"Happy birthday," said Benny, and handed Sam a small parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.

Sam grinned. "Hey, thanks dude!"

They sat in the shade of Sam's porch with hot glasses of hot chocolate and the crumbling debris of Lalon's corn-and-walnut muffins. Overhead the winter sun was a fireball, there was no breeze of cold wind.

"How's it feel to be eighteen?" Asked Benny, who would pass the same milestone in ten days.

"Same as being seventeen, eleven months, and thirty days."

"What I figured," Benny said. "You think about the job you want?"

He sighed. The towns regulations were inflexible. All the teens had jobs that didn't require all their rations, only cut by half. Tom and Vix, the new founders of commanders and leaders. Mayor Gregory was fired from his duties as mayor while Captain Kirsh and Fran Phoenix became the new mayors, to help on the sustainability on Fairview. After the war of the KillGames, few rules has changed and became better, especially that Vix, one of the Mal's friends and a Saviors and a RK, is here. Sam could never get Vix off his head; her thick raven locks blowing against the wind, her face is like a carving from an angel, and when she smiles with those apple cheeks, it skips his heart in a beat. Sam hopes sometime, someday, (if he has enough courage), to succeed on speaking out his feelings for her. To confess his love.

Lately, he would never get to that point.

"I'm probably going to get a job at defense," said Sam. "Work outside. Help the trade wagons from the communities."

"Strange how things changed. Now our jobs can be more adventurous."

"Adventurous?" Asked Sam. "I thought it was dangerous and scary out there."

"Maybe," Benny said uncertainly. "But it's not bad. Particularly when you're not alone."

It was true. Benny was a nervous wreck when he first stepped outside the Ruins when finding the new KillGames. Once the rhinos attacked them, it was straight to flight and everyone anguish Benny for his recklessness and stupidity. Yet, as Lalon found Benny, he became sensable. He's been through so much upon being kidnapped, beaten, and thrown into a pit of Infected with no weapons. Benny changed after the attack; he became a survivor, been physically trained by Lalon and were unstoppable friends. And anytime he goes out, he's with Lalon, in case something happens.

They sipped their hot chocolate.

"Open it," prompted Benny, changing the subject.

Sam grinned and tackled the knots. Just to be devious, Benny had tied a series of bizarre sailor's knots in the twine. Stuff they'd learned in the Scouts. It took Sam five minutes to solve them, and he stiffed the twine down the back of Benny's shirt. Then he unwrapped the parcel paper to reveal sic packs of brand-new Infected Cards- who now were drawn by Vix since after the murmured of the last erosion artist, Andiron Sachet.

"Dude!" Cried Sam, grinning hard enough to sprain his face.

"I get your doubles," warned Benny.

"Yeah, yeah... dude! This is soooo cool."

Sam tore open the first pack and immediately struck gold. The very first card was of a man named Jackson Skull with a scarred and ugly face, short dark hair, and small skeleton skills sticking out of every pocket. He turned over the next card, which was a double he already had

"Niiiiice!" Said Benny and picked out a card in blue. "Read this one."

The Bounty Hunter #290: "Vix." Vix is part of the Savior and the beauty of the RK's. With her beauty and kindness, you better watch it. She is sweet, but is a successful and brave woman to never mess around with. Her intelligence and pretty face is astonishing yet careful to hang around with.

Benny smirked, and he realized Sam was staring in awed at the card.

"You look a bit more longer, you're gonna kiss the drawing Vix than the real one."

Benny mimed kissy faces at him.

"You're expected to be murdered," Sam threatened. "Painfully and soon."

"Alright," said Benny. "But you should ask her out."

Sam blinked. "What?!"

"Sam, better do it before someone else does it. She's an idol in Fairview."

"You very funny," said Sam. He looked down at his card. "You try asking her. It's hard. I mean, she is so beautiful, smart, brave, kind, she's too much for me. How can she like a kid like me?"

"God, you're a horrible mess."

"Oh, screw you man."

"Look, she is a girl that doesn't turn down anything. Once she has free time, just go up to her and tell her the truth. Be her knight and shining armor."

There were footsteps crossing the soft snow. Sam shot to his feet and was smiling at the figure coming this way.

"Hey, uh, sweetie..."

Lalon stood in front of Sam with Max, Killeen, Rin, Johan, including Lugh and Alec.

"Um," said Lalon, "hello to you, too, sugar lumps. Never thought guys would be interested in my good looks."

The kids were grinning like ghouls, couldn't contain their burst of laughter.

"You guys came?" Benny asked.

Lugh nodded. "Came to help the Bounty Hunters on the roads, and the kids wanted to come along with us. We'll be here in a week."

"We had to ask permission from Mal and Negan to go out," said Rin. "They lend us radios, just in case. And I guess brought Lugh and Alec with us."

"It's a bit annoying," Killeen said.

"But they aren't wrong, Killeen," smiled Johan. "We are trained, but we have to be smart. Don't want out luck run out."

Sam put the cards back in his pocket. "Mal isn't wrong, though."

Lalon leaned against the house, adjusting his beanie on his head. "Well, since you guys are here, how about a road trip. Go out for a walk. Check on any herds near by, and to practice more. The kids need to stay sharp. Who knows what we will have to face in?"

"You've been working hard," said Benny.

"Have to. Everything we do, it's not a vacation or a ride." Max said.

"Can me and Benny join as well?" Sam asked. "Need some practice as well."

"Sure," Lalon agreed. "Better get going or else you guys are getting you butts ninja kicked."

Benny immediately run for it, already knowing the fierce beating that Lalon did on him.

-:-:-:-:-

Lugh and Alec find their way to the house. Tom provided to stay for the week. It was a nice thing for Lugh to relax a bit with his boyfriend, Alec. He didn't have to worry about the things they have done. Things that he didn't want anyone to disturb them. Of course, Negan- of all people- would come in and ruin their heated moment, joking a storm about them as Alec viciously barks at him. He never felt so embarrassed in his life, so he eventually tries to hold back the downright dirty Alec from getting to handsy.

As Negan ordered only a selected group of Saviors to help Fairview, it was a chance of peace and quiet. It's only just past twelve, which means that they work in tomorrow at noon. In their original plans for the evening, they were going to take a walk around the area just a few minutes, maybe grab a bench and talk while they watched the sky turn grey overhead. Right now, Alec's hand is dangerously high up on Lugh's thigh as he walks over up the porch and Lugh forgets their plans.

"'Lone at last," Alec smirked.

He pushed Lugh against the wall, putting both hands in Lugh's hair as Lugh touched his hips and he kissed him.

Lugh groaned softly against his mouth, tilting his head to deepen the kiss when Alec nipped at his lower lip. Like this, Lugh could feel his cock twitch and start to harden, his hands tightening more insistently on Alec's sides as Alec kissed him. He hummed, rocking in Lugh so that Alec could feel how eager he was, how desperately he wanted Alec to keep going, to keep touching him.

Alec pulled away, breathless, and kissed down Lugh's jaw and his exposed neck. "Wanna bite you," he said, his voice even rougher with disuse after sleeping, and Lugh gasped, a lightning-strike of heat running down his spine.

Lugh leaned back enough that Alec could read his lips. "You can."

Alec shook his head, letting out a frustrated little growl. "Not where I want."

Lugh smirked, letting go of Alec's waist with one hand and stroking it across his own neck. Alec's eyes darted down, dark and wide and wanting. He licked his lips and Lugh hummed, leaning in for another kiss.

"I'd let you," Lugh murmured, not sure if Alec could understand him since he spoke between kisses - or maybe Alec knew what he was going to say anyway, because he shivered and pulled on Lugh's back until Lugh was pressed tight to his chest. "I'd let you do whatever you wanted."

Alec growled, pushing him back so that he could see Lugh's face. "I want to fuck you again. No Negan coming to burst in on us, just us two alone. All day."

Lugh raised an eyebrow in challenge. "What's stopping you?"

Alec's eyes flashed, and then he grabbed Lugh so suddenly that Lugh let out a breathless gasp, laughing against Alec's bruising kiss as Alec covered him and spread and Lugh moaned when he felt Alec's hard-on through his tight jeans against his, hot and smooth.

Alec pulled back. "How do you feel about shower sex?"

Lugh huffed a laugh, grinning and kissing Alec like he couldn't make himself stop. "Haven't tried it in a while, but I'm game."

Alec grinned. "Good," he said, and took a hold of his hands, both of them getting inside the house. Alec slammed the door once they were inside before pulling him close, pressing their bodies tightly together and kissing his cheek, his jaw, his neck, blindly heading up to the bathroom.

-:-:-:-:-

By late afternoon the sun was completely covered by a sheet of thick grey clouds. The kids ventured to the south port of the ranch field, walking down to a little creek in the forest, as the rest are at the south-west side of the field, about a quarter miles away from the kids. It gave them confidence and independence to be on their own, fending for themselves. They enjoy the peace and quiet, once a while hear a moan from Infected, squirrels chatting a storm, or hide from the Runners gasps.

Killeen run with a metal bat on his hand, running towards a gauntly thin Infected with a shaggy beard and swung the bat. The Infected crashed near a tree before Killeen used his left hand with a spear and struck it's soft head.

Max drowned against the trunk of one of the pines, hearing a sound that was like a waterfall, but somewhat a roar. The sound started small and far away. The roaring sound grew steadily louder, and Max thought that maybe he was making some distance, that he was nearing the waterfall, but when he looked around, all he saw was the forest. Something brushed him, and he turned to see that Johan was running next to him. She was screaming and Killeen tugged his sleeve, and Rin screamed as well. The roar of the waterfall kept getting louder and louder. And it was deeper in time now, more of a loud drone than the splash of water.

"Max!" Johan called his name, but it didn't match the shape her mouth made.

The roar was huge.

"MAX!"

The roar became deep and loud, and getting louder.

"Max!" Killeen yelled.

"What... What is it?"

"You have to come and look!"

Killeen grabbed his hands and fairly hauled him to his feet and then pulled him toward the trail that led into the woods. They were running, and Killeen's grip was so tight and insistent that Max ran too.

"What is it? What's that sound?"

"You have to come see!"

They raced along the path to a clearing, and there, Rin stopped and pointed. She need not have bothered, because Max finally sees it. His eyes bugged wide, and his mouth fell open as he stared up at the roaring thing.

It was silver and white, with vast that lifted it high above the mountains. Max raised his hand, as if he could touch it. The thing appeared to move slowly, but that was an illusion. It was just so far away. Higher than the tallest of the surrounding mountains, skimming just below the ceiling of grey storm clouds. In another hour there wouldn't have been enough light to see it. If the storm had started, it would have been both invisible and unheard.

But they stood there, holding hands, staring up as it roared above them, soaring with alien majesty from one horizon to the other. Coming from the west, heading east; far, far above the Ruins.

"I don't understand," he said.

Killeen just shook his head.

"Where did it come from?"

"From the east."

"No, it's heading east," he said, but Rin shook her head.

"It came from the east and turned around. I saw it, then the rest of us and ran to get you."

They watched it go, diminishing in size from a giant to a gnat and then to nothing, taking its roar with it. When it was gone, there was at least five minutes of silence before the squirrels began to chatter again. They stood in the clearing for ten minutes more, hoping it would come back. Willing it to come back.

Max said, "did we just see that? I mean, tell me we actually saw that?"

Johan's eyes were filled with magic, and her smile was bright enough to hold back the clouds. "It's real. We saw it."

"But how? It doesn't make sense."

They stared off to the easy. The thing they had just seen belonged to another age, to the days before Black Night. They knew about them from the stories, but neither had ever seen one. Never expected to. They kept looking into the distance.

But the slow, lumbering jumbo jet did not return.