crawl to you

my everything

A few weeks have passed since the proposal. Zach had officially been elected head doctor of the camp hospital. Jack was managing the food and the farming. Daniel and Corbyn were conjuring some kind of impenetrable wall that only the two of them understood. Jonah was enjoying some off time with Eben and the Rebels.

The walls were sturdy, and security was tight. The people were now more relaxed, and children even played out more often.

Zach sipped on some coffee as he wrote down some reports on the patients. Anna walked in his makeshift office.

"Knock knock." She deadpans.

"Come in." He plays along with a smile.

"I heard you wanted to talk to me?" She stuffs her hands in her pockets.

He points at a chair in front of him. Anna catches on and sits down. Zach sets his coffee down and turns to a brand new page.

"Anna Seavey, sister of Daniel Seavey." He starts.

"And Tyler and Christian Seavey. Daughter of Keri and Jeffrey Seavey." She adds. "All dead."

"I'm sorry for your loss." He says quietly. Zach clears his throat. "Any allergies?" She shakes her head. "Illnesses, broken bones, anything."

"I've had chicken pox. Broke my left arm when I was ten." She starts. "Cracked my head open when I was thirteen."

"Eesh."

"I blame Christian for that." She chuckles. "I'm diagnosed with anxiety, but after this shitshow, who isn't?" She continues quietly.

"Anything else worth mentioning? Only we have access to this."

She shakes her head.

"Emergency contact?"

"My brother."

Zach scribbles it down quickly. "There we go. Thank you for helping me." He smiles softly.

"Is there anything else you need from me?" She asks.

"I'm all good. It's time to write my own medical report."

Anna chuckles and grabs the notebook from him. "My turn to question you."

She clicks the pen. "Zach Herron, fiancé of Jack."

"Brother of Ryan and Reese Herron. Son of Myta and Josh." He smiles.

"Allergies?"

"Penicillin and dust."

"Jack cleans the house then." She chuckles."Illnesses, broken bones, anything."

"Cracked ribs, sprained ankle, broken arm." His voice then turns quiet. "Damaged left teres major to right latissimus dorsi. No spinal damage has been recorded."

Anna jolts it down.. "How did that happen? If you don't mind me asking."

Zach sips on his coffee. "I'm not really sure. I woke up with a stitched up back." He shrugs. "I figure I must've broken a vase. Valentino didn't like it."

"I had no idea -"

"It's fine." He reassures. "Get ready to write. There's a whole lot more injuries."

She nods.

Zach tells her everything. He's not even sure if he has told anyone the full extent of the violence he suffered.Nevertheless, Anna is someone who puts him at ease. By the time he finishes, both have tears in their eyes.

She wipes her tears as she finishes writing the last significant injury he sustained.

"That's about it." His voice is quiet.

"How? How did you survive?"

He shrugs. "I guess I was always expecting someone to come around and help me. The apocalypse started; it answered my prayers." Zach looks through the crack on the tent. "Jack eventually came along."

Anna nods. "I know I've called him clingy, but I get it now." The two chuckle.

Zach looks at the string around his finger. "He heals me, better than any medicine can." He fixes the bow. "I love him too much at times."

"You deserve someone who's easy to love." She rests a hand over his.

He nods as he wipes the tears on his face. "He's my everything." Zach smiles through tears.

Anna gets up and hugs him tightly.

***

Jack combed Zach's hair with his fingers as he laid his head on his lap. The two were by the lake, where Jack proposed, gaining courage to get in and shower. They were also discussing marriage plans.

"What about the honeymoon?" Zach pouts.

"We should see the whales and the dolphins." He suggests. "A honeymoon by the sea... it sounds nice."

"We could have a swim whenever we want, and you could tell me all about the sea shells we find." Zach smiles softly.

"I don't want to bore you with that." Jack chuckles.

"You won't." He reassures.

The curly head hums. "Not even when I tell you that sea shells are hard exoskeleton of marine molluscs that serve to protect and support their bodies -" He's cut off by a kiss.

"Save something for the honeymoon." He teases.

Jack kisses him again. "We should definitely shower before the sun sets." Another kiss. "We have to sleep."

Zach chuckles. "Right, we get married in two days."

The curly head smiles widely. "Yes, we do." He caresses his face. "I can't wait to see you walking down the aisle with a pretty sunflower on your hands."

The brunet smiles, too."I can't wait to marry you. Should I change to Avery or keep Herron?"

"Keep your name." He answers. "Let's add a dash to it. Herron-Avery."

He hums. "I like it."

Jack caresses his face. "I love your pretty name, but I'd love it more if we showered."

Zach sits up and the two strip themselves naked for the shower. Jack swipes him off his feet and runs into the water.

He throws him into the water and dives to envelop him back him his arms. Zach comes up and splashes him.

Jack insists on washing his hair, making sure to massage his shoulders gently as he can. His lover hums happily at the feeling of his hands on him.

This is the only man that should've touched him from the beginning. The fact that his hands were calloused was irrelevant. His fingers work like magic on his scalp on his upper back.

He lowers himself and kisses the scar on his back with utmost care—like he has been doing. It invokes a flutter on his chest. Zach feels utterly loved by him. Jack embraces his past and wants to be in his future.

He floats as Jack scrubs the shampoo off of him. The curly head had a look of concentration on his face.

Zach smiles. "Hey there, a penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm thinking about my vows." He helps him stand up. "I haven't written them yet. I want them to be special. You deserve it."

He sits up and scrubs Jack's hair, still facing him. "Even if you sob your way through half of them, I'll still love them. Because it's you I'm marrying." Zach pecks him. "We could always do a renewal alone."

"I want everything with you. "