She shifted her weight, flexing fingers around her weapon before glancing down each path, mind already running the calculus of cover, exposure, and likely threats. Then she looked at him again, eyes tired but steady.

“Right,” she said finally. “Left feels cursed.”

⸻⸻⸻ he couldn't help but chuckle breathlessly at her muttering, head shaking a little to get the hair out of his eyes. " would be easier if we would. if there was a time some supernatural shit controling weather could show up, it is now, " he joked, eyes moving around to check their surrendings again. he waited for her choice, keeping his own lider-ish tendencies in check. sometimes, it was worth it to give someone the lead, even if everything in him screamed to get the situation under his control. " right it is, then " he nodded, moving soundlessly, hand on one of his knives. " would want to walk into curse right now, shit messed up enough. "

⸻⸻⸻ all he could do was to give her a half hug ⸻ arm lifting to gently place it on her shoulders, fingers squeezing gently as he pulled her to his side for a moment before taking his hand away as merrin stood by his side, a show of support from fellow human being. they just spend a hellish time working side by side, so of course miguel recognized the look in her eyes. there is nothing more they can do for darell or natalia, it was all out of their hands, no matter how much they would try. he nodded silently at the toast, downing his drink, matching her pace. keep going was just all right, all that left to do. he snorted quietly, reaching to fill their glasses again. " do i look like i'm doing better? " he asked, lifting corner of his lips in small bitter smile. it wasn't the first hard shift he had ⸻ now or then ⸻ but fuck, it didn't get easier. " ... pretending, for sure. " he added, nodding to himself. for a moment, he just looked at the glass, fingers moving over the rim. " we did all we could. they are tough, they will beat it. " he wasn't sure who he wanted reassure of it ⸻ her or himself, or both. both, probably. survivor guilt, he thought, natalia's face flashing in his mind.

it was damn near nightfall when declan finally showed again, albeit on his front porch. the day's events weighed heavily on him, for a multitude of reasons — he's not sure how he could've prevented it, but just maybe... — and he always processed better alone than with company. the other person's appearance was not unwelcome, whether they were checking in or just passing by on the sidewalk. he was silent at first, expression thoughtful as he tried to find the right thing to say: 'how are you?' wasn't much of an option, given the latest happening and its effect on morale.

⸻⸻⸻ that fucking brat , will thought, walking around with determination of person wronged. somebody ⸻ he very much knew who, they smirked at him when he asked ⸻ hid one of his knives right after he came back from that fucking trip, right into the mess that happened, so of course he now stumble around in dark looking for it. it was stupid and dangerous, but well, he kind of deserved it after running his mouth. but only a little. he was way too old of this petty shit, that's for sure. he startled a little hearing declan's voice, already on edge with everything going on, and now making a fucking stupid mistake of letting his guards down for a fucking minute. " sorry, man, " he said, reflexively coming closer. " i'm not looking for alcohol, don't you worry, no need for more mess, " he added, corner of lips lifting in a small smile. " nah, some little shit stolen my knife and hide it for shit and giggles, so here i am, walking around like an idiot. you saw anything? "

⸻⸻⸻ they took another drag, before putting the cigarette and hiding it away again, preserving. min-jun hummed gently, looking away for a moment. they hated being trapped inside the walls, it made their skin itch ⸻ yeah, they knew not everybody got it, but they lived more outside than inside before the zombies, and now it made them... moody. " people need to eat, " they said simply, looking at wei and smiling a little. " there is too many of us to rely on what we have now, we should keep that up for winter when it will be harder to hunt. " they lifted their hands, stretching. "... yeah, i might just be a freak to not feel too good with being inside all the time, " they laughed lightly, hands falling down. "... um. how are you holding out? "

⸻⸻⸻ miguel hummed quietly, eyes closing for a moment as instinctively lean into kai's touch. he opened they quickly, turning his head to look at the other man, a softer, more real smile lifted corners of his lips. there he was, the reason miguel was fighting again and again, instead of give up right at the start of this shit. he reached for kai's hand, squeezing it gently to feel the warmth ⸻ so different to... no, he will not think of it now. " i'm fine, " he said quietly, lifting their hands a little and placing a dry kiss on kai's skin. " better now that you are here, " he added, looking up with a more playful smirk, already moving to make kai's drink. " ... how about you, dear? "

what haunted her more was the thought of harlan out there, not coming back. she had no idea how she’d survive that kind of loss—how much of herself she’d lose with him.

needing space to breathe, to quiet the storm in her head, she volunteered for perimeter duty. as she rounded a corner, her hand instinctively brushed the grip of her weapon—then relaxed when she spotted someone already there.

“looks like we’re on shift together,” she said, her voice low but steady.

⸻⸻⸻ he should have know that something will fuck up. it was going too damn good, the walls giving false feeling of safety. but then again, will never really felt safe so fuck this shit anyway. he moved his head a little to look at — fuck, names are hard, um, jemma! — and noded once, sharp movement quickly smoothed by low and soft voice. " yeah, " he looked up at the sky, trying to soften his own posture ; he knew how he looked back in the days and now it wasn't better ⸻ the wildness was always here, and danger wrapped in sharp edges and cold eyes. it didn't work here too good, but helped outside. " i hope it will not rein, that would suck, " will shake his head lightly, before looking at her again. " so. left or right, which way you want us go now? "

'there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens - a time to be born and a time to die….' the words rolled through harlan’s mind, he could almost hear his father's voice, echoing off memories of pews and dust motes in late sunday morning light

thirty eight damn years. garett had only just begun wading into that uneasy path folks call early middle age, a stretch thick with half promised opportunities and slow brewing regrets. now there’s nothing left of him, reduced to the bruised absence and to the two fierce little lives who would forever carry his shadow. he had always thought he’d grown familiar with death, with the fight. grief still landed, same as the first time, and it left identical cracks inside his chest every single time. hazel eyes stayed locked on the weapons in front of him as footsteps tapped down the hallway

⸻⸻⸻ they felt... weird. yes, the sadness for the lost life was there, but min-jun had an impression that they didn't feel it enough. anger, oh yes, they felt anger just the right amount though, burning deep in their chest. maybe that's why they were here, trying to sneak in and get a gun and... and then something. maybe walk outside the walls anyway, even if it wouldn't help at all. maybe because their memories of the world before were a black-and-white frames of screams and fights and cold, maybe because they grown up with weapon in their hands and one eye always open for danger. maybe maybe maybe... whatever. " if anybody here can 'talk sweet about good old days', it would be you, i think," they said, a trademark smirk ghosting on their lips, even if they were screaming in their head. damn it, they didn't see him in time to step away, to not get seen here, but that's... happens. " don't we all?" they added at his last words, moving to stand by his side, hand reaching for gun too. " hunt or patrol? "

she was so deep in that thought, lost in a storm of emotion, that she hadn’t even noticed her boss standing beside her. “i won’t say no,” she said quietly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “but you’ll have to make sure i get home.”

⸻⸻⸻ he smiled, a small lifting of corner of mouth, reaching for clean glass to share drink with her. " don't worry, i always make sure my drinking partner is at the end safe in their own home, " he said, pouring the alcohol into glass. " we might be loud or something while getting there, but we will get there. " not that he planned on... well, that was a lie, miguel did planned to get hammered. it remind him of working at hospital, after some really bad case, when all he wanted to do was going home and get fucking numb. but it also taught him how to bottle everything inside till it was a time to let go ⸻ like now, when it the worst was all over. "... you good? " he asked gently, slowly moving the glass in her direction.

⸻⸻⸻ he titled his head, listening and lazy moving his glass, watching the liquid moving inside. " maybe you could teach somebody, we could always use some more wine, " he said in light tone, too light for what was inside his head. lifting the glass to his lips again, he took another sip, the burn exactly what he needed. maybe. " of course not, i thank you for the ⸻ " sacrifice, the word died on the tip of his tongue. with a shake of his head, he corrected himself smoothly. " company. always good to be in yours. " his lips smiled, even if his eyes didn't ⸻ but he kept it together, another taste of the alcohol washing away the bitterness of his thoughts. " .. we should have karaoke here. that would be fun. "