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The sun had barely risen over the city when the first scream echoed through the hallways of Hyosan High School. It wasn't a scream of fright or playfulness. It was a scream of death.
Quackity walked down the ground floor with his earbuds firmly in its place, not really paying attention to his surroundings as his eyes swept over the book he's reading. Four or five students ran past him, but he didn't pay any mind, considering it was nothing unusual, just friends chasing each other.
That is, until he felt a hand grab his arm and start running, dragging him along.
— Multi? What the fuck? What's happening? — Quackity, turning his head around to see a tumult of people throwing themselves against each other, some with open wounds and others devouring their peers.
Not far behind him, a boy with his face practically raw flesh was running madly after them; if Quackity had stayed there, he probably would have been next.
— What the hell were you doing? Do you wanna fucking die?! — Multi shouted back, putting his arm around Quackity's shoulders to pull him back, protecting him when they almost collided with another deformed person.
— I just... didn't notice, asshole! — Quackity snapped, his voice cracking as he stumbled over his own feet. His earbuds and book had long since fallen to the floor, forgotten, pages probably getting soaked in something he didn't want to think about. — What the fuck is happening?!
— Zombies! — Multi yelled, pushing some traffic cones in the direction of a student whose jaw hung at a impossible angle. The cones barely slowed them down. — Or something like that! I don't know, I just saw a guy bite someone's neck off in the cafeteria, and then everyone fucking started—
They looked at the ladders and saw someone climbing up, falling into one of the rooms, and immediately ran in that direction.
— Shit! —Quackity hissed, his lungs burning as they scrambled up the stairs. Multi's hand was still clamped in his own, knuckles white, and Quackity could feel the tremor running through his fingers.
Multi went up first, landing in the second-floor classroom while helping Quackity up as well, before an infected could bit his foot. The viscous sound and animalistic roars made his heart leap into his throat.
In their rush to get into the room, they barely noticed when Katie and Ash pulled them inside, quickly going to closing the window. — Close that thing, Katie! Quickly!
— I'm trying! Can't you see it's fucking jammed?
Multi grabbed Quackity, holding his shoulders and pulling him out of reach of the two siblings who eventually managed to put a chair by the window.
— You okay? —Multi asked, his voice hoarse. His eyes scanned Quackity's face, his neck, his arms, looking for any sign of a bite.
— I'm fine. I'm fine. —Quackity pulled his sleeves up, showing pale, unbroken skin. — You?
— Yeah.— Multi's gaze dropped to his own hands, flexing them like he was surprised they were still attached. — Yeah, I think so.
— Damn, Multi. You look horrible. — Katie said bluntly, catching her breath and leaning against the wall beside her.
— Jeez, thanks. That's so fucking nice of you.
As soon as they were able to stop for breath, they immediately saw that some of their classmates were there too, trying to survive.
Graf, Foolish, Roier and Aldo were trying to hold the door shut to prevent the zombies from entering, their faces sweaty from the effort of stopping their fingernails from scratching the surface. Tina, who had been calming Juan while he sat down, turned her face toward them and her eyes filled with relief.
— Quackity! Oh my God, I'm so glad you're okay, i was worried! — She ran to hug him, her fingers digging into the fabric of Quackity's hoodie like she was afraid he'd dissolve into mist if she let go. He patted her back awkwardly, his own adrenaline still spiking too high for comfort.
— I'm okay, Tina. Really. Multi dragged me here before i became lunch.
Tina looked at Multi, who stared back, somewhat uncomfortably. It was well known that they hadn't gotten along very well since Multi and Juan had a nasty fight in their first year.
— Oh, that's good. Thank you, Multi. — The girl said, genuinely grateful, to which Multi simply responded with a nod.
— Yeah, thanks, Multi pendejo. Now we need to look for cell phones or something like that. — Roier exclaimed, stepping away from the door and starting to rummage through the backpacks in search of phones.
— Wait, I don't think they can open it! Can i-
— No, Foolish. Stay there, and if they manage to open it, you'll hold them for us and be the first one to sacrifice. — Aldo teased, doing the same thing as the Mexican and going to the other side of the room.
— What?! The first to- Wait, Graf? Don't leave me too! — The infected outside were pressing their faces against the glass, their eyes milky and vacant, their teeth snapping at the air like starving dogs. — I'm not dying first! I have a whole life ahead of me! A very attractive one!
Despite the complaints, Graf approached Juan, who was still sitting in one of the chairs, looking completely disturbed.
— How are you feeling?
— Terrible. — Juan finally spoke, his voice was small, so different from his cheerful version of himself. The Pole said nothing, only knelt in front of him, silently encouraging him to continue. — This just... it just doesn't make any sense. Just a few hours ago Robleis was annoying me nonstop and i really wanted to strangle him and now... look at him.
Graf followed his gaze to the window, to the face that was once Robleis — always playful and smiling, now that face was nothing but hunger.
— He was with me when it happened. — Juan continued, his voice cracking at the edges. — He tripped and one of those things grabbed his arm, I tried to pull him away, I really tried, but Foolish dragged me away and I had to let him go. What if I had been close enough to pull him away sooner? Maybe he would still be alive and maybe-
Graf said nothing, only hugged him tightly. He couldn't tell which of their bodies was trembling, perhaps both.
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the wet, rhythmic thumping of bodies against the door and the occasional screech of nails on wood. Quackity watched Graf hold Juan, his own hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. The image of Robleis's face — that hungry, hollow thing at the window — was burned into his retinas.
No one could really do much in a situation like this besides wait for the authorities to arrive. Quackity took a deep breath and let it out, sitting down in his chair, trying to calm his trembling hands.
— Okay, okay, okay. — Foolish's voice was a frantic whisper, still holding the door, but without the same strength as before, considering that a desperate scream from a student had lured the zombies to the other side. — We need a plan. A plan is good. Plans are great. I love plans. What's the plan?
— The plan is to not die, Foolish. — Tina said, followed by Aldo who was holding up a slightly cracked phone screen.
— The signal is dead and the police said they'll send someone here, that is, if they don't think it's a prank call. — He put the cell phone in his pocket, even though the battery was low.
— Fuck my life. What the hell do we do?! — Katie exclaimed, throwing herself onto the floor and lying there like a starfish, as if waiting for God to pull her up.
Roier let out a grunting sound and sat down at the table next to her, his arms crossed over his chest, frustrated that he couldn't do anything. The fluorescent lights above them flickered once, twice, then stabilized into a dull, humming glow that felt almost mocking in its normalcy.
— We should check the other rooms, or go up to the roof and shout out for help. — Multi said, breaking the silence. His voice had steadied, that familiar edge of authority creeping back in.
— This is your grand plan, seriously? — Ash, who had been silent until now, spoke. His firm and seemingly superior voice always made Quackity want to roll his eyes. — Do you expect us to just run from these things? Have you seen how fast they are?
— Well, do you have a better plan?
— We should stay here and wait for the police to arrive. — Ash retorted, suddenly turning his single visible dark eye toward Quackity. — You got anything?
Quackity felt his brow furrow. — Why are you asking me?
— You're the class president after all. Maybe you should go out and find a teacher, who knows. — His tone was serious, but Quackity knew there was a hint of malice deep down. His disdain for Ash wasn't really hidden; he'd made it explicit countless times, and even though it had previously seemed only one-sided, now it appeared as if he was provoking him on purpose.
— Are you fucking kidding me? — Quackity stood up so fast his chair screeched against the floor. — You want me to go out there? Alone? Into that?
— I'm just saying, you're always so quick to take charge in class. — Ash's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. — Thought you'd have some brilliant leadership plan. But I guess being class president doesn't mean much when actual lives are on the line, huh?
Aldo lifted his head. — Can't you two kill each other when this is over?
— You know what I think, Ash? — Quackity took a step forward, completely ignoring Aldo's comment. — I think you're just jealous because your little club didn't work out and all the members turned their backs on you. You wanted so badly to be a leader of something and yet nobody takes you seriously, now you want to put the responsibility of something that isn't mine on my shoulders?
The words hung in the air like a grenade with the pin pulled, everyone was watching them both with their eyes widened. Ash's visible eye narrowed, a muscle in his jaw twitching. For a moment, Quackity thought he'd actually swung at him, but instead Ash let out a low, humorless laugh.
— Cute, really cute, Quackity. — Ash took a step closer, his voice dropping to something cold and sharp. — Because as far as I know, you're the one who's jealous of me. You spent the whole year being hostile towards me for no reason, badmouthed my leadership at the club to every single person who would listen and you don't like me being friends with your friends. Honestly, I just think you want to prove that I'm the bad guy and you're the good guy.
The classroom fell into a suffocating silence so thick that Quackity could hear his own heartbeat hammering in his ears. The words hung between them like a physical presence, and for a split second, Quackity felt the sting of their truth— the ugly, unspoken thing that had festered beneath his skin all year. He opened his mouth to fire back, to say something cutting and cruel, but nothing came out.
Because Ash was right. God, he was so fucking right, and Quackity hated him for it.
— God, just shut up, both of you. — Juan stood up from his chair, pointing a finger directly at the two of them. — Nobody here cares about your petty squabbles now, we have to survive. Let's just try to follow Multi's plan, which, incredibly, seems to be the smartest one. We grab some chairs, sharp objects, and we all ran together to the roof.
The words hung in the air, and Quackity felt something cold settle in his chest. He wanted to argue, to call Ash a fucking control freak. Instead, he just stood there, fists clenched at his sides, staring at the floor like it had personally offended him.
Multi moved between them, almost subtly positioning himself in front of Quackity. — Okay, we need to be quick. We can break some chairs and use the legs as improvised weapons. — Some murmurs of agreement were heard, and the students prepared to leave. He turned to the president, his tone coming out softer than planned. — You okay?
— Yeah, don't worry about me. — Quackity responded with a clearly fake smile, Multi's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He'd learned months ago that pushing Quackity when he wore that particular smile was like trying to reason with a brick wall. Instead, he just nodded once and turned to help Foolish pry the legs off a broken desk.
Quackity watched him go, his smile sliding off his face the moment Multi's back was turned. His hands were shaking again. He shoved them into his hoodie pocket.
Seeing everyone busy grabbing things that might be useful, Quackity went to the teacher's desk to try and find some scissors or something, not even noticing when Roier approached him, giving him a weak punch on the shoulder.
— Hey, idiot. Take this. — Roier handed a piece of metal he found amidst the mess to his friend, displaying his usual wide smile. — It's better than anything you'll find there. Stay close to me, okay? I'll protect you with my super arms.
— Thanks, Roier. I feel so safe knowing your super arms are on the job. — He took the metal piece, weighing it in his hand. It was a jagged section of a broken filing cabinet, sharp enough to do some damage.
— Yeah, you better be. — Roier's grin widened, but there was something tight around his eyes, a flicker of fear he was trying very hard to mask. — Besides, I've been told my biceps are very intimidating.
— By who? Your mom?
— By your mom, actually. She called me last night, said she was very impressed.
Quackity snorted despite himself, the absurdity of the joke cutting through the suffocating dread for just a moment. — You're an idiot.
— Yeah, but I'm an idiot with great muscles. — Roier flexed dramatically, earning a watery laugh from Tina and a small, reluctant smile from Juan. The tension in the room cracked, just slightly, like ice beginning to thaw.
Multi moved to the door, pressing his ear against the wood. The scratching had subsided to a low, guttural moan, punctuated by the wet smack of something chewing. He pulled back, his face pale. — They're still out there. But I think most of them moved toward the noise from earlier.
— Then we go now. — Graf said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands as he hefted a chair leg. — We stick together, we don't stop for anything, and we don't look back. Understand?
A chorus of murmured agreements rippled through the group. Quackity's fingers curled around the jagged metal, the edges biting into his palm. He welcomed the pain. It kept him present.
Katie moved and positioned herself in front of Multi, one arm extended out in front of him and the other hand on the door. — Okay, everyone. Before opening the door, I just wanted to say that I love you all and I hope to see you in heaven or hell.
— Stop saying corny shit, just open up already. — Ash grumbled, but without any real irritation.
— On three. — She counted, her hand on the door handle. — One... two...
The door burst open before she could say three.
A student — or what used to be one — lunged through the gap, its jaw unhinged and dripping with something dark and viscous, being quickly followed by many others. Instinctively, Multi grabbed Katie by the shoulder and ran to the side door.
— GO! GO! GO! — Tina screamed, shoving Foolish forward.
They ran as if there were no tomorrow, which, given their situation, perhaps there really wasn't. Their quick footsteps echoed through the school, attracting a huge crowd of zombies, but they didn't stop to breathe.
The rooftop would take a long time to reach, considering the number of stairs and walking deads along the way. They quickly realized they wouldn't be able to arrive on time now.
— The music room is closer! Let's go there, quickly! — Tina yelled, grabbing Juan and Foolish by the hand and pushing them forward, followed by Ash, Aldo and Graf.
Amid the chaos on the stairs, Multi tripped when one of the zombies grabbed his foot; he grunted as he tried to kick it away without getting bite. Seeing this, Quackity quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher and hit the student on the head, the sound of bones cracking and blood splattering made his stomach churn.
The infected person fell to the ground, their neck twisted from the force of the impact. Even so, the number was large and several zombies were huddled together on the stairs below, trying to climb over each other.
— Holy shit, holy shit. Go, Multi, I can handle it. — Quackity said, swinging the fire extinguisher and hitting another in the leg, causing her to fall down the stairs and taking two others with her.
— Don't say bullshit right now. — Multi stood up, ignoring the pain in his ankle and gripping his piece of wood tightly, positioning himself next to Quackity. His eyes gleamed as he watched how the president was truly willing to kill for him.
At the top of the stairs, Roier stopped and looked back, his eyes widening as he saw the two of them facing the infected. — Quackity! Que mierda estás haciendo?! — Just as he was about to go down to help them, Katie darted past like a rocket and grabbed him by his red sweatshirt.
— We don't have time to stop, they'll be fine! — She said, forcing Roier to follow, even though the Mexican hesitated to run and leave them behind.
— Todo bien, Roier! Ándale, te alcanzaremos! — Quackity shouted back, his voice strained as he swung the fire extinguisher again, catching another infected square in the jaw. The thing's head snapped back with a sickening crack, and it crumpled into the pile of bodies at the base of the stairs.
Roier's face twisted with conflict, his body physically straining against Katie's grip. But she was stronger than she looked, her fingers digging into his sweatshirt like steel clamps. — No mames, Quackity! Si te mueren, te lo juro que-
— VETE! — Quackity yelled, and something in his voice must have finally broken through, because Roier's resistance crumbled. The Mexican turned and bolted up the stairs after the others, his heavy footsteps echoing off the concrete walls.
Just as they were about to deal with the threats, suddenly, a figure distinct from the others climbed the stairs. Multi took a step back, his heart racing when he saw... Nexe.
But not the Nexe he knew and trusted.
This Nexe was missing his left eye, part of his face was bloody, as was his school uniform. Surprisingly, the zombies didn't seem to want to devour him, as if he were one of them.
Despite his terrifying appearance, he still seemed lucid enough to smash a dead student's head against the wall, ceasing his grunts. — Multi, have you seen Ewron?
A shiver ran through Multi and Quackity's bodies as they heard a cold, cutting voice coming from his mouth, so different from the cheerful, even shy, friend they had known.
Multi froze, the piece of wood in his hand lowering just slightly as his brain tried to process what he was seeing. — Nexe? What the fuck happened to you?
Nexe tilted his head, a grotesque, jerky motion that made a wet sound come from somewhere deep in his throat. His one remaining eye — still that familiar shade of dark brown, still him —flickered between Multi and Quackity with something that might have been recognition, might have been hunger.
— Ewron. — He repeated, his voice scraping out like gravel over broken glass. — Have you seen him?
— Nexe, man, you're- you're bleeding everywhere. — Quackity took a cautious step forward, the fire extinguisher still raised, ready to swing. — Do you need help? You can come with us.
Nexe's head snapped toward Quackity with an almost mechanical speed, his remaining eye fixing on him with an intensity that made Quackity's blood run cold. The fire extinguisher felt heavier in his hands.
— Ewron. — Nexe repeated, taking a step closer. His foot landed in a puddle of something dark, and he didn't seem to notice. — Where is he?
Multi moved, pulling Quackity behind him, his hands raised in a placating gesture. — Nexe, listen to me. We haven't seen Ewron. We're trying to get to the roof, okay? We'll find him together.
For just a few seconds, something flickered on Nexe's face and Multi started to recall their moments together: exploding vials in the science lab, discussing theories about the world, fighting over the window seat.
But then he laughed.
— You don't get it, Multi. — He took a step forward, causing Multi and Quackity to take a step back. — We're not going to find him together. I'm going to find him by myself and I'm going to kill him.
The words hit Multi like a physical blow. His grip on the wooden chair leg faltered, the tip dropping toward the floor.
— What? — Multi's voice cracked, disbelief bleeding through every syllable. — Nexe, you're not making any sense.
— He left me. — The words came out flat, devoid of the warmth that had once defined Nexe's voice. — When it started, he ran. He pushed me into them and he ran.
— Nexe, listen to me. — Multi took a careful step forward, keeping his movements slow and deliberate. — That doesn't sound like Ewron. I know he's a dick but he still our family, he wouldn't-
— ZROBIŁ TO! — Nexe's scream tore through the hallway, raw and guttural, echoing off the blood-splattered walls. The zombies turned their heads immediately, drawn by the loud noise. — I saw him. I SAW HIM. Don't you believe me?
Multi didn't even have time to react when Nexe jumped on him, his hands gripping his neck as Multi used his weight to try and knock the half-zombie down. — Przestań, Nexe!
Quackity's instincts kicked in before his brain could catch up. He dropped the fire extinguisher with a clatter and lunged forward, grabbing Nexe in a rear naked choke, trying to pry him off Multi. But Nexe was stronger now, stronger than he had any right to be, his fingers digging into Multi's throat with a ferocity that made Multi's face start to turn red.
When least expected, Nexe's teeth sank into Quackity's arm, causing him to let out a muffled scream and instinctively recoil, giving Nexe the opportunity to grab him by the neck and throw him against the wall. He felt the blood trickle down his now-torn sweatshirt, his breath ragged from the combined impact against his back.
— I didn't want that, Quackity. — Nexe grumbled, his voice distorted as if he were choking on his own saliva. He pulled the president by the hair, forcing him to look him into his eye. — You're a good friend, but stay out of my way-
All that followed was the rapid sound of running footsteps, and in an impulsive act, Multi pushed Nexe out the window. He quickly grabbed Quackity's hand and started running, nor even checking his friend's dead body on the ground.
— Everything's fine, you'll be okay, it's just a scratch. — Multi said, more to himself than to Quackity, that he was running even though his breath was starting to fail, his arm aching like hell.
Upon finally reaching the hallway of the music room, Roier and Katie, who were waiting at the door, let out a loud sigh of relief upon seeing the two and pulled them inside. Foolish and Graf dragged the piano and placed it by the door.
Roier wrapped his arms around Quackity and Multi, almost cutting them out of the air. — You two are idiots, what the hell were you thinking?!
— Please don't do that ever again. I almost had a heart attack. — Foolish spoke up, sliding down the wall and sitting up with his hand on his chest, finally able to breathe. Tina patted his head absently, her own eyes still scanning the room as if expecting something to burst through the walls at any moment.
— We're fine, Foolish. — Multi said, though his voice was hoarse, his hand instinctively going to Quackity's arm, hiding his bite. — We're fine.
Aldo narrowed his eyes, watching the drops of blood fall to the ground at the president's feet. He took a step forward. — Dude, you're bleeding. A lot.
The room went silent. Every pair of eyes locked onto the blood dripping from his torn sweatshirt sleeve, and Quackity felt the weight of their stares like physical pressure on his chest.
He felt every pair of eyes on him: Tina's wide with dawning horror, Foolish's frozen in disbelief, Roier's darkening with something Quackity had never seen on his friend's face before. Real fear.
His hand instinctively clamped over the wound, pressing hard against the torn fabric of his hoodie. The pain flared white-hot, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from making a sound.
— It's nothing. — He said, forcing his voice into something steady. — Just a scratch. Nexe grabbed me, that's all.
— Nexe? — Graf's voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence, his hand tightened around a piece of metal he was holding. — Nexe bit you?
— He wasn't himself. — Multi stepped forward, positioning himself between Quackity and the others. — But he was still human, i think. He was talking and recognized both of us, these things don't do that, do they? He is not infected.
— Multi, step aside. — Ash's voice came from the corner of the room, cold and measured. — We need to see the wound.
— No, you don't. — Multi's jaw tightened. — He's fine. I checked.
— You checked? — Juan let out a disbelieving laugh, running a hand through his hair. — Just because you play scientist doesn't mean you actually know what you're doing.
— Multi, get away from him. — Katie said, reaching out to pull her friend away and receiving a slap on the hand, glaring at him indignantly.
Multi grabbed Quackity's hand and went to the open window, swinging their hands towards it. — If he really transforms, I'll throw him out myself.
— WHAT?! — Tina's voice cracked as she marched forward, only to be caught by Katie's arms around her chest. — You're not throwing him out of a fucking window!
— I'm not going to let anyone else do it either. — Multi's voice was steel wrapped in velvet, his eyes daring anyone in the room to challenge him. His grip on Quackity's hand tightened, knuckles white. — He's staying right here, next to me, until we know for sure.
Quackity's head was spinning. The bite on his arm throbbed with every heartbeat, a dull, insistent pulse that seemed to synchronize with the pounding in his skull. He looked down at his sleeve, at the dark red bloom spreading across the blue fabric, and felt something cold settle in his stomach.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘪 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯?
Multi's neck was so close. The scent was divine. He felt his teeth itch, his throat dry.
Just one bite. Just one to satisfy the hunger.
𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺.
— Quackity. — Multi glanced at him when he moved closer, his voice, almost inaudible, so soft, pulled him out of his thoughts and Quackity immediately turned his head away from him.
— Multi, think about this. — Aldo's voice was calm, measured. — If he turns in here, we're all dead. You know that.
The student remained silent for a few seconds, his blue eyes scanning the room until they found a long red ribbon in the middle of a box with tapes and strings. He picked it up, started tying it around his pulse, and joined it with Quackity's.
— What the fuck are you doing?! — Quackity asked, trying to pull his arm away, but Multi's grip stopped him.
— Tying myself to you. — Multi's voice was calm, almost clinical, as he secured the knot with a sharp tug. — If you turn, you'll be stuck with me and bite me first.
Quackity stared at the red ribbon binding their wrists together, the fabric already darkening where his blood had soaked through his sleeve.
— You're fucking insane. — He whispered, but his voice cracked on the last word.
— Yeah, i know. — Multi's eyes met his, and for a moment, Quackity saw something there that made his breath catch. Not fear. Not pity. Something so warm and sincere that gave him butterflies in his stomach. — But if you die, i'll go with you.
𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘦, 𝘪'𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
The words echoed in his skull, a strange, twisted comfort that made his heart tighten. He wanted to say something — argue, joke, push Multi away like he always did — but his voice caught on the lump in his throat.
— You guys stay over there. He and i will stay here, in case anything happens, you run. — Multi said lastly, he dragged two chairs and placed them away from the others, sat down, making Quackity do the same.
— Unbelievable. This is fucking unbelievable. — Ash grumbled, turning to place more instruments on the doors, not insisting.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘪 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯?
The thought circled his mind like a vulture, patient and relentless. He watched the others move about the room — Graf and Katie stacking instrument cases against the door, Tina pacing by the window, Juan sitting with his knees drawn to his chest, staring at nothing. They were all trying to survive, trying to hold onto something normal in a world that had shattered in the span of a single morning.
And then there was Multi. Sitting beside him, close enough that Quackity could feel the warmth radiating from his arm, the steady rhythm of his breathing.
He saw how people became, animalistic, wild, without emotions, without thoughts, only the instinct to eat as much as their stomachs could hold. The smell of rotting meat, the wet noises of feeding, everything made him tremble with fear.
𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦?
— You're thinking too loud.
Quackity blinked, turning to find Multi watching him with those blue eyes, so calm, so steady, like he wasn't sitting next to dead man.
— What? — Quackity managed, his voice rough.
— You're thinking too loud, — Multi repeated, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. — I can practically hear the gears grinding from here. Are you finally using your neurons for the first time?
— Fuck off.
— No.
The simplicity of it made Quackity's breath catch. Multi didn't look away, didn't flinch, didn't treat him like something dangerous. And for some reason, it was worse.
— Why are you doing this?
— What do you mean? You literally saved my life.
— You know I'm not talking about that, Multi. — Quackity looked at their hands and met his eyes again. — To start, you could have run and left me there, it would have been easier to go alone than to drag me along with you.
Multi sighed, looking out the window and observing the blue sky, the clouds, and the radiant sun above the school, which now more closely resembled hell on earth. — Well, you're my family, sort of. I care about you.
Quackity hummed softly in agreement, glancing at Multi's profile. — You know, i thought it wouldn't be long before i died, i mean, i'm not exactly the smartest or the strongest, not in a situation like that.
Multi looked at him, and for a second, Quackity felt his cheeks heat up from the intensity of the gaze, but he didn't look away.
— But you gave me one last glimmer of hope. — He continued, his fingers tapping nervously on his own thigh. — You could have died multiple times, but you still chose to tie yourself with me. And i don't know... When we were at the window, i smelled something really nice coming from you, it felt like i was dreaming or something like that.
The words hung in the air between them, heavy and suffocating. Quackity watched Multi's face carefully, searching for any flicker of fear, any hint of regret.
But Multi just stared back, his expression unreadable, his thumb tracing absent circles on the inside of Quackity's wrist where the ribbon bit into his skin.
— What did it smell like?
Quackity took a few seconds to respond, seemingly uncertain. — I'm not sure. It was something i had never smelled before, all i could think of was that i wanted to eat you. I wanted to bite you.
They weren't even paying attention to their surroundings, the zombies, their classmates, the world. Nothing really mattered anymore.
— Then i heard your voice. And my brain just froze, because i knew i would never hurt you.
Multi looked at him, his expression so gentle it physically hurted.
— I should just shut up now, sorry. That was kinda weird. — Quackity gave a light, humorless laugh, his cheeks flushed from having spoken too honestly. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦? He'd just confessed to wanting to eat Multi, and instead of running for the hills, the idiot was looking at him like he'd just recited poetry.
Multi didn't look away. His thumb kept tracing those slow circles against Quackity's wrist, and Quackity could feel the steady thrum of his pulse through the contact.
— It's not weird. — Multi's voice was low, meant only for Quackity's ears. — You know what I think?
— That I'm losing my fucking mind?
— Well, maybe. But i think you're still you. — Multi leaned closer, close enough that Quackity could see some green stains in his hair, probably from chemicals. — You saved me and you controlled yourself for me, even though you're hungry. I would never do any of this if I didn't trust you with my life, and i owe you that too. So, thanks, i guess. For finally letting me trust someone.
The sun seemed softer now, casting faint rays on their faces as Quackity slowly turned his head to look at him and, without much thought, leaned in and pressed his lips to his in a sweet, gentle kiss. Multi's free hand came up to cup Quackity's jaw, gentle despite everything, and Quackity felt the last of his resistance crumble.
When they pulled apart, both breathing slightly uneven, Quackity buried his face in Multi's shoulder, a small smile on his lips.
— Shut up.
— I didn't say anything. — Multi retorted, a smug smile on his face.
— But you're thinking, asshole.
The ribbon between them was tight and real, and Quackity thought that maybe, just maybe, they had a chance.
After all, they had each other.
And for now, that was enough.