Saving Water

The military had fulfilled their promise. The survivors were woken to the sound of a helicopter flying in, dropping a cargo container within the fenced in area. Rochelle had been the first to wake and greet them as they began to set up and disperse the materials needed for their stay. MREs were placed within a large pantry, tankers of water were out back, and toiletries along with the other items were placed randomly throughout the house. All in all, it was starting to look the survivors might actually enjoy staying.

The supplying took less than an hour with all people and hands working. But just before they left, for the heck of it, one of the soldiers placed a calender on the kitchen wall, X-ing out all dates up until that day so the survivors could start to get their barrings back and and begin the count down.

As soon as the chopper left they all dug in, the meals provided scattered variously with little care. It was much better and more nutritious than the random junk food they had been eating the past few weeks. Nick then took the opportunity to test the water tank, in which he spent two hours on and off cleaning all of the muck out of his suit to the best of his ability, then hanging it to dry. He would sew up all the little tears and patches later.

"Nick!" A voice called him from inside the house, a speeding Ellis running out the door to follow. "Ya gotta come see this!"

"Easy there, Sport." Nick tried to calm him down as he carefully straightened the suit so that it wouldn't fall to the dirty floor. "What's your hurry?"

"Come on, ya gotta come see it to believe it, but I know you're gonna love this!" He spent the next moment dragging the older man into the house and down the hallway.

A familiar light drumming invaded the gamblers ear in a disbelieving way. Could it be? He stepped inside the bathroom behind to see the shower running, hot water that fogged up the room at a good pace and going at a fairly consistent pressure. It was an actual, clean, running shower.

"We've got a workin' shower!" Ellis beamed. "Can you believe it?"

Nick stuck a hand under the soothing water, letting the droplets roll off his finger tips as he grinned slightly. How long had it been since he had a shower? Probably a lot longer than he cared to think about.

"How long do you think it'll work?" The country boy asked, sparking his thoughts.

"Probably not long." The gambler bet. "The heater can't still be running in this apocalypse. We should try to save the hot water." With that he started to shed himself of his black t-shirt, Ellis' eyes widening with the action.

"What are you doin'?" He asked. "I thought you jus' said we should save the water."

"I did." Nick answered. "So why don't we share it?"


Every Home Needs A Pet

Nick looked up from the book he was reading, his eyes flickering just over the top and going left to right as if the answer to his question would appear before him. He laid the cheap novel down on the table before him and stood, going to look out the open window. Could his ears be playing tricks on him? A moment later, Ellis appeared from the hallway, the same confused look clear on his face.

"Did ya hear that?" He asked.

"Yeah," Nick responded. "It almost sounded like..." Again the small sound echoed off in the distance, barely whispering through the house as the two head for the door.

"Like gunfire?" Ellis finished. They ran over to the fence line and stared out, some where off they heard the well known sound of bullets being fired and the undeniable shouting of people fighting off the infected. The sound of survivors.

"Hey!" The country boy yelled out. The echoing stopped, everything went silent.

"Ellis,-"

"Hey, over here!" He shouted again.

"Ellis!" Nick hushed him, pushing a hand over his mouth as he talked in a low voice. "What are you doing?"

The kid pushed the gambler's hand aside. "They're survivors Nick! People like us! We gotta help 'em!"

"Uh, no we don't!" The conman emphasized, his thoughts running over the idea of other people in the same situation. People he didn't know. "We got here on our own, and we're okay. Those people could be ruthless, selfish, lying bastards who will shoot us down and take our stuff."

Ellis gave him a bothered look. "Or, they could be good people who need our help." A muffled shout interrupted them, a straggly voice they couldn't make out the words to. The country boy turned to the lost sound and turned back to the conman, his look pleading. "Come on Nick, please?"

Nick looked from the country boy to the horizon. He knew the kid wanted to help, but he was sometimes oblivious to a threat. If these new people were contentious, they'd mean nothing but trouble. But then again, Ellis could be right. They could just be lost people who needed help, not that he was willing to give them any.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Fine," He said finally. "Call them over. But if anyone of them does anything even remotely hostile, I'm going to shoot them." The country boy grinned at his joke, but the conman was serious.

"Over here!" Ellis shouted. "There's a safe house over here!"

In a few moments, three blurry figures were seen in the distance, sprinting towards them as the hick continued to wave his arms overhead and shout to them.

"Settle down Overalls," Nick calmed him from his excited jumping. "I think they can see you just fine."

Ellis kept his elated smile and watched the mysterious people on the other side, directing them to the fence's entrance as he ran to go shut off the power. Nick stood by and studied each of them closely as they ran in, gasping for breath.

The first one was a black male, probably around his own age, with a dingy white business shirt and tie. It looked a bit tacky, but he was definitely the most tasteful of the group as far as he could tell.

Next came a greasy man in a leather vest and jeans. He had a razor short hair cut and a dirty beard, not to mention the sleeve tattoos that ran up his arms. The gambler sneered. The biker was a pig at best.

Then finally came a girl about Ellis' age. She had the whole cute-girl-door-next-door motif, complete with pink hoodie and pony tail. The gambler had already been receiving a bad feeling about her, but when she reached out to the country boy and smiled at him gratefully, flashing that oh so innocent looking smile, it clenched the fact in his mind that she was the without a doubt the new number one on his black list.

"Are yall alright?" Ellis asked them.

"Yeah," The girl responded, huffing a last time before fully standing. "Thanks for calling for us, we would've completely missed this place."

"If only." Nick said dryly, giving her a cold stare.

Ellis gave him a quick jab with his elbow and continued. "Well we're glad ya made it this far alright. Where'r ya from?"

"Fairfield." The black man answered.

"Fairfield?"

"Pennsylvania." Nick answered, not changing his demeanor.

"Yeah," The grease ball continued. "The zombie bastards stayed on our ass the whole way."

"I know what ya mean." Ellis sighed. "We came from the Evac station in Savannah. We made it all the way to New Orleans before the military picked us up and dropped us here."

"Wait, you didn't get rescued?" The girl asked.

"Well, sort ofv." The country boy answered. "They wouldn't take us to a station 'cause we ain't been bitten and can't prove we're immune to this infection n' shit. So they dropped us off here for a few months."

"So, this is like your permanent safe house?" The black man asked.

"Yes," Nick hissed. "And there's no vacancy."

"Nick!" Ellis turned to the conman sharply, though his glare wa still locked on the small group. "You can't just blow 'em off like that."

"Yeah, come on suit!" The biker said, throwing an unwanted arm over the gamblers shoulders. "Help a brother out."

"Hands off, grease ball." Nick pulled out of his grasp with a quick jerk, wiping whatever trail of sweat and dirt the other man may have left off his jacket.

"Whoa there, Colonel Sanders," The tattooed man pulled his hands away in a mock defense as he chuckled. "No need to freak out. Looks like your suit is just as bad as my vest anyway."

Nick almost fired back before the black man jumped in.

"That's enough Francis. They were here first. We'll just have to keep moving." He looked to Ellis. "Thanks for getting us out of that jam."

"Wait, now hold on a sec." The country boy stopped them. "Nick, we can't just let them back out there without at least helpin' first. You know it's a livin' hell out there!"

"Yeah, come on." The girl stepped up beside the country boy, placing a hand on his shoulder and making the conman twitch. "Could we please just stay for the night?"

"No." Nick answered venomously, grabbing Ellis by his fore arm and pulling the kid towards himself and out of the girl's grip. "And 'hands off', applies to you too sweetheart."

She gave him a disturbed glance and crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one leg. "I'm sorry, have I done something to you?"

"Yeah, you came here."

"Alright yall, knock it off." Ellis stepped between them, slipping from the gambler's grasp. "It's gettin' late. Nick, we've got a spare room! Let 'em just heal and rest up for the night, then if you still want 'em to go tomorrow, they'll go. Okay?"

Nick thought for a moment, not trusting a single one of the trio that had joined them, especially the bitch, but he knew Ellis would have a fit if he didn't at least let them stay for the night. "One night." He hissed. "That's it." He finished by making a promise to himself: That if that girl dared to make a move on the country boy, he'd find someway to chain her to a charger and act as a matador on the other side of the fence.

"Thank you." The black man said first, followed by the others. "Come on, let's get inside."

Ellis led the three new survivors into the house. "Rochelle, Coach! Come here!" He called down the hallway, doors opening a moment later.

"What is it Ell..." The black woman stopped as her eyes fell on the three strangers that followed him. "Ellis.. who...?"

"Survivors!" The country boy grinned as they all crowded into the main room. "Three of 'em from Fairfield! They're gonna spend the night here, then we're gonna see if Nick'll let 'em stay with us."

"Not happening." Nick chimed in, retaking his seat and picking up his book as he reclined back, trying to ignore the rest of the conversation.

"Well I'll be damned." Coach said as he looked to them. "Fairfield. Heh, I heard ya'll got some good cheese steak up there."

"Oo, brother do you know it." The other black man responded, holding out his hand. "I'm Louis."

"Coach." The said man smiled and returned the handshake.

The girl behind him moved around and was noticed by the black woman.

"Oh, thank God." Rochelle sighed, taking her hand. "I thought I might be the last woman on Earth."

The girl laughed. "Yeah, I know that feeling. My name is Zoey."

"Rochelle."

"'Dee-Pec Mode'. Classy." She turned at the new voice, her eyes landing on the biker behind her. "Nice shirt, Rochelle. I'm Francis." He complimented.

"Thanks, Francis." She gave him her best flirtatious smile as she shook his hand, running the other along the neckline of his leather outer wear. "Nice vest."

"Francis?" Zoey cocked an eyebrow, looking strangely at first her older companion, followed by the new one. "Really? Tell me you're joking."

"What?" The biker asked. "Obviously she's a woman of taste."

The pink hooded girl simply shrugged it off and turned to the country boy. "So your name is Ellis, right?"

"Yeah! That's me." He smiled warmly and shook her hand.

"I'm Zoey." She returned the perky grin through her tiredness. "So, what did I do earlier?"

"What'd ya mean?" Ellis asked in confusion.

"How exactly did I spit in fancy's tea?" She asked, motioning to Nick who was no listening carefully.

"Oh, Nick?" The country boy waved it off. "He's jus' like that with ev'ryone 'til ya get to know him."

"Will I get the chance to get to know you?"

At that Nick's grip tightened on his book. He knew the underlying meaning in her words.

"Well sure if I can convince him to let ya stay." Ellis grinned, the gambler shaking his head at the kid's obliviousness.

"Great." She threw her arms over the country boy's shoulder, embracing him in a grateful hug. "Thanks again for letting us stay the night."

"Uh, No problem Zoe." Ellis responded somewhat awkwardly as she pulled away.

At that Nick laid down his book and released a full glare on the girl as she walked off, going to talk to another survivor. He stood and passed by Ellis, calling him into the hallway with him.

"What's up Nick?" He was barely able to get the phrase out of his mouth before the gambler crushed their lips together. He took a step forward, locking the country boy against the wall behind him as he dove a little deeper into his mouth, sending a light hum of vibrations up through his throat and into the other's mouth. When he pulled away the intensity of the moment had yet to catch up with Ellis, so he was unable to ask why the gambler had done so.

"Don't forget that." Was all he said before turning and residing back into their bedroom, leaving the country boy with a mound of questions as he returned to the group to settle on sleeping arrangements.

The task wasn't as difficult as Ellis had originally thought. Rochelle and Francis continued to hit it off, so she offered to let him sleep in her room, nothing else implied. Louis didn't really mind where due to his tiredness and crashed on the couch. That left Zoey the solitary victor of the spare room next to his and Nick's.

After this was officially decided, each went to their designated areas. Ellis walked in to see Nick already laying on the bed, having changed out of his suit to not get it wrinkled during the night, and eyes closed as he faced upwards. The country boy went against changing, but slid out of his overalls and boots to lay in his boxers beside the gambler.

"I know you're awake." He smiled, watching to see if that got a rise out of the man.

"I'd prefer not to be." Nick responded heavily, still pissed about that girl.

"Aw, come on Nick." Ellis nudged him softly. "Ya can't be upset 'bout one night."

The conman snorted. "I can argue a few reasons."

"Like what?" The country boy rolled onto his side, propping his head in his hand.

Nick continued to stare up at the ceiling. "I don't trust them."

"Well ya don't have to trust 'em, ya jus' gotta let them rest up here for awhile." He shrugged. He knew Nick wasn't going to go easily on the three new members of their little 'family'.

"The army only gave us enough stuff for the four of us, Ellis." The conman continued. "We'll be giving away almost half our stuff and have to go back to scrounging around outside in that hell hole of a world past that fence? Yeah, no way." He turned away from the country boy and closed his eyes.

Ellis sighed. "Ya know it coulda jus' been you with all this stuff." Nick listened closely. "When we were back at the hotel in Georgia, ya coulda jus' left us there and gone out on your own. But look at what happened 'cause you decided to stay! Ya got me, Coach, Ro, and we're all safe for the next few months at least. Hell man, we're heroes!" He chuckled lightly at the thought for a moment before continuing. "And think 'bout what else we got. If ya would've left, I would've never gotten to know ya."

There were a few beats of silence before Nick turned once more, facing the low smiling hick. "I wouldn't be here Ellis, remember?" He asked. "I died. You're the one who would've made it."

A lump caught in Ellis' throat at the memory, but he continued. "So what 'bout them? What if they can't make it?"

The gambler paused for a moment in thought and sighed. "Alright, they can stay." He agreed, the country boy's face broadening into a lopsided grin. "But I still want their dog to sleep outside."

"Dog?" Ellis asked, having no memory of said pet. "Nick, they didn't bring a dog."

"Yeah, but they brought a bitch."

The country boy's jaw dropped at his comment and he demanded the gambler take it back to no avail.

"That ain't funny." He ended his one sided argument with a pout and turned away from the conman.

Nick simply smirked and snaked his arms around his back. "Yes it is. You just don't see the humor in it." With that as his final note, he drifted off to sleep.

Over the next week, the survivors started to cope with having three new people joining their group. The MREs were half rationed, trying to make it last as long as possible, and other items as well. The water tanks outside seemed like they would last, so there was no limit placed on it. All in all the conditions weren't bad, and a majority of the group began to form friendships with one another.

Coach and Louis had picked up the habit of sharing stories with each other, either about their battle to get here or about food festivals and such in between Savannah and Fairfield. Louis didn't look like it, but Coach had no doubt the man could eat. He also learned that there had been a fourth survivor among them, a humanitarian veteran named Bill who so charitably gave his life so the rest of the group could get to safety. Coach wished he could've met that man.

As for Francis and Rochelle, it was as if a smoker had caught two victims together instead of one. They couldn't stay away! If one was seen the other was only a second behind. Although they hadn't said anything about it, everyone ran under the assumption that they were together, leaving plenty of room for teasing. Nick was the first to set up in that area, making jokes and underlying implications in his speech, to which the black woman recoiled in snarky comments, mostly pertaining to his relationship with Ellis.

Apparently to Nick, the other girl of the group either didn't seem to notice these comments or she chose to ignore them. She and the country boy were becoming fast friends, despite the constant unleaving glower that the conman had on her. She would often shine Ellis with a brilliant college girl smile and make subtle gestures like lay her hand over his or flick the brim of his hat, just silly little girly things that made Nick's skin crawl.

If it wasn't for the fact that he trusted Ellis to not do anything, he would've already proceeded to drag out the pink clad girl by her pony tail and toss a bile bomb in her face. So he tried to relax, not feel as on edge just because the girl was around, but this day she was making it near impossible for him to hold still.

"Hey Ellis." She smiled as she returned from the pantry, opening a packet of mango peach apple sauce.

"Oh hey Zoe, what's up?" The country boy returned the expression as he jumped up, sitting on the counter top.

"Nothing much I'm actually kinda bored."

"Bored?"

"Yeah." She paused to take a bite. "There's just not a lot to do around here, you know?"

"Yeah, it can get pretty dull sometimes." The country boy agreed.

"Do you wanna head into town as shoot some walkers?" She offered, Nick looking up and stood as she continued. "The military left you with some guns right? Any pistols?"

"Well, yeah," Ellis scratched his head in thought. "But I think the only pistols we got were brought in by Nick. What about yours?"

"Ah the damn thing is jammed." She said, pulling out said gun from her belt and placing it on the table. "I can't fix it." The conman looked to the handgun as he passed into the pantry, he knew she was definitely pulling something.

"Really?" Ellis asked, removing the cartridge and looking down the barrel. "I don't think it's jammed. Jus' a little dirty is all." He picked up a rag and grabbed a pencil from their writing material. He placed the cloth on the eraser's tip and forced it through the neck of the gun a few good times, removing it of all clogging. "There," He said, snapping the cartridge back in place. "Good as new now."

Zoey smiled and took the pistol from him. She grabbed his hand and walked over to the window, sliding it open to take aim at a building not far off. She clicked the trigger and the gun fired successful, putting a small hole in the exterior of the other house.

"It works." She grinned brilliantly, throwing her arms over the country boy's shoulders. "Thank you Ellis."

He smiled smally and returned her hug. "No problem Zoe."

She pulled away more slowly this time, looking into Ellis' eyes with an innocent glimmer before slowly moving her lips towards him. The country boy was surprised from the action and froze for a second, getting ready to run when an iron grip on the back of his bull shifter shirt yanked him back, pulling him out of the disappointed and infuriated girl's grasp.

"Hey!" She yelled angrily at the man who had stopped her.

Nick didn't respond as he dragged the tripping Ellis back through the hallway and into their room, slamming the door shut, the country boy calling his name the entire time.

"Nick! What the-"

"What the hell was that?!" The gambler demanded, his voice raising.

"Nick, I didn't do anythin'-"

"That's the problem Overalls, you were just going to let her take you. Dammit Ellis! Why the hell would you do that to me?"

"Nick, I-"

"Can it, Sport, just shut up for once and listen to me. I trusted you, Ellis! Goddamnit do you have any idea how big of a deal that is? I've never trusted anyone before. And now this Ellen Page look alike bitch comes along and you're just going to-"

"NICK!"

"DAMMIT ELLIS JUST SHUT THE HELL -"

The country boy silenced him by latching his lips onto the heated gambler's, holding one hand firmly to the back of his head and the other arm laced around his shoulders. He held the rambling man there until he felt his rigid position soften and his lips begin to press back.

He pulled away easily. "Nick, I wasn't gonna let her kiss me." He explained. "Sure, I panicked for a moment when I figured out what she was doin', but I was gettin' ready to run like a witch before you decided to jump in and pull me back here. Now Imma be honest, Zoey is very pretty and she's a lot of fun to talk to. But you? Shit man I've traveled states with you! You've healed me, helped me, hell, you got me on a roller coasted in the middle of a zombie apocalypse!" The conman smirked at the memory. "She can't do any of that. I'm glad I've got you. Alright?"

Nick was silent for a moment. "I still don't trust her."

"But ya trust me, don't ya?"

"...yes."

Ellis smiled. "Then you've got nothin' to worry 'bout."

Nick scoffed. "I wasn't worried."

"Ya liar!" The country boy pulled out of his grasp, an amused look on his face. "You were as much as a green eyed monster in jealousy!"

"... shut up." Nick ended it, giving Ellis a quick nip on the lips before allowing him to go out of the room and explain to Zoey what had happened, though he still thought the dog should be put outside.


Cold

"Ellis..."

The said country boy didn't stir to the soft rumbling voice that whispered his name, rather he simply listened and enjoyed it.

"Ellis..."

It was soothing to hear his name come from such a voice, especially in his still dream like state. He smiled slightly and wrapped himself tighter in the blankets.

Nick growled slightly at the unresponsiveness he was receiving. It was mid morning, the kid should've been up by now and he was growing increasingly impatient. He knew that Ellis had been upset to learn that because of the apocalypse they had fought through Christmas unknowingly. He guessed it didn't usually get cold in the south, so the country boy had no real way of telling.

But when the gambler had woken this morning, he had discovered a semi-pleasant sight beyond his window, something Ellis would enjoy. If the hick would ever wake up. Nick decided to go for a different approach.

"Hey Overalls, your hat's outside getting used as a zombie chew toy."

Ellis' eyes shot open immediately after his bluff, the country boy flinging off the covers and standing in a hurry as the conman covered his eyes.

"H-hey!" Ellis figited. "Nick! This isn't funny man, I need my hat!"

"Your hat's fine Sport." Nick assured him, taking one hand away from the kid's face to drop the beloved object on his head. "Here. You were taking forever to get up."

"Why did I need to get up?" He questioned, still confused as to why the gambler covered his eyes.

"I've got a surprise for you. I'm going to let you go, and you're going to put your boots on without looking out the window. Okay?"

"Um, okay..." Ellis answered, regaining his sight. His eyes instantly went to the floor as he started to apply his work boots. "We're goin' out?"

"Something like that." Nick shrugged. "Now come on, I'm starting to change my mind."

The country boy grinned and stuffed the laces into the hem of the shoe, looking up to the gambler. "I'm ready."

"Good." Nick once again covered his eyes and started carefully leading him down the hallway, over to the front door. He turned to knob and opened the door wide before removing his other hand.

The southerner blinked a few times to adjust to the new light and gasped at the sight. The ground outside was littered in a sheet of white.

"It's snow!" He said excitedly, an elated smile on his face. "I've never played in the snow before!"

"Then go knock yourself out." Nick encouraged.

"Come with me!" Ellis tugged on the conman's arm like a small child anxiously.

"I've seen snow before Overalls, and it's not all that great." The northerner smirked at the southerner's enthusiasm. "You're going to be cold and wet when your done, so I'm going to stay out of your way."

Ellis pouted for a moment then shrugged it off, more fun and snow for him. He ran into the open yard and fell onto his back, starting to make a snow angel much to Nick's surprise. The kid didn't even have long sleeves, but that didn't seem to stop him.

"I tell ya what Nick, you're missin' out." The country boy smiled as he sat up, turning back to see his work.

"Hey Ellis."

The country boy turned just in time to receive a compact ball of snow square in the face.

Nick couldn't help the uproar of laughter that erupted from his throat, the sight of the confused southerner tanking a snow ball to the face was just too hilarious. Ellis wiped slush from his face, the coldness of it leaving him with goose bumps as he stood.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now!" He grinned and picked up some of the snow in his bare hands, firing it at the gambler and hitting him successfully in the chest.

A few moments into their battle Rochelle looked out the door, staring at them with brows furrowed. "Are you guys seriously having a snow ball fight?"

"Hell yeah!" Ellis called to her, narrowly missing the snow that flew by his left shoulder.

"Cool!" Francis squeezed by the black woman and ran out to join the fight. "I can't wait to get a hit on you suit!"

The conman smirked in an arrogant fashion. "Not with your eyesight. I'm not even wearing my suit." He chucked a ball of snow at the vest wearing biker, hitting him on one side of his face.

Rochelle stood in the doorway a moment longer before the rest of the survivors from the house all gathered around to see the action. They are started cheering for the various participants, then one by one joined in as well. The battle became feirce as teams started to form, Francis and Rochelle, Coach and Louis, and Nick, Ellis, and Zoey, much to the gambler's dismay. The sound of shouting attracted nearby walkers, but quickly stopped as they reached the fence line.

The war waged for about half an hour before everyone started feeling the affects, and headed back inside to start up a fire. Nick led Ellis back to their room, the poor southerner racked with shivers as his wet clothes became more apparent.

"See? What did I tell you?" The gambler asked as he closed the door behind. "Cold and wet."

"I don't even care." Ellis grinned as he blew on his hands, trying to warm them. "That was the most fun I ever had durin' the winter. Georgia don't ever get cold like this."

Nick passed him his change of clothes and started to undress. The gambler had carefully thought this plan through, so that his black attire would be soaked and not his clean-for-the-most-part white suit. Ellis on the other hand was stuck with his freezing bull shifters shirt and heavy overalls, so when he changed he still had a fair amount of skin exposed.

"Go get warm." The conman ordered him, buttoning his dress shirt. "Coach should have a fire started by now."

The country didn't argue and headed out, a couple of the others sitting by the slow growing flames. He wouldn't admit it, but in a way he was secretly glad it hadn't snown before, it was much to cold for his taste. He shuttered and crossed his arms from his place on the couch, rubbing them firmly to try to regain some heat.

A moment later he felt something being laid over his back and around his shoulders, he looked up to see Nick behind him as he straighten the jacket. He then walked around the couch and sat beside him, wrapping one arm around his backside and pulling the southerner closer into his warm chest.

"Nick, ya need your jacket!" Ellis objected. "You're cold too."

"I'm used to it Sport, you're not." The northerner said calmly as he fitted the boy closer. "Besides I have longer sleeves."

"Well yeah, but-" Nick cut him off with a quick peck to his frosty lips.

"Just enjoy it, alright?"

Ellis had no further objections as he reclinded closer to the gambler, taking in all the warmth he could from his first ever snow day.


Don't Ever Do That Again

Nick knew he should've just kept his mouth shut. He knew he should've just ignored the constant whining that came from the country boy as he tried to make their current conditions more 'homey'. He knew that when Ellis had picked up the calender, running around to everyone else asking for their birthdays he should've just lied. They were still in the middle of a goddamn apocalypse! What did it matter now?

But of course, persistent as ever was the hick, and when he started to look the slightest bit depressed at the gambler's self exclusion, the normal happy-go-lucky glint in his excited blue eyes gone, he caved. He had to go run his mouth about his birthday being January 26th, just two days away.

The look on the country boy's face that followed was one containing a mixture of shock, determination, uncertainty, and dissatisfaction. He then promised the gambler he would have something for for his birthday, despite his several objections and variations of a solid 'no'. So later in the evening, Ellis quieted down and told him he wouldn't do anything for his birthday, letting Nick breath a sigh of relief.

What happened next? Nick woke up to a note on the pillow where Ellis was supposed to be sleeping that read

"Sorry Nick. I can't just do nothing for your birthday. I promise we'll be back in time for it."

That was all. No further explanation, no clues as to where he or the others whoever they were went, just the promise he'd be back in time for his birthday. What the hell was he doing?! Not telling him anything and just up and leaving because of his stupid birthday?! Who gave a shit? He didn't even care!

He cursed and got out of bed, readying his gear to follow before Rochelle intercepted him at the door. She gave him the unwanted run down that Ellis was doing this as a gift for him and he couldn't just go spoil it, but it fell onto deaf ears. By the fourth time he had tried to evade her and sneak out to track down the country boy, the black woman had threatened to friendly fire him.

He grumbled bitterly and fell onto the couch, running a hand down the side of his face. Rochelle had also refused to give him any hints or clues onto what the group was doing or where they were, but she did inform him that the hick had done with Francis and Coach, so at least he wasn't alone.

After knowing all he was allowed to, the day dragged on into a sleepless, worry filled night. All he could think about were negative draw backs. Sure, Ellis was a great shot as well as Coach, hell, even Francis had shown some skill with a gun, but what if something went wrong? What if someone shot a gas tank and they all got burned? Or what if they got trapped inside one of the broken buildings and stepped on a faulty plank, sending them to the ground?

If Coach got badly hurt and couldn't walk, it would be impossible for the other two to get him back, let alone safely. All it would take is a bad run in with a charger to knock one of them out for the count. What if they ran into a tank? What if Ellis...?

Nick growled and tried to force the thoughts from his head. It was only mid morning on the second day, but going without sleep was taking a toll on his mind and his nerves. It was his birthday today. Ellis promised to be back.

"Nick, sweety, you've got to relax." Rochelle tried to sooth him.

"Where the hell is he?" The gambler snapped, stopping his pace, unsure of when he had started, and headed to the door.

"He promised he'd be back today, it's only the morning." She walked up behind the man, his eyes dead set on the distance as he watched for the slightest glimpse of the yellow shirt or the brim of the country boy's hat. "You have to wait, give them some time."

"I'm sick of waiting, I want to know where the hell he is!" Nick snapped, a bit more harshly than he intended to.

Rochelle simply sighed and turned from him, going back down the hallway to her room. Nick stood in full alert as his eyes darted over the lawn, his heart in his throat as he felt his chest start to twist once more. He stepped out of the door frame and started around the house, his thoughts distracting him from any sounds surrounding him. He started to turn the second corner when a grotesque arm lunged at him, an infected face to follow. The gambler jumped back in a curse and got ready to run when he heard a trio of guns firing all at once, knocking down the bloody individual, and getting the muck all over his black shirt.

It took Nick's brain a moment to process what had happened. "Ellis?!" He called out, he then the others following as the turned the corner.

"Nick!" The country boy's eyes flicked worriedly over the blood on the conman's shirt. "Shit man are you okay? Son of a bitch ran in right in front of us!"

"Okay?" Nick was relieved to see that Ellis was alright, but seeing this way only refueled his anger, and he was ready to explode. "No, I most certainly am no okay. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Whoa El, you really called it!" Francis began to laugh.

"What's so funny grease ball?" Nick snapped his attention to the biker for a quick moment.

"Ellis said you'd be upset when we left and you'd blow up when we got back." Coach explained.

"I'm not upset, I'm furious." The conman growled, looking back to the country boy before him who was still holding a subtle smile.

"Look, I promise I'll explain everythin'." He said. "Let's jus' get inside first, it's startin' to get cold out here again."

The four made their way into the house, Nick turning with an expectant look the second the door was shut. "Start talking."

"Hold up a sec and let me show ya what I got ya." Ellis stopped him. "Close your eyes."

Nick refused for a moment then let off an annoyed groan as he complied. He felt the country boy take both his hands and lift them, forcing him to hold them out in waiting. He heard Ellis fumble with is pockets for a few moments before there was the short sound of something clacking as his left hand was filled lightly, followed by his right with a heavier rectangle.

"Alright," Even with his eyes closed Nick could here the anticipation in the kid's voice. "Open 'em."

Nick followed the instructions and looked down to his hands in marvel, jaw dropping slightly and eyes widening at the sight. There in his palms laid six poker chips and a used deck of cards. The gambler half chuckled in disbelief as he rolled the colorful clay pieces over his fingers.

"Ellis..." He started in astonishment, looking to the silently elated country boy. "How did you...?"

"Well I might not've remembered much 'bout my trip to New Orleans with Keith, but I did remember a bar we went to up north of the city. It was sweet man, some of the best beer I ever had in my life. Then I remembered they had a few poker tables set up, and I figured since no one really thinks to pack that sort of stuff for an apocalypse it outta still be there." He paused for a moment, checking to see if the stunned gambler had been listening. He was. "So, uh, happy birthday Nick!"

The conman was still dumbstruck as he heard the country boy's explanation, but he had carefully heard every word. He closed his palm around the chips and opened the box of cards, looking through them for a quick moment to be sure they were all there and shuffled.

"Take one." He said, holding out the fan of red to Ellis.

The kid was confused, but intrigued, so he followed the requesting, picking out none other than the ace of hearts. He was about to ask if the gambler had done it on purpose, but as he began to shuffle the deck idly, he cast the thought aside.

"Put it back." Again Ellis complied.

Nick knew the trick he was doing was incredibly simple as he shuffled the cards once more, but the motivated look on the hick's face told him it was one of the most incredible things he'd seen. He didn't know what card Ellis had drawn, but he knew exactly where it was having placed the king of spades three cards behind it. All he had to do was reach the king and therefore find the country boy's card.

That's what he did. He lifted up the ace of hearts and showed it to everyone, all looking fairly impressed except for the mind-blown kid.

"How'd ya do that?" He asked, taking the card to make sure it wasn't marked anywhere.

Nick smirked and motioned the country boy closer. The gambler waited until his lips were just beside the shell of Ellis' ear before saying.

"Magic." He whispered, pulling away with a presumptuous grin.

The gears in Ellis' brain had started turning slowly, processing what the conman had said before he gave him an unamused look. "Nick ya know that ain't-"

The gambler cut him off with a quick kiss, making a mental note of this becoming a regular thing, not that he minded in the slightest. "Thank you." He said as he pulled away.

Ellis' face flushed slightly as he smiled in response. "Nothin' to it."

"Oh, an Sport?" Nick captured his attention before turning. "Don't ever do this again."


Candy is Cheap, Roses are Tacky...

It was by the grace of god that Nick found a packet of coffee in the morning, the all identical looking MREs hard enough to sort on their own. Instant coffee would be instantly satisfying in his tired mind. Did they have hot water anymore? No. A working stove to heat it? No. Did the coffee provide caffine? Nick checked the label to find the answer to that question was in fact yes, and that's all he cared about.

He spent five aggravating minutes trying to stir the powder into the cold water, but eventually settled for the best he got with a majority of it mixed in. He downed half the cup on his first drink and cringed at the tasted. Definitely military war zone food. He finished the rest of the black muck and tossed the trash aside, slowly starting to feel somewhat awake.

He happened to notice the calender, something he usually didn't pay much mind to, but he noticed a date was circled on it and his eyes narrowed. He couldn't hold back a groan, the date was valentines day, and it was only a week away. Why couldn't CEDA have secured them during a time there wasn't so many goddamn holidays?

He sighed as he stood, walking over to the table of days just to be sure. It wasn't so much a holiday as he hated, it was more like he hated the people and reactions that are involved with it. Always so perky and lovey dovey, buying each other cheap, tacky gifts because it was required. And he was it everywhere, every year. From the parades in New York to the elopes in Vegas, although that was more of a common thing...

Still, this year he knew he'd be forced to participate. Ellis jumped at any holiday occasion, especially being as he was trying to brighten the mode while they were all stuck together. He always had the best intentions like that. In all honest, Nick might not have even minded participating except for the fact their was absolutely nothing he could do. It's not like there were many shops or restaurants open during the apocalypse he could take the country boy to. Sure, he had appreciated the gesture he had received when the kid went out an got him an incredible birthday gift, but he was damn sure that it wasn't going to happen again.

So there was no flowers, no chocolate, no fancy dinners or going out on the town. He would need to do something within the confines of the safe house, and he wasn't even close to the creative type of person he would need to be in order to do that.

"Good morning Nick." Rochelle smiled as she stepped past him and into the pantry.

"Morning Ro." He answered dryly, changing as he started to get an idea. "Hey Ro, what are your plans for next week?"

The black woman stepped from the cabinet, a packet of something in hand as she looked past him to the calender, then back to the gambler with narrowed eyes. "Why do you want to know?" She asked suspiciously.

"Just curious." Nick lied with a shrug.

Rochelle hmmed, not buying it. "Look Nick, if you're planning on screwing me over by doing something to Francis I'm going to-"

"Whoa whoa, calm down." The conman raised his hands in defense for a moment, surprised by her outburst before lowering them and sighing. "Look, I want to do something for Ellis but I have no idea how."

"Ohhhhh" Rochelle nodded in understanding. "Well do you have any traditions?"

Nick scoffed. "Do I really look like I've ever done this shit?"

She gave him an open mouthed stare. "You've never celebrated valentine's day?"

"I didn't care to." He shrugged, he didn't understand what the big deal was. "So I need you to tell me what to do."

"Tell you?" The girl laughed. "No one can tell you. Valentines comes from the heart, Nick. You have to figure out what you want to do for Ellis."

"So that's it?" The gambler said irritably, back to square one. "You can't help me at all?"

Rochelle sighed and shook her head, mostly out of obvious pity for the man. "Fine. Here's an idea. He likes music, right? Write him something. A song, a poem..."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"You got a better idea?" She gave him a typical, sassy black girl look and the gambler groaned.

He walked over to a table where the writing material was and picked up a notebook and pen. He sprawled himself lazily over two of the couch cushions, his back propped up on the arm, and began to think of what to write.

Half an hour passed and Nick sunk his head into his hands.

"Aw, what's wrong suit?" The gambler's eyes slowly rolled up to see Francis enter and take a seat facing him on the other end of the couch. "Thousand dollar panties in a bunch?" He laughed.

The conman gave him an unamused glare, then swapped to his poker face, getting ready to pull a fast one over the unexpectant biker. "No but you might want to check with Rochelle's, considering your already screwing shit up." He said calmly as he stood, Francis quick to follow.

"I'm what!?" The bearded man panicked as Nick stared plainly at him, amusement hidden behind his mask. "What do you mean I'm screwing shit up?"

"Not my place." The conman snapped the note book shut and headed into the hallway. "But if I were you, I'd invest in cup." Once out of sight he smirked, leaving the worried biker to try to figure out what he did.

The next few days went by slowly, nothing new or unusual to the group except for Ellis. The happy go lucky southerner seemed a bit dulled, becoming increasingly sluggish as the holiday approached. Everyone but Nick seemed to notice, as he was still caught up with trying to find something, anything to give to the hick for Valentines day. In a way, Ellis started to bum out some of the others to the point of confrontation.

"Hey Ellis,"

The country boy looked up from his drifted gaze at the counter top to see Louis standing before him.

"Oh hey Louis..." He trailed off slightly.

"What's wrong?" The black man asked, opening a pouch of jambalaya.

"Man..." Ellis sighed. "It's Valentine's day tomorrow."

Louis shrugged and took a bite. "So?"

"So I've got nothin'!" The country boy exploded, tossing his hands in the air. "Hell, Nick doesn't want me to go out like I did last time for his birthday, but I have no other ideas! What am I supposed to do?"

"Easy Ellis," The black man tried to calm him down. "Look, I know it's hard, and I understand you want to show Nick how you feel, but you can't go back out there. You just have to get creative, use that story telling imagination your so good at. You'll think of something." He gave Ellis a pat of the shoulder before heading down the hallway.

The country boy sat for a moment longer, pondering the thought Louis had given before smiling brightly and going to retrieve a pen and some paper. Much to his dismay, he couldn't find the notebook.

"Hey Zoe?" He called down the hallway, the brunette appearing from her doorway a moment later.

"What's up Ellis?" She asked smiling.

He looked to here desperately. "I have a favor to ask ya."

"Well, what is it?" She leaned back against the wall.

"I need to barrow a page from your journal." He explained, the girl starting to turn a visible shade of pink. "Not one that's already been written on, jus' a blank one! I wanna make Nick somethin' for Valentine's day and I can't find the notebook anywhere."

Zoey nodded once and understanding and the flush faded from her cheeks. She had a distaste for Nick, but being as it was Ellis who had asked for the favor she retreated to her room and received the article in question.

"Ah yes! You're a life saver." Ellis took the paper from her and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks Zoe."

"No problem." She smiled and returned to her room as the country boy ran back to the main one.

Plopping himself on the couch, he started to scribble on the page. He was making corrections and scratching out little things until late in the evening. Nick didn't even bother to come looking for him, being as he was doing the same thing within their room. Eventually he fell asleep happily, tucked partially between the cushions as his paper gift to the other man sat beside on the small coffee table. Another hour or so went by before Nick finished and went to search for him. At the sight of the sleeping country boy he simply sighed and picked up the limp body, causing Ellis to stir slightly. The gambler got a small smile from seeing his sleeping form, then dropped him onto the bed and fell asleep beside him.

The next morning Ellis woke first, immediately panicked at not knowing where he was of how he had gotten there, but when Nick's arm tightened around his waist he calmed down. Then like a roller coaster spiked up at remembering he had left his gift in plain view out on the coffee table. He quickly wiggled out of the conman's grasp and jumped from the bed, speeding into the living room to see Francis sitting on the couch beside Rochelle, punching him lightly and mumbling something as he read the note in hand.

"Hey, Ellis!" The biker called as he noticed the country boy. "Who's Keith?"

Heat rose into the southerner's cheeks as he snatched the paper away, mumbling something about how he should've been listening to all the stories he's told about his former friend. He folded the note and shoved it into his pocket then stalked to the pantry, his cap staying in front of his face.

Sometime following Nick had woken up and entered the main room, Rochelle giving Francis a hard threat to not say a word. The gambler cocked a suspicious brow and shrugged it off as he went into the kitchen.

"Mornin' Nick." Ellis smiled broadly at him.

"Morning Overalls." The conman replied, shuffling through the stash of food. "Why are you up so early?"

"Oh, I jus'... remembered somethin'..." The country boy flushed again as the biker in the other room began to snicker, followed by an 'ow!' accompanied by a slap. Ellis cleared his throat. "Uh, happy Valentine's day Nick."

The shuffling stopped and the gambler turned, making his way over to the southerner in an easy manner. There was a certain glint in his grey green eyes, sparking intensity. Before Ellis had the chance to question it, Nick tilted his chin up the slightest bit and left a soothingly soft kiss on his plump lips.

"Happy Valentine's day." He said lowly, a small smile on his face.

The country boy was a tad thrown off by the out of character gesture but smiled all the more. "I have somethin' for ya." He said bravely, soon being stifled as he fought back another blush. "I know ya didn't want me to go runnin' off like I did on your birthday, so... so I wrote you somethin'..."

He retrieved the slightly crumpled paper from his pocket and held it out to the gambler. Nick took it a bit surprised and opened it, seeing a few scribbles and dashed out words. But down the page ran fluent sentences that formed a poem as he read.

I don't know shit 'bout poetry,
So, correct me if I'm wrong,
But it's supposed to have a rhymin' word,
Kinda like a Midnight Rider's song?

Clearly I don't have much experience in this,
No stories with Keith too,
But boy have I got a lot of stories for him now,
'bout my adventures here with you.

Man, who would've guessed, ya know?
Certainly not me.
The con artist and the mechanic,
like somethin' of tv.

And at a time like this, damn!
I mean sure, fate has it's ways,
but in the middle of this zombie shit,
we become sweethearts on the bay?

But you know I'm glad it happened,
Without it there's no killin' to do.
We would've never even met,
And I would've never gotten to love you.

Nick's eyes lingered on the bottom of the page a little longer, a little incredulous in his thoughts.

"It would look nicer, but I couldn't find the note book." Ellis explained, not really having to.

"This is great Ellis," The gambler said, he was always astonished the kid could find a way to make him be at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say." He paused for a moment and reached into his suit. "Here." He held out the missing note pad, writing on the top page it was opened to.

The country boy's jaw dropped. "Ya had it the whole time?"

"Yeah, but with good reason." He motioned for Ellis to take the paper once more. "Take a look."

Ellis took the notebook from him and looked to the writing on top. The hand writing was incredible, like something you would only see in fancy documents or movies, and the message that it was written in was just as much so.

Perfect.
I'm stranded on this rooftop, the choppers gone in sets of two.
I'm stuck with a coach, a bitch, and this country hick.
But still, I didn't know you.

You were annoying as hell.
Your stupid stories and hat too.
And I was stuck with it, with you hick.
But still, I didn't know you.

You always came back for me,
Through chargers and burning goo,
Through smoke and spit in this zombie shit,
But still i didn't know you.

I desperately wanted to hate you,
But it was something I couldn't do.
Maybe it was you eyes or your smile,
But suddenly I wanted to know you.

Something changed for me that night,
When you started kissing back too.
Like me you might not be perfect,
But still, that's why I love you.

"Whoa..." Ellis mumbled as he reached the bottom of the page. "I wasn't expectin' that..."

"What?" Nick asked.

"Well, it's jus' ya said you loved me..." He trailed off.

"You didn't think I did?" The gambler asked, feeling a small pang at the unexpected reaction. "You said it too."

"No no, I thought ya did it's jus'... I wasn't actually expectin' to hear ya say it."

Nick nodded slightly. "Yeah," He sighed. "I know the feeling Overalls."

There was a moment of silence between them, not so much awkward as just unsure of how to continue.

"Nick?" The country boy was the first to start, grabbing the gambler's full attention as he scratched at his neck sheepishly. "Well I, uh... I love you." He said, the blush on his face still apparent.

Nick let a relaxed smile cross his face as he took the country boy in his arms, pulling him closer. "I love you too Ellis."

They snaked their arms a little further, standing chest to chest as the dove into a plunge of passion, taking full advantage of the closeness as they battled it out for dominance.

"Oh, get a room!" Francis called to them, receiving another smack from Rochelle.

Ellis turned a darker shade of red as he pulled away, Nick simply glanced into the other room to the snicking pig. Without a second thought he threw the country boy over his shoulder, one hand supporting him as he protested and crossed in front of the surprised pair.

"We will." He responded to the stunned biker, passing through to the hallway and into his and Rochelle's room, clicking the lock with a victorious smirk as the two chased behind and started to bang with objection from the other side. He kept up the charade a few moments longer before turning to the let down Ellis, a question lingering on his mind.

"Hey kid, where'd you get this paper?" He asked, looking over the lightly tented blue page.

"Well uh..." Ellis scratched his neck, pondering how to answer his question. "I'll tell ya, but ya can't get mad, alright?"

Nick's brow furrowed. "Why would I get mad?"

A moment later the door flung open with a loud BOOM, the country boy shoving by Rochelle and Francis as he run as fast as he could, one hand clinging to his hat. An infuriated Nick next to follow.

"ROCHELLE NICK CALLED YA A BITCH IN HIS POEM!" He called, turning sharply as he slid for the door. "GET 'EM BEFORE HE KILLS ME!"

"YOU'ER GONNA PAY FOR THAT TOO OVERALLS!" Nick informed him as he ran behind, trying to catch the southerner as he sprinted into the yard.


Beginner's Luck

The sound of shuffling cards recaptured the country boy's attention, pulling him from his confused thoughts.

"Think you can handle that Overalls?" The gambler asked, cutting the deck as he had been doing the past few minutes.

"Uh..." Ellis tried to rack through his brain for the proper answer. "Can ya say it one more time?"

Nick sighed. "Look, it's not nearly as hard as it sounds. Just read the notes I gave you." He leaned closer in a teasing, questioning way. "You can read, can't you?"

"I can!" The southerner shoved back the gambler with failing-to-be-serious smile. "I jus' don't understand is all. I'm tryin' to get one of these?" He asked, pointing to the several detailed notes and symbols that littered the cheat sheet.

"No, you're playing to get the better hand." Nick sighed at the kid's blank stare, still nothing sparking. "Here," He flipped over the deck and began looking through, picking out a few cards. "You just want to get a set. For example, a three of a kind doesn't have to be Aces. It can be 2's, 6's, Queens, 8's..."

"So, you're jus' tryin' to get three of a number?" Ellis asked.

"Yes." The gambler nodded, returning the three Aces to the deck and picking out another set of cards. "Now with a flush, you can get any numbers you want, but they all have to be the same suit."

"Like the kind you're wearin'?" The country boy boggled at him, Nick shook his head.

"No, the suit is the kind of symbol on the card."

Ellis' eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh, so like a diamond or a club!"

"Yes, and if you get all the cards in the same suit, it's called a flush." Nick answered, the country visibly lighting up as he began to comprehend the game. "And lastly there's a straight, which is basically getting any suit of cards in order."

"So, one, two, three, four, five." He smiled.

"No, an Ace is a one, it would be after a King." The conman corrected him.

"So... two, three, four, five, six?" Ellis guessed again.

"Now you're getting it." The gambler smirked lightly and reshuffled the deck. "Ready?"

"Yeah, I think I got it."

Nick delt them each five cards and looked at his hand. He held a stoic poker face but inwardly growled at the cards he had given himself, the 3 of hearts, the King of clubs, the 2 of Diamonds, and the 7 and 5 of Spades. He didn't even have a pair. He looked up subtly to the country boy, he looked thrilled with his hand, but the gambler wondered if he even understood it.

"Hey Nick," The gambler didn't break his look as Ellis grinned to him curiously. "What are we bettin' for?"

A good question, but a risky one from someone who was literally on their first poker hand ever, more so verses a professional gambler and poker player.

"Are you sure you want to start betting this early in the game Sport?" The gambler asked.

The country boy returned his question with a sly smile. "Yeah, I do."

Nick's features narrowed at his cockiness. "You know, you're not supposed to play this game with any emotion."

"Well then you're doin' a mighty fine job." Ellis returned.

The gambler stood up straightly and walked out of the room, leaving the confused southerner to wait on the floor. A few moments later he returned with an armful of MREs and dropped them between the two of them on the floor as he sat down.

"Uh, these are all deserts." Ellis announced plainly as he read over a few of the black printed labels.

"Yep." Nick replied simply, looking back to his cards and trying to think of how to salvage his hand. "Take a few and start bidding." The country boy took half the treats in front of him and waited for the gambler to make the first move. "Minimum bet, one." Nick moved one of the brown packages to the center between them, marking the start of the pot. Ellis followed his actions. "How many cards do you want?"

"None."

Nick's eyes locked dead onto the beaming southerner. "None?"

Ellis shook his head. "Nope." Now he knew the kid was bluffing.

The gambler growled and took one card, his hand getting better by removing the 7 and adding the King of Diamonds. "Raise one." He placed in another MRE.

"See one n' raise one." The country boy dropped in two more and Nick gave him a glare.

"I call." They revealed their cards. "Pair of Kings." He looked to the country boy's hand and squinted at the sight of two Queens and three 4's.

"Did I win?" Ellis asked, a bit unsure at Nick's call, but at his look of shock regaining his confidence. "I did didn't I?"

The conman grumbled a 'beginner's luck' as the smiling hick took up his prize. He dealt out another hand, his own luck getting better at the start of a straight. He repeated the process of making the starting bet, asking Ellis is he wanted any cards, to which the answer was again no, and calling as he escalated the bid.

"Straight." Nick said, waiting for the other's cards.

"I got one too." Sure as the world the country boy had a perfect straight.

Nick looked over the cards, counting them up. "Yeah, but mine's higher." The gambler smirked victoriously as he took up his winnings, Ellis pouting like a child at his call.

Again the cards were dealt, and Nick's hands continued to get better. He drew three Aces for himself and ended up with four, keeping a straight face while catering to his inner victory. Ellis looked a little lost on his own hand, but as the gambler kept raising the bet, he refused to back down until everything he had was in the pot.

"I call." He said finally, looking determined and stubborn despite the since of worry about him.

"You sure you wanna go all in Overalls?" Nick offered, barely able to keep the grin off his face. The country boy nodded and the gambler showed off his cards.

Nick was about to let the kid down easily when the cards in the country boy's hands nearly caused him to fall over in shock. He had a Royal Flush in the suit of Spades. The gambler's eyes looked so wide Ellis could have sworn they would pop out of his head at any given moment.

"Uh, Nick?" He asked, trying to shake the gambler from his trance.

"How the hell did you do that?!" The conman snapped, pointing to the southerner's hand as he drew back from the sudden outburst.

"Do what?!"

"That!" He pulled the cards from the kid's hands and looked over them to make sure they weren't marked. "This is the best hand you could ever get! I didn't even bother to write it down because I was sure you wouldn't get it! How the hell did you do that?!"

"When shit Nick I don't know! I guess I'm jus' lucky." Ellis half smiled at the usually poised man's franticness, then decided to push it a step further. "Or maybe you're jus' losin' your touch."

Nick froze for a moment before slowly turning to the country boy, scaring him mildly. There was acrimonious scowl across this face as his eyes drilled into him with a fierce and truculent tension. Ellis sat completely still, now fearing his words had been a bit much on the impassioned gambler.

"I was jus' kiddin'..." He assured, uncertain of the next action the conman would make.

Nick resumed his posture for a few good moments before moving again, shoving all the MRE's aside before picking up the deck and shuffling once more.

"Better hope your luck keeps up Overalls." He said, the flat expression leaving his face slightly as a cocky smirk began to curl on his lips, dealing out the cards. "Now we're playing for clothes."