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Outbreak	By : Need2ScreamNow Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Avenged Sevenfold Views: 1987 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't know the boys in A7x, I'm not making any money and this is all fiction.

Chapter List
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Phoenix, AZ
            The last three days Zack hadn’t left Johnny’s side. The puppy’s fever was gone and he was fully coherent, which meant he was terrified. Thankfully, he was responding well to the treatment and they would be leaving The Doctor the next day. Zack was also wary of the people running in and out of the house. Each time he had gone up for food there had been a different wolf speaking with Tau. He had a feeling they were alphas from the surrounding five states or more all trying to get information on the spreading sickness. Zack would be much happier when his pack was safe together in their territory.
A couple times Tau had come down to the sick bay with hard eyes and his lips pursed to an angry thin line holding injured wolves. Zack had busied himself fussing with Johnny whenever he came down like that, the wild cat smell stronger with anger. He was beginning to suspect the cat scent was actually lion and not puma. None of the injured wolves were more than two centuries old and the angry alphas that paced the room always radiated the same bullying authority. Tau stitched the young wolves up in silence or with curt answers and instructions on wound care. Once the alphas dragged their pups upstairs The Doctor’s shoulders slumped and the bitter scent of pain drifted through the air.
Tau came downstairs without any wolves following and Zack greeted him with a tired smile, Tau’s answering smile was distracted but his face and body were open and relaxed.
“The treatment is about done, tomorrow afternoon you two will be able to go.” The Doctor said checking an IV bag. Johnny’s tail swept across the table with quick, happy strokes and Zack rubbed his muzzle smiling.
“You’ll have to keep strenuous exercise to a minimum; no hard running or hunting for another week at least. His body still needs to recover and once you regain human form you might feel a little nausea and stiffness, just a side effect of being in your wolf form so long and being ill on top of it. Plenty of bed rest and fluids, just like a fully human patient.” Tau said rubbing behind Johnny’s ears. Johnny woofed and licked Zack’s hand, his tail still moving like a propeller.
*~*~*
            As soon as the IV was out the next morning Johnny shifted to human. Zack held his arm and watched his shaking knees with increasing concern. Johnny gripped the table with white knuckles as his center of balance shifted to and fro. Tau had a hand out in case the young wolf toppled over but didn’t seem very concerned with his lack of coordination. “It’s all normal, wolves that spend a week in their human forms are just as unsteady of four feet.” He said. Zack nodded but kept a watchful eye on his puppy while he fumbled his clothes on. Once Johnny was dressed they made their way to the stairs, Zack kept his hands on Johnny’s hips and they made it to the top without incident.
            Standing in the pantry Johnny squeezed behind Zack when an unfamiliar wolf scent blew under the door. Tau strode out without fear and greeted the wolf in what sounded like very old Spanish. Zack nodded his head politely at the strange wolf and gave Tau a grateful smile before leading Johnny to the front door.
*~*~*
            Zack couldn’t resist sprawling out on the crisp green front lawn after they pulled into the driveway. Johnny stretched out next to him on his back with a content growl as mild evening California sun warmed his too pale skin. Wind brought a bouquet of flower and tree scents familiar to their territory and Matt’s earthy stone scent. Rolling onto his stomach Zack pushed up and darted to the front door, tackling his mate as soon as the door was open. Matt fell back with a loud thump and startled yelp and then his arms locked around Zack and he squeezed his mate close. Zack pressed his nose against Matt’s neck and rubbed their cheeks together, scent marking his mate. Johnny stayed laying in the front yard but offered a half-hearted wave in greeting before yawning and rolling onto his side.
            “Come on Johnny.” Matt said, “You can sleep inside. You’re too pale to lie in the sun.” he chuckled when the puppy flipped him off but Johnny rolled to his feet anyway and staggered to the front door. Matt caught him and scooped him up, Johnny made a surprised sound but snuggled against him and closed his eyes again.
            “Tau said he needed to walk on his own in his human form for a few days.” Zack said following his mate upstairs to the guest room. Johnny’s sleepy face looked over Matt’s shoulder and he swatted at his playmate.
            “Tau always gives strict instructions because he knows we cheat.” Matt said while he set Johnny on the bed. Johnny sighed and curled up under the covers, his dark hair the only thing showing. Zack ran his fingers through his short hair once before he followed Matt out of the room. Matt was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, dark circles smudged under his eyes and worry lines carved deep in his forehead. Zack leaned up and pressed their lips together, Matt opened his mouth and Zack pulled his head closer. Matt’s hands slid down his sides to his ass and hoisted him up against his hips. Zack ran his lips across his jaw bone and down his neck nipping and licking until a shuddering moan escaped his lover. Setting Zack’s feet on the floor again Matt got him into their bedroom without separating their lips.
*~*~*
“I missed you, so much.” Zack murmured running a finger down Matt’s sternum. Matt’s eyes closed and his arm tightened around his waist, “I missed you, too.” For a second his scent changed but it was covered again with exhaustion too quickly for Zack to identify what it was.
“What did you do with Jimmy?” Zack asked after a moment. Now he knew the scent, lingering anxiety was like sour sweat on his mate’s skin. He rubbed his cheek over his chest trying to cover the noxious smell. Matt ran his fingers down the back of his neck, “Jimmy is in Brian’s basement.” He said, the words were heavy and unhopeful. Zack closed his eyes and looked out the window at the fading sun. “He’s not going to get better, is he?” Zack whispered. Matt’s hand splayed against his back, “I don’t know, he could.”
“You don’t believe that.”
Matt sighed, “I’ve never seen it happen before, but that doesn’t mean it can’t.” he was trying to force optimism into his words and Zack shook his head, irritated. “You can’t convince me if you haven’t convinced yourself, Matthias.” Matt pushed himself up on his elbows, “I’m trying to, but I’ve never seen a wolf return from a full onset of the sickness.”
“So you and Brian risked your lives for nothing.” Zack said flatly. Matt looked down at him, “No, I’m saying I haven’t seen it before, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There were rumors during the 1267 outbreak of wolves that came back, but the ones spreading those rumors were quacks peddling their “cures”.” Zack raised an eyebrow, “You keep saying it’s possible, but every example you give says it’s not.”
“If you tried to tell me a hundred years ago what a laptop was or even a cassette player I would have told you it was impossible. Probably have sent you to Tau for a head check, too.” Matt countered. Zack thought that over for a moment and shook his head, “That’s technology, this is biology.” Burnt orange sun filtered through the windows and Matt let his head fall back. “We’ll go see him and you can make your decision from there.” Matt said. Zack sat up, “do I want to see him?” he asked softly. Matt rolled out of bed and shrugged, “it’s been three days, he could be better.”
“You haven’t checked on him in three days?” Zack said staring at him, “you haven’t talked to Brian?”
Matt didn’t answer while he pulled his shirt on. “Brian is a very old wolf, he can take care of himself.” The words were sharper than Zack was expecting and he narrowed his eyes at his mate while Matt finished dressing. “What are you two fighting over now?” he asked crossing his arms. Matt stopped tying his shoe and stared at his mate, “what makes you think we’re fighting?” he asked, his tone neutral and nothing showed in his face. Zack bared his teeth at him, “don’t patronize me, Matthias. You don’t go three days without talking to Brian when things are fine, now he has a rabid wolf in his basement and you haven’t spoken with him? You’re either lying to me or fighting. And it had better be the fighting.” He snapped. Matt stood up with an unreadable expression on his face, “well we’re going to see him now so you can ask.” He said. Zack growled and got out of bed, “I’ll meet you downstairs.” He said. Matt left the room without a word.
Zack splashed water on his face before he left the room and tried to soothe his temper. He walked down the guest room and looked in, Johnny hadn’t moved. Zack padded in and kissed the top of his head, “We’ll be back in a little while, puppy.” He murmured. Johnny made a soft sound in his sleep and Zack backed out of the room again. Even if Johnny was deep enough in sleep he didn’t hear, his wolf would be awake enough to relay the message if he woke while they were gone.
Matt was waiting by the front door with keys in hand when Zack came down; he opened the door for Zack and followed him out. In the car, the silence was only interrupted by the wind as it blew through the windows. Zack leaned his head back and rubbed his forehead, a week away from his mate and the first day he’s home they argue. If he could bang his head against a wall until his ears bled he might feel better.
He almost forgot Matt was in the car until a warm hand brushed his thigh. The older wolf didn’t say anything but Zack felt better. The car slowed and there was a bump as they pulled into Brian’s driveway. Zack opened his eyes when the windows went up, in the now confined space the acidic odor of his stress filled the car. He cracked his window again and got out with Matt following a little slower.
Zack stopped Matt from knocking and smelled the air again. It was faint, but the acrid smoky scent of anger and vomit bitter pain mingled on the wide front porch. He looked for any windows he could reach but there was none on the porch and the first floor windows were too high for him to see without Matt giving him a boost. Matt watched him, his agitation mixing with the unpleasant odors on the porch. “Be careful when you go in.” Zack whispered. Matt nodded before turning the knob and stepping in.
The glossy wood floor was scratched and gouged, plaster chunks lay like oversized snowflakes all over the front room, and plaster powder dusted the floor white. Zack froze in the doorway staring at the wreckage. Wind whistled through the broken back door, slivers of plexiglass were shadowed on the floor with a piece of flagstone lying in their midst. The white walls covered in dark smudges and full of holes, light fixtures hung limply by their wiring. A furious howl rose from the basement, trembling the floorboards and Zack backed out of the door. Matt turned around and followed his mate out to the porch, “he’s chained up Zack, he can’t get out.” He murmured. Zack hugged himself and swallowed, “no, it’s just like, it’s just like the Phoenix pack. The place was trashed, ripped up. He had his wolf in a bedroom, ours is in a basement.” He stuttered. Matt’s warm arms wrapped around his torso, “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He promised. Zack pressed his cheek against his neck and nodded once. He wasn’t alone this time, Matt would be able to handle Brian.
They walked inside again and Zack noticed there was a shape to the smudges but most of them had holes in the middle of the design or were clawed so badly there wasn’t anything left. They circled the downstairs finding more destruction, the marble island top was cracked and chipped. Stainless steel refrigerator gouged with claw marks, cabinet doors ripped off, the oven door gone, shards of glass surrounded a pool of strong smelling whiskey. Zack turned a slow circle, “where is everything?” he whispered. Upstairs there was a hard impact and then the sound of more plaster hitting and sliding across the floor. They both looked up.
“Where is what?” Matt asked not taking his eyes off the ceiling. Zack waved at the empty space, “there’s no furniture, no pictures, it hasn’t even been painted. Where is everything? It looks just like it did the day he bought it.”
“It’s got more holes now.”
“Matthias, I’m serious.” Zack snapped. Matt looked at him and at the empty, destroyed rooms. “I don’t know, Zachary. I don’t know.” More plaster hit the floor and Matt started toward the stairs.
Upstairs had fared better, the walls were still smudged and clawed, but now there were fewer holes and Zack began to make out the shapes under the scratches. “They’re heads.” He said. Matt stopped and looked back at him a second before returning his attention to the ripping sound coming from the bedroom six feet away. “What?” He put himself more in front of Zack when something hit the door. Zack flinched away from the sound and focused on the walls again, “The things on the walls, they’re heads.” He traced his finger over the smudged lines, “this could be a man.” He whispered. Matt growled when an angry yell filled the quiet hallway. Jimmy howled again to match the sound. Matt started toward the door again without comment and Zack followed two paces behind.
Matt opened the door slowly and after a second stepped in pushing the door all the way against the wall. Zack moved to the opposite wall so if Brian attacked he wouldn’t be able to get both of them with one bite. All over the walls were heads, all of them faceless. Zack stared at the faceless portraits, they all looked related. A face with a wide jaw and sharp cheek bones reminded him of Brian, a more feminine portrait with an oval shape was the dominant figure. Each one a little different but the same; her hair was long, short, in a bun, down on slender shoulders, the neckline of her dress changed but the shape never wavered. Brian didn’t pay his guests any attention and with only a few quick strokes of charcoal had another woman’s head. He stared at the shape panting, his dark stained hands trembling. At his feet another fifth of whiskey was almost gone.
“Brian.” Matt whispered. Zack stared at the walls, the bitter odor of pain old and new, smoky anger, and decaying regret had been steeped in this room. Brian’s hibiscus scent was gone, swallowed by the whirlpool of other malodorous odor. Brian raised his hand as if he were going to finish the drawing and instead slammed his fist through the wall, crumbling the plaster and destroying the faceless woman.
“Elijah.” Matt’s whisper was softer than before but Brian whirled around to face him. “No!” he yelled. Zack backed away from the sound but swallowed the growl in his chest.
“No, Elijah is dead, two thousand years dead. You killed him, Roman with your cursed bite.” He snarled.
“That was an accident.” Matt exploded stepping away from the wall. Zack flinched and moved to the doorway, wary of the two angry wolves. If they decided to fight he wouldn’t be able to stop them.
“Liar!” Brian screamed back, “you well knew what you were. Four centuries and you couldn’t figure it out? You were lonely and decided to drag me into hell with you.” His brown eyes were nearly black in the low lighting. He picked up a piece of plaster and hurled it at the alpha. The plaster exploded against the door and Matt ducked away snarling. “You made this your hell.”
“I had everything,” Brian shrieked, “and you took it all away you selfish son of a whore.” Matt snarled and crossed the room in a second. Brian hit the wall hard enough to shake more plaster dust loose and dropped to the floor with a pained yelp. He was on his feet again in a flash and swiped at Matt’s face. The alpha caught his hand and slammed him against the wall again, “your precious Rai? You can’t even remember her full name. You didn’t care for her then and you don’t now, she’s nothing but an empty idol.” He yelled. A brutal snarl ripped from Brian’s throat and he clawed the singer’s neck open. “Don’t ever fucking talk about her.” Matt stumbled back holding his hand against the wound. “How many lovers did you take that first decade? You could have gone back to her, changed her if you wanted to but you didn’t.” he seethed. Brian’s canines elongated and the rest of his teeth became the sharp fangs of the wolf. Matt caught him mid-charge in the stomach. Brian dropped to the floor with a hard thud and a high cry of pain. “You can’t even remember how she wore her hair, not her face or her eyes.” Matt snapped.
“Matthias, leave him alone.” Zack yelled stepping into the room again. Matt didn’t pay attention to him, “Elijah, the suffering wolf martyr. If this is such a hell for you then end it.” Brian made a pained sound and curled himself tighter, his breath short pained pants. Zack ran the rest of the way into the room and shoved his mate away from the fallen wolf. Matt snarled at him and Zack snarled back. His wolf batted against his human form, furious at the other alpha for hurting his pack member. Zack stalked toward the other wolf and stared straight into his eyes, “out.” He ordered. Matt didn’t move and Zack pulled back and punched him hard in the face, “I said, out.” The low growl rumbling in his chest distorted the words but Matt rolled to his feet and stumbled to the door.
Once Matt was out of the room Zack turned his attention to the broken wolf on the floor, “Brian.” He murmured getting on his knees next to the wolf. Brian made a pained sound but didn’t respond. Zack carefully pulled the other wolf into his lap and brushed his medium length hair out of his eyes. “I love you, Brian.” He whispered. “I want to help, I don’t want you to hurt anymore.” He looked at the faceless people on the walls a thousand years dead before he was even born. “I’ve forgotten my sister,” he said after a moment, “I can’t remember her voice anymore or her eyes or even her favorite hymn.” He swallowed hard, he hadn’t even told Matt this. “A few years ago I forgot her name, I spent the entire night online looking at baby names hoping I would recognize it.” The faceless portraits blurred at the edges as tears gathered in his eyes, “I watched her every day for ten years, woke up next to her, played with her, and now I can’t remember if her hair was black or brown or if her eyes were green like mine.” Brian pressed his tear stained face against Zack’s chest. Zack held him tight, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I can’t help, Brian.” He whispered. He knew someone that could help though. The hallway was silent but Matt’s angry scent was choking still. “I’ll help you Brian, I’ll help you remember.” He promised kissing the side of his head. He didn’t want to leave the wolf but calling Matt back into the room was out of the question. Brian stayed limp as Zack hefted him off his lap and set him on the floor.
Matt paced the hallway, his agitation stirring up Zack’s wolf, “Matthias.” Zack growled. Matt stopped and faced him, a purple crescent beginning to form under his eye but his neck had stopped bleeding. Zack squared his shoulders unwilling to let the older wolf cow him while Brian was in so much pain. “Fix this. Now.” Zack ordered. Matt’s hazel eyes glowed gold in the low hallway light, “he’s done this to himself, there’s nothing for me to fix.” He snapped. Zack growled, flashing his small human teeth, “I don’t care what insult he leveled at you, he is still your pack and you had no right to hurt him like that.”
“You wouldn’t be so quick to defend him if—.” Matt snarled and then stopped, something close to horror covering the hard anger in his eyes. Zack’s eyes narrowed, “if what, Matt?” The older wolf stepped back against the wall and shook his head, “nothing, drop it.” He said not looking at him. The unfamiliar scent Zack had noticed at their house came back, strong and without anything else to distract him he recognized it: Guilt. “What did you do?” he asked suspicion and worry mingling in his voice.
“It was nothing, just leave it.” Matt said, angry again. Zack looked at the destroyed hallway and into the bedroom where Brian lay unmoving. His frustration boiled over, “you know why he’s doing this, what did you do?” he yelled. Matt pushed away from the wall and yelled right back, “we had sex! Happy now?”
Zack blinked once and then twice, “you had sex?” he stared at his mate. Matt had done a lot of stupid things over the years, Zack had too, but if this was a prank he was sleeping on the couch. For the next two months. And if it wasn’t a prank…Zack clenched his jaw and glared at Matt, it had to be a prank. Matt didn’t even flirt with others like Jimmy did, it seemed pretty drastic to skip flirting and go straight to sex. The scent was there though; anger and guilt. He hadn’t had contact with Brian in three days. “You had sex the day after I left to take Johnny to The Doctor.” Despite the screaming in his head, his voice was flat and dead as a shark’s eye. Matt ran a hand down his face, “I didn’t mean to.” He said.
“If you didn’t mean to, you wouldn’t have done it!” Zack shouted. Matt’s head snapped up again and he stared his mate in the eye, “it wasn’t intentional.” He snarled. Zack stood rigid for another second and then shoved past the older wolf. “If you don’t want another black eye, you won’t come home.”
Zack was still a good forty-five minute walk from home when he passed an overgrown lawn and quaint for sale house, after he had stormed out he realized Matt still had his keys and his spare was at home hanging on the key hook. The exercise had done a lot for the anger and betrayal swirling in his head and heart. He stopped on the dark sidewalk and after a moment of deliberation walked up to the deeply recessed doorway. Once he was in the cave-like darkness of the arched brick doorway he realized it actually was a closer to a recessed porch. To his left an arched window was framed between the jutting side of the house and a square pillar. For a normal human the darkness would have been claustrophobic, but with his night vision he peeked inside and found a small and cozy room. The ceilings were low, but peaked giving the illusion of more height.
He circled the small one story looking in each window and finding more of the same small rooms and the backyard landscaped with plenty of trees and shrubs, growing wildly now, but they would be easy enough to trim back. Before resuming his walk home he added the realtor’s number to his phone.
*~*~*
Zack had a feeling when he finally made it home that Johnny was awake and ravenous but too shy to rifle through the fridge when neither alpha was home. “Johnny, Jonathon.” He called while he was in the kitchen. The soft sound of feet on the stairs ended with a loud thump and a squawk. Zack whirled around expecting to see his little wolf hurt but Johnny sat on the floor and looked up at him embarrassed and without signs of injury. “Apparently, skipping the last two steps is a little too much.” He said with a sheepish smile. Zack’s shoulders unclenched and he walked over to help the small wolf off the floor.
Once Johnny was settled at the table Zack continued pulling things out to make sandwiches. Johnny was quiet and Zack looked over his shoulder periodically to make sure he was still awake and each time the little wolf was staring out the back door forlornly. Zack slid a plate in front of him and he perked up some but his mood was still subdued.
“What is it, Johnny?” Zack asked ignoring his sandwich for the moment. Johnny picked at the crust of his for a moment, “I miss Jimmy.” His voice wavered and when he looked up tears glittered in his eyes. Zack slid around to his side and hugged him against his chest, like he’d been doing for a week. While his mate was fucking someone else. At least Jimmy had an excuse for hurting his mate. Zack shoved the thoughts aside, “he’s not as frightening as the first time I saw him.” He lied and felt awful the second the words were out of his mouth. He couldn’t give Johnny such false hope, what if Jimmy didn’t pull through? Johnny sniffled, “liar.” He said softly. Zack sighed and nuzzled his head. “If that were true Matt would be here and not still at Brian’s.” Johnny continued. Zack swallowed a growl and instead sighed, “we got in a fight, he’s not coming back here tonight.” Once Zack got a better look at that house, then Matt could have this place all to his own to entertain whoever, whenever. Johnny’s head moved, “I was fighting with Jimmy, that’s why I didn’t notice how irritated he was.” His hand brushed across his eyes, “it was stupid too, I was mad he flirted with the bar tender when we went out. He always does that but he’s never given them a second look after he’s had his fun. I don’t know why I always get so mad a-and If we hadn’t been fighting, I would’ve known something was wrong. I could’ve helped him.” His smaller body trembled in Zack’s arms and his breath stuttered, punctuated with teary gasps. “Six hundred years and I still act like I can’t trust him. I keep thinking of all the fights we’ve had and I always start them and it’s always some stupid little thing.” Zack gathered him closer and rested his chin on the puppy’s shoulder. Thoughts rattled in his head forming an ache behind his tired eyes. Matt hadn’t flirted with a bar tender or a waiter. He hadn’t flirted with Brian. He closed his eyes hoping to cut off the headache before it could get a good hold on him and snippets of arguments scrolled through the darkness. How many fights had he and Matt had? How many had he started and how many over something they forgot a day later? This wasn’t about who was taking the trash out to the curb, though. The day Matt took him as his mate he also took an oath of fidelity, which may not mean much by today’s standards with a fifty percent divorce rate, but wolves took mate vows seriously.
Johnny began to quiet and Zack stood up from the table. Johnny fidgeted in his arms and sniffled but musty exhaustion came off him in waves as Zack carried him upstairs. Once Johnny was settled in bed again Zack went down and grabbed his untouched sandwich and set it on the nightstand, the stale smell of hunger was covered by tears and fatigue but it would get the better of him before long.
In the kitchen again, Zack picked at his sandwich eating crumbs even though his stomach grumbled at him and staring at Matt’s number in his phone. Six hundred years. Almost eight human lifetimes. And they were human, they shared space in their minds and bodies with canines, but it wasn’t an even split. They were overwhelmingly human and humans made mistakes, big mistakes. Almost easy. Almost easy to forgive him, call him and ask him to come home. Maybe yell at him some more but in the end forgive and continue with their lives.
Almost easy.
Zack flipped his phone shut and finished his sandwich before heading upstairs and getting ready for bed.
A/N: Hell hath no fury like a Zacky scorned. Thank you for reading and reviewing and I hope everyone had a great St. Patrick’s Day.
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Outbreak