Ignore me calling strawberries berries...
And why am I posting again so fast? Because I actually wanne post the next chapter after this a lot lot lot lot lot! So gotte get this one out the way and then next weekend I can upload the one I want!
Close to another 2 months later
"You need to be silent, okay?... well... you're always quiet, besides when you're complaining, then you're grunting away. You're getting a real attitude."
Grrrr
"See! Don't think I don't see your attitude mister!"
Ace huffed a bit in fun, chuckling at another small rumble coming from the zombie. Silly Marco.
"Aaaaaand I think we're done!" He stepped back from the other, nodding at his boyfriend as he looked over him. Boots – check. Jeans – check. Belt – Check, because he doesn't want Marco to walk naked and the zombie dressing by himself was a nightmare so the pants better stay on. Shirt – Check. Long sleeved jacket – check. Scarf – check. Sunglasses – check. Beanie with cat ears– check... they didn't have a regular beanie okay! Now, no one would look at Marco from afar and scream 'aaaaaah zombie!' and with him, an alive human, by his side others wouldn't suspect Marco to be a zombie. Just a little precaution to avoid unnecessary fights.
Smiling he put his own jacket on and leaned closer to peck Marco's cheek and took his hand, "let's go out, Mar!"
Going out had been easier said than done. While Marco's movement was far better after another 2 months of training, doing more difficult movements like stairs were still very, very difficult. A few steps were okay, but they had to go down plenty of floor so stairs after stairs after stairs, plus obstacles they had placed for protection. So it took a decent amount of time and stumbles and falls before they made it.
A bit out of breath already, Ace fixed up Marco's clothes once they were at the ground floor. "okay, okay, we're good, we're good." His throat already hurt from calling out for Marco, to watch out or just a yell and question if he was hurt. It was difficult to get used to the other not minding a fall... or ten.
After getting the iron gates open he pulled Marco outside before locking up again, taking Marco's hand he started the journey to some nearby fields. The weather had been good and it had been sunny, so he hoped the few strawberry plants that were there may have sprouted some berries.
He didn't want to take Marco to the other town yet, that was too far, and yes Marco was now faster, running was... well he could run, they practiced in the hallway of the apartment, it was just average speed. A zombie running after you was way faster. So he decided for the fields, there had never been a lot of zombies on the way there, it not a crowded area, same with other humans, so he hoped for a peaceful trip or if they encountered zombies, they would be few in number so he could take them on alone.
Just over 15 minutes of walking, running occasionally in open areas, they made it to the field. And Ace was instantly smiling as he saw spots of red.
"Look Marco! Haha! Strawberries!" He crouched at the first plant he saw had some berries on them and plucked one, instantly popping one in his mouth and humming at the taste, "I love strawberries so much! Do you want one, mar-… nevermind... I'll eat your share, Marco, just like you wanted!" eyes tiniest bit moist he picked another one, biting into it, "It's good, Mar, It's good. Thank you."
Getting his emotional state over he waved Marco down, "crouch, crouch, like me." he pointed to his bended legs. Standing up after a second and slowly going down, "crouch."
After a minute the zombie followed... tried to follow, he would have faceplanted the ground had Ace not grabbed his shoulders to stop him.
"Goodjob, you're getting there" he still praised him for bending his knees properly and gave a well-deserved kiss on his cheek.
"Can you pluck strawberries, Marco?" he asked as he took a hold of another one, making sure Marco watched. "Pluck." he said as he pulled it off, showing Marco the de-attached berry. A few more time did he show the motion, holding the same strawberry next to the bush as if attached and pulled it off as he said the word.
After a little bit did the zombie move and Ace watched in anticipation. The hand slowly going to a berry, fingers going around it and-
"... Maybe no berry picking yet for you. But you did great, Marco, you did well!" once more he gave the zombie a kiss before taking the blond's hand and cleaning the crushed strawberry off his finger. As long as the other couldn't control his strength, plucking very crushable berries wasn't on the agenda.
"Hmmmmmm, is there something you can do though?..." Ace thought as he was cleaning the hand, plucking wasn't an option. "Maybe you can hold the bag?"
Getting up he pulled up Marco after, grabbing a small fabric bag he brought and putting it in the blond's hand, closing his fingers around it. "hold it- hold it. Goodjob! You can follow me and I will pluck the berries and put them in the bag. … Maybe this will be easier in general, then you don't need to keep crouching."
With the plan made up they got started, making their way through the field. From the way it was sett-up and location it was obviously a farmer's field before everything went to hell, but now it was free reign ofcourse. The plants still here were all in neat rows, though if you followed the lines, there were quiet a lot of gaps so a lot didn't survive without proper care, but every berry he could get he was so happy for. This was an absolute luxury that he and Marco had stumbled upon this field last year.
Ace hummed as he plucked the berries, telling Marco random things he thought of and ofcourse giving him compliments plenty of times when the zombie followed him with the bag.
"And there! Bag full!" he grinned as he put the last one in. If he had to guess, he plucked between 50 to 60 berries. A good amount that he could enjoy for a few days before any went bad.
"We're going to go home now, Marco, this is good for now." He still had some cans of food, so no need for him to run to the other town. Swinging his bagpack to his front he opened it and reached for the bag Marco had, wanting to put it in his bagpack but... "Mar, you can let go, I got them."
"..."
"I'm going to put them in here, it will be easier."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... Marco? Can I have the strawberries please?"
Grrrr
"Is that a no?" He raised an eyebrow, "You don't even eat strawberries, Marco?" he was immensely confused, why wouldn't Marco give him the bag?
Slowly he stood up, looking at Marco as he reached for his hand, trying to open the finger but they weren't budging, and if Marco didn't want to budge, nothing could move him. He had even seen Marco's other hand reach for the bag still hanging on his chest and quickly put it back on his back, it seemed to deter the zombie as the hand dropped. Still, the other still had the strawberry bag.
"c'mon Marco, Why are y- wooow! Marco?"
His hand was grabbed and he was suddenly being dragged along by the blond.
"Marco? What's going on?" It was useless to try and pull back, the grip was strong and resistance would make the zombie clench harder and he did not want a broken hand, thank you very much.
He quickly noticed they were going back the way they came.
"Are you going home? Do you know the way home?" this was the only time he had been out with Marco, so or the zombie had Marco's memories somehow or he was smart and remembering the way.
Hmmmrr
"huh?" Was that a reply? A more hum than growl? "Marco?"
"..."
Nothing anymore. That was... god, if Marco was going to react more to questions and more than just growling he was going to cry again!
Knowing he couldn't do anything about his situation he made to walk next to the other, he had only been dragged since he didn't know where they were going, once walking it was easy to keep up with the zombie pace.
And lo-and-behold they were soon arriving before their apartment-complex. "You're amazing, Mar." Ace whispered a little in awe, squeezing the hand in his before pulling the zombie to the lock, still needing a few minutes to convince the other to let him go so he could open the door.
Inside, once more, no matter how much he tried to take the bag, Marco wouldn't give it up. So they went up the steps at an even slower pace than they had gone down, he didn't want Marco to fall and crush all the berries they went to pluck.
It was only inside their home, after a few events that he realised what Marco had been doing, why the blond didn't want to give the bag to him and why he had even tried to grab his bag pack.
Ace blinked at the zombie before him, the zombie just staring at him. Marco had gone inside when the door had opened and had placed the bag of strawberries inside the bowl on the kitchen table. A few berries spilling over the side, but it was clear that he meant for them to go inside the bowl.
Why would Marco now put them down? He was so resolute in holding the bag, not giving them up.
In his confusion of staring at the berries he didn't notice the zombie had come close again before his bag pack was tugged at. He watched the zombie take the bag once he had taken it off and stumble a little to the jacket rack, stretching his arm to in-between the clothes and dropping the bag. It fell on the shoe-rack below, barely staying on. Ace watched how Marco picked up the bag again and repeating it.
What was he doing?
Far too long it took him to figure out the blond was trying to hang the bag on the hook, where they usually stored it when they didn't use it. He hadn't- he didn't teach Marco that. Sure he must have seen it hanging but... he never... he never explicitly showed it.
"Do you... want to hang it? … Do you need help?"
Unsure he questioned and walked next to him, picking up the bag before Marco could and he instantly got a growl in return, so he stopped moving. Once more watching as the zombie took the bag from his hand and tried to hang it.
"Do you want to help me, Marco? Is that it? Where you-" a shuddering breath was there, briefly looking at the strawberries, "did you- did you want to carry the bag for me? S-so I didn't have t-to?" Oh god, Marco always- he always used to carry all the bags if there were only a few.
With tears starting to fall, he helped Marco hang the bag. Not taking the bag from his hands, but simply taking his arm and raising it a bit higher until the strap hooked over the hook, and the next time the zombie let go, the bag didn't drop to the ground. Like Ace had thought, that was it and Marco now took hold of his hand once again, squeezing it tightly.
"T-tha-thank you. M-Marco." Sniffing Ace pulled the blond into a hug, nuzzling his chest as he cried, "Y-you're t-the b-best b-boy-fr-friend ever!"
For those that thought something would happen in the last chapters... don't be disappointed that there's been no action and let me say this... Next chappy... yea... ehm... yea... There'll be a new warning for Violence and blood.
