They drank their last gatorade. Alex knew he would be okay for another three days, at most. But the sight of the empty bottle sent a shiver down his spine. It was clear he wasn't the only one contemplating the situation. Jefferson glanced at every river or lake they passed, licking his lips wantingly. James stared at the sky and cursed the dry spell. Alex's throat grew cracked and aching the longer the days went on. He grew to hate the taste of his own spit, needing something more than it could provide.
Strangely enough, he found himself craving fruit above all else. Yes, a glass of ice cold water would be devine right now, but he was itching to get his fingers on some oranges, apples, watermelon, kiwi - sweet and tangy and juicy and fresh. He imagined sinking his teeth into some fruit, piercing the thin skin, and letting the sticky juices run down his chin as he chewed.
Eliza's favorite fruit was strawberries. She's always get excited when they were in season; happily putting two boxes of them in their shopping cart. Alex loves mangos. He always gets a bit messy when eating them, but that's because you're supposed to be messy afterwards. So is the way of the mango. Philip was a tradition apple lover. It didn't matter if it was tart or sweet, soft or crisp, he loved all apples. Little Angie, although, perhaps too young to have any real opinions about much of anything, adores grapes. Ever since she was little, she would squeal in excitement when she saw a grape nearby. Alex had to pay for a half-empty bag of grapes one too many times, the child wouldn't wait until they got home before she started munching.
For a moment, Alex's mind shifts from missing fruits to missing his family, and suddenly, the pain in his throat isn't that harsh anymore.
"JemmyJames, pull over." Jefferson said, breaking Alex out of his thoughts.
"Why." James didn't even really ask the question. It was just a word, spoken from exhausted lips.
"I'm gonna fuck that river." Jefferson was looking out the window, his face pressed up against the glass, at a raging river that ran near the road.
James let out a long sigh. "Thomas, no."
"We can boil the water, that makes it safe to drink, right?" Jefferson said, more to himself than to James. "Let it cool for a while, fuck, I'll even drink it boilin', I don't care…"
"How're you going to get water from that?" James asked, gesturing to the river with one hand, "That thing is pissing currents like a racehorse. There ain't no way you wouldn't slip and fall in and drown."
Alex closed his eyes and refused to look at said river. He couldn't hear it, over the rumble of the truck, but he felt it, deep in his bones. The rushing, swirling water clogging up his mouth and shooting up his nose, choking the life out of him. Suddenly, he wasn't very thirsty any more.
"I'll be careful, it's fine." Jefferson said, "Look, we're thirsty, we all need a drink, lemme get some water, boil it, and serve it right up for ya."
James snorted, "With your shitting balance and those steep slopes? I think the fuck not."
"Desperate times, Jemmy!"
"I ain't that desperate yet."
"Fine then. Hamilton, you're the tie breaker."
Jefferson jostled Alex, forcing him to open his eyes and look at the two men. Alex swallowed hard and said in the calmest voice he could manage, "We should keep going. Find another town, look in there for water. If we don't have anything, we can come back, or find a better river."
"A town is riskier than some dumb river." Jefferson said, "Town's got zombies."
"River's got rocks." James replied, a little smug. "We keep driving."
"Bullshit, none'a'ya'll want me to live anymore." Jefferson sighed dramatically. "You're planning my slow and painful death. I can tell. You've been whispering about it. Gonna eat me first, because I got the tastiest ass."
James didn't even look away from the road as he said, "Thomas, the very last thing I would think about is eating your ass."
"Well, now I'm insulted." Jefferson huffed, crossing his arms.
Alex laughed and kept his own comments about cannibalism, eating ass, and eating Jefferson's ass to himself.
Alex has no idea where they are. He stopped reading road signs a while ago. All he knows is that they're breaking into some lonely house on a hill; maybe a farmer's, maybe an introvert's, he doesn't care.
"Ew!" Jefferson said as he kicked down the door and looked inside.
"How bad is it?" James asked.
"About as bad as a rotten corpse could be after a month and a half." Jefferson replied.
Corpses. Great. Alex had considered himself pretty lucky in the not-having-to-look-at-dead-bodies category so far. Yeah, he'd seen zombies and dead zombies, but actual human corpses were a bit different. If he stopped to think about zombies were human corpses that decided they had to take up a day job to feed their dead families, but still.
His point being, he hadn't seen a suicide case so far. And he didn't really want to, considering his own Tragic Backstory and mental instabilities. But he refused to be That Guy that didn't go into the creepy abandoned house because there was a decomposing dead body inside. He grimaced and stepped inside after Jefferson.
James gagged as he saw the corpse before them. Thankfully, there was no real blood. They decided to go the overdose route, if the many pill bottles on the couch next to them was any indication. That didn't make them any less enjoyable to look at, though.
Their cheeks had sunken in, skin pressed thin against cheekbones and teeth. Fluid that Alex really couldn't identify had long since dried around the corpse's mouth and nose. Their hair was dirty, brittle, and had fallen out completely in some spots. Alex could count the bones in their fingers clearly. Flies and bugs crawled around the body, biting off skin and digging deep into the megar amount of muscle left. The worst part was the smell. Alex put his hands over his nose and breathed through his mouth in an attempt to ignore the podent odor.
"Let's find some water and get the hell out." James said as he swatted at a fly.
They shifted through the house, fairly confident that there wouldn't be any zombies in there with them. James disappeared somewhere upstairs while Jefferson and Alex looked in the kitchen for anything to eat or drink.
"This bitch aint got nothing." Jefferson muttered as he picked up an expired can of tuna.
"I bet they waited until they ran out of food and then decided it wasn't worth the risk to go out and find more." Alex commented as he opened the fridge in hopes for water bottles. What he got instead was a rat, chewing away at some moldy bread.
Alex screamed and slammed the fridge shut. He gasped out a breath and glanced up at Jefferson, who saw the whole thing, and was trying not to laugh.
"Damn, Ham, your face is hilarious right now." He said, unable to keep the joy from his voice. He snorted and soon a laugh was falling from his lips.
"Fuck off." Alex growled, pushing him. Jefferson's laugh cut off as he stumbled backwards, his arms waving in the air as he tried to catch himself. Luckily, kinda, his back hit against the cupboard, and he didn't fall to the ground. But he will certainly have a bruise on his spine. Alex immediately felt guilty, "Shit, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to push you that hard, I-"
"I'm fine!" Jefferson snapped, his voice sharp and angry. He pushed himself off the cupboard slowly, wincing a little.
"Are you okay? Let me see your back-"
"Fuck no, now you sound like James. It's fine. I'm fine. Let's find some fucking water and go." Jefferson stomped off towards the bathroom. Alex watched him limp a little bit and can't help but feel remorseful. He really didn't think he pushed him that hard; he was surprised the man even felt it, let alone fell. Alex followed him into the bathroom and watched as he put his foot up against the piping of the sink. He kicked it a few times, but it barely budged.
"I'll find a wrench or something." Alex offered.
"You do that." Jefferson sneered.
Alex huffed, crossing his arms, "You don't have to be a dick. I apologized, I didn't meant to hurt you, so-"
"I ain't hurt!" Jefferson replied, "A tiny ass bruise ain't gonna kill me."
"You were limping!" Alex hissed.
Jefferson's eyes widened for half a second before he rolled his eyes and growled, "I do that sometimes. Fuck off, go find a hammer."
Alex huffed, but turned and made his way to the garage. It wasn't hard to find a tool box. The homeowner had a little work station in the far corner of the garage; behind a rusty car. Alex, being the official Petty Brat of the team, grabbed the entire twenty pound tool box and carried it back into the house. He dropped the entire thing in the doorway, causing a sound that was similar to that of thirty metal wrenches being thrown down the stairs at once. Alex smugly grinned when Jefferson yelped a little in surprise.
"What the fuck?" Jefferson hissed, glaring down at Alex and the mess he made on the floor. That glass tiling is absolutely broken, hope the corpse doesn't mind.
"Your tools, your royal dickishness." Alex said with a dramatic bow.
Jefferson glared at him and then sat down on the floor. One of his legs was crossed close to his body, while the other was spread out next to him. It left his body in a strange angle, especially in the small space of the bathroom, but Alex wasn't going to comment on it.
Alex leaned against the door frame and watched as Jefferson worked through multiple wrenches until he found one the right size. He slotted it in place against the nut on the pipes; twisting it to the left. Despite his efforts, it didn't budge. Jefferson huffed and shifted his body a bit so he had a better angle. He grabbed the wrench with both hands and tried again. Nothing.
Panting heavily, Jefferson dropped the wrench and picked up a hammer instead. Alex winced as Jefferson slammed the hammer against the side of the pipe, a loud thwing! noise ringing throughout the house. The pipe indented, but didn't break.
"What the fuck." Jefferson huffed. "Hold this."
The hammer was thrusted into Alex's hands as Jefferson moved forward, wrapping his hands around the dented pipe. Once he had a good grip, the man pulled with his entire body weight; throwing himself backwards.
The metal didn't budge.
"God damn it!" Jefferson growled. "Gimme the fucking water! I know it's in there!"
"Want help?" Alex asked, watching with an unimpressed expression. He grew great satisfaction from the fact that Jefferson had to look up at him.
Jefferson hesitated, and then shifted on his spot on the floor. "Yeah, I guess, if we-"
"What the fuck is wrong with you two?!"
The boys turned to see James standing behind them, looking annoyed, as usual. "You're shaking the whole damn house. It's like as soon as I left y'all decided to make the loudest noises possible. Do you want to tell the zombies where we are?"
Alex winced. It's a good thing they're in the middle of nowhere. They had been pretty loud. He keeps forgetting that the world is different now. He can't put fighting and his pride above safety and caution. He shifted on his feet and apologized, "Sorry, James."
"What're y'all even doing?" James asked, his gaze pointedly dropping to Jefferson and the tool box on the floor.
"Trying to break these pipes, so we can get the water inside." Jefferson gestured to the sink before him.
There was a very long, distinct pause, where they stared at James and he stared right back at them. Alex shot Jefferson a curious glance as James let opened his mouth and then closed it again.
"That's- that's not how pipes work." James said, sounding a little bit astounded.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Why would the water always be in there? What if the pipe broke? Your bathroom would be flooded." James said, shaking his head, "The water's stored somewhere else, in a tank or whatever, and when you turn the sink on, some motor pushes the water where it needs to go. It- it's not always just sitting there."
Alex and Jefferson looked at each other, neither one aware of this famoninon. James groaned and hid his face in his hands, "How are you two the smartest men I know?"
"Maybe you should get smarter friends." Jefferson said with a shrug, clearly a little embarrassed.
"Options are kinda limited now." James replied as he stepped over Jefferson's legs to get to the toilet. He rested a hand on Jefferson's hair as he walked, which the other man happily leant up into. "There's no water in the pipes, but there should be water in this."
Alex watched as James lifted up the glass lid of the toilet tank. He looked inside and grinned, nodding. Setting the lid down on the floor, he gestured for them to come closer. Alex moved to step over Jefferson as he looked inside. All of these tanks contain a mechanism to flush the toilet, as well as some water. The water in this tank hadn't evaporated yet, but… it makes Alex's skin crawl.
"I don't want to drink from a toilet like a dog." Alex said, taking a small step back. His heel bumped Jefferson's leg, and he made sure to be careful not to step on the man. For some reason, he hadn't bothered to stand up yet.
"Yeah, I'm with Ham on this one." Jefferson said, leaning back a little so he could see around Alex. "I ain't that thirsty."
James rolled his eyes, "It's not from the toilet bowl, it's fine. No one's shit in this water, if that's what you're worried about."
"I'd literally rather die than drink that, James." Jefferson said without an ounce of sarcasm in his voice.
"Well, I've searched the entire house, and the only water in this place is going to be in the two toilet tanks. So, dying of dehydration might be your only option." James said crossing his arms.
Alex spoke up, raising his hands in a calming motion, "Okay, okay, idea. What if we take this nasty ass toilet water, keep it as emergency water, and … go find more water somewhere else."
"Where do you think this magical supply of water's gonna come from?" James asked, looking Alex up and down. "It doesn't exactly grow on trees. Every place we look is going to be the same. So we either find a river to take water from, or we go around stealing toilet water. Your choice."
Alex internally groaned but closed his eyes and said, "We'll ... find a river. Not the one we passed, it was too dangerous. A calmer one. Preferably a lake."
"Fine." James said.
"Fine." Alex repeated.
"Fine." Jefferson added, before holding his arms up to James, "Help me up."
They found reusable sports water bottles in one of the cabinets and carefully scooped the tank water into them, filling them up until both of the toilets in the house were empty. There was only two and a half bottles, at the end of it. But they took what they could get.
Climb back into the truck, buck in, and hope for rain; their normal routine as of late.
It was some time after noon and many hours later, when James pointed to a lake off the side of the road.
"It doesn't look too bad. I bet we could park the truck right there." James said, gesturing to a fairly large grassy patch by the shore.
"This was probably a fishing spot." Jefferson commented idly. "You know. Before everything."
"Hey, that's a good idea." James said as they pulled off the road. The truck bounced and wobbled over rocks and uneven ground. Alex closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe in and out. "Do we have any fishing poles or anything?"
Alex heard the rest of their conversation, but only distantly.
"No, but we could use a blanket as an improvised net?"
"How long would it take to dry, though? I don't want a wet blanket in our supplies; it'd get everything moldy."
"Well, we could just stay here for the night? Make a fire and use that to dry the blanket."
"Or we could have you hold onto the blanket out the window while we drive, flying down the road at top speed."
"I like my idea better."
James laughed and Alex felt the car stop completely. He opened his eyes to glance at James' face. He seemed weirdly sympathetic as he said, "I know, Thomas."
Alex glanced at Jefferson, but the man was smiling, except his lips were a bit pinched at the corners. Before he could comment on the odd behavior, the two were getting out of the truck and stretching. Alex's eyes skittered over the edge of the water and he squeezed his eyes shut one last time, before he shuffled out of the truck with a sigh.
"Let's get a fire going first, so that way we can boil the water." Jefferson said, "As the water's boiling, we'll see about that fishing thing."
James chuckled as he said, "And I assume you'll want us to bathe?"
Jefferson grinned and nodded, before he suddenly gasped and groaned, "That's what I forgot! When we were stealing shit from those stores, I forgot shampoo, hand sanitizer, soap-"
"I think we'll be fine." James said, still smiling.
"What's soap made out of? Can we recreate it?" Jefferson was saying to himself, ignoring James. "What do vegans do? I know I watched a DIY video about it once…"
Alex smiled as he watched Jefferson pace a little. Not soon after, they got to work. Alex helped Jefferson make the fire, while James looked through the trunk for a pot or something to boil water in.
The next few things happened in a blurr. Alex didn't move from his spot by the fire as Jefferson went down to the water's edge and got a pot full of water. They had made a makeshift stand with sticks that held the pot over the fire. He watched as the still water heated, bubbles rising to the top until the pot looked more like a tiny hot tub. His gaze shifted past the pot to see James and Jefferson on water's edge. While James was knee-deep in the water, Jefferson, oddly, stayed on land, instructing the other man from afar.
"C'mon, JemmyJames!" Jefferson called, "Y'all ain't never gonna catch fish like that!"
"Oh, fuck off!" James said, before yelping and jumping. He turned to them and yelled, "Something just touched me!"
Please be careful, Alex wanted to call out. But his voice wouldn't rise. He just watched, a little relieved, as James regained his balance. It's okay. He's only knee-deep. He'll be fine. The water won't rise. It's fine.
"Yeah, that'd be called dinner." Jefferson drawled. "You shoulda grabbed it!"
Alex spoke up for the first time in a while, "If you're so smart, why don't you do it?"
Jefferson turned back to look at him. He glanced down, and then replied, "In that nasty muddy water? No thanks."
James sighed and started to wade back, "This isn't going to work. I'm not coordinated enough to catch a fish with a blanket."
"You're also a sissy." Jefferson added.
James flicked water at him and shoved the wet blanket against Jefferson's chest. "I'll try again later. In the meantime, we can use one of our canned foods."
"Yay." Jefferson said sarcastically. "I love having a single bite for dinner."
"Don't complain."
They ended up spreading the blanket across the truck, hoping that the sun would dry a majority of it. Jefferson carefully removed the pot from the fire and set it aside for the water to cool. He and James inspected the water, deciding that it would probably be safe enough.
"There's still dirt in it." Jefferson grumbled quietly.
"Yes, but it's clean dirt." James replied. "The bacteria is all burned away."
Alex doesn't talk much even as they sip their lake water and share a can of beans. The sun has started to go down, creating the most beautiful reflections on the water's surface. The longer they sat next to the lake, the less Alex kept glancing over at it.
Eventually, James got up to get more wood for the fire, leaving Jefferson and Alex alone. Alex watched the fire until his eyes felt like they were going to fall out.
"You've been quiet." Jefferson commented suddenly. When Alex looked up at him, he found the other man watching him carefully.
Alex shrugged. "It happens."
Jefferson shifted awkwardly at the obvious dismissal. They were quiet once more.
It took Alex a moment to hear it. But after a little while, it was clear. There was music, a song, in the air. It took him another moment to realize that the song was coming from Jefferson. He was humming.
Alex watched as the man hummed quietly to himself, holding his cup of lake water in both hands and watching the small waves roll a few feet away. The sun was below the treeline, now, and the only light came from the fire next to them. Alex watched the shadows dance across the other man's face.
"That's 'Lovely Night' from La La Land, right?" Alex nudges him, gaining his attention. Jefferson startles, looking down at him for a moment. They stare in silence for a beat too long and Alex awkwardly clearifies, "The song you were humming."
Jefferson clears his throat and glances away, "Yeah. That's right."
"I only saw that movie once, I think. Eliza wanted to go see it in theaters, so I took her." Alex said, to fill the silence. He added after a second, "Eliza's my wife."
"My Martha and I loved that song. We'd sing duets all the time." Jefferson smiled softly, "One time she woke me up in the middle of the night just to sing it."
"I think I know the lyrics. Kinda a funny song to sing if you're already married and in love." Alex commented. "Isn't it, like, sarcastic or something?"
"She was a sarcastic woman." Jefferson shrugged, turning to watch Alex carefully. His voice was strange as he spoke, "I must have a type."
Alex wanted to ask what that meant, but his mouth surprised him. Instead of inquiring about the strange phrasing, Alex suggested, "Sing it for me?"
Jefferson's eyes widened at the request. Alex didn't know why he said that, but now that it was out in the open, he desperately wished Jefferson to go along with it. If his simple humming put Alex in a good mood, got him out of his nervous funk, what would the rest of his vocals do to him?
Alex watched in fascination as a dark blush covered Jefferson's cheeks, Alex mentally kicked himself when he remembered that Jefferson had stage fright. He must be nervous or embarrassed. If he didn't want to do a simple comedy skit, why would he fucking sing in front of Alex? Alex was quick to fix his mistake, "You don't have to, I just-"
"The sun is nearly gone," Jefferson interrupted him quietly, his voice deep and soothing. He glanced up at the darkening sky; the first stars appearing before them. Instantly, Alex felt his body relax at the sound of it. Alex stared up at the other man, catching Jefferson's gaze once more, neither one looking away as Jefferson softly sang. "The lights are turning on, a silver shine that stretches to the sea. We've stumbled on a view, that's tailor-made for two. What a shame those two are you and me."
Alex smiled a little when Jefferson gesture between them. He watched as Jefferson's eyes lit up and he got more into his song. Jefferson set his cup down and stood up, turned away from him. What a dramatic child. Alex couldn't help but smile as the man continued his next lyric.
"Some other boy and guy, would love this swirling sky." Jefferson's voice was so good; he had an amazing feel to his tone that made everything seem emotional and real without it being melodramatic. Alex stood up as well, without really knowing why he did so. Jefferson turned to look back at him, his expression falling a bit as he sang, "But there's only you, and I. And we've got, no shot."
He took a small step forward, reaching out for Alex only to pull his hand away right before they touched. Alex had to hold back a giggle. "This could never be. You're not the type for me-"
"Really?" Alex crossed his arms, grinning.
"And there's not a spark inside." Jefferson shook his head, trying to hide his smile. He practically sighed out his last lyric, "What a waste of a lovely night."
Alex took a few steps forward, his hand brushing up Jefferson's arm as he sang, "You say there's nothing here? Well, let's make something clear," He leaned forward, tipping his chin up to smirk in Jefferson's face, "I think I'll be the one to make that call."
He's not the best singer, certainly not as good as Jefferson. And he's not a soprano or tenor, so he lowers the notes to match his range, ruining the beautifully composed harmony. He tries to not feel embarrassed at his lack of skill, instead forcing himself to enjoy the strangely pleasant moment he created.
"W-what's your call?" Jefferson asked as Alex stepped away again.
Alex turned to look at the road they had been driving on all day, his arms wrapping around himself, "And you know I looked so cute in my zombie bloodstained suit."
Alex thinks he heard Jefferson mutter something like, "That's true.", but he's sure he misheard. Or maybe Jefferson couldn't figure out another way to match the rhythm?
"You're right." Alex turned to look at Jefferson, rolling his eyes, "I'd never fall for you at all."
Alex almost looked away from Jefferson purely because of how he was watching him. So intensely, his gaze taking in every second and committing it to memory. It was no wonder the man had stage fright. This was terrifying.
"And maybe this appeals, to someone wearing heels," Alex shrugged at his change in lyrics, making Jefferson snort. Alex huffed, knowing he couldn't let the other man get away with laughing at him. So he stepped up to him once more, still singing, "Or to anyone who feels," He presses himself close to Jefferson's body, one hand resting over his heart - does it always beat that fast? - and the other cupping the back of Jefferson's neck. He could feel the heat of Jefferson's breath on his lips as he sang quietly, "There's some chance, at romance..."
He let that lyric hang in the air for a moment, his eyes flicking up to meet Jefferson's wide, wild ones. Alex chewed his bottom lip, feeling a deep blush form on his cheeks. Acting. He reminded himself; they're just acting. Jefferson's an amazing actor, he would've gone far if he got over his stage fright issue. Alex almost believed the man was affected by his flirting.
Alex moved away then, completely missing the miniscule movement Jefferson made towards him; and the following disappointment flash across his face. Alex closed his eyes, shaking his hands like he touched something slimy. He opened them again and pulled an annoyed face, singing, "But. I'm frankly feeling nothing."
Jefferson let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his neck as he sang, "Is that so?"
"Or it could be less than nothing." Alex was grinning now, enjoying how fun it was to tease Jefferson. Why hadn't they sung like this before?
"Good to know." Jefferson put his hands in his pockets, appearing aloof and relaxed, "So you agree-"
"That's right."
They sang the last lyric together, grinning like idiots and completely ruining the scene they'd created. "What a waste of a lovely night."
But Alex didn't want the moment to end, so he grabbed Jefferson's arm and pulled him closer, spinning them around in a dance.
"Wait, Ham, I can't-" Jefferson tried to warn him, but it was no use. Alex tripped over Jefferson's foot, which was in the wrong spot for their dance, and they tumbled to the ground. Jefferson let out a sharp grunt as Alex fell on his chest. Alex flinched at the impact, his hands tightening in Jefferson's shirt. When they settled in the dirt, Alex opened his eyes, looking down at Jefferson. The other man's hands were on his hips, holding him steady; his eyes were wide and his lips were parted.
Alex felt himself blush, unable to look away from the man sprawled under him. Jefferson didn't blink as he finished his sentence, "I can't dance."
"Oops." Alex offered sheepishly. He licked his lips and saw as Jefferson's gaze darted down to watch the movement. He heard a breath hitch, but he doesn't know if it was his or Jefferson's. Everything seemed so intense and distant at the same time. If a zombie came up to them right now, they'd be fucked. But Alex wasn't thinking about any of that. All he was thinking about was how hot his hips were from Jefferson's touch, and how strong his chest was under him, and the curious way they fell into each other's eyes.
"What kind of weird-ass flirting did I just witness?" A voice called from above them. Jefferson pulled Alex closer to his chest with one arm, as his other reached for the knife he kept in his pocket; while at the same time he twisted his body a bit so he was a barrier between the newcomer and Alex. It happened so fast, Alex practically blinked and missed it, because a second later Jefferson caught sight of the person and relaxed, releasing Alex entirely. Alex twisted around to see James staring at them, completely bewildered.
'Honestly, same.' Alex thought. But then James' words caught up with him.
"We weren't flirting!" Jefferson said at the same time as Alex practically yelped, "Ew! Gross!"
James looked unimpressed, possibly because Alex was still sprawled on top of Jefferson, breathing hard and red-faced. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh-huh."
"We- we were just singing." Alex explained, unable to keep eye contact.
"No, I saw that part." James nodded, "A good majority of that part."
Alex's face only darkened further, because while they were singing, Alex kind of was flirting. That was his intention. In an acting kind of way. Because Jefferson was attractive, and he missed his wife, and flirting is fun, and acting is fun, and there's nothing wrong with that. He turned to look at Jefferson for some help, but the man had his hands covering his face, and wasn't moving. Alex poked him in the side, hoping he wasn't dead or something.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked.
"Fine." Jefferson said in a strained, clipped tone, "Migraine."
"Any way I can help?" Alex wondered if the man hit his head in the fall.
"Get off me." Jefferson groaned, still covering his face.
"Oh, right." Alex mumbled, climbing up. He didn't make eye contact with James, who was still grinning. Alex waited until Jefferson lowered his hands, now staring up at the sky. His face was awfully red. Alex hoped he was okay, but he desperately needed to get away from the situation. "Can I take first nap tonight?"
James gave him a knowing look, smiling, "By all means."
Alex scrambled into the truck and curled up in a ball. After a few minutes of mild panicking, he uncurled and shifted lower in his seats, so he was below the windows. He quickly took off his binder; taking in a deep breath. On occasion, he risks wearing a bra, but their buried so deep in the trunk, hidden, that it's a hassle to get to them. He folded his binder and shoved it in his jean's pocket. He quickly put his shirt back on and sits back up. His hair's a mess, but his chest felt better. Sighing, he watched James and Jefferson through the windows. Instead of helping Jefferson get up, James sat down next to him. They were talking. Alex turned away when James ran a soothing hand through Jefferson's hair.
His mind was scrambling, screaming, and oldy silent, all at once. He wished his wife was here. He'd hold her, and laugh and joke about what he just did; instead of feeling weird about it. There's nothing wrong with singing a love song to another man who you occasionally fight with and is super attractive. Curse his libdo. Maybe if he got laid, he'd stop having weird, intrusive thoughts about the other man. Although, his only options for some sexy times are either James, which - no, that'd be weird; or Jefferson, who's the problem to begin with. Unless they found some other uninfected people; but Alex doesn't really wanna trust anyone after some not-pregnant lady stole their bus. Maybe he could fuck a zombie?
Alex physically shivered at the idea. No. Not a good thought. Very bad imagery.
"Oh, Eliza, what am I doing?" Alex asked, turning his gaze to look up at the starry sky through the windshield. "What is this doing to me?"
Tell me what you think!