Friends before Lovers {NUKE fanfic}_@Mintgal2

2

Nick tucked his hands underneath his calves at the table; something he does when he's nervous, and awkward.
"So, um..." Nick looked around at the kitchen, where Carlos and Rebecca stood chatting. "I'm gonna go."
And with that, he picked up his bowl, which still had food remains, and walked to the kitchen. I stared at Kenny. I gripped the sides of my bowl, prepared to leave too. But Kenny was...strange. The reason we sat with him was to try and interfere with him. And obviously that went sideways. I relaxed.
"Look, Kenny, I-I'm sorry." I apologised. Kenny just sighed, and shrugged.
"It's fine.." He grunted, and picked up his own meal, and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Shit shit shit.
I got up, and walked to the kitchen.
"...So Clementines right? She saw lights." I heard Nick ask for verification. I knew what Nick and Alvin were talking about. When Clementine had looked across the winding view from the mountains, she saw what looked like cad lights entering the bridge.
I dumped my bowl in the sink, and walked over to them.
"Yes. I don't know if it's them, of could be anyone." Alvin said, paranoid as he looked around the estate. "We should really leave. I know I said I wanted to stay before, but getting a few hours of sleep is not worth getting captured."
"I'm fine to leave right now." Nick said.
"Oh, Nick?" I said. "What the fuck was that?"
"What the fuck was what?" Nick replied staly.
"You just turned into a complete dick back there." I said, and crossed my arms.
"Was not. Kenny was being an asshole." Nick defended himself. "Did you hear what he fucking said?"
I sighed. "About what in particular?"
"You know...the part where he implied something more than our own fucking friendship." Nick said, and rolled his eyes.
"Oh, grow up." I said. I didn't want to say anything, but that bit of conversation enraged me too. But I just dealt with it in different ways.
"Good idea to piss him off." Alvin laughed, then stopped. "I just...that doesn't matter. If we need to leave, where would we go?"
"I dunno." I shrugged. "All we need is a safe place away from Carver's people. And right now those are looking scarce."
"We could try Walgreage?" Alvin suggested.
I had no idea what that was, exactly.
"Look, we can talk to Carlos about it." I said, and saw where Rebecca, Carlos and Sarah were lounging on the couch, nervously talking in hushed voices.
"Okay, okay." Alvin nodded, and was about to walk off, before eyeing Nick. "Don't go getting yourself on any more people's shit list."
Nick didn't respond, just glared at nothing in particular. Alvin walked past us.
"Listen to Alvin." I scoffed, and walked upstairs.
"Where are you going?" Nick asked, and walked behind me. I shrugged.
"Upstairs. To get the map." I stopped, and turned around. "Look...you've had a rough day. You should probably go and sleep."
Nick looked like I had just asked him to make out with a toothless walker.
"And why the fuck would I want to do that?!" Nick snapped. "This place is a fucking trap. Full of self-confident douche bags."
"Well, I guess you belong." I murmur, and Nick frowns.
"Just..." Nick rolls his eyes, and walks past me. "Whatever." His shoulder barges into my chest, and I sigh as he strides upstairs. I can't imagine how Pete put up with this shit for twenty-four years.
I walked upstairs a pace behind him, Nick no where to be seen. I walked past all the hotel bedding, and took the map which lay tattered on the table top. I opened it up, and looked through the annotated areas, to find something that would be safe enough for us to go in the morning. God knows everybody wants to leave in the morning.
Besides Clementine.
I shrug to myself. Clementine trusts this man more than she trust us. It's obvious Kenny hasn't led her to a series of dangerous events like we have.
I squint at an area located roughly about three miles from here. Good enough to stop, those were obviously vacation cabins. There would probably be supplies of some kind. After all this time, there would have to be something to take along with us.
I tucked the map in my back pocket, and went to find the others. That was probably our best shot, I was almost certain we would start heading there. I saw Alvin and Rebecca talking near the fire, Sarah and Carlos up at the kitchen. Kenny was talking to them both, a smile on his face that wasn't there when Nick and I had spoken to him. I sighed. Kenny probably doesn't like being told his opinion was bullshit, and obviously that drew a line between him and Nick. I saw as he left to go outside, and I walked down. I approached Carlos and Sarah.
"Hey," I said, and pulled the map out of my pocket. "So, I dunno if you've noticed, but everybody seems sorta keen on leavin' in the morning. These vacation cabins seem to be our best shot."
Carlos looks at the map, Sarah standing on her tip-toes to also examine our maybe destination.
"Carver isn't stupid. He'd look there." Carlos pointed to a different area on the map, about South from this area. "Here. There are wood clearances from that old camp, containers and what not. It's a long walk, but our best bet. It's not as cold, either."
I nodded. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. That's much better than the cabins."
Carlos nodded.
"Clementine is out with Walter, yes?" Carlos asked, and his attention was on Walter entering inside, and exiting with a Lae box of supplies. Weird.
"Yeah." I said. "We had a bit of a clash with Kenny. Too many opinions were open, I guess."
"Nick." Carlos stated, not wanting to mention so much when Sarah was there. I nodded. "Obvious."
"I'm...going to find Sarita now." Sarah nodded, and left, catching on the vibe that we wanted to talk personally.
"Clementine is staying here." I said, and Carlos raised his eyebrows.
"Not surprised. Kenny is an old friend." Carlos nodded. "Maybe its safer that we travel with less people. Clementine will be safer here."
"Yeah, you're right." I nod. "A-anyways. I guess that's a good enough plan."
"Yes." Carlos nodded. "I just....look out for Nick."
I scoff. "I always have, haven't I?"
Carlos chuckled, and walked away. I looked ahead, and sighed to myself again.