Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

Cora had closed her eyes to better feel the music, but when she heard a voice join in, she opened them and was surprised to see that it was Sabastian.

As his sweet boyish voice filled her ears she was filled to the brim with emotion again, and she was practically over the moon that he had decided to join in with her. She could feel the ache of his pain in the way that he sang out and it caused her own eyes to brim up with tears, even as she continued to sing, not wanting to miss a single word.

"...and it was just a thought, just a thought, just a thought..."

Vin continued to strum for them, but he'd be a liar if he said it wasn't difficult to keep his hands steady. There was such a richness to the duet; an undercurrent of bittersweet sadness lacing every honeyed word and note. He hadn't cried in years, but as he strummed it out on the guitar for them, he had to screw his face up and squint his eyes shut a little harder, his adams apple bobbing a bit in his throat as he swallows hard. No tears leak down his face but if he were to open his eyes at that moment, the rest of them would have seen how misty they had become.

"Take a moment to think of just,

Flexibility, love, and trust..."

Vin let the last notes ring out softly, and Cora brings her hand up to her face to wipe at the corners of her eyes.

"Sabastian, that was beautiful" she says, almost choking on her words a bit.

 

[Poprockz]

As he wrapped up the song with her, it felt he really needed to hear those words, needed to know that it would be okay. He hadn't quite realized how hard things had hit him until he had started singing. A few more tears escaped him as he continued, and with them he put his insecurities, his fear, and his sadness into the melody, all in that soft voice of his. Being vulnerable wasn't something he was used to, but it felt good to share the load with Cora, and perhaps even with the other two. It was as though he didn't even have to put his own feelings into words- the song had done that for him.

Though he knew the sadness was still inside him, for now it felt as though he had been soothed. He imagined that Cora and Damien had a bit of a different context to his feelings than Vin did. They knew what he was struggling with and what he was keeping secret from the handsome man strumming the guitar next to him. When the song wound down, he finished those final notes and sighed, reaching up and drying his own face with the back of his hands.

Damien had continued to listen with a lump in his throat. While he fought off tears, he couldn't help but feel more connected to all three of them than he had to anyone in years. It was odd, it was bringing up feelings of shame, despair, and deep sorrow, and yet it was as though his heart had also been gifted with hope. Hope for a future with Cora where he somehow learned to move on from his past so he could be the person he needed to be for her. Her voice brought him peace and seemed to quiet his demons.

The man held her tightly when the song ended, and he nestled his face in her neck, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes as he breathed her in. One of these days he would have to tell her some of his past, to see perhaps if she would guide him to a better place.

Sabastian smiled and looked back at Cora, "it was, wasn't it. I didn't know you could sing like that." He moved his gaze to Vin and he reached out, putting a hand softly on the man's shoulder. "Thank you, Vin. I'm really glad you're here with us." There was not a hint of anything other than genuine affection in his voice, his blue eye looking at Vin gratefully.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora could only smile back at Sabastian as she squeezed Damien's arm affectionately, still a little too choked up to find any words at that moment.

When the little man then turned his gaze upon Vin, he felt that fresh sting of rejection again. It surprised him. He had always been carefree and willing to go with the flow, as flexible as water, but as Sabastian looked at him with such true feelings, Delvin felt something stronger. He smiled back at the man, but in his heart, he felt like he was breaking.

Turning his gaze to the window and starting to prop the guitar up, he calls out to Damien over his shoulder.

"You got any requests back there?"

He suddenly didn't much feel like playing anymore and was hoping Sabastian would go ahead and pull out on the road so they could get going, but he didn't want to be unfair to the tall grey-eyed man. Everyone else had gotten to pick a song, but he had seemed not to want to share very much. Vin could bring himself to do one more, in the name of fairness, but after that he wanted a distraction that could rid him of these dark feelings rolling through his soul.

 

[Poprockz]

Blinking, Sabastian thought he saw a look of pain in Vin's eyes before he looked away. He had thought that Vin simply had a sexual interest in him, so he wasn't sure why the man was reacting this way. Whatever the reason may have been, he found himself feeling guilty, retracting his hand and placing it on the steering wheel. He wished he could reach back out and comfort the man or find out what was wrong. That would be far too cruel though, so he simply looked away from Vin, sighing and lightly slapping his cheeks to get himself back in working order. Being a zombie fucking sucked, and he cursed whoever it was who had fucked up the world this way.

Damien shook his head, still a bit starstruck from how wonderful Cora had been. For that matter, he was impressed with Sabastian's singing voice as well. "No thank you. I think I'm fine for now. I'll have to think about what I'd want to hear for a while." He also thought he saw pain on the man's face and he pursed his lips in concern. He would have to consult with Cora about how to go about maybe cheering the man up, as she was more experienced than Damien in these matters.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora wasn't sure what had just happened between those two-as she thought they had been getting along, but she could feel the mood quickly souring. It had been so nice there for a few moments, and while she wished she could just ask them if they were both ok, she decides to just take the safer route for the time being.

"So...how far did you drive while we were out?"

On the one hand, she was hoping they had made some good mileage, but on the other, if they had gone a really long way and had still yet to find any safe bases or military encampments, then the odds of finding any at all in the future would be slim.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian pulled away and started back onto the road. "Well, we'd been driving for about four hours, so I got pretty far. I keep seeing signs that say that we're headed for a "military base" and that we're actually within about thirty miles of it. I wasn't sure if you guys wanted to go there, so I wanted to consult with you first."

He secretly hoped they didn't go there. It meant that there was a possibility that Vin would leave their little group for the safety of the larger group, and possibly to get away from Sabastian. There were probably men there that would love to suck Vin's dick, and he selfishly hoped that if they did stop there that Vin wouldn't hook up with anyone. At least not while Sabastian was still around.

Damien also felt bad, knowing that the man would likely jump ship because of him. Surprisingly, he actually felt sad to be losing the man's company.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora bit her lip. As much as she really liked Vin's company and didn't want him to go, she also knew that if they did find a base, then chances were that society was trying to pull itself back on it's feet, and they would have a brighter future. If society got back to even a resemblance of normal, then likely they would see the man again. Although, she was still hoping he would decide to come with them. She hadn't yet picked up that Sabastian had shot him down, and she truly thought that Damien's apology to him the night prior had sunk in. The man didn't seem nearly as uncomfortable or angry as Cora would have expected if he were still hanging onto some anger at Damien's jealousy and assumed outburst.

"I think we should at least check it out. They might be able to point us in the direction of a more secure town or something if they are trying to pull society back together, and it will be good to know where the bases are at if and when we need medical help."

The more she thought about it, the more it started to seem like a good idea. If she could find a field medic, or better yet, a real doctor, it might start her on the path to becoming one herself. At the very least she could ask them what books she would need to search out to get her toes in the water.

 

[Poprockz]

Damien nodded, "yeah, I think that's a good idea. Maybe they can give us a map that marks the locations of all the known safe spots. However... I think it would be best if we parked the car about a mile away and hid it from view when we get there. I don't want them confiscating our stuff for the greater good and leaving us without supplies when we leave."

"Whatever, the base probably sucks, but okay." Sabastian grumbled, his brows furrowing.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove, watching the signs as they got closer and closer to the base. He wanted to just keep on driving, but he knew he couldn't justify it; he couldn't justify keeping Vin with him if he couldn't even reciprocate the man's desire. There he was, this perfect man with devilish good looks, musical talent, and a heart of gold, and yet Sabastian could only let him slip away. At this point, his mood was very sour, but he kept his mouth shut, stewing as he drove. Life was just so goddamn unfair sometimes.

 

[Drobabes]

"Yea, and park it under the shade if we can, for Bowie" Cora chipped in.

"Hey Sabastian...you think he'll be ok in the car?"

She hoped he got what she was implying, as she hadn't had much of a chance to talk to him yet about how his body was handling things. And while a snake and a person were very different, the fact they they both were being affected pointed to at least some basic bodily functions. Her eyes glanced at Vin briefly, hoping he didn't find it weird that she was asking someone who didn't seem to know a whole lot about snakes, about her snake.

The man was staring out the window, seemingly deep in thought, and didn't seem to be paying any attention to their conversation. It made her feel a bit better, but she wondered why the sudden mood shift.

Vin was watching the lines of the road and trying not to be angry. Why had Sabastian acted like that? The guitar he could push off as just a casual gift; having seen how awesome it was, he would have grabbed it as well. But the way he had acted earlier, playfully running behind him to hide and grabbing his shirt like that, and then when he had put his hand on his shoulder with such a tender look.

He ground his teeth. He didn't like being teased, but he wasn't sure if Sabastian was even aware he was doing it. He had acted very innocently during breakfast, just touching him and sitting beside him like it meant nothing, so he didn't suspect the man had done that on purpose. However, he would have thought after shooting him down, he would have been a bit more cautious of his actions.

It was also angering him that he was angry at all. Sure, the little man was super hot, but he had barely known him for more than twenty four hours. The fact that it was bothering him at all was ridiculous, and yet, he still felt such a strong urge to want to put a claim on the man and force him to be his. He didn't like that part of himself and he usually controlled it by expressing it in the bedroom, with clear consent boundaries set up. It unnerved him that he was starting to feel it leak over into himself outside of that very clearly different setting.

He worked his teeth so hard that he suddenly heard them squeaking and he has to force himself to stop. God did he want a smoke and a drink.

"What did that sign say? Twenty miles? I could really use a shower."

Cora's eyes widened a tiny amount at the obvious anger in the man's voice, and she briefly gave Damien a look, then snuggled back against him. It wasn't directed at her, but the anger made her nervous nonetheless.

 

[Poprockz]

The blonde was picking up what she was putting down, and he shrugged, "he's a snake, so I think he'll be good in the heat like you said, even the higher temperatures. It's probably the cold we should worry about. We might want to put a blanket in the back of his carrier in case he needs it during the night." He was noticing that while the heat did affect him, he seemed more resilient toward it, and had developed more of a sensitivity to cold than normal.

Sabastian kept his eye on the road as Vin mentioned needing a shower. To him, Vin smelled so fucking good to him that he would have been happy to roll in the scent for hours. He wasn't about to say something like that, though. The anger in his voice caught him off-guard though and he searched his mind as to why he might be angry.

He thought he had done well to get him the guitar, the man positively bursting with joy. When they were all talking and joking before, he had also seemed to be in good spirits. It didn't seem like he had a reason to be angry, and Sabastian found himself at a loss. The gesture he had made earlier was one of deep gratitude for allowing him the opportunity to let some of his feelings out. He did care for the man as a friend, even if he couldn't allow himself to feel anything more, and he had wanted to express that that friendship to him. Therefore, he didn't think that would set him off either. After all, he had taken the rejection well and probably didn't think much of it since he had only just met him.

The car was now a bit tense, Sabastian looking silently forward in the front while Cora snuggled against Damien. The steely-eyed man had caught Cora's look and returned a look to her that said "I'm just as confused as you are." He held her a bit closer and looked forward toward Vin, wondering what was going on. Vin almost seemed to be pouting to him, though why he was doing so was a mystery. Perhaps he was upset that he would be leaving the party at this point.

"Yeah, a nice hot shower and some good grub sounds good to me." Damien commented, trying to lighten the mood.

"A shower and food? Nah, I'm looking forward to getting so drunk I don't even know my name anymore." Sabastian sighed. That would be nice, getting blackout drunk and just forgetting about all the complicated shit.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora tried to laugh a bit, also trying to lighten the mood.

"They might not have any booze Sabastian. And if they do you'll probably have to find a footstool to get to it" she teased lightly. Her eyes watched Vin through his side mirror, but his expression hadn't seemed to change, set in a bit of a plain scowl. Not quite angry, but definitely not happy either.

For the rest of the short drive, Vin didn't say anything. Once in a while he would scratch his face or use his t-shirt to wipe a smudge off the new guitar, but he mostly acted as if he were tired almost; trying to squash that anger down because he knew he was the reason everyone was feeling awkward, and that just made it all the worse.

Once they were out of the car and around other people, it would be better. He would be able to focus on something else and hopefully say goodbye to this good people with a genuine smile on his face.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian rolled his eyes, "oh, if it's an army compound, they probably have a shit-ton of booze. How else do they keep morale up? As for getting a stool... don't make me turn this car around, cuz I will." He smirked and glanced at Cora in the mirror.

After a while, he requested Cora's phone again and played music to fill the silence. It was a long car ride for everyone, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts as the music played. Damien wanted to play with the frosting, but he wasn't quite in the mood for it anymore with the mood everyone was in.

When they saw the two-mile mark, Sabastian went off-road with the car, looking for somewhere to park. He found a good place under some trees where there would be shade at any point in the day. Taking the keys out of the ignition, he quickly got out of the car, wanting to escape from the awkwardness that was permeating the vehicle.

He stood there, looking out at the compound in the distance. It looked pretty legit, a large military base with lots of buildings, presumably barracks, and some tents here and there. Sabastian was trying not to let the twisted feeling in his guy overwhelm him; he didn't want to say goodbye to Vin, but it had to be done. He assumed he would split off from them as soon as he got there. The only comforting thought he had was that Vin would always have a token from him, something he would treasure and keep close.

 

[Drobabes]

Vin got out of the car and gave a good stretch, feeling a lot more relaxed now that they were here. He took his pack out from his pocket, noticing that he was getting low. Closing it and stuffing it back in his pocket for the moment, he chose to just crack his knuckles again instead. He then turned around and got the got guitar and slung it over his shoulders.

Cora got out next and stretched as well, looking in the distance at the base. A little bit of hope started to rise in her chest, and she looked back at Damien with a bit of a smile.

"Hey Sabastian, pop the trunk for me?"

She went to the back and dug around in their supplies until she found a medical warming pack. For a moment she wondered if she should use it for Bowie, but thinking about it, she set it aside. They might need that for a medical emergency later and that was the reason she had brought it in the first place.

He was a pet snake, but that didn't mean he didn't still have some basic self defenses. He couldn't warm his body, but that didn't mean snakes didn't get cold at night. So instead she grabbed a change of clothes-not wanting to wear a dress into a military base full of guys presumably, and decided she would just wrap his carrier in the sleeping bag, knowing it would stop the temperature from dropping too quickly.

"Damien, can you hold our blanket up for me so I can change?"

She gave him a little grin, knowing he would be more than willing to watch her strip.

Vin looked over to Sabastian and finally decided to say something.

"You guys should probably carry some basic packs and bags in with a small amount of supplies. If you go walking in there with nothing on you, someone might suspect you drove here instead of hiking."

His voice was softer now, the earlier bad temper gone. He was actually looking forward now to showing off the guitar a bit, although he was going to be careful not to let it out of his sight for one second, knowing someone might like to snatch it up for their own.

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian leaned back into the car and pushed the button for the trunk for her before leaning back against the car. He couldn't feel any zombies nearby, so that was all good. Come to think of it, neither Cora nor Damien actually knew that he could sense them since they were out back getting frisky when he dispatched a couple near the cabin. He thought to himself that he should probably mention it at some point when Vin wasn't around.

When Cora got out, Damien followed suit, stretching and yawning for a moment. He glanced at Vin for a moment, still wondering why the man had seemed angry. It almost felt like jealousy, but there was no one to be jealous of. Seeing as though it was pointless to think about, he followed Cora to the back and smirked when she asked him to hold up the sheet for her.

The blonde man looked up when Vin spoke, nodding thoughtfully. "Shit, you're right. I didn't even think of that." He looked back at the base, not deigning to further the conversation at all. Part of him was a bit nervous to go into the base, he realized. What if they put him down on the spot? Although... somewhere inside Sabastian a dark thought came to him that maybe things would be better that way. He started to fidget with his hands, trying to distract himself from that line of thought. It was more likely that they would run tests on him anyway, as horrific as that might be.

Damien grabbed the sheet and held it up, his steely eyes peeking over the top of it in anticipation. "Of course I will. I would never give up the chance to see that beautiful body of yours. Maybe if we can find a little privacy later, I could grab that can of frosting and slowly spread it all over your-"

"JESUS! Please, god, no! I don't want to ear any more of that sentence Damien!" Sabastian sputtered, his cheeks pink as he was startled out of his thoughts. The thought of them boning was not something he wanted to envision right now.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora could only blush deeply as he started talking about the frosting, not even trying to keep his voice down.

"Thank, you, Sabastian" she said, giving Damien a bit of withering look. She loved him dearly and she liked when he teased her, but doing it so obviously in front of their companions was really embarrassing.

She changed quickly, choosing some white cotton shorts that weren't too short, and a light blue tank top with regular shoulder straps to help cover her bra. She wasn't all that fond of spaghetti straps or clothes that revealed what she was wearing underneath, even as simple as a bra strap. When she was done, she folded the dress and grabbed her backpack, emptying it out and only putting in a bottle of water and some granola bars, plus her phone. She left the solar battery and her earbuds in the car, then took the blanket and loosely sat it over Bowies container.

She then grabbed one of the grocery bags, a bottle of water, another few snacks, and handed it to Vin.

"Alright, ready when you guys are."

 

[Poprockz]

"Oh, sorry." Damien looked a bit sheepish, a small smile still on his face. He wasn't ashamed of saying sexy things to her, even in front of other people. Honestly, he didn't care what anyone else thought of them, but he understood that if she preferred he not do it, he would have to try to remember for next time... Not as much, at least.

His eyes watched her as she dressed, loving that he got the opportunity to see her naked again. While it wasn't for long, his cock stirred a bit as he thought about what he'd like to do with her.

When she handed the bag to Vin, Sabastian grabbed some supplies too and put them in grocery bags as though they hadn't had time to grab real bags in all the confusion.

"I suppose it's time." Sabastian sighed. He started to walk toward the complex in the lead. It wasn't too much of a walk, but it was pretty hot so by the time they arrived, they looked sweaty and hot like they'd been walking for a while to get there.

A soldier from on top of the gate called down to have the gate opened where a couple guards blocked the way. One of them stepped forward and started to speak. "Welcome to the Panoma Military Base. We're more than happy to accept you into the base for shelter, but please understand that we have some processes in place to ensure everyone's safety. Upon entering, the lady will go to the right and the men to the left. We'll ask you one at a time to undress in a private room so we can make sure you don't have any fresh bites on you."

His eye wandered to Cora and he nodded, "the search will be done by a member of your own sex so that you're not more uncomfortable than you might already be. We understand that it isn't ideal, but we unfortunately can't simply take anyone's word for it. The safety of the people inside is simply too important. That being said, do you still want to seek shelter here?"

 

[Drobabes]

Vin wasn't at all body conscious, so he just gave a shrug and said, "Yea that's fine. But I want to keep my guitar within eyesight. No offense, but it was a very important gift and I don't want to risk losing it."

Cora tried to get a peak around the soldiers as they spoke, curious of what the base looked like, until one of them mentioned a strip search. She prickled a little, but then relaxed when he said it would be done by another women. She gave a small nod in agreement, not minding a few minutes of formal awkwardness if it meant access to a clean supply of water, food, and hopefully valuable information. Maybe they could even get a good nights rest in before they left.

 

[Poprockz]

The soldier looked at Vin and nodded, "That is completely acceptable. You can keep any personal items like instruments, phones, iphones, and the like, but if you have food, please relinquish it. We have plenty of supplies, but we want to keep it that way as well and any bit helps."

Sabastian had glanced at Vin, his heart fluttering as Vin described it as a "very important gift." He was secretly very pleased that he was treasuring it and was so protective of it. Whether it was because it was a super cool guitar or because Sabastian gave it to him, he wasn't sure. It didn't really matter though, he still would keep it close.

"That's fine with me too," the blonde answered.

Damien didn't like the idea of being separated from Cora, but when he saw her nod, he pursed his lips and nodded too. If anything happened to her though, he would have to raise hell.

The guard's face became a little softer and he commented, "you guys came at a good time. Morale has been in need of some boosting, so we're having a party tonight. Should be a fun time." He nodded to the other soldiers and they stepped aside, allowing the four of them to come in. Inside, waist-high fences were laid out to mark the path to the right and left, the male officer going with the three men, while a female soldier came over and led Cora into the other small hut. It looked like it could almost be used as a shed with how small it was, big enough for a strip search and not much else.

Cora's search was pretty uneventful, the woman having her take off her clothes before she gave her a quick once-over, asking her to lift her hair before giving her the all-clear. When she was dressed again, the woman led her outside to a bench so she could wait for the men.

Sabastian went first, and the officer led him inside, asking the same of him as the other had done with Cora. He took off all his clothes, feeling a bit embarrassed and exposed as the man's eyes traveled over his skin.

"And the eyepatch."

The blonde looked up in surprise and lifted the eyepatch while keeping his eye shut. The man paused as though he might ask him to open his eye before he nodded and told him he was good to go. Sabastian breathed a sigh of relief, his heart beating quickly as he undressed and exited the room on the other side.

 

[Drobabes]

Vin had just nodded in agreement, handing his bag over to the soldier and thinking Cora smart for not taking more than the bare minimum of what was needed. If they were going to leave the base later, they would want to have as much supplies as they could take. Himself though? He wasn't worried. He would find work.

He let himself be led in, and did what he was told, sitting the guitar against the wall and stripping down. He was partly glad Sabastian hadn't tried to be playful with him on the walk over and leave him with a damn boner.

Cora didn't mind being naked for a few moments, as it didn't feel at all sexual but more like just changing in a locker room at a gym. Once it was done and she was sat down on the bench, she looked around and spotted Sabastian as he came out. She gave him a little smile and patted the bench beside her.

"Well I guess you were right about the booze. A party sounds kind of nice, honestly."

 

[Poprockz]

Sabastian gave her a little smirk, putting his eyepatch back on. "I'm always right when it comes to booze. I've got the nose for it. Speaking of which... He looked around casually before leaning in. "I can tell that this place is safe for now. I hadn't mentioned it earlier, but I can actually tell when they're within a certain distance. I'm not sure how far the reach of my "radar" is, but I can feel when they're nearby." He used his fingers to quote the word "radar," wondering what Cora's reaction would be.

Meanwhile, the soldier looked over Vin's body and his eyes went to his hip, seeing the bite. He frowned and radioed a medic. The medic looked it over and commented, "this is an older bite that's basically already healed. He seems to be one of the ones who have immunity."

The soldier raised his eyebrow and nodded. "alright then. Give him the stamp and we'll send him on his way." The medic stamped a black " I " on his wrist, and allowed him to dress back up, releasing him out the back before walking back in. Damien was given much the same treatment, leaving with a black " I " on his wrist as well.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora's eyes widened a little bit at the mention of him being able to sense them nearby and she stared at him for a few seconds. Then a slow grin grew on her face and she whispered "ok that's pretty fucking useful."

Not wanting to draw any attention to their current conversation, although she would be grilling him with all sorts of questions the next chance she got, she quickly steers it back around to the party.

"You think they got good speakers? I bet Vin's going to want to show off that guitar you got him even if they don't. He'll probably be up on stage by the end of the night."

She gave him a little wink at that, then seeing him come out, she said "speak of the devil."

Vin was fine with the treatment, even when they called the medic in, but he didn't like that they had marked him. He was generally not the type to be much of a conspiracy nut, and he trusted his government to take care of it's people for the most part. However, the mark put him at a greater risk of being drafted if they thought it was necessary, and that made him uncomfortable. He valued his freedom more than anything, and the thought of being drafted hadn't even occured to him.

He spotted Sabastian and Cora, giving them a relaxed smile as he came over to the bench and sat on Cora's side.

"How was it?" she asked.

"Uneventful. They wanted to look at my bite, but that was about it. Got myself a pretty temporary tattoo" he said, holding his hand up to show it off.

"Ooh, fancy."

Her eyes travelled back as she waited, and when she finally saw Damien, she gave him a smile and stood up to meet him.

"Let me guess, you got your own perty tattoo too, huh?"

She gave him a little wink, not mentioning to anyone else where the bite had actually come from.

 

[Poprockz]

He felt a bit apprehensive in those few seconds but relaxed when Cora accepted it with excitement. “At least being the way I am is good for something, right?” He chuckled, listening to her next sentence and grinning. “I bet they have some pretty damn good ones. I bet he won’t be able to keep the ladies off him...” he had started off playful, but his voice drifted off at the end as he looked up to see Vin coming out.

He had hoped that he would sit next to him, but of course he chose to sit next to Cora. The tattoo was a bit odd, he thought to himself. If they needed men, the fact that they were in the complex meant they were safe. Why did the special immune people have to be marked? Immune or not, if you got eaten or bled out, you were still a goner.

When Damien came out and found them, he blinked at her comment before looking sheepish again, “yeah. They also remarked on how well it had been taken care of.” It would be so awkward to have to admit to Sabastian or Vin how they had met. He was pretty sure they would lose all respect for him. A guy that kidnaps women and takes them to his cabin in the woods to ravish them. That was pretty fucking low.

 

[Drobabes]

While it felt a little good to know she had treated the bite wound properly, the look he got on his face when she tried to cover it for him made her heart ache a little. She had already forgiven him for what he had done to her when they first met, and as he stood there looking almost small even with his height, she couldn't help but reach out and caress his cheek softly. Her smile became a little sad, and then she stood up on her toes to kiss him for a moment. Taking his hand, she led him over to the bench but didn't bother to sit down, assuming the soldiers were going to lead them inside now that they had been cleared.

Vin had been looking around the complex but noticed the sad smile on her face and he wondered what that was about. Damien had a mark, which meant he had been bit, so did Cora know the one who had bit him maybe? Was that how they had met?

He shrugged it off though, politely looking away from the intimate kiss she was sharing with him. When they came over to the bench, he stood as well.

"Please tell me," he said, looking at a soldier.

"That you guys have showers. Or at least some system for bathing."

 

[Poprockz]

He looked into her eyes when he felt her hand on his cheek, and he saw that it was almost as though her eyes were trying to tell him something. Damien assumed she was saying that they were past that, but he couldn't help keep returning to it. That whole situation was part of the reason that it absolutely boggled his mind that she loved him. How could someone love someone who behaved in such a revolting way? She was truly a saint if she could look past it and stay with him.

When her lips met his, he put his arms around her and kissed her deeply, trying to convey his gratitude and adoration. He kept it short but intense, pulling away when he was done and folling her over to the bench.

Sabastian noticed as well, but felt like he didn't want to know the backstory behind it. He swung his legs back and forth on the bench, thinking about the party.

The guard looked at Vin and grinned. "Sure we do. The soap don't smell like much of anything, but we try to keep real clean here. Not just for morale and cleanliness sake, but the zombies are actually real sensitive to smell. They say they can smell a man from a mile away. That's why they lumber in certain directions, see?" He tapped his nose knowingly.

"You don't say?" Sabastian replied, acting surprised. When the soldier looked away from him, he very sneakily shot a knowing look at Cora.

"I can show you where the showers are." A woman walked up to them, beautiful and tall. She had long red hair and blue eyes, those same blue eyes looking Vin up and down before giving him a flirty smile. Her smile turned more friendly as she looked at the rest of them. "You guys might think about getting showers too, it's pretty hot out and I imagine you've been walking in the sun for a while."

Sabastian's eyes narrowed and he felt an unexplained annoyance at her.

 

[Drobabes]

Cora wanted so badly to stick her tongue out at Sabastian, but all she can do is blush a little and pull on her shirt, waving it a bit and acting as if the heat is the reason her cheeks have suddenly turned rosy. When the tall and beautiful women walked up to them, her own eyes went back and forth between everyone, half expecting Vin to outright shoot her down.

His dark brown eyes take an appreciative look of the women as well and he gives her a polite smile, but doesn't seem to want to take it any further than that.

"That sounds good, we could all use one I'm sure."

Truth be told, he wouldn't mind a little attention from the beautiful women, but he wanted some time to be himself for a while without having to worry about impressing anyone else. Besides, he would likely have plenty of time to pursue that particular tail tomorrow. In the meantime, he just wanted to get clean, have a smoke and a drink, and fucking relax before something else decided to put a damper on his mood.