𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂 | 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

𝑵𝑬𝑼𝑹𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑪

𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘚𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘕

☼

The fresh, cold air felt amazing against her burning skin - stupidity had turned her cheeks slightly red. What was wrong with her? What was so fundamentally wrong with her - hadn't she learn her lesson? Hadn't she told Rick that she didn't trust him. How many damn heartbreaks could she go through before it just- before it ruined her. She had no idea, no idea and she had no desire to test it.

A part of her was angry at Rick, fuming even, that he had been so careless to bring a baby into a world like this - at all. He hadn't struck her as the type who thought with his dick, but then again what did she know, nothing. She knew nothing about him. Nothing at all and she had to remind herself that - remind herself that she knew nothing about any of these people.

Frustration was making her eyes water, that was one of those silly, pathetic things about her she supposed, that her eyes always watered when she was angry - or frustrated in this case. She was torn between staying with her brother, surviving with her brother and just running off into those woods and never looking back. Harsh, cruel maybe, but Delaney had done this one too many times.

She knew part of her wouldn't be trusting them any time soon, not even if they fed her, not even if they took watches as she slept - because people changed. Hell if she didn't know that.

"What is wrong with me." She hissed beneath her breath, swiping at her eyes with the heel of her palm, getting rid of the tears she was forming -

"Nothing is wrong with you." Involuntarily Delaney tensed up at the interjection of a female voice, Carol's voice to be specific. She had been stressing so hard that she hadn't even heard her approaching down the steps and that, that was dangerous. Carol slowed to stop beside her, sticking her fingers into the loop of her belt, "Fitting in is difficult." Her shoulder shrugged as Delaney shot her a narrow eyed stare, " - it's not for everyone."

Delaney huffed a noise, "You seem ta do fine." Her tone was understandably guarded, clipped and short, though Carol didn't seem to take much notice. Rather she began to walk along the grass, kicking her boots through it's uncut lengths. Delaney watched for a moment before deciding Daryl would undoubtedly murder her if she let his girlfriend walk off - she snorted to herself at the thought. It had been clear to her that Carol and her brother were close, good friends at the very least if nothing more.

"You'd think so." Carol mused, sounding a little bored as she spoke. She was heading in the direction of the trees, and still unnerved by the thought of Terminus survivors lurking around Delaney reached down for the knife in her boot, cursing that she hadn't brought Scout's rifle.

Turning her head to look at Carol, Delaney questioned, "Aint they ya friends?" She observed Carol in the dim light of the night, trying not to think much about it. God, she hated the dark. "I'd figure you'd be pretty thrilled bein' back with 'em." Perhaps not, Delaney thought as she watched Carol shrug a second time. It wasn't as if Delaney hadn't seen how this woman interacted with the group. She was a friend. Definitely. But there was something wrong, something tense, perhaps even a little bitter.

"We've all done things." Carol told her, briefly looking her direction, before focusing back on making her path through the trees. " - things we're not proud of." What truth that was, Delaney thought, admitting Carol was absolutely right in saying that. They had all done shit since this outbreak had begun, things that laid heavy in their minds - or hearts. Delaney had done plenty, too much really for one person. Carol seemed to notice the echoing silence that followed her words and with a glance to the younger woman, she hummed beneath her breath. "They're good people - But sometimes, I wonder if that's a bad thing."