Changing To Adapt ➵ TWD

➵ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜱɪxᴛʏ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

On day fourteen, Lucas was on a mission to get Beth some art supplies.

She was into that sort of stuff, said she wanted to make the prison more homely. Fill it with things that reminded her of the farm. 

Memories keep some of them going. 

Lucas would like to say he's gotten closer to Beth, their age being part of the reason. But he keeps getting the side-eye from Hershel and wishes he was brave enough to tell him he didn't play for her team.

Hershel's a man of god. 

And Lucas has been through one too many "homosexuality is a sin" proclamations from Christians to even approach that path.

Hell, with Merle having been the way he was, Lucas doesn't exactly want to be telling Daryl either.

All in all, he doesn't want anyone looking at him differently. It's not like he's gonna find love in this shit hole anyway. 

Beth doesn't care about keeping her distance, though, and traps him in a hug the minute he shows her the goods. "Thanks, Lucas." She squeezes him around the middle and blinds him with her smile.

He tousles her messily tucked ponytail until it's a rat nest, "I passed by some stuff during a run is all."

"Sure." Beth rolls her eyes, goodheartedly, "Not like you're a nice guy or anythin'." She frowns when she has to re-tie her hair.

"Can't ruin my reputation." Lucas plays along, but breaks character to tilt his head towards the stairs and lean his shoulder against the archway, "Had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah, I met up with some of the new people." Beth tucks the bag of crafts by her bedside and turns around again, only to notice the face he's making. She sighs and drops her shoulders, "You've been avoiding them."

Lucas shrugs.

"Which means you haven't had breakfast?" Beth assumes, crossing her arms.

"I do. Sometimes." Lucas argues, scratching at his neck and avoiding her eyes, "I just eat it in here with Daryl."

Beth purses her lips like she's trying not to laugh, before snatching his wrist and dragging him out the door, "Come on, then."

"I didn't say I wanted to go out there."

She tosses a half-hearted glare over her shoulder, "Too bad."

Lucas notices Maggie this time, watching them on their way out of the cell block. She winks. He frowns and cuts his hand across his neck repeatedly in refusal. It's not what you think!

He was friends with Nicola without people thinking they were a thing, why can't that apply here?

Maybe it's because Kaine was always there, at his back, whispering in his ear.

Their makeshift cafeteria has moved from inside their cellblock to outside in the courtyard, under the shade and next to the barbecue. They had a few tables and a load of chairs thanks to a run back to Woodbury a few days ago.

"You don't have to sit with them, you know. Just make sure to grab somethin'." Beth tries to reassure him, and stops just to meet his eyes, "I get that you'd be weary."

"Thanks, Beth." He says, genuinely.

So he lingers outside with a plate of beans, hovering over Beth's shoulder as she converses with her new friends. The prison is incredibly low on food since the influx of people, but the others were going on one last run to Woodbury soon in hopes of collecting whatever supplies they had left.

Lucas passes his eyes over the people, just trying to get a general idea of what most of them look like, and pauses when he gets past the table.

Leaning against the wall on a wreck of a chair, far from the gathering, is the guy Lucas has an unexplained but slight annoyance against.

Their eyes lock, and simultaneously, narrow.

"Oh, that's Alex," Beth says, popping up beside him. She almost knocks the plate of beans out of his hands and Lucas has to fumble with his plate to keep it steady.

He raises a brow. Hums in reply.

"Have you met him before?" Beth tilts her head, confused by his interest.

"Kicked his ass back at Woodbury." He supplies, exaggerating most of it. "I don't like him."

Alex calmly tilts his head back against the wall, refusing to break eye contact, and lifts his hips a little to readjust in his seat, getting comfortable. Lucas's eyes dart down to the movement and back up, catching himself.

The corner of Alex's mouth curls upwards. It's smugness if he's ever seen it.

No. It's a challenge.

Lucas pokes his tongue into the back of his teeth and glares at him. He definitely won't be befriending the guy anytime soon.

Beth shrugs, turning back to put her plate on the tray with the other dirty dishes.

"Hey," Glenn claps him on the arm to catch his eyes, pulling him right out of whatever mindfuckery was going on, "We're going on that run soon, you coming?"

Lucas clicks his tongue, "What would you do without me?"

When he glances back, Alex is walking away, an empty plate left on the seat. His eye twitches in annoyance, but he follows Glenn after a moment's thought.