"Ow! Fuck!" Alex grunts as Thomas rips the brush through his ratty, knotted hair again. One of Thomas' hands is on his shoulder, keeping him still, while the other manages the shitty plastic brush that Aaron had given them. That dick.
Alex shoots a glare at Aaron, who's watching them with barely hidden amusement. Thomas gently runs a hand down Alex's hair once in a soothing motion, and Alex tilts his head back to look up at him. He puts on a slightly posh accent as he says, "Please, sir, no more."
Thomas' lips quirk up - it was so hard to get him to smile lately - but he just silently pushes Alex's head back into place and continues brushing.
By the time he's done, Alex isn't going to have any hair left to brush. He winces as another fistful is yanked through the teeth of the brush, forcing knots to unravel against their will. Really, what was so wrong with messy hair? Why was this a necessity?
"This is cruel and unusual punishment," Alex griped, "and is in violation of the Eighth Amendment!" His pitch spiked at the end as the brush tugged too hard, burning his scalp.
Aaron hummed thoughtfully, "The court cannot confirm that the act of brushing your hair is a 'punishment' and therefore rules in favor of the defendant."
Despite the pain, a grin spread across Alex's face. He jumped on the debate, excitedly arguing, "Then the brush provides a clear and present danger - to my head - and requires a cease and desist."
Aaron chuckled, unsurprised by Alexander's enthusiasm. He raised an eyebrow and rhetorically asked, "A clear and present danger of a substantive Evil?"
Alex paused for a second, before confidently confirming, "Absolutely."
"You've gotten sloppy, Alexander." Aaron teased, and Alex found himself laughing along with his old friend; a lite joy fluttering through his body.
Until the brush ripped all his hair off. "OW! Thomas!"
"Sorry." Thomas muttered quietly. Alex turned to look at him once more; the man's expression was stormy, his shoulders tense, but Alex ignored that, choosing instead to look into the other man's eyes. They seemed darker lately. Sadder.
Alex wondered if he'd ever be able to help him. How can he fix what he'd done? How could he get Thomas to forgive him? To move on? The answer still wasn't clear.
Sighing, Alex turned and looked back forward. As he did so, he saw movement from the corner of his eye. Chien suddenly started barking. Gaze shooting up, Alex watched as a zombie stalked towards their little camp, hungry and determined.
Without missing a beat (and with beautifully brushed hair), Alex lunged forward and grabbed the pistol that was laying by the fire. He had no thoughts in his head; no cognitive process at all. He just pointed and shot, without blinking an eye. The resounding bang that echoed through his ears was enough to shake him back to reality.
Like stepping out of a trance, he lowered the gun and turned to Thomas. The other man's eyes were wide, he was staring at the zombie's limp body with shock. Alex watched as he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. Thomas' eyes met his, and Alex licked his lips. He felt his chest tingle as Thomas' gaze flickered down to stare at the motion.
"Jesus." Aaron muttered, stealing Alexander's attention once more. "It got pretty close to us before we noticed."
Alex nodded, "We need to keep moving."
"There's a town not too far from here." Aaron nodded, "I saw a sign yesterday. We can restock our supplies."
"Perfect. We'll find some stores, break into some houses, the usual." Alex grinned, turning to look at Thomas, "right?"
Thomas glanced from Alex to Aaron, and the longer he stayed silent, the more strained Alex's smile became. Finally, he blinked hard, his body kind of jerking, before he nodded. "Yeah, right."
Alex frowned as Thomas pressed the brush into his hands and walked off, his head low. Aaron steps up next to him, frowning, "What was that about?"
"God, I don't know." Alex replied, sighing. "I feel like we're on opposite sides of an earthquake, and the sides are pulling themselves further and further away."
"Poetic." Aaron said, patting his shoulder, "You'll be fine."
Pouting, Alex stuck out his tongue while Aaron went to gather up his stuff. He wasn't quite sure - he couldn't put his finger on it - but there was something about their situation that reminded him of New York, when all this first started.
But then he looked over at Chien growling at the dead zombie body and he realized that maybe things were a little different after all.
"Okay." Alex said, leaning back in his swivel chair, "I have a question."
John Laurens, new best friend extraordinaire, and Aaron both look up at him. They were in Aaron and Alex's dorm room, studying. Well, Aaron and Alex were studying. John was doodling cats in his notes.
John gestured for him to speak, so Alex took a deep breath - or as deep as he could take with his bandages on. He fiddled with the corner of his textbook, his gaze skittering away from them. "So, I've been experimenting with some clothing, and…" He feels his cheeks heat up slightly, "...how do you wear boxers with skinny jeans?"
John and Aaron share a glance.
"Um." John said eloquently.
Alex carried on quickly, "Every time I put them on, they get all bunchy and uncomfortable. Is there some kind of secrete way to wear them or-?"
"Here." John stood up, his hands already at his belt. "You gotta, like, straighten everything out as you put on your jeans."
Aaron shook his head, finding amusement in the way John stumbled out of his pants. Alex watched with rapt attention, only looking away when Aaron said, "In short - you don't. If you're going to wear boxers, then you can't wear skinny jeans. You have to pick one or the other."
John nodded in agreement, even as he continued his demonstration, one leg still out of the pants. "Yeah, cuz even if you get it right, they'll just bunch up when you walk anyway. And then you have to fix them again."
Aaron shot Alex a warning look, his tone serious, "But not in public. You're not a frat boy."
Alex nodded, taking all of their advice into consideration. He wanted to wear boxers, but God did he love skinny jeans. He might have to settle for briefs.
A phone went off.
John plucked the device off of Alex's bed, pulling his pants up with one hand. He worked on adjusting his clothes while he answered the phone. "Hey, babe."
Alex couldn't hear the voice on the other side of the phone, but he knew it was John's mysterious boyfriend, "Sam". They hadn't met, and honestly, Alex would prefer to keep it that way. He doesn't think they'd get along.
John doesn't talk about him much.
"Uh, I'm with Alex." John said, "No, babe, we're studying. I told yo- right. Sorry."
Now it was Alex and Aaron's turn to share concerned glances. John turned away from them, looking up to the ceiling, like he was praying for strength.
"Okay. Alright." John said agreeably. "Okay, just let me get my pants on."
The voice on the other side was very distinguishable now, as it shouted, "YOUR WHAT?!"
John winced, and Alex didn't blame him. He wanted to curl up in a ball just watching as John kicked it into double time, throwing his pants on, grabbing his stuff, and striding to the door. He mouthed to Alex goodbye and was gone without another word. Alex was surprised that his hair was still in place from the wind that swept through their room with his departure.
"I worry about him." Alex sighed.
Aaron hummed in agreement, his eyes still on the door. Then, without missing a beat, he asked, "What did you get for number seven?"
"Uh," Alex said, twisting around to look at his homework, "I put false, because the plaintiff is a child."
"Then wouldn't it be true?" Aaron asked, "Children have less protection in terms of free speech, so then the defendant would've won the case."
Alex shook his head, falling into the debate with his roommate easily. They bickered back and forth about the homework until all thoughts about boxers or boyfriends were forgotten.
The town that Aaron pointed out was called Arietta, and it could only barely be considered a town. The entire place was just a collection of houses along one road in the middle of the forest. There was a general store and a hotel and honestly not much else. Alex would've found the place a lovely retirement destination, if it weren't for the fact that he needed supplies now and Arietta wasn't supplying him with much.
Regardless, they walked up to the first house they saw. Alex frowned when he reached the front door - it was already open. That's not too unusual these days - when a lot of people evacuated, they didn't even have time to let the door hit them on the way out, - but it was still a warning. Alex shared a glance with Thomas, both of them were holding their guns. Aaron was given the knife.
Alex slowly stepped into the house, careful not to make too much noise. He crouched low, squatting so that way Thomas would be able to shoot over his head, in necessary. A family of rats scrambled out of sight when Alex started his slow movement into the house.
The place was covered in dust. The couch was missing all its cushions, and there's an empty space in the middle of the living room where it looks like a table and chairs sat previously. The tv was untouched, as well as the lamps. But all the logs from the fireplace were missing.
"Clear." Alex said over his shoulder once he checked all of the first floor. Thomas nodded and moved upstairs, leaving Alex and Aaron alone. Alex worked on finding the pantry. He'd given up on fridges ages ago; anything worthy in there would've been rotten by now.
Alex frowned when he opened the pantry to find every single shelf was empty. Usually when they raided houses, there were slim pickings, but there was always something. This place didn't even have moldy potatoes or a cup of sugar. It looked more like a dirty home that someone was going to move into; clear and ready to be filled.
"Um." Alex said, just staring at the barren shelves.
"Check the cupboards." Aaron said over his shoulder. They both moved to the other side of the kitchen, throwing open drawers and doors. Alex's desperation only grew with each blank drawer bottom staring back at him.
"I found a junk drawer!" Alex called in excitement. Aaron glanced over at him, wiping away a cobweb.
He asked, "Can we eat anything in it?"
Alex checked. Papers, pens, paper clips, stabler… "No."
But, there was a fancy little leather book that was bound with a string. It looked homemade, and Alex instantly snatched it up. He opened the book, leaning against the counter as he read.
OJ, cheese, tomatoes, mints
How dare this previous fancy book owner use the fanciest book in the world as a fucking grocery list. Alex wanted to rip the page out, but he was worried it might ruin the journal. He figured he'd keep it, to honor the previous owner. Rip grocery journal dude.
Alex shoved the journal into this backpack, making sure to throw a couple pens and pencils in there as well. Aaron slams one of the cabinets in frustration.
"Someone got here before us." He said, running a hand over his head.
"I'll get Thomas, and then we can head out to the next place. There has to be somewhere in this place that hasn't been hit yet." Alex said. Aaron nodded and gestured for him to go.
Alex left him alone downstairs, trusting that he would be safe by himself. Alex slowly crept over the stairs, calculating every creek. He slowed his steps at the top, taking a moment to observe the format of the second floor. All the doors were open, with a decent amount of light coming through, so he didn't spend too much time checking for danger. Thomas had been up here for a long time without alerting them of any danger, after all.
"Thomas?" Alex called, turning when he heard footsteps. The other man poked his head out from within one of the bedrooms. Something in Alex relaxed at seeing him safe; it didn't matter that he just saw Thomas twenty minutes ago, he still worried. He tried to not sound desperate as he asked, "Find anything?"
He failed; desperation leaked through his words, dripping down every syllable. Alex just hoped Thomas would believe the emotion was directed towards finding supplies and not - correctly - understanding it to be Alex's repetitious mantra of forgive me talk to me please talk to me please please.
Thomas shifted his weight a little, sighing, "Nothing."
"I know," Alex groaned, "The kitchen was barren."
"No, I mean, literally nothing." Thomas said, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the bedroom. Alex, surprised, stumbled into Thomas' back at the abrupt movement. He was about to apologize, but Thomas kept talking, "There's not even a mattress."
Alex looked up at that. The bed was nothing more than an empty skeleton of frames. The mattress, the blankets, pillows, everything had been stolen from the home. Someone had definitely been here first. Alex huffed, "Pretty shitty sloppy seconds, huh?"
"You can say that again." Thomas grumbled. It was at that point that they both looked at each other, then down at their still-joined hands. Alex felt the exact moment Thomas tensed up and the air around them shifted. Alex squeezed Thomas' hand gently, his gaze unbreaking.
"Are you okay?" He found himself asking.
Thomas hesitated, which only made Alex more concerned. When he spoke, he couldn't meet Alex's eye, "Yeah."
"You wanna try again," Alex asked, raising an eyebrow, "and not lie to me this time?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Thomas replied, growing irritated.
Alex let go of his hand, "Is this about...?" He rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze, "About Baby?"
Thomas almost looked startled at the question, he blinked rapidly before giving Alex a short response, "N-no, um, no it's not." He sounded a little distant. Alex didn't like the sad look in his eye. More than that, he didn't like how Thomas felt like a stranger suddenly. They had been traveling together for so long, but none of that seemed to matter anymore. Thomas wasn't willing to forgive him it seemed, and that thought broke Alexander's heart.
A coldness formed in Alex's chest when Thomas didn't continue. He glanced away and grumbled, "When are you going to fucking talk to me?!" Alex closed his eyes, feeling the frustration build inside him, "I know that I fucked up and I know it was my fault. Things have been going downhill ever since I lost Baby, and I know you don't like having Aaron around, and your emotions are valid, and how you express them is your own business, but I'm trying to be better, and I want you to be better, and I'm so confused, and I'm sorry, but god damn it, I miss you!"
His voice shook with emotion at the end, his body reacting more than he wanted it to. He felt tears prickle at the edges of his eyes, and his face grew flushed. Alex sniffled and dared to catch a glimpse of Thomas' expression.
Stunned silence met him. Thomas' eyes were wide, his lips parted. His cheeks had a darkness to them that Alex appreciated. But still, he wouldn't say anything. The lack of a response was maddening.
Alex took Thomas' hand, his voice shameful and pitiful, "Please, Thomas, aren't we friends?"
A pained expression flashed in Thomas' eyes, but it was gone before Alex could question it; replacing it was an intense determination that sucked the air out of Alexander's chest. Or maybe that was because Thomas decided then was the perfect moment to push him up against the nearest wall.
Alex let out a soft gasp as his back hit the wall; Thomas pressed up against him. He didn't register their lips sliding together, because his mind was too focused on Thomas' hands; large and warm, which had slipped under his shirt to hold his hips firmly in place. Alex responded to the kiss after a second of confusion, throwing himself into the experience.
His hands slid up Thomas' clothed chest, around his neck, and then into his coiled hair. All the while, Thomas' tongue swiped across Alexander's, sparking his taste buds to life with desire. One of Thomas' hands left his hips to cup his neck, pulling Alex closer still. A soft moan escaped his lips, and he was delighted to hear Thomas respond with his own little whine. It felt like they were speaking their own language; something secret, and sacred.
In that moment, Alexander realized what he was doing and who he was doing it with. He froze for half a second, his muscles tensing. Thomas started to pull away, aware of Alexander's sudden anxiety. But before he could, Alex remembered that he wanted to kiss the other man, and his hands shot out and held Thomas in place. They were both tense for half a second while they each tried to figure out what to do, before they settled into a long, comfortable, unbreaking kiss.
An image came to Alexander's mind, while he was kissing Thomas, and the image was, well, of them kissing; but it also was the world around them fading into a darkness, yet the two of them were alit by a ring of butterflies that surrounded them, protecting them from the shadows. Alexander felt his knees go weak, he leaned into Thomas' chest, letting the other man hold some of his weight.
Alex never wanted this to end; he was walking on water and flying through the air at the same time. Thomas Jefferson was kissing him. Alex could feel the heat on his cheeks, just as he could feel the pounding of his heart in his chest and hear the blood rushing in his ears. It was perfect.
Then Alex heard the sound of glass breaking, followed shortly by a grunt. Alex instantly pulled away from Thomas, immediately going into defense mode. He found his gun from the floor - when did he drop it? - and stood in the doorway, finger on the trigger.
"Aaron, check in." Alex called, slowly creeping forward.
He relaxed when he heard his friend call back, "I'm fine! Don't worry!"
Sighing, Alex lowered his gun. He closed his eyes and took inventory of his emotions. His heart was fluttering, still switching between anxiety and delight. Thomas kissed him, oh God, oh dear good Lord in Heaven, Thomas kissed him! Alex's fingers fluttered up to brush over his rosary. His heart was still alive and racing under his necklace.
Oh, God, what did this mean?! Thomas kissed him. All Alex wanted was answers, he just wanted to talk, he wanted forgiveness - is that what Thomas was trying to say? That Alex was forgiven? Or was this just a weird-touch-starve-thing? He decided the problem here was that he didn't know Thomas' intent. The only way he can find out is by asking him.
But what if it is just a touch starve thing? Or the forgiveness thing? Or Thomas was just horny? Alex didn't want to know the answer if it was any of those. He liked Thomas, and he wanted Thomas to like him back...
Finally, he opened his eyes, unwillingly glancing over at Thomas. The other man was staring at him, his fingers brushing over his lips thoughtfully. As soon as their gazes locked, Alex felt his cheeks burst into flames.
Oh fuck. Oh shit. Oh fucking shit.
He just made out with Thomas while they were on a dangerous supplies run! And he wants to do it again...
"Um." Alex muttered at the same time as Thomas whispered, "Alex..."
Awkwardly, they both stopped and waited for the other to talk. Alex chuckled nervously, ending it in a forced cough. Thomas swallowed, averting his gaze.
"I'm sorry." Thomas said suddenly. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, but Alex could still see how they shook.
Alex had instantly thought of a million responses:
Don't be.
For what?
Me too.
But what he settled on was a quiet, "Uh, um, Aaron said we should move on to the next place. So."
Thomas was staring at him, unmoving. Alex knew his answer wasn't the right one; he was running from the situation. But he couldn't talk about it right now. He couldn't have Thomas rip the experience away from him, leaving him it just the memory. Besides, they were in possible-zombie-zone and he needed to focus on not dying.
"Right." Thomas muttered, finally tearing his gaze away from him, "...right."
Alex almost threw himself down the stairs in an attempt to get away from the awkward air. He pushed all of these stupid thoughts from his mind. He had to be focused, they were on a mission, damn it!
He was still blushing when he came downstairs, Aaron was looking out the window, his backpack hanging from one arm. Alex called out, "Anything wrong?"
"I thought I saw something movi-" Aaron stopped when he turned to look at Alex. His eyes fluttered up and down Alex, observing his body language. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine." Alex said, running a hand through his hair. He glanced over at the stairs, Thomas hadn't come down yet. He needed to focus, focus, focus!
"Hey, deep breath." Aaron's hand was on his shoulder now, his eyes looking deep into his own. "What happened?"
"Thomas…." Alex started, but stopped. He took a few deep breaths, focusing on the way his chest rose and fell; feeling the air travel through him. When he was done, he felt a little more clear headed. His mind was stuck on a loop, reliving the last few moments - Thomas pushing him up against the wall; a warm tongue sliding against his own; a firm grip holding him there; warm skin under his hands….
Aaron seemed concerned, looking over Alex's shoulder at the empty stairs, "Did he do something to you? Are you hurt?"
"No!" Alex shook his head, smiling shyly, "He kissed me…"
Once Aaron realized that they weren't in intense danger, he rolled his eyes and muttered, "Sweet Jesus."
"Aaron!" Alex huffed, "This is important!"
Aaron shook his head and started towards the door. As he opened it, he called, "Thomas, we're leaving now!"
There was a scrambling as Thomas ran down the stairs, Alex glanced at him over his shoulder. Thomas wouldn't make eye contact with him, instead deciding to focus where he was stepping. Sighing, Alex quickly followed Aaron out the door; forcing everything he wanted to say down his throat.
Aaron let out a grunt, gaining Alex's attention. He nodded to a zombie that had noticed them; the monster was stumbling up to them with one leg. Alex raised his gun and shot the zombie instantly, unbothered by the way the zombie screeched in pain. The zombie couldn't catch itself, with only one leg, and it fell down to the ground, squirming like a turtle on its back. Alex kept walking.
The longer they crept from house to house, pillaging anything they could find, the more and more obvious it became that there actually wasn't anything to pillage in the first place. Alex stopped in the middle of the road, looking between four cabin houses that - upon inspection - were all barren. Aaron stepped up to him, clear confusion on his face. Alex blew his hair out of his face, "What is this, some kind of Boy Scouts camp?"
"No..." Aaron said slowly. He squinted down the road, his gaze tracking something between the trees. "Camp is somewhere else. This was a shopping trip."
"What?" Alex frowned.
"Haven't you noticed?" Aaron asked, gesturing to the houses they'd looked through.
Thomas stepped up, startling Alex. Where did he disappear to? And, more importantly, why didn't Alexander notice his absence sooner? Thomas frowned, "Guys, we're late to the party. Big time. They took everythin' but the kitchen sink."
Aaron nodded, "Which means there's a camp nearby. With who knows how many people."
"That's good!" Alex said.
"That's bad!" Aaron and Thomas said at once, startling all three of them.
Alex frowned, ignoring how he had to look up to both of them during this argument. "Maybe they can help us!"
Thomas threw his hands up in the air, "Are you kidding me, Alex? Big groups of people are always bad! When has a congress ever succeeded under pressure?! If we cross their path, we're done."
"I'm with Princey." Aaron said, nodding to Thomas. "And if there's any chance the people who stole all this shit are still around? I want to find Theo and get out of here."
"'Find Theo'." Thomas echoed, his voice raising slightly, "Theo's probably forty miles that way! We travelled here!"
"Then let's travel back." Aaron said through gritted teeth. Alex raised an eyebrow, surprised by the harshness of the other man's tone.
Thomas didn't seem bothered, rolling his own eyes. "Absolutely not. The longer we stick around here, the worse it'll be. We have to keep moving northward."
"Why northward?" Aaron asked, his gaze holding a curious caution.
"We're going to Canada." Alex said quietly.
Aaron scoffed, muttering under his breath, "Yes, jump from country to country to avoid your problems, that's mature."
"Excuse me?" Alex turned hostile, head snapping up to look at Aaron. The other man winced, like he regretted saying it, but the words were out there.
To his credit, Aaron doesn't shut up, "Alexander, please. Canada? Why in Heaven would you go on such a long journey?"
"Thomas said he knows a place…" Even as he said it, Alex suddenly felt unsure. His wide eyes slid over to where Thomas was watching them. A shiver ran through Alex then, and it wasn't a good one. Alex only then seemed to realize that they had absolutely no idea where they were going.
"It's true, Canada was taking in refugees when everything went down, but Alex, that's such a long shot." Aaron said, "We need to go find my daughter. We can find a place that's secluded-"
"And then what?" Thomas interrupted, "And then you live happily ever after? Don't pretend like you have any more of a plan than I do!"
"I KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT!" Aaron shouted, his voice shaking with emotion. Alex reached forward, helping the man steady himself - or maybe to protect Thomas from some hands. Aaron's fingers gripped onto Alexander firmly, even as he snarled at Thomas, "My daughter, my family, is the most important thing to me! I don't care if I die trying, I am going to find Theodosia Jr. and I am going to bring her home."
Thomas, to his credit, had the decency to glance away as he replied, "I understand that, man. But that's not my journey to take with you. I'm not gonna force you to come to Canada with us." He held up his hands, apparently trying to loosen the tension in the air. Alex found himself relaxing slightly, even as the two men still glared at each other. "But we can't waste anymore time off course. It's going to be winter soon…"
Aaron cleared his throat, shifting back into a more natural position. Alex glanced between the two men, startled and confused. Aaron said, "Very well. You can go on your way and I'll go on mine. Alexander?"
Alex blinked, looking up at Aaron. "Uh, what?"
"Are you going to travel northward with him or will you help me find my daughter?" Aaron asked, a harshness in his tone that Alex wasn't familiar with.
"Uh-"
Thomas shook his head, "Alex is coming with me!"
"Uh-"
"Alexander gets to decide for himself whom he wants to travel with." Aaron responded, a protectiveness in his tone that reminded Alex of their bond. Thomas' gaze narrowed, like he wanted to argue, but knew he couldn't without it backfiring.
"I'm talking now!" Alex demanded. Startled, they both jumped. Alex would've laughed, if he weren't so annoyed just then. The two men turned to him expectantly, and Alex took in a deep breath. He had Some Shit To Say. "Firstly, you are both talking out of your asses and need to take a fuckin' walk. Yes, the buildings have been stolen from-"
"They were stripped, Alexan-" Aaron started, but Alex interrupted him, louder, "I'M TALKING NOW!"
Aaron huffed, but was used to this behavior. Alexander didn't get where he was in life (before the zombies and starvation) by being quiet. Alex continued, "It's the apocalypse! Of course some of the towns are going to be pillaged! This isn't the first, it won't be the last." Thomas looked like he was going to counter-argue, but Alex raised a finger, not halting in his speech, "AND I understand that this is the first time we've seen a town completely raided like this before. I don't care. You still need more evidence that there's something inherently more dangerous than just a couple of zombies and some desperate refugees.
"Which reminds me!" Alex turned to Aaron, his temper flaring again, "What is wrong with refugees? WE'RE refugees! I know you're worried about your daughter, but what if they have her? What if she's safe with them? I swear, if we can't even trust each other, we're no better than the zombies!"
Thomas shrugged, "We're still a little better than the zombies."
"Don't push it." Alex hissed, and he hated that he kind of wanted to smile. He forced his attention back to Aaron, "Secondly, even if there is something dangerous out there - which, shocker, there always is! - wouldn't it be better if we stick together!?"
"I don't feel comfortable staying in this area anymore." Thomas said, the harshness in his tone softening to a more honest tint. "I would much rather keep moving north."
"Well, I am not moving another step northward until I find Theo." Aaron replied, maintaining eye contact with Thomas. "So, this might just be where we go separate ways."
"Fine by me." Thomas shrugged again.
Alex wanted to scream. It was like neither of them even heard him. And yet, he also could understand them. Thomas was right; they needed to find somewhere safe, away from possible dangers. But Alexander knew Theo Jr. He had babysat her millions of times. She was basically another member of the family. If she was still alive, out there, cold and alone, he wanted to find her.
"Alexander."
He doesn't know which one said that. But now they were both staring at him, and he could feel the trees around them darken and swirl into an abyss. Their surroundings disappeared; it was just Alex and these two men, watching his every move. He felt his heart rate pick up. He had to make a decision.
He had to choose.
"Aaron, can I talk to you?" Alex asked. Thomas froze up, an urgency in his eyes that he tried hard to cover. Aaron and Alex walked a few feet away, the air quiet and somber. Alex took a deep breath, "How likely is it that Theo is alive?"
A deep pain shot through him when he looked up into Aaron's eyes. He was aware of what he was doing. He just asked a parent to deeply, logically, rationally, debate the chances of their own child's survival. He knew how horrible the conversation was. But they still had to have it.
"I'm not sure." Aaron replied quietly. "But if there's even a one percent chance that she's alive, I have to find her. She's all I have left in this world. You understand that, don't you?"
Alex's gaze shifted over to Thomas, behind Aaron's shoulder. The other man was petting Chien, speaking quietly to the dog. His expression was heartbreaking. Alex couldn't imagine leaving him; knowing that he would be facing the world alone. The thought wouldn't even form in his mind. They were always together. Him and Thomas, against everything.
"Yeah," Alex said, "I do."
Aaron seemed to read his mind. He sighed and took Alex's hand, shaking it firmly. "It has been nice knowing you, Alexander."
"Find her." Alex said, staring Aaron into the eyes. The other man swallowed hard, emotion dancing in his eyes. Alex offered him a small smile, "Find her and bring her home."
"I will." Aaron then pulled Alex into a hug, surprising him. Alex felt tears princkle at his vision. He squeezed Aaron tight, unwilling to let go. Will he ever see him again? Is this their last goodbye? The uncertainty of it all terrified Alexander. When he pulled back, both men nervously chuckled at their red eyes. Aaron took a small step back, and Alex watched as he gathered his things.
"You should take Chien with you." Alex said thoughtfully. "I don't want you to be alone out there."
Aaron smiled thankfully, "Daisy has been the greatest help I've had so far. Aside from you."
"Be careful." Alex added unnecessarily.
Aaron pulled his backpack on, adjusting the straps as he went. He found the knife they gave him and held it out to return it. Alex shook his head.
"Keep it. You don't have any weapons."
They stood there in silence for a moment, just watching each other. Alex didn't want it to end. Because the second Aaron leaves them, he has no idea if the other man is alive or dead. There was no guaranteed safety anymore.
Aaron let out a little whistle and Chien excitedly bounded over to them, watching with curiosity. Aaron pet her gently before finally saying to Alex, "I'll see you on the other side."
Alex nodded, biting his lip. As Aaron turned and started his own adventure, Chien at his heels, Alex whispered, "See you on the other side."
When Alex turned back around, Thomas was standing by the wagon. He had his hands in his pockets, and he was staring at the ground. Alex took a deep breath and slowly approached the other man.
"Um-" Alex started. He was going to tell Thomas that Aaron kept their knife, or maybe that he gave away the dog, and then he remembered how much Thomas liked Chien, and he got a sinking feeling in his gut that Thomas was going to be mad because he gave away another small creature to a "stranger". But Thomas didn't even let him get that far.
For the second time that hour, Alex got pulled into a tight embrace. Startled, Alex allowed the hug to happen, simply standing there while Thomas held him. The taller man let out a shaky sigh. Alex could feel his breath on his cheek when he whispered, "Thank you."
Now Alex was confused. "W-what for?"
Thomas pulled back to look at him, his hand reaching up to brush some stray hair out of Alexander's face. "For staying with me. I know he was your friend and I know that it was difficult to say goodbye. You could've gone and I would've understood completely. But I-I-I-" He swallowed hard suddenly, like he was trying to keep his next words in. His gaze danced around Alex's face before sprinting away, his voice shaky and meek, "I was so scared I was going to lose you."
"Hey…" Alex said quietly, shushing the other man. His heartstrings tugged inside his chest at the genuine emotion in Thomas' voice. What crazy thought were rushing around his mind all day? How thin of a tightrope were Thomas' thoughts sprinting across? And for how long? Has he been this anxious since Aaron arrived? Since Baby? This entire time, he was just scared. Alex wanted to slap himself - of course Thomas was scared.
They just lost their daughter to some stranger in the woods, only for a new stranger to show up and try to seperate them? (Not that Alex blamed Aaron in the slightest). Every foundation Thomas had set up for himself was crumbling right in front of him. Alex didn't blame him for being a little paranoid.
"I'm never leaving you." Alex promised quietly, taking Thomas' hand. He rubbed the back of Thomas' hand with his thumb, looking up into his eyes. Thomas' breath hitched as Alex gave him a tiny smile, "Ride or die, remember?"
Thomas looked down at their hands, surprised. He nodded to himself, a smile growing on his lips. "Right, right."
Alex lingered, his muscles untensing for the first time in days. It was then that Alex realized how close the two were standing; practically pressed against each other. Thomas' arms were still loosely wrapped around him. Alex tried to remember the last time they were this close to each other. He licked his lips, then remembering exactly the last time they were this close. The abandoned house; the kiss.
"Thomas-"
"Alex, I-"
They giggled, awkwardly. Alex cleared his throat, his nerves building. There was something he needed to know and he might as well figure it out now. His grip on Thomas tightened a little as he asked, "Why did you kiss me?"
Thomas winced, his expression panicked. Alex held his breath, awaiting a response, an explanation, something. Thomas seemed like he wanted to pull away, and yet his grip on Alex was unwavering. "I didn't know what else to do..."
That didn't answer any of Alex's questions. He sputtered, shaking his head a little. "Thomas-"
"Should I not have?" Thomas asked then, "Is-is- uh- is that allowed?"
Alex blushed, his heart fluttering wildly in his chest. "I mean…" Shyly, he admitted, "I'd be alright with doing it again."
Thomas looked surprised; his eyes wide. "Oh! Really!?"
Alex nodded, giddy. He tried to force some seriousness into his voice as he chidded, "But not while we're on a fucking supply run. If you're really that horny we have other problems."
Thomas' cheeks darkened and he muttered, "Fair enough." He cleared his throat and asked then, small and still unsure, after everything, "So… are we okay?"
It bewildered Alexander that Thomas was asking him the very thing that he was worried about since the Baby Incident. Were they truly that blind to each other's thoughts? He found some strange humor in it.
"Oh, yes, we're okay." Alex promised in a rush. Thomas relaxed, and the two shared a quiet moment. Thomas looked like he had more to say, and Alex had more, too. But something to their left made a scary noise, and he figured they could finish up this conversation later. He glanced around at all the empty houses, "Now, let's get moving. This place gives me the creeps."
Thomas agreed, and they set off further down the road; away from the ghost town, away from the highways, away from Aaron Burr. It was just him and Thomas. Alex can't help but wonder…
What could possibly come next?
Tell me what you think!