forum Pet Zombie???? Closed //stalkers welcome//

Started April 18, 2022 by @Celeste_X0X0_ group

tune

Jax grasped onto Cass' arm for support. He leaned on him, pained by his bandaged leg. Once he got over to the bed and managed to sit on it, he looked up at Cass and gestured to his jaw. He makes a fist with his thumb sticking up and puts the palm side of his fist to his lips. He was trying to tell Cass he can't speak with his little ASL knowledge. He reached out towards Cass, tears in his eyes from the pain. Not everything was finished to him. He still had a lot to do as soon as his jaw was fixed. Jax heard little Fia asked about the stuffed animal. The cat may have been a ragdoll, but it was nice to cuddle. Unfortunately, the only thing he could do in return is shake his head yes. Jax smiled softly at Fia. He grabbed the little kitty and started to pet it as if it was real. He leaned back against the wall, resting his head. It pounded from the amount of pain his body had gone through in a short amount of time. Jax felt like he might overheat. The room was too stuffy for his liking. He wanted Cass to fix the injury, to relieve all of his physical and mental pain. But Cass wasn't a wizard, he couldn't do all of what Jax wanted. He was human after all, and was limited in his abilities. What Jax would give to be a creature that could heal all of its own pain.

Cass smiles softly at the two, watching as Fia smiles before running back into the other room. He would only assume to get yet another "gift" for Jax.
Cassius sits on the edge of the bed with Jax, understanding what he had said and letting him know he did with a nod. "right sorry. I figured i would dislocate your jaw. I can pop it back in place if you would like. It'd hurt a lot though" he says. He wouldn't have offered to knock him out by punching him if Cass didn't know how to pop his jaw back into place. That would have been stupid on his part and unfair to Jax. Cass would have made him bare through the pain if he didn't.
In his time of service, he's gained a lot of survival skills, whether it be fighting, healing, or simply negotiating with others in order to survive. So even though it was a bit rusty, he knew enough sign language to quietly communicate with his allies. Which now included Jax.

Jax looked at Cass. He wanted to be able to speak again, and the dislocation hurt. He knew something was out of place. Even he could tell the socket was empty without a mirror. He held Cass' hand. He had a lot of options, and the best one was to pop it back in. He closed his weary eyes for a second before opening them. Jax listened to Cass' offer, and his eyes lit up when Cass said he could pop it back in. He basically waved off the fact that it would hurt like hell. He didn't care if it would hurt. Jax wanted his jaw back in place. Sure, his body made him faint at the intense pain— God, he hated how the human body did that. But this was supposed to be quick pain, was it not? Nothing like the sutures or the leg. Those were different from a dislocated joint. He picked up a lot from his years on the road. Back when people were nicer, they would teach him useful skills that would aid in his survival. Jax even learned to use a bow for hunting since no one would let a child handle a gun. He lost the arrows long ago, but he probably still had the bow folded up and tucked away in his satchel somewhere. He had adapted himself to use knives and dangers. Jax learned how to climb trees and make shelters. He learned how to hide himself from any organization or orphanage that wanted to help him. He wasn't interested in that life. Jax grew up wild and only accepted drastic help from one person—his fiancé. He also liked the fact that she loved his dog.

Jax turned himself towards Cass, sitting crisscross on the bed. He was ready to have his jaw popped into place. He'd experienced much worse. He doubted a dislocated jaw was going to kill him. He'd made a mental note to show Cass his skills. Maybe they could be useful in some way. He quietly waited for Cass to pop his jaw into place. Jax remembered when a stranger popped his shoulder back into place. That was nauseating for him as a kid. He softly smiled at his own memories. They were interesting to say the least. Some could say he was raised by wolves, but he was rather raised by instincts. He would compare himself to one of the kids from Lord of the Flies if he knew any better. Jax felt better than he had previously… sickness wise. His fever had gone down, but wasn't entirely gone. He let Cass know he was ready for him to pop his jaw back in.

Cass gives Jax' hand a small squeeze before gently letting go, kneeling down on the floor beside the first aid box. He rummages through it, pulling out some gauze and wrapping his thumbs in it to avoid any injuries to himself as much as possible.
He stands, looking to Jax "i promise my hands are clean" he says, now standing in front of Jax.
"I know it's gonna hurt, but go ahead and open your jaw as much as possible. I am going to have to put my thumbs in your mouth. Just warning you" he says calmly, looking his jaw over. "And promise you wont bite me" he finishes
Cass didn't do too well with sudden pain and his first instinct is to fight unless the pain inflicted was his daughter, as that happened often. She normally accidentally hit him with all sorts of things, be in spoons, crochet needles, hair brushes, rocks she found outside that she would accidentally drop on him.
Though he was afraid if Jax bit him, his first instinct would be to punch him yet again. And he really didn't want to hurt Jax more than he already has.

Jax stared at Cass, his brow creasing with worry. He seemed to go pale when Cass told him to open his mouth. He shrugged when Cass told him his hands were clean. Jax knew that would. He wasn't really worried about that part. He was overly concerned about the pain to follow. Jax wasn't the biggest fan of pain, but he ignored to in order to keep up with his survival. He turned away from Cass, reluctant to open his jaw. 'Είναι ζωή.' His mother would say after he would fall and scrape a knee. That was life, yes. The Greek version of the common phrase c'est la vie. Although, Jax didn't think this was how the cookie should crumble. This was not a minor set back, but his mother's words were true. This is life. He turned towards Cass and prepared himself. He managed to open his mouth with little whines of pain from him. This was excruciating, but he had to get over it. Life isn't always peaches and cream. Before Jax closed his eyes, he signed 'No promises' to Cass' request. Jax wasn't about to say promise and then bite the man. That would be breaking a promise and he didn't break promises. He couldn't keep his mouth open for long, and it was slowly starting to close for the mass amounts of pain. His nails dug into the quilt on the bed, and his breathing started to quicken. Cass.. be quick. He whined in his head.

Cass takes a deep breath as well, nervous about the fact that he signed 'no promises' to him. He really didn't want to punch him again. Or worse, break his jaw.
But Cassius was sure Jax knew the risks and went ahead and slides his thumbs in his mouth, his thumbs resting on either side of his bottom molars, feeling around the outside of Jax's jaw with his index and middle finger.
He pushes down on his back teeth with his thumbs and pulls up on his chin, careful not to dislocate anything else. His movements were slow and gradual, still afraid if he moved too quickly Jax would bite down at the sudden movement unless he was prepared. And even then, it made him nervous.
(lol i think Cass has a phobia of being bitten ngl)
"okay you're going to feel a pop. It will be painful" he says, looking into Jax's eyes carefully, "if you want me to stop, let me know with three taps on my arm" he cautions before pulling the chin up just a bit more. He hears a loud pop from his jaw and winced at the sound, feeling his jaw go back into place.

Jax breathed in and out to calm his nerves. He started to freak out a little when he felt the pressure on his back molars. Holy hell, this hurts! And the then Cass pull up on his chin. The pain shot up throughout his face, and he let out a little whine of pain. He gripped onto the side of the bed, digging his finger nails into the mattress. Then he gripped onto Cass' arm, digging his nails into it. He couldn't happen. It was a reaction to the pain he couldn't have stopped. Jax didn't want to hurt Cass, and he immediately felt sorry for his actions. And then he heard Cass' warning, 'it will be painful'. He couldn’t help but remember when he had his shoulder popped back in. He had squirmed and had to be held down, so the doctor could do anything. He screamed bloody murder, and the locals thoughts a kid got axed. Jax tried to calm himself, but his heart rate rose when Cass pulled his chin up more and screamed when his jaw was popped back into place. He was right— it was short-lived pain, but short-lived pain that was excruciating. He was panting, removing his nails from Cass' arm, apologizing profusely.

Once Cassius was done, he pulls his fingers out of his mouth and his hands away from his as quickly as possible, the adrenaline from the fear of Jax biting him overruled the pain of Jax's nails into his skin.
He lets out a heavy breath when he did and shakes his head "whew! That was something" he says with a small chuckle "it's going to be sore for a while. It sounds like it might hail soon so i could get some once the storms ended and we can ice it." he says, unwrapping his thumbs and balling up the gauze so he could throw it away downstairs, the saliva residue not affection him as much as he thought it would. He's definitely dealt with worse in his time of service.
He looks to her arms, running his fingers over the indentations in the shape of Jax's nails. The skin had already started to raise and redden, and at small points the skin had broken and small dots of blood dotted the markings now.
"oh it's okay. Really. I don't mind" he waves it off. "how does it feel? Everything in place?" Cass asks

Jax was relieved that the prodding and pulling was over with. He took a deep, well-deserved breath. He leaned his head on the wall and took in the atmosphere of the room before saying anything. "It was horrible." He muttered quietly. He didn't mind the soreness, but eating might get annoying. "Hail melts quick. You want to get it while it's still hailing." He looked over at the window solemnly, assessing the conditions outside. He wanted to stretch his legs and scream at the rain. It drained everything out of him, his soul especially, but it let him express himself. "I want to get outside badly." He laughed quietly. "But you'd probably stop me before I even had one foot out the door." Jax shrugged. "I like to yell at the sky. We have peaceful arguments." His voice was hoarse, and he looked at Cass, his question bringing him back to reality. "It feels like I had my whole mouth moved over a few inches and sewed together. That means it's sore. Everything feels— like it's where it's supposed to be." He got up, eyeing the window, and limped to the bedroom door. Jax made an effort to limp down the stairs and go over to the living room window, staring at the storm through it.

Cass picks up the first aid kid, the wrapped up gauze inside and the rest of his first aid belongings.
"I'm sure we'll figure something out" he says calmly, not minding his response even though Cass took it a bit roughly. He clears his throat, setting the box onto the dresser beside the bedroom window before turning to Jax, unbraiding his hair as it became messy rather quickly. It doesn't take long before all of his hair falls down, some of it falling into his face before he swipes it away with his hand.
Cass goes to stop Jax from getting up at all, though he figured it was alright. He picks up the first aid box and follows Jax downstairs, making his way to to kitchen, slipping the box back undeath the sink, then meeting Jax near the window.
The windows were on the larger side, two small slivers of wood forms a cross pattern along the glass. Just as Cass expected, small balls of hail could be seen falling from the sky and landing hard on the ground around them. He worried they would hit the window and break but as far as he knew, they weren't big enough or fast enough to do much damage.
He crosses his arms, looking out of the window "I used to yell at the sky a lot too ya know" he says softly, his voice quieter now.
Cassius wasn't always very quiet and he had a lot of anger built up in him from the unfortunate events of his life. He didn't have any way to take out his anger, as he knew the people he was ordered to kill didn't deserve being killed out of anger.
So instead he would yell at the sky and ask her why the world like this. And the only replies he ever got back was silent gusts of winds.

(I made it sad :( I also love how this has been all in one consecutive day.)

Jax went against Cass’ attempts to stop him from getting up. He quickly limped down the steps and perched himself at the window. He quietly watched the hail crash to the lonely road, wondering if any would be able to nail a zombie in the head. He moved himself over to make room for Cass, entranced by the storm. He hadn’t seen a storm this bad since— well, he did want to think about it. “I yelled at the sky because I was angry it took away everyone I loved. My baby boy dying in my arms was the last straw.” He muttered quietly. It was a hard subject. “But it just grumbled back at me with thunder. Then I learned yelling at the sky can’t bring everyone back.” He moved closer to Cass, almost leaning on him for comfort. He knew they had a shared pain somewhere. Jax just wasn’t aware where yet. “Then it made me wonder if I was a bad son, a bad bother, a bad lover, a bad fiancé, or a bad father; All because I was too young. If you yell at it long enough, the sky will make you think horrible things.” He rested his arms against the window with tears in his eyes, wondering to himself if sitting in the storm was a good idea. It probably wasn't and was glad he stayed inside. "Today was my son's birthday… he would have been two. I wish I had my kiddo with me like you do Ophelia. It would alleviate some of the pain." He silently pressed his nose to the window, imagining the small lanterns he would have sent out into the sky. He did it on every birthday of his loved ones, but this year just wasn’t his.

Jax sighed. “I miss everyone. They left me— they left me to stumble around and figure out why. I'm stuck in this world without anyone close to me, and I have lost myself. I don't know who I am anymore, and I sometimes question where he went. The man before the apocalypse. But I can feel the change within myself, and the discoveries I’ve made.” He looked at his reflection through the glass. His hair was flat against his head, now a normal undercut. He didn’t mind. He liked it this way. His battle scars were still there. Jax smiled. “I got a few of these scars from fighting a bobcat for food. I had to grow up wild. It was a difficult time, but I learned lots of skills. I know how to use a bow because of it.” That smile didn’t last long and he was back to watching the rain. He pressed his warm forehead to the glass, and you could see how fevered he was by the fogging of the cold glass. Jax didn’t want Cass to send him back to bed, so he quickly wiped away the fog, but it still came back.

"I watched the only friends I ever truly had murder each other in cold blood. I watched one get infected and kill three of the people that she loved more than she loved herself without a single ounce of hesitation. I was forced to take down the people I had looked up to and cared about for years because they all turned on me. Excuse me if I'm not exactly the most optimistic about the outcome of curing this virus." She spat the words like they tasted bad, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

Ryder stays silent for a moment, listening to her sour words, speaking of betrayal and hurt. The virus had taken more than just people’s family’s, it’d taken their trust and their hope. It plowed over all of the good, weeding it out, and had left the planet a desolate, empty space full of dishonesty, blood and betrayal.
He blinks, letting her words sink in, adopting the weight of her experience. An experience he was so grateful he hadn’t had to endure. Yes, he’d lost people, but it didn’t compare to Frenchie’s situation.
He looks to the ground, furrowing his brow, then back to her, “I’m sorry. I don’t blame you at all. It’s gotta take a lot to drag yourself on after something like that….” He quietly says. She was definitely as strong mentally as she was physically. She was still going?
“T-thanks. For agreeing to go with us tomorrow, I mean. I appreciate it.”

She hummed softly in acknowledgement. "Not like there's anywhere else to go. I'm just trying to go home. Or at least, what's probably left of home. I may have nothing but the least I can do for myself is die in a place that I love." She sighed, sitting back and looking to the ceiling. Frenchie just listened to the rain for a second, the way it tapped on the roof. "Not all of us are strong enough to rebuild this society after all we've been through. The survivors guilt is gonna eat them alive."

Jesse raises her brows, slightly impressed. Though other than that, she showed no other sign of that fact. "not bad" she shrugs, even though he knew plenty more languages than her. She turns back to look at her dog and Onyx. "I need to let him out for little bit. But he can come back inside when he is done." she says, stepping forward a little, giving Ghabiun a little more of the leash, letting him get closer to Onyx.
Ghabiun doesn't lurch forward but he does take a few steps rather quickly towards Onyx. Jesse tightens her grip, motioning for him to go outside. Though he stays put, covering Onyx's hand with dog slobber from licking his hand.

Onyx gives a breathy, short giggle, taking his hand away. He never really interacted with animals much so the whole experience was new. He definitely wasn’t used to the textures or smells which made it that much more exciting. He rubs the top of Ghabiun’s head with his slobbery hand, “ Willst du rausgehen?” He asks, showing off his third language as the adults bragged on how many they knew. He was only really familiar with English, Russian and German, but he had been learning Spanish as well. His first three he’d mostly learned from immersion, since he was always around people who spoke only those languages. Well, at least before zombie started to crawl out of the ground and chase people.
Clovis gives Jesse a nod, then looks back to Onyx, giving a soft, gentle smile. It was nice to see him enjoying something, since not much was enjoyable now days. “We’ll stay in.” He looks back to Jesse, “And thanks. For letting us crash here. I appreciate it.”

Jesse turns to Onyx before opening the door, "du kannst, wenn er dich lässt" she says with a shrug, impressed with Onyx as well. He was 8 and he still incredibly fluent in German and English. That was incredible. And it showed a bit more on her face with Onyx than Clovis.
She pats the side of her leg and Ghabiun, now that Onyx's hand was away from him and he wasn't getting the attention, he walks over to Jesse. She shrugs, her hand still on the door. "You sleep in the back. There is bed you guys can use. I will sleep up front with Ghabiun." she says. Her words seemed like orders but her tone made sure it sounded like a suggestion more than anything. She wasn't trying to be rude. At least not at this exact moment.
She opens the door, a strong, cold gush of wind filling the rv as she did. Her and the dog steps out of his, her hand now on her machete on her side while Ghabiun sniffed around. She looks to the ground, now wet, dead bodies lay on the ground. Jesse scrunches her nose in disgust as she nudges it with her foot. You could hear a low groan from near the underside of the rv, one of the zombies were still alive. She was shocked she didn't see it, though it was over halfway buried under multiple other bodies. She steps towards it as its jaws snap open and close. She lifts her boot and stomps on the zombies head, caving its skull in as she did. She looks down at it in disgust before looking around to see if there are any more around.

-

Cassius listens to him quietly, not saying a word for a really long time.
The sudden amount of trust Jax put into him was a bit overwhelming and he didn't quite know what to do about it. He felt bad for Jax and almost pitied him in a way. Though he knew Jax wouldn't appreciate it if he said that. So Cass only nods, paying attention to him and being considerate.
The mention of his dead child made his chest ache but he soon feels a small hand on the side of his own. He turns around to see his daughter, who had apparently been there for a good while now, listening in. "What?" she asks, her brows creased in worry. If that's what you wanted to call it. She more or less looked traumatized from hearing the words about his "baby boy dying"
He looks down to her and his eyes widen a little "oh baby!" he says, his mood changing slightly "remember the blanket we were working on earlier? Can you go get some of the yarn from the room for it!?" he asks, kneeling down to her height. Her face lights up "oh okay! Can i pick the color?" she asks excitedly "yeah of course!" he says with a smile.
Cass stands, now looking to Jax. "Hey if you want to talk about this, you can. But could you maybe talk about it when my six year old isn't around to hear?" he asks him softly once Ophelia had ran off and up the stairs with a rather loud giggle.
He takes in a breath "I know you're hurting. And im so sorry about that. If you do need any help, that's what im here for. I can't imagine what it's like to lose a kid. But i'll do my best to be there for you and help in any way i can" he says

(A time skip is okay with me. I'm going to put in Jax eventually went to bed to keep a consistent cycle with him)

Jax kept his head against the glass, busy watching the rain as it started to slow. He hadn't noticed the presence of Ophelia. His attention was only on the storm as it poured out its drumming heart, caught in lost memories. When he heard Fia's little voice, he looked at her for a split second before looking away, breaking any eye contact they had made. His face grew hot with embarrassment, and he almost threw up right there. Of course, he didn't account for the child. He was lost in his own mind. Why didn't he account for Fia? Jax turned away from the both of them, drawing his knees to his chest and placing his head in his lap. He felt like a complete idiot, and getting called out on it didn't help either. He couldn't say anything or even look at Cass. Not after a literal child heard part of his story. The worst part to overhear of them all. Jax stood up and kept his head low. "I-I didn't..I don't.. I'm sorry." He only managed to apologize.

Jax didn't say anything for the next few heartbeats. He headed for the front door, opening it ajar. "I don't— Not right now, Cass. I'm sorry, but I—I..just not right now." He was getting overly frustrated at himself, but he didn't want to snap at Cass. "Maybe later.." He spoke softly, on the verge of tears. He could tell this was going to be a rough night. "I just—want to be alone." His voice broke, and he stepped out the front door, closing it behind him, and sat on the porch to watch the rain. This time he didn't yell at the sky but rather just cried in its wake. He sat on the porch for a while, resting his head in his arms. Eventually, he did slip back inside, exhausted from all the tears. He managed to stay dry out in the storm and headed up to the bed with the quilt. The one that Cass laid him in when his leg was messed up. He surprisingly fell asleep, but his dreams weren't peachy.

(okay im gonna go ahead and do a little time skip!)

//8:00am//

Ophelia sits up in the bed, her braids now a frizzy mess and her mind fuzzy. She had went to bed after her father came upstairs and they worked on the blanket they were making together.
She looks around the room for Cassius but doesn't see him anywhere. She sighs, getting out of bed and opening the door, going down the stairs. Halfway down, she remembers that Jax was still here. Fia doesn't bother him and instead she runs down the stairs to find her father. Walking up to the backyard window, she sees her father with the fire iron, stabbing it through a zombies skull then picking it up to drag it near the forest. But for now, he sets it near the outside of the fence for him to deal with later.
Cassius looks down to the body, thinking a little too hard about it as he looks into its dead eyes. Wondering what kind of life they lead before they died. If they were a good person or not? He wondered if this persons mom was missing him? Any significant other searching for him? Was he all alone?
Cass had a bad habid of thinking about these things a little too much. But especially if the dead were wearing any jewlery. Thoughts like "what sentimental value to them did that piece of jewlery have?" or "where did they get that?" "what did they think about whenever they would look at that necklace around their neck?"
It wasnt sympathy. He hated these things. But it was more like pity. He felt bad for all of these lost souls that had to be taken away from this world in such a horrible way.

-

Jesse opens her eyes to the dim light of the sun shining through the greyish clouds and through the window of the RV. She furrows her brows as she lifts her hands in front of her eyes to shield them from the sunlight.
She looks around for her dog and to see any sight of the two she had met yesterday. It was odd how quickly they were to trust her. She wasnt used to that just yet. And she was still suspicious of Clovis. Not of the kid, as he didn't pose as any threat to her.
Jesse thought about how they might want to leave and she got a little sad thinking about it, not wanting them to. It wasn't that she was attached to them. Or trusted them. Of course not. But thinking about last night and the fun interaction she got to witness with Onyx and Ghabiun she found special. It wasn't every day her dog didn't try to bite someones head off. dead or alive.
Ghabiun had ended up sleeping beside the door that lead to the room Clovis and Onyx had slept in, curled up near the wall.

Jax had a very rough night. He was woken up by terrible dreams. The blanket on the floor was an indicator that he had thrashed in his sleep. What was he trying to fight? A zombie or his own demons. Either way, he didn't dwell on it for long. Now he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the floor solemnly. His appearance was awful. Jax had dark eye circles, and his eyes were glossed over. He didn't have bedhead, but he wanted to get out of these old clothes. They made him feel gross compared to the others he was staying with. He blinked once, twice, three times, and stood up. The wood floor was cool under his feet, making a shiver go up his spine. Jax carefully walked over to the door, his footsteps heavy against the floor. He dragged himself down the stairs, clinging to the stair rail for support. Jax reached the kitchen and pulled out a chair. The sun shone on his face, and he squinted his eyes, pulling his head down in his arms.

Jax looked up from his resting position to see Ophelia with her face pressed to the backdoor. He glanced out the window to see Cass at work, killing zombies that didn't belong. Jax figured he should eat, splash his face with water, and pull on his work boots. He knew Cass had cleaned them yesterday, so they should be free of all the blood recently splashed on him. He also figured he should ask Cass for a pair of fresh clothes. It would do him wonders, for he looked like he was beaten up in an alleyway. Jax kept his gaze on the back window before he tore it away and lightly slapped himself awake. He would have to find a better way to get more rest, so he wasn't working on 3-5 hours of low-quality sleep. Possibly he could ask Cass for advice. He leaned back into the chair, reflecting on last night. He needed help, but Cass wasn't a therapist. Jax couldn't burden him with all he's seen.

Cass takes a deep breath, snapping out of his thoughts and wiping the sweat from his forehead. His blonde hair was pulled into a bun and out of his face as he worked.
ill have to get Fia out here with me. She wanted to check the crops with me last night he thinks to himself, feeling a little bad about the fact that they weren't able to.
His mind wanders to Jax and what he thought of him. He was very trusting of Cass and he didn't know how to feel about that. And he didn't know whether or not he could trust that.
Suddenly, his chest feels heavy and he starts to panic a little on the inside, worried for his daughter.

Fia, who's on her tippy toes to look out of the window, turns around to Jax after a few seconds of him sitting there at the table. "goodmorning" she says happily, making her way towards him. "Are you okay?" she asks, simply curious.
Cass opens the door rather quickly, the broken screen door slamming shut behind him. Fia whips around to see him, jumping at the loud noise. Cassius looks to his daughter, then to Jax, studying him. It wasn't that he thought Jax wasn't a good guy. But he also didn't know anything about him as a person. As the type of person he is and the things he would be willing to do. He had no idea and he could never be too careful. He told Fia the night before if Jax tried to talk to her without him around, she was supposed to come and get him but that didnt really work too well. Who would blame her. It's been 6 months since she's seen anyone outside of her family.
Cassius lets out a sigh of relief "oh. Didn't know you two were awake" he says, trying to mask the fact that he was panicking a few seconds ago.

Jax was still, his eyes glazed over. One could think he was dead, but he snapped out of his thoughts and blinked, looking at Fia. He felt like this was too early for a kid to be up, but then again, they woke at dawn. It was impressive to him. It took him a long time to auditorily process Fia's words. He looked at her with a sad gaze, unfolding his arms and taking a deep breath. "Good morning." He greeted back softly. He didn't think it was a good morning, but he couldn’t be mean to a kid. That was never morally right. When Fia asked if he was alright, he simply shook his head and closed his eyes for a few seconds. The slamming of the back door scared him awake, his adrenaline rushing. That was weirdly the jump start he needed. He looked up for his gaze to land on Cass, and the sadness in his eyes slightly disappeared. Jax rested his elbow on the table, his head resting in his hand. He smiled softly and yawned. "It's miraculous for me, although I barely got sleep anyway." He rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand.

Cass was already starting to grow on Jax. He felt safe around him, but around Fia—he felt awkward. He didn't really know how to talk to a six-year-old well. Well, a six-year-old that wasn't exactly family. "Hey, Cass?" He realized he was staring at him too long with a questioning gaze. "Can I talk to you? I need some…" The words stuck themselves to his tongue. "Advice." He tried to keep in mind that Cass wasn't a therapist. Sure, he said he'd help Jax but wasn't sure how much Cass could help him. He felt like he was drowning in deep waters without a rescue boat in sight.

Ophelia furrows her brows when Jax shakes his head.
did i make him mad?
She thinks to herself, watching him silently as he closes his eyes. Studying his facial features a little too intently.
When Cass comes in, she looks over to him with a big smile, as if to forget what she was thinking about in the first place. Though, there was a good chance she would think about it the second she looks at Jax again.
She wraps her skinny little arms around him as much as she could, giving him a big hug, her big, rosy cheeks squishing against him. He hugs her back, bending down and kissing the top of her head. His attention turns to Jax when he says his name. The only eye he had open focused on Jax now. Though throughout the next few seconds of silence, he felt awkward and slightly nervous. Was it because of last night?
Cassius went to bed that night thinking of different ways he could have worded what he had told Jax. Maybe it sounded a little too rough. He worried Jax was offended. He tries to shove those thoughts away and is snapped back into his own thoughts when he realizes Jax spoke once more.
"hm?" he says, his mind not yet registering what he had said. "oh. uhm yeah of course" he nods, relieved that's what it was.
He looks down to his daughter, kneeling down to her height, now looking up to her. She looks down to him with a small, content smile on her face, her dimples sticking out more whenever she smiled like this. He looks her hair over, noting that he would make sure to do her hair today as they did every day.
"Hey, Jax and I are going to talk for a second down here. Would you mind going upstairs for a little bit sweetheart?" he asks, his voice soft as he held eye contact with her. She nods "can we eat though? Im hungry" she says, looking down to her tummy and jutting her bottom lip out in a pout.
"oh of course. I'll make some food while you're upstairs alright? It wont be too long, i promise" he reassures her. She holds out her pinky finger "pinky promise?" she asks. Cass wraps his pinky around hers and they both kiss either side of their hand as if it were their own little handshake "pinky promise" Cass smiles to her before standing up, now towering over the small child. She let out her usual loud giggle and ran up the stairs. The pitter patter of her feet could be heard now above them as Cass turns to Jax, pulling out a chair and sitting next to Jax. "what's up?" he asks

(i finally caught up reading the whole thing, phew, that was a lot, also, long post, sorry)

Chernobyl sneezed, her nose a little red along with the corner of her eyes, mostly from crying. She had walked through the forest for the majority of the storm, then ran some until she was out of breath.
There had been a small worn down looking shed that was sealed off and empty on the inside, it looked untouched and it took her a while to pry it open, but it was worth it…even if it had taken her fifteen minutes of struggling.
Chernobyl opened her eyes a little, having slept as the storm raged all through the night. She had passed out in a sitting position, knees to her chest, trying to warm herself from the cold sticky clothes, her head propped against the corner of the small room, though her body was in more of a relaxed position as she woke.
Now fully aware of her surroundings she almost burst into tears again, but held them back, biting her lower lip miserably. She went back to hugging her legs, her body made to look like a small ball. She wished the whole thing had been a dream, she wished she was back at home in her warm bed with no worries except college work. Chernobyl had never seen so much death in her life, so much blood, so much hostility. It was all very traumatizing for someone that had never gone through anything significant except heartbreak.
Then in the silence, she was reminded of how very alone she was, with no one to rely on, no one for company. It was all on her. Part of Chernobyl wanted to stay put, just sleep a little more, what was the harm? Hunger. Hunger and zombies were the harm. As if on cue, her stomach grumbled. It had been a while since she had anything to eat, being away from the camp to scout the area and places to raid for food, or well, what was left of everything. She hadn't gotten anything to eat since yesterday morning. Her eyes drooped a little at the thought of having to get up and go out of her safe little spot. She hadn't heard any zombies…yet. Surely they would come in due time if she stayed there any longer, so it was best to get a move on.

Chernobyl let out a shaky breath, slowly getting up, placing her hand against the wall for support. Her clothes still felt awkward on her body, some areas still humid. She hated the feeling against her skin, she wanted out of these clothes, but she wasn't in her mansion anymore with her countless pieces of apparel and every time she was reminded, she longed to go back to that, it really made her appreciate what she had back then a little more, now that she had nothing but weapons and an empty stomach.
She picked up the heavy gun, the knife strapped to her pants. She huffed, making her bangs move. Chernobyl was a mess and she knew it, her hair was probably ungodly amounts of tangled and there was no helping the rough look to her.
"Alright Cherry, you're gonna go out there and kick ass. Zombies? Pfft, no match for you, you're like" She paused. "an idiot" She groaned. Why was she even trying to pep-talk herself? To take the edge of maybe? She bounced a little, eyeing the door and the cracks on it, big enough to see the other side. There was nothing blocking the view of the tree bark and grass, it was the green light to go.

-

"Gonna get killed, on my way to get killed" She whispered to herself as her eyes frantically looked at everything, paranoid at every little sound that snapped and fell.
"But I have nothing to worry about! I have a gun! And uhh…" She looked down at it. How did you use it again? You just pressed the little trigger thing right? Right. She put her finger on the trigger of the gun, not caring if the loud noise attracted zombies, hopefully, she would be faster than they were and outrun them into safety, it's the only card she had left, but even then, she couldn't run forever. What if she never found a place to stay? Exhaustion would catch up with her and then what? Zombie food. Chernobyl stuck her tongue out at the thought. Fuck that, she was surviving period.
After a while of walking, she came across a clearing, an RV parked on the side of the road. Chernobyl raised her eyebrows at that. Ohohoho, van-looking car, good for traveling! She smiled, then stopped. Wait. What if there were people inside? Chernobyl squinted her eyes in suspicion. No bueno. She had to find out who was in there and if they were dangerous-looking or not. She would stay hidden behind one of the thicker trees and see who came out, then she'd introduce herself….or make a mad dash for it. And if no one came out? She’d bite the bullet and check it out herself, but for now, she would wait.
See? Look at her, she was already doing well on her own! Maybe a little too soon to say that but well, had to bring her spirits up somehow, yeah?

Jax watched the interaction between the two solemnly. Looking at him, one could say it felt sour in his mouth, but it just felt like loneliness. He looked over to Cass as he sat next to Jax. He had a paleness to him and darkness under his eyes. "I'm sorry." He apologized. He never explained what for or why, but Cass could probably tell. He took a deep breath. "I can't sleep. My nightmares keep me up. I fell asleep for 3 hours and woke without being able to sleep again. I need more rest in order to work properly." He looked Cass over, noting how tired he looked, but he still managed to keep a chipper attitude. "Do you have any advice or anything? Please." Jax sat up in his chair, scanning around the room. He would have leaned into Cass, but he stayed to himself, quietly thinking to himself. He kept thinking about his place here and how he didn't have one. I don't belong here. He pushed the thought away for the time being.

"I also apologize for last night." He looked away from Cass, unable to look at him. "That your daughter heard that. I should have just kept to myself." He bit his tongue. He didn't know why he was apologizing for getting caught up in memories. That seemed wrong to him. Last night was what was sour in his mouth. The words hurt him. How was he supposed to know Fia was standing behind them? He couldn't have, and yet he got yelled at. Jax thought the girl was still upstairs and hadn't followed. He sighed, exhausted from last night's tears. He still remembered how sweet the rain smelled and how bittersweet everything was when it stopped. "Do you think I could borrow a pair of clothes? I feel gross in these." Then a thought crossed his mind, and he looked at Cass with droopy melancholy eyes. "I-I don't belong here, Cass. You and your daughter seem pretty content on your own. Well, you rather. I've just gotten in between your bond." He let out a huffy laugh, looking away. "Easy come, easy go, right?" Tears started to drip down his face, closing his eyes. "I don't fit in. I'm just some random guy in this apocalyptic world with his dumb woes. Ain't that right?" He opened his eyes, looking at Cass with a smile. Although, this smile wasn't a happy smile. It was more of an 'I'm an idiot, aren't I?' smile.

"Just—forget I said anything.." Jax bit his tongue. He was tempted to get up and leave, but he didn't. That would be rude. Instead, he sat and waited for Cass' answer, watching the man apprehensively. The sadness in his eyes never left, but his tears did stop. Did he really trust Cass this much to let him see him cry or did he just feel lonely enough to believe he trusted Cass? He put his head down in his arms on the table.

Jesse leans forward in the drivers seat, leaning her forehead on the old, leather steering wheel. Most of the leather having been taped around. So it was covered in a combination of black and silver ductape.
She lets out a long breath, looking over to Ghabiun once more before opening the drivers side of the door and stepping out. Her brown hair falling in her face before she rakes her hand through it, giving it just a bit more volume. It was rather greasy, as she couldn't remember the last time she was able to properly wash her hair. She had stolen soap along with other supplies from other groups that now happened to be dead (with of course no connection to her) but she didn't have any access to water that she wasn't keeping to drink.
Her big black army boots still had blood splattered on them but she had changed into a faded green sports bra and a beat up drop arm dark camo tank top with a pair of black sweats tied a little too tight just above her wide waist.
She opens the door to the other half of the RV to meet Ghabiun right at the front door. He lunges out of the RV, skidding on the gravel just a little bit before looking up to Jesse, his tail wagging before jumping up on her. She stumbles back but smiles down at the dog before petting his face, giving him scratches and a few kisses. Something she would never do around anyone else. Jesse was a firm believer of showing the fact that you have a soft side is showing weakness. Weakness for them to exploit. And she wouldn't let that happen.
She speaks to the dog in German, her voice still low but a little higher now that she was talking to her dog while giving his forehead kisses.
Ghabiun lifts his ears to a sound near the woods and quickly drops down from Jesse, his pointed ears raised.
"Was ist es?" She asks lowly to her dog.
-
Cass furrows his brows, listening to Jax. He didn't know of any way to help Jax sleep so he stays silent while Jax continues to talk, not about to interrupt him.
After he was finished talking, Cassius blinks a few times, taking a deep breath. What was he supposed to say to that?
"Look" he starts out. leaning forward and looking to Jax. "i know you're going through a lot right now, and i know here might not be the most comfortable. You said so yourself Jax, you haven't gotten good sleep. You may not even be in the right state of mind to be making big decisions like this….I am going to say this though" he pauses, thinking of the words to say "Here is the best chance you've got. Out there, in the shape that you're in…" he sighs, not wanting to say this. "i mean…you passed out multiple times from simply dealing with pain… you might have a concussion for all we know, multiple wounds that will open up and you will bleed out…i hate to say it but if you go out you will die" he says, his voice soft. "in the apocalypse, it doesn't matter if you don't belong or if you don't bond with us..it matters if you make it work. Or at least try." he tries to reason with Jax. "Because surviving is more important than belonging somewhere and bonding. You gotta put those things aside. Not for us, but for you. Again…you can leave. But you wont make it far. I care about you and your safety. Im not trying to be rude" he says, standing up. He steps a few more feet away from Jax to the kitchen counter, opening the cabinet and grabbing a can of tuna and some other things. Cassius looks over to Jax, knowing he probably hurt Jax with his words but he wasn't going to baby a grown man in the apocalypse. That just wasn't who Cass was and something he was going to put up with.
"Im more than happy to take care of you. Im not saying im not. And you haven't stayed here long enough to even tell if you're getting in between me and my daughter. And honestly, you really weren't" he says, looking down to the can as he opens it. "Unless i tell you that you are-which i would-don't assume you are. That wont get you anywhere in this world" he finishes, his voice calm and soothing. There wasn't a single hint of aggression in his tone but there was brutal honesty that he knew Jax was just going to have to accept.

Onyx hooks his fingers into one of Clovis’ belt loops, following behind him closely as they marched back towards the RV. The day before when they had been in the woods they’d came upon a stream of sorts, so when they woke up they had decided to go out to get some water, since their containers were empty.
“Do you like Ghabiun?” Onyx quietly asks, staring at the ground as they continued forward.
Clovis nods, “Yeah, he’s not all bad.”
I’m not a fan of her using him as a threat.
“You don’t like Jesse though.” Onyx states, shifting his water bottle in his hand since it was wet and slippery.
Clovis furrows his brow. “T-that’s not what I said. She’s fine. Why did you think I didn’t like her?” He pushes a branch out of the way till him and Onyx pass it.
“You snapped at her.” He bluntly says, a grin tugging at his round lips.
They break through the tree line, now standing at the edge of the forest (A few yards to the left of Cherry) and pause. Clovis takes Onyx’s hand now that they don’t have to walk in single file in order to avoid tripping. “Were you enjoying it?” He asks, noting the subtle grin across his face.

-

David furrows his brow, staring out the window of the building, glaring at the street. He wasn’t looking forward to heading out with Ryder and Frenchie today, since he wasn’t a fan of Frenchie. But hey! Today was a new day and maybe they’d get along! At least he could reassure himself, although he didn’t have any intentions of trying to get along.
Ryder sits in the corner, far enough from Gabriel that he couldn’t try to gnaw on him. He’s leaned against the wall, head back, and fast asleep. His hands are clasped, laying on his tummy, and Gabriel makes irritating low grumbles as he vainly tries to reach him.

Frenchie was curled up in a ball, using an old jacket as a blanket and her backpack as a pillow. She already didn't take up much space but this only emphasized how small she really was. She wasn't exactly thrilled about spending the day with David considering she had no idea what his problem was with her and didn't care to find out. But once they got through the horde, she could leave them behind and continue on her quest just like she had been. Then no more David, Ryder, or Gabriel. She was especially excited to be rid of Gabriel. He gave her the creeps.

Jax lifted his head up, looking at Cass with his sad puppy eyes. He furrowed his brow slightly, trying to concentrate on Cass. The sunlight got into his eyes, messing up his focus. “I’m overwhelmed.” He muttered and put his head back down. The pounding in the back of his head didn’t help his erratic thoughts. “I don’t want to die. But I don’t have a concussion, just bad sleep.” He wiped away the residual tears, feeling cool against his skin. “I can’t think clearly.” He put his palm to his temple. “I—I’ll try, Cass.” Jax took a deep breath and swallowed harshly. “I don’t want to leave.” He whispered. He knew Cass was trying to save him from death, but he didn’t understand Cass’ compassion for a stranger. “I’m just some person who wandered into your home…why do you care about me so much? I don’t want to sound mean…I mean—I like someone looking out for me, but I don’t understand why.” Jax rocked himself back and forth slightly, trying to keep his body awake until he ate something. The scent of tuna reached his nose, and he scrunched it up. He always thought tuna smelled putrid when it was opened, but it was okay when eaten.

Jax looked at Cass, trying to pick up the man’s features. He always noticed the scarred eye, thinking about how scars were little symbols within themselves. He had a few scars on himself from various instances in his past. I guess they showed how one’s managed to survive. “I’m sorry. I was speaking about how I felt. I felt I was getting in the way. My fiancée told me to communicate how you felt rather than keep it bottled up inside, so I’m trying to. I may be stuck in the mud, but maybe there is a way I can pull myself out. Don’t you think?” Jax stood up and stretched. He knew reality was harsh, but he didn’t expect it to hit him this hard. Not like a kick in the face. “Is there anything I can do to help you? I’ve been laying around like a sack of potatoes, and I feel bad. You've been doing all the work. Plus, I need to be outdoors—I need to start doing the things my body is itching for me to do.”