Adrien Winces When He Actually Looks At Their Leg. It's In Bad Shape, For Sure.

"That's awesome. Glad to hear my new boss is also a good person."

He snickers. Then his head snaps up.

"Really? I'm there too! We totally need to hang out or something after dark."

"yeah, i guess when everything is so scares and random, gotta make use of everything," charlie said with a shrug as she looked around the shop. she was still trying to take everything in around here, it was interesting how everyone did their part and it all seemed to work, at least for the most part. "that sounds like them," she said with a smile. "they kinda saved me on my first night here and let me crash in their house." that night was still a blur but she was glad it was el that let them in. "you can say that again, this place is fucking crazy. still trying to wrap my head around it all." she's not sure if she ever will. "i'm up at colony house, what about you?"

Finally. It had been a long day. Survive the storm and night, get the run down of the town, meet El, see the Chop Shop, and now, finally, being shown where he's going to be living. It's a cool place. Big, a little fancy, and it's buzzing with energy even with quiet somber air. So different from his aunt and uncle's place.

Cameron showed him his room and where the supplies he might need are kept. Then he's let loose to wander and see what he can find.

He finds a common room with some couches and chairs. And books he steps in to see what kind of books might still be here, but then he freezes because someone else is already in here.

Adrien blinks because there's no way this guy is real.

Adrien's seen cute guys back home. But this guy? He's handsome, beautiful.

Adrien licks his lips. Then, he realizes the guy is looking at him. Talking to him.

"Oh. No, not mine. I don't have much that's mine anymore. Just my mini-tool kit. No books. Uncle Don didn't let us bring books on our family hikes. So it's fine if you read that."

He's feeling breathless under the guy's gaze.

"Hi, I'm... I didn't mean to stare. I just... well, you're..."

He shuts his mouth and swallows hard. Get yourself together, he tells himself.

He steps forward, wiping the sweat from his hand, then holds it out to the guy.

"Adrien. I'm new."

@patroclusblossom

LOCATION: colony house

The storm passed. Some were hurt, and a few went missing. Less died than he expected, but the gruesome sight was enough to send many into somber silence.

Sangjoon had finally settled into the Colony House thanks to Cameron and was clearing out a spot to sit. There was a book in his way and after a moment of deliberation, he picked it up. He wasn't completely sure what the rules were regarding property in this house and wondered if he was going to upset someone just by flipping a few pages. Still, after all the horror, it felt nice to read.

Escape for a moment to a safer world.

What pulled him back to the bleak present was a pair of eyes. Sangjoon, having lived the way he did, was always hyperaware of any attention on him.

Fortunately, the gaze did not seem unfriendly.

"Is this book yours?" Were you looking at this, or looking at me? "I should have not touched it without permission, sorry."

Lucas watches them for a quiet moment then nods.

"Okay, makes sense. Do you remember anything right before? Or right after? Where you were, what you were doing, any notable things in your surroundings?"

He tries to be slow and patient, but Elm is the first person he's gotten to interview that got taken and came back alive.

"IF THEY WANTED ME TO REMEMBER THEN I WOULD ." there's no hesitation in elm's answer . they toy with their laces . " just like if they wanted to kill me then they would have ." they glance up at him before shrugging, " ... but they don't want me to remember so i don't . and they didn't want to kill me so they didn't ."

Lucas looks up from the list he'd been writing out of things to do after the storm ends. If it even ends.

He shakes his head at his deputy.

"Sorry. No smokes for me. As for options, it looks pretty slim pickings right now."

He gestures over the bar to where there's notably no one working right now.

open to all. location: motel bar

A job of a deputy included a lot of risks, more than he'd ever imagined outside of Oz. But the blood stained uniform covered in heavy rain, leaving a trail of water behind him as he approached the Motel bar, was enough to showcase just how done he'd been with all the risk taking for one night. He was not fucking paid for this, or trained for this, and being outside right now? Running blind? It was nothing short of a death wish. "What we havin'?" question is directed to his right and he'll take out a pack of cigarettes now fully soaked through. "Fuck...you got a smoke? Preferably dry?"

Adrien's smile twitches but stays in place. Honestly, he'd rather save the crying for at night when people are less likely to hear him.

The silence is awkward, but Adrien doesn't break it. If he's learned anything from the past few days is everyone here has their idiosyncrasies and just let them be themselves until they come back.

Adrien shakes his hand.

"Thanks. Muz? El mentioned you. You're one of the scavengers, right? What's that like?"

He walks further into the shop, looking around, eyes wide in excitement.

'New?' Muz asks. 'Bit smiley for new...You're working in here?' There was a beat of silence as Muz held Adrien’s gaze, letting his standoffish response to a simple introduction settle. Then, as if shrugging off a heavy thought, he jerks his head toward the row of beat-up cars and sighed, 'Well, you’re here now.' He gives Adrien a half-smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. 'Welcome shop, kid.' He moves forward a few steps, hand out. 'Muz.'

Lucas huffs a humorless laugh.

"I was going out of my mind and trying to make a sprained ankle heal faster."

He looks down at said ankle, still aching, but more or less fine. He kicks some small rubble off the side of the road.

"Is there anything I can help you with? Leadership wants a list of repairs or supplies that people need."

"appreciate, yeah," she agrees with a nod. in this place, all she knew was to enjoy the day light. things came out at night and the day time was the only time they were safe, at least as safe as they could be here. she looked back at lucas, face blank as she takes in his question. "fine, it was just another night." only it wasn't, it lasted longer than any she's seen before but she wasn't one to talk about the things that go through her mind during the nights. "what about you?" she didn't particularly care, but she knows it's polite to return questions.

"Well then, I guess you need to catch up."

Lucas reaches over and grabs a bottle of vodka and a couple of shot glasses. He pours them both one and holds his up for a toast.

"To not being too old to party."

she groans because it's true, but becca waves him off for being too nice. "oh, come on- talking like you're someone's grandpa..." tonight wasn't supposed to be for complaining anyway. "or maybe everyone else is just sprinting ahead. i didn't make these drinks."

wanted connections

lucas:

Non-work friends: people he talks to regularly that he doesn't work with

Mutual annoyances: someone he see regularly because of his job and it bothers both him and them

Friends-with-benefits: a guy he can hook up with, no strings attached because they both just need that release sometimes

adrien:

Possible romantic interest: a guy who maybe sees Lucas and wants more with him. Could lead to a happily for now or could just end

Life debt: someone let Lucas into their house while his brother Carlos held back monsters. Lucas feels he owes this kind soul so much and will do anything for them, basically no questions asked.

Friends and roommates: people living at the colony house like him that can just hang out. Maybe eventually, they can all be a tight-knit group that will all help protect each other if the need arises

Mentor/parental figure: after losing his parents at a young age and not really imprinting on his aunt and uncle, Adrien is definitely looking for someone he can care about like that and could care about him back

Meet cute: a guy that Adrien might develop a crush on and could potentially lead to more

Tanner Buchanan | Behind The Blinds (2021)

Lucas scowls. He knows she is probably just lashing out from fear, but that doesn't make her words any less true. Or infuriating.

"You're right," he says, voice bitter and biting. "I've done a shit job. I couldn't protect my brother 7 years ago, and I couldn't protect Emerson this week. I'm sorry if I don't inspire much hope in you, ma'am, but I'm just as human as you are and the leaders who asked me to check in and make sure you didn't try anything that would hurt you or any others."

He shrugs and takes a step back, feeling a little lighter, and a mix of happy and disappointed in himself. He'd unloaded onto a stranger that's just trying to control their life in a situation none of them can control.

"I'm not going to ask again: you can do whatever you want, just don't endanger the people that are trying to survive."

— GREER cannot help but roll her eyes at his gesture and his words , throwing the butt of her cigarette to the ground and crushing it underneath her boot as she only half - listens . “ protection ? from monsters ? ” she laughs hollowly at this , her expression unimpressed . “ if that's what's going , if you're here to protect us from ‘ monsters ’ , ” she drags out the word with a mocking tone , the venom in her voice practically dripping , “ then you're not doing a very good job , are you ? considering someone's only just died , haven't they ? so forgive me , sheriff , if i have very little faith in your correctional department . ”