Work Text:
[Image ID: A 5 panel comic. Tina looks distraught and confused in panel 1, the background (a brown wooden walled bathroom) continues into panel 2, where zeke is stumbling into the bathroom. "Slam" sound effect behind him. Panel 3 is Tina looking in shock, Panel 4 is Zeke looking in shock (and he looks worn and beaten). a speech bubble from zeke encroaches onto panel 3 and says "tina!", tina's response "zeke" is whispered and the spech bubble going into zeke's panel. Panel 5 (bottom, final) is the two of them in the wooden bathroom still, reading out their hands to each other but not yet touching. ]
The sound of the door flying open made Tina’s head snap up, her eyes opening as she stared in confusion at the bathroom. Because…this wasn’t the bathroom she was used to. Gone was the white tile and beige walls, replaced instead with dark wood paneling everywhere. It was dark except for the faint light coming from a hanging lightbulb above her, which was now swinging back and forth, making her blink to try to focus.
Especially when he stumbled in, falling onto his hands and knees as he panted and heaved for breath. He was bundled up in his coat and hat, his backpack strapped to his back and chest again. His face was thin and gaunt, his beard bushier than she had ever seen it, and he was bleeding profusely from his left bicep.
But when his head lifted and his hazel hues met hers, there was no mistaking who this was. He blinked, his eyes going wide as he stared back at her. “Tina?” His voice was hoarse but oh so familiar and it made her heart ache .
“Zeke,” she whispered, feeling warm again for the first time in weeks.
As if drawn by magnets, their hands lifted at the same time and they reached out to each other. But right as their fingertips were about to touch [...]