We hadn't gone far when we found them—and Violet was right. They were in trouble.
A guy in a bandana had AJ by the arm, twisting it behind his back while the kid struggled. A woman with a rifle had her boot planted on Clementine's neck, pressing her face into the dirt as they argued.
"Shit," I whispered. "What now?"
Rhett didn't answer right away, his jaw tight. Then—
"Fuck if I know," he muttered.
I swallowed. "We should... help them."
Rhett gave me a look, then sighed. He pulled a throwing knife from his belt, flipping it in his grip as he took aim.
That's when Clementine spotted us.
"DO IT!" she shouted.
Rhett cursed. "Goddammit—" But he threw anyway.
The blade buried itself in the woman's lower back. She screamed, staggering as the bandana guy whirled—and fired.
The shot hit Rhett square in the shoulder.
"FUCK!" he snarled, stumbling back.
I grabbed his good arm, and we booked it into the trees, the sound of shouting and footsteps chasing after us. We didn't stop until we were sure we'd lost them, Rhett leaning against a tree, breathing hard, his hand clamped over the wound.
"You okay?" I asked, wincing at how stupid that sounded.
"Peachy," Rhett spat. "Check if it's bad."
I hesitated, then peeled his hand away. Not too much blood. And—
"Uh. There's a hole on the other side."
Rhett exhaled sharply. "Exit wound. Good."
We moved slower on the way back, Rhett swaying slightly. He took a long swig from his flask, the alcohol seeming to steady him. I stayed close, ready to catch him if he tipped over.
When we got to the school, Violet and Ruby were on us in seconds.
"What the hell happened?!" Violet demanded as Ruby grabbed Rhett's other side.
I started explaining as we hauled him to his room, Rhett grumbling the whole way. Ruby got to work cleaning the wound, her hands steady despite the way Rhett kept flinching.
"Lucky it went through," she muttered. "Still gonna hurt like a bitch."
Rhett just took another drink, his face pale but his glare intact.
Violet's fingers brushed his good shoulder. "Idiot," she said softly.
He didn't argue.
Ruby finished wrapping Rhett's shoulder with practiced efficiency, her fingers quick and sure despite his occasional wince. Louis hovered near the door, shifting awkwardly until Ruby finally packed up her supplies and motioned for him to follow.
"Try not to move that arm too much," Ruby said, shooting Rhett a stern look. "And no drinking—"
"Yeah, yeah," Rhett grumbled, already reaching for his flask with his good hand.
Ruby rolled her eyes but didn't argue further, closing the door behind her as she and Louis left.
The room fell into silence, save for the distant murmur of voices outside and the steady patter of rain against the window. Rhett leaned back against the headboard, his jaw tight, his free hand absently tracing the edge of the bandage.
I sat on the edge of the bed, studying him. "You're an idiot, you know that?"
He smirked, taking a slow sip from his flask before offering it to me. "And yet, here you are."
I snatched it from him, taking a swig just to spite Ruby's orders. The burn was sharp, familiar. "Yeah, well. Someone's gotta keep you from bleeding out in the woods."
Rhett's smirk softened into something quieter, something real. He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine as he took the flask back. "Lucky me."
I scoffed, but didn't pull away when his hand lingered, his thumb tracing idle circles over my knuckles.
"You really had to go back for them, huh?" I muttered.
He exhaled, his grip tightening slightly. "You were right. They were in trouble." A pause. "Still think the kid's a little shit, though."
I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped me. "Not arguing that."
Rhett's expression shifted, something unreadable flickering in his eyes before he tugged me closer. I went willingly, letting him guide me until I was curled against his uninjured side, his arm a solid weight around my shoulders.
"You're gonna be insufferable about this, aren't you?" I mumbled into his shoulder.
He chuckled, the sound vibrating through me. "Damn right."
I elbowed him lightly—avoiding the wound—but didn't move away.
The evening passed quietly, the tension of the day slowly easing as night approached. I left Rhett's side just long enough to grab food from Omar—some kind of stew that smelled better than it had any right to. When I returned, Rhett was right where I'd left him, propped up against the headboard, his flask still in hand despite Ruby's orders.
We ate in comfortable silence, the scrape of spoons against bowls the only sound between us. The warmth of the food and the rhythm of the wind outside made the room feel almost peaceful, like the world beyond these walls didn't exist.
When we finished, I toed off my boots and tossed them near the door, ready to climb into bed. Rhett kicked his off too, wincing slightly as the movement jostled his injured shoulder.
I was just about to settle in beside him when a soft whine sounded from the other side of the door, followed by the unmistakable scratch of claws against wood.
Rosie.
Rhett looked at me, one eyebrow raised.
I sighed dramatically but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at my lips. "Fine. But she's your dog."
I pushed off the bed and opened the door. Rosie bounded in immediately, tail wagging furiously, and made a beeline for Rhett. Without hesitation, she hopped onto the bed, circling twice at his feet before flopping down with a contented sigh.
"Traitor," I muttered, climbing back in beside Rhett.
The bed was noticeably tighter now, Rosie's bulk taking up more space than expected. Rhett shifted, his arm brushing mine as he tried to get comfortable without disturbing the dog—or his injury.
Rosie let out a huff, her tail thumping against the mattress once before she stilled, her breathing evening out almost instantly.
I turned onto my side, facing Rhett. "You good?"
He grunted, his free hand finding mine under the covers. "Better than getting shot in the woods."
I rolled my eyes but didn't argue, lacing our fingers together.
Between the warmth of Rhett beside me and Rosie's quiet snores at our feet, the room felt safe.