had blurred into one, and I was just zoning out. It also didn't help that I felt physically numb from being soaked in the cold rain. Reece stood, taking my hand, as we walked onto the platform and boarded the train.

It was refreshingly warm inside, but it wasn't doing much to combat our wet clothes and hair. It was around nine p.m., so the train wasn't very crowded. We got a few strange looks from the other passengers. Can't imagine why...

As soon as Reece and I sat down, his hand was back on my leg and I rested my head on his shoulder. For once I wasn't questioning the closeness I felt to him. I don't think he was either. It had already felt natural, but now it felt necessary. We had almost just died. His hand on my leg was like a lifeline, and from the way his head tilted to rest against mine, I could guess he felt the same. We both needed the touch, the comfort, of another person right now. We needed each other.

My eyes drifted shut, not sleepily, but tiredly. Reece's body was warming mine slightly, but I was still too cold to even be shivering anymore. We stayed quiet, hearing nothing but the sound of the train moving and each other's breathing. Reece traced gentle circles on my mid-thigh, almost like he was reigniting the feeling in my body.

I started to notice a weird burning sensation on the side of my neck. I figured it was just a pins and needles type of thing, from being cold, until it started to really sting. I winced, clamping my eyes shut tightly.

Reece straightened as he felt me tense up. He looked down at me with concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

"Is there something wrong with my neck?" I tilted my chin up so he could see. He furrowed his brows and brushed my hair behind my shoulder. His fingers grazed my collarbone in the process, giving me goosebumps.

"Yeah, it's cut." Reece frowned, his eyes still inspecting my neck. I looked up at him, confused for a moment.

"Oh... Must have been from the knife," I said softly. "I didn't even feel it."

"Probably the adrenaline," Reece pursed his lips. "Does it hurt much?"

"No," I shook my head. "Not really. It just stings a bit. Does it look bad?" I cringed, hoping it didn't seem like my throat's been slashed.

"No, no. It looks okay. It's not deep." Reece reassured me. "It's just like a red slice," he traced his finger over his own neck to mirror my injury. "And it's not really bleeding, it's like a cat scratch." He explained.

"Okay, good." I sighed. It would probably be fine by tomorrow--it's just raw. "I felt bad that I was unscathed while you're all beat up." Reece almost laughed.

"Ren. I'd much rather you be unscathed." He gave me a look that was both mocking and compassionate at the same time. It kind of made my heart flutter. I glanced back it him, a smile working its way onto my face.

"You look pretty badass, ya know."

"I look like I got the shit beat out of me," Reece countered, his tone amused.

"Or like you beat the shit out of someone else," I shrugged. Reece's face fell slightly. My mind flicked to Aydan hitting him, and how he never picked a fight with George. Reece was always on the receiving end of violence, he never started it or fought back. My heart sank.

"I'm sorry," I frowned. "I know violence probably upsets- isn't really your thing," I stammered, not sure how to word it, but Reece seemed to know what I meant.