TROUBLE [twd]

loyalty

Resting her head on the window, Sakiko stares at the woods like they would bring her all the answers and conclusions she's been so desperate for.

"Hey," Ryan speaks, "You okay?"

Sakiko looks over to him, her heart aching at the look of stress in his eyes. Here she was, worrying over her own issues that she hadn't once asked Ryan how he was considering his brother was taken.

"Are you?" she asks, a small piece in the back of her mind wondering when she'd been so worried about someone else's well being.

"I'll be better once they're back," Ryan admits with a sigh.

"Me too," Sakiko agrees.

Ryan lets out a soft yawn and Sakiko finds that newfound selflessness creeping in her mind and chest.

"Lay down," she coaxes, "I'll keep watch."

Ryan begins to argue, but his eyes were too heavy to even try and deny. He starts to lay his head against the seat when Sakiko tugs at his sleeve.

"What?" he asks.

"Here," she pats her leg, "It's okay."

A reddening blush inches up Ryan's neck and he clears his throat before nodding and leaning over to lay down with his head in Sakiko's lap. Sakiko throws Daryl's shared jacket over him to keep him warm, ignoring the fact that she could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

"Just rest. I'll let you know when they're back," Sakiko forces herself to say.

Ryan nods, another yawn escaping before he snuggles as comfortable as he could manage in the small space.

It takes awhile until his breathing evens out and his eyes close. Sakiko breaks her focus from outside to look down at him again, a knot in her throat.

Her hand hovers over his head for a few seconds- her fingers trembling before finally resting in his hair. Gently, she runs her fingers through the locks and holds down the laugh when Ryan sighs out happily with a quiet snore.

Biting her bottom lip, Sakiko continues the motions that seemed to relax Ryan as she found her own nerves calming with the serenity on his face.

When had she even opened up to someone other than Nanami and Daryl? When had she felt so safe.. So reassured.. So strong.. Just because of one person.

The kiss changed them, of course. But, Sakiko didn't regret it. If anything, she found her eyes flicking to look at his parted lips every so often even now.

She had never thought too deep into the 'love' situation. Before or after the walkers started roaming.

Her parents were happy and then Shinsuke became the monster they'd ran from. Other than them, she couldn't recall ever seeing a happy couple in her life until maybe Glenn and Maggie.

It seemed impossible. Both that she would ever find someone that she trusted but also someone that would put up with her and her issues she brought along.

But, here she was.. With a racing heart, blushes, and secret kisses in private. All because of this one guy that made her feel things that she'd never even heard of before.

"What are you doing to me?" she asks the sleeping boy.

When he doesn't respond- only dreaming the problems away, Sakiko chuckles and throws her head back against the seat. Whatever he was doing- she liked it but it also wasn't fair.

--

Nanami wondered if he was dealing with his sister's condition and questioned if paranoia was a part of it all.