Crossdressing To Survive An Apocalypse

Kyle lay unmoving on the small bed frame. If he moved even an inch, his arms and legs would rub up against the heated body beside him. Just then, a warm arm rubbed against his shoulders.

"Stop touching me. Move a few centimeters to the left," he glared at the annoying guy.

Kaden glared intensely at him. "There is no more space for me to move. What do you expect me to do, lie on the ground?"

"That would be better, thanks," Kyle rolled his eyes.

"They didn't have a spare comforter. If so, I would have gladly slept on the ground," Kaden grumbled under his breath. "Annoying person."

"You're the annoying person," Kyle pinched his arm that was touching him.

"Ow! Why did you do that?"

"You were still touching me!"

Kyle and Kaden glared at each other. The small cell fell into a strange silence.

Kyle glanced at the ceiling, trying his best to ignore the heavy breathing of the guy beside him. "Are you... are you sad this is not our world?"

"Are you not?" Kaden glanced at him peculiarly.

"No. I'm just glad I'm out of that hellish place," Kyle sighed softly, turning to the side, refusing to acknowledge this annoying person.

Kaden frowned. "There are flesh-eating monsters out there waiting for you to walk out of this old prison... You like a world like this?"

Kyle sighed softly. "You would too if you lived like me," he turned to his side.

Kaden was curious now. He had met a few other PWs before he met Kyle and Skyy, but he had never seen a hot-headed, stubborn PW like him.

Kyle turned to his side. "I lived on Earth, in hiding until I was eight years old. A ranger discovered me in my parents' basement and captured me."

"I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. It's my parents who sold me to the government for a few extra coins," he scoffed. "They simply raised me a bit older to get a bit more money out of me."

When he was young, he had innocently thought his parents were trying to protect him from the government, but it was all a lie. They simply wanted to sell him off to a rich guy illegally. But before they could implement their plan, he was discovered by a roaming ranger that day and was taken to the lunar base.

He had never told anyone about this before.

Not even Skyy.

But strangely, he wanted someone to know about his story.

"My stingy parents did not buy me any toys... I just had acorns to play with... One day, when I was playing with them, a chipmunk stole one of my acorns and ran out of the vent."

He paused, taking a deep breath. Retelling that story made him relive that past. He did not know what he felt about that memory.

"I climbed up a few of the stacked boxes and squeezed out of the vent," he looked at him. "That was the first time I was outside. The green trees... The cool fresh air... the wet soil under my feet... everything made me feel so...

so happy. I happily danced around and chased the chipmunk. That was the first taste of freedom."

"Every day after that, I would sneak out after breakfast and play around in the backyard with the little critters. One day, I stupidly played with a scorpion and got stung. I was a child. I couldn't control my scream of pain. The nearby ranger heard it and ran to me. I don't know how, but he instantly found out that I'm a PW.

He captured me, and that was it. I was stuck in a room with white walls for years after."

Kaden gazed at him instantly. "I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You had nothing to do with it," he laid down on his back.

Suddenly, there was a soft voice calling them.

"Who is it?" Kaden went to the grail gate.

The middle-aged man who welcomed them was standing there with a strange expression. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Kaden glanced back at Kyle. "Can we talk here?"

"Yes," murmuring, Shao walked in. "I noticed that your nerves were a different color. Can you tell me more about your powers, please?"

"Why do you need to know?" Kaden asked him defensively.

"I just know a person who has a similar condition, and he is not doing good. I want to know if you guys share the same powers and how you control that power."

Kaden frowned. "I have wood veins. I was born with it, and I had no problems with it."

"So you can't control it... like take it out."

"No..." Kaden looked at him weirdly. "What powers does your friend have?"

"He has a tree in his body. Like a literal tree. It's sucking him dry from inside. We have tried everything these past years, but we are not able to sustain the consumption of that tree."

Kaden weirdly gazed at him. In his world, he had never seen a power like that. There were only five categories of powers: fire, wind, water, earth, and wood. Nothing else. But this world seemed to have strange powers.

"I don't know how to help. But if I can take a look at your friend, maybe I can help."

"He is in the main base along with your friend Skyy. Is it okay if you guys go there?"

Kyle shot up suddenly. "Yes! I want to go there. Kaden, say yes!"

Kaden sighed. 'This guy... he doesn't even know how dangerous that journey is going to be...'

"I'm sorry; I don't know if we can."

"Why not!" Kyle ran up to him.

"It's too risky! Those creatures are there outside."

"Don't worry about them. I can send a trained team along with you. Please... is it possible to take a look at him?" Murong Shao looked at him hopefully. "I can assure your safety."

Kyle tugged at his shirt with an aggrieved look.

Kaden let out a sigh. "Fine."