Tattooed Mistakes (Are Gonna Fade Over Time)

Chapter 1

(You might want to read Limelight if you haven't already for the context behind this story!

This was inspired by a writing prompt I found on Tumblr about a month ago which spiralled into a full story that will probably break your heart. I'm calling this an AU because while it could happen on the same timeline as Limelight, I just don't want my boys to have to go through this so it's a separate thing, but everything in Limelight before this still applies. OK? OK

Warning for some gore in just this chapter. The song How Far This Can Go is by Bowling For Soup)

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This is gonna be our year...!

The past year had been amazing. The zombie integration had begun and was progressing more and more with every single day. They were no longer made to wear uniforms, their curfew had been pushed back to midnight, and the barrier was open during the day with a patrol officer on guard to monitor who came in and out so zombies and humans alike had no problems visiting friends on the other side of town. There were plans to renovate parts of Zombie Town, as well: the plaza would once again be fully open and the council was discussing turning the old power plant into some kind of recreational facility – an actually official one – and possibly even naming it a historical landmark.

Zephyr and Alonzo had been together for nine, going on ten months. Roz and Keira were nearing eight months. Zach's love life still didn't seem to be going anywhere but he could live with that. BFZ was regularly performing at the zombie mash. A few of the zombies were looking forward to being able to join more of the formerly human-only teams and clubs at school soon, Zephyr being among them with his heart set on the football team.

The zombies' second year at Seabrook High School was about to begin.

And this one could be over before it even started.

– TATTOOED MISTAKES –

It was a clear night late in August when it happened. Band practice had finished some time ago but Zephyr and Alonzo were still out on the streets, taking their time walking back to Zephyr's house. They had been practicing at Alonzo's and Zephyr had left his guitar there so they had nothing to weigh them down, walking hand-in-hand as the sky turned dark. It didn't seem like anybody else was around. Zephyr's mom and dad would both be working up until curfew that night and Rizzo wouldn't start to worry about them until an hour or so before. There was no rush to be anywhere.

They were joking and laughing back and forth, mostly about that day's practice, and every now and then, one would peck the other's cheek, or the corner of his mouth. After a few minutes, the silence was too tempting and Alonzo was singing out loud.

"Let's take it fast or slow, hold our breaths and jump into whatever this is," he looped his arm around Zephyr's shoulders, still holding his hand, and pulled him closer, "Grab a coat and let it all rain down!"

Zephyr chuckled and tilted his head just the slightest bit to kiss him, then he joined in the song, "If we never stop believing, it's gonna be alright, but if we don't try, we may never know how far this can go!"

He smiled as Alonzo's lips grazed his but before he could kiss him again, they were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

"Disgusting..." the voice mumbled, just barely audible and coming from a nearby alleyway, "Filthy, rotting..." then trailed off into slurred gibberish. Whoever it was sounded drunk, and angry. The boys completely froze for a second and Zephyr craned his neck to look for the owner of the voice. Alonzo squeezed his hand.

"Zeph, be careful."

A human man half-stepped, half-tripped out of the alley, sending an empty can of beer rolling across the ground.