western nights ( shane walsh )

1.24 ; lockdown

The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting a subdued and sombre grey tone across the room.

A faint warmth battled with the cool hues, creating a delicate interplay of light. In the hallway, the buzz of activity hinted at a day in full swing, with everyone already up and scattered about.

Shane's protective arm enveloped Natalie, drawing her close in a firm embrace. His touch conveyed both comfort and a sense of security, a tangible anchor amidst the subtle chaos surrounding them.

As Natalie's eyes gradually adjusted to the muted sunlight, a persistent throbbing pulsed through her head. The transition from the dimly lit night to the subdued morning intensified the ache. The recollection of the words exchanged with Shane the previous night triggered an uneasy sensation in her stomach, an inexplicable discomfort that lingered like a shadow in the corners of her consciousness.

Each remembered syllable seemed to cast a pall over the otherwise ordinary morning, leaving Natalie grappling with emotions she couldn't quite decipher. "Your head hurts doesn't it?" Shane's voice echoed through her ears. Moving the hat out of her face, and he took it off her head causing her to smile a little bit at this.

"Mhm" Nodding her head sitting up just for her head to be spinning. "I need a talk to my mom" Mentioning rubbing her hands on her face tired and hungover. Her voice was almost broken and Shane's was as well.

Moved his hand off of Natalie at the mention of Lori. Shane remembered what happened last night. "What's wrong" Natalie noticed the tension forming in the room.

"You should shower and whatever, I doubt we're staying long" Shane changed the subject. Natalie had leaned over kissing him on the cheek and getting up off of her cot. Shane watched her as she disappeared behind the bathroom door.

It didn't take her long to finish the shower as she smelt like what remembered to be flowers for the first time in a while. Natalie had put her bra on before a black tank top but quickly she had noticed that the hickies Shane had left on her neck were prominite.

The young woman sighed dragging her tongue across her teeth thinking. Before putting the cargo green pants on. Shane's blue button-up was on the floor from last night as she picked it up and put it on. Buttoning it up brushing any wrinkles out of it.

Going back into the office with Shane still lying on one of the cots. Natalie stepped over them ducking down and getting back onto the cot with him. "I'll be down" He commented.

Natalie nodded with Shane pressing his hand on her cheek pressing a kiss on her forehead. "Shower, get whatever's on your mind off of it...New day. Yes?"

"Right." Shane nodded. No matter what Shane knew she was the only one keeping him sane at the moment.

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Rick had come walking down the darkened area and in the direction of the group that was sitting inside the kitchen area eating breakfast. "Hello," He greeted sitting down and grabbing a place.

"Are you hungover?" Carl asked this question again. "Mom said you'd be the same with Iris" Pointing towards his sister who seemed like maybe she was a walker.

Holding on for a second Rick smiled looking for his daughter. "Mom has that annoying habit," Lori smirked at her husband.

"Eggs. Powdered, but... I do 'em good." T-Dog announced shoveling a portion onto Rick's plate with Glenn groaning. "I bet you can't tell. Protein helps the hangover."

Rick continued to look around the table thinking she was going to appear with T-Dog from the back. "Where is Iris? Thought she roomed with Glenn?" He questioned messing with the food on his plate before taking a bite from it.