After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

A/N: Random message! Hi guys! Just dropping by to tell everyone that I love you so much! I dunno, lately I have been seeing A LOT of disturbing news and I think it’s just so unfair how we just want to live our lives and some jerks decided they want to destroy the world.

Sadly, most of us are just little ones and can’t do much about it. Some of us barely have the power to fix whatever is wrong with our own lives, let alone change the world.

Well, all I can say is that, whatever is happening to the world right now, we’ll get through this, Alterrans!

*HUGS TO EVERYONE*. Everyone, please take care! All I can say is that as long as I’m alive and conscious, I will finish this story. May we complete this journey together, ne?

Ahem. Back to the story~

...

____

Obi’s face at this time was quite grumpy, much grumpier than usual. To most people, he looked serious and annoyed, while to his family members, he looked like he was on the verge of a tantrum.

Oslo could still remember Obi’s endless laughter when he read those fanfiction out loud. No, it echoed in his mind all the way into his nightmares.

Now, it was he who wanted to laugh.

”Come, sit down,” he said, tone casual as if he wasn’t planning on doing anything nefarious. ”I encountered them when I went to have fun, and I thought of you.”

Obi narrowed his eyes at him. He felt something was brewing, but he couldn’t tell what it was.

He did not like the feeling.

He pulled his eyes away from his suspicious little brother, staring at his men on the table instead.

Specifically, at Leez, who was staring up at him without those large, rounded eyes. He looked around and pulled a chair that had just been emptied, taking it and placing it next to Leez.

”Move here,” he said, pointing at the chair. The young man blinked and did as he was told, with Obi sitting down next to his brother.

Leez and the others smiled, thinking these brothers were so close.

If Obi knew what they were thinking, he’d wave his hand over their faces. Were they blind?!

”What do you want?” Obi asked, looking at his brother with suspicion.

”Not much. I just knew how tense it had been for them, and how they deserved to relax,” he then took the bottle and refilled their glasses, including a new glass for Obi.

”They did leave everything to follow you, after all.”

At this, Obi’s guarded face softened. After a few seconds, his hostility dissipated, and he downed the drink offered to him. It was good.

The other three were embarrassed and tried to downplay their sacrifice.

”Ah, nonono, Mister Oslo, captain... don’t think too much about it—” Dejel hurriedly said.

Tener nodded. ”Yes, we didn’t really leave much behind.”

”None of us had families there, nor did we have any properties in our name,” Leez said. ”There was simply nothing tethering us there.”

She turned to meet Obi’s eyes, and both of them felt a little spark, though they just thought they were just a little dizzy from the alcohol. ”We... want to be with you, Captain.”

Obi paused and stared, while the other two were completely unaware of the slight shifts happening next to them. They were happily downing their drinks, though.

”To be honest, I think Alterra’s better than Bleuelle,” Dejel said, combing his curly mustache that made him look older (which was totally on purpose, by the way). ”Bleuelle is larger and has a stronger population, but life here is just... better.”

He then proceeded to sip his cocktail and closed his eyes as if entering his own world.

”...”

Tener was already bobbing his head to the music, obviously wanting to join the dance floor.

Oslo ignored them and looked at Obi, and then Leez. ”You guys should dance,” he said. ”It’s the local way to release stress.”

”Oh?”

”Hmn, and people dancing when close to each other apparently increases camaraderie and teamwork, you know?”

”What nonsense are you on about this time?” Obi said, though Oslo’s face didn’t change.

The music had changed a bit some time ago, becoming even more lively and upbeat. The prevalent dance steps this time were some of what the Terrans called the ’retro dance steps’, which apparently fit the music tempo better.

The lighting changed, too. It had always been a little dim outside the dance floor to add contrast, though now they added spotlights to pass around the tables, as if beckoning people to join in.

Oslo stood up, and so did they. ”I’m looking for a dance partner,” Oslo said, looking around. ”Most of the attractive women are taken.

”Leez here is a surprisingly good dancer,” he said, placing his hand on the smaller ’man’s’ shoulder. He leaned down his face near the smaller ”man’s”. With a seductive grin, he asked: ”Shall we?”

This irked Obi a bit, and he grabbed Leez’s small arms, pulling ”him” back.

Oslo shrugged and headed to the dance floor, joining a group of lady friends who almost squealed when they realized he was joining them.

On the other hand, Tener and Dejel had also joined in, following the local’s moves... with varying success.

Many of the dancers were amused by the aborigines—thinking they were cute—and were kind enough to teach them steps.

Some of these people were girls who liked that newcomers were trying to learn their ways, so they helped them out by dancing with them. The two guys blushed a bit, but definitely enjoyed the liveliness and proximity.

Just like this, they meshed with the others well.

On the other hand, Obi and Leez stood there a bit awkwardly. Leez couldn’t help but scratch the back of her neck, feeling a small blush grace her face.

...now what?

All around them were couples dancing to the beat, some were flirting, and some were just about to kiss.

The two flushed, suddenly feeling out of place. However, before one of them could suggest getting off the dance floor, Oslo yelled at the side.

”It’s fun, right? No one who can deal with monsters would be scared of the dance floor!”

The two flinched and looked at each other. One of the things they were similar in was the fact that they could get egged on easily, especially when it somehow related to their monster-beating prowess.

Obi looked at Leez in thought, while she wasn’t quite sure what to do with her limbs.

She didn’t understand why it was suddenly difficult when she had been dancing with them earlier.

Did she suddenly felt... embarrassed? Though that wasn’t quite the right word to refer to what she was feeling...

Obi had always been straight to the point. Though he didn’t understand many things, he did know that they were ’supposed’ to dance together.

Oslo was watching, too, and he seemed to be prepared to tease him as soon as he backed out.

No way he’d let him have that moment!

”Leez! Come here! Just leave that rock over there to dance by himself.”

At this, Obi grabbed Leez’s shoulder, making her flinch. ”E-Eh?”

With gritted teeth, the older Gold led the younger ”man” deeper into the dance floor. ”Let’s go.”