revival - zach mitchell *2/3 of eradication trilogy*

Chapter 7: Look After You

Everything went silent as the sun started to set behind us. Stillness occupied the area, the crickets and leaves becoming ambience. He took a breath, closing his eyes as if he was going to meditate, before opening once more. He stood centimeters away from me, almost like the last time I was here. I scanned his face for any change of emotion or any evident emotions, as he continued puffing out his breath and fixing wet hair.

His dark brown hair was swept to the side, making me notice how he styled it when it was dry. It was on and off, either with a fringe or in a quiff or in a side swept style. His dark brown eyes seemed to have been scanning what I've been doing and me in general.

I didn't interrupt his thoughts, which could cause him to a) take longer or b) get more annoyed. If I had to be honest with myself, I would say I loved his presence, even with the hostility between the two of us.

"Wait, you must be freezing." He took off his wet plaid jacket, "this might not help, but I hope it can help." He slipped it over my shoulders; his arm was close to my face, making me look down. He flipped my slightly long bob over the jacket, and smiled at me. "Doesn't this give you memories?" He chuckled, lifting my chin up, making our faces close to the other.

"What did you need to tell me?" I breathed out, refusing to look him directly in the eye, by directing my eye contact to the dirt on the ground.

"When we, well, I ended things," He sighed, "You started to feel like home. This whole thing will be extremely cheesy, but I was homesick, when I was at home. I was scared. I think that was part of it. I was so scared that I was going to lose you for someone better wherever you'll be going. I was going to NYU, what if you had forgotten about me?" I would look up at his eyes multiple times to see if he really meant this or lying. "I don't know about you, but it hurt to see all these photos of you and your friends, with me barely knowing who they were. They meant so much to you, and I never met them or talked to them." He continued. "I felt lost and at the same time at home with you. I loved you so much, and I still do. I haven't forgotten about you. The only girlfriend I had was someone who I didn't give a single crap about compared to you. I didn't like her as much as I loved you. I missed the way you smiled when you heard something remotely stupid, or when we would visit each other and spend a majority of the day at the park or relaxing." He paused. "No silence was awkward with you - everything was perfect for me. You were perfect for me. I wanted to be the one who looked after you, who you could rely on, someone who'd never break you. I loved you." He brought his eyes from the ground and looked up at me. "I still love you."

"Zach-." He cut me off almost immediately, taking my hand in his and intertwining his fingers with mine with a kiss on my lips.

His lips were something I forgot that I wanted for a while; the softness and tenderness shocked me. I didn't expect him to give me a kiss at any moment soon. He pulled away before I could even properly respond.

"Listen, I don't care if it's romantic or platonic." He insisted. "I just want you to not be mad at me, so we can work together and have proper conversations. I missed our late night chats."

I don't know how to respond. He broke up with me, and if he did miss me, why didn't he call me? We never blocked each other, or at least not that I know of. If I caused all of those feelings, why would he not ask me about it? I finally moved on from him and the breakup, or at least somewhat. I was still mad of course, especially after all he just told me. It's like he had radars on who still had feelings for him, and since after I moved on, he wanted to get me back on it.

"It's getting late." I changed topics. How do I respond? What do I think of him? "We should get back before Owen kills me and, or you." I already started marching to the way back. "Here's your jacket shirt thing." I handed him the red plaid he wrapped around me and continued on.

Why would he do that to me? I cursed him inside my brain, trying to keep calm on the outside when all I wanted to do was murder him. Why would he do that to me after the years of pain and annoyance he has put me through? Can he just leave me alone? At least, for just a while?

I wanted to find Blue, but I can't with Zach on my trail. The worse part is I'll have to be working with him tomorrow. Tomorrow, our shift is to look at the north side, while Claire's is watching over the aviary to fix it and the other group is looking at the south. The east and west would be the next week, and then the final weeks would be double checking and trying to restore as much as we could. We would pack what is needed to bring back, otherwise, we leave everything here.

I heard him mumble something, barely audible to my ears - something that seemed to be about Felbop or whatever it was. "Pardon?" I inquired, turning my head around, almost instantly regretting that choice.

"How do you feel about me now?" I refused to respond. "Okay." He sighed before walking ahead of me. "We might as well walk faster then."

----

I managed to pass off for somewhat dry when I arrived back, because I hid my clothes under a boulder and it was only my spandex and undershirt that was wet. On the other hand, Zach had to make an excuse about falling into the drinking water stream near by, making Claire scream at him for being unsanitary, while Owen had to remind her about water filters.

Thinking about where we stand, that is hard.

"Just tell me by tonight..." He sighed. "Please."

And so I did.

a/n; hey guys! what do you think so far? :-D thank you all so much for reading and liking both stories. So what do you think she'll say to Zach? Send in some messages if you have any request for next chapters, songs to base it on, or what you think she'll say ;-) Thank you soooo much!

Also, sorry for the short chapters.