The Trial

[blackburden]

A post-apocalypse AU, with SMS. Characters are based mostly off of their Minecraft skins.

I'm awful with titles. oTL

Well, this is honestly the first thing I've dedicated my time to in this fandom. So, hello, Mindcrack fandom. -shy wave- I spent about a week writing this, roughly 1.5 - 2K words a day. It was very fun to write, though admittedly I was doubting myself the whole time. But I think it came out great! And after getting positive feedback from some friends, I'm feeling a little more up to posting this. So uh ... here you go. -hides under blankets-

---

 

The world would never be the same.

It was an unknown year, as calendars didn’t exist anymore, and the world hadn’t even begun to recover from the nuclear, toxic devastation that had struck it over two hundred years ago. It had been towards the end of World War Five, the Third and Fourth long since come and gone, when it happened. A bomb struck the world’s largest, most massive nuclear facility, levelling it and releasing gasses into the air and toxins into the water.

Animal and plant life became corrupted, and the human race was driven almost to extinction. By year 2676, cities were long since abandoned in favor of small settlements. The very fabric of society was unraveled like a thread taken from a tapestry. Morals changed, and humans reverted to a bit more of a primitive state.

Some humans even underwent horrific transformations, primarily those who lived around the site of the initial contamination. People lost their minds, some lost their limbs. But all in all, they lost a piece of themselves. Even if they never really changed, their ideals became somewhat … narrow. It was all always about being strong enough to survive and contribute to the community.

---

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Kurt looked at himself in the mirror, the cracks in the top right corner catching his attention as they always did. If he stood in just the right way, his reflection would be warped and skewed by the long, thin lines in the glass. But from where he stood, his image remained unmarred, brown hair framing his face and heterochromatic blue-red eyes staring back at him. Maybe it was a bit ridiculous to wear such formal clothing for something so … dangerous.

He turned to his friend a moment later, tearing his gaze away from the mirror. “Yes, Vechs.” He answered for what felt like the millionth time that day. “I’m never going to really be a man in the eyes of the tribe if I don’t.”

“Yeah, but you’re only twenty-one.” Vechs protested, crossing his arms. “Anything could happen out there!”

“Nothing happened to you.”

“But I’m also not a wuss like you.”

“Wow, thanks for your confidence in me.” Kurt said dryly, then sighed. It was wrong of him to get angry with his best friend, especially when he spoke the truth. “Sorry. I’m a little on edge.” He admitted softly. “I need to do this, but that doesn’t mean I want to.”

Vechs looked about ready to argue, but never got the chance as a loud drumbeat was heard. He grumbled something under his breath, uncrossing his arms and fixing his goggles over his eyes. “Well, looks like it’s time.”

With that, Vechs left the room, the sound of the front door opening and closing heard from the other room a moment later.

Kurt took one last glance into the mirror, then followed his friend.

---

It was all routine, ritual. Everything from the moment the Elder Guude gave his speech, to the moment he walked out of those gates, Kurt had had it all memorized. It was an essential part of his tribe’s culture to have a coming-of-age trial, a rite of passage if you will, and Kurt had had everything rehearsed.

But the moment those massive wooden gates closed behind him, all his plans flew out the window. Outside of his home he was unsure what to do. Away from his family and friends, he really wasn’t sure he had the confidence for this. Vechs, an ever-present constant at his side, was not there any longer, and that made it difficult to retain even a small semblance of normalcy.

For a good five minutes, Kurt stood there, wondering where to go, or what to do.

Finally though, he gathered himself, eyes lifting to the woods ahead of him. A whole month he had to survive out here. If he returned on the final day, he will have passed the trial. If he did not return, well, chances were going to be that he was dead.

He had no choice though. This was the way things were. The tribe needed strong, survivable people to preserve it, and everyone had to prove their worth.

With that thought in mind, Kurt stepped forward into the forest.

---

The evening was calm, and the forest was unusually silent. Kurt noted that it was both unnerving and a miracle that nothing had attacked him yet. Of course, his luck was bound to run out, especially after dark.

The first few days were likely to be spent looking for a safe place to set up a small camp. A cave would be ideal, but his chances of finding one in the middle of a forest with barely even a hill anywhere was unlikely.

As it was, the sun was almost down and it almost seemed like the trees were growing eyes.

Kurt’s hand went for the hilt of his sword, gripping it and drawing it effortlessly. It felt oddly heavier than usual, but that was likely due to lack of practice recently. The distant howl of a wolf sounded, and it seemed to set the forest alive. Eerie whispers could almost be heard on the wind.

The night was going to be long.

It wasn’t even midnight when the first real threat appeared.

Animals had been mutated over time by the leak of nuclear gasses into the air, and slime into the water. Of course, life here was resilient, and rather than eradicating an entire species it simply evolved to accommodate.

Kurt had been walking calmly through the trees when someone descended on him from above. It landed on his shoulders, claws digging into his skin through his shirt. A fierce hissing sound came from the creature as its weight knocked Kurt askew and he had to grab a tree to keep on his feet.

He spun around in a panic, trying to get the creature off of his shoulders, and slammed his back against the tree in an attempt to squash it. It made a furious sound, whatever it was, and leaped up into the branches.

Kurt turned to look after it, spotting the figure of a two-foot tall squirrel with massive teeth and claws, shrieking at him from its spot in the tree. He really wished he had a bow to shoot it. If it kept up its noise it was going to attract more monsters.

Deciding it was best if he left, Kurt hurriedly wandered away from the monstrous squirrel. Only once he was a safe distance away did he reach back with one hand to feel at the gashes on his shoulders. They stung, and when he pulled his hand back he could see the dark color of blood on his fingers.

“Damn it.” He cursed quietly, sighing and reaching for the bag he had brought with him. It was a simple bag with a drawstring that he kept over one shoulder. At least the string hadn’t been snapped by that damn squirrel.

Finding some bandages, Kurt pulled them out. His eyes scanned the area in the darkness to ensure he was alone, and when he was sure he was he sat down and pulled off his shirt. He grumbled as the fabric rubbed over the wounds, likely being further stained with blood, but that was the least of his concerns.

He spent a few minutes struggling to bandage his shoulders, each of which was sporting a nasty gash, but finally he succeeded. Sighing a little, Kurt grabbed for his shirt and slipped it back on, leaning back against the tree he sat before.

His eyes closed for a moment, just for a moment, but that was long enough to put him to sleep.

---

The faint sound of footsteps amongst the wind reached Kurt’s ears, and he opened his eyes. He was surprised to find that it was daytime, and that he was alive and in one piece.

‘I can’t be so careless!’ He scolded himself as he realized he could have been killed overnight.

The footsteps caught his attention again, and he looked up and around. For the moment he saw nothing, but he hurriedly got to his feet and grabbed his sword. Keeping his back against the tree, Kurt held his weapon before him, looking around warily.

A figure stepped out of some bushes ahead, heading right towards him.

Kurt’s eyes widened. Whoever this was, he could only assume that they were once human. But now, their skin was more pink, and they had floppy ears and a snout and even small decent sized tusks. In fact, they looked almost literally like a humanoid pig … a half-zombie one, judging by how it seemed as though half of their body looked to be decaying.

Well, that more than likely meant that they also didn’t really have much of a brain.

With that thought in mind, Kurt held his sword at the ready should this thing attack him. He was surprised, needless to say, when a single, bright eye looked at him. The monster stopped walking a good ten feet from him, and Kurt hesitated. The way they were looking at him gave him pause.

A tense silence fell around them, with the both of them staring each other down. It was almost suffocating how intense the moment was, and Kurt was afraid to break it. Fortunately, he didn’t have to worry about that as the monster broke it for him.

“You shouldn’t be out here.”

The voice was male, and was surprisingly smooth for a creature who looked half-dead.

Kurt slowly lowered his sword a bit, hesitant about allowing himself to fall into a sense of security. This guy didn’t seem to be dangerous, but he very well could be. He chuckled, trying to sound confident even if his nerves were already frayed after only one night.

“I don’t have a choice.” He responded.

The monster tilted his head. “Did your tribe kick you out?” He sounded genuinely curious.

Shaking his head, Kurt allowed his weapon to drop the rest of the way, though he still held it in his hand for safety measures.

“No.” He said, shifting his shoulders a little as they began to itch. Damn wounds. “I’m out here on a coming-of-age trial.”

The monster chuckled, muttering something under his breath that sounded like ‘people these days’. Then he seemed to notice something, his head lifting as he sniffed at the air a little. His single eye narrowed on Kurt, and the human tensed.

“You’re injured.”

That was the last thing Kurt expected to hear. He nodded a bit, wary all over again. “Yeah. I, uh, got jumped by this squirrel-thing.”

This seemed to alarm the monster. “Did it bite you? Scratch you?”

Kurt nodded in response. “My shoulders.”

Cursing a bit, the monster growled. “Look, I usually make it a point to stay away from people. Y’know, since usually they want to kill me, but I like you, so I’ll help you.”

“Help me?” Kurt echoed. He didn’t need any help. Well, he did, but he didn’t want to admit it. How was he supposed to go back to his tribe and tell them he cheated?

“Those squirrels are poisonous.” The monster told him. “They’ve usually got rabies as well, and you’ll be lucky if that one didn’t.” Suddenly rather terrified, Kurt tensed up. Wow, day one and he was already going to die. “Fortunately for you, I have an antidote for their poison, as well as rabies.”

Kurt wanted to decline, but his fear of dying held his tongue. So he nodded quickly instead. The creature before him turned and waved a hand in a gesture for Kurt to follow. For only a moment he hesitated, unsure if he was about to walk to his death. So far, this guy had been kind, but he was clearly intelligent and it could very well all be a ruse.

The way he looked at it, as he followed, was he was dead if he didn’t go with him, so there was really no harm. If this guy killed him, it would at least likely be a less painful death than suffering at the hands of poison.

Kurt followed a short distance behind the kind, zombie-like creature, but after a while he stepped up to stand closer to him. “If I’m poisoned, how come I haven’t felt any effects yet?” He asked.

The monster scoffed. “It’s not a perfect poison, and it’s actually very weak at first. It starts off slow but if it goes untreated its effects multiply dramatically after about twenty-four hours. Once that happens, you’ll be lucky if you survive more than another half a day.”

“Oh …”

It got quiet between them again, and Kurt found himself watching their surroundings. The forests around the tribe’s settlement extended for miles, and honestly he wondered where this guy might live. Any sort of house would have been noticed by patrols already.

He got his answer after a few hours.

They had begun to follow a river, and Kurt heard the waterfall before they even saw it. Eventually, they reached the point where the river fell down into a lake below, and he had to be extra careful not to trip on the slippery wet rocks that made up a crude pathway down the side of the small cliff.

At the bottom, they turned towards the waterfall, but rather than go into it, they actually passed through a small tunnel behind it.

It was dark inside, but the warmth in the air was noticeable the moment they had entered. At least it was well-insulated for the winter. The darkness didn’t last long, as the tunnel eventually became dimly lit by a torch in the distance.

It was well thought to put it so far back in the tunnel, so that anyone who might find this cave would think it was uninhabited. Kurt had to note that unlike his initial assumptions, this creature as actually very, very smart.

The tunnel opened into a larger cavern, and Kurt stopped to look around.

Off against one wall were a bunch of stone furnaces, likely made to cook anything that needed to be cooked, and off against another wall there were a bunch of shelves and chests. Torches lit the cavern only dimly, but it was enough to see.

“Here.” The creature said, pulling out a chair. “Sit. I’ll grab that antidote.”

Hesitantly, Kurt moved to sit on the chair, watching the other’s back as he went to a shelf that seemed to be stocked with potions and salves. He found himself wondering where this guy might have gotten such things, and vowed to ask once he was no longer in danger of dying.

Finally the zombie seemed to find what he was looking for and came back over to Kurt. He had a small black bottle in hand, which he twisted the lid off of. The smell of pine filled the air.

“I have to warn you,” the monster started, making Kurt look up at him, “this stuff is very, very strong. It’s actually hallucinogenic, and you’re likely not going to be too cognitive for a few hours.”

Kurt frowned. “So … I’m essentially going to get high?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

Hesitating, Kurt thought it over. If he accepted this, he was going to be completely at the mercy of this guy for a few hours. The situation looked very, very much like a ploy to get him to lower his defenses so that he could be killed.

‘Does it matter?’ Kurt asked himself. ‘I’m going to die even if I don’t accept his help. Poison doesn’t just go away.’

It was with that thought in mind that he finally took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay.” He murmured. “How do I use it?”

“It’s a salve.” The other informed him, moving around the chair to stand behind it. “I’ll apply it since it’ll be difficult for you to reach properly.”

“Thanks.” Kurt murmured, reaching to tug his shirt off. It was in the way. “Does it hurt?”

“It stings a bit, but it’s nothing serious.”

Kurt never got to respond as he suddenly felt the creature’s fingers on his shoulders, removing the bandages Kurt had put on. His fingers were oddly warm against his skin, but he didn’t get to think too much about that as the moment the gooey substance came into contact with the wounds on his shoulders, a sharp stinging made him hiss and tense.

So much for it not hurting too much.

The zombie creature worked quickly, and after only about fifteen seconds he finally took his hands back and moved back around to look at Kurt, who was still tense. Shuddering a little, Kurt looked up at him. “How long until it takes effect?”

“Any second now.”

“Okay. I-“ Kurt cut off as everything suddenly seemed to spin. His world became mute, and he was no longer aware if he was talking, or even moving. The zombie before him was the only thing he could see, and he was saying something, but Kurt couldn’t hear.

Everything got dark.

---

Kurt opened his eyes slowly, finding himself lying on his side on something soft.

He groaned slightly at the pain from a headache, shutting his eyes in a hurry and throwing an arm over his head. A soft chuckle caught his attention, but everything hurt too much to react otherwise. His body ached, but he felt otherwise cleansed.

Slowly, memory returned of what had transpired before his sudden black-out. He lifted his arm from over his eyes, looking around at the smaller room he was in. The light from a torch across the room was dim, but still enough to hurt his eyes.

He almost felt like he had a hangover.

The zombie pig-guy was sitting on a chair a short distance away, reading a book. For the moment, he seemed content to leave Kurt be, and for that he was thankful. Honestly, he was pretty sure he couldn’t handle conversation yet.

Kurt realized after a moment that he was laying on a bed, and that he had a thick blanket of sorts covering him. Wait, was he naked? Adjusting a bit confirmed that yes, he was. Well, that was a development he hadn’t foreseen.

“Why am I naked?”

Maybe it wasn’t the best way to start up a conversation, but Kurt had to know.

The other figure near the bed shut his book and set it down.

“You started to run a fever, which I had expected might happen.” He answered. “Getting you to actually undress was a challenge and a half, might I add.”

So he hadn’t actually undressed Kurt. That was a relief. Kurt had never really been comfortable around people without as many layers as he could have on. He sighed a little, moving to sit up in the bed. His head still ached, but he noted that his shoulders didn’t.

“How long was I out of it? And can I have my clothes back?”

The monster got up, grabbing the pile of clothes on the floor next to him and handing them to Kurt before turning in his chair so his back was to him. At least he was kind enough to give him some privacy. Kurt pulled his clothes on, feeling ten times better just by having them on.

“Okay.” He said to inform the zombie that he could turn back around, which he did.

“It’s been almost twenty-four hours.” He told him, answering his previous question.

“Oh …” Two days. It had been two days since Kurt had left home on this ridiculous journey. He sighed softly. “Thank you for your help. I’d probably have died without it.” He got a nod in return, and hesitantly held out his hand.

“I never told you my name. It’s Kurt.”

For a moment the zombie looked surprised, but then slowly took Kurt’s hand. “Zisteau.”

What an unusual name.

“So, what’s this whole deal with your trial?” The zombie- Zisteau- asked. He seemed to be genuinely curious.

“It’s … just sort of a tradition, I guess.” Kurt told him. “I was supposed to do it three years ago, but … I’m a wimp.”

“What changed your mind?”

“I got tired of being treated like a child.”

For the past three years, he had been laughed at, ridiculed, and treated like a baby because he had been putting off his trial. Vechs had always stood up for him, but even with his help, Kurt’s patience only lasted so long.

Zisteau looked thoughtful as he nodded.

“What about you?” Kurt asked, deciding to change the subject. “How did you … I mean, what are … Um …” He had no idea how to ask about the other’s appearance. But Zisteau seemed to get it anyway, because he shrugged.

“Nuclear chemicals do crazy things to people.” He replied. “It might be hard to tell, but I’m actually closer to thirty years old. I’ve been living in these woods since before I got turned into this.”

“Doesn’t it … hurt?” It certainly looked like one’s body decaying would hurt.

The other shook his head, much to Kurt’s surprise. “No. It’s more of an itch. Kind of feels like my skin is crawling a lot of the time. I got used to it a long time ago.”

“Oh …” Kurt frowned a little. He was surprised by how casually the other spoke about it. But then, he had likely been like this for years and would have had plenty of time to come to terms with it. In a way, Kurt admired Zisteau for not giving up.

“Anyway.” The zombie pigman said, waving a hand dismissively. “Are you hungry? I don’t have to eat myself, but I always have some things in stock for occasions like this, rare as they may be.”

The moment food was mentioned, Kurt’s body seemed to kick into gear to remind him how hungry he really was. It’d been almost three days since he’d last eaten. He nodded, offering a small smile, and moved to get up.

Zisteau stopped him, pressing a hand to his chest. “You stay here and rest. You’ll be a little unstable on your feet for a few hours yet.”

“Oh. Okay.” Kurt submitted, sitting back on the bed. He watched as Zisteau left the room, then scooted back to lean against the wall on one side of the bed. While he waited, he let his thoughts wander.

This guy had been so kind and helpful to him, and he felt bad that he was going to have to leave him soon. He doubted that Zisteau had many friends, especially since he seemed to live alone. But did he really have to leave? Honestly, he could spend his entire month here with the other, if he was welcome to, and no one would have to know.

Besides … Kurt actually wanted to get to know Zisteau better.

---

Needless to say, when Kurt was getting ready to leave the following morning, he was a little unhappy about it. Zisteau seemed to be hesitant about something, but really it was hard to tell with him.

“Alright.” Kurt said finally, pulling his bag over his shoulders. “I’m ready.”

“You know …” Zisteau began, but then shook his head. “Nevermind.” He motioned for Kurt to follow and headed for the tunnel that would bring them outside. It was quiet between them, almost somber in fact, and Kurt didn’t like it. At all.

Soon, the light from the world beyond reached into the depths of the cave. They emerged outside, and Kurt was surprised when a large, white dog got to its paws nearby, practically bouncing over to Zisteau. It whined happily, practically jumping up on him.

“Oof!” The zombie pigman grunted when the dog’s paws landed on his shoulders. He was knocked back a bit, but caught himself. “Hey, you. It’s been a while.” He said, smiling as he reached up to scratch the dog’s ears.

Kurt was baffled. “You have a dog?” He asked, to which the canine’s head turned to look at him. Somehow, he got the impression that it was offended as it dropped back down onto all fours and stared at him. Kurt stared back into its blue eyes.

“Actually, he’s a wolf.” Zisteau informed him. “He’s not really mine, but we’re friends. He comes around every now and then, and I give him any scraps I might have on me.” He turned to the dog, squatting down beside him and petting his head. “Sorry boy. I didn’t expect you today, so I don’t have anything.”

The wolf looked at him and … nodded? Kurt was so, so confused. Just how intelligent was this wolf? The wolf turned to him then, slowly stepping closer, nose twitching as he sniffed the air around Kurt.

Kurt loved animals. He was good with them, but he’d never met another animal as smart as this one. When he held out his hand for the wolf to sniff, he was surprised when he was licked and his hand nuzzled. Well, at least he was forgiven for calling him a dog.

Kneeing down, Kurt used both hands to pet the creature, which was eye-level with him when he was down this low. “Hey there boy.” He greeted. “You’re awfully smart.” The wolf whined softly and lifted one paw, resting it over one of Kurt’s arms as he nuzzled into his hands.

Smiling, Kurt patted his neck, then stood up. The wolf sat down at his side, looking between him and Zisteau, who had been watching the two interact. The zombie pigman seemed to be in awe. “Wow, you two get along well.” He commented, to which Kurt smiled a bit, resting his hand on the wolf’s head.

“I’ve always been good with animals. But he’s really intelligent. I’ve never seen a wolf like this.”

“He’s the only one I’ve ever seen like that.” Zisteau informed him. “Maybe his brain was enhanced by the nuclear pollution? I mean, the effects of nuclear waste are unpredictable. They can’t always be negative.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Kurt agreed. His gaze turned to the pathway that lead up towards the top of the waterfall. “Well, I guess I should be going.” He said, unable to hide the note of disappointment in his voice.

“Yeah.” Zisteau agreed, then looked at the wolf. “You should keep Kurt company.” He said, speaking directly to the animal. “He’s already almost gotten himself killed.” The wolf’s eyes sparkled in amusement and he tipped his head to the side before looking up at Kurt.

Kurt wanted to retort, but he had nothing to retort with, so he just looked away in embarrassment. “Yes, well, hopefully it won’t happen again.” He muttered.

“Yeah.” Zisteau chuckled. “Well, good luck. Don’t die.”

“Thanks. I’ll do my best.” Kurt promised, then held out a hand. “Thank you for everything.”

Zisteau took his hand, shaking it. Neither of them let go for an extra several seconds, staring at each other, but finally it was Zisteau who pulled back. Kurt nodded, then turned away, heading off.

The wolf followed behind him.

---

Kurt found that having the wolf at his side was better than being alone. Never had he assumed he would find a sense of companionship with a wolf of all beings, but he did. By the time night fell on the day he left Zisteau, he had decided that he would call his new friend Wolfie, for lack of a better name. The wolf didn’t seem to mind the change.

He proved to be very useful. When Kurt would take a break, Woliey would disappear for all of half an hour, eventually returning with some form of small animal as prey. At first Kurt thought that it was for Wolfie to eat, since he was a living being and had to eat, but the white wolf would come over and set down the animal before him, usually a rabbit of sorts.

At first Kurt tried to tell Wolfie it was okay, but the wolf would practically glare at him until he finally got a small fire set up to cook whatever he’d been given. He had to admit that he was grateful, since hunting out here was dangerous. It was hard to tell what was and wasn’t safe to eat, but a wolf had a strong sense of smell and would likely be able to tell what was dangerous to eat and what wasn’t.

Even if the food was for him, Kurt always shared with his companion, and he was thankful that Wolfie never refused it. They got along well, and Kurt seriously hoped that once this trial was over that Wolfie might come with him back home.

Furthermore, Wolfie proved to be useful in a fight.

On day five of his trial, Kurt was attacked by a crocodile-like monster, since they had wandered into a more marshy area of the forest. Before he could even draw his sword after those massive jaws and sharp teeth snapped at him, Wolfie was all over the monster.

With the two of them fighting together, the crocodile seemed to figure out that it was outnumbered and outmatched and eventually fled. Needless to say, the two of them got out of that area quickly. Kurt had thanked the wolf profusely after that, and had gained even more respect for him.

At night, Wolfie would curl up with him, offering his body heat. As the season was starting to change from summer to fall, the nights were getting colder, and Kurt was thankful for the warmth.

One particular night, about a week into his trial, he lay staring up at the sky. He and Wolfie had emerged from the forest onto the plains located just beyond for a change in scenery, and it was four days since Kurt had last seen Zisteau.

As he stared up at the stars in the sky, visible through the perpetual darkness of the open plains, he thought about his zombie-like friend. He’d been so helpful, and had even essentially given him Wolfie as a companion.

‘Maybe I should have asked him to come along too.’ Kurt thought, frowning a little. His eyes found the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle. Freedom. Leo, the Lion. Courage. He sighed a little. Those were two things he felt he didn’t have. He’d never been courageous, not at all, and as a kid he’d been picked on a lot for being a wimp, a coward. Vechs had always been there for him though, and he wondered if his friend might be worried about him.

He never really had a lot of freedom at home either. Everything was so … routinely. It felt like life was to be done a certain way or it would falter. On one hand, that made sense due to the way the world worked nowadays, but it was also very restricting and had always made him feel like he couldn’t be who he wanted to be. He was a free spirit at heart, and he wanted to be away from the settlement. But … it was his home, and he had nowhere to go otherwise.

An image of Zisteau flashed in his mind, and Kurt shook his head. He wished he could live out in the world like the zombie pigman did. He wished he had the strength and the will to do that, but he didn’t. And he knew he never would.

---

It was two and a half weeks into the trial when Kurt saw Zisteau again. He and Wolfie had doubled back into the forests after a few days on the plains, and after spending some time there they eventually made their way to the river following it towards the waterfall.

Kurt looked up at the waterfall as he stepped down from the pathway leading up to it. Idly, he wondered if Zisteau would even remember him, but he pushed that thought aside and headed for where he remembered the tunnel behind the waterfall being. Wolfie followed behind him.

Soon the torches became visible in the tunnel, and Kurt eventually stepped into the main cavern. Zisteau wasn’t there. “Zisteau?” He called, getting no response. Confused, he looked to Wolfie. “Can you smell him nearby or anything?” He asked his companion, who tilted his head, then began to sniff at the ground.

After wandering into the next room where Kurt remembered the bed being, Wolfie came back, shaking his head. “Huh …” Kurt shrugged, moving over to the table and sitting down on a chair. “Maybe he’s gone out. He should be back eventually.”

Hours passed. Afternoon became evening and the sun fell. Kurt yawned a little, reading a very old book. Perhaps it was a bit rude, but he’d gone rummaging around in Zisteau’s things to find something to do. When he found a shelf with a few books, he plucked one and went to sit back down, reading it but really only half-paying attention to the words.

He snapped the book shut, leaning over and resting his head on his arm. It had been a long day full of travel, and he was tired. His gaze turned to the short tunnel that lead to the room with the bed, and he wondered if Zisteau would be mad if he slept there. Presumably not, since he had already slept there before, but it would be different now.

Still, Kurt was too tired to think too much about it. He got to his feet, stepping around Wolfie who had been lying beside the table, and headed into the next room. He noted that the torch on the wall was burnt out, but didn’t pay it too much attention as he headed over to the bed and collapsed onto it, but not before setting his sword aside.

The soft surface was welcome after many nights spent sleeping on the ground. Wolfie jumped up onto the bed, curling up at Kurt’s feet. Pulling the blankets over himself, Kurt sighed softly, closing his eyes and snuggling into the pillow.

The earthy smell that accompanied Zisteau was with him as he descended into the world of darkness, and it followed him into his dreams.

---

Zisteau was still nowhere to be found two days later. Honestly, Kurt was rather worried about it. It was at that point that he decided to go out and look for Zisteau during the day. He only just over a week left to search for him before he had to go back home, and he wanted to get to see his friend again before that.

Fortunately, and much to his relief, one afternoon on the fourth day when he returned back to the waterfall cave, he found Zisteau there.

When he stepped into the main cavern and found Zisteau looking over a bunch of items on the table, Kurt couldn’t help but rush forward and through his arms around him. It lasted only a few seconds before Kurt pulled back. Zisteau looked both surprised and confused.

“Kurt?” He questioned. “What are you doing here?”

“Wolfie and I came back to see you.” Kurt informed him. “You weren’t here, so we stayed and waited for you. But you were gone so long, and we got worried and we’ve been out looking for you.”

“Oh.” Zisteau chuckled a bit. “I was making my monthly visits to my acquaintances. I get important things from them.” He motioned to the table for good measure.

Sighing a little, Kurt nodded. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” He said, moving to sit on a chair.

Zisteau went back to looking over his things. Kurt looked at the assortment of items, noting that a majority of them seemed to be healing items like saves and poultices. There were a few other things, like an odd purple jewel. Honestly most of it looked to be keepsakes.

“Were you really that worried about me?” Zisteau asked after some time. Kurt looked up at him, but the zombie pigman was staring intently at a label on a small, clear bottle with a light translucent green gel inside.

“Well, yes.” Kurt answered. Was he not supposed to be worried?

Zisteau smiled a bit. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard someone say something like that.” He said quietly. Before Kurt could answer, he lifted his head and looked around. “Where is the wolf anyway?”

“Probably still out looking for you. We decided to split up to cover more ground. He’ll be back eventually.”

“Ah.” Zisteau nodded, grabbing a few of the items on the table and moving to put them on their appropriate shelves. “Thanks for coming back.” He said while his back was turned. “It can get awfully lonely out here on my own.”

“Yeah, I bet it can. On that note …” Kurt hesitated. He’d been thinking about it the past few days and figured he might as well ask Zisteau anyway. The worst he’d get was a ‘no’. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind me staying here for the last week of my trial.”

The zombie pigman looked over his shoulder at him, one good eye clearly surprised. But he nodded after a minute. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” He answered, setting the last little container on the shelf before coming back over to Kurt. He sat on the table next to him.

Kurt smiled softly, happy that he would get to stay with his friend and get to know him better.

“So, tell me about your adventures.” Zisteau implored, to which Kurt complied. He told him about his time with Wolfie, about where they had gone what they had done. It wasn’t really a long story, but it was still one he was pleasantly surprised to find he enjoyed sharing.

About halfway through his tale, Zisteau got up and went about getting some food prepared for Kurt. The prospect of having something to eat that wasn’t just cooked meat was enough to make Kurt’s mouth water. Zisteau, as he had learned when he was last here, was actually a good cook.

When he finally finished, Kurt leaned back in his chair, staring at his friend’s back as he went about cooking. The zombie pigman chuckled. “Sounds like you’ve had quite a time.” He commented, finally coming back over to sit at the table again, this time on a chair.

“Yeah. It was pretty hectic.”

After a moment, Zisteau tilted his head. “What’s your home like?” He asked. “Do you have many friends?”

“Well …” Kurt said, then shrugged. “It’s … boring.” He decided. “Everything is so routine, and I find it hard to do much of my own free will. It’s all orderly, you know? I like it better out here. And I do have friends. Well, a friend. Vechs. He’s that one friend that’s always stuck by me, even when I was little. He’s probably worried about me, I mean he didn’t even want me to do this trial.”

“You’ve done well so far, haven’t you?” Zisteau pointed out. “You’re still alive.”

Hearing that helped to lift Kurt’s spirits more than they already were, and he smiled softly. “Yeah. That’s true.” He said, and was about to say more before a flash of white caught his attention.

Wolfie darted over to Zisteau, practically leaping on him with his tail wagging furiously as he licked the side of the zombie pigman’s face. Zisteau laughed, truly laughed, and Kurt found that he immediately liked the sound of it.

“Whoa! Hey, okay, okay!” Zisteau lightly shoved the wolf off of him, sitting up from where he had been knocked over, and held the canine’s head in his hands, wrestling with him a little. “Jeeze, I didn’t think you’d miss me that much!”

Kurt watched as the two wrestled playfully, deciding that this was something he could get used to.

---

It was come bedtime that Kurt found out something interesting about Zisteau.

He didn’t sleep.

“So wait, you don’t sleep? Why do you have a bed then?”

Zisteau rolled his eyes, seemingly amused. “Because beds are comfy, and I can pseudo-sleep if I want to.” He said from where he was grabbing another blanket from a small storage area. It was going to be a bit colder than usual tonight.

Kurt blinked at him. “Pseudo-sleep?” He questioned.

“Basically dozing.”

“Oh.”

Kurt took the blanket when it was offered to him, sitting down on the bed he had been standing before. He wasn’t about to undress, and was used to sleeping in his clothing by now, so he just threw both blankets over him and curled up on his side, sighing softly.

The amount of safety he felt here was astonishing, really. Even back at the settlement he rarely felt as secure as he did here in this cave, with Zisteau’s watchful eye on him. It showed just how much he trusted his new friend already.

The zombie pigman offered a ‘good night’ before leaving the smaller area of the cave to go back into the main cavern. As he was leaving, Wolfie stepped into the room. He went over to the bed, jumping up on it to curl up at Kurt’s feet, as he had been doing for days now. Kurt shifted to make room for the large canine, having to pull his legs up a bit more.

He hummed softly for a few minutes, recalling some old, long forgotten song, but fell silent as he fell asleep.

The following days were peaceful. Kurt spent as much time as he could with Zisteau. He found the zombie pigman charming in his own way, and it never really occurred to him that that might be a bit … strange.

Zisteau was kind, he was strong and determined, and above all he was a great friend. Kurt made it a point to tell him how grateful he was to him, both for saving his life and spending time with him. He was in every way human, except for his appearance. It would be unfair to blame him for that though; it wasn’t like he could help it.

He learned that while Zisteau was technically half-dead, the rotting parts of his body had stopped spreading years ago. Now they just remained in a sort of stable state, never healing but never extending their reach. They were not in any way contagious, and Zisteau was good about it. He didn’t seem to begrudge life for making him the way he was, and that was what Kurt admired most about him; he took everything in stride.

The third day with Zisteau, with only about half a week left of his trial, Kurt discovered the playful side of his friend. They had decided to spend some time outside, since the both of them were getting a bit antsy from being inside for so long.

They went around the other side of the basin in which the waterfall fell into and formed. Wolfie seemed content to stay near them, but on dry land. He lay sprawled out on his side in the sun, dozing peacefully. Meanwhile, Kurt and Zisteau sat side by side at the edge of the pool of water.

Kurt had taken his shoes off and was soaking his feet in the cool water. Despite summer coming to a close, it was a particularly warm day, and he could practically feel his face burning. He’d always burned easily.

Zisteau was doing the same beside him, and the two sat in companionable silence for a time.

Until the zombie pigman spoke. “Hey, Kurt?” He questioned, to which Kurt ‘hmm’ed softly in response. But he didn’t even get to look at him before Zisteau shoved him into the water. Flailing for a moment, Kurt found his footing in the shallow water, spitting out water.

He glared at Zisteau, who was grinning mischievously, but any irritation he had died when he saw how amused his friend seemed. He crossed his arms, acting as if he was going to just walk back out, but when he was close enough he grabbed the other’s leg and yanked him into the water too.

Zisteau yelped as he was dragged into the water, but laughed and more or less tackled Kurt.

The two wrestled in the water, not minding the slight chill of it. Wolfie had sat up and was keeping a watchful eye on them, but even he seemed amused in his own wolfish way.

Kurt managed to tackle Zisteau up against the bank of the pool, and held him there. He was panting heavily as he grinned at him. “Got you!” He exclaimed, to which Zisteau put on an obviously fake look of horror.

“Oh no, what ever will I do?” He wailed.

Kurt laughed at that, letting him go, and Zisteau laughed with him. For a few minutes afterwards they were breathless, but finally Kurt climbed out of the water, collapsing on his back on the grass beside Wolfie. The wolf made a distressed whine and moved away in a hurry, clearly not wanting to get wet.

“Aww, you don’t like water? Zisteau asked the canine as he too emerged from the pool. He stepped over towards Wolfie, arms extended. “Come on, give old Z a hug!”

The wolf gave him a look that, if looks could kill it the zombie pigman would be six feet under. Zisteau reached the wolf and fell on top of him, knocking them both to the ground. “Wow, Wolfie, you’re really warm.”

Wolfie whined and squirmed to escape. Zisteau let him escape a few moments later, then crawled over to collapse beside Kurt. The sun beamed down on them, warming and slowly drying their clothes. A light breeze picked up, making Kurt shiver.

Zisteau noticed this and sat up. “Come on.” He said. “You’ll get sick if you stay out here in those wet clothes.” He held out a hand for Kurt, who took it and allowed the help getting up. For a long, long heartbeat, Kurt didn’t let go of Zisteau’s hand.

When he knew it was going to get awkward, he finally released him. “Thanks.” He said, grabbing his shoes and following his friend back around the pool of water towards the waterfall and the hidden tunnel.

The warmth in the cave was welcome after the chilly breeze outside. They got into the main cavern and Zisteau grabbed a towel and a blanket. “Do you have a change of clothes?” He asked, to which Kurt shook his head. It had never even occurred to him to bring one on this trial.

“No.”

“Well, you’d better get out of those clothes anyhow.” The zombie pigman said sternly. “Wrap yourself in this blanket, but dry off first.” He held the two items out to Kurt, who accepted them gratefully and went to the bedroom to change.

It felt so, so strange to be naked, and he had to keep glancing over his shoulder as he was undressed and drying off. Finally he was dry, except for his hair which remained damp, and he wrapped the blanket around him like a cocoon.

Stepping back out into the other room, he found Zisteau waiting for him, holding a bowl of soup. Kurt recognized it as the chicken soup they had eaten the night before, and he chuckled a bit. He sat on a chair at the table, shifting to get comfortable with the blanket wrapped around him, and took the bowl from his friend.

The blanket fell from around his shoulders as he tried to eat it, leaving his top half bare, but he didn’t care. As weird as it was, he just didn’t mind being shirtless around Zisteau. “Thanks.” He said after a few mouthfuls of the soup. It was warm, but not hot, and helped heat up his skin again.

Zisteau nodded. “Of course.”

“Aren’t you going to change?” Kurt asked, to which the other shook his head.

“No need. I can’t get sick. Being a little waterlogged for a few hours won’t be too much of an issue.”

Deciding against arguing with him, Kurt just went back to eating.

---

He found that after that day, he was oddly closer to Zisteau. He found himself confiding in him, telling him more about his home, about Vechs, about the way his society worked. And in turn, Zisteau told him about his own past.

Apparently he grew up in these very woods with his parents. They had never been part of a tribe or anything or the sort, and had simply lived alone together. Zisteau mentioned that they were great to him, but also that they had died in the nuclear accident that had turned him into what he was now.

It had been an emotional talk, and Kurt found himself wanting to just hug his friend and tell him it wasn’t his fault. And he did just that. Zisteau hadn’t cried, though Kurt could tell he was upset about recalling the past. They’d moved on to talk about lighter topics after that, and things went back to normal.

As the final day dawned upon them, Kurt was in a rather melancholy mood. He didn’t want to leave. Zisteau had become a close friend and he wasn’t looking forward to the prospect of never seeing him again. He wanted so badly to just bring his friend back with him, but he knew that the tribe would call him a monster and want to kill him. They would do it, too, regardless of what Kurt wanted.

Even Zisteau seemed a bit down, so off from his usual attitude. The only one seemingly unaffected was Wolfie, though he did stick particularly close to Kurt all day. The three of them spent the morning and the afternoon walking around together outside. Kurt had brought along his bag of things, since he knew they would not be going back.

Evening approached, and it was time to go home.

Zisteau offered to walk with Kurt as far as he felt comfortable going, and Kurt was grateful for that. He noted that he was often grateful to his friend. They walked in a rather depressing silence, but neither of them dared break it.

Eventually, Zisteau grabbed Kurt’s wrist, stopping him.

“This is as far as I go.” He said, his voice quieter than usual.

Kurt turned to him, nodded a little, and sighed. “Yeah, I know.” He murmured. For a second he just stared at his friend, but then he stepped closer and hugged him in a hurry. It was the first time, he realized, that Zisteau actually hugged him back.

The warmth in his chest and the sad pang in his heart made him hold onto the zombie pigman for longer than he probably should have, and it was an inner struggle to let him go. But they parted, and Kurt tried to smile.

Wolfie whined, clearly not liking the moment, and Kurt looked down at him. He knelt down, hugging the wolf around the neck. “Thank you for everything, Wolfie. I’d probably be dead if it weren’t for you.” The canine licked his face, nuzzling him affectionately. “Take care of Zisteau.” He added quietly.

Kurt stood back up, looking between them. “I’ll see you around, okay?” He said, to which Zisteau gave him a smile in return.

“Yeah.” He responded.

Kurt turned and headed off, because he knew that if he didn’t he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to leave at all.

---

When he got home, Kurt found that he wasn’t as happy about it as he should have been. Vechs had practically tackled him in a bear hug the moment he stepped through the gates, looking him over for any particular devastating injuries or scars. But upon finding none he relaxed and demanded to know everything.

“Not now.” Kurt had answered, not about to tell him his story with so many people around to hear. Vechs deserved to know, but everyone else he didn’t trust.

The majority of the evening was spent in celebration, as was custom. There was a feast, which Kurt noted just didn’t taste as good as Zisteau’s cooking, and there was plenty of alcohol to go around. Kurt was sure to be vague about his trial to anyone who asked, and he drank probably a lot more than he should have.

So it was that Vechs had to practically drag him home.

The trek was a blur, and no sooner had they gotten inside and sat down on the couch together did the true story come pouring out to Vechs. He expected his friend to freak out, to tell him he was insane, but instead he only stared once Kurt finished.

“So wait,” he said, “you spent your trial with some monster and a wolf?”

“He’s not a monster.” Kurt retorted, swaying a little. He really wasn’t as sober as he wished he was. “His name’s Zisteau and he’s great.”

“Okay. Zisteau then.” Vechs crossed his arms. “What the Hell were you thinking, Kurt? He could have wanted to eat you!”

“I thought that too at first, but he was really nice to me and he saved my life.”

“But it was still dangerous!”

“You’re just jealous.” Kurt stated, crossing his arms but having to immediately grab the back of the couch to keep from falling over.

To that, Vechs laughed and clapped his hands together. “Right. Okay. Feelings jam over, you need to sleep.”

Kurt protested verbally, but didn’t struggle as Vechs helped him up and to his bed.

Kurt mumbled a tired ‘goodnight’ as he pulled the blankets up to his chin. Vechs waved at him before leaving to the other room, proclaiming he was staying the night, and it got quiet as the last light went out.

‘This pillow doesn’t smell like Zisteau.’ He thought as he fell into a dreamless sleep.

---

Months rolled by.

Kurt’s mood eventually improved once he was able to convince Vechs that Zisteau was in fact not a monster, but he begged him not to tell anyone else about his secret friend. Vechs had complied.

Every time Kurt went out of the settlement on a patrol, he found himself wishing he would run into the zombie pigman again, but he never did. It made sense, since Zisteau probably knew to stay away from the tribe. It never stopped him from hoping though.

As time went on, Kurt found that he was unable to stop thinking about Zisteau. Unable to stop remembering him, remembering how kind he was, how friendly and playful, yet mischievous in his own way. He missed him. A lot.

So it was that he finally couldn’t take it anymore.

He snuck out.

Or he tried to anyway. Vechs caught him, but upon admitting what he was doing, Vechs had demanded to go with him. Unable to sway his mind, Kurt accepted his company. It was while they were walking that Vechs spoke to him.

“So,” he began, making Kurt look at him, “you’re really hung up on this guy aren’t you?”

“I guess so.” Kurt answered, eyes gluing to the ground. Why was he embarrassed?

“You know, I always knew you were gay.” Kurt sputtered in protest, but Vechs only laughed. “Oh come on, Kurt! You’ve been mooning over this Zisteau for ages! Go and get hitched, already!”

“It’s not- It’s not … like that.” Kurt said quietly, but he was unsure himself.

He’d never really thought about being with Zisteau. But now that it was brought up, the idea of it was oddly pleasing. He scowled though, as he was certain his friend would not feel the same. “Then why are you coming along?” He asked Vechs, who grinned at him.

“I’ve got to take care of you, so I need to know that my best friend’s boyfriend is a decent guy.”

Kurt covered his face with one hand, cheeks red in embarrassment. Fortunately, the conversation stopped after that. They reached the pathway leading down the waterfall just as the sun was rising, and Kurt headed down. He hesitated before the opening to the familiar tunnel, but then finally stepped inside.

He barely made it ten feet before a familiar white animal came bounding up to him.

“Wolfie!” Kurt exclaimed, smiling and hugging the wolf as he leaped up on his hind legs, front paws against Kurt’s chest, and licked his face. “Hey! I missed you too!”

The wolf seemed to notice Vechs after a moment and dropped back down to the ground, slowly approaching him. “Wolfie, this is my friend, Vechs.”

“Kurt’s bodyguard, pleased to meet you.” Vechs said, holding out his hand. Wolfie sniffed it, nodded his head, then turned to Kurt. He lightly nudged his hand, grabbing his shirtsleeve and tugging on it before darting back down the tunnel.

“He’s smart.” Vechs noted aloud, to which Kurt chuckled.

“Yes he is. I told you.”

As they were approaching the main cavern, a voice reached them.

“What’s gotten into you, Wolfie? You’d think Kurt was about to walk in.” Kurt’s heart raced. Zisteau remembered him! He quickened his pace and emerged into the cavern, eyes locking on the familiar face of Zisteau.

The zombie pigman looked up from Wolfie, who was tugging on his pant-leg, and stared at Kurt. It was quiet for all of two minutes before Zisteau got up from his chair so fast that it fell over. He ran over to Kurt, practically tackling him in a hug that was returned immediately.

“What are you doing here?” Zisteau asked once they separated. His eyes darted to Vechs and he immediately looked concerned. “And who is this?”

“This is Vechs.” Kurt informed him. Any worry on Zisteau’s face vanished.

“So you’re the one Kurt was always talking about.” Vechs said in greeting, stepping forward and holding out a hand. Zisteau shook it. “He’s crazy about you, never shuts up when he can avoid it.”

“Vechs!” Kurt protested, to which Vechs grinned and laughed.

“Right, right, you’re in denial.” The mischievous man waved a hand dismissively, then turned to walk back down the tunnel. “Come get me when my poor virgin ears won’t bleed.”

“You’re not a virgin.”

“Shhhhh.”

Vechs left, and Kurt turned to look at Zisteau, who had tilted his head and was looking at him in wonder. “So, you’ve missed me?” He questioned, to which Kurt nodded awkwardly.

“Well, yes …” Was the nervous response. “I, uh … I really did.”

Zisteau smiled warmly. “I missed you too.” He offered. “It’s been, what, four months? I was sure you’d have forgotten all about me.”

“I could never forget you.” Kurt told him instantly, then sighed. “It’s been so quiet and boring back home. Lonely, even with Vechs around.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling. Wolfie is great company, but he’s not the same as you.” Zisteau glanced at the wolf. “No offense.” The wolf huffed and nodded.

Kurt looked down at the ground. Vechs words earlier were stuck in his head, and it was getting harder and harder to deny that he might really have feelings for Zisteau. Nervously, he brought his hands together before him, refusing to look at his friend.

“I, um …” He tried, but fell silent. He’d never admitted to liking someone before. How did one even do that?

“… Go on.”

“I … I think I might be in love with you.” Kurt said quietly, his face burning. When Zisteau didn’t answer, he tensed up, staring hard at the ground, wringing his hands. Oh God, had he messed up?

Next thing he knew, the zombie pigman was practically chest to chest with him and tilting his head up. Kurt got a clear view of one bright eye before suddenly Zisteau’s mouth was on his. His own eyes widened, but then he shut them, kissing back. It was a little odd, due to the structure of Zisteau’s pig-like face, but Kurt could reflect on that later. Right now all he cared about was being close to his friend – now boyfriend.

The kiss broke, and Kurt stared breathlessly at him.

“I love you too.” Zisteau offered, to which Kurt smiled brighter than he was sure he ever had, hugging him tightly.

“Called it!”

Both of them jumped and turned to see Vechs standing in the entryway.

“Were you watching?!” Kurt demanded, face red with embarrassment.

“Who me? Nah, no way!” Vechs answered, but he grinned and winked. “You know, it’s gonna be hard to tell the tribe that you fell off a cliff and died.”

Kurt stared at him, confused. “What?”

“What a tragedy that we’ll never see Kurt J Mac back home again.” Vechs went on, and Kurt caught on. Vechs was giving him the opportunity to leave home to be with Zisteau.

“Have I ever told you you’re the best friend a guy could have?” He asked his friend, to which Vechs laughed and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Now go consummate your new relationship.”

Both Kurt and Zisteau protested, but Vechs was already walking away cackling hysterically.

The two looked at each other, laughed as well, then chased after Vechs, leaving Wolfie to shake his head and wonder just what kind of family he had joined.

Comments

[koijuly]

I don't know how to put words to how much I liked this story...

I'm smiling something fierce ^＿^

[blackburden]

OMG Thank you! c': I was so worried about putting up my writing, so I'm so very glad you like it!

[ruddiestbubbles]

This is probably one of the best oneshots I haver ever read!!!!
I loved this so much!!

SMS is the key to my heart <3

I would absolutely love to see more of this!

[blackburden]

;A; You flatter me! -hugs you- I'm so glad you like it!

SMS is so adorable and precious and just ahhh! It's the key to my heart as well. <3

I really like this universe, so I actually might do more with it~!

[ruddiestbubbles]

*hugs back* I'd absolutely love to see more of this!

Also, if your a fan of SMS, I'm bout to post a cute little story about them ;)

[blackburden]

-rushes off to read- :D

[tanadin]

*starts hugpile*
See? I told you it would be okay!

Anyway you know how much I love this fic, it was a joy to read and I'm so glad you posted it <3

[blackburden]

-curls up in the hugpile- c':
Shhh I was scared. But thank you, Skiiran!

[subliminalcircles]

So...
So amazing ;v;
*curls up on top of hug pile and morphs into a sandwich*

[blackburden]

Oh wow, thank you! ;A; I really enjoyed writing this, and I'm glad I managed to get the courage to post it~!
Oh look, a sandwich! :D
-pets the sandwich-

[featherscope]

I loved it too! (I know I am a bit late, but hey, take all the praise you can get, hey...)

[blackburden]

-hides under blankets- Thank you so much! <3 You're right, take all the praise I can! c:

[jiminee]

AAAAAAA finally had the time to read this <3 <3 so glad you posted it, it's adorable and ashjkdgkjldl;f
/#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ /#/ <--- (the waffles of Good Fic-ness)

[(Anonymous)]

I can't even begin to describe the stupid smile on my face right now...

[coolboynbg_1]

AMBER you totally should do more with this...