𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂 | 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎

𝑵𝑬𝑼𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑪

𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘛𝘞𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘠-𝘛𝘞𝘖

☼

Although Delaney had gotten a better sleep than most nights here just by kipping on the sofa, surrounded by the misfits of her group, she still found herself awake much earlier than everyone else. A week and they still hadn't vacated to the bedrooms upstairs, and all opted for sleeping like a pack of puppies. It was comical, if not a little sad once you thought about it. The mistrust, the deep rooted fear that they hadn't found a safe place - like they were all waiting for the second shoe to drop. 

Delaney understood. She too was waiting for that moment, hesitant, but hopeful she was wrong. After all there had to have been somewhere good out there, right?

Shifting beneath the blanket Rosita had thrown at her face earlier on, Delaney turned her head toward where Judith was sleeping soundly in the crib they'd been given. She was perhaps the most comfortable of them all, and rightly so. Even with stinging, tired eyes and a stinging pain in her lip as it stretched, she couldn't help but smile at the infant. Carl wasn't far away, curled up like a kitten on pillows and half covered by a blanket. His hat was perched on the corner of the crib and his long hair messily strewn across his face. 

With her hand she rubbed at the sleep in her eyes and swung her legs off of the sofa, careful not to kick Eugene in the face as she did so. Delicately positioning herself between where he lay and where Abraham was protectively guarding the foot of the sofa, she made her escape. The sound of collective snoring and breathing, it was a lot. She'd forgotten the sound of them all, too much to sleep, but enough to bring comfort. 

Creeping over the sleeping bodies, Delaney reached the kitchen without a hiccup. Blanket still wrapped around her she disappeared from sight into the other room. Light from the moon was streaming in through the kitchen window, the blinds not having been drawn the evening before. After peering through them to check the street, Delaney grabbed herself a glass and some water, perching up on the counter top to enjoy it. 

She had been sitting there for some time before she was joined by a familiar guy. Rick was rubbing his hands against his eyes tiredly as he stumbled into the kitchen, yawning silently. He stopped immediately as soon as he spotted Delaney sitting on the counter top, covered by a blanket, sipping a glass of water. She looked back, lifting a brow as he remained totally silent as if he wasn't quite sure he was awake or not. She must have looked a sight - like a little gnome or goblin. 

Then he continued as if he hadn't seen her at all, going about getting himself his own glass of water without a sound. Del watched contentedly, amused when he finally perched himself up on the opposite counter, facing her. The two said nothing for a long time, until he broke the silence, "Why are you sittin' like that?" 

"Why are you?" 

" 'cause you are." 

The two stared at one another, stupidly, before Delaney broke into a small smile and snorted, "You're a real idiot, ya know that?" 

He only hummed, taking a mouthful of drink. "How's your face?" 

"Still there.." Delaney grinned over the rim of her glass as she watched him scowl at her. She didn't in fact answer him any further and instead looked toward the window and the moonlight streaming through the blind. She heard Rick yawn a second time, "Why don't ya get some more sleep?"