Chapter Text
It was like the usual silent day in the afternoon except everything around is different.
Fallen buildings, broken roads, abandoned properties, dusty air and the hoarse chirping of crows flying away to the dull gray sky as the car passes by them, splashing away the dark puddle of water as unusual looking mycelium mushrooms comes out of it.
The sound of the speeding car can be heard from afar as the tire hit road bumps they ran to.
Inside, can be heard noisy sounds of stuffs and items from the back of the van and the front drawer from the passenger's seat where Frederick sat and beside him the drivers seat where Luchino sat, driving at high full-speed, smiling like a menace beneath his mask as he took a hard turn on the road making the other swinging around uncontrollably, holding out his hand slamming onto the window beside him.
“For god sake LUCHINO! can you slow down A FUCKING BIT!?!??” the gray haired man yelled at him, mad, his furrowed brows and widened eyes can be seen as he holds his mask while also holding on the car seat for dear life, shaking around like its earthquake, but the other beside him doesn't budge and just kept focusing on his driving all the way to the destination his boss requested for him to take part into
“You’ll be finee you'll be finee Trust me! We’ll get there in a blink!” he said in a joyful tone, clearly enjoying Fredericks misery and his fussy words he spewed on the whole ride.
Not long after, Thanks to Luchinos death-driving skill, the two finally reached their destination at another huge abandoned city. As the car slowed down to stop, as always..or sometimes, the braided haired man prepared his equipment and went out to open the door for the princess
or i mean his boss.
“Here we are Mr. Kreiburg!” He said opening the door for him, handing out his hand to help Frederick as he might be dizzy from all that chaotic drive but also.. a small chance for him to hold his hand for a bit.
Frederick sighed, stressed out from Luchino’s horrible driving he gets out of his seat by himself, gently pushing the helping hand away
“Thankyou, but no need to do that” he said in a polite tone as he readjusts his coat, staring at the big city ruins across them after.
“Well then, lets get going Mr. Diruse. We dont want to meet those living creatures at night, they're annoying to deal with..”
“Alrighty princess!”
“..................................”
“Please, don't call me that ever again”
Luchino teased, tapping Frederick’s shoulder as he spaced away from him. Secretly, Frederick actually enjoys Luchino’s silly shenanigans he does to him, except for his crazy driving that scares the shit out of him of course.
Then the two walked around the area together entering buildings and ruins with Frederick in the front and Luchino following behind.
Frederick wanted to search for some lying tools and equipment he can use for combat purposes and some more for the other three on their team and something for lab use also along with daily needs if they run into some. Though they won't take much since there's only both of them to hold enough of it.
They both end up at a certain building floor to take a break at, with an open view of the other towers and the wind blowing in. After searching the areas around together they didn't find much and only grabbed like a few pieces of equipment on the bag and not much food supplies.
“There's still more places to find…” Frederick scratches his head looking at the bag of equipment Luchinos holding, still wanting more than that because there's still more areas to look around but they might risk searching until dusk if they decided to.
“I think other survivors visited this place before and they've only searched up to this area not wanting to risk and get lost in the ruins if they go further, which is why we only found a few” Luchino said, facing down to the bag and back to Frederick who was zoning out to the view, thinking.
“Yeah..i know” Frederick nods in agreement to his statement,
pausing a bit before he spoke again
“I know i've told you that we’ll not walk around until dusk but would you still want to venture around with me for a bit more Mr. Diruse and find more things to bring back to the camp?”
Frederick asked him, but he slowly realized the first few words sounded too weird in a way, as he pretends to adjust his mask to hide the small embarrassment he felt from that.
(“Fuck…i worded that wrong”) he thought, theres nothing he can do to change that.
He has been in denial that he has an interest with the guy he's close with now.
“Well of course we can! I'm quite surprised…you've always seem so annoyed when you’re around me for too long Mr. Kreiburg, let's search around and try our best to find what we're looking for!” Luchino answered with a small laugh after, why wouldn't he accept? walking together alone with someone he likes.
His adorable smiling expression couldnt be seen by Frederick the whole time because of his big mask that's covering his entire face beneath, Frederick also never knows if he's staring at him the whole time or…all the time really, he doesn't bother to care anyway.
Luchino really loves to admire the long gray haired man's beauty.
“Then, quit zoning out there or else you’ll fall down Kreiburg! Haha!” Luchino scared him by tapping his back then locking his arm around Fredericks neck to pull him back from the edge of the building after, making him flinch and have a mini heart-attack. Luchino really needs to be careful.
“Wah– That's not funny!” He yelled at him, holding onto Luchinos arm around his neck.
“I was just looking at the view! Please be careful with your actions Mr. Diruse!” Annoyed in fear, walking away after
“uhh sorry! sorry! I didnt mean to do that..sorryy…”
Apologized Luchino with a nervous tone, letting go of him. He got too excited whoops.
Time passes and they got more far-farther away from their van and the location where they arrived at, searching while also exploring the whole city together, talking together, and having eachothers backs and at this point they don't want to risk to get lost in the dark and they’ve found more than enough items anyway and also managed to find a good amount of food and research purposes tools they could bring back to the camp and now they're both heading their way back to the van.
“You know what's funny Mr. Kreiburg? I found most of these stuffs even though you're the one whos gonna look for it” Luchino pokes at him, trying to break the ice as they both walk in the dark silent city road with their own different set of pocket flashlights lighting their walkway.
“Its true, i may not find as much as you did but i appreciate your work Mr. Diruse, thats why i bring you along to help me here” Frederick replied, keeping his composure as always, he always genuinely appreciated Luchinos help on their team ventures.
“Oh- pfft ugh its nothing but…Thankyou Mr. Kreiburg...” the compliment made Luchinos' heart melt.
Every step, each time, and each hour passed. They've been walking together carefully around this area, holding out their weapons protecting each other from any dangers that lingers around.
“Wow we've really gone way too far from where we arrived! that was really an adventure” Luchino chuckled.
The van can be seen from a far and they are now stepping down carefully from a broken asphalt road thats made a huge cracked hole beneath with visible mycelium coming out of the small cracks and rocks. They try their best not to step on it or else it might attack them.
Frederick is seen behind Luchino walking carefully, balancing himself from falling. Luchino hands out both of his hands to hold for him, Frederick notices and doesn't think much about it, accepting his helping hands, as he starts to get spooked out from the giant dark hole under.
Holding on to two of his hands, Luchino suddenly pulls Frederick closer to him, making Frederick stumble on his landing steps, making them bump their masks.
“Whaa- wha- what are you!!??- ???” Frederick spewed annoyed but pauses, realizing the position they are now, staring at Luchino’s mask. He couldn't tell his expression at all.
“Pff- Haha gotcha!” Luchino squeezed Fredericks hands clasping it together while also laughing at him, he's clearly making it super obvious this time.
“Tch..Ugh” Frederick sound annoyed, looking away from him as the other let go of him, giving him space with an annoying laugh.
“Its always fun messing around with you buddy” Luchino roughly taps his shoulder as he heads to the car leaving the frozen man standing there, Frederick follows along after.
Before entering the van and taking their seats, Frederick stops
“Huh...what was that supposed to mean? Is there something you're hiding from me?” Curious, he asks Luchino in a pokey tone.
Luchino, who just opened the car door about to take a seat replied
“Get in the car Mr.Kreiburg, we dont wanna deal with those little critters under our shoes”
Turning on the car engine and lights on, he smiled beneath his masks staring at Frederick outside squinting at him crossing his arms, as he went in the car and sat on the passengers seat.
Frederick took off his mask and gloves to catch a breath
“huuuufh…finally, Thankyou so much for the help today Mr. Diruse” He Thanked him again, waiting for the car to move, staring out at the window beside him, but yet the car still doesn't move, instead Luchino turned the engines off again.
“Stop messing around will ya? Its already dark and we have to head back!” Frederick said facing him, the other seemed oddly quiet especially with the mask covering his face. He has been thinking to do something more stupid to Frederick this time.
The silence was loud and its starting to creep out the long haired man but he kept his act still
“*sigh* what is it Mr. Diruse?” he face palmed sliding his hand, brushing it to his hair up, waiting for Luchino to speak leaning back to his seat.
The man took his time taking off his mask and without any thinking he immediately leaned in to give a kiss to the other, gently pulling Fredericks chin.
Their lips pressing each other.
Frederick didn't have time to react and he just sat there, eyes widened in surprise at the sudden kiss. Luchino pulled away after giving a few kisses to him, his face starting to sweat from the mixed feelings he felt now but he doesn't care, at the same time he also knows he'll regret this.
“Is this more clear to you? No?” He answered Frederick’s question before.
“I like you Frederick..well its just a feeling of infatuation i know, but i've felt it for so long for you and i just wanted to tell you now, because i feel like it's the perfect time for me to tell you”
Luchino confessed to Frederick, not caring if he gets rejected or not. As a Professor, his logical mind sometimes does not believe that the feeling of love is real or the idea of it or even true love but he admits to it and still accepts it as a natural human feeling because it is real and humans feel that on their everyday life, not just to people but to anything they have a deep interest on, deep passion on and a deep longing for. Frederick also feels the same way.
“..No…”
Frederick replied
“Noo???” Is this a no for my confession or a no for another kiss?”
Luchino poked Frederick, making Frederick way more annoyed by his teasing.
“Oh my god, i hate you so much”
He face palmed looking down in dissapointment but with a covered smile then pulled Luchinos infected hand and kissed it.
He sighed “I like you too, i didnt expect this date plan would work for us”
“Wait what? Date?”
“What”
“What?”
“Yeah, i plan to hang out with you for a bit Luchino, just us two”
They stared at each other in awkward silence, they both still cant believe what just happened now, They liked each other and confessed to each other at the same time and same intentions.
It feels surreal and weird in a way. Do they really like eachother? Despite all the obvious hints they gave to eachother but refuse to notice? And just kept playing dumb all along because they still dont want to admit to their feelings for eachother.
“Wheres…my kiss?” Frederick questioned him, but slowly buries his face to his mask he's holding, his feelings are mixed up now, his heart is beating like crazy.
(“What is going on were gonna die here”) he thought, liking someone in a such situation feels so stupid.
“Frederick…”
Luchino called his name leaning close to Frederick as they both kissed in the dark, slowly wanting more and more falling deeper into it, holding onto each other as they spent the night intimately.