Disclaimer - I don't own ZOMBIES or any of the characters involved. Copyright to Walt Disney Studios. Names of BG zombies are mine, characters themselves aren't. The songs Sometimes, Me With No You and I'm Gay are all by Bowling For Soup.

This... is a long chapter. About 6000 words. Twice as long as any previous chapter. But there is a lot to get through in this one so.

Over the next week I'm gonna be getting out as many Limelights as I can, I need to get a few things set up in time for the 17th when some special stuff will be starting for Christmas~

Chapter 6

He was trying so, so hard not to give up.

An entire month had passed since the first time Zephyr had visited Alonzo in containment, and he had been back again a few times since then, but it never seemed to be any different. The shocks still pained him, though he tried to hide it, and Zephyr would keep insisting that it wasn't right. He told him every detail about being on the football team; games, practice, every little thing, and although Al no longer grinned like he used to, there was always the faintest glimmer of joy in his eyes. That was what kept Zephyr going. But then as soon as he left the containment facility, he felt empty. Completely dead inside. Keira never said a word the whole ride to the facility and back to Zombie Town, and neither did he. One time, Roz and Zach joined him and even then, the journey was strangely awkward.

After the latest visit, Zephyr once again shut himself in his bedroom and this time, Rizzo wasn't there to vent his frustrations to. It hadn't taken too long for Zane to forgive her and the two were on good terms again, which meant she was hanging out at the cauli-brains stand like she used to. So what else could Zephyr do now?

He was sitting in silence, looking around the room, and his eyes fell on his guitar. He'd barely touched it since Al was arrested. Alonzo was the whole reason Zephyr had decided to pick up the guitar in the first place – a fact that still remained his own personal secret, even now. Al was always singing, and Zephyr wanted to be able to play music for him. Maybe playing now would help a little. He stood to pick up the guitar and threw the strap over his shoulder. For a while, he just sat and strummed random chords but eventually, he wanted to play song that reminded him of Al. That might help him think of happier times. Of course, the first song that came to mind was Sometimes. That was their song. Or, well, one of them. More specifically, it was Zephyr's song for Alonzo.

"You've got me under your thumb, sometimes I feel so dumb, you put a smile on my face, but only sometimes..."

That was certainly true as of late. There were times – very short times – when Zephyr could smile at the thought of Alonzo but it never lasted. He played through the first verse and pre-chorus easily enough, balanced somewhere between feeling nostalgic and feeling lost without his muse. Then...

"Sometimes, it's not the things you say, sometimes you're just in the way, sometimes I feel like I can't live without y-"

He choked and dropped the neck of the guitar, the weight of it suddenly heavy on his shoulder, and his hand came up to his mouth. Maybe trying to play something meant to be happy wasn't the way to go. He took a moment to let himself cry, wiped his eyes, and sat up again. Honestly, he probably needed to just cry for a bit, without anything or anyone to make any kind of input. Just to let it out in one go. He was adamant that he would keep playing, though. It had always been relaxing in the past, it was just a matter of choosing the right song.

Me With No You. Now, that would be cathartic.

"I'm not lost, I just haven't found everything I need, I'm not torn, I'm just getting it together..."

He closed his eyes, letting his muscle memory take over.

"I'm not broken, don't you mind the pieces of me you see scattered on the ground, I swear I'll turn this thing around."

He felt new tears in his eyes and had to tell himself to keep going.

"I'm not home, but I'm sitting here in my room. I'm a photograph in need of a zoom. I feel far away, I can't make out the face. It's all blurred since you went away..."

This song was a little too perfect for the situation and Zephyr bit back a sob. He tried a few other songs but he could never get more than a verse into it before giving up. Pretty much everything he knew was by Bowling For Soup, and they were Alonzo's favourite band, and all the songs they listened to and played and sang together.

He tipped his head back and groaned, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. He moved his hands only for his vision to blur with tears and he blinked them away. He guessed music wasn't going to be an option. So much for that. A little further down the line, he might be able to pick up his guitar again, but for now, it would stay tucked away in its case. And he still felt terrible. He needed to talk to Roz.

The walk through town cleared his head enough to figure out how to explain his thoughts and he trusted that Roz would have some decent advice, if he could just remind himself to hear her out. As he approached her house, however, Zephyr froze at the sound of a familiar song, and two familiar voices singing, coming from an open window upstairs. Roz's room.

"We all sympathise with your torn-apart heart and your really artistic worldly views. It sells records when you're sad these days, it's super cool to be mad these days. I think rock and roll is really funny when it's serious!"

Normally, he'd be singing along the second he heard it, but this didn't feel any better than when he was playing alone. Zephyr walked up to the front door and knocked. Roz's dad let him in and he hurried up the stairs.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zephyr barged into the room to find Roz at their drum kit and Zach with his bass. They both stopped, Roz pausing the track playing in the background, and looked up at him in shock.

"Zeph, what are you doing here?" Roz frowned, getting up from behind the kit.

His eyes were cold as he stared down at them, "I was gonna come talk to you. 'Cause I have been trying to get on with my life and nothing is working, I was sitting in my room with my guitar for hours and I couldn't play anything 'cause it all reminds me of him and every song... hurts, and you two," he paused, gesturing to their instruments almost accusingly, "You're here playing his song like it doesn't even matter."

Zach glanced back at Roz but they had no response. He turned to Zephyr again with an awkward laugh, "I think it's Bowling For Soup's song, Zeph..."

"You know what I mean," Zephyr snapped and took a step closer, "That's Al's favourite song."

"Yeah, and it's one of my favourites too," Roz defended, "And Zach's. And yours."

"Why are you playing that?"

"Why wouldn't we? Do you think we're gonna completely stop playing just 'cause he's not here?"

"I'd think it was obvious the band's on hiatus without him."

Putting aside his bass, Zach rolled his eyes, "We're not playing as a band, it's just the two of us. Can't we have a little fun? You didn't have a problem if we got together to jam without you before."

"Alonzo wasn't in containment before."

They all went quiet for a moment or two.

"You can't tell us we can't play music at all."

Zephyr sighed, "Maybe I can't, but I don't understand why you would want to play a song that's so... him... when he's not here. I could barely get through Sometimes, how do you not feel wrong?"

Roz suddenly decided they were sick of him, "Oh, my Z, Zephyr, are you seriously so stuck on feeling sorry for yourself all the time that you can't even let us enjoy ourselves anymore? You're acting like this is some kind of major betrayal to him!" her voice was rising more and more as she drew closer to him. He stood his ground while Zach was getting increasingly concerned by Roz's unexpected rant, "You ever stop to think that maybe you're not the only one who's trying to cope with this? He's our friend! We care about him too! We miss him! So let us deal with it how we want to."

"He's my boyfriend."

"And what, that means you get to tell us what to do? I never asked you to come here, Zephyr. I knew you wouldn't want to, because I know you. I was trying to be considerate. Don't blame me for wanting to give you some space."

He didn't have any kind of comeback to that. He stood for a moment, then turned and walked out, "Fine. Do whatever you want. I don't care."

He could always throw himself into playing football instead.

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

It was getting near to two months into his sentence and Alonzo was waiting impatiently for his mom to arrive for her regular visit. When she finally did, though, what caught his attention was the shorter zombie beside her. They both sat down in front of him, his mother picking up the phone and holding it between them, so they could both speak with him.

"Lindzey?" Al looked from her to his mother in surprise, "Mom, why would you let her come here?"

"Dad didn't want me to come, either," Lindzey told him and he raised an eyebrow.

"Gaz, Dad was right about something?" he fake-gasped.

"Would you really want to not see your little sister for the whole time you're locked up in here?"

Alonzo looked down at Lindzey with sad eyes, "I didn't want you to have to see me in here," he turned back again and hissed, "Mom, seriously, bringing an 11 year old into zombie containment?"

"Almost 12..."

"What about a 16 year old in containment? You're both just kids. Neither of you should be in here."

"Mom, I kil-" he hesitated, quickly glancing at Lindzey again.

"You can say it," she said in a small voice, trying to sound brave, "I'm not a baby anymore, I'm old enough to understand."

"Lin, you shouldn't have to understand this. I did something horrible. I'm the first zombie in decades to actually kill and eat a person. Now we're back to square one."

"It's not as bad as you think, Alonzo. The patrol recognises this as a lapse in judgement and a rare occurrence," his mom said but he didn't believe her for a second, "Schools in Seabrook are still open to zombies, they haven't brought the uniforms back..."

"Curfew's back to 8 o'clock, though," muttered Lindzey and her mother placed a hand on her arm.

"Yes, but that's more so that if another human tries the same thing, none of us will be out in the open."

"And there's a smaller chance that anyone else will do what I did?"

"Al, honey, don't-"

"That's the real reason for it. Why deny it? Why does everybody keep trying to shield me away from everything? I'm the one who did it! I had the first-hand experience, did you all forget that?" he furrowed his brow, staring at them both in disbelief, "Zephyr and the others are keeping me updated on things and I know there's humans already trying to turn everything around. Sure, they're still in school but that doesn't mean they're safe there anymore. It's only been a couple of months. And what about the Z-bands? They're all getting locked because the patrol can't trust zombies to not take them off, when I'm the only on who's ever even tried! It's all my fault."

"Alonzo Morgan, you cannot keep blaming yourself like this. Someone came into our town wanting to kill all of us. That was not your fault. The patrol's treatment of other zombies is not your fault either. You have no control over any of it. You're already suffering enough in here, you don't need to be any harder on yourself," she looked him up and down, her expression growing worried, "You're still so pale..."

"I'm supposed to be pale."

"You're supposed to be grey. You are white. And have you lost weight...?" Al shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, "They are feeding you properly in here, aren't they? Are you eating alright?"

"Yes, Mom."

Lindzey squinted at him, "Are you?"

"I don't need you interrogating me, Lin."

She was barely listening, "You're doing that thing."

"What thing?"

"That half truth thing. Maybe you are eating, but there's something else wrong."

"Alonzo?"

"I'm fine! As fine as I can be in this place."

"See? So you're not really fine."

Al scoffed, "Whatever. The point is-"

"Now you're changing the subject."

"Shut up," he ignored his mom's sharp look, "The point is this is only the beginning. The guys told me the zombie patrol's everywhere now. Don't you think that's a bad sign? Officers just... swarming all over Seabrook like when the integration first started? Except now it's not just one school. Even the little kids are having to walk around with officers following their every move!" he gestured at Lindzey but she didn't react. Not even to 'little kids'. Al paused, taking in how she had slumped forward, her eyes down. It was the word 'school' that had done it, "... You're awfully quiet all of a sudden."

"No, I'm not." Lindzey folded her arms on the table and Alonzo frowned.

"Yeah, you are. What's up?"

No response, just a slight eye roll. He turned to his mom and raised an eyebrow, looking more than a little worried.

"I don't know what's going on with her. She won't say anything to me or your father, all she told us is that it isn't about you," they both watched Lindzey as she tried to avoid their combined gaze, "Maybe she'll talk to you if I leave you alone for a minute or two."

"Mom...!" Lindzey suddenly seemed nervous and Alonzo's heart dropped.

"Lindzey, if you're scared, I get i-"

"I'm not!" she whipped back round to face him, her eyes wide and almost desperate, "I swear I'm not, Al, really, it's just..." her voice trailed off into a small whine.

Their mother pushed her seat back, "Look, even if you don't want to talk about that, you two should have some time together. I'll be right outside."

She headed for the door and disappeared from view. Alonzo took a breath.

"So?"

Lindzey's eyes fell to the table in front of her. She rested her chin in her hand and let it cover her mouth.

"Lin?" Al's tone was somewhere between a question and a warning. Eventually she mumbled something into her hand, still refusing to meet his eyes. Alonzo groaned internally but lowered his voice and leaned forward.

"Lin, tell me."

She looked at him, only for a second, then sighed and put her arm down. She hung her head in shame.

"There's these kids at school bullying me..."

"The school year's barely started...! And it's your first year at the humans' school," it dawned on him quicker than most things and he closed his eyes, "This is actually about me, isn't it?"

"... Maybe?"

His head still tipped forward, Alonzo's eyes flickered up to look at her in doubt.

"Kinda... Yeah..." she nodded slightly, "... They heard you were my brother."

Al dropped his head into his hands, "I'm ruining everything..." he muttered and Lindzey cringed.

"It gets worse. The man you..." her voice faded to a whisper, "Killed...?"

Al lifted his head, terrified to hear where this was going, "Y-yeah?"

"He has, well, had a daughter. And she goes to my school."

"And she found you." It was a statement, not a question, but Lindzey nodded and bit her lip.

Great Z... Alonzo hadn't even let himself think about the human. He didn't want to, he already felt guilty enough as it was, but a daughter? In middle school? Maybe there wouldn't be much hope in any adult family members of his would have changed their zombie-hating ways whether or not he'd been killed, but a child still had room to grow and learn. She could've outgrown any ideas her father might have put into her head, but now Alonzo had given her a reason to permanently fear zombies. And she was taking it out on his little sister.

"... What does she do...?" he asked after a long silence, "Is she beating you up? Spreading rumours? Insulting you to your face? What?"

"She keeps saying I could... do it, too. She acts all scared if I get a little mad or if I even touch my Z-band."

"Your band's already been locked."

"I told her that, she doesn't care."

"Is she getting the other kids in on it?"

"Her friends, yeah. And, I mean, they pick on the other zombie kids, but..."

"It's worse for you."

He didn't look at her. He couldn't. Not until she spoke again and he heard how her voice was trembling.

"You can't do anything about it, Al," he could tell she was trying not to cry, "Besides, it's not your fault if she can't-"

"It is my fault that she's attacking you," Alonzo said, his face almost touching the glass, sad but calm, "If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have any reason to. Blame me for it. Please, Lin, blame me, because it's like nobody is blaming me for anything that's happened lately when it's all on me. It just makes me feel worse that everyone keeps trying to sugarcoat it and act like I didn't do anything wrong."

She couldn't hold back the tears any longer, "I don't want to bl-blame you! I've been blaming you for so m-many stupid little things my entire life and..." she sniffed and rubbed her eye, "And I don't want this to be the one serious thing. I don't want it to be real...!"

Alonzo couldn't do anything but watch as his baby sister cried, her face pressed against her folded arms on the table in front of her. It wasn't surprising that he was soon crying, too.

"I'm sorry, Lin," he shook his head, "I'm so, so sorry..."

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

It was getting so close to their first anniversary. One full year. One year since Zephyr first told Al he liked him. One year since Al called Zephyr his boyfriend for the first time. One year since their very first kiss.

And just look how we're gonna be spending it... Zephyr couldn't help thinking to himself.

He and Roz (and Zach, by extension) had made up a couple of days after their argument. They were both dealing with a lot right now and each understood why the other got so intensely worked up over just playing music. But that didn't mean everything was better now, and it was obvious to everyone. At school, he was starting to fall behind, showing up late a lot and on one or two occasions, not at all. Answering back, shoving people around, whatever little impulses he chose to act on. The only thing he actually put any effort into anymore was football.

As Zephyr walked down the hall alone one day, he passed by a group of humans and overheard part of their conversation.

"No, like, he meant to do it. He took his Z-band off. Intentionally. So he definitely meant to kill him."

"That's scary. That's really scary. And he goes to this school. What if he did that here?"

"What if any of them did? They always try to! You know when they reach for their Z-bands but then someone always stops them? They say they're kidding but then why stop them?"

"They don't even trust each other not to do it. And that guy – that Morgan kid. He is the dumbest person I've ever met. I'm not surprised he was the first to go for it."

Zephyr had heard enough.

Hey!" he came closer, "That's my boyfriend you're talking about."

One pulled a face, one rolled her eyes, another looked him up and down and the last gaped at him.

"And you're still with him?"

That triggered the others to start making comments.

"What makes you any better than him?"

"Yeah, you should be locked up, too. You're just as bad, defending him."

"He's a threat. You're all threats to human lives, you shouldn't even still be allowed to come to school here!"

It just kept coming. He tried not to react, to just brush it off. At least they were directing it at him now, instead of Al. But he was reaching the boiling point now. Zephyr felt his eye twitch and clenched his teeth, his fist gripping the strap of his backpack. He told himself to just walk away, and that's just what he was doing when one of the guys shouted something he couldn't ignore.

"We'd all be better off if he just let the guy live."

Zephyr stopped in his tracks and spun around, fixing the human who had just spoken with a steely gaze, "And let the zombies be wiped out?"

"Exactly. Starting with your psycho boyfriend."

Zephyr saw red instantly and lunged at him without a second thought. His hands went straight for the human's neck and someone shouted from further down the hall, "Fight!"

Soon the students were rushing to see the action, more humans than zombies, but Izabelle was among them cheering Zephyr on as he tightened his grip. Zeke had to hold her back before she could run to join in herself. The second human who had shouted at him grabbed Zephyr from behind to pull him off his friend, taking hold of his wrists to pry him off. In his blind rage, Zephyr turned and swung a fist the moment the human let go, connecting with his jaw and sending him stumbling backwards. By now, the first human had caught his breath, though he was still rubbing his neck in pain, and was just standing there, staring.

"You see? This is why zombies shouldn't be allowed anywhere near humans!" he yelled and Zephyr, panting and almost snarling, even, shot him a fierce look, "This is why we need to just get rid of you all!"

In barely a second, Zephyr had dragged him forward by his collar. Now, the boy stared back at him in pure fear and he hissed under his breath, "You wanna say that again, drakska?" he moved his hands so his nails dug into the human's shoulders, his zombie strength kicking in, and his Z-band started to beep. The other boy tried once more to pull him off but Zephyr jabbed an elbow into his chest and threw the one in his grasp to the floor. He groaned in pain on impact and rolled onto his side, only for Zephyr to kick him. Hard. He wasn't even thinking at this point. They believed Alonzo deserved all the pain he was going through. They believed he was dangerous – that all zombies were dangerous. It didn't occur to him that maybe he was just proving their point in their eyes. He just kicked him again. And again. And again...

It wasn't much longer before Mr Zeck came round the corner and saw what was happening. A handful of other students, including Zed, had appeared as well and watched as the zombie teacher tried to break up the fight, but it was no use, Zephyr refused to back down no matter what. He only stopped when he heard Principal Lee's voice behind him.

"Zephyr. Styx. My office, right now."

Zephyr turned to look at her. She stood tall in front of him, hands on her hips, foot tapping and eyes blazing. His face was blank as he stared back at her and his band's beeping ceased. One of the human students went to speak but he silenced them with a sharp glare.

"Zephyr. Now."

He gave in and followed her, but not before casting his gaze over the crowd that had gathered and curling his lip at them.

The few zombies there huddled together, eyeing the humans nervously. Zeke took Izabelle's hand.

"We better go find Roz."

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

Zephyr wasn't the type to get in serious trouble often. His experience with the zombie patrol was limited to crashed zombie mashes and other times when he was just part of a group. He didn't normally get into fights. And he certainly had never been called to the principal's office. Now he sat outside, waiting, still with anger bubbling inside him. Principal Lee had told him to stay there while she made a call and a few minutes later, someone else appeared outside the door. Zephyr looked up and frowned in confusion.

"Coach?"

The man sighed and shook his head, clearly disappointed, "I never expected this from you, Zephyr."

"What are you doing here?"

The coach said nothing and simply gestured to the door of the office. Zephyr stood, suddenly feeling anxious. The coach knocked three times then pushed open the door and let Zephyr in ahead of him.

"Sit down, please, Zephyr," Principal Lee nodded to the chair opposite her and he obeyed, then she quickly turned to the coach, "Thank you for coming. I don't think we'll be too long here. Now, Zephyr, your behaviour lately-"

"I'm sorry. They... they were saying things and I got man and-"

"I understand you've been through something rather traumatic," she said carefully and Zephyr was stunned. Traumatic? "But since the... incident with Alonzo, your behaviour has gotten worse and worse and today it came to a head. So, I'm forced to step in."

"Step in how...?"

The coach looked down for a second or two, knowing he had to say something he wished he didn't. He lifted his head again.

"Zephyr, you are hereby suspended from the football team."

What?

"For how long?"

The coach shrugged, "Indefinitely."

"Until we see signs of real improvement," Principal Lee stated.

"B-but..." Zephyr scrambled to find some excuse, "W-we're halfway through the season-"

"And you will not be playing," she offered him what was probably meant to be a sympathetic smile and her tone shifted, "And because it's clear all of this is in response to your emotional trauma, you will be spending what time you would have spent on football with the school counsellor."

He gaped at her, "You're making me see a counsellor?"

What trauma?

"Yes."

And that was that.

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

Zephyr stormed down the hallway, both humans and zombies jumping out of his way as he did. Zed was the only one who didn't seem afraid of him right now. Instead, he watched him pass by and then, after a moment of deliberation, Zed chased after him.

"Whoa, hey, Zephyr! Wait up!"

Zephyr turned around with a roll of his eyes, "What do you want, Zed?"

"I want to know what happened back there! And what did Principal Lee say to you?" he demanded and Zephyr huffed, "This has got something to do with Alonzo, hasn't it?"

"Everything in my life has got something to do with Alonzo."

He tried to keep walking but Zed blocked his path.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. But that's not a reason to get into a fight like that," all he got in response was a blank stare, "Come on, what's going on?"

"You know exactly what's going on."

"You need to get your mind off of this and take a break. In a few months, they'll loosen the security on him and you can see him face-to-face. Then before you know it, he'll be back home! Just be patient."

Zephyr cocked his head, one hand gripping the strap of his backpack and the other hanging loosely by his side. Zed started to feel somehow uncomfortable under his gaze.

"What are you trying to do here, Zed?" Zephyr asked, a little bit condescendingly, "Cheer me up? 'Cause no offence, man, but you kinda suck at it."

"Zeph-"

"Listen," his voice was flat, "I almost died. My boyfriend is in jail for protecting me. People are turning on him. I got suspended from the football team for defending him."

Zed was surprised, "You're suspended?"

"Sure am, so good luck with the rest of the season! The only other outlet I had was music and I can't even play anything without it reminding me of him. You remember what it was like when they kept you in containment for, like, what a few days? If that? Well, Alonzo still has months left to serve."

"It could be so much worse, though! At least we're still in school! At least he'll be coming back to school once he gets released."

"Who knows where we'll be when he gets released? This isn't the same as homecoming last year, Zed. Alonzo is in real serious trouble right now. People hate him. Not just humans, zombies hate him too. Because the humans are taking it as a reason to control us again," he paused, biting his lip and just catching himself before he cried, "I've barely seen him smile since it happened, Zed. You think you can say anything to me right now that could help? Unless you can turn back time or erase memories, nothing is going to work."

For a second, Zed hesitated. Then he spoke, his voice low and his face apologetic, "If this is screwing you up that bad, maybe you need to bre-"

"Break up?" Zephyr gave an eerily fake laugh before his expression darkened, "Don't tell me how to live my life, Zed. Al and I need each other now more than ever."

Zed's eyes had widened and he tried to explain himself, "I was just-"

Zephyr held up his hands, "I don't wanna hear it. Why don't you go on back to your garzi'ska, huh?" he tipped his head a little, wearing a mocking smile and putting on an overly-cheerful tone, "And your perfect little relationship that brought everyone together," his face fell again, "Sorry to ruin all your hard work."

He started to walk away but Zed grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn around.

"Hey, you don't have to take it out on me! My slate's not exactly clean either."

Zephyr locked eyes with him, taking his time to answer.

"Don't even try comparing the homecoming game to what Al went through. Or he might not be the only one to really lose his band."

With that, Zephyr finally left Zed speechless and continued on down the hall, but it was then that Roz, along with Zach, showed up. She took one look at Zed's face and was ready for the worst.

"What happened?

"I-I don't know, he just..." Zed could only stare after him, talking more to himself than to Roz, "I never thought he'd say something like that..."

"Like what?" Zach asked him and got no answer.

"Zed?" Roz put a hand on his arm and shook him, "You good?"

That seemed to stir him out of it and Zed quickly nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm good."

Roz repeated her first question, "What happened?"

"Zeke didn't...?"

She shrugged, "He just said Zephyr went crazy."

"He got into a pretty serious fight with some humans, something to do with Al, and apparently Principal Lee suspended him from the football team for it," Zed explained then gestured down the hall towards Zephyr, who was getting further and further out of sight, "But I don't know why he's so mad about it, I've never seen him like that."

"Roz, you gotta talk to him," Zach said, shaking his head.

"What? Why me?"

"He listens to you."

"He sure didn't listen last time," she mumbled but Zach was still looking at her. She sighed, "Fine."

She walked away, giving both of the boys a look of irritation, then started to run when Zephyr was about to disappear from view. Zed let out a long breath and raised his eyebrows at Zach.

"That guy has some serious issues."

"Trust me, I know."

Roz had nearly caught up with him

"Zephyr!" he ignored their calls, "Zephyr!" until they were finally right behind him. He didn't stop, though.

"What?"

"What is going on with you? You're picking fights with humans now?"

His face twisted into a mixture of sad, angry and guilty.

"They were talking about Al."

"... And that's your excuse?"

He came to a halt and turned to face her, "It was bad, Roz," the sadness took over and his voice shook, just enough to notice, "It was really bad. No-one gets to talk about my garzi'ka like that."

Her tone turned more gentle and sympathetic, "I know. But you're only making it harder on yourself. You've lost football now, so that's one less thing to distract you. You're running out."

Zephyr groaned, "I don't want distractions, I want Alonzo."

"Well, that's not gonna happen."

He didn't say a word. Instead, he kept walking, slower now, and Roz matched his pace beside him.

"... I have to see a counsellor..." His voice was so quiet, and he sounded embarrassed.

"Yeah, maybe you need it."

"I don't need it. I need-"

"Yeah, yeah, you need Al, I got it. But Al's not here and you're gonna fall off the deep end if you don't find a better way to deal with this," she told him and Zephyr hummed vaguely, not wanting to admit she was right. She took a few seconds to study him closely, "You know, you always do this thing where you bottle everything up and deny that you have any kind of feelings."

"What? No, I don't." So defensive.

Roz laughed dryly, "Exhibit A, you wouldn't admit you even liked Al for at least a year. But you admitted it and you got a boyfriend out of it."

"A boyfriend in jail."

"Zephyr," they gripped his arms and it didn't take much force to get him to stop. They looked him in the eyes, "There's something wrong with you. And it's only gonna get worse if you don't deal with it now."

"You think there's something wrong with me?"

"Look at yourself!" she stepped back, gesturing to him, "You don't get mad like this, you don't get into fights, you stay calm, you laugh things off and you think. You haven't been doing a lot of thinking lately."

"So you're against me now, too?"

"Against y- See, this is what I'm talking about. This isn't you. And you're starting to scared me," backing away again, Roz kept her eyes locked on Zephyr's, unusually cold, "So do something about it."

She turned around and was gone.

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

He pretended everything was fine whenever he went to see Al, but the truth was he was breaking down. Rizzo couldn't handle him. Roz and Zach couldn't handle him. Not even the school counsellor could handle him. He had to make everything difficult.

No music. No football. No (or very little) Alonzo. He'd lost all of his usual emotional outlets and wasn't about to take advice from someone who didn't even know him. Especially not someone who claimed he was traumatised. If anyone, it was Al who had been traumatised. Al deserved the special care and treatment and help. Not him. He didn't want it. But apparently that was all part of it. He was in denial. He was projecting his pain onto someone else. He was taking it out on those around him.

He got up in the middle of a session one day.

"I'm sick of people telling me how I feel! I don't need this, I don't need to be here, I need Alonzo back home in Zombie Town and that's all I need!"

He stormed out.