Your Lips, My Lips, Apocalypse

2.

It all happened on that fateful day in April.

Mark was at work, leaving Eduardo alone with Todd all day until dinner time. 

To kill time, Eddie mostly bugged the neighbors. But it was raining today, so he watched TV all day. Todd stayed in his room, knitting sweater vests.

That's when the power went out.

Eduardo broke out of his trance and looked around. "Todd, flip the breaker. My back hurts!"

Todd stomped out, still in his pajamas, even though it was mid afternoon. "Your back always hurts!" But he did it anyway.

Nothing happened. 

"It's not working! It is raining?"

"Yes, but it's not storming!"

Eduardo gazed out the window. It seemed like some type of fog was covering the area.

"What the fuck is that?..."

Todd shivered. He got cold easily. "Should we call Mark?.."

There was no need to call him. Soon after he said that, Mark's purple sedan screeched into the driveway. Mark nearly tripped getting out of the car, carrying a plastic bag while covering his face with his hand. 

"Speak of the devil. There he is."

Being the asshole Eddie was, when Mark slammed the door shut behind him coughing, he said, "Had to stop by the grocery store, huh Big Boy?" Todd slapped his shoulder lightly. "That is not a nice name!"

"What?! He is masculine.."

"It's still rude!"

"Aw, go take your ass elsewhere!"

Mark shoved the plastic bag into Eddie's hand. "For your information, I was out getting masks that way our guts don't collapse on us! Because that shit out there isn't fog!"

Eduardo gasped. "He cussed! Someone call the police!" 

Todd stifled a laugh, but covered it with a frown. "What do you mean...Not fog?.."

Mark threw himself on his free sofa, sighing. "Unless fog makes your lungs clog up, then yes. Not fog."

Silence. 

"Maybe aliens are finally taking over our planet!"

Eduardo threw his empty diet cola can at him. "Aw, grow up, Todd."

"Or maybe the world is getting taken over! And they're wiping out humans!"

Mark raised his hand, not breaking eye contact from his newspaper. "I call dying first." Eduardo lowered Mark's black nail polished hand, shaking his head. "Not on my watch.."

"But.."

Mark earned a stern glare from the Latino, to which he glared at him back. They did this at least once a week, and they always blinked at the same time, causing a tie.

Todd watched the two stare at each other, feeling awkward. "All y'all need to do is lean forward a bit more and y'all will be smooching."

Both men turned their glares to Todd simultaneously. Todd shrinked out of the room, laughing nervously.

When the door to his room shut, Eddie looked back at Mark. "I wish you'd quit saying those types of things..You know I can't lose you next.." And Eddie meant it. Jon's death felt like a stab to the heart. Mark dying would make it a total tear.

Mark pulled his newspaper back in front of his face. "You'll have Todd if I did."

Eddie rolled his eyes, stepped from behind the couch, and ripped the paper from Mark's hands. "Listen, hotshot. Todd already gives me enough pleasure as it is." Sarcasm was everywhere in his tone. "But I don't know what I'd do without you. You do everything for us already.."

Mark, unfazed, grabbed for his homemade tea and took a slow slip and stared at him. "And your point is..?"

Eduardo sighed. "You deserve a break. I know how much you love wine. And since you already made your trip to the store, I figured we could spend your break at the bar." 

Mark thought  about it. Todd didn't like when they were both intoxicated, so the bar was their only choice.

"Sure, but the air.."

"It's nothing! Probably just horrible air pollution. Don't worry too much about it. Now go change! You smell like books."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Todd watched as Mark came up the steps to his room. 

He squealed and tackled him. "Oh my gosh! A date!"

Mark blushed and peeled Todd off. "It's not a date. It's just a night out." He went to his closet and peered at his choices. He owned one suit, the rest of his clothing were sweaters or tank tops.

"Aw, come on! It's totally a date! And why do you own 46 pairs of the same sweater?" 

"It is not! And I like sweaters. They-"

Todd interrupted him. "-hide your body. Yeah, I know. But you do have a suit. Wear that."

"It's just the bar, Todd. I'll be fine."

"How do you tell your sweaters apart?"

"They have names. This one is Phillip." Mark grabbed a comb, swept it through his hair, and walked out of the room, ushering Todd out as well. "I'll cya later."

Todd stood in the hallway, listening to both men turn the downstairs lights out, then front door opening and shutting.

He ran to the window that overlooked the front yard. 

"So is Phillip single?!"