Chapter 6

A.N. At this point I pretty much dedicate this story to 10 years music. Because it's been so inspiring to continue writing chapters in a sad matter. So blame 10 years early sad work for the sappy sad filler that is this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the people of L4D. I only own my own characters such as Ma and Pa. I only own the story that comes out of my head, and the plot I put said L4D characters through.

Chapter 6

Make me Reminisce

The breeze felt amazing on the hundred degree day. Ellis had already been outside for several hours, working a sweat as he put up the new fence around his grandpa's house. His best friend Keith worked beside him, holding the post as he waked it hard with the sledge hammer. They'd gotten to the last post finally, leaving only to put up the fence it's self. The day had seemed to go by so quickly, but they'd gotten so much done. It was always a good feeling to get something done for someone, honest hard work has always been something Ellis had enjoyed doing. Especially when it was with Keith, the only person in the world who made his stomach turn tabled and squirmed like it was full of butterflies flying around.

Keith had been his best friend for years. He was also Ellis's first crush, which was a huge surprise since he'd never felt feelings for another guy, let alone his best friend. He's yet to say anything to Keith though, hell why would he? The man was great with the ladies, no way in hell he'd go for a guy. Besides... wasn't that wrong? He'd think about it often, especially with how he was raised. Loving another man wasn't something you were supposed to do right?

A loud whack echoed from Ellis hitting the pole the final time, slamming the sledge hammer hard against the post. It also caused Ellis to jump out of his dazed state, Keith finally let go, falling back on his ass with a heavy sigh. "Hell man, 'bout time." Ellis laughed leaning the sledge hammer against the pole. "Man I would kill for some of your grand dads lemon-aid." Ellis grinned shrugging, "Good thing I got some waitin for us then huh?" That caused Keith's normal ear to ear grin. "Hell yeah man!" He climbed to his feet, slapping the pole as he did. "Hard work done, we should have some fun!"

Ellis grinned running with the other towards the house, feeling like a school kid as they ran. Missing the days in the past when they'd help his grandpa out because his grandma was sick, but she'd always have something cooking and waiting for them, from pie to cookies. His grandma loved him, and loved all the two of them did for her. He missed her horribly, and he was sure his grand dad did too. The man would often drink himself to sleep because of the loss, especially since she'd only been gone to cancer for a year now. They made it into the house, walking quietly through the living room since grandpa had fallen asleep at sometime. They went to the kitchen, grabbing the glasses off the counter. Both took long gulps before Ellis sighed softly. "You wanna go watch TV in the guest room?" Ellis asked before refilling his cup, Keith shrugged, " Better then going back outside man." Keith stated as he filled his glass up after the other. "Heck man it's gotta be like a hundred degrees out." Ellis gave a nod, before heading down the hall, sneaking past the knocked out drunk in his chair.

Keith and Ellis went to the back room, shutting the door behind them. "Man I'm glad to be done with the hard part." Keith stated, sitting on the bed after setting his glass on the table. Ellis went over to the television turning it on to the sports channel. "Not looking forward to the next step, those boards ain't gonna be fun." He went to the bed sitting down next to Keith, his glass in his hands. Keith gave a loud groan as he leaned back on his elbows, thinking of the hard work ahead of them. "Man, your grand dad's lucky I like him." Ellis laughed and grinned laying back on the bed. "He's awesome man." Keith nodded in agreement as he watched the television slowly sinking into the bed. It was a calm time, relaxing really. The sound of the cheers from the television filling the room, the heat gone and replaced with the relaxing cooling waves from the air conditioning. It was simple times, times that Ellis loved.

"Hey Ellis." Keith muttered, looking down at his friend beside him. "Yeah Keith?" Ellis opened an eye to look back. "You ever wanna do something stupid, but year scared what would happen?" Ellis shrugged, thinking back on all the stupid shit they'd done. "Yeah man but we do stupid stuff al the time. What you scared of?" Keith shrugged, "I 'unno man. Just like... what could happen an shit." Ellis grinned knowing his friend too well on dares, and stupid things they'd done because of them. "I dare you." Keith sat up a bit, look at Ellis as if he'd just said the worst thing. "What?"

"I dare you. Do it. What ever it is man, do it."

"I dunno man." Keith muttered thinking about it a bit before bitting his lip. "What's the worse that could happen? Like, we've done it all!" Keith watched Ellis for only a moment longer before he was on top of him. Ellis gave a small yelp, his glass of lemon-aid falling from his hands and to the floor. Keith pinned Ellis's shoulders down to the bed, leaning down and kissing him. Which needless to say, shocked Ellis. He squirmed slightly before stopping, letting the feeling of his crush finally doing what he'd wanted for so long, wash over him. Keith slowly let go of Ellis's shoulders, realizing there wasn't a resistance that he had thought there would be. The two continued to kiss, slowly becoming less timid in it. Ellis slowly relaxed, his body moving to the warmth of the body pressing against his own, his hands moving to touch the skin he'd long to feel in a more intimate matter. Keith's skin was rough like he'd expected, especially from the sun burns from working in the sun all day. Though both of the men worked at the auto shop in town, it was rare to get out of the sun, and it made the both of them rougher to the touch. Ellis didn't mind, hell, he enjoyed the feeling over everything else.

All good things had to come to an end however, if only for a moment. Keith broke the kiss leaning back a bit to look at his friend. No words were spoken, there didn't seem to be the need for them. It seemed that what both had been dreading an outcome of, was what they had both wanted. Keith got up off Ellis, looking down at him for only a moment longer before pulling off his own shirt. Ellis sat up watching Keith, seeming dumb founded for the longest of time before finally understanding what was happening, he pulled his own shirt off causing Keith to give a chuckle at how Ellis had reacted. Ellis gave his own ear to ear grin looking at his half nude friend, before reaching out and touching his chest slowly. Both boys had been raised the same, working hard all their lives, and causing both of them to be fairly toned, which was something Ellis liked the most about Keith. To look at his well earned muscles, and to finally touch them, it sent shivers through his body slowly. Causing a feeling Ellis didn't get often to move through his body, but he knew exactly what it was.

This time, he wouldn't have to hold back on it. Keith looked down at him before leaning down and kissing him again, this time however Ellis wasn't just going to lay back and take it. He wrapped an arm around him, before pulling him down onto the bed, pushing Keith onto his back as he climbed on top of him. The kiss became deeper, tongues pressing against each other, wrestling for dominance in Keith's mouth. Body's starting to move against each other, hips grinding as they slowly worked into that desperate need.

It was then that the door to the room swung open. Causing both boys to jump to their feet, ready to run as they always were. Grandpa stood there drunk out of his mind, and blubbering on about something and cows. Ellis held his face before he walked over to his grand dad, "Come on Gramps you gotta go lay down." He looked back at Keith before looking at his grand father again. "Bed will be good for ya." Ellis's grandfather muttered something while waving his hand, as he was led to his bedroom. "You gotta ruin all my fun grandpa." Ellis muttered as he put his grand dad to bed. "Just sleep already." His grandfather looked up at him before taking his hand. "You're a good kid." Was all Ellis managed to understand out of the mess that his grandfather had babbled out. The sentence wasn't completely formed that way, but he understood what he was trying to say. Ellis smiled before patting his grandfather on the head, heading back out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

"How's he doin?" Keith asked as he walked down the hallway towards Ellis. "Put him to bed?" Ellis nodded, noticing that Keith had his shirt on again. "You leavin then man?" Keith nodded rubbing the back of his head a bit before shrugging. "Ma called wonderin when I'd be home for food. So I'll have to catch you later." Ellis nodded slowly, knowing when Keith was lying to him. "Yeah man, it's cool. Gotta go home anyways." Keith nodded before heading for the front door. "See yeah later Ellis!" He waved behind him in Ellis's general direction before leaving. Leaving Ellis to stand alone in the hallway, wondering what had just happened, and if he'd just lost his best friend.

It was the sound of the walkers that woke Ellis up, they were surprisingly loud in the basement compared to upstairs; which most likely had to do with the gate being close to where Nick's room was to the fence. At some point Ellis had fallen asleep in Nick's arms, feeling safe even though he still felt very hurt and betrayed by the male. It was a comfortable place, which reminded him of security. Ellis slowly looked up at Nick's face, only to see the male looking off at the ceiling. "Hey..." Ellis muttered before attempting to slowly pull himself away from the other, only to be pulled back against Nick's chest again. "Just... just a minute." Nick muttered as he held Ellis against him again. Ellis tensed up at first, before slowly sinking against Nick. "Alright." Nick said barely above a mutter, letting go of Ellis so that the other male could get up.

"I heard the family upstairs call for you a couple times, you might wanna make sure that they don't think I killed you." Nick muttered before fixing his own hair. Ellis looked at Nick before looking at the door. "I guess they're worried." Ellis said before going to stand, everything still hurt, but it'd gone down to a dull pain. Nick looked over to watch Ellis stand, and make sure he was going to be okay. "So... Ellis." Ellis looked at Nick as he fixed his pants. "Keith really meant a lot to you then?"

Ellis bit his lip before grinning as he looked away. "Yeah man, he was the best of best friends you could ever ask for. Heck I remember this one time when Keith and I were foolin around on Old man Jinkin's Farm-" Nick held up a hand cutting him off. "I don't want a story man." Ellis shrugged looking back at Nick. "Suit yourself man, but Keith learned chickens didn't like him."

Nick shook his head as he stood up slowly as well. "You talk a lot in your sleep man. You should watch what you say." Ellis blinked a couple times before looking down at the floor. "I didn't say nothing." He muttered before shaking his head. "You're a liar." He rubbed his finger under his nose for a moment before heading for the door. "Ellis." Nick attempted to reach for him, and stop him but it was too late. "Besides, why the fuck do you care if I talk about him in my sleep?" Ellis said moving away from Nick further, grabbing the door and pulling it open. "Like you give a fuck what even happens to me anymore? Now that you got what you wanted." Nick held his breath for a second, giving an obvious pained look to his comment. "I said I was sorry Ellis... Fuck man you said you forgave me."

Ellis looked at his hand on the door handle, " Just lay off man... I aint talkin about Rochelle in front of yeah... why would you bring up my issues..."

"I'm just worried man." Nick stated, stepping closer to Ellis. "Just... what you were saying in your sleep... Why did you keep saying sorry?" Ellis looked at Nick before sighing slowly, his hand going to his chest and grabbing the shirt in front of his heart. "I killed him." That took Nick aback a bit, he shook his head before stepping closer again. "What?"

"He was a zombie man!" Ellis looked at Nick as tears began to stream down his face with out Ellis noticing. "Fucking killed his own sister, then went for me! Didn't recognize me or shit!" Nick watched the other, realizing what pain it must have been to kill your own best friend. Ellis gripped his shirt tighter, before finally letting it go. "I just...He just was supposed to be the one fightin with me now... instead he was the first one I killed...We always joked how we'd make it in shit like this, cuz we knew what ta do watchin all those zombie movies and junk, yet... I still killed him." He wiped his face clear of tears before shaking his head. "That's why I'm sorry aight?"

Nick nodded before grabbing Ellis by his shoulder, and pulling the scrawny male against his body. He wrapped his arms around him tightly and giving a soft squeeze. "I'm sorry kid." Nick held Ellis tight, realizing what everything had really done to this kid, and yet he'd stayed cheerful through all of it. Ellis had gone through so much, just like all of them, and Nick had only made it worse. The twinge of just running out into the walkers was coming back to him again, until Ellis wrapped his arms around Nick in return. "We've... all done things we shouldn't have done." Ellis whispered against Nick's chest. Nick rested his head against Ellis's before kissing him, ruffling his hair slowly. The two stood in silence, only the sounds of the zombies outside moaning filled the air. It was then Ellis turned his head up and kissed Nick, softly, unafraid of what the consequences would be.

End of Chapter 6

A.N. So Again, sorry for the sappy shit that is this chapter. I've just really wanted to write it, and I can swear that it will make a diffrence later on. I also swear next chapter will be worse. So... yup.
Anyways, please review and stuff (Ugh I've turned into one of those authors) they do help me push through the next chapter to get them out faster for you.
A huge thanks to my Beta reader Rhia and to "Your Failing Epicness" for the amazing review which pretty much pushed me to finish this chapter in the short time that I did. 3

A shout out to:

Your Failing Epicness

DomoFan19

Kira1525

DarknessFiction

Caerix

Puppylove

ToraChan

For the lovely reviews so far. Thank you to everyone who is reading, subscribing, and favoriting the story. You make it possible for me to push through and continue on. Even if my personal life is being a jerk.

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