Zanvis: ALIVE. (Part two of Apocalypse AU!)

Chapter Six: Zane.

     "He's breathing, at least."
     "Thank Irene."
     Zane groaned, disliking how close the voices of Aphmau and Garroth were to his face. He pretended to stretch, which also allowed him to push them away as he sat up. His eyes opened.
     He blinked furiously, letting his vision clear before looking around. He was sitting on the floor, and Aphmau and Garroth were kneeling next to him. Well, they were before he sat up. Now they had taken a few steps back.
     "Hi, Zane.." Aphmau said quietly, sounding a bit nervous.
     "Hi. Where's Travis?"
     "He's asleep again. Don't worry about him, he's fine." For some reason, she sounded relieved.
     Zane's eyes scanned the room again and noticed the absence of Laurence and Aaron. "Where'd they go?"
     "Laurence is sleeping and Aaron went out for a few minutes."
     "Why?" Zane pushed himself to his feet, stretching while doing so.
     "He's investigating the nearest buildings. He heard something and wanted to be sure."
     "What?" His voice came out sharper than he intended, but he felt it helped get his point across. "You let him go out alone, even when he heard something in a building?! Does that not raise red flags?!"
     "You went out alone and you're fine! Plus, you found Garroth and Laurence! What if he finds-"
     "I was strong enough to go out, and there wasn't anything suspicious happening!"
     "You went into a building that could've been a trap!"
     "I was smart about it!"
     "Aaron is smarter than you are! You passed out at the sight of someone walking!"
     "You would've freaked out if you were in my shoes! If it were you, you wouldn't have just passed out!"
     "Aaron is more strong-willed than you are! He's seen it all, and do you hear him complaining?!"
     "I've seen an experienced more things than you think! Stop changing the subject so much, and stop thinking Aaron is some high and mighty being! He's human, like all of us!"
     Her mouth opened and closed, but the heavy blanket of hostility in the air drove her to continue. "You don't know Aaron!"
     "And you don't know me! Stop pretending you do!"
    "Just because you're our 'leader' doesn't mean you can think you're better than everyone else!"
      "I don't think I'm better than anyone else! Someone around here needs to restore order, especially when you keep picking fights!"
     "I'm not the one who—"
     "Can.. can you guys not argue...? Please...?" Laurence asked faintly from the sleeping room. Zane exhaled sharply and walked towards that room, pushing past Aphmau on his way. Garroth remained silent, as he had the entire argument. Zane couldn't help but wonder why.
     With a soft yawn, he stepped into the room and shuffled over to his bed. Travis was sprawled out across his own and Zane's beds, as they were right beside each other's.
Travis was snoring, a sign that he was becoming better. Instead of his normal ragged, shallow breathing, he seemed to just be sleeping now. Ignoring every instinct in his mind, Zane lowered himself down next to Travis. He put one arm slowly over Travis's stomach while resting his head on his stomach. Travis shifted, and his arm slipped around Zane's shoulders.
He couldn't help but smile at this, even as he drifted off to a comfortable sleep.

"What are you doing?!" Aphmau hissed.
Zane opened one eye, rolled it at Aphmau, and cuddled closer to Travis.
"Get up! Don't get so close to him!"
Zane muttered something that could be politely described as "go away."
He felt a hand grip the back of his shirt and jerk him back. His arms and legs were swinging before he even opened his eyes.
"Let go!" he snapped, staring up. Aphmau glared down at him and reluctantly released his shirt. He stood up and brushed himself off. "What was that for?!"
"Sh!" She pointed at Travis. Travis's hands, mouth, and eyes were twitching. He rolled over and claimed the spot where Zane was lying moments before.
"Why did you do that?" Zane growled, his voice lowering only slightly.
"Can you not tell that he isn't right?"
"What is that supposed to mean?!"
Laurence rolled over, putting his back to them. Zane sighed and rubbed his face.
Aphmau huffed. "He's going to bite you."
"What?!" Zane yelled, surprised. "You think Travis is going to bite me?! He is a human!"
"I don't know what you consider to be human, but a lot of that was taken out of him when he was turned! He isn't Travis anymore!"
     "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Zane snarled. "Travis is still Travis! There isn't anything wrong with him!"
     "No—"
     "I said shut up! Go do something useful!"
     "Zane—"
     "Go."
     Zane stared down his nose at her as she whirled around and stormed out of
the room. Laurence winced as the door slammed, and Travis remained motionless.
     Mother of Irene... why does this have to be so difficult?