â€œSo, how long have you two been together?â€<br/><br/>Adrianâ€™s head snapped up at Nathanâ€™s odd question. His mind was a blank for an instant, and for a moment his gray eyes were openly confused, not wary or threatening. It took him three full blinks to register the question.<br/><br/>Revulsion washed over him, and he cringed in disgust, his eyes wide with shock at what he believed Nathan was insinuating. Surely he couldnâ€™t meanâ€¦.<span style="font-style: italic">that?!</span><br/><br/>â€œPlease tell me youâ€™re asking how long weâ€™ve been living together for zombie-killing-means," he pleaded, thoroughly freaked out.<br/><br/>-- ---------<br/><br/>Rainie tore her glare from Adrian and looked at the chuckling Nathan, softening her gaze considerably when she did.<span style="font-style: italic">Heâ€™s cute when he laughs.</span>Her cheeks reddened as the thought sprung up unexpected in her mind. She tried her best to brush it off.<br/><br/>â€œHeâ€™s right,â€ said Nathan between laughs, â€œbut donâ€™t worry. You make it work.â€<br/><br/>Rainie tried to suppress her satisfied smile. She hadnâ€™t been this glad to come across a survivor in a long time.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">You were glad to have met</span>him<span style="font-style: italic">too, back then.</span><br/><br/>Rainieâ€™s chest seized with pain at the sudden cruel truth that rang out in her head. How could she have forgotten? It was like it was all repeating itself. Fear gripped her, cold shivers prickling her scalp and leaving her bare arms and legs in gooseflesh. It could happen again. Rainieâ€™s fingernails were suddenly biting into her palm, her eyes glassy and staring unfocusedly at the floor a few feet in front of her.<br/><br/>Adrian, who had been standing quietly in by the couch, was abruptly reeling from the unexpected downward-spirally atmosphere in the room. Tension rolled off Rainie in waves, her inexplicable internal turmoil and pain evident in her violet eyes, to Adrian at least.<br/><br/>Across the room, Nathan was looking miserable in a someone-ran-over-my-puppy-yesterday kind of way. Adrian couldnâ€™t understand it. What had been said? He went over the past few words exchanged and found nothing that could offend or upset either of them.<br/><br/>And suddenly the feeling dissolved. Nathan finally glanced up, looking at Rainie once more. â€œUm, get some sleep if you want. I'll wake you if they make it to the second floor. I can whip up some warm food for when you wake, too. Though I can't promise anything for the taste. You'll just owe me the same in return.â€<br/><br/>This snapped Rainie out of it. Her eyes flicked from their spot on the floor to Nathanâ€™s face. His tone sounded off, sort of sad, and his expression was slightly off. The curiosity as to why her new companion would be upset chased away the rest of her agonizing thoughts. Her eyes, however, lacked some of their brightness and spark. She blinked, her expression lacking much emotion as Nathan spoke to both her and her brother.<br/><br/>Before she could formulate a response, a smile, or a reassuring reply, Adrian spoke up, â€œSure. Thanks.â€ Was all he said. Rainie blinked at him confusedly.<br/><br/>A second passed before she finally seemed to snap back to herself. She smiled at Nathan, albeit slightly unsteadily. â€œWeâ€™d love that,â€ she claimed, intentionally speaking for the both of them. â€œWeâ€™ll head for the apartment in the morning.â€ She didnâ€™t voice it, but it was an invitation for Nathan to come stay with them for as long as he needed. He was free to decline. Rainie found herself hoping he didnâ€™t.<br/><br/>Adrian looked over at her sharply. They hadnâ€™t discussed this. But heâ€™d recently resigned himself to let Rainie do what she wanted when it came to this guy. He just hoped it didnâ€™t end like last time.<br/><br/>Rainie, suddenly exhausted, tried and failed to stifle a yawn. Embarrassed, she blinked as her cheeks tinged pink. She looked over at Adrian meaningfully, then said to the room, â€œIâ€™ll just grab a few winks then. If you need to wake me, Iâ€™d rather you say my name or chuck something at me.â€<br/><br/>â€œLest you want to be shot.â€ Adrian chimed in helpfully. Rainie shot a scowl his way as she strode across the room, snatched up one of the bean bags, and dragged it over where she had dumped her stuff earlier. On the way, she snatched up the radio sheâ€™d found.<br/><br/>Adrian watched her toss the bean bag on the floor against the wall and promptly flopped into the thing with a crinkle of the Styrofoam bits inside the faux blue leather. He noticed she hadnâ€™t removed her gun holster and her boots were still on. Folding her legs under her, she fiddled with the radio in her hands, turning it on with the volume on high. The white noise drowned out the screeches of the Infected outside.<br/><br/>The boy sighed at his sisterâ€™s antics, as it was his job to find everything about her exasperating. Without a glance in Nathanâ€™s direction, he picked the corner farthest from him and plunked into an old, rusted folding chair. He let his backpack slip off his shoulder as well as his trash bag wrapped machine gun, lowering the weapon to the floor gingerly. He leaned against the chair back, letting his head fall back as he attempted to ignore everything in the room. His long legs stretched out in front of him, and his arms hung limply off the back of the cold metal chair. The white noise from Rainieâ€™s radio filled his ears, and he felt sleep tugging at him, but he resisted.<br/><br/>Rainie, having watched Adrianâ€™s slow, jaunty movements, pursed her lips. He was more tired than she was, likely. And she was feeling dizzy with fatigue. Before she curled up and surrendered herself to the dangerous oblivion of sleep, she looked over at Nathan. His gadget was laying forgotten in his lap.<br/><br/>â€œSorry about this.â€ She said. She wasnâ€™t quite sure what she was apologizing for, but it felt necessary. It was probably the guilty conscience talking. She was sorry for making him leave his current â€˜home.â€™ Sorry she was stealing his clothes and soon his food. Sorry for her brotherâ€™s hostility towards him.<br/><br/>Sorry for the world being shit.<br/><br/>Sorry that his loved ones were likely dead.<br/><br/>Sorry that she couldnâ€™t let her guard down for the scars on her soul.<br/><br/>Shaking her head and turning her gaze away, she recollected her thoughts. Her mind was fuzzy from sleep deprivation and she wanted desperately just to lay down. Lifting her hands to her hair, she gathered it and twisted it into a messy bun to keep it from getting tangled while she slept. She didnâ€™t toss in her sleep â€“ especially under uncomfortable conditions â€“ but her hair always resembled a ratâ€™s nest when she woke up.<br/><br/>Her gaze flicked over the vacant couch before settling on Nathan again. She had intended to say something, but the thought was chased away the moment her eyes met his. It reminded her of when you walked into a room because you needed something from there, only to forget what you needed. But it wasnâ€™t quite that. Not quite.