They're coming at them from all sides, like smoke curling into the cracks of the street, if smoke were slow and stupid and lumbering. Everything is grey, as it always seems to be in your cliché zombie apocalypse, even the haunted and crumbling streets that somehow withstand years of human abuse and yet fall apart the minute they go into hiding. The ominous grey clouds convulsing above are mirrored in the puddles on the ground, the constant and itching downfall of drizzle makes everything look ten times more miserable than it already is. Everywhere is abandoned, left for dead, and in the middle of the deserted street stand two people.

Kurt and Santana stand back to back, duct tape wrapped loosely around the exposed skin of their arms and legs and guns clutched in their hands. They back away slowly, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible as a horde of the undead makes its way around the corner.

'We were only supposed to be on food run, why the hell are there any Zombies here?' Kurt hisses over his shoulder into Santana's ear. He's facing the oncoming pack and so far they don't seem to have noticed them- Zombies don't have particularly good eyesight, he's beginning to learn- but that doesn't mean they won't.

'I don't now! Puck said it was clear.'

'Puck! Why are you listening to Puck?'

'He heard it on the radio okay just- look, getting angry isn't going to help either of us.'

'We're going to die.' Kurt moans loudly.

'Stop being such a drama queen Hummel. Look okay, just keep walking slowl-'

'Shit.'

'What?'

'I think they may have heard me.'

Santana whirls herself around until she's next to Kurt, both of them staring at the group of maybe twenty zombies lumbering their way. Their eyes are a dull, hollow, grey, fixed on Kurt and Santana as they make their way towards them. Zombies aren't all that fast, but they're not as slow as the movies make out either, and they have the advantage of never getting tired or out of breath on their side. The group moves as one, taking several stumbling steps towards the pair.

'Run?'

'Run.'

They both turn on the spot and start sprinting in the opposite direction. They're too far away from the shelters where they're staying with some other survivors to make it back safely, but they can hopefully lose the zombies if they keep running and then double back later. They run in unison, Santana's hand stretches out to grab a hold of Kurt's, it's a technique they'd picked up to make sure no one gets lost in a pack, and Kurt takes it, pulling her along quickly as she stumbles.

'Make a right.' Santana yells at him, and Kurt makes a sharp turn, keeping a tight hold of her hand and running them down a different street. Zombies can run, if they want to. They'd never win a medal, but if they chase you for long enough they can tire a human out and catch up to them. Kurt seriously hopes they aren't hungry.

'Are they far behind us?' He pants, slowing down slightly to catch his breath and look behind them.

'I'll take that as a yes.' Santana sighs as they watch the pack round the corner behind them.

They both start running again, the adrenaline kicking in to counteract the burning in their lungs and legs. They're about to reach a crossroads and start to double back in an attempt to lose the zombies when they hear a crash behind them.

'What was that?' Kurt yells over the cacophony behind them and the screams of the wind.

'Who cares?' Santana shoots back, trying to lead them down another road.

Kurt glances behind them and suddenly stops dead in his tracks. Santana rushes to a stop and stumbles into his body, muttering profanities.

'What the hell did you stop for?' She yells, regaining her composure.

'They're leaving.'

'So? That's a good thing, means we should keep moving.'

'Yeah, but why?'

'Who cares why? We're safe, so let's just get the food and go.'

Kurt watches the zombies retreat quickly- well quickly for zombies- their attention is focused on something else now. He watches curiously for a couple more seconds before he sees it: A dark figure, zigzagging its way across the street, zombies quick on their heels.

'There's someone over there!'

'Who cares, if they eat them they won't want us.'

'We can't just leave them!' Kurt stares at Santana in horror, she just shrugs and tries to keep walking the way they were heading.

'Kurt, sometimes in life it's you or the other guy, and I'd appreciate it if you chose you.'

'They're not that far away, if we can just get to them the three of us can take that back alley back to the main square and head back to safety.' Santana goes to protest but Kurt's already sprinting towards the writhing mass of zombies and the small figure desperately trying to outrun them.

'Sometimes I think you have a death wish Hummel!' She yells after him.

'You try sharing a room with Rachel Berry!' He shoots back, already half way back to where the other person is running in frantic circles.

At this distance Kurt can see that it's a man, about the same age as himself by the looks of him, and he clearly has no idea what he's doing. He's fast, Kurt will give him that, but he clearly has no plan and at this point he's just dinner on legs to the zombies who seem to be getting closer by the second.

'Hey, over here!' The man's head shoots up and for the briefest second his eyes meet with Kurt's, then his head is down and he's running in Kurt's direction. He reaches Kurt about the same time that Santana does and the three of them turn on the spot and continue to run in the opposite direction of the zombies who, having overcome their momentary confusion, are back to chasing them as best they can.

'Here.' Kurt's throws his arm behind him blindly and grabs a hold of the other man's hand, pulling him into step next to him and steering him to the left, down an alley of desolate shops. 'I know a shortcut.'

They run for some time more, their pants and gasps ringing loud in their ears like gunshots, and the blood pounding through their veins with every heavy foot fall. Adrenaline is still curling in their limbs, with sudden bursts of electricity. Kurt leads both Santana and the other man down another street and then up some steps and back around to the main square where they'd been before the zombies attacked.

'I think we lost them.' he wheezes, slowing to a stop and turning to look at the other boy. He's pretty attractive now Kurt gets a good look at him. Actually he's very attractive. Unruly dark curls and gorgeous honey eyes, masked by soft features. Even through the mud staining his cheeks and the dried blood congealing on the side of his neck, Kurt thinks this man is gorgeous. 'Are you okay? They didn't bite you did they?'

'No no I'm fine, thank you, by the way, for saving me. I'm Blaine.'

'I'm Kurt, and this is Santana.' Kurt motions to Santana but she just glares at Blaine as she tries to catch her breath.

'Why do you have duct tape on you?'

'Zombies can't infect you if they can't break the skin.' Santana answers coolly, as if it should be obvious.

'Oh. Smart.' Blaine offers, smiling at her nervously.

'Yeah, you know what isn't smart: running about on your own in the middle of a freaking zombie apocalypse.'

'Sorry, I got lost and I-'

'And you what?'

Blaine looks down, blushing, Kurt thinks he looks a bit like a kicked puppy, a lot like a kicked puppy actually. It's adorable.

'I wasn't sure if they'd try to eat me.' He answers very quietly. Santana stares at him for several seconds, mouth agape and eyes scathing.

'They're Zombies. Zombies.'She raises an upturned palm in Blaine's direction and looks at Kurt as if to say "can you believe this?"

'Yeah I get that now.'

'What, the rotting flesh didn't alert you to that before?' Kurt asks, but his voice is laced with amusement more than venom, unlike Santana who is still staring at Blaine as if he just announced he'd like to marry and have children with one of the undead.

'I thought they might be human.' Blaine sighs, looking ashamed and defeated. Kurt giggles, patting him on the back and smiling, Santana just rolls her eyes at both of them.

'Well it's good thing we were there to save you.' Kurt's voice is light and flirty, smiling at Blaine until he gets one back. Santana walks away from them both and pretends to retch.

'I'm going to get the food. You watch him and make sure he doesn't try to befriend any more members of the dead.' Santana stalks away from them and towards to nearest store.

'Is she always this abrasive?' Blaine asks, looking up at Kurt through dark eyelashes and blushes slightly when Kurt's meets his eyes.

'Pretty much.' Kurt singsongs, sitting down on the curb and motioning for Blaine to join him.

'I can't imagine what it's like dating her. I mean- no offense. Oh God.'

'What? Oh my God No! Santana and I are not dating. No. Nope. Not one bit.'

'Oh- I just thought…'

'No, no no. I'm gay, actually thinking about it both of us are gay.'

'Oh. Me too.'

'Maybe we should start a club.' Kurt jokes.

'I'm not sure apocalypses are the best places for pride parades.'

'I don't know, we all dress up in rainbow colours and slaughter zombies while taking scheduled breaks to protest for our rights and kiss each other, sounds pretty good to me.' Blaine's cheeks visibly flush when Kurt mentions kissing and Kurt thinks it might just be the cutest thing in the world. 'Not that- that's not what I meant, when I said that.' He falters over his own words as he goes to reassure Blaine.

'No no it's fine I mean-'

'I didn't think that just because you're gay too we'd-'

'Honestly it's fine- I didn't- not that I'd mind- I mean- Oh god.'

'Being away from civilization for so long seems to screw with our communication skills, huh?' Kurt quickly brushes over Blaine's previous comment about not minding and desperately tries to ignore the images that it brings to mind. He's known this guy for five minutes. Literally.

'So, uh, is it just you two?' Blaine swiftly changes the subject, and receives a grateful smile from Kurt for doing so.

'Oh no, we're staying with this whole other group of survivors just outside of town. There's about twenty of us but Santana and I were out getting food when-'

'When you had to come to my rescue?' Kurt laughs softly.

'Yeah, when we had to go save your ass.'

'Well I'm very grateful, but I suppose if you two have somewhere to go I should just…'

'Blaine, if it wasn't clear I was kind of going to bring you back with us. If that's what you wanted?'

'You make me sound like a stray dog.'

'You did kind of look like a puppy when Santana was yelling at you.'

'I did not!' Blaine looks outraged, which only seems to endear him more to Kurt. It's not often you meet people that seem this genuinely nice or good-natured, most people these days are just bitter and aggressive. Blaine still seems to have some kind of hope or happiness to cling to. Kurt admires that.

'You did! But it's fine, Santana has that effect on a lot of people. I wouldn't worry about her, her bark is worse than her bite. She's a sweetheart really, just don't tell her I said that. Once you have her on your side she'll defend you to the death. Although if you cross her it's another matter entirely.'

'Will they mind, the others, if I come with you?'

'No, of course not, we let anyone in. You have to pull your weight though.'

'Oh yeah of course, I just meant do they have enough room, you know beds and stuff.'

'It's fine, I've been trying to find a new roommate for a while. You can stay with me.'

'Really?' Blaine's face lights up like the sun rising over a peak and Kurt can't help but smile back. He likes this boy already, he's easy going and he's sweet and Kurt just wants to sit and talk to him forever. Not that that would be particularly wise given their current situation.

'Oh god, are you always this happy?' Santana rolls her eyes as she returns, shoving a couple of bags full of canned food and drinks into Kurt and Blaine's hands. 'I thought the only good thing about this whole apocalypse was that I didn't have to deal with the insufferably chipper.'

'Again, try sharing a room with Rachel Berry.' Kurt shoots back. He actually likes Rachel- sometimes-it's just that where this whole mess seems to have roughened and made most of his friends bitter, Rachel seems to think she needs to constantly be happy for everyone else's sake. And not in the endearing way Blaine seems to be either.

'Wait you already have a roommate? I don't want to intrude.' Blaine says as the three of them begin to head out of town and towards the emergency shelters where they're staying.

'No it's fine, Rachel won't mind moving out, because if I have to live with her for another day I might actually throw her to the zombies.'

'Well as long as you're sure no one will mind.'

'Nope, it'll save you from disturbing us all as you sneak about in the middle of the night to have sex.' Santana chirps in happily. Blaine gapes and stutters at her while Kurt just glares at the back of her head.

'Just because we're both gay Santana does not mean we both-'

'Wait wait wait, hobbit here is Gay? I was just screwing with you before. Oh God you're going to be insufferable I can tell. I give it a month before you're fucking.'

'Santana!'

'Maybe Puck will take bets with me.' She laughs and skips away from them, swinging her bags of food as she goes. Kurt sighs and turns to Blaine.

'Just ignore her, everyone else does.' Blaine just smiles and falls into step with him, walking maybe a little closer than is really necessary and if he does, well, Kurt doesn't seem to mind.