Dead EndChapter 15

Sebastian goes to sleep right after eating a simple, but hopefully nourishing breakfast, and doesn’t wake up for a good nine hours. Jordan passes the time by cleaning up his mess in the kitchen and living room, and then bakes a cake just for the hell of it. It’s not a very good cake, but the bite he took confirms that it’s at least edible. Then he takes a nap, because he’s got nothing else to do.

The internet is working again when he wakes up. It’s in fits and starts though; it leaves him in the middle of scrolling through social media and then returns again for ten minutes after half-an-hour. He still can’t make any calls. Trying to keep up with when the internet is working wears on his mentality. By the time Sebastian is up, Jordan’s fingers actually hurt from how often he’s been checking his phone.  VR5Y8W

Sebastian wanders into the living room and stops right after the entrance. Jordan, lying on the floor and staring up at the phone held above him, glances at the man when he hears a soft cough. Sebastian is staring at him, a puzzled look on his face. Feeling his cheeks heating up, Jordan clears his throat and looks away, softly saying, ”The internet keeps coming and going.”

Sebastian makes an understanding noise and comes over, folding up his knees to sit beside Jordan. ”I see. Have you managed to get in touch with anyone?”

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Jordan turns to his side, dropping his phone on his hip. It slides down to the floor without taking damage (it’s a very resilient phone). With his arm under his head, he looks up at Sebastian. Then his eyes fold back down. ”I posted at the usual places, and barged in on a tone of forums. But the internet keeps going and so I can’t check if I’ve gotten responses. So… not really.” He closes his eyes and mumbles, ”I tried messaging Andrew on all the sites I know he’s on, but…” 

”I’m sure he’ll get in touch with you when he can,” Sebastian says. Jordan peeks at him through his eyelashes, and Sebastian is doing that thing where he’s staring intently at him again. Jordan’s stomach flutters, cramps, and he shuts his eyes once more. A hand nudges his, Sebastian’s skin warm.  U0XlwB

Jordan asks, ”In your dream, did the internet last long?”

”It depends,” Sebastian hums. ”A lot of servers were collateral damage when people, and organizations, tried to bomb the places where zombies were essentially the only thing left. And those that weren’t destroyed, well, without proper maintenance they eventually broke. I know some stayed intact through human interference, but finding the sites still working wasn’t easy. And the internet connection itself isn’t self-sufficient.”

Jordan nods. He flops over on his back and pats the space next to him, and Sebastian only takes a moment to lay down beside him. Jordan’s hand are clasped over his stomach, and his eyes glued to the whiteish ceiling. He breathes in a steady count, keeping his thoughts coherent through sheer force of will. The sunlight is still streaming in through the windows, though it’s nearing evening. He supposes it’s a good thing that it’s summer.

”The people I was meeting,” Sebastian starts after a few minutes of silence. Jordan turns his head, rising an eyebrow when Sebastian doesn’t continue right away. Sebastian clears his throat, and closes his eyes. Sebastian adds, ”I’ll introduce you to some of them soon. I don’t want you to feel like you—must stay with me, if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to force yourself to stay here just for the sake of survival. So if you like one of them more then me, or if you feel safer with them, and you would rather live with them, I’ll help you move.”

”Oh,” Jordan mutters. He looks at Sebastian’s lowered eyes and fiddling hands, and he sits back up. Instantly wincing at the pain from lying on the floor for so long, he licks his lips and says, ”Thank you.”

He doesn’t know what else to say. He doesn’t—he doesn’t want to be here with Sebastian just because there’s no other choice. Not really. He likes Sebastian, and he… likes being here. It’s safe, and warm, and tailored fur survival in a zombie apocalypse. Sebastian is nice, kind, has never once hurt Jordan. And Jordan… does want the ability to choose, despite everything.

Sebastian sits up as well. Jordan clears his throat after a moment, standing awkwardly and waving haphazardly in the kitchen’s vague direction. ”I baked a cake,” he says, clearing his throat again and couching softly.

”I’m sure it’s—delicious,” Sebastian says and stands as well. As they walk into the kitchen together, Jordan narrows his eyes and looks suspiciously at Sebastian. That was a very suspicious pause, and he’s not going to stand for such underserved slander. The cake is perfectly edible! What more could one want?   KQW XP

”Yes, it is,” Jordan says, too late, as they enter the kitchen. The cake sits on the counter, still covered by its form. Jordan walks right up and pulls the metal form off, looking at the cake revealed with critical eyes. It looks just fine to him. There’s nothing wrong with it, strictly speaking.

It’s just maybe a little too dry, but that’s nothing drinking lots of milk while eating it can’t fix.

”It’s not like it’s poisonous,” he mutters to himself. ”It’s a perfectly fine cake.”

Sebastian walks up to him bearing two plates. He puts them on the counter and slowly places a hand on Jordan’s shoulder. ”I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I like your cakes. Even when they’re very dry.” ZBN5ng

Jordan scoffs, but moves out of the way to let Sebastian cut up two pieces for them. He cocks his hip against the counter and falls into silence, his words leaving him in favor of observing Sebastian’s movements. The other man is taller, wider, bigger than Jordan, and he moves in a disturbingly quiet way. But. Fuck, Jordan likes him.