Cassie keeps his eyes carefully on the dog as he pants. His fur did look soft but Cassie didn't feel the need to touch him.
He shakes his head quickly, his blonde curls flopping over his face. He turns around and runs inside, not knowing what else to say.
Eva sighs "sorry. He doesn't have a good past with dogs. Most of the family doesn't" she says, looking back to the open doorway into their house. "you can come in if youd like." she asks, her arms still wrapped around her slender figure.
Just then, Liana comes back in a bucket of water for the dog, struggling to hold it up with all of her arm strength. "howdy" she says in a fake western accent, her body leaning out to one side as she carries the bucket, her other arm outstretched for balance.
Zeus managed to get up and go to the bucket, greedily lapping up as much water as he could without choking.
"It's fine, I completely understand that," Alastor replied to Eva. "And I'd love to come in."
He turned to Liana, smiling at her gratefully. "Thank you so much for getting him water," he said. "I was worried he'd get a heat stroke or pass out soon."
(did anyone interact with my characters? if so I missed it)
Liana sets the water bucket down on the porch while he laps up the water, splashing water on the wooden porch around the bucket.
"yeah! It's the least i could do. I would bring it inside but mom wouldn't let me" she says, rolling her eyes.
"I dont want my floors ruined. The finishing is wearing out and we dont have the means to repair anything anymore. Unless you know how to repair moldy hardwood floors" Eva retorts back to her daughter, holding the door open for them.
"ill leave the door open for him if he wants to come in though" she says to Alastor, looking down at the dog.
Alastor looked at Zeus in amusement as the dog accepted the invitation and walked right in, wagging his tail with much more enthusiasm now.
"I think he'd definitely like to come inside," he chuckled before going in himself and looking around.
"Was this your home before the flu happened, or is this just a temporary shelter?" Alastor asked Eva as Zeus laid himself down on the floor with a sigh.
Eva leaves the door open in case Zeus wanted to go back outside. It was obvious Eva wasn't used to them or their characteristics. Though she tries to be patient.
"This has been our home beforehand. I bought it right before Cassie was born" she says with a small smile, tucking a peice of hair behind her ear.
Liana takes a sharp turn into the kitchen, though soon poking her head out of the door frame to look at Alastor "you want anything to eat? We ate eggs for breakfast todayβ¦and every other day" she says excitedly.
Cassie comes back into view of the four with a small basil leaf from outside, holding it carefully in both of his hands as if he were holding a cup of water. Eva turns around to look at him, giving him a small chuckle "what's that?" she asks. It was obviously a leaf from the garden Eva had outside but she'd thought she would indulge her son.
"Basil" Cassie states as he focuses on the leaf.
"I'm good, thanks," Alastor replied to Liana with a smile.
"It's great that you guys have been able to be safe here. Searching for a decent place in the city sucks," he commented, leaning against the wall closest to him.
Eva pauses, looking down to Cassie then back to Alastor, "its been really nice. I was thinking that-" she pauses, a heavy sigh, thinking about how she would go through with telling her kids. Liana raises a brow "what?" she asks.
"Well, i was just thinking about going down there⦠to the city i mean" she says anxiously as she fiddles with the blade of the knife in her hand.
"Did.." Eva looks back to Alastor "did you just come from the city?" Eva asks him
Lucas read it and nodded. "Ah," he said "it sounds like you've had some traumatizing experiences with big guys like me then." He smiled softly at her. "I can't say I blame you though, I guess all guys like me are a bit scary."
She nodded, before writing some more. I thought I'd mentioned men make me nervous, but. Yes, all of you are a tad nerve-wracking.
She glanced up at him, thinking, before writing some more. Dream vacation, before all of this?
Ariella dropped her hands to her front where she started picking at her nails and skin, a nervous habit. "I-I'm sorry if I made it sound like I don't trust you. I do." Not fully, but they had only just met. "You've given me your food and water. And you were ready to protect me against the others even though we had only just met. You haven't asked anything from me in return." She bit her bottom lip, looking down at her feet. Her face scrunched in a wince as she drew blood. "I don't do well in groups. Not anymore. And the others haven't offered me anything or proven they can be trusted." She really wasn't comfortable explaining her scar. "I was with, uh, friends right as this happened. We lost a couple in our group and one of my friends went crazy. He's, well, he contributed to the situation that got me this." She pointed to her cheek, cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
Lucky watched her, carefully. He wasn't sure they were on the same page.
"Hey, look. It's not that I feel like you don't trust me. I'm more confused why you do trust me, even a little. Because I gave you food? The rest have contributed food, it's all in there in the kitchen. Because I was ready to protect you? Sure, but nobody has attacked you. None of them have attacked you. So they all meet the same criteria I do, but you won't even talk to them, Ariella." He tripped over her name, but kept going. "And I can't figure out why I'm different. The only thing that comes to mind is that you pity me so much, you're not bothered." He hated that thought, that her friendship was a result of pity. It had been eating at him since it occurred to him.
"I'm sorry you went through something awful. I'm sorry it scarred your face and your mind. That's awful, and I can understand it makes things difficult. But nobody in our little group is without scars, and you're the only one being unreasonableβ¦"
He knew she was making an effort to explain, and he wanted to give her credit there. He gently took one of her hands, trying to figure out how to navigate this. "I just want you to be able to function. This isn't healthy, and⦠at some point, in order to live, and not just survive, you have to let people in again⦠there will always be the potential for hurt, but⦠there's no other way to do life."
Ariella looked down at their hands, squeezing it tightly. She sniffled, trying to will away the tears in her eyes. "I just need time to adjust. I-I'll try to better." One thing she hated most was when people were angry with her. She was a people pleaser, or used to be. And this was just a trait that seemed to carry with her. She didn't know how to handle it when people were mad at her and she would do just about anything to correct it.
"I don't even know what to say to them. The only person that's talked to me is Alastor and he used to be a policeman. I really don't trust the police. The dog is cute though." She shrugged her shoulders as she shuffled on her feet. God, she wasn't good at this.
Eva pauses, looking down to Cassie then back to Alastor, "its been really nice. I was thinking that-" she pauses, a heavy sigh, thinking about how she would go through with telling her kids. Liana raises a brow "what?" she asks.
"Well, i was just thinking about going down there⦠to the city i mean" she says anxiously as she fiddles with the blade of the knife in her hand.
"Did.." Eva looks back to Alastor "did you just come from the city?" Eva asks him
Alastor nodded. "Yeah, there's an apartment that I'm staying at with a group of people." He paused. "And a horse, too. I came out here on a jog to clear my head, and I brought Zeus with me."
What if the others left while I was gone?, He thought with a start. I hope they haven't stolen my backpack. Or my belt.
"You can come with me to meet them if you'd like," Alastor offered. "We'll probably be moving out of that apartment soon, it's too small to fit a lot of people."
Eva raises her brows at the mention of a horse, Liana as well. "oh goodness" Eva says, putting a hand to her chest just below her collarbone.
Cassie looks up to Eva before he runs off into the kitchen.
"I would like that. But id have to come back to the house. This is the kids' home after all" Eva shrugs. "Are theyβ¦" she pauses, thinking whether or not it it would be rude to ask.
"Are they decent?" she says, lowering her voice just a little. Liana lets out a loud 'ugh! boring'
"lets just go. ill get Cass ready" she says, running down the hall.
Eva sighs "we-we don't need to do that right now." she taps her fingers on her lips as she looks around the house "you need some rest hun." Eva says to him, not making eye compact though
"From the brief time I've spent with all of them, they're pretty decent people," Alastor reassured her. "If you don't want to see them now, we can wait until tomorrow. I'm sure Zeus will appreciate the chance to rest."
(I'm sorry for such a short response, my brain is fried right now from doing homework)
Ariella looked down at their hands, squeezing it tightly. She sniffled, trying to will away the tears in her eyes. "I just need time to adjust. I-I'll try to better. I don't even know what to say to them. The only person that's talked to me is Alastor and he used to be a policeman. I really don't trust the police. The dog is cute though." She shrugged her shoulders as she shuffled on her feet. God, she wasn't good at this.
Lucky squeezed back. "Try saying literally anything. So far you've been silent with everyone but me, and that's not helping you." He reached up with his free hand and wiped her tears. "Alastor is just a guy with a dog, trying to survive like you and me. Put away your prejudice and try to see him as a person."
He was sorry she was upset, but very glad she was willing to try.
Ariella nodded her head, still refusing to look at him. "Only if you're there with me. J-just in case."
In case something went bad and she needed back up, verbal or physical. She need him to be her rock. Someone she could lean on for support.
(I'm just kinda waiting if anyone wants to talk to Dev, he's on the couch)
Ariella nodded her head, still refusing to look at him. "Only if you're there with me. J-just in case." In case something went bad and she needed back up, verbal or physical. She need him to be her rock. Someone she could lean on for support.
Lucky nodded slowly. "I'll be there if something happens, but I'm not going to be present for every conversation you have with someone else. You're an adult, Ariella." He squeezed her hand once more, before turning and heading into the apartment. He had intended to grab Ronni and head right back out, but she looked busy, and besdies, stroke while the iron is hot, right?
Lucky glanced around and saw Devon on the couch by himself. He walked over and plopped down on the end, gently but firmly pulling Ariella with him, and sitting her down between them. Devon was down a the other end, and the couc was big, so she wasn't crammed, but here was a perfect chance to make good on her agreement to try.
Devon watched the two sit down, he took a deep breath, to calm himself, and then looked at the two. "umβ¦hiβ¦I am being forced to socialize and try to make friendsβ¦so..umβ¦yeah". He glanced around for a moment, before looking back to the wall.
June, who happened to be watching from the doorway facepalmed and pressed her forehead against the wall, Idiotic brother, that is not how you make friends She mentally scolded him.
Lucky nearly cracked up. He hadn't intended to force Ariella to make friends with a guy who was being forced to make friends, but the irony was too funny for him to ignore.
"Anti-social party, huh?"
She nodded, before writing some more. I thought I'd mentioned men make me nervous, but. Yes, all of you are a tad nerve-wracking.
She glanced up at him, thinking, before writing some more. Dream vacation, before all of this?
Lucas smiled and looked up at the ceiling, thinking.
"Uhhhhβ¦" he said, looking back down at her "I think London, it's just so beautiful to me."
Lucas smiled and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Uhhhhβ¦" he said, looking back down at her "I think London, it's just so beautiful to me."
Ronni looked surprised. She wrote quickly.
London? The densely populated city of rain and smog?
Devon shrugged, "Looks like it, you can think my sister for that" He said sister like it was a horrid thing, partly as a joke.
Devon shrugged, "Looks like it, you can think my sister for that" He said sister like it was a horrid thing, partly as a joke.
Lucky smiled at him. "Well, I'm the nudger in this case, so I guess your sister isn't the worst." he nudged Ariella gently.
Ronni looked surprised. She wrote quickly.
London? The densely populated city of rain and smog?
Lucas smiled and nodded.
"The very one." He said, chuckling lightly "what about you?"
Lucas smiled and nodded."The very one." He said, chuckling lightly "what about you?"
She thought for a moment, before writing It used to be Italy, to visit where my family came from, but⦠I haven't thought about a vacation in years.
She thought for a moment, before writing It used to be Italy, to visit where my family came from, but⦠I haven't thought about a vacation in years.
Lucas nodded and blew out in his cheeks in an overly dramatic sigh.
"I get that, especially now, with everything going on, not many survivors are thinking about vacations right now." He told her warmly.
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