Disclaimer: I don't own AMC's The Walking Dead or any of its characters, wishful thinking aside.
Authors Note #1: Written in response to an anon prompt on tumblr: "Nice to meet you." - While I am of the opinion that Aaron and Eric were in an established relationship before the outbreak, I really wanted to explore this angle, so bear with me. This is told in Aaron's point of view and the pairing is Aaric (Aaron/Eric).
Warnings: Spoilers for 5x11 & 5x12. *Contains: adult language, adult content, pre-slash, blood, guts, gore, violence, brief reference to 9/11 as well as vague allusions to a character suffering from a homophobic background during childhood.
Seize the heart (of your own nightmares)
Chapter One
When it came to airports, he had a routine. It was more of a ritual of sorts if he was being honest. His nerves demanded he be there an obsessively militant two and a half hours early – just in case – so he usually ended up with more time than he knew what to do with after he'd tipped his cab driver and lugged his bags through the sliding doors.
Before he checked in and went through the hassle of clearing security, he usually did a brisk circuit of the airport. Psyching himself for the usual crush of people and the handsy TSA agents. Stretching his legs before yet another overseas flight to some politically questionably area where he might or might not get shot at trying to get clean water into some remote village in the middle of god knows where.
He liked to take his time. Remind himself about the statistical probabilities of a plane surviving a water landing and double check the departure board eight or nine times until his bladder reminded him he hadn't taken a piss in at least forty-five minutes. He liked to go to the fair trade, grass-roots coffee booth on the other end of the airport and get a cup of coffee he hated on the off chance that cute red-head he'd seen in the same line for the past year might sidle in and finally start the conversation he'd been agonizing over doing for just about as long.
Only this time, he didn't even make it past the first Starbucks before he had about five different military uniforms breathing down his neck. Where are you going? Identification, please. Why are you loitering? What is your destination? Do you need assistance finding your terminal? Are you feeling alright, sir? Please stand off to the side while we check your baggage and do a brief canine search of your person.
He was sure pretty his government credentials were the only thing that kept them from arresting him on the spot. Settling for escorting him back to the main foyer and fast tracking him through check-in. Bullying him all the way to security before they relaxed enough to crack a PR-smile and wish him a safe flight before fading back to wherever they'd come from in the first place.
He huffed, annoyed. Toeing off his shoes and dumping his rumpled carry-on across the belt. Ignoring the 'one hundred percent done' expression of the TSA agent sitting in front of the monitor. Jesus. He knew things were tense, but really. Was all this actually necessary?
Everyone knew about it.
About the virus.
About the riots.
Hell, the entire country was uneasy about it.
He wasn't sure what to think about it to be honest. There hadn't been much footage and the entire thing had seemed to crop up overnight. That fact alone made the entire thing hard to believe. Viruses didn't work like that. They needed time to incubate – spread. They were calling it a mutated strain of rabies, repeating it over and over like it actually meant something. Meanwhile he didn't know what to believe. He'd already taken all the necessary precautions - working with the NGO overseas ensured he had all his shots and boosters. He was an old hand at all the sanitation procedures. He already had the medical grade soaps and waterless moisturizers. He washed his hands x number times per day. Had a zip-lock bag full of face masks – the works.
He'd done this dance before.
Still, while the Governor and local officials were trying to downplay the spread of this new super virus – or at least the panic part of it – it seemed like everyone else was taking security to a whole different sort of extreme. Hell, you'd think this was another 9/11, what with the sudden military presence and heightened suspicion. But then again, that was the American public for you. Always blowing things out of proportion.
Honestly, he'd been too busy prepping for his upcoming mission in Nigeria to spare the hearsay and hysteria much attention. But from the way he'd heard it, the CDC was all over it and due to their counter-measures it hadn't spread much past Manhattan. The island was under quarantine, which was to be expected. But the media was still chomping at the bit about the supposed information black-out. Apparently no one in any position of authority could be reached in all of New York State as of twelve hours ago.
And okay, yeah, that was suspicious.
Sort of.
He decided to take it as a win when he managed to clear security and trundle down to his terminal without being either being murdered or committing as much himself. He ignored the eerie quiet. The silent echoes and the worried people clustered around the flat screens, finding an empty corner in the back row before he settled down to wait.
The backwash of his quick breakfast tasted acrid in his mouth - sullen. Routine tossed to the wind, he found himself at a loss – jittery inside his own skin. There was a book in his carry-on but he didn't reach for it. He doubted he could concentrate on it if he tried. Something felt off. Wrong in a way he couldn't quite pin an explanation to.
Restless, he sat up straighter in his seat. Surveying the lobby as a handful of passengers swayed cautiously down the whirling escalator. More than a few of them were wearing face-masks. Taking care not to touch the railing as they hurried towards the safety of their respective departure gates.
Seemed the fear was already spreading.
How long would it be before things really got out of hand?
What if they suspended air travel?
His fingers tapped idly against the plastic arm rest. Weighing the pros and cons. Susan – his boss – had green lit the mission only yesterday. They'd been cleared by medical and as far as the CDC was concerned this problem was limited to the continental US. Eddie had even joked that in leaving the country now they'd all probably be ten times safer than if they decided to postpone it.
He squinted. Wait, did the lights just flicker?
A murmur of dismay rippled through the people crowded around the TV. He craned his neck, trying to see over everyone's heads. He got a flash of something - burning and black - a coal-lit inferno crawling up the side of a building as the bleach blonde hair of a frightened looking reporter flared out, rippling in an unnatural wind just before-
He nearly jumped out of his skin with his phone chimed - a cheerful three tone tell he'd programmed in for Susan years ago. Huffing a weak laugh at his own foolishness, he fumbled with the buttons. Getting a glimpse of his boss's face on the picture id – a candid he'd shot during a Christmas party a few years previous - as he answered.
"If you are calling to get me to delay the flight just because you are stuck on the freeway and are still halfway through putting your make-up on, I have to tell you, I think I'd have better luck marching up to the White House and asking the President himself," he commented wryly, raising his voice as a crackle of static rippled across the line.
"Aaron? Hello? Are you-Aaron?!"
"I am here. Susan? Can you speak up? The connection's bad, sounds like you in the middle of grid-lock or something," he replied, fiddling around with his watch. Double checking the time as the sound of heavy breathing and the scratchy sound of a cell phone brushing back and forth across a jacket collar came through the connection – pitching and uncomfortably loud.
"Aaron! Are you- airport? Oh god, I-"
He frowned, sitting up straighter in his chair as he looked out the window onto the tarmac. There were flashing lights further down the runway. Must have been some sort of accident or-
"Get out of there! Now! I can't reach the others- but something zmmmph- I am stuck out here, won't- I am going to try, but-"
"Susan?" he answered, worried now, feeling the barest trickle of adrenaline start to spike as a chorus of strange sounds filtered through the receiver.
"Run! Now! Don't stop, they're here! They lied! They're-"
He cocked his head, trying to make sense of the jumble. It didn't make sense. Had there been an accident? And what was that sound? Like a pitching roar building in the distance. He shook his head, trying to ignore her panicked breaths, heart twinging at the strange whimper that was being pulled out of her as-
Wait. Were those screams?
"-coming. Oh shit! No! No! They're comi-zshhhhhhhhhh-"
He stared at the phone, wordless. Watching her smiling face fade across the screen as the connection dropped. He mashed the call-back button. Cursing under his breath when it kept disconnecting after the first ring.
What the hell was going on?
What-
He was so distracted he didn't notice the slim, clean-cut figure approaching. Smile wide, but slightly nervous as he stood just off to the side, not wanting to intrude. Chestnut-red hair unconsciously styled, highlighted by the soft glow of the early afternoon sun before the man finally threw caution to the wind and cleared his throat.
"Hello?"
He was so startled he nearly dropped the damn phone.
A/N #1: Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think! Reviews and constructive critiquing are love! – There will be one more chapter, stay tuned.
