Dangerous Encounters [Dangerous Fellows x Reader]

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ【１７】

The sun was gone by now, leaving you alone in the dark. You sat on top of the top-stock, it being the highest vantage point you could find and still retain some comfort. While it was a little terrifying being up so high—taking shelter in the break room would leave you trapped incase the hoard outside wanted to come in. Just the thought of being stuck in a room with no escape sent a shiver down your spine. Either starve to death or become food yourself.

The faint arguing of the duo above you was all you could hear beyond the flies feasting on the corpse you had to share the floor with. Unfortunately the louder they were, the louder the groans outside became as well. You had stopped listening after at around ten minutes into their conversation to try and lull yourself to sleep. Their quarrel continued regardless.

You, on the other hand, tried your best to be quiet, laying down with your bag as a lousy pillow and jacket as a makeshift blanket. You had cleaned yourself up on your own, albeit slowly—but you did the job as you always have. Nestling further into your jacket, you couldn't help but to think back to Ethan. When he heard you struggle, he came to help. He gained nothing from it... maybe your trust? It had been awhile since someone had been selfless for you—placing your damaged self before their own. It felt odd.

Which led you to your current thought trail—how the hell did you end up with the two male assholes who hated you the most. Sure, Lawrence was on another level... but that didn't excuse Zion. Constantly defending the shitty actions of his fling. It's not like you wanted his support, but just for him to get his head out of his own ass to see that Scarlett was the instigator of every negative interaction between you two would be enough.

Why couldn't you leave? Why didn't you just pack your bags and leave the farm when they showed up? Sure, they didn't know about it until you told them, but you were better off alone, right? ...Right?

Alone.

While you thrived in it, being all by yourself wasn't fun. Having to face every fear on your own really takes any energy you have away. In your short time knowing the group—some made you realize how much you missed it. Missed your family. With a dead mom, lost dog, brother you killed, and a sister who abandoned you... it was lonely.

You curled up tighter, feeling the phantom fur of Leo comforting you. He was all you had left. A cat that hated you when this all went down, only to be forgotten just as yourself. Hopefully he was okay. Haley seemed to have grown a strong liking towards him and you had no doubt that she took on feeding him while you've been away.

Fuck this. Stupid tears began to sting at your eyes until welling up. Your glassy eyes stared at the molding ceiling above you. Turn it off. Stop overthinking. You are so emotional. Everything was fine until these assholes came around. Until your sister left with a group of strangers. Until you killed your brother. Until your mom had fallen ill. Until this damn infection started.

Stop thinking!

The tears rolled down your cheeks, leaving hot trails behind in the cool air of the night. You sniffled, rubbing away at the wetness, the weakness. You held your breath to allow pressure to build up to distract you from your emotions. Another sniffle. More rubbing. Your head felt heavy as it throbbed.

A short grunt caught you off guard—spurring your hand to latch onto your bat as your body held still.

"You alive up there?"

Shit. Even worse than a zombie.

Rolling over, you peered over the edge of the top-stock encapsulated behind the torn and ratted protective netting. In the dark, you could make out the fire-engine hair that caught the minuscule streams of moonlight.

"What do you need?" Your voice was hoarse, strained from choking back sobs that ached to rack through your body.

There was a pause. Zion took a deep breath before turning to the shelving behind him. He followed in suit of you, carefully climbing up the ransacked shelves up to the top-stock, sitting himself across from you.

"I'm sorry I didn't see it. See it sooner." The cold air suddenly felt thick as you watched him carefully. "I mean, I knew Lawrence had screw or two loose, you should've seen him with Emcee... but fuck." He didn't meet your eye, choosing to look upwards to the ceiling tiles.

"Didn't she join last? Before me?" You inquired, shifting slightly.

"Yeah... but it was different. He was obsessed with her. In like—a romantic way." He played with the leather gloves on his hands.

"What happened on your end?"

"He would always try to separate her from the others and make romantic advances on her. Should've seen how pissed he was when Judy and Emcee got together. I thought he was going to do something drastic—as much as a peacemaker Harry is, he gave me the inkling," He let out a stressful sigh, stretching out his neck. "We were fine at our base, then all of a sudden a shitton of zombies came. We all escaped thankfully... then we traveled a bit and came across you."

You analyzed his face, watching as it contorted to connect dots.

"I'm starting to think he turned his anger from Emcee's—rejection? I guess? I think he pinned it all on you. You know what I mean?"

"Well, a stranger is a great scapegoat if you ask me."

"Doesn't make it right though. And I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry about Scarlett. She used to be the popular, nice girl before everything went to shit—now she's just defensive all the time. And you weren't her first victim—poor Emcee went through a bit with her before dating Judy."

"...The world puts you through fucked up things sometimes. Your brain just has to learn how to adapt."

"I mean, I guess. I just feel like a dick for not intervening sooner." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Don't worry about it... I know what seeing shit does to a person."

"I really don't know how to help besides stepping in when I see it. But keep putting Lawrence in his place—I hope he'll listen."

"At this point? I don't know what else I can do. If I ignore him, he tries to get me killed. If I save him, he tries to get me killed. Even if I try to leave, he follows me, and then also tries to get me killed." You rolled over to look upwards, a deep sigh falling from your lips.

Silence overtook the conversation, bathing you two in it's conflicting comfort.

"I don't know what else to say, (F/n). Maybe just a thank you."

You rolled over to catch his honey eyes looking for your own.

"Your welcome... It means a lot to hear those words." You sat up slowly, soft hiss leaving your lips before you pulled your pack into your lap. From it, you pulled out another jacket. It was thinner, but better than nothing. You tossed it over your netting and into Zion's top-stock shelf. You placed the bag back behind you and laid to rest.

"Goodnight to you as well."

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