TRAIN TRACKS ➣ chris chambers x reader

013

"Twenty-three hundred hours. Corporal Teddy Duchamp stands guard." Teddy muttered under his breath dramatically as he pressed his back up against a nearby tree, the gun held out in front of him as if he was about to start shooting any second. "No sign of the enemy. The fort is secure."

Gordie sat up in his sleeping bag, shooting Teddy the meanest death stare he could muster (which didn't look very intimidating on him but still did the trick, nonetheless). "Shut up, Teddy, and keep your eyes peeled."

"You're no fun." Teddy sulked in response.

It was silent again. The only sounds you could hear were a few cicadas here and there and the slight, almost inaudible crackling of the fire. Gordie laid back down in his sleeping bag, satisfied with the outcome, while the rest of you shot him grateful looks, but they all instantly faded when Teddy suddenly brought his hand to his mouth and began making the stupidest trumpet noises out of it. This time, it was you who sat up angrily. "Cut it out, Duchamp!"

"Yeah, shut it!" Chris added. Gordie and Vern joined in, until all four of you were shouting and complaining at the tops of your lungs and Teddy was annoyed enough by it to finally cave and agree to keep his mouth shut. He didn't go through with it, of course, and continued to talk to himself whenever he pleased, but he did at least keep the noise level down a notch. And nobody was willing to tell him to shut up again - not with the risk of him talking even louder just out of spite.

Needless to say, you were all pretty happy when Gordie announced it was one-thirty and Teddy's shift was finally done. It was Vern's turn to keep watch next and although both you and Chris did end up having to throw  a stick or two at him every once in a while (he screamed at the dumbest, un-scariest things), he was okay. After drifting off into a light, dreamless sleep, you got a good three hours in before it was four-thirty and you were woken up by somebody poking your cheek.

"Mmmhh," You rolled over onto your side. "Go away."

The sound of a familiar laugh snapped you out of it and you groaned, forcing yourself into sitting position. The figure crouching next to you poked your cheek again. "Hey."

"Hey, Chris."

"Finally awake now, are we?"

"Not really." You mumbled, staring at him through half-closed eyes. There was another poke to your cheek when your head started to droop. "Ugh, do you need something?"

"It's your turn."

"For what?"

"To keep watch, dummy."

"What-" You groaned again. "For Pete's sake."

Chris began snickering at your exhausted expression while you flipped him off, your head dropping back down to meet the bunched-up sweater you were using as a pillow. "We're fine. Nobody needs to keep watch. Plus, if there's a murderer, it'll get me first anyway - they always go for the girls first in horror movies."

"That isn't as reassuring as you think it is, y/n."

"I'll probably scream when I get stabbed. And it's gotta take more than one stab to kill someone, right? That gives you lot a bit of a head start."

"Yeah, but then I'll never get to brag about being friends with the prettiest girl on this planet." Chris sighed. You looked up at him, your face red, and he shrugged. "What? I like having a hot friend."

"Who says I'm hot?"

He laughed. "I do. And Gordie's said it, I'm pretty sure. Teddy tells you constantly. And I think the way Vern acts around you sometimes says enough."

"You think I'm hot?"

"For sure."

Your sleepiness instantly wore off and you sat up, smiling. "Well, that's good. Because I think you're pretty hot, too."

"Really?"

"Really."

He smirked. "Nice."

You both fell silent. Talking to Chris was beginning to make you feel more than a little flustered and you were not about to give him the satisfaction of seeing you blush, so with your head down, you quickly grabbed the gun out of his hands and stood up. You pat him on the cheek as you walked past him towards a nearby tree. "Get some sleep, Chambers."

"Alright," Came the reply, but Chris didn't make his way back over to his sleeping bag. You only noticed when you suddenly felt a presence next to you and an arm around your waist. "What are you doing?"

Chris shrugged. "I don't know."

"I thought you were going to sleep?"

"I was gonna, but I'm not really tired anymore. Plus, you look like you could use some company." He answered. You shifted closer to him so your head was rested on his shoulder. "You know, the world would honestly be so much better if all males apart from you just... disappeared."

"Yeah?" He laughed. You smiled into the fabric of his plain white shirt, nodding. "Definitely."

The two of you sat there in silence for a while. Chris's arm stayed wrapped tightly around your middle and your head refused to budge from the comfortable position it was in on his shoulder, and to be honest, neither of you were really complaining. It was just... nice. You'd never been this touchy with him but it felt so damn nice. Him wrapping you up in his arms, him borderline cuddling you. There wasn't anything else in the world that made you feel as warm inside.

Disappointedly, the moment was soon over when Chris told you it was five-thirty and you should be going back to sleep. He didn't exactly want to move either, but he was well aware of the lack of rest you normally got when you were at home (it was either because of your mother, or because you wanted a silent dance party at three in the morning - he'd witnessed both more than a few times) and was intent on making you get at least seven hours in before a long day of even more walking. He stood up and brushed some dirt off his jeans, before helping you up like the gentleman he is. "Goodnight, L/n."

"Goodnight, Chambers." You replied. Chris gently kissed your forehead and you both went back to your sleeping bags. You were asleep before your head hit your bunched-up sweater.