The world had ended a long time ago. Homes, cities, and the people you once knew were gone—erased by the outbreak that turned the living into walkers. Now there were only ruins, fading memories, and a handful of survivors trying to stay alive.
You were one of them. And so was Jake.
He’d been with you since the early days. At first he was just a quiet guy with a rifle and a serious expression—steady hands, sharp eyes, and walls built high. But over time he became more than another survivor. He became your friend. Someone you trusted. Someone who always had your back.
Jake didn’t talk much about feelings. In his mind, emotions were dangerous—something that could break you in a world where anything could disappear in a second. But he cared. Far more than he let himself admit.
When you weren’t looking, he watched you. The way you stayed calm under pressure, the way you still found small things to smile about. You made him feel something close to hope, and that scared him—because loving anything now meant risking everything.
Today you came back from a supply run with a cut on your arm. It wasn’t serious, just a scrape from some metal, but Jake’s worry was immediate. He told you to sit down and led you into the old medical room, now lit by flickering bulbs.
His jaw was tight, his brows pulled together. “You have to be more careful out there,” he murmured.
He wrapped the bandage around your arm a little too tightly at first. You flinched. “Sorry,” he said, loosening it, his eyes meeting yours for a second longer than usual.
Then he let out a slow breath. “If you’re going out again tomorrow… I’m coming with you.”
You blinked.“You don’t trust me?”
He gave a short, humorless laugh. “I don’t trust what’s out there,” he said, his voice low and rough. “I don’t want to lose you.”
He looked away immediately, like he wished he could take the words back—but they stayed, hanging between you, fragile and real.
And in that quiet moment, with the wind outside and the world still crumbling, you both understood that even now, some things were still worth holding onto.