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“A date?”
Dylan’s idea stunned Ryan for a moment.
“Yeah! We can sneak into a library, take some books and stuff, it’ll be romantic.”
“Stealing is romantic?”
“Nobody’s using them,” Dylan further explains, “and last I checked, nobody hides out there, either.”
“…Fine. Fine, we can have a date. But if either of us get hurt I’m going to yell.”
“We just gotta be quiet.”
“What do we tell the group?”
“Emma and Abi go out sometimes,” Dylan tells him.
“Yeah, to grab food.”
“And to totally hook up!”
Ryan rolls his eyes. “Fine. We tell them we’re going out for books, then?”
“Yup.”
“Alright,” he huffs, kissing Dylan’s temple. “You’re lucky I like you.”
“Aw, you like me?”
Ryan glares; Dylan laughs.
Their plan was met with no protest by anybody, although a wink from Emma to Ryan was a follow-up reaction.
So, the duo head out, Ryan grabbing Dylan’s hand and squeezing, reassuring them both that they’re fine as they walk.
“Do you see any?”
Dylan shakes his head. “Actually,” he begins, “give me the axe.”
“I can do it, where is it?”
“I can do it,” Dylan insists, “trust me.”
Ryan sighs quietly, handing their axe over to Dylan’s good hand.
“Follow me.”
Ryan nods, creeping up behind the zombie as Dylan raises the axe up, then swings it down onto the thing’s head.
Blood splatters onto Dylan, causing the boy to cringe backwards as he removes the axe, kicking the now fallen body away from the entrance.
“You first,” Dylan hums, wiping away the blood about to drip into his eye.
Ryan snaps out of his daydream, shaking his head and heading inside.
“What? You like me covered in blood or something?”
Dylan’s so obviously teasing, but Ryan feels his face heat up.
“Quiet.”
Dylan smiles, wrapping his free arm around Ryan’s shoulders.
“Gross, don’t touch me,” Ryan mutters, although leaning into the affection.
They wander off into various sections, grabbing books that seem fun enough to read. Dylan mainly grabbed comics, and Ryan mainly grabbed mysteries.
Ryan offers to hold Dylan’s books, so that the other man can still have a grip of the axe.
“This place is… cute. I like it,” Ryan decides. Dylan smiles.
“Yeah?”
Ryan nods.
“I like… spending time with you, Dylan.”
“I like spending time with you too,” Dylan responds, “no matter how fucking crazy it can get. I just like you, a lot.”
Ryan’s quiet, looking around.
They’ve used the word love before, and they both agree it describes what they feel, but they still dance around it when they can.
“Shit, something’s coming in.”
Dylan perks his head up, noticing the zombie entering through the door. How polite.
“You gonna kill it?”
Dylan shakes his head. “Not if I don’t have to.”
Ryan tilts his head curiously.
“It’ll make noise.”
“The axe?”
Dylan nods, “if I grunt too loud, or if it makes a noise when I strike it…”
Ryan nods. “Sneak past, then?”
“You got the books?”
“Yup.”
“Then let’s go.”
Dylan and Ryan end up barely sneaking past, and after examining their surroundings, Dylan decides to leave the zombie alone; he’s grown to be more sympathetic towards them.
They head back, Kaitlyn letting them back into the shelter with a grin. “How was it?”
“We got books.”
“…boring,” she huffs.
They head back into Ryan’s room, setting the stack down and examining the books they now own.
“I remember Stephen King,” Dylan hums, “Carrie was my favorite.”
“Is this… anime stuff?”
Dylan nods. “What? It’s good!”
“Whatever you say,” Ryan mutters, grabbing the book on the top of the stack — Doctor Sleep — and sitting himself down on the bed. He spreads his legs so that Dylan can sit between them comfortably, his back pressed against Ryan’s chest as they share the novel.
“Jesus, this is creepy,” Dylan shutters as they turn the next page.
Ryan chuckles to himself, kissing Dylan’s temple. “You’re literally covered in blood, you can’t say this is creepy.”
“I should probably wash up, then.”
Ryan shakes his head, “stay.”