Leif lagged, clearly flagging. He knew he would have to pick up the pace, they were no where near where they decided was their next checkpoint. The sun was about to set, which would help, but for this moment it held onto its time left in the sky, to Leif’s chagrin. He looked over at Mason, and frowned when he saw that he was unfazed by their traveling.

Leif pushed on, and eventually they saw the old broken down gas station that was to be their rest stop of the night. The sun had set about an hour ago, and after a full day (and weeks before that) of walking in the sun, Leif was ready to set up their camp and get a good nights sleep.

Mason pushed open the door, on which the glass was shattered on the left side and cracked on the right. He entered right in, as Leif waited outside. He could see him walking around, checking around the building for anyone like us who might be trying to crash here. Leif felt his face glow in embarrassment. Even if this had happened tons of times by now, he couldn’t help but feel self conscious that he needed a big strong man to look out for him. Though he couldn’t say it didn’t make him feel safer.

Mason came back out and held the door open for him, saying a quick “all clear, we’re good.” In his gruff and deep voice.

Leif rushed through the door so that Mason wouldn’t have to hold the door for longer, Bowing his head a bit in thanks. Mason let if fall behind him and went to a room in the back of the store, propping the door open so Leif would know that’s where he intended they sleep.

Though he was tired, Leif couldn’t help but want to look around first. He couldn’t help it at every gas station, or grocery store, or department store, or really any store they stopped at. He couldn’t imagine a world before the pulse. A world where there were stores on every corner that had everything you could ever need. Not that it mattered, he wouldn’t ever live in a world like that. Closest place to that were villages or military bases, but they were still only ever scraping by.

He strolled along the shelves, mostly picked clean over a decade ago. There were some things left, mostly useless or broken, and some trash from opened food. Leif saw something poking out from under the bottom of the shelf, so he crouched down and tried to pull it out. It was white and looked to be plastic. He eventually got a grip on it after a few tries and pulled it free of the shelf. His eyes widened in surprise as he read the label. It was rubbing alcohol.

“Mason! Look what I found!” He found himself yelling before he could think about it.

Mason came around from the back room fast, his face worried. His look of concern dropped when he saw Leif standing there, okay, holding his find.

“It’s rubbing alcohol!”

“Holy shit,”

Mason grabbed the bottle and tried to turn the cap a little, finding the resistance he was hoping for. A wide smile spread across his lips.

“It’s unopened, safe.” He said, handing it back to Leif.

Leif smiled brighter than Mason had ever seen, and he felt his heart beat a second faster.

“Good find,” Mason said, ruffling Leif’s short hair for a second.

Leif laughed and pushed his hand off, his cheeks turning pink again. He pulled his pack around his shoulder and put it away between things to keep it safe.

He couldn’t believe it, this was the score of a lifetime. To get rubbing alcohol at a military base would be very difficult, and likely take a months worth of rations, out here? The chances were nearly impossible.

He continued to follow Mason back to the back room, pulling his sleeping bag out of his bad as he did. When he stepped through the door, Mason kicked the random box he was using for a doorstop out of the way. As the door closed Leif looked up at Mason. He had already set up the lamp on low so there was some light.

It painted Mason’s auburn hair even more fiery, and made the stubble on his cheeks and chin show in more contrast to his pale face. Leif couldn’t help but stare. Ever since he saw Mason, he thought he was beautiful.

“What is it?” Mason said, stunning Leif from his ogling.

“You’re beautiful.” Leif responded.

He felt his heart stop beating in his chest. Mason stared back at him for a moment, his face bare of any expression Leif could read.

“That’s funny coming from you,” he said after what felt like forever.

Leif just smiled and sat down in his sleeping bag. He slid in and tuned away from Mason, so that he wouldn’t see the blush he’s been hiding from him for weeks now. It was worsened by the fact that he could still feel Mason’s stare on him as he settled down into his version of a bed. After a few moments her heard Mason get down into his own sleeping bag and the unmistakable sound the the lamp being turned off.

Leif couldn’t believe he had said that.

Mason couldn’t believe he had said that.

He watched Leif for a while after he became still. Lying awake, his eyes had adjusted to the dark. He thought it was ironic the most beautiful person he’d ever seen was the one to tell him he was beautiful. He almost choked when he heard him say it. He didn’t think Leif wanted him that way, and maybe he didn’t. But he could’ve sworn he saw a pinkish blush settle on his face as he waited for his response. How cute.