Disclaimer: All Characters from Gakuen Alice belong to Tachibana Higuchi.

A/N: I haven't had time to write another one but I've had this one-shot saved for a while so here you go

This is an AU so there is NO Alice Academy

21 - Zombie Apocalypse AU

Natsume shoves the handgun towards Mikan, his expression impassive as her eyes widen at the weapon set in his hands.

"You'll need it, okay?" Mikan doesn't reply, her gaze still set on the gun, "Take it."

"B-but, I don't know how to use one!" She shakes her head vigorously, hands pushing against his own, moving the gun away from herself, "I can't use it, Natsume… I just- I don't want to."

"Listen, I know you don't like it, but you need a way to defend yourself." Natsume places it on the floor beside her before pushing himself off the ground and turning away, "I'll protect you as much as I can, but it's just in case, yeah?"

He hears her pick the gun up, followed by a sob, and he's back at her side in seconds, removing the gun from her weak grasp and setting it back on the floor.

"If I knew you were going to cry because of it, I wouldn't have given it to you," He watches as she pulls up her knees and hides her face from him, hair falling over her legs as her shoulders shake from her weeping, "Stop crying, Polka dots. You don't have to use it, all right?"

"I'm not- I'm not crying because of a stupid gun, Natsume!" She shouts loudly, looking up to glare at him with tears running down her flushed cheeks, "I'm crying because I'm sick of this! I'm sick of everything! I don't want to have to walk around with a gun to protect myself! I miss Hotaru, and Luca-pyon, and I know we're heading towards where we think they are, but they could be dead already, Natsume! We don't know anything! There are dead people who eat living people walking around everywhere, and I don't see the point any more, even if we do find other people, then what? There's nothing we can do!"

Mikan buries her head in her knees again, and Natsume watches her bleakly, before wrapping his arms around her and resting his forehead against her shoulder. They both smell of sweat, their clothes covered in dirt from days of use, and they are both tired from too many sleepless nights, but that didn't matter right now.

"Luka and Hotaru are fine, believe me. Do you really think Hotaru would let herself be eaten?" He felt Mikan shake her head and he sighed quietly, continuing, "We're going to find somewhere safe, and I don't know what's going to happen after that, but I do know that I'm not going to let you die; I'm not going to let you leave me; Not now, not ever."

Mikan's arms lock around his torso, pulling him closer as she moves to bury her face in his t-shirt, tears still rolling down her face, and he returns the gesture, holding her close and burying his face in her hair. They stay in that position for what seems like hours; until a clash sounds from the floor below, making them both jump in surprise. Natsume quickly unlatched Mikan from his body, before grabbing his gun and watching as Mikan picks up the one laid beside her on the floor, wiping tears from her cheeks with the back of her hands as she joins him in the doorway of the room.

"Ready?"

Mikan nods her head, breathing in deeply and grabbing his free hand, gripping it tightly in her own.

"Ready."

If you see any mistakes or have a problem with any parts of my writing, please leave a review and tell me... It would be really helpful! :3 Thank you!

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