Multi-fandom one shots <3

Apocalyptic World - Love for a Cute Puppy

As I walked down the deserted highway, I was hyper-aware of every sound. I'd grown accustom to the faint pounding of my own two feet, as well as the tip-tap of the four dog paws that trailed me everywhere. I'd gotten used to the whistling of the wind in the empty, empty silence that usually filled the world around me. But I knew better than to let my guard down.

It's been a year since the official start to the apocalypse. It's been nine months since I've seen my family. Six months since I found out everyone I loved was either dead, or the living-dead.
Well, almost everyone.

The only thing keeping me company anymore was my little fury companion. This dog has brought me protection, comfort, entertainment, and a will to live. I have no idea what the infection would do to an animal, but I do not want to have to find out. I plan to protect this little guy as much as he protects me.

That is why, as I make my weekly trip into town, with him in tow, I'm paying attention to everything around me. I learned the hard way that it would be deadly to assume the creatures with the infection are stupid. They are not the most prime strategists, but they are not stupid. They will sneak up on you. And they know very well how to kill you.

It's still very worth the risk to venture into the deserted town for a clean slate of supplies. Even if they tend to conjugate there. So I slip into an abandoned gas station for what feels like the millionth time, and my heart pounds for what feels like the billionth time. I hate being trapped up in this small space. I make as quick work of this as I can.

I shove as many water bottles as I can carry in my bag, then I take some of the jerky from a shelf on my left. It was when I turned the corner to keep searching quickly for anything that could benefit me that my guardian sniffed the air hard and let out a soft growl. And that was my que.

I shoved everything that was in my hands into my bag, looked at my little follower to make sure he was with me, and ran out the door of the gas station, just to slam it right in the face of one of the more hideous of the creatures that I'd seen. I had rarely been more thankful for a companion with a keen sense of smell then I was in that moment. But we were far from safe.

I figured any commotion would've alerted all near-by creatures, so I took off running and didn't stop when I heard the reassuring sound of the four little paw pads. When I was sure we weren't being followed, I slowed down to a speed walk, and made our way back to "camp."

It was really just a makeshift tent made of a tarp and some string. I had two changes of clothes for myself, dry fire wood kept safely under the tarp, and three thin blankets. I used to have a small supply of food and water, but I seemed only to have replenished half of what I'd sent out to. I would have to venture back into town tomorrow.

Two of my three blankets were stretched across the grassy ground. I sat down on them and stacked a few logs into a small fire, while my furry friend curled up in my lap. I started a fire when the sun had almost finished setting. I was exhausted from my run all the way from town, so I get ready to tuck in early.

I sprawled across the blankets on the ground. The little animal assumed his place by my head, and I gently laid my head on his stomach. I curled up under the singular blanket left and slowly pet my guardian until he fell asleep. I cuddled him close and followed suit soon after.