Apocalypse

Chapter 003

Kazuha has a soft soul, like a whisper of wind.

You've only known him for a few hours, yet it was easy to get a sense of his character. His eyes, gentle and observant, seem to hold the weight of a thousand unspoken words.

As the two of you walked side by side, he fell slightly behind, allowing his gaze to linger on your shoulders. With a thoughtful expression, he kissed his teeth softly and furrowed his brows.

"Doesn't that hurt?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern as he noticed the subtle rash marring your skin.

Humming softly, you paused and turned to face him, curiosity dancing in your eyes. His stare remained fixed on your shoulders, and you offered a small shrug in response. "It's not too bad," you said, attempting to downplay the discomfort.

Kazuha took a step closer, the distance between the two of you closing. His hand hovered near your shoulder, hesitant yet earnest. "May I?" he asked, seeking permission to examine the rash more closely.

You nodded, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at his genuine care. As his fingers gently brushed against your skin, you couldn't help but marvel at the tenderness of his touch. It was as if he feared causing you the slightest bit of pain.

"It's a little sore, but it doesn't burn," You said.

Without a word, he moved to walk around you, making you raise an eyebrow in caution. Seeing the expression, he was quick to tell you to relax, his hands raised up innocently to show he wasn't going to bring you harm.

At this point he stood behind you while you both stood in the middle of nowhere. You looked out in front of you, a chill sliding up your arms knowing he was behind you, but you couldn't see what he was doing. Whether that be because of your heightened survival instincts due to the apocalypse or not, you chose to continue to stand still as you waited, deciding you would put your trust in the boy.

You felt him touch your shoulders, his cold fingers slipping across your skin before gently sliding under the straps of your bag. He tugged it down your shoulder and you maneuver your arms when you realized what he was offering to do.

You thought he was done there and were about to turn around to thank him, however you felt his fingers touch your shoulders once again. Blinking in surprise, your lips lightly parted to comment something, however they would quickly slam shut as a wash of pleasure came over you.

He pressed his thumbs into your back, lightly massaging your shoulders with his other fingers as he observed the rash. He was worried about the slight discoloration, knowing that overtime that could cause negative effects even if you don't feel it at first.

"Woah." You leaned back into his touch, his fingers releasing tensions you hadn't even realized you were carrying around. Color slowly drained back into your skin where the bag once pressed down and restricted blood flow, Kazuha stepping back after a moment with a small smile on his face.

Turning around to look at him, you couldn't help but to reciprocate the gesture as you gave him your thanks. You were kind of bummed out that didn't last longer, his soft touch comforting even though you two were standing in the open land— one of the least comforting places to be in this day and age.

As he replied with "It's my pleasure," you looked up past him to peer at the sky. The light of the setting sun seeped past the trees and clouds to glow against your skin. Night was never a great time to stay without confines or a source of light, because that's when you're most vulnerable against Zombies who have no sense of time or day and only hunt for humans persistently.