Friends before Lovers {NUKE fanfic}_@Mintgal2

28

Luke
I couldn't sleep. I lay leant up against the side of the building, the winter chill making me chatter. Rebecca's son was all that went around at this moment. But I knew Nick wanted to talk. I could see the devastation and anger on his face when he found Jane and I.
"Luke." He whispered. "Can we...can we talk?"
I sighed, and nodded. Nick stood up, and created a pace of which I was supposed to follow. I got up quietly, and even Rebecca, who was cradling and admiring her small baby, didn't see me as I crept away. Everybody else as asleep. I saw a closed door at the bottom of the flat, and I sat down there. It wasn't safe, the windows were barred to protect the building from wind, not walkers.
"What do you wanna talk about?" I asked stupidly.
"What, are you fucking blind?!" Nick snapped. "About....before. What was that?"
I flinched at his anger. "Hey, what does it matter, Nick. It's not like...it's not like that between us."
"I've known you for years, Luke. I have...I have feelings for you. Jane is a heartless bitch, and you've known her for, what? A day?" Nick asks, and I frown and cross my arms.
"C'mon." I say. "It's...Nick, is the apocalypse. We don't have time for this shit."
"That's funny, coming from you." Nick said. "'We don't have time for this shit.' Yet, you were upstairs clapping a girl."
"Look, just shut up!" I hiss, embarrassed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Nick...I have feelings for you too. You know that. Just everything is so...fucked. We have a baby with us now. That's going to add ten times the pressure."
"I was...supposed to leave." Nick muttered, and turned away.
"What?" I ask, and spin him around. "What did you say?"
"I said...I just want to leave. This group isn't going to end well. I want to survive." Nick said. "That baby isn't a survivor."
"Well, why..." I began. "Were you gonna leave without me?"
"You see...you're 50% of the reason of why I was leaving." Nick admitted.
"Oh?" I ask, my feelings stung. "You hate me now?"
"No!" Nick exclaimed. "Just...nothing ever happens between us. And, I know you said you needed time to wrap your head around it all, but then you use it to fuck that girl."
I sigh. "Nick."
I knew what I did was wrong, and how I was so sure that this was overwhelming, but he was right. Maybe I was just putting off the truth.
"Look, Nick, I'm sorry." I apologised. "Can you just forgive me?"
Nick bit his lip.
"Come on." I reasoned. "All those times you screwed up, and I forgave you instantly?"
"Hey, I haven't screwed up that many times!" Nick protested, and laughed. I laughed too, but I still saw the hurt in Nick's face. "Yeah. I forgive you."
I smile. "Thanks, N--"
Nick's lips closed against mine, and my words were muffled. I would've pulled away, but I knew I owed it to Nick. His hands cupped my face, and at the last second, I felt his hand slip into my jeans. I had to hold my shaking shock, as I pulled Nick in, my chin resting over his shoulder.
"You're...hard." Nick said, and I could hear a smirk in his voice. I didn't say anything, and continued to feel his cold hands move around my bare groin. I groan, and etch his hand out of my pants.
"Nick." I said, and he stepped back.
"Sorry." He said, his face red with the exposure of his gesture.
"It's. It's okay." I said, jittery and nervous myself. "Just...don't."
Nick nodded, and I turned around reluctantly and walked up the stairs, Nick following behind.
...
I walk back up the stairs, and see Clementine sitting behind the rail, her legs dangling over the bottom stairs.
"Hey, Clem, are you okay?" I ask.
"I'm fine." She said, but it didn't sound like it.
"Good, that's...that's good." I said, hoping to get more out of her. "Just checking."
"Jane's gone. For good." Clementine admitted. I held a feeling of guilt and relief. At least I won't be guilt tripped all the time with her around. Less awkward, too. But I mean, I just got grabbed by my best friend. Awkward is my best friend.
"Oh." I said. "Are you...are you sad?"
"Are you?" Clementine asked, and looked up at me innocently. "Aren't you two...?"
So she's not so innocent after all.
"Uh, no. No." I said. "Look, when I spoke to you about Jane...being tempered by hardship? Maybe that's it."
"But she's more experienced than all of us." Clem worried.
"That's not true." I object. "You seem to have more knowledge about this stuff."
"But not a lot. There's only so much I can do." Clementine said.
"You broke a deck off last night." I said. "I think you got the right brains."
I sit down next to her, not wanting to walk to the other room where Rebecca was sleeping, Kenny looking after the child every time it stirred. And Nick...I feel bad again. I probably made him guilty. When I said 'Don't', I really didn't mean it.
"I miss Sarah." Clementine said, sadly. "Everybody is dying now."
"Not everyone." I correct. "You still got Kenny. And Rebecca. And that cute little bubba. And what about Nick and I?"
"I'm just scared." Clementine admitted. "Sarah was sheltered, and sometimes...annoying. But she was still my friend. I haven't had one of those for a long time. My last friend was Kenny's son, and he's also dead."
I forget how young and delicate Clem can get.
"And Alvin. He died so I could get out of Carver's office." Clem said, and I realised that backhand of the story.
"Alvin did the right thing. So you could live, and get back Rebecca." I reassured her.
"Yeah...but everyone's luck runs out eventually." Clementine said.
"Don't say that." I say. "Because then it will."
"That's not how it works." Clem said.
"Just...don't be sad, okay? We just have to raise this child the best we can, help Rebecca, you know?" I said. I laughed. "Poor Nick. He got stuck with Alvin's duty."
Clementine laughed. "I thought she was going to break his wrist."
I laughed, and stood up. Clem did too.
"Just don't let all of this get to you, okay?' I say. "Because the there's really nothing you can do."
Clem's lip trembled, before she nodded.