They continued to chat idly. Nothing as intricate as Alex's story, but small things that made the time pass a little faster. Alex tried to hide his excitement at getting to know more about Thomas. He asked small, insignificant questions, hoping to get closer to the other man.
"What's your least favorite food?" Alex asked, curious.
"Any kind of dried fruit." Thomas said immediately. "Fruit shouldn't be dry. I hate raisins and stuff like that. What about you?"
Alex shrugged and swung his feet a little. He's gotten used to being on the horse, and was starting to enjoy the soft rocking motion. His legs were starting to burn a little though. "I dunno. I don't like cinnamon."
"So, no Fireball?" Thomas asked, a smile in his voice.
Alex gagged, "God, no. I tried it once and I almost died." Thomas chuckled and Alex felt his heart skip a beat. He cleared his throat and quickly carried on, "Uh, what's your favorite holiday?"
It was kind of annoying that Alex couldn't see Thomas' expression. He wanted to watch the other man as he thought. Instead, Alex's view was of a dirt road and falling leaves. The wind blew in long gusts, rattling the branches ahead of them.
"Probably Christmas. I know it's not a unique answer, but I just love having my family around me." Thomas shrugged, his voice distant, "I don't get to see them much, and it's the one time when everyone actually tries to be together. We all sit around and drink wassel. Pass around presents. Kids running around..."
Alex could feel the other man's despair growing inside him. He internally cursed himself. It seemed like no topic was safe anymore. Everything he knew had to do with the past, the world they had ripped from them. Holidays mean nothing anymore, they don't even know what day it is. What's the point in having a favorite food when they're both just going to starve to death anyway? Small talk only seemed to bring up old memories.
Quietly, Alex mumbles, "My favorite is the Fourth of July." He licks his lips, his body growing cold as he tried to keep the conversation going, "It's funny, because I'm an immigrant, but I love the Fourth more than anything. I don't really know why. I guess I just am thankful, that I was able to come here. Of course, I know this country isn't perfect, there's more work to be done. I'm trying to fix it. Or … I was." He took a deep breath, "Anyway. I love Independence Day. It's kind of sad, because Eliza hates it. It's her least favorite holiday. She dreads it every year."
"Why?" Thomas asked.
Alex let out a sigh. "It gave her flashbacks. The fireworks, the loud noises. She had PTSD and every year she would hide in our room and listen to loud music, so she couldn't hear anything. It didn't always work. I just wanted us to be a family; me, her, and the kids. Have burgers outside and play with sparklers. It always ended up just being me and the kids, once it got dark out. Which is fine, I would rather have her feel safe, but … it was unfortunate."
"I'm sorry about that." Thomas said.
Alex shrugged again, "It's one of those things that just happens, you know? You can't change it or control it, you just have work with it the best you can."
The horse whined then, loud and annoying. Chien barked in response, trotting beside them. The horse stopped walking then, and Alex squeaked at the sudden halt. Chien ran around the horse's legs, as happy as can be.
"Hey, why'd ya stop?" Thomas asked, nudging the horse with this foot, "Giddy up."
The animal didn't move. It sneezed and shook its head. Alex turned as best he could to look at Thomas, raising an eyebrow. Thomas as staring into the woods before them, searching.
"There might be something up there." He said as he carefully got off the horse. Alex's gaze darted between him and the trees. He felt his heart rate skyrocket in anticipation and anxiety.
"What are you doing? Get back up here!" Alex hissed.
Thomas ignored him and grabbed the rifle. He slowly crept forward. Chien had stopped barking and was now standing in front of the horse. She wasn't wagging her tail. Alex grit his teeth, his hands tightening on the reigns. The horse shifted under him, stamping it's hooves. The air grew quiet, even the wind was holding its breath.
"Thomas!" Alex hissed, clumsily scrambling off the horse. He jogged up behind Thomas, chewing his lip.
Thomas glanced at him over his shoulder, "Get back!"
"Be careful!" Alex said, staying in place. He pulled out the knife from his pocket, anxiously fiddling with it. His gaze darted around the area, expecting something to jump out at them. Chien slowly crept forward, sniffing the ground as she went. Alex waved at the dog, trying to get it to stop, "Chien! Heel! Stop!"
Chien's tail started wagging wildly suddenly and she barked wildly. She darted into the bushes and Alex gasped. A second later, something small and brown sprinted out of the bushes, across the street, and into the other stretch of trees. Chien followed it, running at full speed, tongue flapping in the wind.
Alex relaxed, turning to look at the horse, "You were scared of a squirrel, really? You're so dumb, I love you so much."
"No, it's I who loves you-" Thomas sighed and turned around. Alex opened his mouth to say something, already grinning, but Thomas' expression made him choke on his words. Thomas instantly lifted the rifle, pointed right at Alex's head.
"T-Thomas?" Alex asked, his eyes wide. He held up his hands, the knife still clutched tightly in his grip, "It's me, it's Alex?"
Thomas' gaze was distant, his hands surprisingly steady, as he stared Alex in the eye. Alex felt his heart in his throat. He licked his lips and tried to not let his voice shake as he said, "Thomas, what's wrong?"
Thomas' face twitched slightly, an eyebrow lowering, his lips pressing together, a small inhale. That was the only warning Alex had before Thomas pulled the trigger.
Alex was drunk. This happens on occasion, especially when one has four glasses of wine and three shots of cherry vodka. He was sitting in his boxers, an oversized shirt hanging off his shoulders. He waved his empty shot glass around as he spoke. They were all sitting on Pegs' bed - many things tend to happen in Pegs' bed, Alex learned.
"I's not tha' hard!" He said. Pegs nodded in agreement and Eliza snickered at him. "She should use your- your correct pro'ouns!"
"I know!" Pegs, who was equally drunk, shouted. "Liza can do it! Liz, you're sooo amazing, you know that? You're the best sister, you're my favorite."
Eliza sipped her glass of water, her beautiful smile spreading wider with each second. "Thank you, Pegster."
"Ugh, a godsend." Pegs said, clinking their glass against Eliza's. "I don't get 'er, Angie should just figure it out already."
"She's trying." Eliza said.
"Try harder!" Alex shouted, slamming his glass down onto the bed. He pouted when the glass didn't make a dramatic noise upon being thrown down on the soft blankets.
Pegs pointed at Alex, nodding, "She always gets Al's pronouns right! Mine shouldn't be any harder!"
"Alex introduced himself as a boy. Angie grew up knowing you as a girl." Eliza said calmly, "It's different."
Pegs rolled their eyes and set their drink down on the bedside table. They took a deep breath and said, "I get that, but it really shouldn't be that hard, you know? You use the correct pronouns in the same conversation as her, and she still misgenders me. I'm going to start correcting her, because I can't handle this anymore."
Alex frowned, seeing the sad expression on his friend's face. Even while super drunk, he knew not to do anything that would upset them further. He rested his head on Eliza's shoulder, yawning. Suddenly, he was exhausted.
"Peggy-" Eliza started.
"Pegs." Pegs interrupted, their voice hard and their gaze sharp.
"Pegs …" Eliza corrected herself softly. "This is a process. It's going to take time. I'll talk to her, but you have to realize, she's not doing this on purpose to antagonize you. She's just … learning."
Pegs picked at their nails, hiccuping a little. "No- no, I know that. I'm just … sad." They couldn't seem to think of a word that better described themself, in their drunken state. They shrugged and ran a hand through their hair. "And mad."
"Smad!" Alex mumbled, his eyes closed, his face pressed against Eliza.
"Smad." Pegs agreed, a smile returning to their voice.
Eliza reached out and took Pegs' hand, "I'll talk to her. Don't worry, this'll get better. I got your back."
Alex opened his eyes enough to watch as the siblings hugged. Pegs said, their face hidden in Eliza's chest, "Lo'e you."
"I love you, too."
Pegs pulled away and ran their hands down their face. Taking a deep breath, they shook their head and cleared their mind. "Okay. Get out of my room."
Eliza laughed and crawled off the bed. "Drink some water."
"You're notta boss of me." Pegs mumbled, crawling under their blankets.
"Good night, dear." Eliza said, pressing a kiss to Alex's forehead. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Leaving?" Alex asked, tried.
"Just to my room. It's bedtime." Eliza explained.
"Oh." Alex blinked dumbly before clumsily making his way over to the head of the bed. He crawled under the blankets, next to Pegs, and closed his eyes. Eliza made her way to the door, turning off the light as she went.
"Good night, Pegs. Good night Al."
"Night, nerd."
"G'night, deares'."
Alex opened his eyes slowly, his body was tensed up, the ringing of the gunshot still loud in his ears. His ears were ringing painfully; but that was the only part of him that hurt. He hesitantly relaxed, looking up to see Thomas standing in front of him still; the rifle was lowered now. It took Alex a moment to realize that Thomas wasn't staring at him at all; he was looking past him. Alex swallowed and turned. He couldn't hear his own shoes kicking the dirt as he moved.
The horse next to him had it's mouth open; it's eyes wild. It jumped up on it's back feet, and stomped down on the ground. Chien was running around and her jaw opening and closing wildly. Still, Alex heard nothing over the ringing.
Numbly, Alex turned further; seeing what was behind him. The collapsed body of a zombie was bleeding out just a few feet away from him. A bullet was clearly lodged into it's head; blood oozing out. Alex didn't know if he wanted to sigh in relief or scream in frustration. On one hand; Thomas wasn't going to shoot him. On the other; he could have fucking said that.
Alex whipped around, choosing to go with anger. He jabbed Thomas in the chest and started ranting. His mouth hung open after a moment, once he realized that he wasn't making any noises. He frowned, his mouth opening and closing, his tongue curling and twisting, his vocal cords vibrating - nothing. He wasn't making any noise.
His anger vanished instantly, and instead, he was filled with a great and powerful fear. His hands grabbed Thomas' shoulders as he shakily spoke. He knew what words were supposed to be falling from his lips, but none of them came out.
Can you hear me? I- I can't hear me! Oh God, am I talking- I- I- can't- oh my God!
Thomas' expression was blank and he didn't move, even as Alex felt tears rolling down his face. Alex's hand reached up and grabbed his throat; he could feel it moving, he could feel the vibrations, but he could hear no words coming out. Alex's hand slid up to his hair, his fingers digging in tightly and pulling at his roots. At some point he had closed his eyes, black dots have started to form in his vision.
A hand gently touched his own; coaxing it away from his scalp. Alex felt a palm on his chin, and he hesitantly looked up. Thomas' eyes were clear now, he was looking at Alex, rather than through him. Undenyable concern was painted on his face. His lips were moving, but Alex couldn't tell what he was saying.
Thomas's hands moved to his shoulders, he gently shook Alex until the man stopped sputtering nonsense. Alex stared into his eyes, terrified. Thomas started speaking again, slowly and clearly. Alex's gaze darted down to read his lips. He never really was the best at this kind of thing, so even while giving it his entire focus, he still struggled to understand.
It's okay. Thomas said, his hand reaching up to brush down Alex's hair. Alex leaned into the touch, trying to take deep breaths. Alex took deep breaths as the muddled ringing start to fade. He blinked hard, clinging to Thomas pathetically. He could hear the deep murmur of Thomas' voice, it felt far away; like he was listening to it under water. "...will come back. It was the gunshot; it was too close to your ear."
"Hurts." Alex heard himself say; his voice was watery and more scared than he'd ever heard himself.
"I know." Thomas said apologetically, "I'm sorry. Give it a minute and it won't hurt no more."
Already, Alex was able to hear a little better. His ears still hurt, but he was able to calm down. He took deep breaths and wiped his eyes; looking away from Thomas. Embarrassment rose to his cheeks. He feels like he overreacted, panicked at nothing. But it wasn't really nothing. It hurt and it scared him.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked, his voice was quiet, and Alex wasn't sure if that was genuine or because of his hearing.
"I think." Alex mumbled, reaching up to poke his ears. He shook his head, "I'll be okay."
"We'll have to be more careful. Shooting guns all the time will fuck up our hearing." Thomas said thoughtfully. He gave Alex another long look. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."
"It's fine." Alex opened his jaw wide, feeling his ears pop. "You were saving me, so…"
"I hurt you." Thomas said, his tone made Alex look up at him. The man had a strange expression on his face, he was looking away; his lips pressed together. "I hurt everyone."
Alex stepped forward, "It was an accident."
Thomas stepped back, keeping out of Alex's touch. He wouldn't meet Alex's eye. "Let's just keep moving."
They didn't speak anymore after that. The silence was both a comfort and a burden. On one hand; it gave Alex's ears time to rest. But on the other; Thomas was upset once more, and Alex didn't know how to fix it.
Neither of them got back on the horse. Alex walked a few feet behind Thomas, watching the other man. Chien would run up to him, stick in his mouth, and wait until he threw it. Even as he played with the dog while they walked, Thomas didn't crack a smile. Alex wanted to drag his feet, but he knew they couldn't waste more time.
Eventually, the horse stopped again, only this time, it wasn't out of fear. The large animal walked over to the edge of the road and started chewing on the grass there. Alex watched as Thomas didn't try to pull the horse forward. Instead, the man tied the horse's reins to a low hanging branch, and started to unlatch the wagon that held all of their supplies.
"Are we done walking for today?" Alex asked. Thomas nodded silently. Alex sighed, but agreed. Even though he spent a lot of their travel sitting down; his body still hurt and he desperately needed some rest. Once everything was settled and a fire was made, Alex sat down in the dirt with his back against the wagon. Chien plopped down beside him, sending dust everywhere. She had her tongue sticking out and was happily watching the birds in the tree branches. Thomas soon joined them, sitting on Alex's other side. He didn't seem much happier now that they were resting. Alex thought of some kind of way to fix things.
"The horse is super helpful." Alex said quietly, watching as the animal ate its fill of the green grass. Chien set her head down on her paws and closed her eyes, tired from the day's travel. "It's nice to not have to carry our bags anymore."
"Yeah. I love it." Thomas said, his voice empty and flat. It didn't really sound like he loved it, but Alex knew that was just his mood talking.
"So much?" Alex asked.
"So much?" Thomas repeated, his eyebrows lowering.
"Do you love it so much?" Alex said, leaning back, "Because I actually love it. So much."
Thomas watched him for a second, and then a slow, wide smile spread across his face. "Shut up."
Alex snorted, feeling successful in the fact that he made his friend smile. He wanted him to keep smiling, but the moment was fading fast. He pulled his knees up to his chest and continued to watch Thomas carefully. The other man let out a soft sigh.
Alex mentally went through the facts:
Fact 1: Thomas is sad.
Fact 2: Thomas is sad because James died.
Fact 3: James died because of zombies.
Fact 4: Zombies suck.
Fact 5: His life, also, sucks.
Fact 6: He's very hungry.
At that point he had forgotten what the purpose of these facts where. But they got the ball rolling; and he was now thinking about other things he knew. Things about Thomas. He knew that he liked Thomas. He knew that he wanted Thomas to be happy - or as happy as possible in a zombie apocalypse. He knew that Thomas really needed someone right now. He probably needed a hug.
Wait.
What was that thing that James had said?
He would be so stressed all the time; incredibly anxious and he'd, he'd do this thing where he just disappeared deep into his mind and he wouldn't really respond to anything.
That sounds familiar...
I figured it out, that he got that way when he really really needed a hug, but he didn't know how to ask for it.
Oh.
Realization dawned on Alex. He cleared his throat; his cheeks burning slightly as he realized what was happening. Thomas was hurt, and he needed a hug. It was as simple as that.
"You can do it, you know." Alex said quietly. He slowly shifted forward, swallowing hard. His cheeks were burning a little and he couldn't make eye contact. Thomas looked up at him, his blank expression shifting into one of confusion.
"Do … do what?" He asked, his gaze shifting up and down Alex's body; curious. Under his gaze, Alex's nerves grew. He licked his lips and cleared his throat. God, why was he so intimidated by this? He was just doing this to help; it didn't mean anything. He was just being friendly.
Alex cleared his throat and said, "Touch me." Thomas' eyes flew wide and Alex frantically carried on, "I-I- I mean, I know how much physical contact means to you, and after... After what happened, I think you'd need the comfort."
Thomas shifted, glancing around wildly before his gaze settled back on Alex's eyes. "W-what?"
Alex scooted even closer, their knees brushing together. Thomas stiffened at the contact; his gaze darting down to look at their legs. Alex started again, his hand shaking a little as he reached for Thomas's shoulder. "It's okay. James told me ... he told me why you would hug him all the time, and I get it. It's alright. I know I'm not him, but if you ever need to like … hug or something…"
He trailed off, searching Thomas' face for some kind of response. Right now, there was nothing but surprise spread across his expression. Alex only hoped it was the good, pleasant kind of surprise.
Alex's anxieties started to rise and he shook his head, his cheeks heating up a bit, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cross any lines or anything, I just-"
"I-" Thomas started, then stopped. He cleared his throat and looked away. Alex froze, wondering what was going to happen next. Thomas' eyebrows were scrunched and his jaw was tight. Alex could feel the hair on the back of his neck rise as he waited for an answer. Without looking back at him, Thomas raised his arms in an obvious invitation. Alex let out a soft sigh of relief and carefully, slowly, crept forward. Thomas glanced up at him, his cheeks surprisingly dark.
Cute! Alex thought as he smiled down at him. Thomas' hands hesitantly landed on Alex's sides, and the shorter man brushed a hand through Thomas' hair. Alex felt the sudder that ran through the other man.
Like a dam breaking loose, Thomas fiercely pulled Alex closer; his fingers digging into the fabric of Alex's jacket. He closed his eyes and hid his face in Alex's chest. The immigrant let out a soft squeak of surprise, but he didn't pull back. He forced himself to relax, to wrap his arms around the man he liked, and to hold him tightly.
"I got ya." Alex heard himself say. Not a second later, he felt the deep inhale that wracked through Thomas' body. Alex tilted his head a bit when he realized that Thomas was crying. The man was shaking like a leaf in Alex's arms, soft whimpers escaping his lips. Alex felt his heart break. This man didn't deserve this kind of pain. He tightened his grip on Thomas; making sure that he felt as safe as possible.
"It's okay. I'm here." Alex whispered, rubbing Thomas' back and letting the other man bury himself in Alex's embrace. "I'm here. I got ya."
They stayed like this, pressed against each other, until Thomas was too exhausted to cry anymore. Alex was able to coax them into a more comfortable position; with him sitting up - on guard for the night - and Thomas resting his head on Alex's chest, his arms wrapped around his waist. As Alex sat there and listened to the crickets, fire crackling a few feet away, he ran his fingers up and down Thomas' back in a soothing motion.
He looked down at Thomas' sleeping form; felt the warmth of the other man pressed against him, and felt peace for the first time in a while. It was weird, wasn't it? The very thing that almost annoyed Alex was now something that he actively encouraged. He remembered the first time he realized how much Thomas and James touched, it weirded him out a bit. But now, now he was in that position, and he loved every second of it. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would happily open his arms to this man, whenever he would need it.
Besides, who doesn't love cuddles?
"I don't think I'm capable of love." Pegs said, laying on their bed. They stared up at the ceiling, their hands resting on their tummy as they spoke. Alex looked over at them; he was laying next to them, in his pajamas. Angelica didn't allow him to sleep in the same room as Eliza when he spent the night; so he always ended up sharing a bed with Pegs. He didn't mind; they always stayed up late and gossiped.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked quietly.
Pegs sighed and ran a hand down their face. "I don't know… I see you and 'Liza together all the time, and I just think… I'm never going to have that."
Alex frowned, shifting on the bed to get a better look at them, "What- of course you'll find someone. You're smart, hilarious, gorgeous-"
Pegs shook their head, interrupting him, "No, I know all that." Alex snorted and they shared a quick grin. Pegs' smile fell and then they carried on carefully, "I just mean… I don't think I'm ever going to connect with someone. I've dated before, in the past, and it's never ended well. I can't ever be open and honest with other people, I just… I don't know what to do."
"Well, don't try and force it." Alex said after a minute, "I know it seems lonely now, but you'll find someone that you connect with."
Pegs scoffed, "Yeah, right."
"You don't seem to have any trouble talking to me." Alex said, to which Pegs rolled their eyes.
"You're different." Pegs said, "You're my friend, you're dating my sister, it's not the same…"
Alex watched them for a long moment before saying, "You'll be able to find someone who you're comfortable with. These kinds of things just take time."
Pegs scoffed and pulled the blankets higher. "Some people don't get happy endings, Al."
Alex shook his head, sighing out his nose, "But you deserve one."
"I guess." Pegs shook their head, "But who would want someone like me? I'm different: my gender changes every day, I hate physical contact, and I'm annoying as hell."
"Different is interesting. No one wants a boring partner." Alex said, "Try not to worry so much about it. You're young and beautiful. You have time. You'll find someone eventually."
Pegs was quiet for a long moment. So long that Alex thought they might have fallen asleep. Then, they sighed and said in a shaky voice, "I just can't shake the feeling that I'm going to die alone."
"Shh, hey, come here." Alex said, opening his arms. Pegs slid across the bed and let themself be comforted by their friend. Alex gently ran his fingers through their hair and held them close. He was staring at a family picture on the wall across the room. Even in the darkness, he could see Eliza's bright smile as she stood next to her siblings. He took in a deep breath and said, "I understand. I've almost died ten times over now. ...Some of them by my own hand. I know that feeling; the fear, that you'll stop breathing and no one will be around to even care. But… that's not how you'll always feel. One day, you'll open your eyes and realize that the most wonderful person - the person you love and who loves you - is there. They'll always be there. No matter what. And then, with time, you stop having those scary thoughts."
They were both quiet, listening to each other's breathing. Pegs shifted a little and said, "Damn, Al. You've been dating 'Liza for three months and now your abandonment issues are cured."
Alex laughed a little, pushing Pegs. "Shut up. I don't have abandonment issues."
"You totally do." Pegs snorted, "You look like you're terrified every time Eliza leaves the room."
"Nu-huh!"
"Like a little puppy."
"Go to sleep, you brat."
Alex blinked awake without knowing how long he had been asleep. He was still leaning against Thomas; the man had wrapped an arm around him at some point. Thomas' eyes were closed and his head was bowed; his breathing deep and slow. Alex glanced around, making sure there were no zombies nearby. The man had dozed off and forgotten to put at on guard for the night. Well, he figured the horse and Chien would make good guards - they certainly wouldn't be quiet if something came slinking up to them in the middle of the night. Regardless, they can't be so careless anymore. They won't keep getting lucky. Alex let out a bitter snort - as if the shit they'd been through was considered lucky.
The wind picked up suddenly and Alex let out a soft whine. He pulled the blanket closer to himself and turned to hide his face in Thomas' chest. The fire they made earlier was dying; now just lumps of hot coals. Alex sighed and relaxed a little; enjoying the feel of Thomas' strong, warm chest under him.
Alex frowned as a small drop of water fell on his cheek. He looked up to see the grey clouds looming overhead. He gasped as realization struck him. He turned to Thomas, shaking the other man awake, "Thomas, it's- it's raining!"
Thomas looked up just in time for a drop of rain to land on his forehead. He was still sleepy and confused for a moment, reaching up to touch the water on his skin. Alex could see the second realization struck. Instantly, the man jumped up and scrambled to their bags. He dug through them until he found empty water bottles. He handed one to Alex, quickly screwing open the lid to his own.
They held up their water bottles toward the sky, grinning ear to ear as water slowly started to fill them up. Alex laughed as his hair grew wet with the rain. He looked to Thomas, laughing at the wide smile on the other man's face. The rain grew thicker and heavier almost instantly. Alex had to blink away the water from his eyes every few seconds, peering through the thick raindrops.
"Oh my God!" Thomas laughed, sticking out his tongue to catch the raindrops. Alex did the same, trying to catch as much water as possible. They both laughed and reached towards each other. Alex laughed as they stumbled into one another's arms; holding hands, their clothes soaking more and more each second. He held the water bottle up higher; clinking it against Thomas'. Chien happily barked around them; ready for a party. She trotted up to a growing puddle and started to lap up the water.
Alex drank the small amount of water that had piled in his bottle. He then handed it to Thomas and ran off down the street, jumping in a puddle. He whooped as the water splashed everywhere. Chien barked in agreement and Alex could hear Thomas laughing behind him. He looked up, flipping his hair out of his face, to see Thomas spinning in a slow circle, his head thrown back and his arms wide. Alex paused in his splashing, standing there, breathing hard. He felt his smile grow softer, fonder, as he watched the other man. Thomas opened his eyes and looked over at him, still grinning. He gestured for Alex to come back to him, and giggling a little, Alex sprinted across the clearing; hurtling himself into Thomas' arms.
The man cackled, grabbing Alex and pulling him close. Their clothes sloshed together; wet and baggy. Alex could feel the cold setting in. But he didn't care; he panted, his lips pressed against Thomas' warm, wet skin, and just allowed himself to be happy, for just a moment.
Eventually, they moved stuff around in the wagon to make enough room for them. They didn't want to sleep on the muddy ground and this was their only other option. It was small and cramped; but it was better than nothing. Under the cover of the trees, they were able to avoid most of the rain. Alex knew he was going to be freezing, once his adrenaline stopped. Thomas was already thinking ahead, as he pulled dry clothes and a blanket out of their supplies. They turned away from each other and changed into their new clothing as quickly as possible. Alex already felt a little bit better. He pulled his knees up to his chest and peacefully rested his chin on them, closing his eyes.
His gaze snapped open when he felt something being laid across his shoulders. He reached up and felt the blanket draped around him. Glancing over, he could see that Thomas was sitting a foot away, staring out at the rain. His expression was unreadable, but there was a tension in his shoulders. Alex let out a soft sigh. He was hoping that the rain would've been a good enough distraction, but it only lasted for a while, it seemed.
Alex scooted over until he was right next to Thomas. He maneuvered the blanket until it was around Thomas' shoulders as well. The man looked down at him and smiled a little. He was holding his water bottle, rubbing his thumb up and down it absentmindedly.
Neither of them spoke. Alex yawned and leaned his head against Thomas' shoulder. He closed his eyes again and let his body relax. He must've fallen asleep quickly, because he dreamed that Thomas reached down and intertwined their fingers together. It was a pleasant thought that made Alex's chest warm.
Tell me what ya think!