"What? Are you out of your mind?" Alex exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I don't know what you're talking about until you tell the truth," Danny pressed, his tone unwavering.

Alex let out a strained laugh, but it sounded more like a crack in his armor than amusement. "The thing is, I want to get you out of this so nothing bad happens to you."

"You're doing it again," Danny said, his voice softening with concern. "You're always trying to protect others, but who's going to protect you?"

"I'd rather die alone than lose any of you," Alex said, his voice trembling as he looked at Danny, on the verge of tears. His entire façade, the pretense that everything would be okay, was shattering. The haunting thought of facing death and the memories of loved ones lost weighed heavily on him.

Danny, seeing Alex like this—vulnerable and breaking—felt a surge of worry. He had never seen his friend this way before. All this time, Alex had kept his fears locked away behind a cold, indifferent mask. Danny didn't know what to say, but he knew he had to do something. Without a word, he reached out, pulling Alex into a hug.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was necessary. It was the kind of silence where words weren't needed, where the closeness of another person and the sound of their heartbeat provided all the comfort in the world. Their hearts beat in sync, the warmth between them filling the space, easing the chill of everything around them.

"You know you're not alone in this," Danny finally whispered, breaking the quiet. "I won't let you think that. We're going to get through this. All four of us."

Alex pulled back slightly, wiping his eyes. "Thanks, Dan. I just... I just want you to be okay."

Alex made a motion to step back, but Danny didn't let go just yet. "Just a little longer," Danny added with a small grin. "You're warm. I'm freezing."

They both chuckled softly, the tension melting away as they remained in the embrace for a few more moments.

A few minutes later, their hug came to a natural end. There was no awkwardness between them—only a silent understanding. It was time to go back to the others. They walked down the stairs toward the hall, hearing Owen's loud voice coming from one of the rooms. They followed the sound into a small kitchen and dining area. Inside, there was a table with six chairs, kitchen cabinets attached to the walls, a working refrigerator (which was a luxury compared to what they had in Kursou), and a real stove and oven. After surviving on canned food, this felt like a military feast.

"I'm telling you, ma'am, I've had a lot of older ladies want to take me out," Owen was bragging to Mayana, clearly enjoying. Vanessa was waiting for the perfect moment to ruin his show.

"Yeah, and when they take him out, he gets to look at the children's menu in the restaurant," Vanessa quipped, stirring her soup with a spoon. Mayana burst into laughter at Vanessa's quick wit, just as Alex and Danny entered the room.

"I was wondering where you two were. Everything okay?" Mayana asked as she poured soup into their bowls.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Alex answered, taking a seat next to Vanessa. Danny sat across from him next to Owen, who was still basking in the attention. Vanessa, however, wasn't buying Alex's response. She subtly kicked him under the table to get his attention. When Alex glanced her way, she raised her eyebrows, tilted her head, and mouthed "really?" with an exaggerated expression. Alex gave her a thumbs-up under the table before turning back to his soup.

The group was served hot soup as an appetizer, followed by baked bacon, boiled beans, and potatoes. To them, this was a feast, considering what their food supply would likely look like tomorrow. Just as they were settling in, Philip and William entered the room. Philip was carrying a bag filled with bottles of barley beer.

"Well, since you're all actually 25 years old, I thought this would make a fine dessert," Philip said with a grin, eyeing Owen. "You, with the blue eyes—you look like someone who enjoys alcohol."

"Yeah, uh... no thanks. We were drinking yesterday," Owen quickly rejected the offer, trying his best to avoid trouble.

"Come on, don't be a faggot. Just one beer—" Philip started, but Owen's patience snapped.

Before things could escalate, Danny spoke up, his voice sharp and clear. "I don't know if you're deaf or just stupid, he said no. Back off."

Philip, taken aback by Danny's bluntness, stared at him in surprise. "Oh, I see. You feel called of by my offense right, huh?" He started to move closer, but before he could do anything, William stepped in.

"You're really acting dumb, leave the kids, they've got a lot ahead of them. And screw that rotten beer." William said, blocking Philip's path.

Philip's attitude shifted instantly. "Just kidding, just kidding. I was being generous, but I guess there's no room for fun here," he said with a forced smile, picking up his beer bottles and leaving the room.

"I swear, I almost smashed that bottle over his head," Mayana muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she adjusted her hair.

"You get used to it when dealing with a drunken fool," William said with a sigh, turning toward the group. "Sorry about that. He gets drunk every day and acts like an idiot. But I've got good news for you."

Everyone perked up at the mention of good news.

"I managed to contact military headquarters near the F4 border. They can transport you to their shelter, and another military unit will pick you up from there," William explained.

"So, we have transport and protection all the way to Mosin? And they're okay with us carrying out our plan?" Alex asked, his natural skepticism creeping in. He rarely trusted offers of help easily.

"Yes, they've received their orders. As long as you're risking your lives, the army is only your transportation. They have no other orders from the government, so they'll just get you there," William clarified.

"Like a hearse for us, huh? Very nice," Owen remarked dryly.

"Call it whatever you want. I've made a map to guide you to the pickup point. You'll meet them near the river after you cross the bridge. Just be careful—it's best to avoid the water. I've heard there's bacteria in it that eats through your skin. Fun stuff," William added, handing Vanessa the map.

"So, we cross the river, maybe push Owen in for good measure, hitch a ride with the army, head to the lab, and then die. Easy," Vanessa said sarcastically as she passed the map to Alex.

"Such optimism," William chuckled. "But yes, that's the gist of it. That's all for now. I've got to check on the power grid. See you in the morning."

As William left, Mayana followed him, leaving the group to their thoughts. Owen and Danny stayed at the table, while Alex and Vanessa went up to the roof for a smoke. With nothing better to do, they played a game of Uno.

"These cards must be ancient. They've survived water, school, and now the apocalypse," Danny commented as he threw down a pair of 8s.

"That's called quality," Owen replied, playing a card in return. "They outlasted everything."

"You're making me want to be rude," Danny said with a grin, placing two +4 cards in front of Owen.

"For real... Hey, Dan, can I ask you something?" Owen said, glancing up from his cards.

"I'm used to your strange questions by now. Go ahead." Danny replied.

"Do you ever get offended when someone calls you gay?" Danny paused, not throwing his next card as he looked at Owen. "Why are you asking?" he asked softly .

"I mean, because of what happened earlier with Philip," Owen clarified.

"Today wasn't about me; it was about you. And no, comments like that don't affect me. I don't need to be called a fag to know who I love," Danny said, his voice calm.

"So, you admit you still love Alex?" Owen asked, slipping back into his usual teasing mode.

Danny responded with a red block card and put down his last card. "The only thing I admit is that I just won this game, and you lost."

"Harding, you're really ... Okay, I'll have to find a better insult than 'fag,' because clearly, it's not working," They both laughed, their tension easing.

"You know, thanks for stepping in earlier. I almost lost  my patience," Owen admitted.

"I know. That's why I took control. I couldn't believe that it was possible for you to be the right person for such an offer." Danny said with a grin.

"After we met the iconic twink and princess duo, you still don't believe in the impossible? Its still funny, to think about such a thing. A 25-year-old who doesn't drink, must be a  responsible man," Owen joked. "But they don't know I have stopped drinking long before most people even started." He exhaled softly, but despite the topic, he kept a smile on his face.