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Lucas approaches cautiously, trying not to spook her like she's a deer that could leap into action at any second. His hands up to show he means no ill will.
"You can't really blame us for being cautious now, can you? We don't want you to get hurt. Or worse."
He winces at the memories of bodies. Especially those of newcomers who didn't know better or tried to deny the reality before them.
where : the edge of the forest / town with : open
— RAYS from the afternoon sun shine through the trees , melting away the remaining frost on the yellowing leaves and warming greer's near windburnt cheeks . though a chilly autumn was no irregularity for the detroit native , there was something sinister in the air , something she tries desperately to ignore , that makes the cold air seem to seep into her weary bones , inescapable no matter how many layers she may wear . despite this , her glove - less right hand remains outside of her coat pocket , a nearly finished cigarette held tightly between two pinkened fingers , orange lighter clutched in the palm of her hand . the unease only worsens the longer she stares into the woods , the shadows among the trees looking all the more ominous . she takes a deep inhale , the harshness of the cold air stinging her nose and throat as she does so , refreshing and punishing at the same time . as she exhales , she closes her eyes , cutting herself off from staring into the forest , and the dark , irrational thoughts that seem to cluster in her mind whenever she was near it . footsteps approach , the sound of gravel crunching taking away from the otherwise eerie silence , and successfully pulling the young woman from her reverie . greer's eyes remain closed for a moment longer , this time to contain an eye roll . “ i'm not running off again , you guys don't have to keep threatening to ‘ restrain me ’ . ” forever assuming rather than asking , disinterest and annoyance cloud greer's voice . her eyes open only to fall into a scowl as she turns to look at the one who interrupts her moping . “ what do you want ? ”
"I can definitely handle that," Lucas replies with a snicker.
He looks up at Ana, smirk softening to a smile.
"And I appreciate you. Lesbian drama and all, because I know you've got my back too."
Anastasia smirks back, crossing her arms and giving Lucas a playful nudge. "Exactly. I expect a perfect balance of polite intimidation and subtle protectiveness. Think you can handle that?”
She raises an eyebrow, teasing. "I need you to be just threatening enough to keep her on her toes but not so much that she thinks she’s about to get ambushed every time she looks at you." With a laugh, she adds, “But really, you’ve always had my back and I appreciate you."
Lucas sighs.
"Yeah, I know. I just wish your team was part of the whole team too."
He offers a handshake as a formal apology.
"Sorry for wasting your time," he says. "If you hear anything about the missing stock, could you at least let me know who it was after you take it from them?"
CHERRY SIGHS JUST A LITTLE BIT . she gives lucas a look that's only half exasperated . " yeah, well ." the roll of cherry's eyes is halfhearted . " just cause i'm a trouble maker doesn't mean it's always me ." it just probably is, but somehow cherry doubts that now is the time to mention that . " and — i'm on a team ." the protest is accompanied by a lackluster shrug . " s'just ... mine ."
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 keeps his expression neutral, trying not to let his initial disappointment show through.
But then he's interested again.
"What do you mean by that?"
" THAT WASN'T WHAT I MEANT ." the words are distracted . elm twirls the laces tight enough around their finger to make the tip go a bit cold with lack of blood . lucas presses the record button and elm takes little notice of it until the question is address to her . there is a blink as they glance between lucas and the recorder for a moment before leaning hesitantly into the recorder to say the same thing they've told everyone since they've been back . " i don't remember ." a pause before they shrug and add, " ... i don't think they want me to ."
Task 002
Lucas lives in a residential house, one of the few that want to be alone.
Well, he doesn't want to be alone, but he is. Even after 7 years, his house doesn't feel anything like him. It's furnished as all residential houses are: simple, clean, all the necessities but no personality or charm. While it's not empty, it feels lonely. Like there isn't enough life moving inside it to make it feel like a home.
There are little touches of him: books left on tables, dishes in the sink, plants that he's trying to keep alive. But overall, it seems like one of the empty houses on the street, ready for some new unfortunate soul to move in.
The places he's more clearly left an imprint are the sheriff's offices and the homes of his friends. He's more interested in making the town his home rather than his house. Because then maybe he might not feel so alone.
"Survival instincts," Lucas answers. "Passed down from our ancestors to help us live on through the ages and the bullshit. Wish it wasn't so jumpy, but it is what it is. Just need more distractions, I suppose."
He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, feeling the sunlight on his face. It feels nice. A warm embrace that would otherwise hurt.
"Alright, penny for your thoughts?"
Muz’s smile softens as he watches Lucas, noticing the flicker of tension as he talks about the storm. There was something brittle that the storm had stirred up in everyone. He nods slowly, leaning back, fingers absently tapping the bench.
'Storm’s got everyone a little on edge,' he admits. 'Makes sense, y’know, the way it just settles in the back of your head. You ever wonder why we’re all wired like that? Could be calm as anything, but you hear one little sound and bam—you’re back there.'
Lucas sighs and rubs his face.
"Yeah, it's freaking us all out. But trust me, all the signs point to it being the monsters. Somehow, Em just got caught outside too late, and there's very little we can do now besides grieve her and put her to rest."
He leans forward as if he's going to rest a hand on her knee or arm but doesn't.
"You don't need to worry too much. Just follow the rules, and we'll all be safe."
a flicker of a smile , like that of a flashing bulb , graced her porcelain features as she sank into the chair he had invited her to occupy . jo pressed the lip of the beer bottle to her own , rolling it so the amber glass clicked against her teeth . the smell of the ale infiltrated her nostrils , hoppy and aromatic , and she wrinkled her nose in response . she then nodded as he found her answer agreeable , wondering if she'd be invited to take her leave. . . until he was producing another question , her cheeks rouging as she dragged canines along the lower pillow of her lips .
" not really , " she exhaled , lowering the bottom from her mouth to rest its cool glass against the warmth bleeding from her face down her neck. her gaze found the bend of her knees , the hand not cradling the beverage picking at one of the tears in her jeans , twisting the frayed denim around the pad until it puckered from the pressure. not wanting to talk about herself , knowing there wouldn't be much of interest there , jo found something else to bring up instead . " sad what happened to that emerson girl , " josephine offered quietly , frowning . " i know death is commonplace in. . . this place , but , something about hers felt — " she lifted her eyes to the ceiling , as if the word she wanted would be imprinted upon it .
" odd . "
RAFAEL SILVA at the Epic Cons Chicago 2 convention - September 15, 2024
Lucas purses his lips but nods.
"I get it, though I don't really understand it. I like some quiet."
Some people would say he likes it too much, but that's not important.
"So anything you want to share? It's been a minute since we caught up."
a twitch of her lips , followed by the twisting of her nose , josephine turned to the basket of cleaning supplies on the counter , setting down the beer she had been handed in favor of rearranging the plastic bottles and cut towels she used for her daily tasks . " that i can agree with , " she nodded , a reluctance in finding more common ground , meticulously twisting each of the sprayers nozel's from ON to OFF .
in the silence , josephine find's her eyes returning over her shoulder in his direction , noticing the invitation to have a seat . to relax . to stay a while .
dread coiled in her stomach , and she swallowed hard ; it'd be rude not to accept his offer , just as it would have been to turn down the beverage . with slow and weighted steps , josephine moved into the living room , using the cuff of her zip-up to twist off the cap of the beer she had returned to her grasp ; a hiss sounding from the carbonation as she sank her weight into the worn furniture .
" as good as one can be , " she replied simply , lifting pointed shoulders into a shrug . " the motel is . . . fine . sometimes it's noisy but . . . i often prefer noise to silence . somehow it feels safer . " knowing the people around me are alive , she added on in her thoughts .
Lucas chuckles.
"So I should maintain my regular professionalism with the undertone of, 'You're not good enough for my best friend, but you're still good for her' level of amicability?"
He raises a questioning eyebrow with his smirk, continuing the light-hearted tone they've moved to.
Anastasia feels a swell of gratitude for Lucas; he’s been her steady anchor since they both took on the responsibility of leading this town. She manages a smile, nodding at his statement of hope. “You’re damn right we are.”
As she watches him idly sort through items on the table, she’s caught off guard when he brings up Cameron. She gives a casual shrug. “We’re alright. I just went over to check on her… you know I still care, even if we’re not together.” She knows he understands; they’ve spent more than a few nights drinking and hashing out the complexities of her and Cameron’s past.
With a bit of a wry smile, she adds, “I don’t think she’ll be coming to game night, though.” She tries to keep the tone light, hiding the small sting of disappointment behind a half-joke.
"You never know," Lucas says with an encouraging tone. "You night say something that will inspire the next sheriff into coming to a solution."
He smiles and then presses the record button.
"This is Sheriff Lucas Miranda with Elm Mossbach. We're in the 16th year of Oblitus."
Then he turns to Elm.
"So, tell me what happened to you while you were missing."
ELM ISN'T REALLY SURE WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE . sure, they kind of know . but they don't actually know how useful they'll be . how usefully any of this will be, honestly . still, as they look between lucas and the glass of water he's set in front of them they can only nod . " you can record it ." their brow furrows a bit then, as they begin to play with the laces on their new pair of shoes . well, new hand me down shoes . they glance down at the movement to say, " it won't change anything though ."
"Right. I'm sorry. Really, I am."
He crosses his arms and leans against the wall opposite the door.
"We're all stressed out, and you're one of my regular trouble makers. I just needed to know that you're being a team player. At least a little bit."
He gives her a firm but hopeful look.
" ASK YOUR BUDDY !" cherry makes a vague gesture in addition to the words, her brow arching as she moves to lean her back against the door frame instead . " officer adam . he was here with me ." she shrugs and thoughtfully adds, " santi too for a bit ." an arch of her brows before she adds, " y'all have basically been swarmin' me ."
Lucas takes a seat on the couch and sips his beer. He considers the question and how to respond.
"I guess there's hardly ever a simple way to do things here. For as small as the community is, there's a lot to consider."
He gestures to a chair across from him for her to sit. Sunset is still a few hours away, so there's no rush to get her home.
"How have you been? Everyone at the motel treating you alright?"
He's a bit protective over Jo since he was the one who saved her from getting killed by the creatures. A good deed someone had done for him that he now passed on and maybe will have to do again.
lucas seemed to move as if through water , possessing a fluidity she herself had never known . any stiffness that may , or may not , be holding his muscles captive was not obvious to the naked eye , and jo felt a pang of unease resonate in her chest as something resembling jealousy burned through her . if only it were that simple — merely existing in a space and not fearing how much of it you took up .
what she knew of men was very little , her two years in oblitus doing hardly anything to further educate her . what she did know was in PURGATORY , all were equal . he and her both , collectively , hung in the balance . at least that was one thing they had in common .
her lungs trembled , exhaling a quivering breath . " right , " josephine then offered as a response , half-attempting to work a smile on her face but her muscles seeming to have lost all knowledge of the expression . thick brows furrowed deeper at the beer he extended to her , lips rolling into a line , the leftward corner twitching as if she were about to scowl . then , tentatively , she reached out and accepted it — though she made no move to drink from the ambered glass .
" what do you mean by that ?? " her curiosity inquired , steering her tongue before she could stop it . " — always something to do but. . . never a way to do them . there's a way to do everything , is there not ?? "
Lucas listens with a proud smile. This is the Anastasia he became friends with. They keep each other grounded, especially when other people can't.
He kisses her forehead and squeezes her shoulder.
"You and me, no matter what. We're getting these people out of here."
He steps back and resumes his task.
"So anything I should know about this talk with Cam? Are we avoiding her now or inviting her over for game night?"
Anastasia straightens, taking in Lucas’s words like a lifeline, grounding herself with his steady presence. She lets out a deep breath, the weight of it settling her rather than weighing her down. It’s like his reminder is just what she needed, a glimpse of purpose cutting through the fog she’s been stumbling in for so long.
"You're right, you know." Her voice is level, though a slight crack reveals the intensity simmering just below the surface. She brushes a stray tear from her cheek, refusing to let herself go under. "We can’t let any of this break us. Not here, not now. There are too many people counting on us."
She takes a steadying breath, her gaze sharpening as it meets his. "We've been through hell and back, and I know neither of us wanted any of this. But we’re here. We’re still here." Her jaw sets with a resolve that’s familiar yet renewed.
"We have a duty, Lucas. To these people, to ourselves." Her voice is unwavering now, conviction returning to her tone. "Even if we don’t see a way out yet, giving up isn’t an option. Not for them, not for us."
Anastasia places a hand firmly on his shoulder, a determined gleam in her eyes. "We hold the line, like you said. Together." She offers him a small, grateful smile, a hint of her usual fire returning. "Whatever comes next, we face it head-on."
Lucas laughs.
"Fine, fine."
He adjusts to match Muz's positioning. He looks up at the clear sky as he decides what thoughts to share.
"Well, to be honest, I'm trying not to freak the fuck out over the storm and yeah, it's been making it hard to sleep. Not to mention, I keep thinking I hear rain for some reason."
'Scavenger, me. Next penny I find, it's going in your pocket.' Muz stretches out his legs in front of him, giving his boots a little scuff against the gravel, leaning back on the bench. 'Go on, you gotta spill now. Entertain me,' he says, tilting his head as if he’s settling in for a story, eyes brightening a little. 'Need an advance before I go scrounging for pennies.'
Lucas sighs as well.
"Yeah, I get it. Is there at least someone here to confirm you were here during the storm? I'll confirm with them, then cross you off my list for good."
He really isn't in the mood to fight with Cherry today. And he's only really doing this to get the shop keep off his back about this.
" CAUTIOUS ." cherry repeats, her brows raising at the words before she's ultimately sighing and dragging a hand down her face . she leans against the door frame for another few beats before she's rolling her eyes and saying, " look, it was a real stressful night, alright ? maybe someone was locked in lally's and just helped themself ! can you blame 'em ? everyone copes with stress differently, right !" there's no hesitation before cherry raises a finger to add, " and before you ask i was locked in here the whole time !" she points down to the motel .
Lucas pulls his hand back with an eyebrow still raised.
"Ana isn't the only one going through shit," he says matter-of-factly. "But she knows her limits."
He leaves the "Do you?" unsaid.
He gets caught up in his own personal dramas and emotions, too. He's in no real position to judge or make assertions, but he's also more stubborn than most of the people he works with or even is friends with. So, making these judgments and assertions usually leads to people recognizing when he's right.
"oh, i don't mean lie to her or keep shit from her, she'd kill both of us if you did that. i just mean, like, come to santi or me first, see if we can find a solution before making her deal with more shit." she was sure anastasia would probably hate it if she knew cameron was doing this, but after everything she said the other night, she wasn't sure how much more ana could take. "no, no it's fine, i can handle it, don't worry lucas," she said as she put a hand on top of the folders.
where: sheriff offices when: utp whom: @purgatored Elm
Lucas walks into his office and sets the glass of water in front of Elm.
"Alright," he says, sitting in the chair next to her. He pulls the tape recorder closer and gives her a small smile. "You okay if I record this? That way, I don't have to ask you the details over and over again."
He makes sure to keep his posture casual and open, looking and leaning toward her, not crossing any limbs. He also makes sure not to crowd her space.
Lucas nods and places a handbon Mara's shoulder, gently guiding her away from the loud part of the party and toward the stairs.
"So, when do you think you'll be convinced to actually dress up for this?"
He asks it teasingly, not wanting to hurt her feelings, though he doubts he can, at least about this.
she was grateful lucas knew that she wouldn't understand the reference, but even with his explanation, she was still lost. sometimes she hated how little she knew about the world outside of this place. what was it like to watch tv and movies? "oh, okay," she says simply because she doesn't know what else to say to him.
when he offers to take her somewhere quiet, she nods enthusiastically, wanting nothing more than to get away from this party. "yes please."
Lucas is surprised to see her still here, but he smiles when he takes it in.
"It's all okay," he responds. "I'm honestly back earlier than I thought I would be."
He hangs his coat in the closet near the door and carefully lines his shoes in it as well.
"My day was okay," he says, walking toward the kitchen. "There's always something to do and no way to actually do them."
He pulls a couple of beers out of his fridge. He really only drinks when he has company. He walks back and holds out a bottle to Jo.
𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝘧𝘵 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢
her hands smelt of cleaning product and bleach , the skin of her fingers dry and tight from the chemicals it had absorbed. her hair was an unruly tuft of brown mousse , ponytail having long since abandoned its post atop her head in favor of hanging in a flaccid rope down the length of her skin . josephine was grateful to him , for the kindness he had extended her two years ago upon her arrival ; the selfless extension of his security blanket , the nursing of her panic . as much as crossing into the threshold of purgatory had sent her into a spiral that carried over many months — josephine had accepted her circumstances , and expressed her gratitude to those who had spared her from the pendulum swing of the reaper's scythe .
" lucas , " jo greeted as the man walked through the front door , drying her hands on the towel hung from the waistband of her jeans . " i was just finishing up . wasn't supposed to take me this long but uh — something was wrong with the spray nozzle on one of the cleaners . " speech then halted , too many words coming from her lips resulting in a bashful flush crawling up her neck . " how — " josephine's gaze moved to his face , dark brows threading together as she tried to usurp the vocabulary she had stolen from the community in order to make small talk . " how was. . . your day ?? "
@patroclusblossom
"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."
Lucas had just sat down to catch his breath, and now Adam is begging him to be a distraction.
"Okay," he says, quickly thinking so Adam doesn't start a fight. "You wanna dance or play some beer pong or something?"
open to all. colony house party.
Adam was neither high nor drunk enough to process the conversation in his right ear, so he nodded politely, sipping on cheap booze and scooting away inch by inch trying not to be noticed. As. a last resort he turned to the person to his left, adamant not to lose his hard-earned seat at the couch (secured by arriving entirely too early) and pleased. "Please talk about something, anything at fucking all before I knock this dude out --"
RAFAEL SILVA — via Instagram (2024)
Lucas hums and considers the best way to explain.
"So there was a cartoon show about a teenage girl, Kim Possible, that while also being a student and cheerleader, she was a hero that went around the world and saved people. She took her best friend, Ron Stoppable, with her. So Ana is Kim, and I'm Ron."
He sighs and rubs his face
"Yeah, it's loud. I think there are some quiet rooms upstairs in the east wing if you want to get away?"
East wing is designated quiet areas. West wing rooms are for private and not quiet activities.
she didn't understand his joke, but she offers a smile anyway. "what are you supposed to be?" not that she would even know when he tells her. her knowledge was very limited.
"no, i hate this," she says, looking out at the party. "it's too loud." it was the worst day of the year in her opinion and not because of the monsters outside.
Lucas laughs. He's not as drunk as Becca is but he's not so far behind.
"Gets harder to keep up every year, doesn't it?"
He feels the sheriff part of his brain suggest he cut her off, but he'd promised himself and Ana that he wouldn't be sheriff tonight.
where: colony house when: halloween party (event thread) who: open starter
was it a good idea for half the town to be crammed into one place for a noisy party? no. but was becca ready for an excuse to drink more than usual without reprimand? fuck yeah. and after another barely mixed cocktail of moonshine and blueberry syrup, she's starting to realize these kids weren't playing around this year. "at this rate, i'm going to be completely useless up until dinner tomorrow. do me a favor and don't ask for anything important, okay?"
Lucas looks to see Marama studying him curiously.
He chuckles. "A little yeah. This was the biggest sized shirt I could find to fit the costume. I think Ana's happy I'm showing off more than she is. Or she's jealous. I couldn't really tell."
He shrugs and sips his drink.
"You having fun tonight?"
closed event starter @patroclusblossom
marama didn't understand the concept of dressing up for halloween, maybe because she was only seven when she came here and has never been able to watch tv or movies like everyone else so she never understood the references, but it also just seemed odd to her. some people dressed up for these things, with outfits they make themselves. she never did. "why is your stomach showing?" she asks lucas with a confused look. "are you warm?"
