TRAIN TRACKS ➣ chris chambers x reader

009

"We showed him! He thought we were a bunch of pussies." Vern suddenly said, obviously trying to lighten the mood. He had a bright smile on his face, but it instantly disappeared when Teddy sniffled again. "He ranked out my old man."

"Why do you care what a fat old pile of shit like him says about your dad?" Chris asked. He stopped walking, causing everybody else to pause too, and placed his hands on Teddy's shoulders so he would be forced to face him. Gordie nodded in agreement. "Yeah! He still stormed the beach at Normandy, right?"

Teddy sighed and looked back down at his feet, before beginning to walk again. "Just forget it."

"You think that pile of shit was at Normandy?" Vern added in enthusiastically.

"Just forget it, alright?"

"Whatever's between you and your old man, he can't change tha-"

You elbowed Chris in the stomach in a desperate attempt at getting him to shut up just as Teddy spun around to face him, his eyes bloodshot and his brownish blondish hair flopping messily over his forehead. "Just forget it, alright?! Just forget it!"

Everyone immediately fell silent as Teddy wiped more tears away with the back of his hand. It was quiet for a while- the only sounds you could hear being the crunch of your shoes against sticks and dirt and a bird or two chirping every few seconds- until you suddenly nudged Teddy's arm with your own. He glanced down at you, annoyed. "What?"

"You know he only said all that stuff because he's sad he doesn't get any bitches, right?" You whispered. He scrunched his face up in confusion, and you cursed yourself for not keeping your mouth shut, before you noticed the corner of his mouth twitch up slightly in a small smile. "I guess that fat fuck just couldn't handle how sexy I am compared to him." [stole her line from a wattpad comment PLS thank you amelie bae]

"And there's my Teddy." You pat his cheek and shoved his glasses back onto his face, and just like that, he'd stopped sniffling and returned back to being the loud, foul-mouthed idiot you were used to dealing with. "And I bet he has a tiny-"

"Okay, that's enough."

Teddy smiled in satisfaction at your semi-disgusted response and reached over to ruffle your hair, before he stopped suddenly and turned towards the others. His face was filled with a mixture of guilt and pure awkwardness. "Uh... sorry I ruined everyone's good time, by the way."

"It's okay, man." Chris replied, shaking his head. Gordie looked up with a thoughtful expression. "I'm not sure it should be a good time."

"You sayin' you wanna go back?"

"No. But we're going to see a dead kid. Maybe it shouldn't be a party."

The vibe, which had once been serious with a hint of solemn, was quickly ruined when Vern opened his mouth again. "Yeah! Like if he's really bad, like, all cut-up and blood and shit all over him, I might have nightmares!"

Chris sighed and began walking again, one arm around Teddy's shoulders while the other was linked in with yours. "Come on, Vern."

"You know, like all guts and eyeballs-"

"Vern!"

"Come on, Vern!"

"Shut up, Vern, goddamn it!"

"I can't help it!" Vern huffed. "Sorry!"

It was only a quarter to three, but it felt much later. It was too hot and too much had happened. You weren't even close to the royal river yet. You were going to have to get going if you wanted to make it at least halfway before dark.

hi sry this chapter's a little shorter than my other ones i just wanted to get one out as fast i could. also wanna apologise for the lack of chris x y/n but i love a good slowburn