feisty fox

“ i don’t need tobe scolded by you, ramona. “ kieran tilted their head. “ we’re living in the same community. shit went down. we had each other’s backs and things went down a certain path. “ they sighed and shrugged, “ it was just sex. we’re not eloping. “

“I’ve been raising my sister for years. Scolding is who I am.” She stated matter-of-fact, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, “I know all about the heat of the moment drawn to the person who saved your life spiel, I do, but this is the same bastard who was willing to cut out my tongue so sorry if I’m not his number one fan.”

“ i smell great – thank you. “ kieran’s eyes narrowed in a mock glare before shrugging. “ i got laid. i hear tragedy does strange things to people. “ then again, kieran’s reputation probably wasn’t lost on ramona. he was sure he had already gotten through most of the community that happened to be interested in them.

“You smell like a barn had sex with a toilet.” She rolled her eyes and groaned, “What I wouldn’t give for a good lay. I’d rather reek of it than these mud streaks, however...Josh? Really had to go for that one?” Ramona couldn’t contain the judgmental expression crossing her features, “Honey, you deserve better than that psycho.” 

“ could be worse. could be sweating. “ it didn’t matter what role kieran was playing: they didn’t like to sweat – ever. they grinned and shrugged, “ can always use a helping hand i guess. “ he set stella down, allowing her to play with the other kids. “ how are you holding up? “ 

“If your worry with sweating is to avoid stinking, you’re still failing.” The side of Ramona’s lips pulled in a small smile, reaching out a hand to ruffle her sister’s hair as she scampered off in the direction of the other children. “Thanks, could use the break from cleaning.” She commented, tightening her ponytail. “I’m coping. I’m kind of in need of a drink right now or five. How about you?”

while others were tending to fortifying the wall and others were burying the dead, kieran gave themselves the job of looking after a few little ones. it seemed better than being out there with everyone else and it furthered solidified that kieran could remain under the radar. who was going to think much of someone paying resident babysitter. “ we should probably stay out there way, “ they spoke to the child in their arms. “ i hear men with shovels and bad attitudes are a deadly combination. “ 

Ramona hardly trusted anyone else but herself with the task of taking care of her sister, but she was only one woman who couldn’t be there for her community and watch over Stella as much as she proclaimed she possessed the superpower to do so. However, if it came down to letting a prophet or an Arcadian watch the ten year old, someone from Arcadia would win every single time. “I wouldn’t underestimate a woman with a shovel either.” Ramona placed a hand to her hip, looking from Kieran to the sister they held in their arms, “Kids can be a lot. Need a hand?”

“I mean…in some way you sort of did, the conversation only came about because you told him about us sleeping together and I really wasn’t sure any of what you just said was gonna happen at all.” Granted Dyson didn’t particularly regret it as much as he just didn’t enjoy the idea that he hurt Boo because of what happened. “You really do and I love you for it Bambi.”

“Then consider the delicious satisfaction in effect immediately. If I’m going to be completely honest, I feel he’s still a little uncomfortable knowing I asked that of you. I mean, that could just be his general awkwardness. Sorry for putting you in that position, Dys.” Ramona took another drink and held out the flask, “Crazy is as what crazy does, mon ami.” She reached out her free hand and pinched his cheek, “Holy hell, I got a hankering to dance around in the rain naked.”

“In my defense the last time I was out it was with Boo and he gives me those cute butterfly drunk feelings.” Dyson added as if that was his complete defense on the matter, if anything it was just nice. Offering out the flask. “The rest of it is hidden under a floorboard.” It seemed a good enough hiding place at the time and he was really starting to wish he’d done the same with his katana. “Go crazy Bambi.”

“Fuck me, if I knew you two would be off in la la land making sweet music cuddly love making with each other, I would’ve thought to set you up myself just for that piece of delicious satisfaction.” Ramona placed aside the uncomfortable atmosphere that surrounded her and Boo when she told him about sleeping with Dyson as she reached for the flask, “Shut up before they hear you and take the rest away.” Taking a large swig and coughing once, she could instantly feel the alcohol's burn scorch her veins, “Don’t I always, pookie?”

“ again: they’re still breathing. “ link didn’t have it in her to relate to ramona. she didn’t have it in her to relate to most people. half of the time it was like talking to a brick wall. “ eric’s a good man. “ sure, he was a killer like the rest of them but he also knew how to make the hard choices. he always knew how to make the choices that he knew no one else was going to make. “ you’re right. you won’t receive forgiveness. “

“And one of these times, they may not. It’s a reality I face every day.” People died on a daily basis whether that was from a walker bite or a bullet, murder or on accident. Ramona knew she needed to cherish each moment she had with the few friends she kept close as if it were their last day together. And someday, it could be. “Better than most.” Even she could see Eric wasn’t a psychopath without a moral compass. “I would never dare ask for it. So, if he and you are content walking round Arcadia giving me death glares or the middle finger, I won’t say a peep.”

“I might still be a little tipsy but the rain helped…trust me, I have all of my shit together Bambi.” If anything he was just on the buzz that left him in somewhat of a lighter mood, compared to how on edge he’d been lately. “They do say caffeine is good for the skin.” A slight joking comment, if anything right now he was just hungry. 

“If I knew a cold fucking torrential rainfall was enough to sober your ass up, I would’ve dunked you in a puddle a long time ago.” Ramona reached out a hand and grabbed Dyson’s chin, moving his head from left to right to check him. He did look better. “As if I don’t have flawless skin already, pookie. Your smile’s enough to clear my acne.” She patted his cheek, “Now I know you have a secret stash. Give me.”

“ you’re right. i don’t want to hear this right now. “ link looked back at ramona. “ you have your friends. you have whoever you consider family. kevin was my friend. “ her only friend really. “ and he’s dead. and eventually i’ll forget what he sounded like. what he looked like. what he smelled like. “ she stepped towards ramona, “ eric spared you. and that is the only reason, you’re still breathing. “

“Trust me, the short list of people I consider family is limited to two.” One of which she felt wasn’t her biggest fan at the moment. “The world’s full of humans who’ve lost someone and it’d be damned if you were the only exception. I killed my own father and lost my mother to the virus all on the same day.” Ramona pressed her lips together, head held high, “Through the anger and the grief he did and I admire him for that. I want more than anything to give back what I took from him, but I can’t ask for forgiveness I know I’ll never receive.”

“ that’s the plan. “ she looked towards ramona before climbing the porch, finding the door unlocked and pushing it open. “ i don’t know where sol is and i’m sure eric is playing the resident hero. “ she was certain about that. shit went down and eric jumped into action no matter what harm it could bring to himself.

“And to think you would’ve left me out here to get eaten. I’m sure that thought crossed your mind.” Ramona wiped her damp hair from her face as she jogged up the stairs two at a time before moving to stand in the doorway, “Look,” She turned around and rested a hand against the door’s frame, “I know you don’t want to hear this right now after the stunt I pulled at his funeral, but what happened to Kevin...I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. He didn’t deserve it.”

link barely flinched. a part of her almost thought that the woman had grown some balls to do something unexpected with this situation but if ramona was looking for appreciation, she wasn’t going to get it from link. “ yup. “ she shifted, tucking the gun in the waist band of her pants before motioning ramona towards one of the houses. “ come on. “

“You’re welcome.” The young woman mumbled, aware how the situation would have looked from an outsider’s perspective. The last thing she wanted to do was kill someone else. “What, you’re going to take me to safety and then just decide to go back out here yourself?” That was Ramona’s only option, wasn’t it, considering she no longer had a weapon. “Fucking hell.” With one last look behind them, she fell in step with Link.

“ because this is me asking nicely. “ her grip on her gun tightened. “ if i wanted to go that route, why wouldn’t i skip this exchange and just kill you now? “ she tilted her head, “ tick tock. time is running out. “ the sounds from the walkers were getting closer. “ i might not wait for you to make your decision for much longer. “

“As if I was expecting a please in there somewhere.” Her gaze dropped to the gun in her hand for a thoughtful moment and when she finally looked up, something behind Link a couple feet away caught her attention. Ramona lifted the fun and pointed at the walker’s head who was a straggler from the hoard before she found herself pulling the trigger. The kickback was harsher than a crossbow, that was for sure. “There.” She placed the gun in the woman’s hand, “Do you still want my gun now?”

“ you killed my friend. “ if that didn’t tell ramona that she didn’t care then she didn’t know what would. she reached out her free hand, expecting ramona to hand over the gun. “ then i guess we’re going to play a game of chicken to see who drops their weapon first. “ it was reckless, link knew that, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“And I have to face that every day.” Ramona placed aside the tough girl act for once in her life and showed the one emotion that should have come out during Kevin’s burial: remorse. Her gaze dropped to Link’s hand with a show shake of her head, “And how do I know you aren’t going to put a bullet between my eyes the minute I give it to you?”

Almost jumping out of his skin the moment he was nudged, letting himself adjust for a moment before he shook his in hindsight getting drunk out of his mind was starting to feel like a really bad idea. “I…have my shit together..-” he almost retorted without thinking before raising another brow. “This would be a good moment for coffee.”

“Don’t make me slap you if I sense you’re lying to me, pookie.” Ramona reached up and smoothed down Dyson’s wet locks before finally giving up when she wasn’t getting anywhere. “Please refrain from mentioning coffee in front of me, I could literally swim in a whole bathtub in it right now.”

it didn’t take long for link to spot ramona and maybe she should have just kept moving but her emotions drove her to do something else. she managed to pick up a gun from someone that wasn’t fast enough and fell victim to one of the walkers. she moved behind the woman, raising and cocking it. “ or, you can give me the gun, and go inside with some of the others. “ she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “ please test me and give me a reason. “

Maybe it was something about being a little drunk but it certainly made the typically miserable view on the rain a little more optimistic, granted he was far from drunk enough to do anything but relax which really was something he needed to do once in a while. “Look, if I head in the direction of anyone who looks like they might need a little help…slap me.”