Chapter Text
What’s the worst thing about surviving the apocalypse? Dealing with the shitty people who survived.
***
Nick ran through the darkness, his feet blistering in his shoes. Flash lights and loud shouting men chased him as he fled for his life. Dogs were barking, and he could almost smell the bloodlust in the air. He could not outrun them if he tried.
His heart pounded in his chest, breathing as fast as his shoes hit the sand. Something caught his foot, sending him toppling over and hitting the ground head first. It was lights out from there.
He woke up with a gasp, clutching his chest like he was making sure his heart was still pumping. A sharp pain shot through his head and he winced.
“Woah, Nicky. Your alright.”
A familiar voice beckoned his name, but he couldn’t quite place it.
“Where am I? Who the fuck are you?” His eyes slowly focused on the shadowy figure in the room. When he saw the face looking back at him, it sent a shock wave through his aching body.
“Miss me?”
*
Nick yawned, watching the digital clock on the wall tick by. He looked down at his paper, he still hadn’t written anything down. Mr. Kent glared at him from his messy desk. Nick pretended not to notice, and picked his pencil up. He wrote a few things down quickly, before sliding himself out from the desk.
He waltzed up to Kent’s desk slight leaning onto it with his palms. “I gotta piss.”
“There’s only 10 minutes left of class, you can wait,” Kent said nonchalantly.
Nick clicked his tongue. “Bullshit,” he hissed. A purposeful slip of the hand knocked over the small glass cup containing a mixture of mechanical pencils, dry erase markers, and ink pens. A girl named Mary gasped at the crashing noise break the eerie silence of the classroom.
Mr. Kent stood up, and Nick kept walking, refusing to look behind. “Pick that up,” Kent fumed.
“Why would I do that?” Nick snickered.
Kent grabbed him by the arm and pointed towards the door, “get out.”
Nick shook himself free, “gladly.”
-
He walked to the bathroom, cursing Kent out in his head. He tried hard not to be an asshole, but Nick hated people who got off on positions of authority.
He locked himself into a vandalized stall and rummaged through his pocket. He finally found what he was looking for in that small plastic baggy. He took a small amount of the powder onto his finger and snorted it.
He sighed in relief, before hearing heavy footsteps enter the doorway. Shit.
He slipped it back into his pocket and exited the stall trying to to cause any suspicions.
When he closed the door behind him, a boy turned his head from the sink looking back at him. Nick immediately noticed the blood gushing from his face. He looked shocked, in a tired sort of way.
“Hey man, you okay?” Nick said, trying to to sound too shocked.
“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” the boy said, grabbing more paper towels and holding them up to his face.
As Nick got closer to the sink next to him, he noticed his knuckles were raw and nearly bleeding. He must have gotten into a fight.
“You should probably go to the nurse-“
“I can’t,” the boy said in a paranoid tone.
“Why not?” Nick insisted.
He shook his head, curls falling along his face. “If my dad find out, he’ll kill me for sure.”
Nick frowned.
“Here,” he said, grabbing a neatly folded hand of paper towels. He replaced the boys hand with his own, pinching his nose.
“W-what are you doing-,” the boys voice cracked.
“Hey, just stay still. Tilt your head back a little.”
The boy’s eyes were wide looking at him. After awhile he relaxed, and the bleeding stopped.
“Thanks,” he said softly.
“Yeah, it’s nothing,” Nick said, discarding the bloody mess into the trash. “So what’s your name anyway?”
“Troy. Troy Otto,” he said reaching out his hand to shake it. His name sounded familiar, but Nick couldn’t place it. “I’m not shaking your bloody-ass hand.”
Troy looked at his hand, only now realizing the state of it. “But the names Nick. Nick Clark,” he teased. “Well, guess I’ll see ya around?” Nick tried to close the conversation, he knew Kent probably called his mom already.
“Not likely,” Troy snickered.
“Why’s that?” Nick indulged in curiosity.
Troy just shrugged nonchalantly before heading towards the door.
“Thank you, Nicky.”
—
Nick didn’t forget that day he met Troy. He thought about him often, and would sometimes mistaken other people in the halls for him.
“I don’t want you getting in arguments with Mr. Kent anymore. This could get you expelled for good,” Madison huffed, as she diced up dinner.
“He’s an ass! What else am I supposed to do?” Nick whined.
She stopped what she was doing, pointed the knife towards Nick. “You’ll do what we all do. Smile and sit tight.”
“Fine. Whatever,” Nick sighed in defeat.
Alicia walked in, throwing her backpack onto the dining room floor. “What are you guys fighting about now?”
“We’re not fighting,” Madison claimed.
Nick rolled his eyes, running his hands down his face dramatically.
Alicia laughed, sparking out her homework onto the table.
“Hey, you know anyone at school with the last name Otto?”
“Maybe.” She stopped what she was doing and pondered for a moment. “Oh, there’s Jake Otto, I think he’s a senior. He seems really nice.”
That’s right. Jake Otto was a popular guy, but he always treated everyone well. He did a lot of leadership and volunteering for the school, but Nick had never had a real conversation with him.
“What about…Troy Otto?” Nick offered.
“They’re related, but you wouldn’t be able to tell though. They are complete opposites,” Alicia said, writing something down in her notes.
She crossed her arms. “Why are you asking about Troy Otto? Did something happen?”
“No, I- it’s nothing,” Nick shook his head.
“Okay… don’t get caught up with Troy, Nick. He sounds like trouble,” Alicia muttered.
“Dinners ready,” Madison shouted.
“And Nick, don’t forget to apologize to Mr. Kent tomorrow.”
Nick winced at the thought. “Fine.”
—
Nick took a deep breathe before walking over to Kent’s desk. Everyone left for lunch already, and it was his only opportunity.
“Hey,” Nick waved.
Kent sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back into his chair. Nick held in the urge to roll his eyes at the petty middle-aged man’s behavior. Instead, he bared his teeth, trying his best to to feign a smile.
“I just wanted to say, am very apologetic for what I did yesterday… so I’m sorry and I…I won’t do it again,” Nick scratched true back of his neck.
Kent leaned in closer.
“Nick, I have been working here for a long time. Which entails that I have dealt with a thousand little shits just like you, acting like they have some kind of authority. Listen closely here, Clark. This is my classroom, which means we play my rules. I’ll accept your apology, but you’ve got to show some goddamn respect.”
Nick pressed his lips together and gave him thumbs up with both of his hands, “got it.”
“Good. Now go take your break,” Kent shewed him out the door.
-
Nick walked out to the field during his lunch to award himself a smoke. This was the only time of the day where no one was out here, and no one would bother him.
His thumb flicked at his lighter, but nothing came out the first time. Or the second. Or the third.
“Shit,” he learned against the wall.
When he looked up he noticed someone running on the track. There was no doubt, that was Troy Otto.
His eyes widened. Something inside of him caused him to get his lazy ass up and go talk to the guy.
Nick walked to the edge of the track, waving Troy over. At first, he seemed apprehensive, and Nick wasn’t totally sure if he would acknowledge him, but he eventually ended up trotting over.
“Hey, what’s up?” Troy huffed. He was wearing a off white tank top and gym shorts. Nick never realized how muscular he was under all those layers, until now.
He eventually realized he was staring, and he wondered if Troy noticed. He played it off cool, and regained eye contact.
“Where have you been?”
Troy snickered. “Why? Ya miss me, Nicky?” A droplet of sweat trickled at his brow.
Nick shrugged. “Last time I saw you, you didn’t look so good, so I…I was hoping you weren’t dead.”
“Nah. I would never die, but that will do it,” he pointed towards Nick’s hand. “That shit will kill you, Nicky.”
Nick noticed his cigarette was still interlocked between his fingers. He sighed. “Yeah.”
“Feeling blue?” Troy tilted his head.
“Not anymore,” Nick grinned. “Hey… you wanna hang out after class today?”
Troy grinned, taking a drink of his water bottle.
“Cant. I gotta help out at my dad’s ranch.”
“Then when are you free?” Nick murmured.
“I’m not doing anything this weekend,” Troy offered.
—
“So are you gonna tell me what happened, or are you gonna be a total dick and ignore my question,” Nick sighed.
“I’m not trying to be an asshole. I just-.”
Nick nudged him on the shoulder, “hey man, I’m just joking around. You don’t have to tell me.”
Troy’s closed his eyes. “I started it. This guy was talking shit, and someone had to shut him up. Unfortunately for me, he had friends. The rest is history.”
“…damn. You’re pretty bad, huh?” Nick teased.
Troy laughed. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you, Nick.”
“Really,” Nick released a puff of his cigarette.“What have you heard?”
“You’re smart, you pretend you aren’t, but you are. And with those killer looks, I’m sure you get all the lady’s,” Troy grinned smugly.
Nick snickered. “Yeah right,” he nudged Troy playfully on the shoulder.
“It’s true, right, Nicky?” Troy egged him on.
Nick looked up at the stars, and leaned his head against Troy’s frame.
“Tell the truth this time.”
Troy’s smile dropped slightly. He could hear the faint trace of pain in his voice. “I heard your dad died. They said it was an accident, or…maybe not.”
Nick stayed silent.
“After that you started taking drugs, your mom made you go into rehab,” Troy shook his head. “Sorry I-,”
“No, don’t be sorry. You’re honest,” he watched the smoke evaporate from his lungs leaving tiny trails into the clear night sky.
“I like that your honest. I like you Troy.”
“Really?” Troy said, his voice cracked slightly.
Nick nodded.
“I like you too, Nicky,” Troy smiled.
Nick’s eyes lingered on Troy’s lips. He wanted to know what he tasted like. Nick caught hold of his thoughts before it was too late. A faint rose flushed at his cheeks, and he turned away just in time.
*
“Troy?” Nick’s voice came out louder than he expected. “What is happening?”
“Woah—hey, ease your mind.”
Nick felt Troy’s hand wrap around his arm. “You’re safe, I’ve got you.”
Troy handed him a glass of water. We would have cried at the sight, but he was too dehydrated to produce any tears. He drank the entire glass, and Troy watched him intently.
“Where’s Alicia?” Nick huffed.
“Nick…you came alone,” Troy blinked.
“I-I don’t remember-,” he rubbed his head. “I can’t remember what happened, or how I got here.”
“When my men found you, you were passed out on the ground. They thought you were dead, Nick.” Troy squeezed his arm a little as the words passed his lips.
“All this time…I thought you were dead.”
Nick saw the worry in Troy’s eyes. He frowned. The feelings he had once felt for Troy leaked from him. Nick ran his fingers through Troy’s curls, just the way he liked. Troy closed his eyes, leaning into the touch.
“I’m here now.”