Drabble Topic: Warmth

Rating: T, for language

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Slight romance

Pairing and Characters: Columbus/Tallahassee.

Disclaimer: All rights of Zombieland and co. all belong to their respected owners.

Warmth
"And life is colour and warmth and light and a striving evermore for these; and he is dead, who will not fight; and who dies fighting has increase." - Julian Grenfell

In the United States of Zombieland, there lacked warmth. It had neither the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when something happy happens, nor the warmth that a hot cup of cocoa gave you on a winter's night. These could possibly be missing due to the sadness and utter lifelessness that the world had now after the z-virus took over. That, and the fact that heaters were becoming a rare thing to come by.

After all, a car's battery lasts only for so long.

And the abovementioned lack of heat is currently quite the problem. It is November now; just over three months after the infection began, just less than one since Wichita and Little Rock were gone in the night. That had been a major upset for Columbus, the unwitting victim of Wichita's - no, Christa's - charms and beauty. She had made him feel the warmth. The one that lights your face in a blush, and hatches butterflies in your stomach to play about.

Now, with them gone, it was only him and Tallahassee. A ragtag pair if there ever was one. And for this last month, it has been them and awkward silences… and, not to be forgotten, zombies. There has been minimal chatter between the two, barely any teasing at all from Tallahassee who had shockingly picked up on his younger companion's depression.

Tonight was one of those nights where any semblance or kind of warmth was gone. Columbus was freezing, the threadbare hoodie on his back doing a lousy job at keeping him at a tolerable temperature. And even Tallahassee, who would deny it if asked, was beginning to become discomforted with the chill that had settled within the white Ford Expedition.

Pulling off to the side of the road and resting his forehead on the wheel, the once Florida-bound man breathed out a tired sigh. Columbus next to him stirred when the jarring feeling of the car stopping awoke him. Looking over at his traveling partner, his eyes widened. Never before had he seen the tough, hick of a man look so worn down before.

Tentatively, Ohio wondered if he should even dare and try to figure out what was wrong with Tallahassee. Pulling his bottom lip between his teeth as he does often - another nervous tick -, Columbus peered at the man next to him. He looked tired and he must have been thinking quite deeply as when Florida got up, he jumped.

Tallahassee got out of the SUV and opened the back door as he did every night; only this time he just did not seem quite right. Of course he went through the motions of pulling out their one shabby blanket for Columbus and leaning the two back rows out into a makeshift bed. And just like nearly ever night, Columbus got out to go lay in the back. Only today, that is not all he did.

Climbing into the back quickly, Columbus closed the door and watched as Tallahassee grabbed the last thing he needed (two old pillows) and made to leave. Without much thought beforehand, Ohio grabbed out to grab his wrist. There was a tense feel in the air as they sat there; Columbus with his scrawny hand wrapped around Tallahassee's wrist.

"Jus' what are ya think ya doin', spit-fuck?" The words were drawled and said with an air of uncertainty. All the kid knew was that it was the most Tallahassee had said to him in weeks.

Breathing out a puff of visible air, Columbus murmured back shakily. "I-I-I think you should j-just stay back here with me… you know, for tonight." Needing an immediate source of comfort, he began to chew on his jacket's drawstring.

With an incredulous look and a reluctant shrug, Tallahassee climbed right back in as he shut the car door behind them. It was nights like this, stuck high up in the mountains and far away from any potential zombie threat (they had begun to die off in the rural areas after no luck of food), that gave the two hope that things might just be peaceful again.

Awkwardly, Tallahassee and Columbus laid down side by side. Each had a head on a pillow as they stared at the roof of the car, blanket draped over the two of them. And though the atmosphere was less than relaxing, the tension began to melt from them as sleep crept upon them. With the oncoming tranquility, there was a relaxing of inhibitions.

Columbus, being the clingy and love craving boy he is, was the first to initiate any contact. It started of simple, him turning onto his side and crawling closer towards the Floridian until his chest touched the other's side. Getting an arm wrapped around his tiny, shacking shoulders, however, was a pleasant yet unexpected surprise.

Things just escalated from there as they became desperate from any touch they could easily get in their sleepy haze. Tallahassee found his arms both wound around the small survivor as his curly haired head rested in the crook of his neck, the Floridian had his face pressed into the abundant amount of curls. Inhaling deeply, he felt a heat trickle down his veins. Starting from his face, down to the very tips of his toes. It was like a fire erupted within him.

It was the exact same for Columbus. This feeling was something he had only experienced once before, during a time when he believed a doe-eyed girl too untrusting could actually trust him and not regret a simple dance. But now, with the lava liquid in his veins reaching a crescendo, it busted and left him with an all-over, complete and utter feeling…

Of warmth.

A/N: Hello ya'll! :)
I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did typing it. Now I know it is not all that terrific, but it was my first time doing a drabble so I hope it came out okay.
I wanted to let you guys know that every first request for a drabble I will do (if it is within reason).
So drop a line (aka a review, teehee) and let me know what you want to see in further chapters or just what you think I can improve on.
- Cassus