DEMOLITION LOVERS

You Be My Detonator

They drove for miles and miles of desert. They couldn't tell where they were anymore. There were no state borders and except for a few ghost towns and random abandoned cities, it was all desert.

Fun looked out the window, wondering what the road used to look like before everything went to shit. He looked down at Grace, sleeping in his arms, hoping one day he could tell her about growing up, and the TV shows he used to watch and the music he liked, and going to shows. But more than anything, he hoped there was hoped that one day she could do the same.

Fuck, the world was a shithole.

He knew it was bad, but had never felt so hopeless, and he wondered if it was even worth it to do something.

But he wouldn't kill the bit of hope there is.

'Hey, Ghoul –,' Party Poison's voice called him from the driver's seat. 'Everything okay?'

Fun hesitated for a second. No, nothing was okay. But he also knew that it was the way it had been for most of his life. And had to count his blessings. He had the guys, Grace. Party. 'Yeah, I'm just tired.'

He knew Party knew him well enough to know that wasn't it, but he wasn't in the mood to explain, so he just lay his head back and closed his eyes to get some rest.

He didn't know how long they'd been driving when they stopped at what seemed like an abandoned church, but it was actually a clandestine kitchen for whoever needed it. And having Dr. Death with them made everything easier. Everyone knew him there, and they treated them like royalty, giving them their own table and offering food, which they appreciated. It had been a couple days since the last actual meal they had. 'We weren't expecting you here,' the lady told Dr. D. She had a kind smile and it reminded Fun of his mom.

'Yeah –' Dr. D stuttered. 'We're moving back to the old headquarters.'

'Well, you're all welcome here whenever you're in need.' Fun wondered if they recognized them. He had just cut his hair a week before leaving and after days of traveling, he looked like shit, but they had to notice Party's bright red hair. But it wasn't like he was the only person with dyed hair, so they could be a random group of rebels.

And once they were full, they kept on their way.

Jet got in the driver's seat and Party was in the back with Fun. The radio didn't work so they sang songs instead. Old classics they used to listen to when they were kids. Fun loved hearing Party sing. 'Sing me that song,' Grace begged. She was two already, and unstoppable, and the more words she learned, the more she talked. 'The snowflake one.'

'Whatever you want, princess,' Party said, and then started singing a song he made up for her, the other guys joining a second later.

Every snowflake's different just like you
(Every snowflake's different just like you)

I'll sing about it if you ask me to
(Ask me to)

Different shape and different size
Like every star up in the sky
Every snowflake's different just like you

And for a moment, everything was good.

***

Just as the sun was starting to come out, the Trans Am was parking outside an abandoned convenience store where Dr. Death and Maddie were waiting. 'This is your hideout?' Kobra asked.

'No. We're just stopping for some essentials.' He sent his daughter and Jet inside to ask for a package for him.

Meanwhile, Fun was sleeping in Party's lap. Sometimes, Party forgot how truly fragile he was, and he wanted to protect him more than ever. 'You think this is gonna work?' he asked his brother.