This is long as heck.

Keith was dead.

Again.

After having got Keith something to eat and raiding the store has pulse slowed to a rate unable to support life. It was there, just weak.

"We can't bring him to the camp." Lance argued sternly.

"Lance, we have no choice! He possibly has a cure." Pidge pointed to Keith.

Keith felt awful at the sight of the two arguing. Hunk was just trying to calm them down. Keith however was the main reason of the conflict. "The moment they see him, they'll shoot him. Look at him, does he look alive to you?" Lance yelled dashing a hand in Keith's direction.

All three stood and stared at him for a hard second. Why couldn't he just be alive, or at least dead. He and Lance could be a couple if he were alive.

They'd kissed some time ago. It's been hours since then, fount was flooding Keith's mind. Lance probably regretted it, he was alive after all, why would he love a dead guy.

Keith wanted to punch himself, they'd just met, what was he so worried for. In reality, he should care what happened to Lance, or Pidge and Hunk for that matter. But he desperately wanted to be part of them. But reality hit hard as the three were looking at him, conflicted about what actions to take.

"Then we'll make him look alive." Pidge said causing everyone to look at her with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"We're in a market for heaven sakes, there's makeup." She took off for the makeup isle and came back with hands full of brushes, glass bottles and tubes.

A smile spread across Lances flawless skin. "Now this is a plan I like."

Keith did whatever they told him going along with it. Maybe if he at least looked alive, Lance would take an interest in him.

Keith washed his head with shampoo and conditioner in the sink of the bathrooms. Lance fixed his hair pushing it around and running his fingers through the dark locks.

Keith washed everywhere else using a wet cloth in a stall. Pidge threw cloths in over the top and he dressed.

Black skinny jeans, a red t-shirt, and a pair of black tennis shoes. Pidge and Lance went to work with the makeup. Giving him color and hiding his blue veins and other marks in whatever ways possible.

Lance blushed, Keith was hot.

Keith died a little more.
Literally.

His heart beat can't help but slow. His fingers turned cold once more, a familiar feeling. He almost felt a small bit of guilt.

"What's wrong?" Lance asked his eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"M-my pu-lse." He said almost in a ghost like whisper as he reached his two cold dead fingers up to his neck.

Lance bit at his lip seeming to contemplate something. "Why don't you kiss him again." Pidge suggested jokingly, "That got his heart pumping the first time right?"

The two looked at each other awkwardly. Neither wanted to admit they were killing to have the same interaction again.

"Oh come on, you guys already did it before." Pidge rolled her eyes before walking off leaving the nervous boys.

Keith looked up at Lance to see the boy had deep red cheeks and he was rubbing the back of his neck. Keith's eyes narrowed and he looked out of the bathroom. He inhaled, a smell lurking through his nose.

Keith began to walk out in search of the scent. He'd had everyone there's memorized, it wasn't them. Zombies didn't have a particularly good sense of smell but it got better when they were hungry, and boy was Keith hungry.

He couldn't eat his friends though. "Keith where are you going?" Lance asked walking after him.

Keith didn't care, all he could smell was that delicious scent. He began to stumble becoming desperate in his time of hunger. He pushed past Pidge and Hunk who looked confused but didn't ask.

Keith then found the source. Rotting meat. Left in open refrigeration systems and packaged neatly with a plastic to seal them. Time and heat had taken its toll on the meat and the smell was wretched to any normal person, but for Keith he was making sprint for it.

Some of the meats had been thrown on the ground open and spilled everywhere possibly falling victim to other zombies. Keith grabbed one and tore it open unable to control himself no matter how desperately he tried.

"Keith." Lance said quietly almost a whisper. He turned around sharply to see the Cuban boy, his face was laced with concern. "Don't eat that."

Keith felt a ping in his stomach like being stabbed. "Lance I have to, I-" He began.

"No." Lance walked toward him covering his nose and mouth with a sleeve as the smell was unbearable. "Eat this instead."

He held out a can of spam with a plastic fork. Keith almost laughed at the boy in front of him.

"Let say, your heat starts beating again, that rotten stuff could kill you." Lance said looking at him in all seriousness. Keith didn't move, he just stared at the boy, mostly out of shock. Lance set the two items down and left the boy to eat, mostly because he didn't think he could keep his cool much longer. Keith tended to bring that out in him. He'd only known him for roughly three days.

Lance stretched. None of them had had a good nights sleep in quite a while. Fears of the unsecured building letting a few zombies find a way in left them wide eyed during the night. Zoms could manage if they were hungry enough

Lance sat criss-crossed on the ground and looked up at his two very best friends. "We need to get to the camp." He stated dreading the though of something going wrong.

Pidge nodded silently. They all felt a deep emotional heartbreak at all the loss they'd felt. Going back out there could mean losing more. This grocery store had everything the four could need for ages. They even had old seeds, plants, and dirt from the once upon a time garden center.

Lance took in a deep breath and laid back putting his arms behind his head. What if this was it for them? Keith had to live if no one else did. He has the cure and Lance would die before he would let Keith. The cure is everything.

Everything. But the cure had to take root in such a beautiful boy. Lance melted at the thought of his face. He didn't know what it was about Keith but it made butterflies flutter through his stomach.

He was going insane.

Old doubt crept into his mind. He couldn't love a dead guy. It was just... wrong. He sat up taking in a deep breath. But then again, he was alive. That means he can come to life again. Lance rested his head in his hand thinking back to their kiss.

Maybe the kiss did start his heart up. Lance didn't want to give himself that much credit, no way he could be responsible for bringing the boy back to life, surely not.

He head steps walking towards the and he looked up to see that beautiful face that haunted his every thought. It was enough to make all his doubt disappear for the time being.

They devised a plan, when to leave, the route they would take, what precautions they should take upon arriving at the camp and so on.

Lance glanced at the zombie boy many times throughout the plan, he couldn't help it. Keith's face was stern and hard to read, that made Lance worry.

It got him into the though as well of what the kiss had meant to Keith. What if he didn't care? What if he never really was into Lance in the first place?

"We should leave in approximately 40 minutes." Pidge said. "Try to get sleep or supplies." The three set timers on the watches. Many suppliers who took the liberty of leaving the camp to find them were given watches; Something of a luxury.

Everyone wandered the store, nervousness and anxiety balling together making them restless.

Lance was laying if the floor attempting to get rest which was to no avail. He feared a zombie suddenly grabbing at his back and biting him or such a scenario similar.

Cold dead fingers touched his back and he sat up quickly at the belief his fears were taking action. When he whipped around he just saw Keith staring at him with glossy, clouded eyes. He calmed sinking back down to the way he was, facing Keith this time.

"I-I ca-nn watch for y-ou." He said stuttering as usual.

Lance smiled, "Thanks." He buried his face in his arm that he was using as a pillow but stared at Keith's hand.

Keith was sitting up but leaning back on his arms.

Lance reached out with his warm free hand and placed over Keith's cold one. The zombie boy had stiffened in surprise but relaxed. The chocolate haired boy ran his fingers along the bones in his hand thinking deeply, slowly succumbing to sleep.

Keith watched as the boy's eyes fell shut no longer able to stay awake and alert. Lances hand was still sitting on Keith's and he admired every moment of it.

Roughly thirty minutes later small beeping sounded from Lances watch and his eyes squeezed shut before opened. However what he saw was Keith looking worried and paranoid. He was trying to stop the beeping from Lances watch which he was successful in doing.

Lance opened his mouth to ask what was going on but Keith put his hand over his mouth staying very close in proximity. He lifted a finger to his lips signaling Lance to be quiet. He nodded and Keith removed his hand not moving. He heard shuffling elsewhere grabbing Lances attention.

They sat up and snuck of behind some shelves. A long moan echoed through the grocery store and Lance flinched. Keith grabbed Lances hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze his heart beating in unison.

Bump.

It was nice that his heart was beating again, but it was such a bad time. Lance grabbed Keith arm clinging to it seeking comfort.

Bump, bump.

Keith placed a hand on his chest motioning his heart beating trying to notify Lance.

He seemed confused at first but quickly understood. Another long drawn out moan sounded off the bare floors, it seemed further away. Lance closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He caressed Keith's cheek with two fingers on the boy's pulse.

Bump, bump, bump.

Lance decided to put the theories of the cure to the test and kissed Keith.

Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump.

It was beating regularly. Lance pulled away staring into Keith's eyes with a look of almost disbelief.

Maybe the cure was love, or perhaps just treating the dead like they were human. Whatever it was, Lance was determined to find out.

He stood up and looked down the isles. Keith watched with confusion and he reached up grabbing Lances hand.

Lance leaned down and kissed the top of his head catching him by surprise but before he had a moment to recollect Lance was gone. Keith shot up and looked around the shelves to see Lance walking in the open anxiously.

He saw Pidge and Hunk hiding watching Lance in confusion as well.

"Hey, I know you're craving flesh, but... maybe, maybe I could get you some meat and we will sit down and talk." Lance called out trying to sound positive. His three teammates all watched in horror.

A zombie came out from an old frozen section limping, eyes wild and unpredictable. It was a male, roughly 5'7 with untamed locks of brown hair curled around on the top of his head. He wore a flannel shirt and ripped baggy jeans. Of course, most noticeable of all was the dark blue veins spreading through this neck and up his arms, as well as a tear in his pants revealing a deep bite.

"Hey, I'm Lance, Lance McClain." He grabbed a can and opened it, it was spam, the same thing he'd given Keith. "This is for you."

The zombie seemed to perk up at the smell that went unnoticed by others.

Lance slid it across the floor and the zombie fell to his knees eating away messily. He left nothing behind.

Minutes passed and no one dared move beside the zombie who took prize to the feast. When he wad finished he stood back up, his limbs swinging loosely like wet noodles.

"Can you speak?" Lance asked.

The zombies head turned sideways and he bared his teeth.

"Do you know your name?" Lance asked trying again.

This time, the zombie took a step forward and everyone held their breath.

Keith couldn't take it. He walked forward and grabbed Lances hand in his causing the boy to jump.

The zombie almost looked confused. "W-what a-re yo-ou doin-ng? Eat. Eat!" The zombie was talking to Keith. It snapped its jaws open in closed clashing them together striking fear in those who watched.

Keith grabbed onto Lances arm clinging close. He shook his head no.

"Eat?" The zom repeated once more.

"We don't eat them." Keith said.

The zombie looked grim, it unsettled everyone but then something happened, unheard of since the apocalypse happened. The Zom walked away.

They never did see the Zombie again, but little did the four know, it would start a mass cure upon millions of the undead.

When the zombie was for sure gone, Pidge and Keith looked at Lance fury pinching their faces. Hunk was more worried.

"Lance! You could've got yourself killed!" Pidge threw her hands up.

"But I didn't." Lance smiled and sauntered to a row of shelves.

"What were you-u thinking?" Keith persisted.

"Well I sort of had a hunch and was putting it to the test." Lance explained pulling a bottle off the rows examining it distractedly.

"You put your life on the line for a hunch?" Pidge said in disbelief. Lance shrugged in response. "And what was that so called hunch?"

"Well, maybe the cure isn't something that lies in bacteria or viruses or whatever. Maybe it's just treating them like their human."

Keith stared at him. Was Lances kiss nothing but a test? His heart sunk.

Keith gripped his own arms tightly and walked away. "Keith?" Lance spoke softly.

"We should leave, we don't want to get thrown off schedule." Pidge interrupted.

They agreed and before they knew it, they were standing in front of the entry doors once used in busy crowds of families coming and going. Now deserted, dusty, and the only thing separating the four teens from the dangerous unforgiving world.

=======

The journey was long and the sun beat down on their faces harshly. They took an empty road often used by camps that were set up in secret. It was miserable out and zombies were a fairly rare sight as luck would play.

They managed to go undetected throughly a few but the others were taken out silently. No other choice was possible. Pidge and Lance were ahead a bit and Keith and Hunk began to talk.

"So you and Lance huh?" Hunk wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

"I don't-t think Lance is-s interested." Keith said staring forward watching the chocolate haired boy laugh at something Pidge said.

"Ha! Don't be ridiculous! Besides, it that's what you're worried about confront him." Hunk urged.

"Mayb-be you're right."

"Of course I am." Hunk said proudly smiling.

Keith casually caught up with Lance and Hunk snatched Pidge up in a different conversation.

They split off and the two could finally get some privacy. "Lance, I wan-nted to ask you about earlier."

"Wait." Lance swung his bat around speedwalking up to a zombie. It's jaws snapped open and close rapidly sending shivers up his spine. He took a wide swing hitting it in the head.

A loud crack echoed.

"As you were saying." Lance returned huffing out of breath.

"Right, um, so about you kissing me?" He began and Lances stomach dropped.

"You're not okay with it?" Lance quickly jumped to conclusions.

"No! It's just that, does it actually, u-m mea-n anything to you? Or...?" Keith asked.

Lance immediately jumped into response. "Yes! I never would've done it otherwise."

Keith nodded silently.

"Does it mean anything to you?" Lance asked back worry flooding his eyes.

"Y-yes." He responded awkwardly.

Lance felt relief wash over him. There was a small silence that made the two think of anything to possibly say.

"So this camp? How big is it?" Keith asked.

"Fairly large, it's a fenced in neighborhood. It has functioning water and power thankfully, but food can still be scarce considering our population. We have roughly 200 maybe 250 people." Lance spoke feeling more relaxed with the boy. He had the courage to snake his hand into the dead boy's.

Keith felt embarrassed despite loving every minute of it. "And Shiro?"

"He's pretty much the leader of a lot of the missions and our forces. He's cool, we usually call him apocalypse dad because he is pretty much a dad to us." Lance laughed.

"He won't try to blow my head off will he?" Keith asked looking up at the boy jokingly.

Lance seemed to contemplate the question which caused Keith to swallow hard. Shiro might actually blow his brains out. "You'll be fine as long as we go about this cleverly." He reassured.

Keith nodded nervously. "I guess a zom-mbie doesn't exactly scream friendly."

Lance stopped and turned to him. "Speaking of which, we should check your pulse."

Keith nodded and Lance pressed underneath his jawline with two fingers feeling the small movements.

"It's slower than earlier but still good." Lance informed. He paused as he looked into Keith's hazy eyes, the afternoon glow reflected off them leaving golden speckles to flourish in the violet pools. Lances fingers trailed up to push some of the boy's hair out of the way leaning in. "But we can fix that." He said in a quiet voice, nearly a whisper.

Their lips pressed together feeling the warmth radiating off them in the ever cool afternoon.

They separated and smiled rose in their faces. The kiss did In fact, help. Keith's pulse regulated even drumming faster than usual.

They walked for a few more hours and before it was dark, they arrived at the camp. Rusted metal sheets stood perpendicular to the ground and watch towers were set all around. Men and woman alike carried guns.

"They're back!" Exclaimed a voice identified as Coran. He was a finger with a perfect mustache that he could never resist messing with when he would brag.

Shiro entered the watch tower and smiled in relief. He'd never looked so grateful. "On one leg!" He shouted down.

It was something they had everyone do before entering. It was to check their balance revealing potential bite victims. Of course some people just had bad balance and would pass through after additional tests.

They all lifted a leg and Keith seemed nervous. He wobbled and had to put his foot down. Shiro seems to raise an eyebrow at this.

"He's clean! We checked and he's been with us for the last few days!" Lance called up.

Shiro nodded having them open the gates. He was willing to skip a a few test on the word of the three out of eagerness to see them.

When they entered Shiro immediately pulled the three into hugs. He wore a long coat with boots and had a scar across his nose. "What took you guys so long to get back? You're two days late." Shiro asked sternly.

"We got split up in a raid by a large amount of Zombies. That's how I met Keith. We all reunited at a grocery store and we stayed there a while regrouping." Lance informed smiling lopsidedly. "He saved my life numerous times."

Keith smiled embarrassed. Lance was really talking him up. "You've s-aved my life a lot-t too." Keith tried to defend cut was cut of when Shiro grabbed his hand and shook it.

"Thank you, I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to these three." He noticed Keith's hand was pretty cold but didn't think much of it. Besides, with Keith's heart beating fairly normal, enough blood was being circulated.

Keith didn't have a chance to respond as they were already moving on. He shot Lance a nervous look and he simply smiled back. It was reassuring.

But Keith still couldn't calm down. He knew his heartbeat was slowing again with each minute that passes. What if it slows too much before he could kiss Lance and they find out he's dead. Shivers ran up his back just thinking of the consequences.

How were they going to pull this off?

They walked through the closed in neighborhood. Everyone knew Pidge, Hunk, and Lance, they were overjoyed to see them. Keith knew he didn't belong in the middle of all this. He stood his ground however, he had the cure. Keith felt him shake his head slightly. He didn't have the cure, he was merely a result of it. If there was something he knew for sure it was that it lied more with the living. It was Lance who made him alive.

"Are you Okay Keith? You're looking a little pale." Shiro observed. His eyebrows were furrowed with suspicion and Keith saw his hand inching inside his coat probably for a gun.

"Yeah, I'm just really tired." Keith said quickly.

"Keith hasn't slept for a few days, he's been keeping watch for us." Lance backed him up.

"Oh, my bad. We'll get you set up in one of our finest houses." He smiled kindly. It scared Keith how quickly he was ready to turn on him. However he didn't blame him, he's probably protective of everyone and cares for their safety, Keith's a stranger to this family.

"Thanks Shiro, but Keith can stay with us." Lance cut in looking to Hunk got back up.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want him to be thrown in a house alone. Besides we don't enough space for our people as it is." Hunk supported.

"Alright, we'll give you your everyday rations. We eat dinner together in the park, it's a tradition. I'm sure Lance, Pidge, and Hunk will show you around." Shiro informed. "Thank you again for saving these knuckleheads." Shiro would have used a more foul word if it wasn't for being in the presence of a guest. He went to shake Keith's hand again.

Keith almost wanted to pull away from the grip. Hopefully his heart was beating enough. It wasn't. Shiro jerked back upon feeling the boy's hands were as cold as ice. His gun was out and pointing a deadly aim sure enough right between his eyes. "You're hands are too cold. He's turning." Shiro said in a cold emotionless tone.

Lance however was already in action. He pushed in front of Keith and looked to Shiro pleadingly. "We can explain! He's okay! He's-!"

"Move out of the way Lance. It's hard to do this to someone you care about but you don't want to lose more loved ones." Shiro said eyes narrowed into a steady stare.

Keith had to think of something. He feared Shiro had an amazing shot and Lance would do nothing as a shield, it would find some gap to make a fatal blow. He had to do something.

"I'm already dead!" Keith spoke.

"Keith, no-" Pidge started. Her eyes went wide.

"What?" Shiro seemed to have a moment of conflict.

"I was bitten years ago, at-t the start of the apocalypse. I-I can't tell you who I was be-efore, but I'm Keith now." He spoke up again.

"What are you talking about?" Shiro asked his grip tightening on the gun.

"I was dead, but I'm... I'm..." He didn't really know what he was. It's as if he were parading around that line between life and death, unsure of where he belonged.

"Alive." Lance finished.

"That's not possible. There has been no signs of any cure, it's been years." Shiro said in disbelief, but his gun wavered.

"His heart has been beating Shiro." Lance said. "He's alive."

Silence set through the air, no one dared speak, move, or even breathe. Everyone watched in anticipation as Shiro's gun lowered slowly, eventually pointing at the ground in a loose grip.

"Tell me more."

Relief set through everyone and Lance grabbed Keith's hand in a deathlike squeeze.

=======
Years Later:

Lance wiped sweat from his brow. They'd spend the whole day trying to take down the walls. Zombies were coming to life left and right. There was no longer any threat.

The large chunk of metal was slowly lowered into the hands of roughly ten people as they helped to carry it off where it could be used for something more useful. It was extremely labor intensive but it had to come down one way or another. They set down the metal that was once a wall dividing the living and the dead. He looked up to see Hunk and his boyfriend Keith carrying jugs of water out.

Keith wanted to help but they kindly denied it as he was unbelievably klutzy. He blamed it on having been dead for years but Lance knew better. He smiled widely at the sight of the boy tripping nearly dropping a gallon of cool ice water.

They handed off the jugs and Lance pulled him into a small hug. Keith pushed out of his grip looking disgusted. "You're really sweaty." He whined.

Lance rolled his eyes and in retaliation grabbed the boy rubbing his face all over his shirt. "Ugh! Lance! You're so gross!" But he was laughing.

They kissed. Keith came back to life and it stayed that way. He no longer had to worry about reverting back to a flesh craving monster.

Lance sat down and Keith joined him. They leaned against one each other admiring the sight of the land beyond the walls. It had never been visible before unless you were in the watch towers.

Although billions died billions came back. It truly was a happy ending.