T U C K E R × twd

seventeen

.seventeen
CAN THIS GET WORSE?

DAD STAYED BY MY SIDE for what seemed to be a week but in reality had only been one day. He'd gotten Carol to wrap my wrist after concluding that I'd dislocated it. The day had gotten much hotter and there was no cool wind, or any wind really, to give me some sort of relief from the burning heat. My scraggly t-shirt, which I had been wearing since before terminus, would stick to my body with sweat as its glue. Its once light grey colour was now cobalt and dark, with an over layer of dirt and blood.

I had sweated most of the blood that had accumulated from my recent run in with walkers, or ay least I think it had. I had no idea what I looked like. The only thing I could be certain of was the small amount of stubble that had grown on my chin, that I'd feel every time I wiped my face with my hand.

Noah walked next to me, arms hanging heavy on either side of him. From the corner of my eye I saw him shakily lift a bottle of water to his lips, sipping it before pulling it away. Without saying anything, he held it out to me. I shook my head, keeping my eye focus forwards.

"Take it" he demanded softly, when I didn't say anything he sighed and grabbed my hand. His touch was like fire, lighting up my arm and running up to my neck. Snapping my head to look at him, I watched as he forced the bottle into my hand, making sure to close my hand around it "That wasn't that hard, was it Tuck?"

Scoffing lightly, I took a sip from the water. The dull scratching pain that had been lingering in my throat calmed, a soothing feeling replacing it. Passing it back to Noah as he smiled at me, I felt myself giving a tight lipped smile back. There was a strange tight feeling in my chest from his smile, I didn't know what it was and it was starting to freak me the fuck out. Even when Noah touched my hand lightly, I got this heavy feeling like something was pushing it down whilst my stomach flipped.

Something was definitely wrong with me. 

I watched dad slip into the woods, his shoulders tense and hunched slightly. It was clear that he wanted to be alone, hell Carol didn't even try to go with him. I was too busy watching dad with a frown, that I hadn't noticed the stone on the floor. Stumbling forwards, I squeezed my eyes shut in anticipation of hitting the hard pavement but I never felt it. Noah had caught me.

The arm that was wrapped around my stomach suddenly became the only thing I could focus us. My whole body tensing up from the touch. I knew it was Noah, and that I shouldn't be weary of him. I also knew that I wasn't tensing because I was scared of Noah. My cheeks felt like they were warming up, my hands went clammy, and the same twisted feeling in my stomach decided to come back but at full force now. I was convinced I was dying.

I coughed awkwardly, stepping back from his hold rather sharply. He smiled at that and carried on walking, frowning I followed behind - trying to catch up. When I caught up with him, we walked in silence again.

"Tucker, can we talk" Sasha asked me, stepping into stride with me and Noah. I glanced up at her, and shook my head before walking faster.

I didn't want to talk to her. She was stupid, reckless, and almost killed me. I tensed when I heard her footsteps hurry up, they were quiet but not like my dad meaning I could tell what she was doing. I halted and turned around to face her, my tired blue eyes meeting her even more tired looking dark brown ones.

"No" I said bluntly. Sasha sighed, glancing to Noah who just shrugged and took a step away.

"Please, Tuck-"

"Why?" I cut her off, keeping my voice down to not draw unwanted attention from walkers or even anyone else in the group "So you can apologise for almost getting me killed. I'm only gonna say this once Sasha, take your apology and shove it up your ass, 'kay?"