His Doomsday Cage of Ten Years Regret Chapter 12

His Doomsday Cage of Ten Years Regret Chapter 12

A long time passed.

On the Nth time I headed out alone to eliminate zombies, Peyton had learned to control himself enough to just watch from the side.

But when I showed him the cores I’d collected, his hand-touching my cheek-was still damp with

cold sweat.

I swatted him away. “Are you wiping your sweaty palms on me like I’m a disposable rag?”

Peyton followed close behind me, asking the same question he asked every single day.

“Is this version of myself someone you can stand to care for today?”

“Not bad.”

“So do you like me a little more now?”

“Quit laying on that pitiful act. You were the one who insisted any little reaction I had toward you or notice I paid to Winnie proved I had feelings for you. You know exactly how I feel deep down, no need to make me spell it out.”

“I need to hear those words come straight from your mouth.”

“Agree to one condition, and I will.”

“What?”

“Let’s go to the northern safe zone. Let’s end this apocalypse.”

A heavy silence stretched on for a good while, before Peyton dragged himself into a reluctant nod.

“I’ll keep myself in check.”

I patted his hair.

“Today’s version of you is my favorite.”

Peyton took my hand.

“Dawn.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll figure out how to love you in the exact way you deserve and want.”

The sun was setting. Our two slanted shadows stretched across the ground, drifting nearer bit by bit

until they blended and leaned tightly against one another beneath the sunset.