Dark Earth (Male Reader)

15: Remnants

The wind grows faster outside the mouth of your cave. You sit back behind the small fire, looking out across the frozen lake. After spending the entire day carrying Dim across it, it looked like it was finally starting to thaw. By the time you made it to the other side, it was getting late. While you could have kept walking forever, Dim needed sleep, and you don't want to keep going at night. No telling how active the monsters are when it gets dark.

Dim sets her pack against the wall and moves up next to you. She sits down, rubbing up against you as she leans her head down on your shoulder. She takes your hand as the sky darkens, seeing only by the light of the campfire. You don't stop looking at the lake.

"That's... Hey, you said that... the lake was leftover from the old world? What do you mean by that?"

"Back before the Lurkers showed up. There's a lot of old stuff from before everything fell apart. The Grey Lake, the tower, a few useless pieces of scrap metal."

"What was the old world like. Wait, you weren't around then."

"Do I look that old?" she smirks at you.

"No... sorry."

"It's fine. I wasn't there, but I heard stories. It was an... okay place."

"Just okay?" you ask.

"It wasn't perfect. The people there lived in big cities, did what they wanted, lived in peace. They didn't have to worry about mutant monsters. However, they did have the byproducts of their own past. That lake used to be a landfill for their garbage. There are ruined cities where wars had been previously fought. Then more fights broke out when the Lurkers started to form, and after a few centuries... this is all that's left."

It's sad. A place that looks perfect on the inside, but eventually turned into nothing. You sigh and slouch back, thinking about what that place must have looked like. It would have been green. It would have been alive.

A low moaning howl echoes in the wind. Dim presses against you startled by the noise as she clutches your hand tighter.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. It sounded far away."

"You don't sense anything nearby?"

"No. It's just us. It was probably a monster falling into one of the soft spots on the ice. It won't be bothering us now," you say with a smile.

She laughs and relaxes. Her laugh is soft and bouncy. It's the first time you've really heard her laugh. It's the best thing you could imagine. She sighs and smiles, looking at the ground.

"... You're amazing..."

You're stunned by the sudden complement. Your mouth opens to speak but no words form. Dim looks back, blushing slightly.

"I'm sorry... but it's true. Not only do you have those awesome powers, but you're... nice... kind..."

The two of you lock eyes. You hold her hand in yours, bringing her in close. Dim moves in and kisses you, pulling you into her warm embrace. The emotions flare up in your chest, making you hot. You deepen the kiss and fall onto your side with her, wrapping your arms around each other. She breaks off from the kiss, panting into your ear as she rests next to you.

"So... what are we?" you ask.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... are we... like a couple now? Or is this just a... temporary thing?"

"...What do you want it to be?"

"I...I'd like to... be with you... To date you." Hearing yourself admit that out loud makes your face grow hotter.

"I'd... like that too. I don't think anyone has ever gone on a date in the last fifty years... I'd like to be the first."

Her words make you happy, happier than you've ever felt before. You pull her in, hugging her close to your body. As the last of the ice melts from the lake, you two settle into your sleeping positions. Dim lays on top of you, holding onto you as the night wind howls.

"Thank you (Y/N)... for keeping me safe..."

She falls asleep on top of you. You smile in the dark, feeling emotions that you thought had long since died from the world. If the dark land could produce such nice feelings, then maybe it wasn't all bad. Maybe there is still light somewhere in the dark.

But maybe not.