Ahh crap....

Home! (for real this time)

Jason's P.O.V

I'm still in awe... I managed to find my friend, I mean, come on! The odds of this happening in normal circumstances are astronomical, let alone during the bloody zombie apocalypse! And she was alive! Although, with the way she swung at me earlier, I'm not too surprised.

I look over at my small friend. She is admittedly taller then when I last saw her, then again, so am I. She still has short hair, still the same chestnut brown, still the same permanent scowl and asymmetrical freckles, still the same calm air about her. Its comforting... in this new hellish landscape, corpses ambling through alleyways, the melted faces of strangers, the wet smack of blood soaked flesh hitting the ground as they're hit by makeshift weapons... its comforting that some things haven't changed.

I look over at the third person in our party, only to find her already looking at me. Chloe, I think her name was, I don't really know, I wasn't paying attention. I was concentrating on Bethan, in a daze, I actually found her! And what does she do? Head-butts me... yeah, some things never change.

I breathe out a laugh, the girl and Bethan turn to me. I shrug and Bethan flashes me a grin and a wink, then continues walking. Chloe, however, studies me a bit longer, eyes narrowed, shoulders tense. In turn, I narrow my eye in a glare and growl low in my throat. Her eyes widen and her step stutters, she whips her head to look forwards once again. I huff in satisfaction.

I don't dislike the girl, I honestly have no issue with her. But if she's going to look at me like I'm an animal, that's how I'm going to act. I don't get her problem, all I was doing was looking at Bethan, is that a crime? No! Although, I guess I wouldn't trust a stranger that id never met... Damn it... now I feel bad. Its not even my fault! how else was I supposed to react! I sigh, shake my head softly and put more length into my strides.

"Look, kid, I'm sorry for... I'm sorry for growling at you. In hindsight, that wasn't the best way to react, I wouldn't trust me either." I speak in a hushed whisper, my eye averted, the group now coming to a stop as Bethan catches her bearings. I saw Chloe look down, a blush coating her cheeks, she looks up and I stare back.

"No... to be honest, I don't even know why I'm surprised you acted like that, you are a friend of Bethan's after all. But you are right, I don't trust you, I think you should leave, I don't think you should have even shown up in the first place! We would have done fine with out you!" Her eyes filled with tears as she shouted at me, face red and furious. It took me a moment to comprehend what she had said but as I deciphered her words, hostility filled my gaze and I reared up to my full height, towering over the teenager. I could see the regret and fear in her posture, my own shoulders were taught with tension and the muscles in my non-robotic arm twitched as I tried to keep composure.

"Both of you stop being so fucking petty. Its honestly painful to watch... I never even thought about what would happen if you two met, but I assumed that you'd be more civil, apparently I was wrong." Bethan's voice cut through the air and made Chloe and I flinch. It did not waver and it was thick with disappointment.

Bethan's P.O.V

"I get it, you don't trust each other, that's fair enough, natural even! But Jason, growling, really?" I saw the redhead look down in frustration, I saw Chloe straighten up and send a smile in his direction. I click my tongue against my teeth and cross my arms over my chest.

"Don't look so smug, I heard what you said Chloe." Her smile melted and she also looked down, ashamed, like a child that had been caught antagonising a sibling. "Both of you look at me, I'm only going to say this once. Get over yourselves. You are both important to me, I'm not going to compare you because you are two completely different people. It doesn't matter who was my friend when, it doesn't matter, I don't care. What does matter and what I do care about, is getting home, getting weapons and figuring out a fucking plan!" My voice rose a level towards the end of my speech. Chloe and Jason looked stunned, but they nodded in understanding when I looked pointedly at them.

"Alright, this is what's going to happen. I'm going to walk down this road and I'm going to go home, with or without you guys. you can both come, or neither of you come, got it? If you really can't stand each other after only knowing each other for 5 fucking minutes, maybe you should go your own separate ways, I wont go with one over the other, but you can both come with me. What's it going to be?" I didn't wait for an answer, I knew what they'd choose. They'd come with me, I'm the only one with a plan and the only one willing to make one.

I heard their shoes scuff the gravel as they walked. I halted my steps and felt my two friends hit into my back. Before they could ask anything, I pivoted to face them and trapped them in an awkward embrace... I'm not used to hugs. I looked up at them and they nodded down at me. I freed them from my clumsy grasp and saw them shake hands. I felt my face contort into a face splitting grin, it only widened when I saw Chloe give a quiet giggle and Jason try (in vain) to conceal his own smile behind a tight-lipped frown.

With no further hindrances, we made it to my house fairly swiftly. I dug my key from my blazer pocket, face changing shape with my level of concentration. My brows furrowed, tongue poking out from the corner of my lips. My zen-mode was broken when my hand was torn from my pocket, one arm in the air as I held the dangling key triumphantly. I heard two sets of laughter and immediately remembered I had an audience. I ducked and grumbled as I started to unlock the door to my home.

"Well guys, welcome to my humble abode. This is where we'll be staying until we figure out where to go." I slammed the door behind me and made my way to the living room. I heard Chloe saying something about being tired and stealing my bed, I watched as she disappeared in the general direction if my room. I slouched on the sofa, hunching my back and resting my elbows on my knees, head in my hands. The day finally caught up with me as tears of frustration and fatigue pricked my eyes. My body was shifted onto someone else's lap as they sat down. I followed the arms that had encompassed me, one muscled, the other metallic, and was met by one sparkling emerald eye.

I breathed a laugh, nuzzled my head into his chest as he held me closer, and finally...

I shut my eyes.

Sup!! Hope you enjoyed, sorry it's kind of on a slow burn at the moment, I'd love any kind of suggestions! I might add characters, oc's or even you guys, if you want to ask or anything, feel free!! If you're reading this, thanks for taking the time! ^-^