the apocalypse in l.a - crossover fic

it's like this everywhere - chapter five

A/N: hey guys !! i know its been a minute but in my defense, I was super sick and then I had better things to do (only sort of, i mostly just didn't have the energy to write) i wrote this one over the course of a few writing session and i'm very happy to have finally finished it. i've been looking forward to this chapter since I wrote it into the plot plan because of some reveals and emotionally tense moments/interactions in it and finally posting it is just so so excitingthis chapter is the longest one yet at 6k words and i'll warn for some shouting, someone getting knocked out, and zombie media typical violence (including usage of the weapons our gang has acquired) have fun

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"Of course your new fit is just as emo as the last." Nick looked Johnnie up and down ask he exited the men's locker room and got a look at him. He was packing up some of the bags, rearranging what they had in their inventory into whatever system made sense to him.

"Oh, whatever." he huffed, looking down at his new get-up and pulling at the dark fabric of his shirt.

He was still fitted with his leather jacket and all the jewelry he had before, but now he was wearing a non-ripped pair of jeans and a different band t-shirt. He wasn't wearing any makeup anymore, though, because what had been there previously washed away in the shower and he hadn't had his eyeliner in his pocket when the world ended.

"What're you wearing, anyways?" he dropped the article of clothing and let it fall back over his waistline, looking up at the other man. Nick was sporting jeans and a tight-fitting tank top in a light purple color. "You have more skin revealed, which I think makes you statistically more likely to die via zombie."

The triplet's mouth fell open, "That's not true, is it?"

Johnnie smiled and shrugged, "I have no fucking idea, man. I'm just applying zombie video game logic."

"We've already established that this is following zombie media logic." Tara cut in teasingly, walking out of the women's locker room also all dressed up. She had put together a cute fit: dark low-waisted jeans that flared out over her shoes and a doll-themed crop top that might've just been a shirt from the kid's section.

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side, Tara." Nick gasped, placing his hands to his chest dramatically, "Medieval weapon hot person duo, remember?"

"Our bond beats yours." Johnnie claimed, trying to wrap his arm around the woman, who dodged the touch and walked over to Nick instead.

"I was just establishing the zombie survival rules, or whatever. I don't know what he's talking about." Tara assured.

"Wooooow." Johnnie shook his head dramatically, but the whole thing is playful. "I thought I meant more to you."

"Oh, I don't care about you at all." Tara said, smiling brightly as she did so. "Now excuse me, I have to get my dog ready for our adventure."

She pushed past Johnnie like it was nothing, leaving the two men for the creature that was probably getting himself stuck on a piece of gym equipment or something. Nick and Johnnie watched her for a moment before locking eyes and shaking their heads as if to say "what are we gonna do with her?"

"When are we headed out of here?" Nick asked, stepping up next to Johnnie to get a look as what he was doing with the bags. Just as he did so, though, the man finally started to zip them shut.

"Soon, I think. Matt is still getting ready and Jake and Chris were going through whatever's here to see if there was anything useful to take." Johnnie explained, "Which left me to make some more room in whatever bags I could because they're actually finding like, protein bars and stuff. Which could be useful if we're stuck on the road for a bit."