Same Love

3:Accepted

Sam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as the cherry red car pulled into the camp. An old RV was parked by tents and a lake was nearby. The inhabitants were alerted by the noise and looked slightly panicked as Sam climbed out of the car, two men convered in blood and gore in a loud car that could attract all the biters in the area. They obviously recognised Glenn but Sam wasn't interested in them as he pulled his shirt over his head. The alarm was silenced by a man disconnecting it and A blonde girl asked about Andrea while Glenn insisted they got out ok. He continued to answer the questions of the group as Sam wrung out his shirt, not having been noticed yet. Suddenly, the van that the others were in pulled up to the camp and people climbed out, many reunions happening. He noticed that the group had children in it, families and an elderly man that made him feel slightly better about it. He felt a tense mood fall over the group, turning around to see them all staring at his bare torso with Rick hugging a small boy and a woman tightly.

" Don't look at me, nothing to see here" Sam waved them off only to be roughly pushed down by a muscular man with a big nose.

"Who are you?" He asked threateningly. An insolent smirk appeared on Sam's lips as he stood, wrestling out of the man's grip and standing, arms crossed.

"A happy chipper ball of sunshine come to murder you all" He said sarcastically and dodged a fist sent quickly his way.

"Why you son of a-" 

"WAIT!" Andrea yelled, stopping the burly man from throwing another punch and he glared at her, practically foaming at the mouth.

"My brand of sarcasm doesn't quite fit with you then? "Sam guiltily speculated as the situation was explained. The group greeted him, introducing themselves as Jacqui handed back his jacket, telling him the lake was down there free to wash in and gave him a towel too. He stalked off to the lake, the crystalline blue water seeming very inviting to him. He stripped off to his boxers leaving, taking his clothes in with him and washing them off, watching as red billowed out into the clear water. He placed the now clean, wet clothes on the shore to dry in the sweltering sun, cleaning himself of the guts and gore of before. He dipped his head below the cool water and a small smile came to him as he got out, now thoroughly clean. By this point is clothes were only damp and he dried himself off before dressing again, careful to keep his leather jacket dry at all costs. He then stretched and made his way back up to the camp. Dale watched him and he decided to go and talk to the old man, ask how things worked around here. He greeted him, seeing his rucksack on the ground by the RV steps. His damp hair was slowly drying in the fading sun and he noted the relaxed atmosphere of the camp.

"I'm Sam, I'm sure you know that by now"

"That was quite brave earlier, Shane does not often know when to stop. You seem to be good at provoking people" the older man said, staring at the bustling camp. The sun had dipped lower now and he wondered if Sam would stay with them.

"I'm experienced in fighting, seems I go looking for trouble." Sam shrugged, sitting on the patchy grass by the RV "Is there anyone I haven't met?"

"Just two people, Daryl and Nate. Nate's sharing a tent with you so he's getting it ready and Daryl's hunting" Dale answered and Sam felt his chest tighten. Nate, that name was the name of his boyfriend before the shit hit the fan, it was a hidden relationship but it was his first ever relationship and he missed Nate dearly. He knew the name would cause this pain until he soon grew accustomed to this new man with the same name. Dale seemed to notice and nudged him.

"Are you alright?" He asked kindly and Sam nodded, breathing in the smoky air as the night grew darker. The group gathered by the campfire that had been made and he noticed Glenn looking cleaner now as well as Rick. He did not see the two he had yet to meet though and settled for sitting, eating some fish until they appeared and he could analyse them. A familiar voice sounded behind him and it attracted the attention of the group.

"I've prepared you're half of the tent new guy, you better follow me" 

Sam didn't turn, merely froze up in shock and fear. What was he going to say? This was his Nate he heard, the one he didn't spare a thought for when he fled the village, overrun by the dead.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" He said louder and grabbed Sam's shoulder, turning him. Time slowed as they stared at one another and after a while Nate threw himself into Sam's arms, burying his face in the crook of the taller man's neck. The rest of the group had no idea what was going on and Sam pulled away, holding the now crying man at arms length.

"Don't cry now Nathan, I'm not sure I can handle a crybaby" The crying asian-american simply smiled and hugged Sam once again, hiccupping due to his crying. Sam didn't cry but he held the smaller body tightly, another reunion for today.

"Samuel, I can't help it" Nate pulled away and they both laughed, sitting down, the eyes of the group still on them.

"Care to fill us in?" Andrea asked, obviously knowing Nate well enough by now to know he was not one for affection.

"We know eachother" Nate said simply.

"We can see" Glenn mused and they thought it best not to explain fully.

"We were best friends, have been since we were about five." Sam explained, leaving out their relationship status. The group dissolved into their own conversations, leaving the subject alone as the two disappeared towards the tents. No one but Glenn seemed curious about this but he didn't investigate until he was forced to go to his own tent that was next to Nate's and now Sam's. All he heard was one thing but it quickly put him off retiring to bed this early. A hushed moan and rustling. Glenn blushed as he imagined what was going on in there and quickly shook the thought out of his head.

He didn't want to know.