It been weeks since Arthur had the unfortunate situation to be apparently an undead... Something, he wasn't even sure what this creature was thinking as it still hasn't taken a bite out of him or anything. This creature didn't seem to really care about what he said, but was very quick to threaten him if he so much as raises his voice to snap at him. It was after much coaxing and nearly becoming another zombie snack that he was able to finally settle down near a river.
The creature seemed to survive just fine with animals and such as food, so Arthur was grateful as he saved his own reserves for himself. But what he really desired was a bath, especially for his undead companion who made him gag every time he tried to get 'friendly'. Which is why they are in the lake, with Arthur trying to get the zombie to stay seated while he cleans himself and Alfred as well. "I feel like it a waster effort but I'm still trying." He mumbles, knowing the other wouldn't understand what he saying.
Alfred had taken a bit to move in close to the other and take a seat, not really understanding just what they were doing in the water, though he didn't seem too upset about it. He looked up at Arthur as he washed off, all too curious about what he was doing, and, in an attempt to understand, he scooped up some water, albeit a little sloppily, and moved it to Arthur, pouring it over his shoulder and started to rub his arm. That seemed to be what he was doing...
Arthur was surprised when Alfred seemed to imitate him, though he was a bit pleased at the gesture. Though his nose scrunched up as he smelled the other, shifting as he decides if he wants to be clean he going to need to clean this guy first. "Well at least you're trying, that good." He gave a small smile as he grabs some soap he nabbed from the abandoned market when they passed through.
He begins to put some water over the creature, noticing it confusion as he begins to soap the others body. He was careful as he didn't want any of Alfred skin tearing off from his nails or anything. The other has enough small scratches and Arthur wants him to at least look mostly human. "Hold still your covered in gunk..."
Alfred blinked at this, watching the other closely, his brow pulling together and he let out a tiny warning growl in his direction when he saw the soap. He didn't seem to be threatening, but really, who knew. When he moved some water over him, he tilted his head a little bit, looking down to watch him as he started to lather him up with some soap. He looked down and reached toward the bubbles, scooping some up and sniffed at them, giving them a lick and spat, grimacing a little bit. That wasn't good.
"It not food, idiot." He states, shaking his head though hoped Al swallowed a bit, as his breath was horrid, but he was glad to see Alfred not snapping at him. Arthur smiles as he saw the gunk and dirt clearing away to reveal the pale skin, feeling good that Alfred was in decent condition compared to other zombies. Though he knows it won't be forever he going to try his hardest since this guy isn't leaving him alone.
He makes the zombie face him, washing his face careful of the open skin as he watches off the gunk and blood from his previous meals. The other didn't seem too pleased with the soap on his face though likely cause he didn't want it near his mouth. "Hold still it not like you can feel with dead nerves." Arthur scolds trying to not scratch off the others face.
He frowned at him when he started to clean his face, waiting a moment, though when he realized that he was being gentle with it and didn't seem that he was going to hurt him at all, he slowly leaned into the touch, giving his hand an affectionate nuzzle. He took this all to be affectionate, so, he didn't really mind a little bit of it. He reached up to rub the others chest and stomach, surprised when no bubbles started to form, thinking that something was wrong with himself and looked down, pulling away from Arthur and fell under the water to wash himself off, growling loudly when he came back up and stood, moving out of the water.
Arthur was glad to see the other calm down and allow him to continue the cleaning, relaxing a bit himself. He rolled his eyes when he felt the other leaned into his touch and nuzzled his hand though didn't mind. Though the Englishmen jumped when he felt the others hands on his stomach and chest, realizing he wanted to return the gesture. Of course seeing as Al didn't have any soap on his hands it didn't produce anything which seemed to irritate the other.
"H-Hey!" He spoke up, noticing the other get upset and pull away. Confusion clear on his face as he watch Al seem to pout and grow upset for some reason. "What the hell I wasn't finish."
Alfred looked back at the other, frowning at him and sat at the water's edge, legs crossed and arms resting in front of his ankles. He watched Arthur for a moment, his head tilting a bit when he started to speak again, letting out a small grunt, as if he was replying, though he was more confused than anything.
"Don't give me that look; we always do things your way. You could have at least let me finish cleaning you." Arthur grumbles, deciding he'll try again later as he shakes his head. He began to start cleaning himself with the soap not about to chase after the zombie and strange thing. If he didn't want to finish bathing he not going to drag him in, at least he mostly cleaned.
This wasn't the first time Alfred would get up and upset about not comprehending something. Arthur doesn't understand anything the other tries to express and it frustrating. Yet if he tries to express his displeasure the creature would just snap, honestly like a child. But he simply shakes his head after cleaning himself up, "Fine, just stay there pouting. Not like I care."
He frowned at the other, watching him closely, very closely. The way the other was talking seemed that he was upset with him, and he didn't really know what to do about that. Why was he so upset about him leaving and getting out of the water? He huffed a bit, moving to sit up with a small grunt, crawling back into the water and over to the others side, taking a seat slowly and inched his way closer to him, carefully leaning in and gave him a small nuzzle.
He didn't want him to be angry with him, he was all he had, and he'd die if he was alone, that's why the others traveled in hoards. You can't survive without it.
So, looking down, he scooped up some more water, pouring it onto the other, watching as the bubbles started to slide off, leaning forward to get a better look as he poured more water onto him. He moved a hand forward to poke at the suds, seeing a large bubble pop, jumping a bit.
Arthur was washing himself in silence feeling the others gaze on him but simply shaking his head. When he heard the other getting back into the water he didn't bother to look in the others direction. He glanced over when he felt the other settle next to him wondering what he was doing. He jumped a bit when he felt Al nuzzle him gently, blushing a bit as he hadn't expected such a gesture from the other.
Even though he should be used to the other out of nowhere showing him affection it always seem to surprise him. But it did help to cool his annoyance, chuckling as the other scooped up some of the bubbly water and poured it.
He couldn't help but chuckle when Al jumped from the large bubble popping deciding to try and teach the other how to clean. He made a gesture for the other to approach him, "Come here, seems you like bubbles. But you need soap if you want to create it." He shows the other his bar of soap; taking the others hands and making him rub it together. "There now you have soap to clean me up or make bubbles."
He watched carefully as the other took his hands and started to rub them together, the soap between them. His eyes went a little wide when bubbles started to form, pulling his hands away to look at them, getting in close to see. For a minute, he thought that his skin had done that, though when he looked at the bar again, he picked it up, looking at Arthur, and moved to rub it on the man's chest carefully, surprised when the bubbles came back, the bar of soap dropping once more into the water.
"Hey be careful with that." Arthur scold, moving down to grab the soap. Down he was in fact glad to see the other was learning, it would make cleaning much easier if the other knew exactly what to be doing. He settles back as he looks at the other amused wondering what was so amusing but then again zombies would end up distracted by pretty lights and noise. So maybe they are just easily mesmerized?
Either way Arthur went back to trying to clean himself, though also trying to clean Alfred up too seeing as he was right there after all.
Alfred looked up at him, then back to his hands, brows furrowing a little bit in both confusion and understanding. He didn't know what the bubbles were, but, he knew they came from that... thing, not his hands. He moved them forward when he felt the other washing him, gently running his hands over the other's shoulders and chest, head tilting before he looked up at him, as if unsure. He didn't know if he was doing it right or anything, he was just imitating him for the time being.
"Pretty good, even if imitating." Arthur pipes, not minding the others hands too much on his body as long as he wasn't a sensitive area. He picks up some water and puts it over the others head, beginning to wash off the dirt that was collecting in air hair. "Urgh we need to clean you more or bugs collect..." He mumbles seeing some bugs, using the soap to clean and kill them off.
Alfred blinked when the water was put over his head, slowly moving it downward for the other, his hands moving down to rest of his own thighs to steady himself. This actually didn't feel too bad, though it was a bit new to him. None of the others seemed to do this for each other, so maybe it was just a human thing...
He let out a soft sigh, relaxing a little more when Arthur cleaned off his back, his head remaining to hang, waiting for him to finish up. When he had, he turned to look back at him, slowly moving and put his arms around his shoulders, leaning in on him and nuzzled into his neck.
Arthur was surprised when Alfred turned to him and felt the others arms wrap around his shoulder and leans into him. He blushed greatly as he felt the other bare chest against his own, but tries to resist his blush, shaking his head a bit before wrapping his arms around the other. "You're so weird..." Yet it was strangely nice.
He nuzzled closer in, wanting to share his own affections for the other in the only way he really knew how. The other had cleaned him off, and well, he always seemed to like doing this sort of thing with him and be close. He let out a few short grunts and mumbles, trying to form words, though couldn't bring himself to.
The green eyes male simply allowed the affection getting used to the gesture despite the others cooler body temperature. Despite how he acts he did enjoy the others company, as much as it tortured him knowing this isn't really the al he knows.
Al took a deep breath of the others scent, his nose pressed right up against his skin, mouth watering in the slightest, though he had no urge to bite him. His arms simply tightened around him, eyes slowly opening back up, staring down at the water as he let out his breath slowly, and having something on his mind, though the thought didn't have the capability to share.
Arthur looks down as he felt the other began to press his nose against his skin, fear filling his gut as he sees the others mouth open yet he knows the other won't bite him. He doesn't understand it; he knows the other smells food yet never once as Al ever honestly tried to eat him. Then he'll go into deep thoughts, it was frustrating not being able to understand what the other was trying to say and express, "Are you ok...?"
He heard the others voice, that sound of it, knowing he was speaking to him and asking something. There were different ways that he spoke, and when his voice went up in the slightest at the end, it was a question. He didn't understand it, but that's what it was. He nuzzled him just a little bit, eyes turning downward and closing slowly, letting out a small noise.
Arthur was silent as he looked down at the other deciding to just hold the other in silence knowing the other couldn't understand him. Nor would he be able to understand the answer either way, so he'll just stay there and hold the other. Closing his eyes as they sat in the stream, "Why do I bother sometimes...?"
Al kept close to him, breathing softly against his skin before he heard something, his head picking straight up and he looked around. His eyes went a little wide, looking for something, though when he found where the sound was coming from, he looked back toward the edge of the river. It was coming from over there... He let out a few short grunts, pulling away from Arthur and gritted his teeth, moving to stand and started to walk forward, following the sound. He could hear a few others...
Arthur was a bit startled when Al head picked up like that, guessing he must have heard something. Though he didn't like the look in the other eye getting a feeling that it means there were others of Al kind coming. He allowed Al to pull away but he got up and was going to put his own clothing on, if there were other zombies around he wanted to be ready to run for his life. "Are there others...?" Arthur asks; even know he knew the other didn't understand shit.
It was more for some reassurance; he can see the other was going to investigate. He only hoped for no surprise ambush as soon as Al left to find out whatever he heard. He hoped it was only a squirrel or something.
Alfred looked back at him when he spoke, letting out a tiny growl for him to keep silent and gave a small nod and a point, telling him to sit down and wait where they wouldn't see him. When he heard something again, he turned his head and started to move just through the thin tree line, kneeling down to watch them. It was a pretty small hoard or about 20 others, though when they stopped, he could tell they smelt food...
He slowly stood up, wondering if he'd be allowed to join them or not, though he wouldn't leave Arthur behind. He stepped forward slowly, seeing them look at him, growling some nonsense and telling him to stay back. He stopped, looking at the other for a moment and waited for them to approach him instead.
Arthur frowns when Al growled at him, though made sure to reload his gun. Sitting down on the ground to wait, he garbed his things and found a good spot to hide if they come over. Though he was wondering why the hell he was going off to look for them but decided to let him be for now.
The hoard perked up when Al approached them, one of them munching on the remains of a squirrel showing they had been scavenging for food in the forest. When Al approached them, the largest male growled and approached him suspicion and curiosity in it eyes. It seemed to be the pack leader of the hoard and was sniffing Al obviously smelling Arthur on his skin yet can tell Al wasn't food himself.
"You reek of food, yet you aren't covered in their blood or anything." The Alpha growls, as if mystified that the other would reek yet not seem to have devoured the thing.
He looked at the other for a moment, his chin turning down in the slightest, shoulders slumped and keeping in a more submissive posture. He didn't really want any trouble with these ones, he was all Arthur had. He looked up when the other spoke to him, at least happy he could understand his own kind. "I just got out of the water," he said, looking back to the river, though in the opposite direction Arthur was hiding at. "There are a lot of people out there," he said with a small nod in the direction the other hoard was going.
The alpha scoffs as he looks at the smaller creature, leaning in close as he examines him. He didn't seem very convinced as he questioned, "Oh really? I'm pretty sure we heard someone splashing in the other direction. You aren't holding out on us, are you?"
Some of the other creatures stepped forward curious as they can smell the human heavily on the other as well. Most were curious and seemed to be interested at the idea of food.
He blinked, looking around at the others as they started to come closer, swallowing thickly. "I tripped," he lied, his eyes moving to look at everyone, feeling slightly nervous. "I um..." he let out a small grunt to clear his throat. "Well, I'm alone, so I wanted to know if I could join you all..?" he asked, moving his head down a little more, shrinking.
"Hmm join us... Well if you can show us your food source then we'll be more than happy for you to join us." The alpha states, it muscles on it half scarred face moved as he grins. The bits of flesh clear on his teeth that seemed to be mostly fangs, "After all it is only fair."
He looked up at him, his eyes wandering over his face slowly, moving to take a step away from him. "I don't have any," he said simply. "I've only run into one of them and they're gone now," he whispered, keeping his voice small.
"Where did you run into them?" The Alpha patience seemed to be wearing thin, and the scent on human on al body wasn't helping. A wrong step could easily have the Alpha ready to attack the other.
Alfred looked up on him, taking another step back. "That way," he said, looking to the side, away from where Arthur was. "I didn't see any others, though," he mumbled, taking another step.
"Liar," Alpha growled, many of the others in the hoard began to growl as if Al had done something horrid. The Alpha reached out to grab at Al neck but a gunshot blew clean through his head. The hoard was surprised and began moaning and growling in confusion only for more gun shots to ring through the air. Before many could react more than half the hoard was shot down.
Alfred blinked at this, looking around at everyone, feeling fear as they all turned on him, moving back, though when the other reached out toward him, he got ready to be hurt. He heard the gunshot though, blood splattering on his face and looked around, seeing the others start to fall as well.
A voice from up into the tree shouted, "Hah! How's that!?"
He looked up when he saw Arthur, blinking once, though moved toward him, or, toward the tree.
Arthur was taking them out with ease from his spot up in the tree, thankful to have loaded up on ammo. It didn't take long till they were all out, the Brit looking very proud of himself as he looks down at Alfred. He jumps out of the tree and glares at the other wondering what the hell he was trying to do that nearly got him killed. "You're lucky I followed you, otherwise they would have torn you to bits. I swear I've never seen you so damn meek before hope you're grateful I wasted a lot of ammo on you."
Alfred looked at the other when he started to scold him, slowly moving to sit, head down and shoulders up, looking up at the other. He knew that he had done wrong, though he wanted to be with a hoard... He turned his eyes downward, thinking that he was just the odd one out for wanting to stay with a human.
He growled all of a sudden at this. What was so wrong with him?! He stood up, grabbing Arthur by the shirt and shoved him down into the bushes, moving straight down over him and turned him over onto his chest, continuing to growl into his ear as he pinned him to the ground, grabbing his gun and threw it out of his reach.
Arthur could tell the other knew he did wrong by coming right up to them like that. After all it nearly got him killed, though he knew the other felt weird and acted very different from others. Though he was surprised when Al growled suddenly and stood up right. The human shrunk back in fear as he tried to say something only for Al to grab him by the shirt and shove him into the bush, "Ah fuck! Al what are you-!?"
The Englishmen's eyes widened in slight horror as he was forced onto his chest, his gun having been yanked from his hand and thrown to the side. His body trembled as he squirmed a bit, "No no no no Al stop! Get off!"
Alfred growled at him, looking at him and shoved him down harder, gripping his arms and slowly pulled his lips back, baring his teeth. Why was he so special, he'd eat everyone else... He opened his mouth, moving to the others neck, teeth touching, though just barely, hesitating.
He willed himself to bite him, pressing his teeth down a little harder, though couldn't get himself to bite down.
Arthur shivered as he shut his eyes tightly, his heart beating heavily in his chest as he heard the growl. Was he really about to become food for the other? Was Al upset because he wanted to be with others of his kind and not him? Without realizing it the Brit began to tear up, the idea that Al wanted to abandon him hurt.
He no longer flailed and grew limp rather the other just kill him already then if that was the case. "...Just kill me already." He mumbles, feeling his own heart breaking as he scolded himself for thinking of this creature as Al still. Of course he would wish to be with his own kind, he just his food and a play thing nothing more. He glares at Al who was hesitating, "Why don't you just fucking kill me already instead of dragging it out!?"
Alfred looked down at the other when he spoke; wanting to bite down, though he just couldn't no matter how much he tried and willed himself to. He growled in complete frustration, slowly pulling back and tried again, though, he couldn't do it.
He stood up quickly, snarling at himself loudly and started to run off, leaving Arthur behind.
The Brit was shocked as Al pulled away, clenching his teeth as he heard the other growl. But he didn't follow after him simply letting him go, frustration and hurt was clear on his face. "There he goes... Always running without caring about how I feel. That selfish arse..."