She hadn't meant to hurt him. She wanted to blame Theo for not warning her that Nike was nearby. Of course, it had been her own damn fault for not realizing the door was shut and somebody was in there. She had gone to advice and reassurance that what her brain connected Nike's caring attitude to her wasn't one that her ex had. She also wanted to have a talk to hi about it as well, she had just been uncertain to how to start.

So she waited for the gray-haired man's response, her gaze burning into him. She felt him pull on her arm and frowned. She didn't loosen or tighten her already tight grip. She let it be, waiting for what Nike's answer would be. She wasn't going to let go until she heard a real answer from him.

Finally, he gave his answer. Her frown deepened more at how flat and emotionless his voice had become. Alleya would personally rather have him voicing how pissed he was to him than the emotionless response she got instead.

"I need a cigarette byway and we can't go out on our own, unfortunately."

She let go of his wrist, hearing what she thought would be the closest thing to a yes. She watched him walk toward the door, hesitating for a minute and thinking through her words. She jogged to catch up with him when she noticed a few night guards eyeing them suspiciously. She could also hear whispers coming from the other gang members. She hurried out the door, opening it for Nike and slipping out behind him.

"What the hell is their problem?" She muttered to herself, shivering slightly against the cold. She could feel it through her sweatshirt and she really hadn't warmed up after her cold bath in the pond.

She hadn't really thought through this conversation so she was stalling in a way. She hadn't been able to ask Theo for advice so she was winging it. Theo always seemed to understand people and what to do in these situations, she did not. She was an outcast in the gang and never really had any friends.

Mending relationships hadn't been her thing, even in school or college, she seemed to always run away from her problems. But...the gang had changed her. She didn't want to run away from Nike. She was beginning to enjoy his company..to a certain extend. But he was overprotective and that overprotectiveness had pinched a nerve of hers that she didn't know she had. That's what she went to Theo for, advice on how to handle something like that.

Alleya was trying to think of something to say. Normally she wouldn't be the one tongue-tied but she knew this was probably the only chance she had to try to talk to him. She didn't want to mess things up and it was a bit of pressure on her soldiers to speak well and get him to forgive her. It had caused her to go silent.

She leaned against the wallbeside him, her shoulder resting against the side of his arm as she tried to think of everything that needed to be said. She was an excellent talker...until it came down to life or death situations or in this case, friendship or enemies. She doubted Nike would want a single thing to do with her if she didn't tell him what was going on.

"Look, the thing that pisses me off is that you would compare me to that piece of shit ex of yours and if I'm as bad as him then why act all friendly with me only to go running to Theo and saying what a shitty person I am the moment you don't think I can hear? Either you don't like me or you don't, just don't pretend alright?”

She winced a little like his words had hurt her and in a way they did. Her lack of thinking through the words had caused this. She couldn't believe she compared Nike to Alex, they were nothing alike. She just didn't have a better word to describe how his overprotectiveness felt to her...so of course she fucked up by saying the first thing on her mind.

"I know...and I know you aren't him..." She started off in a lower voice. Her voice being low was also another unusual thing about her. She pondered over her words,thinking carefully,"I went to Theo for advice, not to complain about you. I'm not good with my words and I went to him in ways to tell you how I'm feeling."

She paused, thinking it through.

"I think you're a great person, and a great friend. I enjoy your company and I enjoy having someone that can stand my obsessive talking and overexcitedness. I like the way you seem to always care for me, even when I don't ask you to," She thought she was doing a good job so far. Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at the sky,"But sometimes you care too much. You being so overprotective of me makes me feel like I'm trapped and can't breathe. It feels like you don't believe I'm capable of great things or that I can fight my own battles. It seems like you are babying me and I'm not a child. I didn't mean to compare you to my ex, it just slipped out. I meant that you being so overprotective of me reminded me of the trapped feelings I get whenever he's around."

She hoped she was making sense. She didn't want to anger him more and she was trying to explain to him that she wasn't pretending. She wasn't two-faced, she just said things that she didn't mean.

"That's why I went to Theo. He has an excellent way with words that I do not. I was trying to ask for help with speaking to you about this," She sighed, glancing down and fiddling with her sweatshirt sleeves,"Everythiing that I say always comes out wrong."

She hoped that she was trying to describe everything well and explain herself. She hoped that her message didn't offend him and she was uisng the right words. The least she wanted to do was upset him more.

Although, he had only been in the gang for a little more than a week, the three days they spent travelling made her really appreciate and care for the gray-haired man. They had really bonded and she didn't want to loose that bond so soon. His friendship almost meant the world to her, not because she didn't have friends but because he was a great guy. He kind of felt like an older brother to her. That's why she went to Theo for advice, she just hadn't been able to ask before Nike popped out of the bathroom.

Her gaze turned to him when he scoffed after she said everything came out wrong when she tried to speak. She looked a little hurt at that statement, thinking that for a moment he was going to turn away from her and never forgive her.

But surprisingly, the next thing that came out of his mouth was an apology. He was apologizing to her? Did that mean he wasn't going to shove her away and forget about their friendship? That's what most people did, the moment she screwed up at something.

Alleya continued to listen, this time watching the expression on his face. It was sort of hard to see though, with his gaze on the stars. She was still watching, trying to read emotions. However, reading emotions was more of a Theo thing. All she could decipher was that Nike was exhausted. Perhaps, that's all he wanted her to read though.

"I know you can do things on your own and you’ve shown that you're extremely capable. I'm not trying to protect you because I think you're weak or anything like that… I just don't want to lose my friend…”

She perked up at the mention of her being his friend. That meant that they were still friends, right? She couldn't help but smile and throw her arms around him in a side hug, just managing to barely miss burning her arm on his cigarette.

"I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to hurt you," She told him as she squeezed him a little tighter before letting go,"Does that mean that we're still friends?"

The hint of a smile on Nike's face was probably going to be the best she could get from him. He liked to reserve himself and it was hard to see anything but how exhausted he appeared to be.

"But can we agree to be honest with each other from now on? It hurts less if you just tell me the truth to begin with rather than to hear it while you're talking to someone else, alright?”

Well that meant she wouldn't be able to go to Theo for advice but she wasn't one to not keep her promises. She supposed she did alright talking to him tonight. She would probably be alright anyway, just saying the wrong thing was a fear of hers. She wasn't the best at friendships.

"It's a deal," She nudged his shoulder playfully. She was happy enough to compromise with that. She would just have to be honest from the start. That didn't see like it would be that complicated. Honesty and being real..she could do that for sure.

Alleya watched as he put th cigarette out, moving away from the wall. She was still exhausted from the journey but the icey pond water did wake her up. Sometimes ice could be like caffeine, enough to keep you going for at least a few hours more. She didn't even look exhausted, unlike Nike. He needed sleep and lots of it.

"Alleya..? Could you do me a favor and wake me up in like two or three hours? I can't sleep longer than three, okay?"

His serious gaze met hers. The seriousness of his voice and gaze made her appear stunned for a bit. She didn't know why Nike was asking her to make sure he was up in three hours. Maybe it had something to do with when he had his nightmare. It did seem about three hours before he started crying out...maybe perhaps. Perhaps Nike was hiding something, maybe she wasn't the only one who had ran away from something or someone.

"Um... okay," She told him, deciding not to question it. If it was important, he would have told her. If he wanted her to know, that is. She turned to open the door for him, gesturing for him to go in,"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

She was probably going to go back to Theo. She normally spent her evenings with him. She liked ranting to him and secretly, she thought the man enjoyed her company. She couldn't imagine how lonely it got being isolated from the gang all the time. It didn't have to take a love interest for somebody to want a bit of company from the other.

Alleya heard the low "yes" and gave a nod. She would happily stay with Nike until he fell asleep. Especially, if her guess was right. She wanted to be there for him through the roughness of falling asleep. It could be a re-occurring nightmare. She wanted to ensure Nike fell asleep for good anyway. He needed his rest, even if it was only three hours.

"You should tell him the hotel isn't half as bad as Taurus says."

She was a bit surprised that Nike knew where she was going to go after he fell asleep. Then again, not so much. Most of the time she was with the leader. There was something about keeping him company that made her feel like she mattered in the gang. Although, she knew she wouldn't be anymore than a face in the crowd. She was nothing special, unlike Theo. She didn't get how one single person could run the gang so smoothily and still be a great company to have.

Of course, maybe her thoughts were a bit bias. She would like to think that anyone who got an ounce of the leader's personality would be drawn to him. It could be that stupid little crush she couldn't shake as well.

She watched as Nike got comfortable in his sleeping spot. She briefly noticed the blush on his face when he put the hood up. Alleya couldn't guess why the gray-haired man would be blushing. Maybe it was the attention of the gang as they settled down and began their nightly chores. They were still watching the two of them for whatever reason. It was hard to figure out what that reason was.

She settled down on Nike's own sleeping place, back behind him. She sat with her knees tucked under her and began to gently rub his back. Back rubs was what normally drew her into sleep, even on nights she couldn't sleep. That was the one thing her ex never did screw up, knowing how to comfort her whenever she was stressed and couldn't sleep.

"What's so special about him?"

She heard Nike mumble and paused. She wasn't sure what fueled the crush she had for the leader. She only knew how being at his company made her feel and being close to him. It used to make her heart pound, even talking to him but as they grew closer, she started to realize there was something...some sort of thing that drove him. That driving factor was what drew her into him.

"There's something about him...something forbidden and special," She whispered, after thinking for quite some time,"There's something that drives him, motivates him, and it motivates me. II can't tell what it is but I enjoy his prescence, his insight, and everything that makes him who he is. It just draws a person into him, like a magnet."

She couldn't help but blush as she said this. She was definitely not over the crush quite yet. She didn't think she would ever be.

"I know, it doesn't make any sense. It's just something...I'm not sure what," She whispered,"It doesn't take a pesky little crush to draw somebody into his presence."