Chapter Text
After the nuclear fallout the world was nothing but chaos and waste, at least that’s what it seemed. That’s when the bunker came in handy, Sean and Elliott lived in an abandoned one. They rarely went out and when they did they still wore gas masks, even though the air was cleared to be safe two years ago.
Sean stretched as he sat up in his bed; getting up and sliding on his iconic black hoodie. Elliott on the other hand was putting on his blindfold, Elliott wore a blind fold for numerous reasons; the main one being that he didn’t trust the air, or the government for that matter. Sean got up and wandered the bunker for Elliott; the bunker was awesome if you ignored the barren, grey, concrete walls and floor. The bunker had food and water, enough for at least 100 years, as well as a garden to replenish said food. Elliott and Sean had known each other their whole lives, seventeen years to be exact. They were born into the wasteland which gave them no recollection of the world before. Their bond was something really special.
”Ell?” Sean called out, his voice echoing through the deep concrete halls. Elliott called back, the same echo following him, “Give me a minute!”
A few minutes later Elliot came rushing to Sean, “You needed me?” He asked. He had once again shaved his hair, like always. “I just wanted to see you,” Sean responded calmly. Elliott rolled his eyes, “Why are you like this?” He asked in a joking manner. “Because I’m awesome,” Sean responded equally as playful. “Emphasis on the some,” Elliott retorted. He dragged himself over to the beanbag he so loved; plopping himself right in the middle of it. Sean rolled his eyes playfully and walked off to get something for them both to eat, searching the metal shelves for whatever sounded palatable in the moment. He called out to Elliott, “Anything you want to eat?” Elliott called back a moment later, “I’ll eat anything!” Once again searching the shelves, Sean sighed. He grabbed two random M.R.E.s and walked back to the area the two boys had started calling a living room. “Here,” Sean paused as he handed Elliott one of the bags, “Do you ever miss your family?” He asked. “Woah, where did this come from?” Elliott questioned. “I don’t know, it just feels lonely, you know?” Sean responded, his voice quaking a bit. Elliott looked concerned; sitting up straighter, “Are you feeling okay, Sea?” He questioned with worry. Sean shook his head to snap out of his thoughts, “I’ve just been thinking about things,” Sean sighed again, plopping down on the beanbag next to Elliott. “I just wonder sometimes, what do you think the world was like before the bombs fell?” Sean questioned before continuing, “You know, before we were born, before the world went to shit?” He asked finally.
Elliott looked at Sean, his eyes worried. “I mean, I do wonder sometimes, but you’re worrying me.” Elliott responded, now hugging Sean in concern. “Elliott, I’m fine,” Sean paused, “It’s not like I’m going to do anything,” He said. The hug definitely was comforting and he liked it, but Elliott pulled back. “Seriously, I’m worried about you,” Elliott started, “Do you want to go out today? Maybe cheer you up a little?” He asked gently. Sean took a moment to think about Elliott’s kind words, he eventually nodded in a way of confirming. Elliott gently ruffled Sean’s hair before lifting himself up from the beanbag; walking over to his boots and sliding them on. Sean copied Elliott; lifting up from the beanbag, putting his own boots on and looking at Elliott.
Elliott held out his hand for Sean to take, who accepted gracefully. They climbed up the ladder together, getting equally blinded by the sunlight hitting their faces. The days had been blurring together the past month, they both needed it desperately. Sean took a deep breath before sitting on some grass near the bunker entrance. “See? This is what we need,” Elliott sighed as he sat on the grass next to Sean. He nodded softly, taking in the warm sunlight grazing his skin. He tensed when he felt an arm go around him; calming down once he realized it was just Elliott. Sean leaned into Elliott’s hug, nuzzling into his friend happily. They looked over the field, sure nuclear fallout had happened, but the grass and flowers had grown back after the thirty years. The sunlight was warm, the grass fresh. Sean sighed softly, his head resting against Elliott’s shoulder, “This is nice, huh?” Elliott asked as he looked at Sean. “Yeah, it is,” Sean sighed again, this was the break he so desperately needed.
”I can’t believe the fallout was only thirty years ago, I know we were born after it happened but it doesn’t look anything like a wasteland compared to the old pictures,” Elliott ranted a bit, though he was right. “Yeah,” Sean agreed, leaning back to lay in the grass and feel the sun on his skin. This time was peaceful for the boys, the break they’ve needed for so long.
The peacefulness didn’t last long, though when some raiders tried to steal their stuff. Elliott stood up quick, grabbing the baseball bat he had brought with him just in case. Sean shot up from the ground, pulling the knife that he kept from his back pocket. “Back away!” Elliott shouted as he held up his bat. Before either of them could think, Sean got hit over the head with a glass bottle and collapsed to the ground, Elliott started seeing red. He started slamming his bat into the heads of the raiders; blood started to seep from their foreheads. Once he knocked them all out he grabbed Sean and took him into the bunker; blood was slowly seeping from his freshly cut head. Elliott started bandaging the cut, softly reassuring Sean and himself, “You’re okay, you’ll be okay,” He put pressure on the bandage in hopes of getting the blood to stop. Elliott kept silently whispering for Sean to wake up. He was strong, right? He’d make it, Elliott kept telling himself. He was right, Sean was strong, and he certainly wouldn’t die just from getting hit over the head with a glass bottle.
It was a half hour until Sean woke up. He awoke laid in the beanbag, Elliott by his side. “Thank god you’re okay!” Elliott shouted the second he saw Sean awake. He was a bit disoriented from being blacked out for thirty minutes, but seeing and hearing Elliott definitely made him feel better. Elliott gave him some water to rehydrate him after all that happened, it was certainly a lot for both of them. “Do you need anything?” Elliott asked, “Are you okay?” He asked as well. “I don’t need anything,” Sean stuttered, his voice quiet and soft. Elliott gently petted his head, smiling softly as he did so. “What would you do if I was gone?” Sean asked Elliott quietly. Elliott was stunned to hear that come out of Sean’s mouth, his best friend, the only thing he had. “Sean, I need you to think about that question for me,” his voice was stern, “You’re all I have, you’re my best friend, the best thing that ever happened to me, I would be absolutely devastated,” he said with all seriousness in his voice. “You’re all I have. My best friend. The man I loved. If I lost you—“ he paused to take a breath, “If I lost you I wouldn’t be me. I’d be nothing without you, I need you.” He grabbed Sean’s shoulders, “I love you, Sean. Don’t you dare leave without me, please,” His voice was slowly breaking as he said all this. Sean was stunned.