Lu Zhao leaned against the door, panting heavily for a long while until his wildly beating heart gradually calmed. He took the two cans and two bottles of water from his backpack and placed them on the bedside table, as if displaying spoils of war, or perhaps confirming the value of his daring venture.
The room still carried the faint scent of illness and fever from Gu Xun's body, mingled with the smell of dust. Lu Zhao unscrewed a bottle of water, carefully taking a couple of sips himself to soothe his parched throat before sitting back down on the bedside, ready to resume his clumsy attempts at care.
Just as he dipped the damp cloth and reached to wipe Gu Xun's forehead, the eyelashes of the figure in bed fluttered a few times before slowly opening.
The gaze was initially unfocused, clouded by the haze of high fever, but it sharpened instantly upon catching the faint light filtering through the curtain's slits. His gaze swept over the damp cloth in Lu Zhao's hand, over the lingering alarm and exhaustion on his face, and finally settled on the two solitary bottles of water and a can of food on the bedside table.
"...You went out?" Gu Xun's voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper, yet the surprise and hint of disapproval within it were unmistakable.
Lu Zhao paused, withdrawing his hand awkwardly. "Yeah. Went... went out to get something." Avoiding Gu Xun's scrutinizing gaze, he picked up the opened bottle of water. "Drink this first."
Gu Xun didn't refuse. With Lu Zhao's assistance, he took several small sips. The water slid down his parched throat, drawing a sigh of relief. He leaned back against the pillows. Though still weak, a glimmer of vitality seemed to return to his eyes.
"What's the situation outside?" he asked, his voice still faint.
Lu Zhao paused briefly before briefly recounting their encounter with other survivors at the convenience store and the bizarre mutant creature, omitting the details of how he'd scrambled over shelves to escape. He simply said he'd slipped out amid the chaos.
Gu Xun listened quietly, his brow slightly furrowed. Only after Lu Zhao finished did he softly utter, "That was too risky."
There was no accusation in his words, more of a statement, yet it left Lu Zhao inexplicably choked up. Who was he risking himself for?
"What else could I do? Wait for you to die of thirst?" The words rose to his lips but were swallowed back. He only lowered his head sullenly, unscrewed a fruit can, scooped out a piece of peach soaked in syrup with a plastic spoon he'd found, and held it to Gu Xun's mouth. "Eat something."
Gu Xun glanced at him, then at the peach slice, and silently opened her mouth.
For a moment, the room was filled only with the faint sounds of chewing and swallowing. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a bright beam between them, dust dancing within the column of light.
"Thank you," Gu Xun murmured softly after a few bites.
Lu Zhao paused in his movements, offering no reply but continuing to feed him, though the heat creeping to his ears felt slightly beyond his control. This close, almost feeding-like contact still made him feel a bit awkward, but somehow... it wasn't as unbearable as before. Perhaps it was because Gu Xun's vulnerability felt so raw and real right now, diluting other emotions.
After finishing half the can, Gu Xun shook his head, signaling he'd had enough. His face remained pale, but his eyes regained their usual calm as he began to analyze their situation dispassionately: "We can't stay here long. If those people aren't dead, they might search the vicinity. The appearance of mutants also indicates this area isn't safe."
"But you..." Lu Zhao looked at him.
"I'm much better now," Gu Xun interrupted, attempting to sit up straight. The movement tugged at something, eliciting a muffled groan as fine beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. His light-element ability seemed to have little effect on repairing the damage caused by his own overexertion.
Lu Zhao instinctively reached out to steady his shoulders. Beneath his palm, the bones were sharp and thin, a testament to his recent illness. This time, the slight awkwardness was almost negligible, replaced entirely by genuine concern. "Don't push yourself."
Gu Xun leaned against Lu Zhao's arm to catch his breath before speaking slowly, "It's not about being stubborn. We have to go. While it's still daylight, we need to find a safer place. At the very least... we need to find a stable water source."
His gaze fell on the remaining half-bottle of water and the canned food, the implication clear: these supplies wouldn't last two days.
Lu Zhao watched Gu Xun's weakened yet resolute expression and knew he was right. He nodded. "Alright. Rest a little longer. We'll... leave this afternoon?"
"Mm." Gu Xun closed his eyes, seemingly gathering strength.
Lu Zhao watched him fall back asleep and gently withdrew his hand. He walked to the window, peeled back the curtain once more, and scanned the street warily. Sunlight fell on his face, bringing a hint of warmth.
Gu Xun awoke. This lifted some weight from Lu Zhao's shoulders, though the hardships ahead remained undiminished. They were still severely short on supplies, surrounded by formidable enemies—zombies, mutants, and Jiang Jin's forces alike—and Gu Xun was far from recovered.
He glanced back at the figure sleeping peacefully on the bed. Some invisible bond seemed to have quietly strengthened during this brief period of mutual reliance. Though the future remained uncertain, at least for now, they were no longer alone.