MAKNAE [twd]

【75】

"You're the most annoying person I've ever met in my life and now that you're silent, I miss it. You need to wake up and explain to me how the hell that is fair," I frown, poking Daniel's motionless hand.

Ben exhales, leaning over in his chair to rest his head on my shoulder, "It's too quiet without him."

"It is," I agree, resting my head on his.

"Hana.. If we lose him.."

"Ben," I sigh.

"I'm saying 'if'. I.. I can't..." he motions to Daniel, "Before he turns.. I can't.."

My hand in Daniel's tightens, begging him to wake up right this second.

"Could you?" Ben asks.

"It's not-"

"You're one of his best friends. He trusts you and you trust him. And I.. I can't do it. I can't even think about putting him down. But- But, I know he wouldn't want to be one of those.."

With my free hand I pull it up to Ben's face, cupping his cheek as he hides his face in my shoulder- after a few seconds I could feel the warmth of his tears soak through my shirt.

"Okay.." I force out, closing my eyes.

Ben nods, his arm wrapping around my waist as he cries more and more.

"I can't.. I can't, Hana," he cries softly, "He's all I have. I can't.."

"We won't have to," I assure, "He's gonna wake up any moment now."

Ben's words stop, though his crying continues.

I couldn't quite remember the last time I cried. 

Alone on the road? There was a time with Michonne around then.. Was that really the last time? It'd been so long since then. After going through so much, I'd begun to run out of tears. Tears never fixed the situation- they only gave me a headache afterward.

But, something about everything happening..

Rick's possible exile, us possibly leaving, Maggie's terrifying news of her pregnancy, and the sight of Daniel not moving on this damn bed with Ben crying on my shoulder..

Something about it all tugged silent tears from my own eyes.

--

The meeting was cold in more ways than one.

The night air itself that made me pull my jacket closer and stay huddled beside Taeyang for warmth.

The glares from those Maggie and I didn't get to- judging us for the man we'd called our leader.

The words said about Rick- those not understanding the things we tried to say swearing he couldn't be trusted.

Everything felt so cold and brutal.

Maggie, Carol, Abraham, Eugene, Taeyang, and I spoke our piece, standing up for Rick despite his absence. But, we tried our best. The others weren't around- though Carl was banned by Deanna as she said his opinion was too biased.

When the conversation began to look like a losing battle, Maggie whispered to Taeyang and I that she was going to try and find Rick, promptly leaving afterward.

But, it wasn't long after Maggie left that Rick himself showed up. Rick who dropped the body of a walker at everyone's feet and was covered in blood.

Rick Grimes knew how to make an entrance, I would give him that.

His words were things that reminded me of those years on the road- his promise to show us how to survive. And we did just that. So, as he swore to show the Alexandria residents the same, I knew he was telling the truth.