Seriously?

AND THEN THE MANAGERS ARRIVED.

THE 12TH DAY

THURSDAY

4TH OF FEBUARY

DAYS IN GAME: 10

Tyler woke the next morning to see Angel on her side and her back pressed into his chest. He had his arms around her waist and she was still sound asleep as he leaned in her ear.

"YOU are AMAZING, Angel."

She woke with a shiver and smiled.

"YOU romantic bastard. I am glowing and soaked....and oh my got my heart is pounding."

He smiled as he held her.

"wanna-"

"Still too soon. I ADORE the flattery and all, I really do. Just...didn't end well last time."

"fair."

She smiled and snuggled more into his collarbone.

"But the casual sex i can do. A LOT."

"Good. roll over."

"Ha! Ya forgit? I don't fuck first thing in the morning...or back to back."

"dammit. I wanna go to heaven again."

"OOh you're good."

"Ha."

The pair sat up and tyler noted Hailey was gone. And so was HIS pack. Hailey's pack was still present but his was gone. Kora was asleep by his side and Tyler chuckled.

"That sneaky BITCH. Kora, we got robbed."

"what?"

The guy sat up straight and saw.

"Jesus."

"It's okay. I can track her. she won't have gotten far."

The friends broke camp and tyler hefted the type 99 Arisaka as he noted a set of tracks heading for the road.

"She'll have gone running for the town....with the map."

They followed the treacherous girl's tracks through the woodland and Tyler nodded as he looked at them.

"She was RUNNING. And in the dark too. some NASSSTY breeds come out at night."

They reached the road and Tyler smiled as he noted a spent shell from the 870 shotgun in the road.

"She took a shot at something and then cut an ran this way."

Kora whistled as Tyler led them off the asphalt.

"Damn dude. I hunt and I'm not this good."

"I got the advantage of knowing Hails longer and this being my game."

"True, we find her?"

"Oh yeah. Yeah she can't get far."

Angel looked at him.

"What'll you do bout her, Gore?"

"Well get our stuff back. After that? Dunno."

He shrugged as they followed the trail through the forest. A gunshot rang out a few minutes later and Tyler chuckled.

"That's the WA2000."

They broke into a run before a lake was seen in the distance with a set of cabins around one side. Tyler smirked as he spotted Hailey trying to reload the sniper rifle while a group of zombies lumbered towards her.

"We'll save her...and get our stuff back."

They hefted melee weapons and Hailey slumped in relief as the friends dove into the fray.

"Oh thank god. They came outta nowhere."

Tyler smirked as he looked at the relieved girl.

"Sooo, you have my pack."

Hailey froze as she remembered she'd robbed them that morning. Tyler took the WA2000 from her limp grasp and looked at it.

"Wow. You nearly broke it. It's okay. I can fix it."

He took his pack and chuckled.

"Half the shotgun shells are gone, the food's gone, the map is RUINED from WATER being dumped on it. Okay. YOU ruined our supplies."

Tyler put the pack down...and slugged Hailey in the stomach with a ferocious force.

"I have done nothing but try to help you. YOU BEGGED me to help you. I have saved your ass HOW MANY TIMES? Ah. Don't answer. WE'RE DONE."

He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket.

"Been saving these for Termitron. But. You deserve it more."

He handcuffed the screeching girl and Angel looked at him curiously.

"Whatchya gonna do?"

"She's gonna drown in the lake."

"YIKES."

"Ha. Yeah. She ESCAPES...well, good for her."

Hailey had tears falling down her face as she was dragged along the beach.

"I'M SORRY! I WANTED YOU TO NOTICE ME!"

"You're lying. You always lie, Hailfyre. You just don't want to admit I'm right. And yet? I were to drop these two and it were us ALONE? You'd go RIGHT back to the sweethearted girl I fell for. But no longer. I HATE YOU. And you will suffer the consquences of betraying us."

The survivor dragged the kicking and screaming girl to the end of a long jetty in the lake and she looked at Kora and Angel.

"HELP ME! PLEASE! I don't wanna drown! I'll do anything!"

Tyler threw her into the water and she sank nearly instantly before kicking to the surface. she smirked smugly as the treading water girl looked at him.

"I can SWIM jackass."

"Yeah? Cool."

He pulled his ruger and put a .357 round into her hip. She screamed and found she couldn't move her leg.

"Try it now. we out. we need to find another map."

Lily looked the soaking wet tac map over as Hailey screamed and begged for help as her now useless leg dragged her under.

"I think it'll be find. it's laminated and has a waterproof mark, Gore."

"does it really? Cool. she dumped a water bottle into my pack. But it's okay. I can salvage most of the stuff and all the bullets."

Kora looked at the now silent lake,

"Hey, Gore?"

"she'll respawn on shore...like she got washed up on the beach."

"wow."

"Yeah. we'll actually run into her on our way back."

Angel looked at him.

"And then?"

He shrugged.

"We leave her. Up to her to survive now."

"I am so glad you're not the clingy type."

"Ha. Me too."

The trio walked along the beach as a waterlogged shape was seen dragging herself out of the lake and dropped panting like an overheated dog. Tyler, Angel and Kora ignored her as they walked by and Hailey looked at the taller Survivor with tears in her eyes.

"You left me to die."

They ignored her and Hailey just broke down crying as it sank in.

"ehh you did it to yourself, Hails. ALL ya had to do...was be like you were when we were alone. But you couldn't even do that. Bah bye."

Tyler's condemnation was followed by him tossing her pack to her with her gun. Then they walked into the forest as Hailey sobbed in self-pity.

The trio returned to their campsite and the survivor smiled as he relit the fire.

"Only thing we really lost was a few bits of food and a few bullets. And even then they're common enough it don't matter."

Angel nodded.

"You okay?"

"I'm good. Hails was just too damn uptight."

Kora nodded as they roasted some apples over the flames.

"I hate people like them. She had a guy like you going out of your way to help her and she just played the two faced routine. HOw many times you save her?"

"Several times."

"Point made."

Once fed the friends got moving and Sarah appeared on the floating screen. Tyler smiled.

"Mormin Sarah."

She smiled.

"Good morning Goreleech. Hailfyre was removed from your party?"

"She robbed us this morning and tried to ruin our supplies."

"Is this a permanent split?"

"Oh yeah. I don't grant second chances like that."

Sarah nodded and smiled.

"Your managers are currently reviewing your playstyles and profiles. When they are finished they will reach out."

"Thanks sarah. we'll be hitting that campground as planned."

She nodded and the screen went out. Kora chuckled as he kept watch on the forest around them.

"Upside is we got more space in the tent now."

"Tru dat."

Angel smirked.

"Great. A hot girl and two guys. Not liking these numbers."

They chuckled at that one as the friends left the woods for a dirt road and Tyler led the way towards the camping ground. The place was a collection of cabins and mobile homes but Tyler noted a fair few tents laid out everywhere. He smiled at this and Kora did too.

"that blue one there has room for ten Gore."

"Nice. we'll take it."

Angel looked at the other tents.

"It make sense to take two, Gore?"

"Can't hurt. want one to yourself?"

"No. Just in case."

"Smart."

The trio walked into the camp and Tyler chuckled at the number of zombies in corderoy jeans and plate shirts.

"Bats out."

The zombies were beaten to death and Tyler dropped the blue tent with Kora's help while Angel kept watch. The blonde Russian then sighed as she noted something.

"She;s following us, Gore."

"I figured. Leave her."

The larger tent was stored in Kora's pack and they went to the first cabin which was indeed a log cabin. Tyler turned the knob and threw the door open with Kora at the ready. No reaction. So the trio moved inside. The more experienced Tyler then noted something on the floor.

"Heads up wr got a cellar."

Kora and Angel ooked and Tyler pointed out the seam in the floorboards. Angel frowned.

"MIGHT be a good idea to have a shotgun out, Gore."

"I got the sawed off ready. Kora."

"Set."

Angel threw the door and they were faced with an underground cellar. Tyler and the trio dropped inside and shut the door. The survivor smirked as he lifted a finger to his lips. The rest nodded and sure enough a few minutes later Hailey was seen poking her head around the door jamb...and slumping as she saw the empty cabin.

"How the FUCK did they see me? More IMPORTANTLY where the fuck did they go?"

she had her arisaka in hand while looking the cabin over before she sighed.

"dammit. I don't be alone out here. Okay, Hails, calm down. Gore's not that complex. where would he go once he realized he was being followed.....he'd sneak out the back."

Tyler smirked as Hailey did indeed go out the back.

"She don't know me as well as she thinks she does."

The other two chuckled and Kora looked around.

"rootcellar?"

Tyler looked at the collection of barrels.

"Most likely. We'll see if there's any empty canteens or anything in the ground."

They nodded and left the rootcellar. Tyler went to the cabin kitchen where he found a few boxes of cereal, a small carton of orange juice, and a few packets of instant juice. Kora looked over from a bunk he was searching.

"yo Gore, I got some matches and a headlamp here."

"NICE. Angel get's the headlamp, Kora."

"experience?"

"Yup. And she's been with me the longest."

"Fair."

Angel perked up from the sitting area.

"I got a few poker sets, Gore."

"Grab em. We kinda need something to do on a rainy day, Angel."

"On it."

The cabin was cleared and they headed to a mobile home now. Kora went to look the engine over while Tyler checked for keys. Angel looted. The trio gathered in the small kitchen area and Kora smiled.

"Good news is the engine is in great shape. Plus oil and sparkplugs are all fresh."

Tyler tossed the keys.

"we got the keys. Gas?"

"ALL four tanks are full. Wanna try it?"

Tyler shrugged.

"Might as well. we KINDA do need a mobile command center."

Angel looked the 100 foot mobile home over curiously.

"Can you drive this, Gore?"

"Long as I got eyes in my blindspots. I actually had a set of trailers from Lost World in the beta."

Kora smirked as Tyler took the driver's seat.

"How'd you find em?"

"In a garage buried under a landslide. I had to dig it out."

"Nice."

He turned the key and the mobile home fired right up. Tyler smiled as he looked at the gauges.

"Alright. we got transport. We'll finish up looting the campground and head out."

They nodded and Angel smiled.

"We can store stuff onboard right?"

"Yup. There's bunks too."

"we'll argue THAT once we're safe."

The friends locked up the mobile home and Tyler went to the maintaince shed of the ground while Kora and Angel looked the cabins over. The shed was torn open and a straggler zombie beaten to death with the glass mace. Tyler looked inside the shed with the colt tac light and smiled.

"FOUR JERRY CANS? Nice. Few rolls a duct tape, a chainsaw, a HANDSAW, some nails, and yeah."

Tyler took everything back to the mobile home where he found Angel unloading her pack of food into the active fridge and Kora setting kerosine and solar lamps on pegs. Tyler set the tools out and Kora smiled.

"We'll learn how to syphon."

"Already do."

"Cool."

Angel smiled.

"Fridge is stocked. How just the cuboards."

"Alright. Last push before we roll out."

The friends went around the cabins and Tyler noted a shadow darting around towards the mobile home and sighed as he saw Hailey's black hair at the door. He dropped into a crouch and snuck over to the girl as she depserately tried to get inside the locked mobile home.

"Come on, come on! Don't leave me here! Please!"

"YOU need professional fucking help, Hails."

The business end of Tyler's sawed off inspired the girl to freeze as she yanked on the door.

"Please don't leave me here, Tyler. Please!"

He sighed at her pitiful sobbing and she grabbed him in a hug.

"I'm sorry! Please! I don't want to be alone!"

He looked her in the eye.

"Hailey. WHY do you play these games?"

She pressed her head to his chest as her tears fell like rain.

"Because I'm scared. what will my friends think? My mom hates you and my dad does too. EVERYONE in school hates you and every friend you make gets dragged down with you. I FUCKING LOVE YOU okay? I love you and want to be your girlfriend...but I don't want to have the entire sschool coming after me like they do you."

"Angel and Kora aren't in our school, HAils."

She sniffed.

"I....panicked."

"Ugh. NICE TRY. I believed you up until that point."

She dropped to her knees sobbing at this and Tyler picked her up and set her aside.

"Hails. Face it. You're a COWARD. I WANTED you with us. Hell, I STILL do. But my GOD is it not worth it."

Angel and Kora came back laden with loot and the blonde sighed as she saw Hailey sobbing in a terrified ball on the ground.

"Jesus."

"Yup. Anything food?"

Kora nodded to a rifle on his back.

"I found a hunting rifle. Nothing special though. Remington 35-70. Bolt action. I got about 10 bullets for it."

"Decent. Alright. load in."

The trio climbed into the mobile home and Hailey looked at Tyler as he went to shut the door.

"Please, Tyler. I'm sorry! don't leave me alone out here! I don't wanna be raped by a zombie or by my damn class! I'll do anything...just PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE!"

He went to slam the door and Angel sighed.

"Gore?"

"It'd bother you wouldn't it?"

".....kinda."

Kora sighed awkwardly now too.

"Yeah. I mean.....you DID already drown her in a lake. Sooooo, i am too kindhearted for this shit."

"Yes you are. But that's okay."

Tyler looked at the weeping girl on the ground out th window of the shut door.

"She;s getting there."

Angel smiled.

"You really freakin like her, Gore."

"Yeah. Yeeeeah. She's....I...dunno what to say here."

The friends chuckled and tyler opened the door.

"Hails."

The girl jerked and looked up at the exasperated call of the survivor.

"Yeah?"

"I'll say this once. Try that shit ONE MORE TIME...and I'll drop you in the Underdark NAKED AND TIED UP LIKE A HOG. We clear?"

Her face broke out into such a relieved smile it nearly split her face.

"Crystal. I am so sorry."

"Come on."

She wiped her face and climbed up the carpeted stairs...only for him to hold an arm out.

"Make it clear. THEY asked for this. I was all for just leaving you here. As far as I'm concerned, you're still dead."

He walked to the steering wheel as Hailey had a new heartbroken look on her face.

"Up to you to try an fix it."

She smiled.

"I will....I'm sorry."

"well alright."

Angel dragged her into the back for a VERY intense reaming while Kora sat in the passenger seat as Tyler released the airbrakes.

"Childhood friend trope?"

"eh kinda sorta."

"Ha. You DO know it won't work out right?"

"Yeah i know. she'll do something stupid and I really WILL drop her into the Underdark."

"What's down there?"

"The more...RAPY....zombies."

"YIKES. It lethal?"

"It is....after a few solid days."

"JESUS. respawn?"

"well. You DO spawn topside. Near an opening. Ya got about....30 seconds to bolt? Yeah. Cauuuse they'll chase you."

"I like sleep. enough. Loot?"

"ULTRA HIGH TIER. I went down there on a foray...and came up with an LMG. Still have nightmares from that raid."

"Jesus."

"He pissed in that hole....and yeah."

Angel came over then.

"She HATES herself right now, Gore. seems that drowning did something. She'll get there."

"Thanks Angel. We set?"

"Yup. Locked and ready to roll."

The mobile home was rolled out onto the road out of the camp and Kora smiled as he hung out the window.

"Clear!"

"Alright. we can do stuff to these ya know."

"really?"

"We mounted an MG42 on the roof once. And an M2 browning."

"Dude that's AWESOME! I wanna do that."

"we'll need a proper yard but sure."

The mobile home was 100 feet and about 15 wide and 10 tall. Inside it had a queen sized master bedroom and about 3 sets of twin bunkbeds, carpeted floors, couch, kitchenette, and fully functional shower. Tyler smiled as he plied the large steering wheel to get the bus on the asphalt road. Hailey was seen curled up on the couch shaking from her drowning and Tyler smiled as he had the bus crusing at a steady 25 miles an hour. Kora was looking his new rifle over at the table, and Angel was in the passenger seat beside Tyler. the busty blonde had her bare feet on the dash and he smiled.

"NOw this fun."

She chuckled.

"we still need to meet with our managers."

"They'll pop in once we stop for a bit. Hey, Hails, mind openin that map?"

"Sure."

She spoke in a small voice as the tramuatized firl unfolded the map and hung it on a section of wall. Angel looked.

"So the next town is on the side of a lake, Gore."

"We'll use the RV as a mobile looter then. we'll stop at the town and hit the hardware and gas stations. we got four jerry cans and the tanks will go through a lot."

Kora looked up from his rifle.

"How will upgrades work, Gore?"

"we'll need a welder to make it happen the way we want, but we knew that. On our own we can do simple stuff. Bars on windows, extra tires, I'm a decent enough crafter I can mount a battering ram on the front. Bullbars is the other term."

"And the glass?"

"We'll put steel grates over the windows. ugly as hell, but will hold till we find bullet proof glass."

Hailey sniffed and looked at him.

"what about a trailer?"

"In the works, Hails. Thing's got a hitch so we'll just need to find the right fit."

She smiled as he listened to her and settled back on the couch in her ball. Angel looked out the windshield of the RV and noted nothing ahead of them but road and Tyler smiled.

"I'll teach you to drive it."

"Thanks. will we add more players to our little camp?"

"Most likely. All a matter of chemistry and looks."

They snorted at that one and Kora sighed as he slotted the bullets into his gun.

"Greeat. NO action for ME."

They laughed at that one. Tyler drove for a few hours until he got hungry and he swapped out for Angel after teaching her how to drive an RV. The survivor grabbed a granola bar and sat down to work on his own guns. He ran a cloth over the WA2000's parts before putting it back together. Tyler smiled as he looked his guns over.

"All told the damage was merely getting wet. Nothing permanent."

Hailey had humilation in her voice as she spoke.

"I...pissed on it."

Everyone looked at her in surprise and Tyler shrugged.

"Well...I cleaned it. And threw out the ruined food. Annnnd yeah. My sleeping bag is okay. Nothing is going to smell. DO NOT. DO THAT. AGAIN."

"I won't. I promise."

Kora whistled.

"wow."

Tyler had a mild look of disbelief as he lounged on the couch now.

"Yeeeah. Movin on."

They chuckled at that one. Angel drove for a few hours until Tyler smiled and had her pull off for lunch. The RV was parked and they went to the stove for a proper meal. Which turned out to be deep baked chicken nuggets, ketchup, and some cold soda. Tyler laughed as they enjoyed the luxury.

"Almost like we're a buncha teenagers on a roadtrip, innit it?"

Angel chuckled as she munched.

"Only with better company and more guns."

"The AMERICAN dream!"

That got a chuckle as a set of screens appeared before them. Tyler was faced with a woman in her 30s with brown hair and bright blue eyes set into a brown skinned face as she smiled. Her voice a neat high clip.

"Nice to meet you, Goreleech. I am Melissa. I am to be your manager for your stream, interviews and other aspects of your time in Lod. You have the time for a talk?"

He went to the cab and sat in the driver's seat.

"we're set for the moment. But be warned it might change on a dime."

"I am. Okay."

She pulled up a folder and looked at the first page.

"The first thing I need is safe times to contact you. Are there safezones in game?"

"Nope. But the usual is morning at breakfast, lunch, and when we eat dinner. That's USUALLY when we're safest."

She nodded.

"Your stream is quite popular and I will be scheduling meet and greets for fans and celebrities alike. what would you need from me to better accomidate them?"

"As much heads up as you can get me. If you appear and say a fan wants to drop in while we're hanging out in a basement, sure. Send em in. Say we're walking down the street in a new town? Nope. Not safe enough."

"I'll be sure to get dates and times nailed down then. The ingame store is set to come online in a week. As a beta and LoD experiementer, you'll be expected to purchase them. Is that okay?"

"So long as I can CHOOSE what I blow my money on and not have to buy everything I see."

"That is not a problem. Some stuff is meant for girls."

He chuckled at that as Melissa looked at the next piece.

"Now. Merchendise. You need a catchphrase or something the people can associate with your character."

"My phrase is let's go to hell together."

"OOOh dark. I like it. Your motto?"

He smirked and his eyes turned dark.

"It is better to be feared then loved, if one cannot be both."

"Macheiveilli. This is gonna be fun. Your inspiration?"

"Anime."

"I am SORRY?"

"I'm like a HUUUUUGE anime fan. And manga fan. And write my own stories."

Mylissa smiled widely now.

"I heard you write. I will be sure to have them funneled to the right people. Are you still working on them?"

"Oh absolutely. I-hm?"

a flash of light got Tyler's eyes out the windshield and he noted the thing.

"we got a car comin!"

The RV loaded guns and Tyler looked at his manager,

"We'll be right back, after this rampage."

"I am keeping that."

Tyler loaded his WA2000 as the car approached...and it turned out to be a FREAKIN prius of all things. This made him snort as the car slowed to a stop with the four inside eyeing the RV on th side of the road curiously. Angel watched as the prius pulled off the road and the four players came out with loaded guns.

"Hm. One's got a level action rifle, Gore."

Tyler swapped for the M1014 shotgun now as the players approached the door. As the players reached for the door...Tyler booted it open.

"whaddya want?"

He was faced by four guns and Tyler smirked as his friends got clean shots.

"Put the guns down. OR die."

Their leader smirked as she hefted her own Skorpion.

"We'd kill you-"

The trigger was pulled and the four were dropped from perfect shots. Tyler chuckled as he went to the bleeding out leader and put the shotgun to her head.

"See ya in hell."

He pulled the trigger and her head exploded. Hailey chuckled as she cycled her Arisaka.

"Pkers?"

"Yup. they got killcounts on their guns. Alright, loot up ladies and Kora."

The prius was indeed looted with the gas syphoned into a jerry can, the trunk emptied, the packs of the other players tossed into the RV, and Tyler locked the door as they got moving. Mylissa smiled as he sat back at the wheel.

"Nice one liner."

"I got a few. I also have a large selection of music too."

"Any recognized artists?"

"Here's a copy."

She looked at the list and whistled.

"There is so much publicity here it's scary. Alright. Your idea of merch for your character?"

"figurines, replica guns I've used in game, airsoft guns of the same, stuff like that."

"Wow. We're gonna make a fortune if i spin you the right way."

Tyler smiled as they drove.

"I'm te Unkillable of the LoD betabase."

Mylissa chuckled.

"Nice flex."

"It's an actual title."

"No shit?"

He opened up his panel and tapped the section for ingame titles and tapped the unkillable.

"Awarded to the single player in the beta to NOT DIE A SINGLE TIME in the entire beta population."

She smirked at this.

"I will ask to see your title screen to time Gore."

"Oh yeah. i love bragging."

Angel smirked from her spot in the back.

"And WHEN were you going to tell us that, Gore?"

"When I had something to show you."

"Eh fair."

Mylissia moved to the next bit.

"You are a sexually active teenager?"

"Oh yeah. Angel an i play a lot."

"Is she your girlfriend?"

Angel answered with a smile.

"Not yet. Last guy was kind of an ass. But, maybe."

Tyler chuckled as Mylissia smirked at the new draw.

"This one is going to be fun, Gore. Alright. Anything you want from ME?"

"The accounts for the money. My FAMILY can't touch it can they?"

"It IS in your name. If you want me to set it like that I can."

"Do so, please. otherwise they'll LITERALLY drain it every time a deposit is made."

"will do. And am I to understand you have family problems?"

Hailey answered with her insider information.

"Gore's family is a town wide cringe. I live a few blocks from him and some nights we can hear the screaming. His sister is a hideous whale and his stepfather an asshole. His MOTHER is a HEARTLESS bitch. He's come to school with bruises before. And a LOT of them too."

Kora looked up now.

"Main problem, gore?"

The teenager shrugged.

"I'm not afraid to say no. OR get in your face when i think you're wrong."

"Ha. I hear that."

Mylissa nodded.

"I'll seal the accounts then. AND put the spin on a cruel family too. His sister, Hailfyre?"

The black haired girl sighed.

"I'll explain it like this. She once tired to stomp a kitten to death because it would snuggle her like she was me. She weighs 400 pounds and is 4 feet tall. The kitten's okay thank god as I was able to stop her. Was the LAST TIME she was ever in my house."

"JESUS."

Tyler shrugged as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Me family's a mess. I know."

Angel shrugged from her spot in the passengar seat.

"ALL our familys suck. Least we're in here."

She got a fistbump.

"Damn straight homegirl."

"Ha."

Tyler smiled as he pulled off the road half an hour later. Mylissa nodded as she looked at her notes.

"I'll get to work, Gore. You keep giving me material to work WITH."

"Sure thing, Mylissa."

The screen went dark and tyler smiled as he locked the door.

"Well, alone again."

Angrel smirked as he looked at her.

"Been over this."

"Snuggles?"

"absolutely."

"Good. Everyone loves a sexy snuggleangel."

"Ha."

Hailey had a new look of crush at this and Tyler went to the couch for a rest. Hailey came over with a look of nerves and he siddled aside to give her room. She smiled at the silent permission and laid beside the guy on the couch. He wrapped her in an arm as he laid on his back and she smiled.

"I missed this."

"Me too, Hails."

She rested her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't answer...and she went to plunge a knife from her belt into his chest. Only for the lightning fast reflexes of the Survivor to serve him well. He grabbed her hand like lightning as the tip of the knife rested over his heart and he looked at the white faced girl.

"Seriously?"

Angel and Kora had looks of horror at this surprise and Tyler sighed as he let Hailey's shaking hand go. he lifted his shirt and tapped hia chest.

"Alright. since you FUCKING hate me so much....go on."

He looked her in the eye as she held the knife up to stab him....and just started shaking severely as Tyler looked her in the eye. He smiled as he looked at the shaking girl and she lowered the knife in humiliation and hung her head as massive tears fell from her eyes at her latest failure. Tyler just laid there with his shirt up and Hailey gripped the thing as her emotions went from self-pity to hate...and she looked up with rage in her eyes as she lifted the knife.

"How are you so damn calm all the time? I just tried to STAB YOU and here you are acting like it's NOTHING? Who the hell do you think you are? You ALWAYS act like you're some hotshot BADASS and yet get your ass kicked in the first few seconds. You're not as smart as you think you are, not handsome, you smell like bottom shelf bodywash, you dress like a streetbum, your family sucks, YOU SUCK, you're not popular, you're not strong,"

Tyler just laid there listening to Hailey as she ranted about his flaws until she slammed the knife down and pressed her head to his chest.

"I hate you so much. So WHY THE HELL DO YOU MAKE MY HEART RACE JUST FROM BEING NEAR YOU? WHY THE HELL, DO I LOVE YOU?!"

She shivered from that question and Tyler smiled at her.

"Why do you, Hails?"

She looked at him with torment on her face.

"I don't know. EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU makes me want to puke....and yet I get all fidgety and on edge when you walk in the room. You smirk and I wet myself. Like WHY IS IT YOU that sets me on fire like this? I HATE YOU!"

He shrugged.

"I dunno. Don't need to know."

She sighed and went limp on his chest and he hugged her.

"I hate you."

"I know you do, Hails. I know."

She sniffed.

"Thanks for saving me."

"You might hate my guts. But you are STILL my best friend in this game."

She smiled and he held her tightly.

"And can you stop trying to kill me?"

"THAT was for drowning me in a LAKE you dick."

"YOU pissed in my bag."

"YOU let me go with those freaks in the jeep."

"YOU hopped INTO that jeep."

"YOU slept with Angel the first night you met. When I was right there."

"I offered you her spot, Hails. You refused."

She looked at him.

"So replacing me is THAT easy? You're just happy with ANY OLD cocksheath for the night? is that it?"

"Hails. if I could replace you, you wouldn't be here right now. If you WANT TO just say so. And NO ONE can replace MY best friend."

She smiled at this and hugged him.

"THAT. THAT'S all I wanted to hear, Tyler. I'm sorry. for a lot."

"Me too. Kinda sorta."

"Pff. You're not sorry."

"Niether are you."

"Eh fair. Are we done?"

He hugged her tightly.

"We're done with killing each other."

She smiled and Angel whistled.

"Sooo your idea of a CONFESSION is trying to KILL HIM, Fyre?"

Hailey smiled sheepishly.

"I...knew I couldn't hurt him?"

"Wow. You're kinky aren;t you?"

"Well, um."

She blushed.

"I DO like to scream. And scratch....yeah i'm kinky."

Tyler whistled at this little revelation.

"WOW Hails. NOW I'm curious."

She smiled sheepishly and he patted her.

"There she is."

"Yeah. I....yeah. YOU are MINE. She can fight for the leftovers."

"HA! So we're boyfriend-girlfriend?"

Hailey nodded.

"We are."

"Alright."

He hugged her and Hailey deflated from a breath she did not know she was holding.

"Jesus FUCKING christ do I feel better. Like OHMYGOD it should not have been that hard."

Angel chuckled.

"Looks like you got claimed, Gore."

"Yup. Sorry, Angel."

"Oh no. It's cool. Spin the bottle and truth or dare was created for this kinda things."

Hailey smirked.

"Ha. He;s MY boytoy. Get your own."

"I'll just be here when you try to kill him again."

"I'll just sit here quietly with popcorn."

The RV laughed at Kora's entertained voice. Tyler chuckled as Hailey snuggled into his side with a bright smile.

"Now that the emotional bullshit is out of the way,"

"fuck you."

"Sure, drop em.'

"God dammit. NOT FIRST DATE."

"Third?"

"eh we'll see."

He smiled as he hugged her and Hailey smiled as she enjoyed the snuggle. Angel looked outside and noted the sun was going down.

"we're done for the day, Gore?"

"Yup. In the morning we'll hit the next town."

Tyler thrw a frozen pizza into the oven and the friends enjoyed a little luxury before Sarah appeared for her nightly interview. She smiled as she saw Hailey snuggled under Tyler's arm.

"Hailfyre, you and Goreleech are dating?"

She smiled.

"We are."

"Goreleech? How were you able to reconcile?"

"Well. she tried to stab me."

Sarah blinked at this and Hailey smiled sheepishly.

"He's....THAT frustrating?"

They chuckled and the reporter smiled.

"Goreleech. You have met with your Manager, have you not?"

"I have. She's cool."

The interview ended with the reporter signing off and Tyler opened up his livestream and looked at the comments....

"Ha. Hails's idea of a love confession is a knife. Makes me wonder indeed, Karliah333."

A bloodsmeared comment appeared and he read it.

"HAils reminds me of the tsundere from anime. Hates you to your face, LOVES YOU TO DEATH when you're not looking. Eh pretty much. I'dda pegged her a yandere."

Hailey glared at him.

"I know what those mean you jackass."

"Ha."

Another bloodsmeared comment appeared and Tyler smiled.

"who's got the better rack, Angel or Hails? well,"

"Don;t you DARE grope me on camera you cocky fuck."

"That's to be decided."

"I still that knife. Do you want me to castrate you?"

The comments were full of jokes as Hailey's dry death thtreat and Tyler patted her with a smile.

"She's a feisty one."

Hailey glared daggers at him for this patronization.

"I will GET you for this."

He chuckled at her dark voice before smiling as a fresh comment came up.

"Oh hell yeah. We'll DEFINTELY do a bombing run on a city at some point, Hanaberg420. I had a B17 in my base for no other reason then random bombinb runs with the betabase. I shit you not we once did a firebombinb run on the ingame version of Seattle. That fire burned for TWO WEEKS. TWO REAL WORLD WEEKS. Before it was put out by a dev produced hurricane. We did a test and found that yeah. You CAN burn an entire city to the ground. It takes some doing. But you can do it."

Another smeared comment appeared and tyler smiled.

"Turn the RV into a landcased gunship? That's BASICALLY what I'mma do."

The comments ran on for a few minutes with some chatting bout the state of the game and Tyler smiled as he watched....when he noted an argument break out between two people over who was hotter, Angel, or Hailey. Tyler smirked.

"If you people aren't going to discuss this as gentlemen, I WILL see you banned and blocked from the stream. discussions are fine. But DO NOT drag that racist and toxic shit into MY lair. Are we clear?"

The chat was full of nods and Tyler nodded.

"Good. That was your one."

He closed the stream and Kora smirked.

"Homophobia?"

"You ever see that movie tremors?"

The sudden question made them frown and Kora nodded, sensing something was coming.

"I did."

"What was the name a the worm thing that fired stuff at people?"

Kora's eyes narrowed.

"The assblaster-FUCK YOU."

"We're cool."

"fuck you man. Hilarious but fuck you."

"You're fun to fuck with, Kora."

"Oooh my head."

Tyler chuckled and Angel chuckled.

"Nothing for lesbians?"

"Not really. Hey what;s the other name for a dam?"

"A dyke-FUCK YOU!"

"Ha!"

The friends laugheed at the setup and Hailey smirked.

"enough being a prick. I'm tired."

"Yes hails."

"GOOD boy."

The tired teens went to their bunks with Tyler and Hailey taking the master bedroom queenbed. They snuggled up with each other and Tyler smiled as he held her tightly.

"night, Hailey. I'm glad you're done with the shit."

She smiled as he held her tightly.

"Good night, Tyler. Sorry I tried to kill you."

"Sorry I DID kill you."