Love is Dead

Unspoken Tensions

The night stretched on, the fire's crackling light casting long shadows that swirled through the trees. Carmen, despite the heaviness of the days they'd spent traveling, found herself relaxing into the easy rhythm of the evening. Will's effortless charm had a way of lifting the mood, his jokes and stories flowing like a warm current, pulling her along in a carefree manner she hadn't felt in weeks. He was funny, confident, and, in his own way, comforting. Even the weight of everything outside the camp seemed to lift for a while.

But then there was Logan.

Every now and then, she caught him glancing toward Will, his eyes narrowing slightly as the playful, flirty comments flew. He didn't react outwardly—his posture remained stoic—but the little things, the tightness in his jaw, the subtle flex of his slightly blued fingers, told her more than she wanted to know. For a guy who normally kept his distance, he sure wasn't thrilled about the jokes Will kept tossing Carmen's way. Carmen wasn't sure if it was because of Will's personality or if Logan simply couldn't handle the lighthearted teasing, but it was getting to him. But to be honest, she'd wanted to be selfish and have this affection,..the attention. It made the apocalypse seem less...real.

Will, oblivious to any discomfort, leaned back against the tree and grinned at Carmen, tossing her a wink that, in another world, might have been flirtation. "You know, Carmen," Will said, as he casually reached for a can of beans, "I'm really starting to think you're some sort of disney princess. I mean, talking zombies and your adventures are so wild. Not to mention you're beautiful too."

Carmen chuckled, though she was beginning to notice the slight change in Logan's demeanor. His mismatched eyes flicked toward Will, and for a brief moment, they were sharp—harder than usual. He shifted in his seat, his fingers tightening around the edge of his chair as though he was holding back from saying something. He sucked the inside of his non-decayed cheek as he grumbled something.

"Maybe. Just need a prince." Carmen teased back, her eyes lighting up as she laughed. But Logan, for the first time that evening, spoke up, his voice a low rasp.

"Well you both seem like you've found your happily ever after," Logan muttered dryly, his eyes fixed on the fire. "Want some alone time?"

Carmen blinked, surprised by the sharpness in his tone, but Will, not missing a beat, threw another teasing glance at Logan. "Come on, man. I'm just giving her a compliment. Doesn't hurt to lighten up a little."

Logan gave him a slight, respectful nod, his expression flat. "I didn't say it hurt. I just don't feel like listening to you guys make out verbally." His voice carried that familiar edge of sarcasm, though his eyes remained steady.

It wasn't that Logan was rude to Will—he was just... distant, like he was trying to distance himself from the entire situation. Carmen couldn't help but notice how much more intense Logan's reaction seemed compared to his usual, more reserved demeanor. Will was being his usual flirty self, and it didn't bother Logan when he directed that energy toward anyone else. But when it came to Carmen... it was like the teasing had struck a nerve.

After a few more rounds of idle banter, Logan stood up abruptly, his posture stiff as he adjusted his jacket. Carmen was starting to get a clearer picture, but she wasn't sure how to approach it. He wasn't angry—at least, not at Will—but there was definitely something bubbling under the surface that was making him more on edge than usual.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed," Logan said, his voice cutting through the noise of their conversation. He didn't even look at Carmen as he spoke, his eyes locked on the ground. "Been a long day."

Carmen frowned, catching Will's gaze briefly. He seemed more amused than anything, but there was a quiet understanding in the way he nodded. "Sure, man. Get some rest. See you tomorrow."

Will flashed a grin at Carmen. "Don't stay up too late talking about me, alright?"

Carmen's lips twitched, that was a bit odd even for her in this situation. "I'll try not to," she replied, though she felt a little guilty for continuing the playful flirting. She wasn't sure what to make of Logan's sudden decision to leave. He'd never been the type to let his mood swing like this, not so openly. Even if she'd only known him for a  month or so.

As they walked away from the fire, Carmen noticed how Logan's stride was faster than usual, like he was eager to distance himself from the moment. The silence between them felt thick, uncomfortable, and Carmen was left wondering if she had missed something. She glanced over at him, watching the subtle tension in his shoulders, the rigidness in his movements.

Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer. "Logan," she said softly, her voice tentative. "Is everything okay?"

He didn't look at her at first, his gaze still fixed on the path ahead. When he spoke, it was with a touch of that same sarcasm that had carried his earlier words. "Yeah, fine. Just... not in the mood for you and him getting all googly-eyed over each other. Not my thing."

Carmen's chest tightened at the words, but she didn't stop walking. She tried to let it sink in before responding. "Logan, it's not like that," she said carefully. "Will's just being friendly. He didn't mean anything by it."

"Oh, I know," Logan said dryly, giving her a glance. "I'm not an idiot, Carmen. I can tell when someone's just being friendly." He paused, letting his words hang for a second longer than necessary. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it. Or watch it, for that matter."

Carmen opened her mouth, but no words came. Logan was being... uncharacteristically blunt. She had known him to be sarcastic, sure, but this felt different. His tone had that dry, almost bitter edge she wasn't used to hearing. He seemed to flex his jaw absentmindedly as they walked to the cabin.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable but he was just..," Carmen said finally, trying to process. "Will's not like that. He's just... playful. It's not—"

"I know what he's like," Logan snapped, the irritation in his voice making her pause. His eyes flicked toward her, but only for a second. "I'm not complaining about him. I'm complaining about... this." He motioned vaguely toward the air between them, as if the space was charged with something neither of them could name.

Carmen's brows furrowed as she stared back at logan. She could feel the weight of his words settling in her chest. "This?" she repeated softly, not sure if she was asking the right question.

Logan let out a heavy sigh, his posture dropping slightly as he slowed his pace, as if the tension in his body was finally breaking. "Look, I'm tired. And I don't need to explain myself." He shrugged, not bothering to meet her gaze. "It's nothing personal. I just don't need to watch you and him flirting or whatever you want to call it. It's... annoying."

Carmen was quiet for a long time, the weight of his words hanging heavily between them. She knew it was a bit uncomfortable for him and she'd felt bad be she knew he was being a bit more dramatic than needed. So why now? Why was it bothering him so much?

She exhaled slowly, glancing at his stiff profile as they walked back to camp. "Okay," she said, her voice softer now, a little defeated. "I get it. Let's just get some sleep."

They arrived at the camp in silence. Logan immediately set to his corner, rolling out his blanket with more force than usual. Carmen, feeling the awkwardness stretch between them, didn't say anything as she settled into her own space. The usual closeness she'd felt with him was gone, replaced with a heavy, unspoken tension. The kind that only came after words had been left unsaid for too long.

Carmen tried to shake the unease that had settled in her chest, but the silence between them was too thick. She could still hear Logan's sharp, almost jealous words echoing in her mind, and it made the night feel colder, lonelier than it should have.

As she lay down, she stared into the dying embers of the fire, wondering what had shifted between them. Why had Logan reacted like that? And what did it mean for their friendship, if anything at all? It was a silly thought. Logan, the zom-boy being jealous of will and I. 

But she shrugged the thought away as sleep finally came, as did the same uncertainty, and the night passed quietly, with only the distant rustle of the trees to keep her company.