Sky Corruption (Past Tense)

Chapter Nineteen

"China! Back off! That's the last protein shake!"

North argued as he tried to block the cooler from China, who was approaching him slowly with a giddy look on her face. Winter sat at the small table next to Tyrese, who apparently had his nose stuck in a book, his eyes hidden behind his thick framed reading glasses.

"Don't break anything you two," Tyrese mumbled briefly while remaining his focus on his novel. He glanced at Winter for a split second.

Tyrese shut his book, "Winter?"

Winter turned to face him, eyebrows raising. "What's up?"

"Well, Nikki's been around you a lot recently, so I was wondering...is she feeling okay?" Tyrese asked nonchalantly, "She's been a little pale and has been up for the past few nights..."

Winter instantly remembered the conversation that Nikki had with her and China. Awkwardly, she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip as she pretended to be confused as to what Tyrese asked her. "Well, she's been exercising a lot, not to mention she also has a bad habit of skipping breakfast."

Nikki had asked Winter to keep the pregnancy threat to herself until she was absolutely sure that it is what it is, the last thing Nikki needed was Faith arguing about how Nikki could be possibly lying to get more food rations or whatever scenario that Faith could come up with.

"I see, I haven't really been paying attention to her lately, if I'm being honest, I'm worried that she's being too hard on herself." Tyrese confided, slumping his hand over his forehead.

Winter awkwardly reached over to pat Tyrese's hand, in a meek attempt of comforting him, "Nikki is head over heels in love with you, she'll come through and tell you eventually."

Tyrese was a pretty nonchalant man, the peacemaker of the entire group, whenever Faith seemed unreasonable, he's the only one able to talk some sense into her, he also aided Jay's temper, kept a watchful eye on North's weird addictions and was in a serious relationship with Nikki. He often liked to make jokes to lighten the mood or he started stating some of his favorite quotes from books to prove his point. Literacy and communication was his weapon of choice.

He was the kind of man that was some sort of help to almost everyone's lives in the bunker. China often asked for him to read to her since her own reading skills are flawed and she enjoyed hearing his philosophies, though she didn't fully understand them.

"Hm," Tyrese pondered to himself while he removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose. "You're probably right, thanks Winter.

China managed to bypass North's attempts to protect the last strawberry protein shake, she clasped it in her hands as she bounced up and down. "Yay! I win!" She exclaimed in a child-like manner.

North rolled his eyes, "Totally unfair, you're so short yet you're like an Amazon!" He exasperated, he quickly looked at Winter accusingly, "Winter-you traitor!"

Winter mockingly pouted at him, "Me? I'm just minding my own business!"

"She's your sister! I know you're in kahoots with her!" North argued back with a glare.

"What are you sayin'? I beat you fair and square!" China prodded as she slowly chugged the protein drink.

Winter rose from her chair. "I think we can all agree that China is way stronger than you." She added with a smirk. Tyrese shook his head with a smirk as he noticed that Winter is purposely trying to get under North's skin.

North raised an eyebrow, "She tricked me!" He argued defensively as China giggled while she slurped on her well-earned protein drink.

He shot China a glare, "Must you rub it in? You got the stupid drink." He grumbled as he irritably ran his hands through his messy red hair. China lowered the drink from her lips, raising her eyebrows as she tilted her head.

"I'm sure you'll earn the next one," China chirped as she continued chugging down on the shake. "In fact, you can have the rest of mine for trying."

China tried to pass the bottle over to North but he quickly wrinkled his nose and held up his hand to stop her. "On second hand...nevermind..." He quickly said, his anger soon transitioned into repulsion.

China turned to Winter, "How is Bobby holdin' up?" She asked, North casually walked in between them and stood right next to Winter.

Winter slid her hands into the pockets of her teal blue hoodie. "Well, he's full of questions as usual, Nikki was suggesting that he rests as much as he can..." She answered.

"I feel bad for him..." Winter sympathized, "He has no clue of who he is and he's around people who hardly trust him."

Tyrese cleared his throat, "I get how you feel Winter, I really do, but this is what's best for him right now, if Faith had it her way, he'd be thrown out of the shelter a long time ago."

Winter grunted, "She would've thrown half of us out if that was the case." She mumbled under her breath so no one could hear her.

"Speaking of which, we need to tell Faith about the new weapon we assembled." North added before he shot Tyrese a sullen look. Tyrese nodded and tucked his book underneath his arm.

"We should tell her now while she's in a good mood." He urged, with that said, North and Tyrese made their way to the door.

North glanced over his shoulder at Winter, "I know you feel bad for him, but if he tries anything-"

"I know North." Winter interrupted assertively. She shrugged and waved her hand dismissively, "You should go ahead before she bites your heads off for not telling her sooner."

As the two leave the room, Winter turned to face China.

"I wonder how you guys do it," Winter began as she folded her arms over her chest, "Being this active and having to know so much about weapons."

"You can do it too," China chirped, giving her a playful slug.

Winter's cheeks turned a slight hint of red, "North is right about you, you are pretty strong."

China continued to smile, "And so are you."

Winter rolled her eyes, "And fat pigs fly." She chortled.

"I'm sure pigs don't have wings Winter." China corrected while placing her hands on her hips. This would've been funny if China wasn't serious about that statement.

"I have a favor to ask." China added while confidently she folded her arms across her chest, her back straightened as her shoulders stopped hunching over.

Winter raised her eyebrows in response. "And that would be....?"

"Watch Bob for tonight." China answered, "After the fight with that outsider the other day, Jay's not gonna be so willing to let me set foot on the surface anytime soon."

"China-" Winter began to lecture but China cut her off.

"Nikki needs one of those sticks right? She doesn't want anyone knowing about the baby..." China continued, "If I do it alone, it'll be easy on her."

"China, Nikki wouldn't want you to do this-" Winter began to protest, her voice raised as her eyes frantically gazed into China's, she was begging China not to go alone once more and they both knew how Nikki felt about China sneaking out and getting stuff for her.

China tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth, her eyes darted to the ceiling. "She might get a little mad, but I wanna do everything I can, the stick means that it's living proof that she's got a bun in the oven."

"I work better alone." China added.

Winter pulled China into a tight embrace, her hands got entangled in China's box braids. "Fine...I'm only agreeing because you'd sneak out regardless."

China rubbed her hand over Winter's back comfortingly, "I always come back."

She then broke the hug and stared deeply into her sister's worrisome eyes, "I promise."