25 years after the zombie apocalypse

Ace: 43

Marco: ?dead?

Marco Zombiefied at 43

ANOTHER YEAR PASSED

With light shining on his face Ace woke up with a yawn, rolling onto his side to cuddle into his love. Hugging the arm and nuzzling the cold shoulder, long since gotten used to the always colder skin. After getting his fill of still having Marco with him, he sat up and got out of bed, putting on the same fluffy slippers Marco had found for him years ago. They were very worn by now, but he'll wear them until they fully broke.

He walked to the other side of the bed and kissed Marco's forehead, stroking the blond locks with a soft smile before making his way down to start on some breakfast... for himself... Marco didn't eat.

The blond would come to sit with him though, probably in about 5 minutes. For the past half-year the other had started to 'sleep'. He didn't know if Marco was really sleeping, he shouldn't need to sleep or hasn't needed to for so long now, yet since some time ago he would close his eyes after going to bed together and not immediately open them when Ace got out of bed.

It's not that the closing eyes part was weird. Marco has done that before but it was more in a form of copying when he had pressured the blond to take a nap in the very beginning of turning zombie. The blond had closed his eyes for a solid minute before just looking at him again. Then he started to close them as long as Ace didn't move. The second he did, Marco would 'wake up' and open his eyes. So Ace figured he had always been faking, or just copying him to make him happy.

Now though, he kept his eyes closed for a few more minutes even after he had gotten up. He thinks Marco may be trying to make his sleeping more realistic? Even if he didn't breath... so he actually looked dead... but well, he was used to that now too. The panic at it having settled years ago.

"Silly Marco" he chuckled while whisking some eggs. He was going to make some omeletts!

On the dot, 5 minutes later, there was a soft thud from upstairs, making Ace smile as he looked up. "Awake-"

CRASH

"h-huh- Marco!?" Ace quickly put his bowl down, not caring the whisk falling out and dirtying the counter. He was more worried about that loud crash, like something fell and broke.

Running up the steps he threw open the door, "MARCO!"

Within seconds he was next to the other who was laying face down on the floor, their chest high dresser on top of him.

Marco laid unmoving as he pulled at the dresser to get it off the other. Pulling out drawers when he could and chucking them away to make the whole thing lighter and fully get it back up by himself.

Once it was up and pushed aside he fell to his knees next to the blond, swiping away the clothes littered over the body.

"Oh god, Marco, are you okay???" Ace asked in panick, body still full of adrenaline while he helped to get Marco up and sitting on the bed. Checking all over him.

"What happened Marco???? How did the dresser fall?? Oh I hope you're not hurt!" He couldn't help but keep speaking and asking questions even if he knew the other would never answer.

"You have a gash." carefully he touched the wound on Marco's hand. "Did you try to block it? Oh Marco, I'm sorry. I should have followed the instruction and bolted it into the wall... I just didn't think it would tip over... Stay here."

He left, only to return a minute later with a dark green first aid box. A special Zombie first aid box. It contained simple things like bandages and band-aids. But they also had some creams inside, the recipe just different then the creams for humans, but these were found to have a better healing effect on a zombie's skin.

Taking a dolop of the cream on his finger he carefully brushed it over the gash.

"sssssssss"

"I'm sorry, Mar." Ace said back gently to the sound, "I'll be done s- huh?" he looked up to the blond. "Did you say something?"

"?"

A head was cocked, but that was the only reaction that came.

"... no?... no... Ofcourse not..." He whispered more to himself than anything else, continuing to take care of the wound, ending it with putting some bandages around the hand. Just staring at the bandaged hand as he held it.

"A-aaah"

Ace looked up and saw Marco's mouth move with the sound. That was clearly Marco! It was a bit different then his usual grunting or growling. Like he's trying to actually tell something.

"What's wrong Marco?"

"Aaaassss- a-aaaccccc."

"Does something hurt Marco? Are you hurt anywhere else? You're acting weird Marco."

He was getting worried. Marco was always quiet. Every now and then making a little sound when he spoke to him directly or if he ever protected him from something, but even that has barely been necessary since the end of the Apocalypse.

But now he was opening and closing his mouth, seeming desperate, like he was choking for air.

"M-marco, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" tears were gathering in his eyes. Did the shelf hit his head? Though... even if that happened, it shouldn't do anything. Even if he hated it... Marco had been hit by a car before and he had been totally fine, not even dazed. But was if zombies became less durable as time passed. Oh god. What if zombies had like a time-limit to existing or how much they could heal and this gash was the last straw for Marco! "P-please don't leave me Marco!"

He was up and pushing into the blond, hugging him close as tears fell. His body trembling even when he felt Marco's hands wrap around him, clutching to his shirt. He never clutched to his shirt like this!

The choking and hissed sounds continued for a while before... before he seemed to recognize something... his name? Blinking he pulled away, staring at the blond as his mouth moved. Not always sound coming out, but when it did...

"Aac-aacccc-ccccc-eee- cee-cee Aa-ceeee"

"Y-you- Marco? Are you? I- ha- haha" He started to slowly laugh, laughing and crying as he surged back into the chest. Crazy. Maybe he was finally going crazy. Imagining Marco was saying his name when he hasn't even heard the Blond's voice in over 20 years.

"-c-Aa-cc-ee. A-ceee."

His name was repeated over and over, becoming clearer and clearer. When a hand went to his shoulder, pushing at him, he let himself be pushed back and looked with tear-stricken eyes to the blond. Eyes filling with surprise when the cold hand landed on his cheek and … it wasn't as cold as usual...

"Mar?"

"A-A-Ace. O-o-ooo-kkkk-ookkkkkaayyyyyy? --hhu--u—urrrr-rrrrrrrrrrr-rrrrttt?"

"I-I- n-no" Ace stuttered. Trying to wrap his mind around everything. Marco was talking to him. He was asking him questions. "I-I'm okay."

A smile. The blond smiled. It was extremely tiny. Seeming to be just a small spasm upwards of the lips but... it was more than he had ever done.

What was happening! Marco was talking. He was speaking! He was- he was moving differently. He had hissed when he touched the wound. He... He was warmer... He was warmer... HE WAS WARMER!!!!!!???

He didn't dare to believe it. Was Marco??? Finally?? After all these years??? Did the medicine work????

"s-s-stay still"

Ace managed to whisper as he leaned in, putting his head on Marco's chest. Swallowing as he tried to calm his own racing heart. Currently only hearing his own blood rushing through his ears. But as he concentrated...

Thud.

…

…

Thud ... Thud

…

…

Staggering back he fell on his butt, staring wide eyed at Marco.

"H-heart-heartbeat." There was a heartbeat. Far to slow for someone alive but... a heartbeat. There was a heartbeat. Marco was- Marco was!!

Tears were streaming down his cheeks once more as he scrambled up, hugging Marco close and kissing his head. Laughs escaping him, but this time of pure happiness instead of insanity. "Y-you're- you're g-getting better! You're getting better! O-oh Marco!!!!!!"

There wasn't another vocal reply besides his own name repeated. But that was okay. It was more than okay. Marco was going to live. Really live. He was becoming alive! He would get another shot a life with Marco, human Marco by his side!!!!