Zoysite - No Chance for escape for Ace... they have a life to live together instead!
But yea, poor Ace, he'll need to look into those empty eyes for a long time.

I love this whole thing so much, having a lot of fun writing the zombie story 😌😌

It was already long dark by the time Ace had gotten Marco to their apartment. And it was literally that, him having dragged Marco to the place. Marco didn't walk, barely walked himself.

The blond seemed really out of it, every now and then he had gotten Marco on his feet and was able to get him to do a few shuffled steps, but the most he had gotten out of him were about 10 limps before the blond's legs would seem to seize up and he would stumble and fall. Not a single reflex activating to catch himself either, so it had all come down to Ace lunging the blond along.

But finally, after a long hour, Ace hoisted Marco the last distance to the couch in the apartment, dropping him down with a breath before going back to lock their front door quickly so he could focus on his boyfriend.

By the time he was back to the couch, not even a few seconds later, the blond's face was buried facedown into the seat, clearly having fallen over, yet no attempt to put himself upright.

"Marco..." Ace whispered softly, the sound of pity in it as he gently took the blond's shoulder... cold shoulders... and pulled him up.

Unblinking eyes stared at him as soon as they could, it was a little bit unnerving even if it was Marco. He couldn't help but flash him a smile, like the other would know before he worked on getting him to stay up.

"You need to balance a bit Marco... can you do that? No? … just... stay, one second." He did his best to get him as balanced as he could before quickly running into the bedroom and grabbing the blanket and pillows, rushing back into the living room, just in time to catch the other before he fell over again.

"Let's see." humming he put the pillows on each of the blond's sides, using the blanket as extra support. A bit of shuffling later he took a step back, seeing a bit of movement, spasms in the body before him but he didn't fall, that was good!

"There we go, all safe and sound at home... o-on the co-couch..." he bit his lip, tears filling his eyes mid-sentence as he regarded his boyfriend. "Neh, M-marco. Can you- Can you speak? Say something?"

"..."

Ofcourse it stayed silent. Turning around he waved hands in front of his face, fanning his eyes to try to stop crying. Marco was gone, he couldn't do anything about that, but somehow, somehow the blond wasn't attacking him.

He had waited a long time on the rooftop, already having cried his eyes out after Marco's last breath, even more when he had woken up and was kissed instead of being attacked. Even after Ace shook the other, literally tried to put his arm before the other's mouth, he was never attacked. Which is when he eventually took to getting his lover home.

Now, with Marco still here somehow, he would take care of him, just like Marco had always taken care of him. And he had always done it with a smile, so he had to return the favor! He would do his best to be happy for Marco, for the smallest chance that Marco was still in there.

A few minutes later he was pulled out of his thoughts as a hand hit his back. Looking over he saw a deathly pale hand clutching his shirt for dear life.

"Mar- wooow! Don't fall forwaaaaaaahh!"

"..."

"h-ahahah Mar!" He couldn't help but laugh as he now laid on the floor, blond on top of him and still clutching his shirt. It was like how they played around! Giggling he embraced the other, rubbing over his back. It however made him feel how cold the body was, how unmoving... and once more tears were there.

"D-damnit." he cursed softly as he sniffed but didn't try to stop his tears, he hoped Marco would forgive him for crying a little bit.

"I-I'll take care of y-you, Marco. I promise. I p-promise." he promised as he squeezed the lifeless body on top of him, "I love you."

One month later

Ace smiled brightly at his zombie boyfriend, arms outstretched as he stood at the side of the bed. Marco was standing a few meters away in the living room, a straight path ahead.

The raven watched as a slow and stuttering step was taken towards him, it was very shaky, but most importantly, the blond didn't fall yet!

"That- that's it Marco! Come to me! You can do it!"

He cheered, voice full of excitement for the other. They had been working on moving the whole month! Starting from letting Marco sit down and Ace moving his legs for him, making steps in place. Only when the blond's legs didn't resist the movement, did they get to trying to stand up, keep his balance before it got to stepping while Ace never let go. But now-, now was the moment of truth!

"A few more! You're doing amazing!"

He had learned that Marco understood him... Or atleast a little. The zombie got the concept of copying too, Ace had caught the other trying to mimic his movements. And if he repeated some things enough times it seemed that the other listened or got what he meant.

Eagerly he stepped into place, Marco was so close! "Got you!" he called out as he saw the blond stumble in the last steps, helping him stay standing. Chuckling when the blond pushed him down onto the bed, a small growl there.

"aah oh no! I got caught by a zombieeeee!" He laughed as said zombie squeezed him. A bit tight, but not painful.

He stayed on the bed, smile on his face. He didn't know if Marco really got the concept of hugs, but it was something he started copying every now and then, probably because he cuddled the other whenever he could. Same was with the kisses on his forehead, he often did it to Marco, especially before bed. And now every evening since the last week, Marco would press his lips to his forehead. He wished he knew if kissing a zombie on the lips was okay... He didn't do it now for two reasons, first of all, he didn't want to turn into a zombie too, he had to take care of Marco and he had to be alive to do so. And second of all... it felt a little strange to kiss Marco without consent... Or well... it felt a little like that to him. Kissing the blond while he's unresponsive. So for now simple kisses on the forehead or cheek, anywhere but lips were what he did.

He may have said he didn't know if Marco knew what he did... but he just didn't want to admit it that he did know. It was pretty clear because... he never ended them, the kisses. Same with the hugs. Ace had to push him away after a while. Like now, if he didn't do anything, they would be laying here till morning and even longer. But for now it was okay and he stayed in his spot, kissing Marco's shoulder as he was being smushed under the weight he loved.

Even if the blond didn't really know what he did, he still loved it, loved the nightly kisses, the hugs, the zombie doing them even if he didn't ask for them. Marco did seem to have some form of memory in that whenever the zombie would catch him crying, he would also get a hug or a kiss, so he knew it was comforting? Or was it muscle memory? He didn't know and didn't care, all he cared about was that Marco was somehow still here for him.

Another month passed and Ace frowned as he closed the last cupboard. Empty. His stock of food had run out, he had to go out on a food-run.

He felt the hard squeeze in his hand and smiled at the zombie next to him, leaning over to kiss his temple, "I'm okay, Mar. Don't worry." he spoke softly, still trying to think of what to do. He had lasted a far longer time now he was the only one eating, Marco never ate. Not that he hadn't tried to feed the other, he had definitely tried to feed him, even stuck a bean fully in his mouth but... even with help the other didn't chew or swallow it.

Sighing he rubbed his face, laughing softly as his hand was squeezed again. The zombie was reacting so much to his emotional state lately, always seeming worried when he wasn't smiling.

"I said I was fine, you worrywart" he chuckled, walking to the living room and making the blond sit down. "Stay here, Marco. I need to go out."

Taking a few steps backwards he tried to leave but he wasn't far off when Marco was getting up and following him. He sighed at it. This was the problem. Usually him and (alive) Marco never tried to let their food fully run out, always trying to go a week before it would run out.

It wasn't unusual you didn't find anything outside so leaving it until when you didn't have anything left wasn't smart. It had been a good thing too that Marco and him had done a run outside the day... the day it happened... because it meant he had a fresh stock and was able to stay locked in this long, but now he really had to go out. The reason he hadn't gone out before this time was the zombie that was slowly walking back to him and grabbing his hand tightly in his the second he could.

"Mar, you need to stay. I need to leave-"

Growl

"You can't come with me. You stay here-"

Grrrr

Rolling his eyes he once more guided the zombie, this time into the bedroom, "You're getting a real attitude, you know that?" he said with no actual harm intended as he this time made the zombie lay down on the bed and tucked him under the blankets.

"Let's sleep. Sleep Marco."

The problem was that Marco didn't want to leave him alone. Not even when he went to the bathroom would the blond leave his side. Even in the beginning when the other couldn't even properly keep his balance, would he try to follow him. Stumbling after him, trying to pull himself over the floor when he couldn't get upright, all to stay with him. Thus, he had postponed the runs outside.

Marco wasn't fast yet. He knew zombies could be fast, he had seen some run, but maybe it took time? Though Marco may be special because he had seen people turn and they could instantly move around while Marco had needed to learn... Urgh he had no idea how being a zombie worked, but the thing that mattered was that even though Marco had improved greatly in mobility over the last two months, he was still too slow to go out with him. And besides that, he had no idea how the blond would even react to being outside. What if they crossed other zombies? Would Marco take their example and then attack and kill him? Would he attack the zombies? What if they saw living humans, would Marco go after them? Eat them like any normal zombie? There were too many unanswered questions, so for now going on his own was safest.

"Sleep Marco." He repeated to the blond, reaching over to his eyes and moving his eyelids down, keeping them closed, "sleep."

He taught the blond 'to sleep', just like eating the blond didn't need to sleep but since the blond followed him around, he always laid him down in bed next to him when he slept. And having been creeped out too many times with waking up to the blond staring at him, he taught him to close his eyes to atleast get some resemblance of sleeping.

Carefully he pulled his hand back, glad to see the other kept his eyes closed. Good. Good. As quiet as he could, he walked out and closed the door, locking the bedroom door and going out the house, locking that too before he hurried out. He wouldn't dillydally and just get the run over with, he didn't know how long Marco would fake sleep for before waking up and noticing he wasn't there.

"I'll be back quickly, Marco, I promise" he said to himself as he ran out of the building. He would be back in no time and maybe next time he could bring Marco with him.