TWDG Imagines

Imagine #25 James x Reader

Requested by @butterycorn

~~~~~

I unwrapped the rope from around my chest and waist. I was securely tied to the tree branch below me. It was safer than sleeping on the ground with the dangers of the dead around.

I wrapped the rope into a little flat circle and pushed it into my backpack. I replaced it in my hand with a map and looked at it. I was slightly on the outskirts of a small town, but not too far out, so I could identify where I was on the map.

I was about 13 miles from my destination, far, but close at the same time.

I had heard about this school of kids that were holed up from some bandits I encountered. Right before they tried to kill me and I was forced to have no other choice than to kill them.

It hurt the soul, but it was either them, or me.

I stuffed the map back into my bag and zipped it up. I made sure everything was secure in my bag and carefully climbed down from the old tree. When my feet hit the ground I began walking in the direction of the school.

Even if the school didn't want me to join their group, I had to at least warn them. Hopefully they were smart and believed me.

After almost a whole day of walking, I heard the growls of walkers and cautiously looked around. There was a group of about six or seven.

With one in the middle trying to push out of the crowd?

I snuck up and knelt beside a fallen tree. The one fighting away looked to be an older walker, but the skin one him didn't look completly attached, but not falling off. At the time I wasn't sure if the walkers had mutated or what.

Then one of the walkers grabbed the head of the fighter and my eyes widened.

His head had been pulled off but underneath was a living boy. Why on earth would he wear walker skin?

After that I saw he was living, I jumped over the mossy tree and unsheathed my weapon. There was too many around for a gun so it was due time for a knife.

I rushed the crowd and kicked one of them to the ground. I quickly put it out of its misery just as the rest of the were turning around.

The boy saw what I was doing and quickly did the same, by kicking them. Just as I was about to kill another one, he grabbed my arm and pulled. I understood his message and we began to run in the complete opposite direction of which I was going.

When my lungs felt like they were going to tighten and cut off air flow we stopped running and I collapsed onto the muddy forest floor.

The boy was gazing upon his walker mask as he sat on a nearby rock, he was barely panting. I sat up and fully looked at him.

He had longish black hair and dark eyes. His hands were also covered in skin, it was disturbing until I realized the logic behind it.

It probably masked his scent and allowed him to walk through the herds without being caught. It was brilliant!

Yet still disgusting.

"Why did they attack you?" I asked him, genuinely curious.

"Noisey." His voice was quiet and breathy.

I nodded and fully stood up once air was flowing through my lungs normally again. This bitch was not made to run.

The boy looked malnourished and really dehydrated. When he looked at me, I averted my gaze and blushed, it has been awhile since I met a person who didn't want to kill me right away.

"Do you need something to eat?" I asked him, kind of regretting my words. I didn't have much food left and I was still a ways from the town.

He nodded and I opened my bag and pulled out my half empty bag of trail mix. I snuck a handful before handing it to him. He ate slowly and looked at me cautiously.

"Why did you help me?" He asked.

"I'm on my way to help others who don't know they're in danger, may as well become the friendly neighborhood spiderman superhero type while I'm at it." I told him.

He smiled lightly before telling me his name was James.

"Well James, I'm y/n, might I ask why you are wearing the skin? I mean, it's a brilliant technique, but how did you come about it?" I felt like I was bombarding him with questions, but I deserved them after saving him.

The leaves and sticks crackled as he shifted around to look better at me.

"I was with a group before, called Whisperers. They used the skin to walked in herds and lead them. I left them a long time ago." I could see the hurt in his eyes and decided not to press him any further.

He handed me my bag of trail mix and I gave him my water bottle. He took a sip before handing it back to me.

"Generous, thank you." He smiled lightly at me.

I slipped the items back into my backpack and stood up.

"Its getting late, I have to go." I told James. He grabbed my arm lightly and looked at me with puppy eyes.

"Please don't go, I have a camp, I swear I'm alone." He pleaded.

I mean, it was a risk, but I was willing to sleep anywhere but a tree tonight.

"Let's go."

~~~~~

James was starting a fire while I sat and rested. I was going further and further off track and it would take me even longer to get to the school now.

It was the price to pay for some company and a little bit of safety.

I felt a warm glow on my face and looked at James and the fire. He caught me looking at him and smiled. I blushed as red as the fire.

"You can sleep, I'll watch for danger." He told me.

"No way, I don't trust strangers with my life." I looked at him and saw a flash of hurt in his eyes as he sat beside me.

"I'm sorry..." I muttered.

"I understand, we can watch together." I nodded in response.

......