Zoysite - Everything will be okay!

Hinamori-chan - Yes! The end is here!

ALRIGHT! Sorry about the long wait. A lot has been going on. I've been sick, my dad had been hospitalized, my pet died, the last weeks have been a shit-show!

As a little apology for the long break, I decided to publish the last part all in one part instead of splitting it up in multiple chapters like I had planned to. So with this chapter the story is officially finished! Thank you very much for everyone's patience and reading this zombie love story!

He doesn't know how long he stayed in Marco's arms, crying his eyes out as he let the little warmth Marco radiated seep into his body.

Pulling away eventually, still sniffling as he looked at the blond with a wide smile but bloodshot eyes from crying.

"M-Marco. Y-you're b-back."

"-ack?"

Ace nodded furiously, "we- we need to show Thatch! Your brothers!" He started tugging at the blond to stand, "they'll be so happy-!"

When he however got the blond to stand, he was quickly pulled to the ground as Marco crumbled to the floor.

"Marco! What's wrong?!"

Panicked again he helped the blond back onto the bed, now noticing his legs trembling. "you… can't stand?"

Looking up he just saw confused blue eyes looking at him. "let's try again. Together." He gave an encouraging smile at his boyfriend.

"Hmm first let's put your feet better." Ace hummed as he kneeled and took Marco's ankles, planting his feet a bit wider apart and flat on the floor

"Now to make some space" he hummed as he cleared a path to the door, pushing clothes he had thrown aside earlier away. "There we go! All ready!"

His smile turned to blushing as he saw Marco look at him silently. He should be used to that, but now that he knew Marco was coming back, it was somehow embarrassing.

"S-sorry, voicing everything out. I've been doing it since you… nevermind! Let's try again!"

"..."

"Marco?"

"..."

"Marco? Are you okay?" Ace spoke softly as he tugged gently at the blond. The blond eerie quiet again like... like he had been for years. "We'll try together this time, I won't let you fall. I promise."

More desperate tugs were there and eventually the blond stood up on his own.

"There we-!... go..." his happiness trailed off seeing Marco's eyes. They were his zombie eyes. "M-Marco?"

A hand took his own and dragged him out the room. Nothing painfull but he was tugged along by the blond as the went downstairs. And downstairs the blond let go and sat in his usual spot and started the usual ritual. Watching him.

"Mar?"

No recognition anymore...

A trembling hand raised up and he wanted to put it on Marco's chest, feel those beats but- but what if they weren't there anymore! Tears were in his eyes as he quickly went back to the kitchen area, cleaning up the little mess he had made earlier and continued breakfast even if his vision was blurry.

Inside he knew this could happen. That this would happen. He knew that one wasn't cured from one day to the other. It would take time and go in steps. Yet- yet it hurt- it hurt so much to first be given hope, only for it to be taken away within seconds. Couldn't he have gotten a minute to enjoy his boyfriend's warmth!

Wiping his eyes he sat down at the table and started to eat his breakfast, making small talk to the blond like he always did. Talking about the weather or their daily plans. Leaving longer pauses should there be a reaction... ofcourse there wasn't any. Like always.

"A-ah-"

"Yes!?" At the tiny sound Ace piped up, looking directly to the blond with excitement. "What is it, Marco?"

"E-e-h-h-gggggggggggg"

"Take you time, Marco. I know you can do it!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeegggggggggggggggggggggggggggg."

"Eeeeggg? Egg?" Ace cocked his head as he stabbed his food, why would Marco say egg right now- "EGG! My omelette!?" he looked wide eyed to his omelette stabbed on his fork and to the blond, this was an egg! "Do you want an egg? Do you want my omelette?"

A breathy laugh escaped him as Marco opened his mouth. Ofcourse he didn't hesitate to stand and lean over, moving his fork with the yellow treat on it into the awaiting mouth.

Knowing that sometimes the blond was slow, he wasn't deterred when the mouth didn't immediately close around the item and he just held it as steady as he could before in another thought he moved it down a little, letting the food touch the blond's tongue.

The reaction was instant and the mouth closed far quicker then Ace expected, making him yelp and release the fork. "Geez Marco, it's not running awa- don't chew the spoon!"

Quickly he grabbed the metal and tugged, tugged again, "Marrrrr! Let go! Only the omelette is fooood!"

It took another few tugs before he got the metal fork back and he watched as the blond swallowed and seconds later opened his mouth again. "More? You want more?"

A big smile on his face he grabbed his plate and sat next to Marco, feeding him the omelette slowly. Every swallow had him holding back tears. He would get him back. He would get his Marco back even if it took a million baby steps to get there!

Months later

Recovery had been difficult for Marco. And even now Ace wasn't sure if the other would really be able to recover 100% and go back to his old self... well... If going back to your old self was a full recovery... then Ace himself would never recover from the impact the apocalypse had on him either...

Anyway. What he meant for Marco, was that occasionally the blond would seem to revert to his zombie mind, kind off. Ace would sometimes find Marco just staring into space, or emotionlessly staring at the Tv. If spoken to in this state, he would grunt back or even let out a small growl depending on how he was spoken to. He would let Ace drag him around, following his example just like he did when a zombie. Only to start blinking a few minutes later, continuing on with what he was doing as if nothing happened. And if Ace was near, he would be given a big smile instantly, most of the time accompanied by a kiss, a hug, and some words of love.

The number of times it happened had decreased a lot since the beginning. At the start it happened quite frequently, practically every single day in the first few months. The time to get his consciousness back also lasted longer compared to now. Now, when it happened it only lasted a few minutes and Marco could go days without it happening at all.

But...

Ace smiled at the now zombie like Marco next to him, simply resting against his side. Even if this never went away. He wouldn't chance anything. He will forever be grateful that he got Marco back. That he never fully lost him like others truly lost their loved ones and that now they got to try again. To live another life together, able to interact properly once more even if it had it ups and downs.

He watched as blue eyes soon started to blink, becoming clear once more. The blond smacked his lips together and wetted them by swiping his tongue over them, probably having dried out a bit since his mouth had been slightly parted.

With a single squeeze to the arm in his hold he got the blond's attention and he turned to him. A smile instantly there and those lips pressed to his forehead into a real kiss. A real puckering of lips and that perfect little kissing sound. Not the mindless press against his skin that he had sadly need to grow used to before.

"Ace." Marco smiled, "Love you-yoi."

"I love you too, Mar." He smiled back, leaning up to connect their lips briefly. "You feeling okay?"

"Okay?... oh..." the blond frowned at that, "I spaced off... I'm sorry."

"No no, I didn't mean to make you feel bad." Ace hurriedly sat up, hand on Marco's warm cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried for you... and the inspection..."

"... Atleast me dozing off is out of my system now-yoi."

The raven blinked at the sentence before he chuckled, "That's actually true haha!"

The inspection. It was happening today. Something all zombie turned humans had to go through after their recovery period. A very throughout inspection to make sure the zombie had properly returned to have a human mind. To express human behaviour. To make sure they didn't give in to any zombie thoughts and attacked others.

It was brought into existence not long after the special medicine had been made and the first zombies made their recovery. Or... seemed to have made their recovery. Only to go crazy at their first trip outside and start attacking everyone, not even listening to the one they had been with.

So now 'The Inspection' existed. A few specialist would come after a certain time-frame and inspect the human-zombie. There were three possible end-results to their inspection, the first option only available once.

It is deemed that the zombie is making a good recovery and is of no direct harm, BUT is not yet ready to venture out. The inspection will return on a later date to re-do the inspection and make a new assessment. The human-zombie is deemed to have made a full recovery and will be allowed to live among other humans again. Their status as a zombie will be revoked and they will get an human ID. It has been found that the Zombie has NOT made a full recovery. The existence of dangerous zombie-thoughts and behaviours were spotted. This will result in an immediate termination of said zombie.

And the last one scared Ace the most. Not only because they'll kill Marco. But because... because they will do it the second they deem him unfit, unsafe to be around humans. They don't come to talk to him about Marco, ask him questions about the behaviour or anything. They won't even warn you or give you a chance to say goodbye. You will know you got the third option when the sound of a gun going off happens in the next room... And you just know it's over.

It doesn't matter if that zombie had been living with you for years on end without even scratching you. That this situation could continue for years to come. You can't plead for it that you'll keep taking care of your loved one. That you would, just like you had been doing, keep him inside, only take them out in the arranged times.

No. Once the inspection was called. Once they knew your zombie had started recovering. There were only two options in the very end. Become Human. Or truly die.

"Ace..."

He hadn't realised he had started crying until Marco was wiping over his cheeks and pulling him into his lap. Once in he clutched to the Blond's shirt, bawling into his chest. "I-I'm sorry- I'm sorry!" He sobbed out between cries. "I don't- I don't want to lose you Marco!"

"You won't. I haven't hurt anyone."

"What if- what if you space out."

"That's not harmful-yoi. I'm sure it won't matter."

"But what if it does! What if they deem it 'zombie' behaviour and shoot you!"

"Ace..."

"There's so many stories, Marco. S-so so many of others who said they had thought t-t-their spouse would p-passs with flying colours!" Ace said the last words with a fake smile, "b-but then- then they heard the gun a-and they were gone!"

"..." Marco didn't really know what to say. He wasn't allowed outside. Wasn't allowed to talk to others. Others weren't allowed to visit on Ace's property either, it being a zombie-property. The most he had been able to do once was speak to some of his brothers over the fence. And even that they had needed to do in secret, yet he was extremely grateful for those few seconds to hear the voices of some of his loved ones. Stupid rules. Stupid zombie rules. There were specific hours and places for humans to let out their zombie spouse, but a recovering zombie was deemed a bigger threat so even those things weren't allowed for him.

Because of this, he didn't know the stories people told on the streets. The severity of the inspections. He had no idea of what the outside world was like right now besides what Ace told him. But... He did know that the world, those without zombie loved ones, rather wanted them all gone without exceptions... and rather sooner than later.

"I... Look... I just spaced out-yoi. It barely happens nowadays, it only happens every few days, there's even been times were there were even full weeks in between them! So... it won't happen today anymore." 'Shouldn't happen', didn't leave his mouth because it happening during the inspection wasn't an option judging from Ace's fears.

Gently he grabbed Ace's chin with his fingers, moving his head up so he could see his gray eyes and cradled the freckled cheek in his palm. "I'll behave-yoi. I always do. You did tests yourself too, with the bloody meat. I didn't even flinch or growl at it, did I? So, It will be fine, darling. I promise."

Sniffing Ace searched blue eyes for any lie, any uncertainty in it, but he didn't find it. Still he choked out a few more words. "Y-you have to listen to them Marco."

"I will."

"T-to everything."

"I will-yoi."

Ace shook his head. "Y-you don't know what they'll ask you! I... I tried to find out... what they do in the inspections... But no one knows. No one knows! B-but-"

He was shushed by lips pressing against him. Lips that stayed there until he calmed down. A big hand weaving through his locks until he relaxed.

"Ace." Marco spoke sincerely, "I promise I will listen. I will do everything they ask me to do. To the best of my capabilities, I will follow their every order. Answer every question. I'll do everything to stay by your side."

"T-thank youuuuuu! I-I love you-I love you Marco!"

Pulling the other close against him again, he gently kissed the dark hairs. "I love you too, now and forever. I'll live, just for you." And rocketed the other on his lap. Only letting go when hours later the empty ring of a doorbell echoed through the house.

Nervously Ace held onto Marco's arm as three men clad in black had walked in, face covered by masks to keep their identities unknown. Their heads slowly turned around and Ace knew they were judging the place. Did he need to do something special? Did he have things out that were not allowed?

"Which room can we use?"

"huh? Which room? Ah- ehm ehm u-upstairs is ehm the bedroom. I will show!"

Before Ace could practically run up, a gloved hand stopped him, "The zombie can show, can't he?"

Said zombie just smiled, "Of course sir." he had to be nice! "I'll be back soon, Ace. Don't worry." Marco stepped forward, giving Ace a brief kiss before he walked up the steps, not looking back as he heard the men follow him.

Only when they arrived in the bedroom and the door closed did he notice only two followed. Did one of them stay with Ace? He didn't like that-

"Is there a problem?"

"Of course not-yoi." he answered smoothly, the test had already begun hadn't it.

"Yoi..."

"It's a speech-tick." he quickly explained seeing one make notes and the other sounding suspicious. The guns on their hips promising his end should he fail today. "I've had it since I was born."

A simple hum was there before things got serious, "undress".

"Huh? Undress?... okay" he promised Ace to listen, he would listen and slowly took of his clothes, folding them and putting them on the bed.

"Boxers too."

Begrudgingly he lost his last garment of clothing, standing stark naked before these unknown people, facial expressions unknown because of their masks. He wanted to snarl as one started touching him. But he quickly schooled his expression into neutral as he noticed the hand of the one who watched immediately inch towards one of his guns. He really couldn't make any mistakes if they already itched to shoot him for that.

"Do-" he swallowed as the hand stopped tracing his lower regions, "Do you have to touch there."

"We need to do a throughout inspection." Came the instant reaction. "That means checking everywhere. Unless... you have something to hide?"

"... No-yoi."

"Good. Then you don't mind, right?"

"No..."

No more was said as the man touched him all over and far to intimately. At least he was gloved...

When finally the touching stopped and the man stepped back he let out a breath of relieve and was about to take his clothes when the voice he already hated stopped him.

"Who said you can put those back on?"

"... Excuse me-yoi." he apologized but he wasn't even looked at as the man was taking something out of the black suitcase they brought and before he knew it something was thrown at him, hitting him square in the chest before the item fell down, leaving a residue on him.

His eyes widened as he looked down and all he saw was red. Red splattered over his chest. Red trailing down his stomach to dripping on his legs to a splatter on their floor. And in the middle... he almost wanted to puke. Were those intestines?!

"Hmm? Not interested?"

Interested? Why would he be interested?!

"Not even a little bite? Or a sniff? It may taste good you know. We won't tell anyone"

As he didn't react to what he now realised was obvious taunting, the man moved to pick up the flesh. And ofcourse he should have known that it wasn't over when it was pushed into his face, literally.

"C'mon. A lil bite. We know you want it. It's fresh you know."

Even when the thing was finally pulled off him, he kept his mouth firmly shut, feeling the traces of sticky blood over his lips and cheeks. He didn't expect this. Hadn't expected this even when Ace had told him the tests were bad by rumour. But he got it now, if he had as so much flinched they probably would have shot him and it would be the end. Even a normal human would flich when having fucking intestines pushed into their face! Was this maybe the reason why many failed the test even if their loved one said they never showed any intent of harm? These people just on purpose triggered th-

SLAM

Pain shot through his cheek as he fell through the floor, in shock he held his cheek with one hand as he looked up, seeing the gloved hand move from a balled fist to a relaxed hand again.

"You hit me-yoi?"

"Yes. Going to do something about it?"

"..." this was ridiculous! Wouldn't any human at least defend themselves? Should he defend himself? Was doing nothing zombie-behaviour? But if he did react wouldn't that be seen as dangerous-behaviour too?

"So? Want to attack me?"

"... No... I-... I don't... I don't appreciate being hit... But I'm not going to attack you." There! He voiced that he didn't like it! No human would like being hit! But he didn't turn violent! That was good right!?

"Hmm okay."

The man turned around, letting Marco once more breath in relieve onto to really flinch back when the barrel of a gun was in his face and he crawled back.

"I- I- I didn't- I didn't do anything? What did I do wrong-yoi?" he couldn't keep a calm face as he crawled back while looking straight into death, real death. "Ace- Ace is waiting for me. I- L-let me say goodbye. Please-" He bagged as his back hit the wall, if they were killing him for who knows what reason, the least they could let him do was say goodbye no!? He hadn't tried to hurt them. He hadn't insulted them. He followed their every task. What- why- why was this happening-

BANG

His eyes were squeezed shut as the trigger was pulled, but...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! MARCOOO! NOOO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! WHAT DID THEY DO! MY MARCO! NOOOO!"

Ace's screams echoed throughout the house, broken cries for him ringing out combined with loud sobs.

"M-MARCO! AN-ANSWER ME! MARCO! MAR-COOOOO! YOU CAN'T D-DO THIS! H-HE WAS- HE WAS OKAY!"

A gloved hand was on his mouth when he tried to yell back that he was okay. That he wasn't shot... somehow... Looking up he saw the man cock his head, a finger to his lips to show to be quiet. Slowly he nodded and the hand was taken back.

"W-why?" he whispered, "Why? He thinks- why would you-?"

But no answer came and the house was just filled with Ace's sobs and agonizing cries. It hurt him. It hurt him so much. And he stood up to go to him but stopped as he felt two pairs of eyes watching him.

This- this was a test. Once again it was a test, and a cruel one at that.

"Please-yoi. Let me go to him. I- He's hurting. Let me show him that I am okay. I don't even need to go down, just let me walk to the stairs so he can see me. Please."

There was no answer as the men just watched his every reaction to Ace's cries.

It felt like forever until something else was thrown against his chest. When he looked down, expecting some more intestines of whatever, he was instead greeted by a box. Picking it up he saw they were wet-wipes.

"What-"

"Clean yourself up and get dressed."

"Y-yes!" realisation came after a few seconds and he quickly opened the box and pulled out some wipes before furiously wiping away the blood on him. Did he pass? Was it over? He wasn't dead yet so that was good right?

When he deemed himself clean enough he put on his clothes, eagerly looking to the men, "can- can we go down?"

"Not yet."

What followed was an agonizing hour of questioning, all the while he could still hear Ace crying downstairs. The calling out for him had stopped after a while, but the sobs never did.

"That's all."

"That's... all... We're done-yoi?!"

"We're done. You can leave-"

Before the sentence was even done, Marco was hollering out the room and down the steps. Running straight for his raven lover who was laying on the floor in a tight ball.

"Ace!"

"H-hu- M-mar-"

"Ace!" He called again as he fell to his knees, pulling the raven into his chest and holding him tightly. "I'm okay-yoi. I'm okay. It was a test. I'm okay. They didn't hurt me. I'm alive. I'm alive."

Choked out and sobbed out words were there but none of them were even remotely comprehensible as the raven hugged him back. But it didn't matter. They were okay, both of them were okay.

Even when Marco heard the men come down the steps, he didn't let go of his lover, didn't stop whispering words of love and kissing his head. Only when the steps stopped right before them did he grow quiet and look up, holding the raven close to him protectively.

"Congratulations, Portgas D. Ace." The one who had been taken notes spoke in a mono-tone voice, "We have deemed your zombie-human, Newgate Marco, to be fully cured and will grand him the status of Human. Within the month you will receive his human-ID in the mail."

"Do be warned that as long as this ID has not arrived, he will still be seen as a zombie-human and has to follow the appropriate rules." the one who touched him took over. "Only when all the right certification has arrived correctly, may he live as a human once more and will this household loose the status of a zombie-household."

Without anymore words did the three turn around and took their leave as if it had been a normal visit.

"a-ah Ace- I- I made it- haha I- I made it! Ace!" Marco smiled brightly, moving back slightly to see Ace's face, "I made it! I am- I am human!"

At this, even if a smile came across freckled cheeks, tears re-newed tenfold as Ace fell into Marco's arms again. Marco was human! He passed! He passed!

The month seemed to go on forever, but in the end it finally arrived. A simple envelope with the logo of the inspection in the corner.

With trembling hands Ace had taken it inside, his quietness making Marco look over from the kitchen where he was making them breakfast.

"What's wrong, firefly?"

"Post."

"Hmm?"

"Post. From the inspection... for you."

"For me-yoi?" no mail was ever addressed to him. Everything was addressed to Ace. Ace was his human. So what would-!

Quickly he turned off the stove and slid the pancake he was making onto the stack he already had before he was walking over to Ace, taking the envelope from his hands.

Marco Newgate. It was really addressed to him. And inside... he felt something hard. God... this was it wasn't it?

Without anymore waiting he ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter, uncaringly discarding the envelope on the floor in favour of reading the letter.

On it was a letter written in far too difficult words, announcing him to have passed the inspection and congratulating him on becoming a human once more. There were also plenty of lines about the consequences of this, the removal of the rules he had to follow until now and the new rules humans had. Which were mostly just to live peacefully. There were also plenty of lines about their household, how they were now allowed to remove the brick wall and metal gate, the spikes, the metal bars before windows,...

While this was all nice, what got his attention most was the simple plastic card at the bottom and he very gently peeled it off to look at it more closely.

A headshot of him in the corner, he didn't even know how they got it, but he really didn't care. What mattered to him was the word under his status.

Human

A few tears fell as he held it up for Ace to see. "H-human. I'm human-yoi."

"Human" Ace whispered before he was laughing and moved to embrace his lover, "My human!"

A laugh left him as he embraced the other, the letter crinkling in the hug and the plastic card digging into the palm of his hand as he squeezed it for dear life. His zombie life was over now. He was human. He got his other chance at life. All because Ace spend years keeping him close, taking care of him, giving him the medicine. All for this. And now it was his turn to care for Ace. He would pamper the raven for the rest of his life, their life together. "I love you, forever."

Once more there's a drawing that can be found on my AO3 and Wattpad!