As the sun perched high above the post-apocalyptic expanse, the usually arctic-ensconced techie known as Citizen Z decided it was time to momentarily abandon his tech-laden sanctuary for a more rustic retreat with one of the few lifelines he had left in this zombified world--10K. "Man, I never thought I'd be so stoked to just... wash off zombie goo in an actual pond," Citizen Z exclaimed, glancing sideways at 10K, who had a few steps ahead of him started shedding his layers, preparing for a much-needed dip. "Yeah, well, enjoy the little things, right?" 10K replied, a lighthearted grin creasing his face. A grin that Citizen Z couldn't help but admire a tad longer than what might be considered purely platonic. Together, they descended into the water, which was surprisingly clear given the state of the world. They seemed to fall into a comfortable silence, splashing water onto themselves, though Citizen Z's eyes couldn't help but wander as he pretended to scrub at an imaginary stain on his arm. 10K's chest, a bramble of dark hair with droplets catching the sunlight, moved rhythmically with his deep breaths. Citizen Z's gaze followed a rogue droplet's journey southward, crossing the hirsute expanse, and--Oh. A slight detour down a particularly muscular arm up to... "Hairy armpits?" Citizen Z mumbled under his breath, caught off guard. "What'd you say?" 10K turned his head, water cascading off him like he was some model in a cologne advertisement. "N-Nothing. Just talking to the fish," Citizen Z stammered, mustering his best casual chuckle. They continued their bathing ritual, the silence punctuated with the sounds of water splashing and an occasional sigh of contentment. That's when nature called--in the form of a rumbling from 10K's abdomen. "Hey, Citizen..." 10K's face scrunched up a bit, an awkward tension building. "Yeah?" Citizen Z tensed, unsure what was coming. "I, uh, gotta let one rip. Permission to fart in your general direction?" 10K's attempt at medieval humor didn't fully mask his slight discomfort. Citizen Z could barely suppress a laugh. "At ease, soldier. Fire in the hole." And with that, 10K seemed to center his focus, knit his brow, and then let out a long, bubbly fart. Bubbles erupted from the pond, creating frothy circles that spread embarrassingly close to Citizen Z. He couldn't help but laugh, the ridiculousness of it all being too much to handle. However, laughter quickly turned to disbelief as several fish floated belly-up to the surface, seemingly victim to 10K's potent release. As the stench finally hit Citizen Z's nose, his eyes watered, and he wailed, "Holy moly, 10K, what the hell do you eat?" Bathing forgotten, they clambered out of the pond, coughing and chuckling while 10K attempted to fan away the offending odor with his hand. "Well," 10K said with a wry smile, motioning toward the deceased fish, "Looks like we got ourselves dinner. Ever had pond-fresh poisoned fish?" "Can't say that I have. But hey, something tells me you've got a killer recipe up your sleeve," Citizen Z replied, trying--and failing--to suppress another burst of laughter. With the spontaneity borne of necessity in the apocalypse, 10K struck up a campfire. "You bring the talk, I'll cook the walk," he called out to Citizen Z, who shook his head, still grinning. As the flames licked the twilight sky, 10K expertly gutted and skewered the fish, roasting them over the fire. They shared stories, recounted close brushes with undeath, and for a surreal moment, enjoyed what could pass for normalcy. Between bites of surprisingly palatable fish, Citizen Z couldn't help but think how utterly bizarre and indelibly charming this world had become. 10K, his secret crush, had just fart-killed fish for dinner, and he was still mesmerized by him. Maybe it was the apocalypse, or perhaps the strange circumstances, but it seemed Citizen Z had found a fragrance-free pocket of happiness in the most ludicrous of situations.