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Chapter 6:

As Tony and Boone were walking through the city the next morning the former was knocked from his thoughts when a pebble hit his shoulder.

He looked over and saw Tony frowning at him. "You okay?".

Boone shrugged. "Yeah, just thinking".

Tony nodded knowingly. "About Cedar?".

"Yeah, but my brother mostly". Boone replied with a sigh.

"We can try to look for him..If you want to". Tony suggested hesitantly.

Boone considered the offer briefly before shaking his head. "Even if we find him, he'll never forgive me for leaving".

"He's your brother, he's not gonna kill you for it". Tony tried to joke. "What's the story there anyways?". He asked, seeing Boone's expression.

"Wasn't your little terrorist group stalking us?". Boone asked sarcastically.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I mean, why was it just you two?".

"Miguel's mum and dad adopted me when I was five, then dumped me when I turned fifteen". Boone explained. "Miguel had been taking care of me since".

"So they adopt a kid only to abandon him ten years later, who the hell does that?". Tony asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy for either of us, Miguel especially since he had to take care of me". Boone continued guiltily.

"If it helps, I think he did a damn good job". Tony said gently, lightly interlocking his finger's with Boone's.

Boone sniffed and wiped his damp eye. "All I did was lay around and play video games while he busted his ass working three jobs".

"I'm assuming school didn't work out?". Tony asked.

"I got expelled in ninth grade and failed both GED retakes". Boone said with a mirthless laugh.

Tony bit his lip at this, clearly at a loss for words as they continued walking on the side of the road.

Mid day arrived by the time the duo came across an open field where Boone was about to cross until Tony stopped him. "What's wrong?".

"We'll cut through the city, It'll be easier that way". Tony explained, his eyes conveying unease.

"How? Won't the village be full of walker's?". Boone asked.

"Yeah, but there's stuff out there I don't want you seeing". Tony said, gesturing towards the sprawling field.

"Well now I have to see it!". Boone replied mischievously, starting to walk through the knee deep grass.

Tony followed Boone until they reached the middle of the field where the younger man stopped dead in his tracks, clearly startled by something.

"Did Alden do this?". He asked shakily, gesturing to the rotting corpses and skeletons piled up in a dug out hole.

"They were followers of his, when he deemed them untrustworthy, this is what happened". Tony explained.

"How did he get so many followers in one month?". Boone asked hesitantly.

"Alden used to do some unsavory things before outbreak day, once society collapsed he had free reign to continue with it". Tony went on.

"What about you?". Boone asked.

"I wanted no part of this". Tony answered, gesturing at the bodies. "Before outbreak day the worst I did was an armed robbery at a gas station".

"So that's why you don't carry a gun". Boone stated, knowing that under New York law convicted felons couldn't have weapons.

Tony nodded as he and Boone cut through the village of Tarrytown. "I never hurt anyone, I was just desperate".

Boone nodded sympathetically. "For what it's worth, You're a pretty good guy".

Tony's cheeks lit up with a furious blush as he led Boone into one of the abandoned houses, barely locking the door behind him as their lips connected.

One thing led to another as they headed towards the bedroom at the very end of the hallway, falling back onto the bed as they undressed.

When Boone awoke the sun was starting to set, coloring the walls of the bedroom with pink and orange hues.

He carefully rose up from where he'd been laying on Tony's bare chest and sat on the edge of the bed, taking into account that he was naked.

After quietly redressing he padded into the kitchen, rummaging through the shelves and pouring himself a bowl of dry cereal.

He ate in silence for a while until Tony came out of the bedroom, clad in just his gray boxers whilst stifling a yawn.

"We're eating a dead guy's food now?". The tall man asked incredulously, watching Boone chow down on the cereal.

"The mat said Welcome, plus I think we christened the place as our own by now". Boone retorted with a sly smirk.

"Hot water still works, which means I'm taking a shower, then you're gonna take a shower". The younger man finished, making a face as he went up to the second level bathroom.

Tony shook his head in amusement and sat down in Boone's empty seat. Letting his thoughts wander to the events of a few hours ago.