Plotted starter for @betaofthedead

It'd been years since he'd been this close to a city and James would be lying if he said he was comfortable. But Clementine had asked for his help especially, even after everything that went down between them, after how he scared them and —in a lesser level— they scared him. Yet here they were, giving each other a second chance, and it was going pretty well up until they arrived to the city.

Nothing had happened, but that didn't stop James from being on edge as he stood outside the gates, at least four people standing over the gates and whispering to each other told him they weren't keeping watch, but talking about him. James kept his eyes down, grip tightening on the leader of his mask as his fingers rubbed against the seams in an attempt to comfort himself. He reminded himself that he could leave, Clementine told him so herself when it became clear the amount of time she and AJ would spend in there was undefined.

And he did– kind of. James didn't leave the main street right in front of the gates, but he did move farther away from them, finding a comfortable spot to sit on an old car that was more rust and plants than vehicle.

James took a deep breath, keeping himself busy making another hole on the old guardian leather that was his mask to pass the rope that tied it shut because some had grown too wide and made it impossible to tighten it properly. He was at it until the breeze changed and blew his way, making the familiar smell of rot and fresh blood reach him. His brows furrowed as he looked first towards the gates, finding nothing; then the other way.

Emotional starters to kick you in the feelings.

“I am so sorry for hurting you.”

James never thought that an apology could hurt, but here he was, feeling like he'd just been stabbed in the gut by a seven words sentence from the one who'd been his father figure for so long, the one he'd been avoiding being left alone with because he knew that sooner or later they'd have to talk about things, and James was scared of what path that conversation might take.

Conflicting feelings blossomed in his chest at the apology. He looked up at Beta, looking hurt, confused and bewildered in equal parts, then looked away because he didn't want to allow those feelings to take over and make him do or say something stupid. He and Beta were like father and son, they were better at reading each other's expressions better than anyone else in the pack had ever been, and it only took one look at Beta's face for him to know that he truly regretted whatever he blamed himself for.

Of all the people who'd ever hurt him, Beta had been the one who did so the least- at least physically. But that wasn't to say he'd not been hurt by the man, as much as James would like to pretend Beta had been unable to do anything while Alpha punished James, but truth was he'd chosen not to, because that was how deep that woman's manipulation went.

"I'm not sorry about leaving," he stated quickly, glancing up at the giant. "But... I'm sorry about not saying goodbye properly. I should have, and I wanted to, but I was scared... of her."

Admitting such a thing lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders. James had been terrified of Alpha back then, and he knew Beta had been too- hell, the whole pack feared her, she wasn't a good leader and she didn't make them feel safe at all, ever. But she was cunning and manipulative in ways that very few people could achieve, so she'd gotten away with so much back then. But James wasn't going to let her influence weigh on his actions anymore.