[Ryder nearly jumps out of her skin when she's reminded that she isn't just a guard dog on alert, but an agitated companion, when Teo brushes against her. Like a reassuring hand starting on her head and smoothing down raised hackles until her growling ceased. Like a guard dog, she doesn't let her wariness of the threat drop, too fueled by that lo -- companionship to let go. Later, she's going to get the tightest fucking hugs in the world. Fuck this.
She's making flippant comments again, and Ryder can feel the silent growl steadily coming back. That's not true. She knows that's not true. The necessity of how Maddy's life is and how it came to be is another bullet in the chamber of a gun Ryder may never shoot. She wasn't a gun person, after all. Higher connections. That's another bullet. Gosh, these people are shitty. She's going to die and come back just so she can bite their faces off... Except that if she does that, then Teo would be left alone and, for some reason, extremely upset for her personally. She wonders if that's really that unbelievable now, considering the whole emotional support zombie thing that has her actually invested in the people that once existed, not just clocking the wandering husks as dangers.]
Nothing ever -- came down. Undead behind doors if -- they were there. Shouldn't... Um, might be different.
[LOOK, SHE JUST REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO BE BLAMED IF THOSE OTHER SURVIVORS CAME BACK AND FUCKED THEIR SHIT UP. That's what has her wavering on going further. If the undead got around somehow, sending Teo out ahead would be the better idea...but if there are survivors, it should be her. They're a unit, in Maddy's eyes -- and in reality, but not usually in the scouting sense. They should both go. But why would they insist on going without Maddy? Sending her first is suspicious as hell. So it's fucking all of them or no one. Which is also a dumb fucking idea. Here they go...!
Ryder creeps down the hall, axe in hand, trying to be as quiet as she can so that she can hear if there's someone other than the two others with her moving about the apartments. It's a spooky sound these days, buildings. Creaks and groans could be anything. They echoed a little more than they used to, for some reason. Furniture moved to block things off instead of cushioning the sound, maybe. Their door is closed. That doesn't mean anything. Cautiously, after making sure Teo and Maddy are in position like how she would see on television, where police would invade a home to find a criminal, she turns the knob and pushes it open.
It looks just how they left it, books on the floor. She wanders in, axe slack at her side again, to pick it up.]
no subject
She's making flippant comments again, and Ryder can feel the silent growl steadily coming back. That's not true. She knows that's not true. The necessity of how Maddy's life is and how it came to be is another bullet in the chamber of a gun Ryder may never shoot. She wasn't a gun person, after all. Higher connections. That's another bullet. Gosh, these people are shitty. She's going to die and come back just so she can bite their faces off... Except that if she does that, then Teo would be left alone and, for some reason, extremely upset for her personally. She wonders if that's really that unbelievable now, considering the whole emotional support zombie thing that has her actually invested in the people that once existed, not just clocking the wandering husks as dangers.]
Nothing ever -- came down. Undead behind doors if -- they were there. Shouldn't... Um, might be different.
[LOOK, SHE JUST REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO BE BLAMED IF THOSE OTHER SURVIVORS CAME BACK AND FUCKED THEIR SHIT UP. That's what has her wavering on going further. If the undead got around somehow, sending Teo out ahead would be the better idea...but if there are survivors, it should be her. They're a unit, in Maddy's eyes -- and in reality, but not usually in the scouting sense. They should both go. But why would they insist on going without Maddy? Sending her first is suspicious as hell. So it's fucking all of them or no one. Which is also a dumb fucking idea. Here they go...!
Ryder creeps down the hall, axe in hand, trying to be as quiet as she can so that she can hear if there's someone other than the two others with her moving about the apartments. It's a spooky sound these days, buildings. Creaks and groans could be anything. They echoed a little more than they used to, for some reason. Furniture moved to block things off instead of cushioning the sound, maybe. Their door is closed. That doesn't mean anything. Cautiously, after making sure Teo and Maddy are in position like how she would see on television, where police would invade a home to find a criminal, she turns the knob and pushes it open.
It looks just how they left it, books on the floor. She wanders in, axe slack at her side again, to pick it up.]
We're back.
[But not welcome home, anymore.]
Must -- not have come back. From hospital.