You guys liked my original characters and wanted them to stay. WELL SAME HERE. I LOVE THEM ALL FAR TOO MUCH.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THIS STORY IS GONNA GO. I'LL PROBABLY END UP ADDING A BUNCH OF BS CHARACTERS SO I CAN KILL SOME OFF WITHOUT KILLING OFF ANY OF MY BABIES. BUT BE WARNED, I MAY HAVE TO KILL OFF SOME BABIES.
People always die in the zombie apocalypse okay?
DISCLAIMER: I OWN PRACTICALLY NOTHING, I'VE SOLD MY SANITY TO THIS WEBSITE. Seriously though, My Candy Love isn't mine. :'(
"Can you believe this bullshit?" Castiel snorted from the couch.
I stood in the kitchen, flipping pancakes and dancing to the radio like an uncoordinated spaz.
"What bullshit is it this time?" I stepped into the doorway of the family room and peered over his head and the television screen, it glowed bright in the near-darkness cloaking the entire apartment. It was early morning, and the tradition Castiel and I had taken up very quickly was watching the news in the morning while we ate breakfast.
So yes, we had begun KIND of living together sort of. Maybe.
I was still trying to sort out how it happened. He started staying over some nights during the summer before our final year and gradually his stuff started finding its way into my drawers and cupboards. Instead of believing that he was some kind of parasite slowly taking over my home, I smiled when I found his things in new places.
His toothbrush was right next to mine in the bathroom, a few of his albums shared the shelf with the rest of my vinyl, and his boxers were folded next to my underwear in one of the drawers. Hell, even his guitar leaned up against the wall in the panic room.
"This disease everyone's raging about, apparently it reanimates dead people." I sauntered back into the kitchen and flip the last pancake onto a plate. Castiel liked his slathered in syrup but I never actually prepared them like that, usually just to spite him.
"Like a zombie virus?" I asked, handing him a plate and sliding on to the couch next to him.
"Pretty much." He gave me a peck on the cheek and stuffed his face full of pancake, which I regarded with faux-disgust. I was used to his eating habits by now, in the morning he ate like, well, a zombie.
"That's..."
"Charming? Handsome? A turn-on?" He offered, his mouth still full.
"Gross." I giggled. "So what happens to these people after they supposedly come back to life?"
"They supposedly eat people." He coughed. "Oh no. I think I'm infected." Another cough.
"You're an idiot." I rolled my eyes as he choked and pretended to die, and then came back to life. He paused.
"Addison, the effect is ruined if you don't pretend to be at least a little scared." Castiel grinned.
"My sincerest apologies."
He resumed his undead-act so I played along. I got up and he started chasing me around the couch until he snagged the back of my pajama shorts and I landed flat on my back on the cushions. Castiel hastily climbed on top of me.
"So what happens now exactly?" I asked, fully aware that this had become a very familiar position for us since our pre-semi formal last year.
"I should probably eat your flesh, but I'll settle with making out instead."
"Cas we have to go to school in like an hour." I groaned but was too late, he'd convinced me. Our breakfast sat nearly untouched on the coffee table, as it had done most mornings. Tradition I suppose.
When we finally made it to school, actually on time surprisingly enough, everyone was talking about the illness, which was apparently slowly making its way towards the little coastal town of Sweet Amoris.
"I don't think the news would lie about something like that." Iris materialized beside me, face clouded with worry.
I would have been lying if I said I wasn't concerned about it, so I remained silent. Iris was clearly panicking already.
"I'm glad these people have found something to talk about other than Cas and I." He despised that name for a while, until I began using it in our most beautiful, completely vulnerable moments, the ones that usually involved my bed. Needless to say, he didn't mind it so much after that.
The redhead in question rolled his eyes. "It doesn't really matter what they say, but I'm alright with these people taking up a different kind of topic."
Ever since word got around that Castiel had moved in with me, people hadn't stopped talking about it. This went especially for Amber and her posse of prada whores, who seemed to make it their business to spread rumors about the whole thing.
I heard one where I blackmailed Cas into living with me somehow. We'd had a good laugh over that. How could someone possibly blackmail Castiel?
"Maybe it's some kind of rabies." Iris offered as we stopped at my locker, conveniently next to Castiel's. Again.
"But rabies doesn't kill people, revive them and turn them into crazy flesh-eating monsters." Castiel snickered at my bluntness, he was rubbing off on me.
I was doing the same however, as he was attending his classes that year for a dramatic turn of events.
Just then a bright flash of orange made its way down the hallway towards us. I realized the orange thing was Amber, freshly spray tanned and absolutely fuming, as she was every time she saw me.
"I'm trying to discern whether she looks like a cross between a Barbie and an Oompa Loompa or if she's been drinking too much tomato and carrot juice." I whispered to Castiel and Iris. Iris was able to control herself, but Cas couldn't contain his laughter even a little.
"Something funny?" Amber asked, stopping and training her eyes on me.
"Well..." I began but Castiel beat me to it.
"Is your new tan some kind of method of birth control or are you sacrificing yourself by making your skin so pylon orange that all the sick people will come running and screaming towards you?"
I doubled over, Cas and I had begun a sassing competition at some point. I don't know exactly how it started, but up until that comment I was winning.
Amber may have paled or maybe she'd even flushed with anger. Who would know underneath that tan?
She let out a shriek of frustration. "You and your little whore had better watch yourselves." And then she was stalking down the hall, her bodyguards keeping pace and shooting me dirty looks.
For some reason, her comment hit home. Usually I would brush off any stupid idiocies Amber came up with, but this one was different. I wasn't a slut, so why did it matter? Having sex with someone you're dating when you're practically an adult is perfectly justified, isn't it?
"Addison." A hand tugged at my coat-sleeve. I looked up into Castiel's icy eyes. He was pissed. "Don't tell me you're even considering believing any words that bitch can force out her mouth."
"Um."
He sighed.
"You are not a slut. If anyone's a slut here, it's me. I seduced you anyways." He winked. I laughed. Iris scuttled away with a grin.
I was happier than I had been in a long time, and I owed it all to Castiel.
When I'd finished grabbing my books he took my hand and we walked towards philosophy together. It was one of my favourite classes, I was taking it at university level because it was so much fun and Cas was taking it because, and I quote, "I dunno what else to do. Plus I can irritate you and we can get into heated debates and make out afterwards".
We stepped into class and he took his seat beside me. I watched as he pulled out his book to take notes in and a pencil and such. He may deny it, but he liked this subject, it gave a chance to think more instead of always writing or working. Stop, and think. We both liked that.
His mother had told me just over a week before that he was starting to do much better at school. She thanked me but I told her it was all him, he was starting to enjoy himself there.
"Man Mr. Michealson is really late." He noted. This was true. The usually ever-so punctual and strict teacher was ten minutes tardy at the very least. Unusual.
"Eager to get started, are we?" I ask, batting my eyelashes.
"No, but if I put in an effort to be here on time, why can't he?" He huffed. Try as he might he could never escape my teasing, but I couldn't escape his either.
He passed the time picking lint off of my jeans for me or jabbing me in the side with a pencil because he knew I was deathly ticklish there. Jerk.
Our teacher walked in looking very flustered. "I'm sorry everyone, I was down in Waterton over the weekend and I'm feeling a bit under the weather." He wrote something on the chalkboard.
Zombie.
"This is going to be good." I giggled, debates excited me. Castiel rolled his eyes.
"Nerd."
"So," Began the teacher. "You've all heard obviously, so I'm going to throw a question at you and I'd like you to debate it."
"He'd like us to debate, I can see you getting hot and bothered." Cas joked.
"Shut uuuup."
"Do you think this is the start of the zombie apocalypse?"
My hand shot up, as per usual. The teacher sighed. "Miss Richards?"
"It depends, obviously we're in some serious trouble if we don't find some cure or antidote. If we don't, I think we might be facing a serious change in how we live."
Another girl put her hand up. I was startled because it was one of Amber's posse. I wasn't sure she had rights to free speech, or the ability to speak without having Amber speak first. It was weird, life-changing, in fact.
"Charlotte?"
"I think this whole story is just like global warming."
"Interesting." The teacher said. How could he think that hers was interesting and mine wasn't? Grrr. Stupid favouritism. "How so?"
"They've got facts and video and weird science-y stuff, but it's all just another way for people to sell survival gear online and make lots of money."
"And what about the people dying?" I asked, the debate had officially begun, though in my head it may as well have been World War III. "Are they just faking that too?"
"People die all the time." She said quickly, inspecting her nails as though this entire conversation were far too boring to give any attention too.
"Yes but do they usually come back to life and start eating people afterwards?"
"They're just making it up."
"Why would the news 'make up' footage of dead people eating each other, exactly?"
"I told you already, it's all about the money."
I couldn't answer, Mr. Michealson had leaned against his desk and crossed his arms, very interested in our two-person debate. It was then that something caught my eye.
"What's wrong Richards, admitting defeat?" Charlotte sneered from her seat. I could barely register it over the sound of blood rushing through my body at an alarming rate.
"Mr. Michealson. I-is that a bite on your arm?" It sure looked like it. An angry one too, red and puffy, with puss oozing out around the deepest bits. It looked very much like the ones on the news.
Everyone looked up.
Our teacher coughed violently it shook itself into dry laughter towards the end. It rattled in his chest, sounding sickly and painful. "Yes yes, not a human one I assure you. I was in Waterton and someone's dog got loose and bit me. You're worrying for nothing." He didn't look flustered, he looked sick. Very sick. His face was shinning with sweat, his eyes were feverish and mad. He looked like stage four, and the next stage was dead. I was absolutely not worrying for nothing.
"Animals can carry the virus too." Said a boy closer to the front. "My cousin thought her dog had rabies but it had been attacked by a sick person while it was out in the yard."
"I'm certain this dog wasn't sick. Just a little thing, one of those annoying yappy ones." The teacher said. "Really-." He had to stop because he was coughing again, though this time it was more violent.
"Michealson?" Castiel was up in a flash, walking towards him quickly.
Our teacher held out his arm in order to ward him off. "I'm fine." He rasped but this time when he began coughing, blood came up.
"Let me help you." Cas said, reaching towards him again. I stood too, a few others had as well.
"I said I'm fine!" Mr. Michealson boomed, blood dripping from his chin. He started towards the phone. Who he was calling, I don't know, but he slipped in a small puddle of his blood and fell, his head collided with the desk before striking the ground.
Silence. We were all frozen, the only sound was the clock for just one second. Tick.
"Oh my God." I don't know who screamed, but someone did.
"Call 911, do something!"
Castiel knelt to take his pulse. Futile, as everyone could see the blood pooling around his head. A crimson halo.
"He's dead." He announced.
"Not for long." Somebody said.
"He didn't die from the virus, he died hitting his head!" A girl countered. "Surely that means-."
"Don't be naive. He died and he had the virus, he'll come back." The boy from the front.
Someone ran to get the principal while someone else dialed 911. Castiel took my hand. "Don't look at him, Addie. Just don't look."
"I've seen a dead body before." I muttered. "I'm fine, just a little freaked out."
His brow furrowed under his bangs. "When have you seen a dead body?"
"My Mom." I replied shakily, hating how my own voice was betraying me. I took a deep breath. "They needed someone to identify the body and Dad was intoxicated somewhere."
"So they asked you?" I nodded. He pulled me to my feet and hugged me. I buried my face into his band shirt, it was The Who that day. I didn't cry, I just breathed in the smell of him and tried to think it all away. We stayed that way for a while as students and teachers panicked all around us. We were calm, a force of nature that couldn't be broken by the state of the world.
"Should we start a zombie apocalypse plan?" He asked, as EMT arrived to remove the body.
I sighed. "It feels unreal, but maybe."
"We'll have to repopulate the world you know. I'm looking forward to that part."
"Oh grow up."
He laughed.
"What are you going to do with the body?" The boy from the front asked. I realized it was Nathaniel all of a sudden. I hadn't taken notice of him earlier.
"Take him to the morgue and have him prepared for burial." One of the EMTs replied.
"But he has the virus, he'll just come back." Nathaniel argued.
"That virus is nonsense, this man died from a terrible fall and he won't be coming back from the dead." The man scoffed. Nathaniel just flushed and stalked out of the room.
They rolled our teacher away.
"What now?" I asked.
"I think we should grab Lysander and Kara and cut."
It wasn't the first time I agreed to cut since I'd met Castiel, but it was for different reasons that time.
There was a gloom over the city all of a sudden, and I think everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before we started seeing more Mr. Michealson cases, until we too were overrun by the undead.
When we found Lysander and Kara's vocals class, they had already left, and Cas informed me they were probably doing it somewhere, apparently we'd inspired them or something. I gagged.
We strolled outside, hand in hand. I knew Castiel was trying to lighten us both up because he kept chucking leaves at me and dancing away from my returning fire.
"We've got all day, what should we do?" He asked cheekily, as if I didn't already know what he was thinking.
"I thought I'd go to bed." I offered, just to spite him.
"I had the same idea, though not much sleeping was involved."
"You prick." I pushed him into a pile of leaves and fled, giggling as he spluttered and started to give chase. I needed a run.
The cool air felt crisp against my skin. It whispered through my hair as I ran, kicking up a flurry of leaves as I went. I wasn't all that athletic, in fact I was a total spazzoid, but I sure as hell could run, and even Cas was having a hard time keeping up.
I got to the apartment, flung open the door and took the steps two at a time, digging for my key in my jeans pocket. I was so going to win. It was happening today, it had never happened before.
The elevator was still mean and useless, I was used to running up the stairs after forgetting things in the morning.
I reached the door to my apartment and pulled out the key, my hands were shaking as I tried to put it in the lock.
Someone grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around to face them. It was Castiel, I had no idea he was that close on the stairs. He pressed me up against the door, both of us out of breath and flushing.
"We'll be fine, you and I." He murmured, before capturing my lips with his own.
I knew what he meant. He was always with me, protecting. Whether fighting off my crazy father or two steps behind me in a chase, he had my back no matter what happened. He knew I would do the same for him. That's just how we were.
He lay us down in bed, clothing discarded on the floor, and soon I forgot about the virus completely, content to go to bed for a while.
Can you tell I don't know what I'm doing?
I tried.
I put forth an effort.
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ALL MY LOVE,
Alaska.