The Last Refuge

One

Jun looked up at Quill, his arms extended towards him, "Do you trust me?" he asked, his eyes reflecting the determination he felt. Quill's hands clung tightly to the rough bark of the tree, his knuckles white with tension. "Not really..." he replied, his voice shaky with fear, though there was a hint of sarcasm. Jun chuckled, amused at this situation, "I'm not gonna let you fall!" he assured Quill, his arms still outstretched.

Suddenly, the tree shook violently, causing Quill to whimper. A deafening roar echoed in the distance, making him lose his grip on the tree. Jun reacted quickly, catching Quill mid-air with a grunt. He set him down on the ground, a smirk on his lips, "Told ya." he said, a hint of pride in his voice.

As Quill undid his ponytail and retied it, he let out a disappointed sigh. "Shut up... No more hiding in trees, it seems..." he muttered under his breath. He turned his head towards Jun, who immediately straightened up. Quill raised a curious eyebrow but brushed it off and focused on their next move, "We need to leave." Jun kicked a small rock on the ground, staring down at his feet. "Leave where exactly?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm. Quill let out another sigh, "Just... any place that's safe for us."

Jun chuckled, "Genius plan." Quill playfully hit Jun's arm, shushing him, before turning his attention to the horizon. The smog made it difficult to see too far ahead, but Quill continued to stare off into the distance. He slowly started to walk, his eyes still fixed on the horizon, not bothering to see if Jun was following him. Jun kicked the rock around for a moment before catching up with his friend.

Jun and Quill walked cautiously through the desolate wasteland, their feet crunching on the grey plants that surrounded them. Jun held his gun tightly, and Quill led the way, determined to keep moving despite their exhaustion. In the distance, they could hear the groans of fallen buildings and the growls of the creatures that were watching them. Quill jumped at every sound, but he pressed on.

"Are you okay?" Jun asked Quill, who nodded in response, "Just a little on edge." "When aren't you on edge?" Jun teased, but Quill didn't respond. They both knew that any misstep could lead to their demise.

"I remember seeing a drugstore that we passed by earlier. It might be a good place to replenish our supplies." Quill said, looking around the area, squinting to try and see through the smog. He let out a disappointed sigh as he looked toward Jun to hear his input. Jun stared blankly at him for a moment before responding quickly, "Are there even any supplies left in those places?" he queried. Quill's gaze lowered, "Probably not. But it doesn't hurt to check..." there was a hint of uncertainty in his words.

As they walked, Jun gave a confirming nod and continued to follow Quill. The atmosphere was tense with a sense of urgency, and a loud rumble could be heard in the distance. This caused the two of them to quicken their pace, with Jun maintaining a steady stride while Quill moved frantically, his shorter stature making it harder for him to keep up.

After a few minutes of walking, the rumbling grew fainter and Quill spotted the drugstore. He ran over to it, attempting to enter but the door was jammed shut. Jun walked over and studied the door for a few seconds before unholstering his gun and slamming the handle against the glass, shattering the door's window. He reached in and opened the door from the inside, a smug expression appearing on his face as he held the door open for Quill.

"That was unnecessary..." Quill muttered as he entered the store.

"You're welcome?" Jun replied, sounding slightly annoyed.

As Quill cautiously stepped inside, he was met with the overwhelming smell of rotting food, causing him to recoil and cover his nose with his shirt. He continued to move forward, accompanied by Jun, who kept a watchful eye out for any mutants lurking in the shadows. The sound of their footsteps was muffled by the worn-out cardboard boxes strewn across the floor.