He keeps finding me

1.20

Days went by and contrary to Noah's feelings for developing a friendship with the Dou, the Dou ignored him. Noah has been working extra hours in the lab, even though it was forbidden, and even Maison didn't talk to him. Neither had Jay or any of the people he came with. But it was not like he cared anyway, he just needed to focus on the wishes. And it probably wouldn't be a big deal if he just focused on two wishes and one of them was unfulfilled. The Raven didn't even explain what would happen if he didn't fulfill any of those wishes. So Noah sets out to focus on survival and having a family. Surviving is easy, but the family part is going to be difficult.
'How does one find a family in the apocalypse? It really is more realistic to find a real friend, one that went through battle with him. Maybe a bit of life-saving? Offering kindness?' As he thought to himself an idea came to mind. What if he cured an infected patient? But it couldn't just be any of those people, he will have to build a connection first. Treat them kindly, give them hope, and make them think Noah was the only one to really want to cure them. The more Noah thought about this the more he liked it.

Now to the important part, how to make a cure? So more days passed, Noah worked hard on a pre-zombie-cure. Even when he was tossed out of his lab he took the work with him and researched more on his old desk on the dirt research. The Dou that lived with him started to look at him weirdly. Sometimes with pity, sometimes with concern, and most of the time with a bored look. Then one of them couldn't take it anymore and blocked Noah on his way down to the laboratories. Zenix stood in front of Noah with an annoyed look, but Noah could see some kind of concern.
"THIS STOPS NOW," he said his arms stretched out to the side.
Ben facepalmed, "I thought we should leave this be? This is a thing between those three, it does not involve us."
Zenix looked by Noah to Ben, "It may not involve us, and I know you can do with the awkward silence, but I can't this has been killing me." Then he focused his sight on Noah, "Now you, listen it's cool if you have beef with Jay and Maison, but we have nothing to do with that. We gave you space to think since we didn't know if you just didn't want to talk to Jay anymore or all of us. Frankly, I can not do this anymore, I am a Gemini give me attention. That was a joke, but we had a friendship between us that began to sprout and I don't want you to walk away from that."

To say Noah was surprised was an understatement, but I guess Zenix is really a friend-deprived soul. Ben felt hurt in this moment, just a second as if someone talked bad about him and Zenix.
Then Ben shook his head, "Zen, I already give you so much attention. Why do you need other friends?"
Zenix gave him a side-eye, "Noah listen, I really was looking forward to our friendship, because I have a feeling we could get along great. But that doesn't work if you come into our room so late and exhausted that you can't even talk to us. You look so exhausted you have panda eyes and even your cheeks look hollowed out. Are even eating enough?"
Noah felt touched, such treatment he never had someone worry about him like this. Maybe he did, maybe Val had given him such treatment, but he doesn't remember anymore.
Noah unconsciously got a tear in his eye, Zenix saw it and when Noah swiftly swiped it away with his finger, he didn't comment it. Noah then smiled at Zenix, it wasn't his beloved puppy smile for the first time it was a real smile. A little clumsy, a sad but all the way touched about what Zenix asked him.
Noah covered his eyes with one hand, "Yeah, I am sorry. I didn't realize I would worry you so much. I would love for us to hang out. Do you maybe want to have breakfast with me?"
Zenix smiled putting his arms down which had become a little sore, "I would love to."
Ben who was seemingly forgotten chimed in, "Me too. You two can't just forget about me. Zen, he'd better not become your new best friend. Because if he is..."
He walked next to Noah and made real deep eye contact with him, "If you are, I will fry you so crispy you will be a chicken nugget from KFC."
Noah nodded amused.

Zenix rolled his eyes, gave Ben a shoulder pat, and swung an arm over Noah taking him to the elevator. Ben was dumbfounded by the betrail but walked behind them. They got into the elevator, went to the second floor, and went into the canteen. They each took a trail and went to the people giving out food, seems like they got instant ramen as breakfast. When they had to show their ID, everything was normal and Noah got an apple again. Ben and Zenix both looked jealous of the apple, so they looked for a place to sit and began eating. Noah looked at Ben and Zenix who were sitting side by side in front of him. After looking at them both he looked at his apple, took it, and split it in half with his hands. Ben and Zenix looked at him surprised and were touched when Noah handed a half to each of them. They of course took the apple they hadn't seen much less eaten an apple in over two to three months. And the juicy flesh of the apple was heaven, it was the forbidden fruit for a reason.
Ben then looked at the core of the apple, "Bet, you could make a little fortune if you were trading them. I heard you are able to trade for anything if you know the right people and fresh produce is definitely one of them."
Zenix nodded heavily, and then he looked a little sad, "I never thought I'd say it but I really miss fruits, even vegetables. It's just something about those healthy greens that gets my body saying. I feel healthy. Eating this junk food, I realize the importance of carrots, broccoli, or spinach. I miss the banana I never eat or the apple that has been in my backpack since middle school." Noah sat there eating his ramen, which was a little hard since they didn't give him much water with it. But he knew where Zenix was coming from, in a world like this it's hard not to think about the things one had. The things one never had to worry about and with one hit, had to leave behind. Ben and Zenix thought and didn't talk as much as they ate. As they walked to give their food trays back, Ben came to an abrupt halt. Noah looked at him with questions in his eyes.
"What are you doing down there? Do you also research the soil and the water to make them usable again?" He asked Noah. Zenix looked at the seed from the apple that was in his hands and got the idea Ben was throwing around.