SLASH WARNING.

A soft sigh escaped from Benatar's lips as he rolled over in bed. This was the third day in a row he had been suffering from insomnia, and even though he was literally in pain from lack of sleep, he couldn't slip into the comforting clutches of unconsciousness.

Not that he was sure he wanted to. The Brit had become obsessed with clinophobia, and it was sheer fear rather than willpower that kept him up. Exhausted, he didn't even have the energy to sit up in bed.

Perhaps he should have drank more coffee before bed, or maybe he should have grabbed his iPod and flipped through some screechy Dubstep tracks to keep him up, or...

Despite his efforts to keep himself alert, Benatar moaned and buried his face into his hot pillow, his grasp on the real world slipping.

Stay awake...stay awake...stay...awake...

He was plunged into the world of his dreams once more.

This time, he was sitting on a flowery hill. Looking about, he saw Axel waving to him from a little bit away. He smiled and waved back, standing up. A butterfly alighted on his nose and fluttered around his head.

Well, this isn't so bad. Benatar thought, crawling down the hill unsteadily and joining the brunette drummer. He slipped his hand into the pale fingers of Axel, who rested his head on the keyboardist's shoulder.

Suddenly, the butterfly fluttering by their heads burst into flames and melted into gray ashes that floating to the ground. The bright summery colors shattered into dark greens and blacks and reds. Splitting pain erupted on Benatar's shoulder, and he was swallowed, screaming, in a flash of teeth, slaver and blood.

He sat up in bed with a shout, gasping and panting. Sweat beaded on his face as he flopped back down, rubbing his eyes.

"Benatar?"

The blonde looked up wearily and saw Axel peering at him from the bunk above him, wrinkling his white tank top in his hands.

"Yes?"

"Are...are you okay?" the drummer asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Never been better," Benatar lied.

"Oh...okay."

There was an awkward pause.

"...can I sit with you for a bit? It's almost time for us to get up anyway."

Benatar glanced at the clock, which read 8:47 AM.

"Sure."

He sat up and patted the space beside him and Axel sat down, scratching his ear sleepily.

"...are you sure you're okay?" he asked again. Benatar opened his mouth to protest, but hung his head sadly instead.

"I...I have clinophobia." he said honestly.

"What?"

"Clinophobia."

"What's that?"

He rolled his eyes. "The fear of going to bed."

"Oh...so that's why you've been so lackluster these past few days. You haven't been sleeping properly."

"I haven't been sleeping at all, mind you."

"Why are you so afraid?"

Benatar bit his lip. "I...I keep having the same nightmare over and over again. I'm doing something pleasant and fun when it morphs into me being eaten alive."

He shuddered.

"Well...you can always come and talk to me, you know. About your 'night terrors'." Axel replied, grinning slyly. Benatar gently punched him, smiling good-naturedly.

The clock now read 8:52 AM. The Brit sidled closer to the drummer, holding his hands tightly. A little bit of color rose into Axel's face. Both were very new to being with each other, and their bumbling awkwardness when it came to being gay was rather humorous.

Benatar leaned in close to Axel's ear, whispering sweet nothings into it. Axel blushed deeper heatedly, his heart thumping faster and faster. Benatar slid his hands up to his shoulders, massaging the tenseness from them. Axel moaned sexually, redder than a tomato.

"Ugh...ohh...Ben, stop it...ah..." he groaned. Benatar nipped his ear, giggling sweetly.

"Mmm...Ben..."

Benatar pushed him down and kissed him on the mouth passionately. Axel slipped his hands up to his neck, holding him tightly. The blonde's hands slipped under the brunette's shirt and were slowly creeping their way up his tense, muscular stomach when the alarm went off. With an irritated sigh, Benatar got up and turned off the blaring device.

Axel sat up, beet red and embarrassed. "S-sorry..."

"What're you sorry for?"

"For being so...stiff."

Benatar grinned. "Aww, but it's cute!"

He bent over and gave Axel a little kiss.

"C'mon, the others'll be waiting."

###

At the hotel's breakfast bar, Puff majorly pigged out on waffles and pancakes and other goodies as the others looked on in disgust.

"He keeps eating that much, he'll explode." Axel snorted.

"Or get a stroke." Deejay added jokingly.

Puff belched loudly and stretched. "Alright, let's go."

"I see that girl wasn't the only Dookie Fresh we know." Benatar said, his witty British charm evident. Axel giggled girlishly.

"Ah, screw you. C'mon."

They headed to the tour bus and hopped in. Deejay wheeled it out and they hit the unusually empty highway. Benatar gazed out the window uninterestedly, bored beyond comparison. He and Axel had sworn their love life to secrecy, and both kept their feelings for one another hidden from the other band members.

Axel sat down next to Benatar, who started and turned to look at him.

"Yes? What can I do for you?"

"I'm lonely."

The keyboardist smirked. "You know the rule."

"But Ben!" Axel whined, "They're not paying attention! And I want to be turned on again!"

Benatar leaned over and eyeballed the two drivers, who were busy talking to each other, and swallowed. "...well...it can't hurt to -!"

He was cut off by Axel jumping on him and kissing him viciously. Benatar remained stunned for a moment, then melted into the kiss, pressing against his partner's body. He pushed the drummer up and slipped down to his neck, sucking and licking it slowly. Axel groaned and gasped, a quiet 'ow' escaping from his mouth. He grabbed Benatar's necktie and was starting to undo it when the bus suddenly lurched. Both of the gay boys were thrown to the floor in a heap.

"Whoa! What was that?"

Deejay groaned. "The engine failed /again!/ And this time it's completely dead! We need to get to a mechanic."

Puff peered out the window. "We're in the middle of nowhere! Now what?"

Benatar got up, dusting himself free of dirt. "Can't we push the damn thing? There was a mechanic shop just about half a mile back."

"It's not like we have any other choice." Puff added irritably. Everyone got out of the bus and began to shove it backwards. The vehic' slowly began inching its way back.

"Ah, hah, this is going to take forever!" panted Axel, sweat dripping off his brow.

However, an hour later of pushing later they finally got to the mechanic's. Sweat-stained and exhausted, they looked around.

"Hello?" Puff called, eyes darting back and forth, "Hello?"

There was a great cacophony of crashing and a dirty old hillbilly stumbled out of the shed, followed by a scrawny Siamese cat.

"What in tarnation do you want, then!" he yelled. Clearly he didn't like being awakened.

Puff wrinkled his nose at the flurry of beer breath directed into his face. "Ugh...we just need someone to fix our truck." he said, fanning the front his face. The hillbilly snorted and slunk over to the truck to check out their engine.

Benatar, growing bored and increasingly thirstier, drew his tongue over his dry lips and peered over the fence to the backyard of the mechanic. Axel came over and handed him a can of GeneriCola.

"Thanks." Benatar said gratefully, taking it from him. Unfortunately, the slippery drink slid from his fingertips and rolled under the fence to the other side before he could open it.

"Ah, great." the Brit snapped. Axel grinned.

"I'll help you get it." he said, grabbing Benatar by his waist and raising him up. The blonde giggled and scrambled over the fence, landing neatly on the ground and walking after his can. Axel, the athletic one, jumped up and followed him.

"Here it is." Ben said, grabbing the can from under some grass. He wiped the dirt off on his shirt and cracked it open loudly.

"You know, they're not looking," Axel said, glancing behind him, "And we got interrupted back on the bus."

Benatar flipped his hair with a smile and let Axel slide up to him. As they kissed, Axel began to undo Ben's tie, his hot hands creeping around the keyboardist's neck.

"Brains..." moaned a voice. Axel and Benatar tore apart in alarm.

"W-was that you?"

"N-no!"

"Brains...glargh..." other voices joined in. Axel gasped and pointed.

"Look!"

Out from behind the shed, several zombies (real zombies, not Zombillies) dragged themselves out and shuffled towards them, growling and groaning.

"Oh, God!" Axel exclaimed, grabbing Benatar tightly. The Brit tightened the grip on his keyboard, heart racing.

"I-it's okay, Axel, we can just run." he said, turning to the fence.

It was blocked by more zombies appearing out of seemingly nowhere. Looking around, the Brit realized something terrifying.

"We're trapped." he whispered.

One of the zombies sprang forward, grabbing him and pulling on his arm. Benatar swung his keyboard and smacked him on the head. Axel snatched a stick from the ground and used it like a baseball bat.

Left4Dead style, the two defeated the waves of rotting flesh that hurled themselves at them and soon stood tall and free. Benatar hit the last zombie across the head and turned to the fence in a panicky state.

"Axel, come on! Let's get out of h -!"

One zombie he'd missed jumped on and sunk its teeth deep into his shoulder and neck. He gasped and screamed in agony, realization

"BENATAR, NO!" Axel cried, unable to run to his boyfriend due to the zombie holding his arm tightly. Sobbing in pain, Benatar went limp as a rag doll as the creature held him off the ground. Desperate, the drummer shoved the final zombie away and whipped out his pocket knife. In a swift move, he stabbed the monster in the eye and pulled his love out of its gnashing teeth as it swung back, howling in surprise.

"Benatar, please! Hold on!"

Benatar gasped and coughed, struggling to breathe. Axel pulled his jacket off of him and saw the damage the zombie had done.

The keyboardist's shoulder was completely mauled, and there were deep lacerations in his neck. The blood flooding into his torn esophagus was clogging his breathing.

"Ben, no..." Axel begged, tearing up. A moan behind him showed the zombies beginning to be revived. Holding Benatar close, the brunette scrambled over the fence once more and ran for the bus.

"...should do it now. I think -"

"PUFF! DEEJAY!"

The singer turned. "Oh, for the love of WHAT THE HELL?"

Deejay stiffened at the sight of the bleeding man. "What happened to him?"

"He…zombies…bit…we need to…"

Shock had grabbed Axel in its deathly grip and he was slowly sinking into an inability to even speak. Crying his eyes out, he slipped to the ground.

"A-Axel, snap out of i-it! We can help him!" Puff stammered. He pulled on Deejay's arm and they stumbled onto the bus, dragging the drummer with them.

Axel was thrown into a seat as the bus sped off. He cradled the blonde's head tearfully, shaking like mad.

"Please hang on, Ben, please…" he whimpered, "Please…I need you…"

###

Even half an hour later, Deejay still hadn't gotten to the hospital, and Benatar was no longer trembling. His skin was anemically pale, a sickly shade of ashen gray. Axel tightened the grip he had on the keyboardist's hands and blanched when he felt how cold they were.

"Ben, please…" he implored.

A pitiful meow came from by Axel's foot. Looking down, he saw the Siamese cat from the mechanic's had followed them and hitched a ride. Bloody hands trembling, the brunette bent over and picked up the furry creature, stroking it gently to take his mind off of the heavily-breathing Brit next to him.

He needs a name, he thought dully, Maybe Tigger...or Fluffy...or...

"We're here! Quick, grab Benatar and bring him in!" Puff-Puff said. Snapping back to Earth, Axel pushed the cat out of his lap and grabbed the blonde.

###

Fifteen minutes later, Benatar had been hooked up to a painkiller and was lying unconsciously in a white bed. Axel was reminded of himself, but the difference was that he had just had cuts and a missing tooth. Benatar was just now having blood clot in his shoulder, stopping the wound up. His skin was sweaty and cold.

"So, tell me again, how did this really happen?" the nurse asked.

"I told you, he got bitten by a zombie." Axel responded exasperatedly, his voice tired. Puff and Deejay looked awkwardly between him and the female doctor, who folded her arms irritably.

"I'm not going to ask again."

"Then don't if you're not going to listen!" the drummer snapped, clenching his teeth. The nurse sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Regardless, he should be fine by morning. Just make sure he doesn't do any physical activity."

"Would playing a guitar count?" Puff asked. Axel turned to him in shock.

"No, it wouldn't." she responded, getting up and leaving.

Before the singer even had a chance to speak, the brunette had grabbed him by the throat and was holding him up against a wall.

"You sick fuck! How can you be so obsessed with your stupid music when one of your band members is dying?"

Deejay pried him off. "Chill, Axel. You heard the lady, he'll be fine."

Puff slid to the floor, coughing. "Geez, man! If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were gay for the dude!"

The drummer blushed invariably, suddenly silenced. Deejay chuckled.

"Mmm...Axel?" moaned a voice. Axel pushed away from the tall DJ and stumbled over to the blonde.

"Benny? You okay?" he whimpered.

"What...what happened?"

"You, uh...you passed out after you got bit, I think."

Puff rolled his eyes. "I'm going to see if there's somewhere we can stay."

He waited, but he was met with silence.

"...is anyone coming with me?"

More silence.

"For the love of -!"

"Okay, fine! Geez!" Deejay snorted, shoving him out the door. The brunette watched them leave shakily.

"Ben..." he whispered, "I...I don't want to lose you..."

Benatar weakly pushed himself up with his good arm. "You won't."

He kissed Axel gently on the mouth.