Another picture has been added into chapter 4! A new drawing from Acpola01, they re-made the original drawing that they drew of Marco holding a strawberry basket, please check it out!

"I think..." Ace hummed as he did a last scan around the backroom of a shop before nodding to himself, "that we got everything we can use right now, and carry."

'Hrr'

"Hmm? No, no we don't need that."

'rrrrrrrrr'

"Marco..." Ace gave the zombie a look of 'really? Really?', "We don't need a cut-out of a big pineapple."

The raven blinked as the other just... "did you just stomp? You stomped on the floor because I'm saying we don't need a giant cardboard advertisement for a tropical food drink?"

'Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr'

"Oh god, you are sometimes so childish!" He rolled his eyes yet was smiling, whoever imagined they could have this much fun in a freaking zombie apocalypse. At least he never pictured arguing with a zombie over a cardboard pineapple.

"Fine, but you're carrying it."

Even without a smile Ace could see the zombie was pleased as the blond grabbed onto the cut-out, crinkling the cardboard in his grip. Meh, it was the smoothie part anyway, Marco probably didn't care, and that cut-out was going nowhere with that grip.

NOW with everything they needed... and more... they moved to go back to their home, Ace helping a little to get the cart-board manoeuvred out of the door. He did not need Marco trying to keep walking through the door and getting stuck like those videos of dogs trying to get too big sticks insides.

"I will hold open the door," Ace said getting to the front, "And you can go through first with your pineapple."

Growl

"Ah! Shit-" Cursing Ace threw the door shut again, throwing his back against it before looking around, "anything- anything- No, not the cut-out, Marco, that's the worst option for a barricade ever." He commented as the zombie had held out his treasured findings, "... don't be sad now. Thank you, I know you're trying... Something heavy Marco." he said still trying to find something. The shelves were heavy yea, but they were bolted to the floor- "... Or not anymore... wtf- I mean, great job Marco! Put it here, here!"

He directed the zombie that had somehow pulled out a freaking shelf to the door he was at, quickly switching places with it. The strength scared him a little... His lover had been stuck behind this same door before, having been pulling at it instead of pushing, yet now he pulled an iron shelf out of the floor like it was nothing!... It did explain why zombies didn't break a sweat when holding an alive human down as they fought back...

BAM

Ace flinched back from the door as the zombie hit on the door, grabbing onto Marco's arm to get a sense of safety. The blond always protected him before, though now... he looked up slowly to the other, the zombie just staring at him. He doesn't know if Marco would do anything to help right now, maybe he would even be in the way. What if he was trying to swing his bat only for Marco to have followed right behind him and get a hit too.

BAM-BAM-BAM

"O-ooh no- oh nonono" That didn't sound like just one zombie anymore! The banging was luring others in the area!

"We have to get out, we have to get out right now, Marco."

'Rrrr?'

"There's zombies, Marco, more then one zombie and they'll on become more." He said quickly as he trembled in place before he put his bag down and started to look around for a place out.

He noticed Marco trying to pick up the bag, "No, let it be Marco."

'Rrr."

"No, Marco! We don't- We need to get out and run, run really fast. I know we need that stuff, but we don't need that anymore if we're dead!" even forgetting one of them is already dead.

He freaked more and Marco growled in reply, tears springing to his eyes as he didn't see another exit. "Stupid- stupid tiny freaking shops with no backdoors." He couldn't take on multiple zombie alone and keep Marco in check, he would certainly not be able to fight or even outrun a horde of them. And if Marco was going to be growling, they couldn't even hide because it would give away their location.

"I- I don't need kisses now, Marco!" He cried out as the blond was there to hold him and kiss him. But even though he yelled that he didn't pull away. What was he going to do! They were stuck. Stuck with who knows how many zombies not even 10 meters away from them.

He was going to die, die die die! But... he would go out fighting! He would take out as many as he could.

Taking a few breathes he pulled away from Marco, giving him a smile and raising a hand to caress his cheek, "I love you Marco" and for the first time since forever pressed a small kiss to his lips, if he was going to die anyway, he may as well give a kiss to the lips of death.

"Thank you for everything." He spoke softly before he turned around, grabbing his bat and taking a wide stance.

"Come at me you fucking zombies!" He screamed at the doors, earning plenty of growls and even harder hits in return as he gave away his presence still inside. He was going to die anyways hahaha so who cares! "I'm in here you fuckers!"

He slammed his bat against a nearby shelve, making even more noise then he's ever done in the past years and it felt so, so good! So he repeated as he laughed like a maniac, screaming insults at the zombies outside. Taunting them to get him.

He kept going even as tears had started streaming down his face and the worried growls behind him only made them increase as he thought back of his live together with the blond. Their alive life together. How much they laughed when the world hadn't gone to shit. How they talked about future plans and made silly jokes about it. How Marco had been helping him to apply for different universities. Never at that time had they ever imagined that not even a year later the world would have gone to shit.

CRACK

He braced himself as he heard the doors give way under the immense of force behind it and within seconds the shelve Marco had so kindly brought him was thrown to the side in favour of letting growling zombies stream inside the shop. Dead eyes all locking onto him in the middle of it.

There were always those faster than others and it really showed with some being on him already while the biggest group was still playing a game of 'how many zombies can fit through one door at once!'. With all his might he swung, blood spattering all over him as he laughed "HEADSHOT! Haahhahahha"

He knew the growls from behind him were from Marco, his sweet sweet zombie boyfriend trying to scare off these 'humans'. It did show him he really was successful in teaching him not to attack other humans. He had still been working on differentiating enemy from friend... seems he will never get to that...

"FUCK!" He cursed loudly as he was disarmed but didn't hesitate to throw fists instead. Though fist fights with a zombie were pretty useless like this. Even if you got a solid punch in, unless their heads were already barely hanging on and you could hit them off, they would only stumble back a second before lunging again.

So ofcourse it wasn't long before he was being overpowered and was in a painful hold from one of the undead. He tried to headbutt and struggle, but all was in vain as the other lunged at him and closed his eyes as he screamed.

And screamed... and... kept screaming?

…

He was still being painfully squeezed and felt the stone cold body of a zombie glued to his back and growls in his ears, only... no one was biting him...

What the fuck?

He tried to tug at the arm around him but they only tightened, squeezing the air out of him. Opening his eyes he was in time to see an arm stretch out from behind him and push a zombie that was coming from him aside which such force it slammed into the ground.

"H-huh?"

A loud growl was once more in his ear as another one ran for him and he flinched back as it was in his face, but once more the arm was there and shoved the zombie away.

Trembling he looked up to where he heard the growling, a stuttering gasp leaving him as he saw blue eyes.

"M-Marco."

'Grrrrrrrrrrrr- aaaaaaaaah!'

Teeth were bared and menacing growl and screams left the blond every time a zombie lunged at Ace.

Every single zombie was pushed away, only for it to suddenly stop. Not Marco's assaults, no, he was still growling whenever a zombie got too close. But the other zombies... they seemed... to be searching again.

They stopped gunning for him, yet were sniffing the air as if to look for him. Every now and then one would draw near him, but Marco would growl, pull him tight, and they would wander on like he wasn't there.

"Mar-"

'Grrrrr'

He was instantly silence by the blond and he saw why as a nearby zombie heard him and did come to attack him, ofcourse only to once more be deterred by Marco every time he tried until that zombie also started looking around once more.

He was silent as he watched the zombies walk around them, the little store was packed him them. He didn't dare to move, let alone breath as they walked and stumbled around.

It was like they didn't even notice him, like... he was one of them. They knew they were here, every now and then he felt a zombie bump into Marco like they often did with each other, but none of them reacted to it. None of them reacted to him, a human being in here, reacted to Marco growling at them. He was... blended in? He just had to be quiet.

He doesn't know how much time passed when he felt Marco move and he panicked as he clutched to Marco's arm. The blond couldn't leave him! He would be torn apart in seconds!

Only... The blond didn't let go of him and simple pulled him along as he started to walk. Walked to... to the pineapple cut-out laying on the floor. Ace could do nothing but watch and follow along with the movement in silence as Marco pushed the zombies who were walking over off and kept them off before giving a growl to him. It was repeated not long after and the arms around him slacked off in strength, it made Ace realise Marco wanted him to pick up the cardboard.

Swallowing he very slowly bend down, trembling hand outstretched as he grabbed the cut-out before standing back up. The cold arm that came around him once more was an immense comfort, though he was sure he would have some nightmares from today.

He followed along as Marco walked again, only not stumbling because the blond was practically holding up all of his weight whenever he did. It was difficult to follow the movement of someone else when you were in front of them.

Yet... Very very slowly they made their way out. The only events happening were Marco growling and pushing away zombies in the way, even slammed one into the doorframe without a care when their path was blocked by it.

Even when they got out and were a good distance away Ace didn't speak, didn't move away from his spot. He kept to himself in his little secure spot even when he couldn't see any zombies anymore and didn't hear any anymore from behind. He didn't dare to try and get Marco to let him walk on his own, instead he focused on holding Marco's precious cart-board pineapple and Marco's steps. The zombie really deserved this after everything. And let Marco hold onto him as tight as the zombie wished all the way until in the apartment and even up the steps.

Only when the door to their home closed behind him did he dare to move and did he turn around to face Marco and hug him. Shuddering breaths leaving him together with small sobs as all the fear and emotions he had to keep in could be safely released.

He jumped at a little thud, his eyes flying to the sound which was... which was the bag. The bag he had filled with goods from the shop. That he had abandoned to be able to run away faster. It was covered in blood and guts but... it was here. Marco actually picked it up and had been able to bring it home.

He sobbed loudly at it, letting go of the cardboard and hugging the blond tightly. Marco had protected him, saved him from certain death and- AND still got the items and little bit of food home that he had been able to find inside the shop.

He wasn't sure if he would have dared to go out again soon after this, and now- now he didn't need to. Marco had secured that he could stay safely in their home for a couple more days before needing to run out again.

"T-thank you- Th-thank you Marco- Thank you."

For minutes on end he thanked the blond, praising him and blessing him for everything.

He was interrupted by a little grown and one look showed the zombie holding out a hand towards...

"ha-haha y-yea- yea that- that's yours." Ace sniffed looking at the pineapple, that stupid pineapple cut-out he hadn't even wanted to bring home. "L-let's f-find it a nice spot okay?"

And let go of Marco in favour of picking up the cardboard. It was a little crumbled due to zombies walking over it and there were some stains which he frowned at, so with one of the clean towels they had, -Marco deserved it!-, he wiped off as much as he could, even using a little spit to get the stains off.

"There." He turned it to show the blond, "G-good as new."

Even whilst still trembling, he couldn't help but smile as his zombie-boyfriend took the piece from him and walked to the living room with it. Determination in his steps as the blond made for the Tv-stand and promptly pushed the cardboard to it.

Ace walked over at that and helped him angle it against the wall, the Tv was useless anyway, and made sure it didn't fall over. Grabbing Marco's hand he pulled him to the couch, sitting him down first before he got on his lap. Sitting sideways so he could not only hug Marco but also see their new view. A stupid pineapple with a big glass of juice next to it, yet... he fond smile was there and he knew he wouldn't remove that piece of decoration for as long as they lived here.

"I-I love you, Marco. Thank... y-" was the last thing he whispered out before sleep took him away. And hopefully, with the protective arms around him, it would be a peaceful one.

With this the mystery of what does Marco do with other zombies has been solved!

And this was the only thing I really still wanted to do with him, I think we know some of the more important things of his interaction with ting snow to picture how the apocalypse with Zombie Marco and human Ace would go.

In this timeframe there will be one more chapter, (chapter that was the second one I wrote haha), and then we will be making a huge time skip and it will become clear what the happy ending will be.