just like a dog

Chapter 1

上っ面な愛を愛と呼べんなら

如何せん僕はフールみたい

『離したいワケがない』って言うけど

気付かないワケも無いんだよな

Through the rotting hallways and cracked windows, a man runs and fights for his life. Gripping tightly to the strap of his rifle, ragged breath and the groans of undead fills the hallway, frantic and off-beat footsteps almost deafening in its' advances. One headed to a destination, the rest following like moths to a light.

Daizou breathes heavily, running through the building with a sea of infected behind him. He has to find Eugene, he knows Eugene is somewhere inside, the man is stubborn to make sure everyone got out. This was a scam, this was a trap, they're planning to take Chadia from them by force. Daizou could care less about Chadia, but Chadia is important to Eugene and anything important to Eugene, he protects. He would never admit out loud that he finds her attitude endearing, if a bit annoying; tantrums are never pleasant to deal with but she acts like a kid and he doesn't see what Eugene sees in her but then again, she probably doesn't see him the way Eugene would too. At least they both have that in common, not being able to truly understand one another or see eye-to-eye.

He gropes around for the bullets he knows he carries, he only has a pack of bullets left in his utility belt. Knows them well enough by the weight that it's probably no more than twelve bullets.

Twelve. Against what's probably thirty or more.

He needs to find more or he needs to be faster. It's not helping that he got shot on the shoulder, the bullet digging into his flesh and grazing into his bone. Pain is something he should be accustomed to as a soldier, but with adrenaline and what he thinks is fear running through his system like a drug, he finds that it's more prominent than usual. When he gets flesh wounds, it's mostly a dull throb or he disassociate completely to prevent unnecessary complications but it's been years since he's felt this.. alive. It's the worst time, he always expected to feel alive when he's beside Eugene or when he's surrounded by his crew. Not like this, never like this.

He turns from corner to corner, from room to room, trailing the undead behind him like a swarm of bees on a hunt. Daizou is running with something akin to tears brimming in his eyes, and it's not from the pain nor from the fear of his own life being taken. It's important to note that Daizou is not a man who loses his composure, ever. Daizou never expresses anything more than slight of what he's feeling, but when he screams desperately for a name so familiar in his tongue, he screams it with every ounce of his head, heart, and ruined voicebox.

"EUGENE!"

上っ面な僕の存在理由はさ

お誂え向きな隘路 贄

ブランデー肌で吸ったなら

しどろもどろになって戯れて

They're drinking brandy together, quiet chatter and silent mirth lingering in the air as with the dying embers of the fire they put out seconds ago. The bottle is only half full, and it's not the kind Daizou used to splurge his money on but this is the apocalypse; something like this is being called a luxury is an understatement, probably a divine intervention so they won't completely lose their minds or something.

Daizou stares at Eugene who's talking about something along the lines of his college tales, what was going on with his life once Daizou left. He lets himself really look at Eugene, hair loose and strands of golden hay colored hair falling over his face. His face flushed from the alcohol, traces of a smile echoes on his face like a particularly sweet song that you don't remember the lyrics to but the melody sticks onto your brain like cotton candy; eyes bright, and shoulders less tense. Daizou could get lost in the blue of his eyes, pale and clear as a summer sky.