EPISODE 03: Uhambe Kahle Part 03 Apocalypse and Zombie-Wombies; Shit Happens!
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The graveyard was empty as they arrived, the gravel rustled under their steps. The trees hung their branches low as if to prevent the purplish red evening light to get to the graveyard. Birds didn't sing, they were all quiet, respecting the memories of the dead and letting them rest in peace.
"Here." The elf stopped at a gravestone that read 'Here lies our beloved Serge. What came from the sea, has returned to the sea' Link dropped the bunch of flowers he had got, a gesture that didn't mean anything to him and probably even less for Serge, but at least it was proof that he had been there, visiting his old friend.
Marth put gently an arm around him, looking at Serge's grave with a stranger's respect. He pressed closer to the prince, not really knowing why.
"He's lucky to have had a friend like you." The noble said finally, breaking the silence in the graveyard.
Link sighed. "No, he isn't. I forgot him."
"But you remembered again. And that's what matters."
"Are you just trying to make me feel better?" He asked, turning to look at Marth.
"No, I think that's the truth." The prince hugged him from behind, resting his head on his shoulder and gazing at Serge's tomb. Link leaned against him, closing his eyes.
"I'm lucky to have someone like you." He almost whispered, his voice sounded so confident and happy.
"I'm luckier because there are two of you." Marth whispered back to his ear, breathing one hot, wet breath on his neck and he let out a pleased moan. He took the noble's hands off him and turned around to hug him.
"Marth… Can I ask you one thing?" The Hylian asked, pressing close to feel the other's warm body against his.
"Sure." The prince smiled at him gently. "Go ahead."
"When you kissed me at the bar, did you mean it as a confession of your feelings?"
Marth looked at him for a long while, studied the blueness of his eyes, how they glowed in the darkening night, caressing his chin with his fingers. Link wouldn't let his gaze drop; he kept looking into his eyes determinedly and maybe a little defiantly. The prince pressed him closer and almost kissed before whispering: "Link, how could I--"
"IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!" An old man with a long beard jumped out of the bush, wearing rags. "IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!" He ran to them and took a hold of Link's throat, shaking him.
After a moment of utter confusion, Marth pulled him off the Hylian. It had all happened so quickly that he felt still a little confused.
"What's the apocalypse?" The elf drew breath and coughed, glaring at the man. "And why'd you strangle me for it?"
"IT'S THE APOCALYPSE! IT'S HERE!"
"You don't need to shout." Marth calmed him and walked him to a bench, forcing him to sit down. Then he returned to Link and asked him if he was all right and checked his throat.
"I guess I'm fine. I'm still alive." He said as Marth looked at his neck and at the small bruises on it. Suddenly he felt Marth's warm lips on his neck and pressed closer to him, sighing in pleasure. The noble kissed his neck for a brief moment only and looked into his eyes then, smiling. "Better?"
"By worlds." He caressed Marth's cheek with his fingers.
"What are we going to do with him?" The cobalt eyed prince nodded at the loon.
"No idea. Maybe just try to tell him there's nothing wrong with apocalypse." Link grinned. "That he should take it easy and buy a hot dog."
"A hot dog?"
"Yeah. He might actually do it." The Hylian giggled.
"IT'S THE APOCALYPSE!" The loon screamed alone, sitting on the bench.
"There isn't such a thing as the apocalypse." Marth took Link's hand and pulled him closer to the bench with him. The old loon glared at them as if they had denied the existence of gravity, his greyish blue eyes shining defiantly.
"Yes, there is!"
"I can't see it." Link ascertained simply, looking around lazily. "No Godzilla, King Kong or T-virus around here."
"But it is here! There are signs everywhere!" The man tried to stand up, but the noble stopped him and forced him to sit down again.
"Signs? What signs?"
"The whole world's gone crazy! Everything's contrary to what it used to be!"
"Gee, you don't need to be so specific." Link sighed. He knew that Marth wanted to help people, it was in his nature and no matter how crazy, eh would still do his best to help him, but this guy, he had nothing to worry about. He was just crazy. No one was chasing him and he looked poor so that no one would bother mugging him. Link wanted to go home, Young Link was there all alone and probably needed company, poor boy.
"Give us an example." Marth asked, rising his eyebrows.
"You didn't notice? It's worse than what I thought!" The old loon kept talking.
"Come on, Marth, let's go. He's just crazy." Link said finally, he liked to help people, but this loon didn't need their help, he needed an asylum.
"I am not!"
"Then what's the sign of the apocalypse?" The elf asked, able of being kind. Suddenly he thought about Roy. In a situation like this the general would've already flared up at that man for disturbing their moment. And besides, because of that man he hadn't heard Marth's answer.
"You almost kissed!" The man cried. He took a hold of the prince's shoulders, shaking him back and forth.
"All right, all right." The cobalt eyed man tore him off himself and got further away from him. "I think you're right, Link. Let's go home."
"You're not seeing the apocalypse coming!" He screamed after them.
They glanced at each other, knowing that this guy was a loon. "I bet he's never heard of gays before." Link said, slipping an arm around Marth, getting closer to him to feel his warmth near. The noble put an arm around him although he had expected him to blush slightly and get a little distance to him. But Marth, once again, wasn't Roy.
And secretly he wondered where Roy was at the moment.
Marth wanted to go home, but he insisted that he would stay overnight; he didn't want to be alone with Young Link right now. He knew he was supposed to comfort him but there was pain in his heart as well and he didn't know how long he would be able of hiding what he truly felt.
When they got home, Young Link was sleeping in his room calmly, he hadn't even cared to take off his clothes, he had just thrown himself on the bed and fallen asleep. His chest went up and down calmly as he breathed and slept peacefully. Or at least he looked peaceful.
Marth and Link sat on the couch, talking until late night and at times they kissed, but every time only casually. Only their lips touched, nothing too passionate. Nothing like the kiss in the bar.
"We should go to sleep." Link said finally, he was almost sitting in Marth's lap, their lips close enough to feel each other's breathing on them.
"Where will I sleep?" The noble asked and he pressed his nose against his.
"Next to me, of course." Link said calmly like he would've been talking about the weather. Marth smiled at him and they kissed, but the elf couldn't shake off a feeling in his heart, a feeling besides this love he felt for the noble. It was the feeling of drifting further and further away from Roy, the only true love he had. But he ignored it because Roy had a girlfriend and he was happy and he needed to get over him.
"Oh, really?" The prince asked, a little confused. He hadn't expected that.
"Only if you want to." Link continued, he had lowered his voice to a whisper with a mischievous smile. "I'm not going to force you."
"Sure, I just… I'm just a little surprised."
"Of wh--" The elf was cut off by the doorbell and he got up, walking to the door. Somehow, the whole way to the door he had a feeling he shouldn't open it, that something bad would happen if he did, but he thought that he was just being ridiculous and tired, full of the old loon's crap they had met in the graveyard
"Oh, hi!" He was totally taken by surprise as he opened the door.
"Hi, can I come in?" Roy asked, he was soaking wet and cold, he was shaking a little and his lips were purple.
"Of course, what brings you?"
"I just came to tell you that I--" The general began and grabbed his shoulders, but stopped when he saw Marth. "Hi, Marth." For a while he was trying to say something to Link but swallowed it every time. The elf waited patiently, he was hoping to hear those three words, it was obvious Roy was trying to say them, he was trying to force them out of his mouth, but couldn't. It seemed like he was suffocating in some weird way. Finally he hung his head, sighed and said: "Never mind. It's no use."
"Just say it, Roy." He whispered in a low voice, so quietly that he wasn't sure had the redhead heard him. The way he said it was desperate, it was like he would've been deep in a swamp and Roy would've had a rope and he would've been asking him to save him.
The general lifted his head and looked into his eyes with pain in his owns, they were glittering with the tears he was trying to hold back. His bangs were glues on his forehead by the water, his whole face was glittering with the water, his clothes were hanging on him like wet laundry.
They looked at each other for a passing moment until Link understood; Roy couldn't say it in front of Marth, not in front of his best friend. He wanted it to be a secret. And it was understandable too; the general didn't want to admit his feelings and kept denying what he really was.
"I'll be right back." He said to the noble, who nodded and then went to the corridor with Roy. "Can you say it here?"
"Link…" The redhead looked sad; he was clearly on the verge of tears. He came closer slowly and grabbed his shirt like a little baby does when its taken in a lap, Roy clenched his fists, holding the shirt tightly in his grip; he didn't want to let go. "Link…"
The elf felt a wave of relief going through him, it was the feeling of knowing that Roy hadn't completely stopped loving him and he just needed to try harder to get close to him, to get him away from that girl. He would need to fight for him, but not much. Because Roy was mostly in a battle of his own, he was in a struggle with his shyness, if he would just get over it and say the words he wouldn't need to doubt it anymore; did he love him or not. The Hylian frowned with sympathy and slowly pulled the boy close in a warm hug, right now he didn't care if his clothes got wet, he didn't care if Marth came out and saw them, he didn't care about anything except that he was hugging Roy and it felt like heaven.
Roy hugged him back as if they would've been apart for years and missed each other. He was pressing as close as he could, sniffling a little. Maybe it was the rain outside that made him sniffle or then he was desperately fighting against tears. Only later he noticed that the boy was repeating his name to his shirt that was now wet. He pressed the boy even closer, not even thinking that he'd probably need to explain what had happened to his boyfriend, Marth.
Oh, god. I've got a boyfriend. He thought with growing horror. I've got a boyfriend! And it's not Roy
He let go of the general as if the boy would've been hot iron. The general looked at him like a scared puppy; like he had done something wrong and Link would roll a newspaper and hit him with it. He turned around and sighed. "Roy, I've got someone."
"I know. You've got Marth." The redhead said calmly, his voice quivered a little though.
"How do you--?"
"I saw you kiss in the bar."
Link knew that that wasn't where they had become a couple, it had been today, but he didn't care to explain it to Roy, it would've probably only made him more upset. "Oh."
"And it doesn't matter. I have a girlfriend." Roy said, his voice quivering more. He was starting to need another hug; or at least that was how he felt. "I don't know how long I can stand her though." He continued as if he would've been explaining himself. Explaining his actions. Hinting that soon he might be single.
"Yeah." Link turned around and grabbed his shoulders gently. "Did you say it doesn't matter?"
"Yeah." The general didn't know how long he would be able of holding himself back. He would break and it would be soon, it was just a matter of time. And he didn't want to break in front of Link, he wanted to be strong like a stone wall, because that was what he had been taught. He wanted to be so strong; he wanted to be strong by himself, alone. But he knew that he would be stronger with Link.
"No." The elf continued, his cerulean eyes boring into his. "It does. It does, because were not done yet."
"What?" The redhead asked, rising his eyebrows; he didn't want to understand what the elf was trying to say.
"Roy… My love… We still have feelings for each other." The Hero said gently.
Roy's eyes had been soft and vulnerable until now, they were waiting for those comforting words Link always had; now they turned into flame and defiance; denial. "Shit happens."
Link was taken aback. He knew the general protected himself by denying things from himself, which wasn't healthy either, but he hadn't expected this. What he just said meant that he had accepted his feelings and come too late because Link was already with Marth. He couldn't say anything.
"An understanding. Good." Roy ascertained after a long moment of silence as he left. "Bye now, I'm going to go get really drunk."
"Roy, don't." The elf said.
"Why not?" He turned around; his voice sounded a little irritated by Link's worry.
"When you're drunk… you do things you don't--"
"Thanks, mom, but I think I can take care of myself. Bye." Roy waved to him and left. He didn't stop before the elevator doors, waiting for it to come and pick him. The Hylian watched after him, not wanting to let him go. He was so close, he was right there, he was in his arms, but yet he was so far, he was in another galaxy, behind a thousand stars.
The elevator doors opened and he bolted for it as the boy entered. Right before they closed, he put his arm in between them and they opened again. He jumped into the elevator, grabbing the boy by his tunic; Roy hadn't seen him, and turned him around to hug him. The redhead gasped by the sudden act of mad love. But before he even noticed, he was back to his old self, his lips locked on the elf's and the feeling he knew that could never be replaced was there, in his spine roaring a death cry like a dying lion.
Link didn't want to let go. He pressed the boy closer, kissing him and Roy let him kiss himself. It was just like before, just like it had always been. Link felt Roy's arms on his back as well, holding him there, wanting to take him with him, run away from this life and forget everything except each other. They both knew that this could be the last kiss they could ever have, yet it could be the beginning of their relationship without Peach or Marth or anyone.
Yes. They.
Not he and he.
Just the two of them.
---
Young Link woke up in his bed, he remembered faintly a dream of Link and something, but couldn't see it clearly. There had been a room, lit with red lights… Dim. Everything had seemed a little blurry as if he would've been wearing some kind of a mask.
Finally he gave up trying to remember the dream and got up, seeing that the clock pointed only 10 p.m. He got out of his room, finding Marth on the couch and was slightly surprised by it. Why was he there? Was he going to stay overnight? What happened to Roy? Was Roy hiding under a table?
"Hi, Marth."
"Hi, Young Link, are you all right?" The prince turned to look at him, the TV talking alone in front of him.
"…Yeah. Where's Link?"
"He went outside with Roy a while ago." Marth answered calmly.
"Oh." The tiny elf said and sighed mentally. The prince wasn't here because Link was with him; he was here maybe because Link had wanted to go out with the general. "No wonder what they'll do."
"What?" The noble asked as if he wouldn't have understood his joke.
Maybe he doesn't know… Young Link concluded. "Stuff."
"What kind of stuff?" Marth asked curiously.
"You know… I'm too young to know anything." He said with a wink and disappeared to the bathroom, leaving the prince in the living room alone again, wondering what on earth did he mean by what he had just said? Marth stared at his feet, it couldn't be that Link was somehow… with Roy? Could he really do that sort of a thing?
Of course not.
Then maybe Young Link was just kidding, knowing that Link was gay and he and the general were close friends. Before he got to think about it, the door opened and Link came back, looking sad and disappointed. He was obviously trying to hide it, but failed, the dagger of sadness was in his heart and he couldn't hide it. The prince got up, worried of
his friend or his lover?
Link and walked to him, offering him a hug which he took gratefully.
"What happened?"
"…Not much."
The noble sighed, letting the matter drop. It wasn't any of his business anyway, if Link wanted to talk about he would listen, but otherwise he would leave him alone. Some things are too painful to talk about.
After a while of silence the prince finally got the elf talking again, but not much. All he said was that they should go to bed because it's getting late. He agreed, what else could he do?
They got to bed and Marth pulled Link close. The elf couldn't help feeling that he was cheating on Roy although he knew very well that he wasn't. He pressed closer to the noble, who let him come nearer, looking at him tenderly. The prince kissed him gently on his forehead and he faked a smile, hoping that Marth wouldn't suspect anything, but he was wrong; his mask was weak and effortless.
The cobalt eyed man didn't say anything, he just frowned a little, but thought that it would pass. Maybe it was something Roy had said, maybe about them, maybe this was about the school that had been attacked by terrorists; it was Young Link's school. Yeah, Link would talk about it if he needed to.
"Good night, Marth", the elf said.
"G'night."
It was a matter of seconds until the prince was asleep. He slept peacefully, his chest went up and down serenely, his breathing was slow and stable. The elf felt safe there, Marth was so calming. But he couldn't help the feeling of cheating on Roy. And although he tried to suffocate that voice inside him, it kept screaming how much it wanted him to go to Roy and kiss him and hug him.
It was Roy he wanted.
But he wanted it to be Marth.
"I don't know how long I can stand her though." He could remember the redhead's words. But right now Roy was getting drunk somewhere, and god only knew what would happen to him. The elf sighed.
Only God knew.
And maybe Roy too.
Meanwhile Young Link tossed and turned in his bed. He was seeing a nightmare of what had happened to his school, how everyone had burned. But in his dream, all the corpses got up and tried to eat those still alive. He could see his friends, Nana and Popo turn into zombies and watch them chasing Ness and catching him eventually and eating him. Finally all the three of them came to him, their faces partly eaten by the other zombies and they ate him, making weird, primitive sounds. He woke up and gasped, realizing that it was all a dream.
He lay back on his back on the bed and took a deep breath, closing his eyes again to drift to sleep.
"Zombie-wombies don't exist." He whispered quietly. "They're only in the game."
But what happened to the people at your school? Were they a part of a super secret bio weapon test, disguised as a terrorist attack? What if they're all banging the doors of their little closets in the morgue, screaming and moaning and wanting to come after you? Maybe they're already out of the morgue…
"Are not." He said defiantly to his imagination.
Are not, eh? What if they are? What if they're waiting for you right behind the door, smelling you and wanting to eat you, but knowing that you'd never exit this room if you heard them breathing there lustily behind your door, smacking their lips as they thought about you?
Are those feet I see? Young Link thought as he looked at the small gap between the door and the floor.
Or… maybe they're already in this room, waiting for you to fall asleep? In the closet with your clothes? Under your bed, reaching a hand to under your blanket to grab your warm leg with its rotten, cold, stiff hand with long nails like claws?
Young Link sat up. "That's enough." He got up and walked to his room's door, gathering his courage. "Stupid, rotting idiots." He cursed as he opened the door, in a fighter stance, ready to kick off anyone uninvited's head. But there was no one there.
See, told you! The tiny elf celebrated in his mind.
And then he saw it.
"AAAAGHHH!"
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The return of the Smash Files! Whoohoo! No, sorry. I'm evil to leave this with a cliff-hanger and zombies and Roy alone in the bar. Speaking of zombies, meet my pet: Keeper.
Keeper: More itchy. I no feed doggies, Steve get mad eat steve face tasty.
Link: -wide-eyed-A zombie as a pet?
Keeper: Itchy. Tasty.
Good boy, Keeper. Thanks for reading, Keeper'd love your reviews! And flesh too, but we can pass that. -sweatdrops-