traded my life [TWD]

『123』

"Why are you entertaining this?" Michonne asks.

I clench my fist and take a breath. "I'm not entertaining anything. I'm hearing Sasha out."

Sasha, who was still grieving, found it comforting to hunt walkers. She would track them down in the woods just to kill them.

But, after the gunfire the other day, she noticed more than usual around. She said she was going to take it on by herself but that there seems to be a herd around that strays were breaking off from.

"Sasha isn't healthy. You shouldn't feed into her delusions.. it could send her over the edge."

I roll my eyes. I dragged Rick back from the deepest of delusions.. if I have to do it again for Sasha, I'd try my damn best.

"Just because she's grieving, it doesn't make her untrustworthy," I point out.

"Nearly made Tyreese get himself killed after Karen died."

I look over at her and stop walking. I just watch her for a moment and she slows to a stop as well.

"As of right now, Sasha has done more for this group than most.. when I brought her in, I knew I could trust her. It doesn't matter what she's going through, I'll continue to trust her word over.."

"Over mine?" she asks when I hesitate.

"She's done a lot for this group," I reiterate. "The least I can do is hear her out.. especially over a security risk."

"What did I do to you, Hyejin?"

"Excuse me?"

"You were fine with me when I joined the group. I joined because I was helping you and Maggie, in the first place. Ever since the prison fell, you've been at my throat."

My jaw ticks and I avoid her eyes.

"You don't see me as an equal anymore. You see me as a threat.. but you haven't started a physical fight with me. It's something else. Something deeper."

"Maybe I just liked you better when you were silent and stayed out of my way," I snap back.

"I'm not in your way," she denies. "And this animosity only started after this Shane thing-"

"Don't you fucking dare!" I cut her off. "You don't know shit about what happened or who he is. Don't pretend you do."

"I know that you and Rick haven't been the same since-"

I turn on my heel and stomp through the crunchy leaves.

"Hyejin!" Michonne complains.

"You can't just suddenly act like you know everything about our lives. This shit dates way beyond a time we knew you. It doesn't have anything to do with you and you need to fuck off about it when you don't know shit!"

"I'm trying to understand! But, all you do is tell me off and act like Rick is off limits to everyone but you, Daryl, and the kids."

I scoff. "Well, maybe just leave Rick alone."

"I can't do that."

The hair on the back of my neck stands up. I feel goosebumps on my skin. I stop walking again and slowly turn to look at her.

"And whys that?" I ask- my voice somehow sounding like a scared child.

"We're friends."

I hesitate.

"I'm not a threat. I've been there for Rick when he needed-"

"Don't patronize me," I scoff, once again walking away.

"I'm not patronizing you," she argues.

"You're a group member that is a badass when it comes to walkers. Don't act like you actually care."

"I do care."

"No!" I shout. "You don't. You won't. Just drop it, man."

"What makes me any different from Sasha? From Maggie? Carol?"

I feel a bubble in my throat that I don't dare let out.

"You're trying too hard," I blame.

"You and Carol sure seemed to try hard."

"Is this all over that Pete guy?" I question. "Over Jessie?"

"You killed a man in cold blood."

"He had that shit coming."

"I don't disagree. But, was there not a better way to do it?"

I shrug, my hand falling to my side. "If we made a big show about it, he would've lashed out. You can't pin abusers down and make them see. You have to get ahead of it before they have a chance to fuck you over."

"Is this from personal experience?"

Once more, I stop walking. I was getting real tired of the back and forth.

"You liked art before, right?" I recall the other day. "You still wear jewelry and look for decorations on runs. What were you before all this, Michonne?"

She takes a breath and looks at a distant tree. "I was a mother. A girlfriend. We lived in an apartment building and.. it was nice."

I take a step closer. "I was a daughter before all this. To Shane."

Michonne tilts her head, a bit of surprise on her face.

"And Rick was injured. Shane fucked Rick's wife and knocked her up- now we have Judith," I reveal further. "Don't act like you are just so kind and caring when you don't know the half of it."

With the shoved down revelations, Michonne looks softer. Shocked and startled, even.

"You're not Lori and you're sure as shit not me," I declare. "So, just keep your shit to yourself and stop trying to break a family apart. We've been down this road."

For the last time, I walk away. As I step out of the treelike, I look at the walker filled quarry.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

hyejin baby your mommy issues are showing

ahjussi and maggie come get your girl