The End of Days

[13]

Liam ripped at the planks of wood that he'd forced loose with the crowbar, taking the 7 foot board from the wall and tossing it onto the growing pile he'd been working on all morning.

They'd started the process of closing up the exit at the mall but there wasn't nearly enough material to make it sturdy so Liam decided to improvise. Houses were made of wood, right? And if no one was using them, no one was around to complain if he borrowed  some bits and pieces.

The last few days had been hell so the distraction and time alone was welcome. The most pressing issues other then having his heart barefisted out of his chest, his wound was definitly getting infected and all the cleaning alcohol he could find wasn't likely to help.

Not to mention they'd been paranoid ever since the group they'd run into. It was the first they'd actually had to interact with. Or more accurately, put up a fight. They held their own but Sam was right about the unknowns. They knew they had to stay on their gaurd, help out Chang as often as they could.

"Aw shit, sexys back! Look at those arms, man!" He shook his head a bit, not needing to look to know who it was.

"What Cam?" He asked, grabbing up the tool once more and jacking it behind the plank to rip it free. There were 3 planks left on the wall before he had to start ripping at drywall again. He was just a house down from the boys so it wasn't too big a risk, if anything happened all he had to do was shout and they'd be there.

"Sam sent me over to check in on you. How's it going anyway?" Liam bit back his frustration barely. The man went out of his way just to avoid talking to him, how mature.

He propped a quick thumb, continuing to yank a little too rough. Splinters popped off where the board had been nailed into the support. It cracked a bit on the edges but it only satisfied him, breaking shit.

"Uh, Lee, man." Cameron was about to say something when he'd noticed the red seeping through Liam's shirt. He cussed a bit, reaching for it instinctively with his gloves still on. "You good?"

"What? Yeah just fucked around, got a cut. Thought it stopped beeding." He shrugged a bit, turning back to his work to prove what a non issue it was. "Huh." Cam shrugged a bit, tossing over a hand towel that sat one one of the dust riddled furniture nearby. That was definitely safe.

"Thanks," he said anyway, tossing it to the side briefly until he took his break.

"So whats up with you two, anyway? I thought you were all.." He trailed a bit, intertwining his fingers and wiggling them suggestivly. Liam shook his head at the notion.

"Nothin. And were not." It was Cam's turn to roll his eyes. "Come on, man. Im stupid not dumb."

"You mean dumb, not stupid." He muttered, only trying to be accurate. The ginger gave him an unbelievably bored look.

"You know what I mean. I do notice things."

He paused at Cameron's tone, glancing over where he stood. Liam's eyes narrowed on his. As if to be helpful, Cam gestured to his chest with his eyes. Nerves shot up inside him although Cam looked anything but bothered.

"Its not a big deal." He tried, wanting him to understand. He was trans sure but it wasn't who he was. The whole gender consumed part of his life was over.

He was a man trying to survive the end of the fucking world, that's all he was now and anyone who had time to think any different had their priorities way out of order.

Cam nodded absently, obviously trying to consider his words where he often didn't. "Kinda figured. Can I ask you- is that why Sam's being weird or..?"

"No." He dismissed it instantly. "He's not into me turns out. That's all. Were just tryina get back to normal."