crawl to you

butterfly fish

A week has passed. Around forty treehouses are built, and Jonah, Corbyn, and Daniel were working on the fences. As for Zach and Jack, the two were on their merry way to New Mexico to get the fuegos.

They stopped by the Rebels and the Athenas to ask for their help preparing everything for the arrival of the new campers. Their request was taken seriously by their allies, who immediately sent out people to help them.

Halfway through Utah, the trailer comes to a stop. The couple gets out of the trailer wearing sunglasses, and they open the hood.

They wait for the engine to cool down, and Jack checks for the water. He fills the tank. He checks for the oil. It was surprisingly okay. His eyebrows furrow. What's wrong then?

Zach goes back inside and checks if any lights are on. He comes back out with a jerrican of fuel. He shakes it, showing Jack what they were missing. They fill up the car, close the hood, and get in the trailer to continue their journey.

The duo listens to the music playing in silence, nodding their heads to the songs playing and making conversation. Zach stands up to stretch for a bit and grab some good for them. "Jack, do you want beef jerky?" He asks as he goes through their supplies.

Jack lowers the volume of the song. "Sure, honey! Do we have enough water?"

Zach confirms with a hum. "We can always ask for more from the fuegos." He sits next to him and feeds him a bit of jerky.

They eat while cringing at the taste. "I prefer to eat fish every day." Jack cringes at the sheer saltiness.

"Okay, would you rather eat beef jerky forever and have full certainty you're not being bitten or never eat beek jerky ever again but having no teeth?" Zach asks, trying to distract both from the taste.

"Are you included in the first option?"

"Yes, but I don't have to eat it."

"Would you grind my food so I could eat it?"

Zach laughs. "Sure."

"Uhm..." He seriously ponders. "Beef jerky. Final answer."

He looks incredulous. "Really? Beef jerky?"

Jack nods. "I'd rather eat beef jerky and die of old age with you than losing my teeth."

Zach smiles. Maybe beef jerky wasn't that bad.

***
By nightfall, they moved to the side of the road to rest. They laid on their top bunk, hidden away from the world. Jack rested his head on his chest, embracing him possessively. One couldn't tell where Zach started, and Jack ended.

They slept peacefully... until Zach woke up with a full body spasm and a gasp. The curly head woke up as well, taking a few moments to truly understand what was happening.

"Are you okay, angel?" Jack asks quietly, worry etched in his voice.

The brunet was breathing heavily, looking wide-eyed at Jack. He grabbed his flashlight and turned it on, blinding them momentarily. Zach pointed the flashlight at his own body and sighed. Like he was relieved.

Jack rests a hand on him. "Zach?"

"I... had a nightmare about him."He simply says. "He was -" He takes a deep breath. "Let's just sleep again. I don't wanna talk about it."

"Drink some water first." Jack rests a hand on his chest, checking his heartbeat. "You need to relax for a bit before sleeping."

Zach nods, and Jack grabs water for him. They both drink some, and Jack climbs back up to their bunk.

"How's your arm?"

"It's as good as new." He reassures and pulls him to his chest. "Thanks to you."

Zach smiles softly. "The first twenty-four hours -"

"Are the most important, yeah yeah." Jack mocks him, and they chuckle.

Silence fills the trailer. Zach nudges his head on Jack's shoulder.

"Have I ever told you about butterfly fish?" Jack asks. He feels him shake his head.

"Let me guess, they look like butterflies?" They chuckle.

"They do, but what you don't know is that they have a really cute mating ritual."

"Oh?"

Jack hums. "They love deeply, and courtship between them is like really passionate. When they find their one and only, they travel, hunt, and mate together for the rest of their lives." He caresses his back.

"Are you saying we're butterfly fish?" Zach playfully asks. " 'Cuz we so are."

"Are you saying you want to be with me for the rest of our lives?" Jack smiles.

The brunet hides his face. "Maybe."

"I want to be with you, too." Jack admits, and he can feel his heart beat fasten. Zach rests his hand on his chest. He lays his left hand over it.

I love you. Zach thinks.

"You're always so cheesy, Jack." He smiles as he looks up.

I love you. Jack feels his heart fasten at the realization.

"Can you blame me? It's how you make me feel." He moves his head to face him.

I love you. They think in unison.

They lean their foreheads together. "I'm so lucky, ya know?" Zach mutters as their lips graze together.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

"I'm more." He teases.

"Why's that?" I love you.

Their breaths mingle together.

Because I love you. "Because I have you next to me."

They lock lips together lazily. Jack cupped his face, being gentle, as always. The brunet could feel his heart beating out of his ribcage. He made Jack feel like that. And no one else.

Zach relaxes to his touch, allowing himself to delve into the sensation overload that is kissing Jack. The curly head moved his hand to rest on his waist. He gropes his love handles and moves to feel his back up.

I love you.

It wasn't a sexual touch, per se, more of a 'just-making-sure-you're-actually-real' type of touch. He feels the scar on his back and traces it gently. Jack feels him arch his back towards him.

"Tickles." He reminds him lightly, too preoccupied with kissing Jack to playfully scold him.

They smile into the kiss, ignoring the post-apocalyptic world outside while they demonstrate their love for each other.

I love you.