Friends before Lovers {NUKE fanfic}_@Mintgal2

25

Luke
I walked around the ridge line of the trees. I saw nothing, really. No real concerned herds coming to affect us.
This whole baby thing was hard to get my head around. Will it survive? I know we have zero food, and no warmth or anything. This was a shot in the dark. I walked closer to the abandoned buildings, the sky pink. I walked back to the statue, where Nick was kelt beside Rebecca, and Kenny holding her hand, Rebecca had a pained expression in her face.
"Hey, are...are you guys okay?" I asked. Rebecca nodded her head, unconvincing. "You don't look it."
"Then don't ask!" Rebecca snapped, and groaned. "Fuck. This hurts."
"Yeah." Kenny said. "God knows it does. Kaatja, well...she was a freak in' wreck. Let's just say she forgot to hold her tongue."
"Kaatja...was your wife?" Rebecca asked, trying to distract herself.
"Yeah, god bless her." Kenny sighed. "We've lost people. We all have. Clementine lost her friend a year back, she told me. A real good fella, he was. Did everything for me and my family."
"Lee." I said. "Clementine told me."
"Yeah. That poor girl. She said her friend Christa got lost, separated. She too was pregnant." Kenny shook her head. "I can't imagine what she went through before y'all came upon her."
"It seemed like she went through a lot." Nick said. "She was bitter when we first met. I was too. I apologised, and she, well...she just knocked it back. Can't blame her, but."
"Yeah." I said, recalling that. "She, uh, told me later she 'Avoided crazy people like you.'"
Nick laughed. "Do you think I'm crazy?"
Rebecca smiled at me behind him. I chuckled.
"Well, yes. Sometimes." I replied.
"Nick and I both." Kenny laughed. He then turned to me. "Luke, uh, maybe you should keep on looking out for those walkers."
"Right." I said, and nodded. "Okay."

I kept walking around the ridge line of the trees, the cold river water rushing not far from where I was. I told myself I needed to stay away from Nick more, but that...that just didn't happen. Rebecca is still on our lead, that woman.
I looked up at the sky. It was already closing in on us. I started walking closer to the buildings. I saw Clementine walking away from the gift store. I ran to her to catch up. She was...something was wrong. She walked down the stairs, shoulders slumped.
"Clem! Clem, hey!" I said, approaching her. I had no idea how this was affecting her. "Any luck with that observation deck? I was just checking on Rebecca and Kenny, and they said they hadn't heard from you in a while."
"Jane and I were trying to open the gift store up, and a stranger showed up." Clementine explained.
Fuck.
"What?!" I exclaimed. "Shit. This is the last thing we need right now."
"Jane took his gun and scared him off." Clementine said.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay." I said. "Is Jane still up there now?"
"Yeah." Clementine said. "She's tying to get the gift shop open."
"You know, I can't figure her out." I said, and started walking past Clem. "I mean, she really lays it on the line...but at the same time, she doesn't show you anything that counts."
"I like her." Clem said. "She's honest, and she knows what she's doing."
"Yup." I say. "That's more than I can say for some."
We were silent, before I started talking again.
"Jane seems like the kind of person who gets tempered by hardship, you know?" I asked. "But, when I look at Kenny now, he just seems broken. And broken people get reckless. I know you got history with him. Look, I think he's a good guy. At least, he started off as a good guy."
"Are you any better?" She spits. "Is anyone?"
Yikes.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on, I didn't mean--" I quieted myself. "I just want to survive. And that means picking the right sides."
"I need to tell the others about the deck." Clementine said.
"Yeah, good. I will, uh...I'll see you back there." I said. Clementine nodded, and walked the other way. I shook my head.
Jesus. I don't think I said the right things. I mean, they were true...just maybe to the wrong person. I walked upstairs to the observation deck, and saw Jane, crouched down below, and picking at the lock. She jumped when she saw me.
"Jesus, Luke! You scared the shit out of me!" Jane hissed, and I rolled my eyes.
"Clem told me a stranger came across here." I said. "Is he harmless?"
"Uh, he looks it. He said he had friends, though. And a bag full of medicine." Jane said. "But Clem wouldn't let me rob him."
"Course she wouldn't." I said. "Jesus. This baby is going to be rough one everyone."
"Right." Jane said. "Tell me I'm the only one who thinks it might not...make it."
"Whoa." I said. "I mean, it's...we can try."
"Trying and doing are different things, Luke." Jane shook her head, and the lock clicked. She smiled, and took it off, and pushed the door up to the top. "Yes!"
"Good. This is good." I said, relevantly happy. "Let's uh, let's go back and tell the others."
I turned to go, but Jane put a hand on my shoulder.
"Wait." She said, and I turned around. "Do you...wanna do something?"
"What?!" I exclaimed. "I mean, like--"
"Come on." Jane said, and walked through the empty storage centre upstairs. "It'll be quick."
"What will?" I ask, reassuring my thoughts.
"This." She said, and leaned forward to kiss my neck. My stomach fluttered, and I felt her lips brand that area.
Now, Nick was nice. He just...He was my friend. I just think he's not in a good pace right now, and...I'm desperate. And here, I might wash away those unfelt feelings with Jane.
Jane tugged on my arm and led me to an area on the ground. I sat down, and Jane crawled in my lap, sitting upright. She tugged on my trousers.
Distraction was going to be easier than I thought.