traded my life [TWD]

『133』

"Fuck!"

"Woojin!" I scold.

Woojin pulls himself up from where he'd fallen. He brushes the dirt off his pants and sighs, looking up at the ceiling.

"He looked like you just now," Rick informs, nudging my shoulder.

I make a face at him, though I also saw the resemblance very clearly.

"Hyung won't stop ball," Woojin says, crossing his arms. "Loud."

I glance down the hall to Carl's room where he was still bouncing that damn tennis ball. Even if it was an irritating sound that we heard every single day almost every hour (and he knew that the sound was annoying to the rest of the house), it was part of his therapy to adjust to having one eye after his accident.

"He needs it," I tell Woojin. "Maybe instead of being a butthead, you help hyung?"

Judith giggles from where she was playing with her cups. She stands up and holds the cup out for me to take. I sigh, but do as she wishes.

"You know planning a run might be easier without toddlers," Rick jokes.

"You're telling me," I scoff.

It'd been about two months since the herd broke through the walls. Alexandria was finally getting to a place of working again. Better than before, really.

There was a lot of loss. Jessie, Sam, and Ron Anderson all wiped out in one go. Even Deanna Monroe. Nicholas as well, though he died on the mission with Glenn rather than inside the walls. It wasn't pretty.

But, Alexandria was being rebuilt. And the people were fighting for once and doing well at it.

"Gonna have to find a meet up spot outside of the house," Rick adds, sitting at his desk to fix his belt.

I was sitting on the ottoman at the foot of Rick's bed, watching Judith. I hesitate to say anything at first, fiddling with Judith's red cup.

"Maybe the pavilion? Well.. then, we'd have to run into Carl, Enid, and Sophia," Rick continues.

"I um.. Actually I was wanting to talk to you about that," I start off.

"About the kids?"

"Not exactly. More about the house," I clarify.

Woojin cocks his head at me and I give him a look to stay quiet.

"You not tell Sam yet?" Woojin asks, despite my silent warning.

Rick glances at me over his shoulder. "What's that, now?"

I tap Judith's red cup in thought. Just say it, Hyejin. It's not that serious.

"Hey, do you have any toothpaste left?" Michonne asks, peering into the room.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved or irritated to have the conversation cut short.

I look over at her, her hair in a towel and wearing a robe. The house was so.. chaotic.. in the morning. Especially when Rick, Daryl, and I were gearing up for a run.

"I got gum," Woojin offers, looking up at Michonne.

Michonne chuckles. "Not sure if that would do the trick, but I'll keep it in mind."

"Maggie took mine yesterday. I've been chewing on mint leaves from the pantry," I add. 

"Also helpful," Michonne agrees.

"Someone's been using mine for two weeks straight," Rick joins in, quirking an eyebrow.

I chuckle to myself and look at Judith. Carl wasn't exactly sneaky with his teenage growth.