Zoysite - The zombie apocalypse isn't a genre for everyone, still lovely you took the chance and time to read it! Thank you very much! This one will be more emotional than the last. No violence or whatever though in that regard! Feel free to send me a message on Wattpad if you would like more info on any story before reading it if there's something specefic you want to avoid with this genre. Since I will be making a longer Zombie series too.

And... I am! Did I write that somewhere? I can't believe I specifically wrote that somewhere lol. But omg! that's so nice! What a small world! I'm close to the borders too! Man... Who knows how close we are!

Marco and Ace have been surviving the Zombie-apocalypse together, building their own little home and even successfully growing some vegetables!

Considering the state of the world, everything was going great for them! ... Until it didn't anymore.

One of them gets bitten, but the other won't let them be separated. They made a promise to each other. They would stay together until death parted them... and even beyond. And he will make sure that beyond lasts forever.

This will have a second part. The sad yet wholesome ending in my eyes. BUT! There will also be another story which will have an eventual true happy ending! Already got about 10k words down for that, so soon I'll start posting that one too. It will have the title 'Not even Death can part us.' And it will continue where this first chapter ends off.

Not even Death can part us will get its own story separate, not in a compilation. It's not a sad crying story like this one, so it doesn't deserve to be in Dark Flames. Yet the whole zombie team isn't happy enough either for The Whitebeard Pirates' Playground. So It's getting its own thing!

Taggs Taggs... Let's see...

Alternative Universe - Zombie Apocalypse

Mention of blood

Emotional

Someone is bitten and you all know what happens then... (though! no one turns yet till the next chapter!)

Another year passed safely... well... as safe as can be in a zombie-apocalypse, meaning none of them have died and they still got all their limbs! Hooray!

For the first time they even got some successful crops growing on the terrace! Green beans! So they had had a small stream of some fresh veggies for give or take the past two months.

Ace smiled as he plucked himself and Marco each just two beans. They didn't grow enough to make full fledged meals out of it, and they didn't want to pull so many off the plant would stop growing. So they usually ate one or two as a little reward treat when they got back from a trip outside.

"I got us some beans!" Ace laughed happily as he came back in through the window, "they're even bigger then yesterd- Marco?" his steps slowed down as he saw Marco stand still in the hallway. Still next to their coatrack, jacket only partly hanging off from his arm.

They had literally just gotten back from a supply run, mainly having gone out to find some more fresh water. They caught what they could on the roof and cleaned it, but with it having been dryer the last days, and now needing some water for the beans too, they did need to run out. They also used bottled water to clean wounds, knowing it was cleaner than any rainwater they caught. And they had been successful. Three big 2 Liter bottles of water standing next to Marco's feet proofed that, the bottles only put down in favor of taking of his jacket.

"Marco?" Ace repeated when the blond didn't answer. Stepping closer and putting his smile that had fallen back on, outstretching the beans, "Look at them! They're so big! Haha. I think we can call ourselves actual farmers!" he laughed now almost standing next to Marco.

When the blond still didn't reply Ace took a bite of one of them, "Did you hear that crunch! We did so good! And it's delicious t-"

"Ace..."

His name was whispered so soft, yet so loud it quieted him instantly to listen.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? What are you sorry for? Did you not hear it?" Ace spoke quickly, a small nervous laugh in there, "I-I can bite again!"

And he moved to take another bite only to drop the beans he was so proud of to the floor when Marco turned towards him, the Blond's hand grasping so hard around his own forearm that Ace could see the muscle pulse in the hand. But that isn't what he was focusing on.

No.

His focus was on the blood. The blood that was now, with the jacket off, steadily dripping down Marco's arm and onto the floor.

"N-no." Ace stepped closer, uncaring that he crushed his half-eaten bean to the ground. "No no no no no!"

Tears were streaming down his face as he grabbed the blond's arm too. Hands grasping around- around the bite. The so obvious mark of teeth in Marco's flesh.

"no no no no no no, Marco! Marcooo no!"

He was silent as Ace clutched his arm, not mentioning it hurt. Not just the wound, but also how hard the raven was squeezing, nails digging into his flesh.

After a while he managed to speak just another two words. "I'm sorry-yoi."

Gray tear-stricken eyes shot up and the grip hardened even more, "Don't! Don't say sorry! You didn't- You didn't do this- And- And we'll fix this!" Ace almost yelled as he pulled Marco further inside and towards the bathroom.

"Ace, we can't-"

"I'll clean it! Disinfect it! Bandage it! It will heal and then be like there's nothing there haha! We can sit on the terrace, take care of our little bean plant, eat some of them, watch the sunset haha" wet laughs left the raven as he sat the other on the toiler while he searched for their first aid kit. "j-just- just like always, t-together."

"Ace-yoi."

"Oh and we just got fresh water too haha! We got everything we need to take care of it!"

Before Marco could stop him, Ace was out, running to grab one of the bottles and ran back in. Before he could twist the cap off however Marco firmly but gently grabbed Ace's arm and stopped him.

"Ace. Don't waste water on me."

"It's not- It's not wasteful." Ace said as he tried to take his arm back, he had to open the water and clean the wound quickly, "I need to clean it before it gets infect-"

"I already am."

As Ace choked on his breath, Marco gently took the bottle from his hands, placing it down on the ground before he took both freckled hands in his grip, bringing them to his lips to kiss gently. "I'm sorry, Ace. You can't save me. No one can. It's too late."

"But- how- when- Y-you can't leave me, Marco."

Squeezing the hands he apologized, "I don't know, but it happened, I'm sorry-yoi." He did know, or he had a pretty good idea of when it could have happened. He had knocked away a zombie that had lunged at Ace from behind while they were fighting a small horde. He had felt a sting, but thought... had hoped that it was just from the impact. But he wasn't going to tell Ace that. He knew the other would feel guilty forever if he knew that he got bitten by protecting him.

And it happened, no matter how it did, there was nothing they could do about it now and... If there was any way to go out. He's glad that it was to protect his loved one. That, even if he will lose his own life, he was able to protect his love.

"I can't go on without you!"

And that snapped him out of it, standing up and grasping Ace's cheeks between his hands. "No!" He knew what Ace entailed with that. "You need to live on, Ace!"

"B-but without y-"

He silenced Ace by kissing him deeply, pulling away when they needed breath. "You're strong Ace. So, so strong. Someday this apocalypse will be over. The world is already getting better day by day. Just look at our little bean plant thriving!" he smiled a little, rubbing his thumb over freckled cheeks, but he couldn't keep his own tears from springing to his eyes, "I want you to live-yoi. I want you to live, to make it out of this apocalypse. I want you to fulfill your dream. Even- Even if I won't be next to you." He sobbed pulling Ace into his chest, "W-when this is over- O-open- open your own flower shop."

This may have sounded silly, but that was Ace's dream. Having a small flower shop, just like his mom had had one before this hellhole. Ace had been supporting and helping her every day to care for the flowers, to learn how to care for each and every kind. The few flowers they had in the house were all kept alive thanks to Ace knowing which ones can thrive without nutritional soil, without emptying their water reserve.

"I don't w-want one alone!" Ace cried, "I want- t-to open one w-with you!"

Marco snorted lightly, "I don't have green fingers, Ace." there was a wet chuckle on his lips, and even Ace followed when he said the next thing, "I somehow turned that fake cactus brown." And no one can even explain how that happened!

Pulling back lightly, Marco pressed his lips to Ace's forehead, giving a hard kiss before pulling back once more, holding onto hands as he smiled through tears. "I love you. I love you so much. You have been, are, will always be my sunshine in this world. And while I can't stay next to you here. I will watch over you. I will stay with you in your heart-yoi. I have only one request, Ace. One last wish."

"W-what is it?"

"Live. Live for me." He squeezed hard, kissing the fingers once more, "This is the most selfish request I've ever made of you. I've always told you to live how you want to live," and he still wants that, only... he doesn't know if the Raven would continue by himself, "but now I want you to live for me. Take me in your memory as you go on. Tell me all about your achievements. Eat my share of the beans after a successful run in my honor. Take that extra bite of food you find, the bites that were usually for me, eat them in my stead. Use them to stay strong, strong and healthy. You're Ace-yoi. My sunshine. My love. You can get through this. You can survive this apocalypse. And when you open you flower shop." He smiled, bringing a hand up to caress a freckled cheek and lean in to gently peck soft lips, "My spirit will be next to you as the very first flower blooms."

As Ace flung into his chest, sobbing as he held his back, he simply held him, kissing the dark hairs over and over and whispering words of love, knowing that soon he won't be able too anymore.

"A-ace" Marco started after what felt like hours. He could feel his body growing hot, yet cold at the same time and he felt the feeling in his legs, his fingertips, slowly leaving him. Soon he won't be able to keep standing.

"Hmm?" The raven hummed, head pressed against the chest he loved, listening to the soft heartbeats to edge them into his mind.

"I need to leave-yoi."

"H-huh, Leave?"

Nodding he gently stroked the dark hairs as the other looked up, "I know you won't kill me, I can't ask you to kill me, that's too much." It would traumatize Ace forever. "So, I need to leave." And he could end himself elsewhere.

"Y-you can't-"

"I will hurt you if I stay, and that's the last thing I want to do."

"Can we... can't we watch the sundown together? Like... like we often do?" Ace looked up hopeful, "one last time. Please. Please Marco!"

"I- I don't-" He doesn't know how much time he has! He really wants to stay. End their night like they have been doing almost every night when there's a clear sky. But if he overstayed... if he turned while Ace was-

"I'll- I'll l-leave w-when wh-when you-" Ace swallowed, clutching to Marco's shirt, talking about this was so, so hard. "d-d-die- I'll- I'll leave. I'll lock the door. You will be... be trapped... on the terrace... I-" he sobbed. How could he leave Marco alone outside! Trapped on that tiny space! All alone... forever!

"You need the terrace, darling. How will you get the beans if I'm there." And not to mention that he would probably just smash the glass to get inside if his zombie-self were to see a living human, aka Ace, inside.

After a quiet moment of thinking Ace gasped, "The roof!"

"We catch water the-"

"The maintenance roof!" he smiled a bit at the idea, "We can go up there, watch the sunset together and when... then... I'll leave and lock! block the way!"

He hummed at it. The maintenance roof, they just called it that because it had a lot of things that needed maintaining when the apartment was running. It had a lot of AC-units and cables running over, exists for vents and even access to the elevator shaft. That part of the roof was sealed of separately from the rest, probably for safety, and they didn't use it because there wasn't a lot of floorspace with all the stuff laying around.

"Okay-yoi. But you leave the second my eyes close okay? I don't want to risk you staying around long enough for me to turn." And maybe he can fake falling asleep... dying... and when Ace leaves he can jump in the elevator shaft or something, make sure he can never hurt Ace in any way.

"I promise! I promise!"

Marco smiled softly at seeing Ace smile, which he hadn't done the past hours, for a very good reason, but he was glad he still saw it before his end. Leaning down he gave a gentle kiss, "then let's go up."

Going up had been more difficult than he had imagined, the feeling in his legs disappearing more and more and he struggled to keep raising his legs up the steps. By the last flight Ace was practically dragging him up as he cheered him on, but eventually, eventually they made it and Ace brought them to the edge.

They sat down on an unit of who knows what, but it was low enough that they could sit down on the metal outer box without needing to jump on top, because Marco was sure he would never have been able to do that at this stage.

On the box Ace was cuddled into his side instantly and slowly Marco put one arm around the raven too, squeezing as much as he still could while looking outside. It was a beautiful day. Blue sky, just a few clouds, but each was pearly white.

"Here!"

He had to blinked a few times to get his vision to focus on the item Ace held out in front of him.

"Bean-yoi?" he croaked out.

"Yea! For you! I told you they were tasty and got a nice crunch! And we completed out run today with- with su-succ- we got the water! So, now we need to eat our treat, our reward!"

… He smacked his lips lightly, his mouth was dry. He didn't taste anything. His tongue didn't even feel his teeth even though he knew he was scraping over them. He wouldn't taste the spring-bean.

Yet... yet he took it with a smile, "Thank you, Ace" and carefully leaned over to kiss his forehead, not daring to kiss his lips anymore in fear of somehow spreading his infection.

He chuckled as Ace pulled out his own bean from a bag and touched it to his, when did he even pack a bag and bring it?

Ah who cares. After touching them together he bit into it, hearing the crunch Ace had been talking about he smiled a bit. He couldn't taste anything like he expected, but by the color, the crunch, and the smile on Ace's face and the little kicks of his legs, he knew it was good. That their plant was producing better and better beans. Now Ace could eat some more vegetables, not needing to share anymore.

"What do you think?"

"It's good. Really a nice crunch like you said-yoi." He smiled, and much to his delight Ace smiled back at him.

Both finished up their greens before cuddling together as they watched the sky before them.

Soon, far too soon, the sky went dark... But Marco knew it was only dark to him and not yet to Ace. It was far too soon for it to be this dark. And... he knew he was still blinking, though, that too was becoming difficult.

So, he mustered his last strength to speak, knowing moving had already been out of the question since he rested his own head on Ace's some time ago.

"Ace." He spoke softly, just above a whisper. He heard a rumble back, Ace speaking, but he couldn't hear it. "I-...I lo-love y-you. My... my... f-forever..." his eyes closed, and he couldn't open them anymore, this was it, "Sunshine."

I'm not crying- I'm not! You are! There's just- dust- so much dust in my eyes! I filled like 5 tissues writing this. This may be the story I cried for the most while writing it. Even topping my story Light of Life.

I hope there's not too many spelling or grammar mistakes, because my feelings couldn't take it to go over this again to check.