TW: Zombie Apocalypse!AU

I text a postcard sent to you

Did it go through?

Sending all my love to you

Xephos had been in the process of texting Sjin when the zombie invasion had reached the coasts of England's shore. 3 frantic knocks on the door wiped the goofy smile off of his face and the shouts to "pack your stuff and get downstairs now!" caused his heart to beat way too fast to be safe. He rushed around his room like a tornado, grabbing random pieces of clothes and valuables and shoving them into the closest bag to his messy bed. He had been sure to keep all important things close by since news of the USA being infected by the "zombie" virus. Xephos hesitated as he stood in the doorway of his room, staring at the mess of pictures that spanned an entire wall of his bedroom. He tugged off the closest picture of Sjin and himself and stuffed it into his pocket before running down the stairs and into the living room where his family sat in silent panic.

You are the moonlight of my life every night

Giving all my love to you

The phone lines dropped around 5 minutes after Xephos is bundled into the car with the rest of his family, cutting off what would have been Sjin's reply. Xephos bit his lip and stared at the moon, no longer comforting to Xephos but now cold and threatening. He couldn't help but worry; where was Sjin now? Was he safe? Was he wondering the same about Xephos? Xephos wished with all his heart that Sjin and all the rest of his friends were okay as his father pulled into the nearest military base.

My beating heart belongs to you

I walked for miles 'til I found you

Xephos lasts for about 3 months before he's driven crazy from not knowing. The harsh military routines and stressful training only makes it worse. With a final goodbye to his older sister and his mother he left, just carrying a large backpack, a pocket knife, and the gun his father had given him for his 18th birthday that had been just a few days ago. He knew his chances of survival were low but he had to try, he had to know. What exactly had happened to Sjin?

They had joked for years that they would be partners in a zombie apocalypse but neither had took the plans seriously until the outbreak in Florida. Then the laughter had turned into quiet whispers, hushed promises to meet up and fight together and survive together.

Xephos wondered if Sjin had kept to the plans.

I'm here to honor you

If I lose everything in the fire

I'm sending all my love to you

He guessed he had travelled 2 miles before he saw his first living zombie up close. He wished he could say that he was brave when he repeatedly plunged the knife through the zombie's skull. He wished he could say he didn't cry as the creature growled and thrashed, trying to rip the flesh from Xephos' bones. He wished the zombie hadn't looked like Sjin with his brown hair and once blue eyes, ruined by months of decomposing. Xephos wished many things.

With every breath that I'm worth here on Earth

I'm sending all my love to you

It had been 10 days of travelling and sleeping in abandoned buildings and fighting when he finally ran into another group of survivors. They were much larger and trained than Xephos but they were also kind and gave him small food rations, enough to last him until he reached his town again. They had warned him that large hoards of zombies were pushing through the way he was travelling and that if he was sane he would join their group and forget about whatever he was travelling to.

While his brain knew it was a good idea to join them and to stay away from the hoard his heart wouldn't allow it. He had to find Sjin, he just had to. So, with a backpack 4 cans heavier and a heart 10 times lighter, he had set off north to his old town.

So if you dare to second guess you can rest assured

That all my love's for you

It's not until he's standing in the centre of Sjin's room that he finally loses hope. The house had been ransacked long before Xephos arrived and nothing of value is left. But Xephos isn't looking for something worth money or food; he's looking for his Sjin, the person he cared most about on the whole earth.

Only, he's not there.

Someone had torn up a note left by Sjin, it now laying in about 12 small pieces on the desk. Xephos could make out a few words on the torn paper, such as "gone with family" and "Xephos" and "sorry". He gathered up the pieces and puts them in the same pocket he holds the photo. Xephos resisted the urge to punch the wall; after all, it would be stupid to injure his hand when he needs to fight to live. He should have known that Sjin wouldn't have gone to their secret place; he had been a fool to think that. Of course Sjin would have left with his family just like Xephos had, why wouldn't he have?

And yet, Xephos couldn't stop the tears falling.

My beating heart belongs to you

I walked for miles 'til I found you

It's been three years and he's sitting on the cool stone floor of his old childhood hangout spot of a cave. He leaps up when he hears footsteps against the mud, too fast for a zombie but too slow for someone who was just passing by. Xephos grabs his pocketknife, worn from overuse, and crouches near the mouth of the entrance ready to pounce. He wishes he still had the gun he lost to a gang of survivors but alas he has to make do with what he has.

The small pocketknife hits the floor with a clang when the footsteps finally reach the entrance to Xephos' camp.

I'm here to honor you

If I lose everything in the fire

I'm sending all my love to you.

"S-Sjin?!" Xephos stutters, too shocked to moved from the crouched position. Sjin, who's much taller and muscular than he was 3 years ago, looks just as stunned.

"Sorry it took so long," he finally manages to say, stepping closer slowly at first before breaking into a run and launching himself at Xephos. "Oh god, I can't believe you're actually here!"

My beating heart belongs to you

I walked for miles 'til I found you

Xephos can't help but cry into Sjin's shoulders as he holds on for dear life.

"I...I thought you were dead!" he yells, squeezing his eyes shut. "I-"

Sjin nods and holds Xephos tighter before pressing a kiss to his tear-stained cheek. "I came here as soon as I could but you weren't here." Sjin pulled back and grabbed Xephos' face with both hands. "Why weren't you here 3 years ago?!" he cried.

"My family and...Oh god, Sjin. It doesn't even matter, you're here now!" He allows himself to be pulled into a messy kiss, desperation and happiness and hope flowing through both their veins. All the pain from the past 3 years melted away as they pushed into each other, not wanting to be apart for so long again.

"I love you," Xephos gasps when they finally pull apart. "It's been too fucking long since I said it but it's still true."

He thrusts his hand into his pocket and pulls out the picture he carried around for months, handing it to Sjin.

"I'm so sorry," Sjin wraps his arms around Xephos' waist and rests his head on his chest so he can hear Xephos' rapid heartbeat. "I took so long finding you, I wasn't there to help you, and I wasn't there-"

"It doesn't matter!" Xephos brushes away his own tears with the back of his hand. "All that matters is...do you still love me? After all this time?"

Sjin laughs.

"I've spend 3 years walking for miles all around England trying to find you, thinking about you nonstop and you ask if I ever stopped loving you?"

Sjin shakes his head and lets his hands grab onto Xephos' blood stained shirt.

"I love you, idiot."

I'm here to honor you

If I lose everything in the fire

Did I ever make it through?

Credit to Xephin on Ao3