George moved his head to meet Rowan's seemingly warning gaze. "I'm sorry, Rowan. Everyone can wait, but if we don't act fast, the investors and shareholders will give us trouble. Also, its rival companies will surely do what they can to destabilize the company further. Bradshaw Enterprise is my brother's lifework. I don't think Scott will like to hear how it crashes down because of his inaction."
"But he's barely functioning…" Rowan saw how Scott was for the last few days. Aside from sleeping with him, Scott hadn't done anything. The guy couldn't even shower before taking the one he had earlier that morning. For him to handle a company in the get-go…
"Uncle…" Scott finished speaking with his grandmother, so he went to George's side. He took a deep breath and glanced at Rowan. "Please help me with the company. I can't run it the way my dad did, but I want to try. Can you please be the CEO for now? I'll learn on the job."
Scott turned to the side and smiled bitterly. "Sorry, Rowan. I can't study and work at the same time. I might have to drop out and concentrate on this first."
Rowan squinted at the other person. "…idiot. Finish your degree first. What will your future investors say when they find out that you didn't even have a degree? Come on, it's still a business course. You only have one year left. I'm sure Uncle George and the deputy can handle the Enterprise well."
He then smiled at the other, patting his own chest. "If things get too busy for you, I'll take care of everything else. You know you can count on me, Scottie."
"…Rowan…" Scott murmured his name softly before smiling soulfully as well. "Thank you."
…
Present time…
Just a few minutes of sleeping was enough for Rowan to dream of something unpleasant. He couldn't help but spit at the face of the old him who thought the world would never forsake him—that Scott would never forsake him.
He chose not to leave Scott, so Scott left him instead. Not physically but in mind and in the heart. For a long time, Rowan deluded himself that Scott still loved him the way he used to.
The disgusting thought even had a bitter taste in Rowan's mouth. However, he couldn't just get up to spit it out and fix it with a pack of Strawberry Drops. They were still in pitch-black darkness, fending off the cold until their bodies couldn't do so anymore.
"…Rowan, are you awake…?" Scott's voice was still so soft. He must have felt how Rowan stirred when he finally came to.
"Unhappy that I still breathe?" Rowan murmured back as he rose from sleeping on Scott's lap. He would move away from the other person, but he needed to stay warm because of his injury. If he stopped taking advantage of the coat and body heat, he would have fewer chances of surviving and seeing Duke again.
Yes, he just wanted to see and hug Duke after all this.
Scott would snort at the response but only kept it to himself. It was more important to be surrounded by someone he knew than to be open to attacks from all sides. Not that he would use Rowan as a meat shield if the push came to a shove.
Since he was allowed, Rowan still cuddled with the other person in the spot. He leaned against Scott as if he was someone else. Rowan could just close his eyes and ignore the differences, especially the smell of their body spray. A small smile drew on Rowan's lips for a moment. Duke smelled so clean because of his profession unless he would be operating. He would stink with the putrid smell of blood by then.
"Hey!" Someone called out from the door, and everyone tore their eyes open at the sound. The man from outside opened the door with no gentleness, the panel swinging loudly and mercilessly.
Since Rowan and Scott sat right in front of the door, both men turned away from the stark light coming from the hallway. The rest only pulled away from the light as if it would burn them instead. Now Scott knew why they stayed at the side.
One man walked in, and his bulky figure was filled with shadows as he entered. He walked inside and stopped in the middle. Another person was outside, wary of anyone who would dare to escape. Because of the light, Scott and Rowan could see their faces even if they were not wearing masks anymore.
The first man sniffed and then covered his nose with a hand. "Which is it? Who's keeping the fucking dead? Do you want to suffocate from that?"
"…she's over there!" One male yelled, and the females growled at him. When the bulky man turned in a direction, the girls all begged him not to take their departed friend. However, the bulky man still grabbed the cadaver by the leg and dragged her mercilessly to the door.
"No! Please…!" The girls cried out as if they knew something the males didn't. Then again, who wanted to keep smelling the dead person?
When the cadaver got under the light, Scott saw the face of the woman. It was one of the missing daughters of a big family, and she was one of the beautiful. However, she was nothing more than a dead body who wouldn't scream, cry, or say no anymore. The girls were right to fear for the cadaver. To scavengers like those goons, a woman was a woman.
The second man walked in when the first man dragged the body away. He took fruits from his satchel and tossed them to the floor. It was the males who went to catch the food; it didn't matter if the food rolled through the blood and piss carried by the dead body. Still, some girls crawled from their side and gathered what they could to tame their hunger.
"…do you want one?" Scott asked Rowan as an orange rolled to them. Since it rolled close to someone, the others didn't grab it. After all, these two were new. They were still strong and healthy unlike them. Scott did pick it up and did his best to clean it with his pants.
"No, I'm rather full. I was going to work through the night, anyway." Rowan didn't want the fruit, but he looked at the side of the girls. For five girls, they only had to share two apples. Most food was taken by the men who caught the fruits first.
Scott followed his gaze and tossed the orange to one of the girls looking at them. She could see that they were not eating. Her hands were quick to catch the orange. She peeled it while the door was still open. They needed the light to eat properly.
When Scott tossed the fruit, a snort came from the open door. "What an idiot."