'it was the beginning of the end' if they could see her now, what would the handful of AO3 users that had commented on her fanfics think with as cheesy an opener as that?
[She grips his sleeve. It's the closest they can get to the embrace they want. He closes his eyes a moment, inclining his head her way in lieu of leaning against her. He wishes he could. He wants the solidity. He wants to rest and breathe and be safe.
But this is the apocalypse. Not even he gets that luxury all the time.
He bobs his head and obeys, drawing the goggles down over his eyes. He tugs his gaiter up more to meet it.]
Okay... good plan...
[More a plan than he has. His means of pushing survivors on usually involved leaving gifts. He suspects that wouldn't have panned out so well with these ones.]
I can do that... Jus' tell 'em... Got scratched... long ago... 's true... More or less...
[Well, the particulars of the excuse didn't matter so much, really. If she has things her way, they won't be spending much time around the survivors to chat them up anyway. She returns her attention back to him to ensure he didn't have anything obviously out of place, leaving his status questionable, and is about to reach out to pull his hood over his head when he shocks her. Ryder frowns, her expression partly offended, but mostly confused and sad. She steadies herself with a breath, glancing down to the little space between them instead.]
'How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em.'
[There's so much more she wants to say. So much more she wants to do. Why don't they have time? Why does it have to be that, even if they did have time, she can't do or say all the things she feels in a rush of emotions she doesn't understand. If she's a good friend, he's a better one. All the love inside her had been given or found again by him.
Ryder doesn't answer, even though she tries, and winds up just clearing her throat before checking him again and turning to reach for the car door. Already she can feel that love being covered in a layer of dirt at the prospect of interacting with these other people again... Well. Burying it was probably the better thing to to, both for his safety and...hers. Stupid infectious death.
A scowl is already on her face as she pulls herself from the car and settles her gaze back on Maddy. The stilted manner of her words won't be anything new to Teo, but there's a clipped, annoyed roughness that he'd managed to skip past, thanks to the circumstances of their meeting.]
-- Ready. Taking you first, or heading -- back for -- other two?
[What are introductions? If only she could say it was purely a desire to take focus off him, but unfortunately she just sucks at the social game.]
[She turns away to step out, and so, he does too. He draws a breath for his nerves and pushes the car door open. He steps out slow and resists the impulse to lift his hands in the air like the girl outside's a cop. Truth is, she's probably worse for something like him.
Clipped roughness is new from Ryder, but he can't say he's all that surprised. Other survivors were a risk on a good day. This, thus far, has not been a good day.
She looks about their age, this one, himself, and Ryder. Maybe younger than him or older than Ryder, it's hard to tell. Especially these days where it only matters so much and can barely be tracked. He moves around the car to Ryder, settling in a little behind her, and the girl watches with narrowed eyes. She takes her time to actually answer.]
I'm scouting first. They'll be waiting.
[Which is probably code for "don't try anything funny." She looks at him.]
Name?
[Teo looks from her to Ryder and back.]
...Teo...?
[A downward twinge to her brow.]
Alright, Teo. What the hell'd you take off for? You know ditched your partner?
[It takes no time at all for Ryder to step forward, interrupting before she even stops to realize it could be interrupting. Or that it's usually better when she keeps her mouth shut.]
Shut the fuck up, you don't know shit! What the fuck is your problem? None y'r fucking business how we work -- christ, it's your fucking fault, and I said we'll fucking help you anyway, quit being a pack of assholes! He's my partner, the fuck do you care? Fuck off. God.
[She's shaking her head and starting back in the direction she's pretty sure the apartment is in before the situation hits her again and gets her jaw to clench. It's true, but maybe she shouldn't say it... Especially not like that. At the same time: fuck these guys!! Ungrateful. She could have done this without them, it was just -- faster. Ugh. Well, that's another L in the social interaction column, which wouldn't normally make it feel like caterpillars are squirming around in her stomach this hard... Some squirm, sure! But she was used to it.
...Teo was not. Fucking hell. What if he realized just how stupid it was to be around her? She sucked! Fuck. Goddamn it, Ryder. It would almost be a kindness for Maddy or the other girl whose name starts with C to strike her down. Then everyone could be on their merry way! Happy ending for all! Stupid, stupid...]
[The girl's berating stings. It sticks right into the wound and pulls. It hits something distantly familiar too, a dozen old teardowns that he can feel under the surface like ridges in ice. Something familiar. He just needs to reach a little further.
Ryder steps up. Immediately, she's at his defence, and this is isn't familiar at all but he feels it just as sharply, breath catching. He knew she felt that way, but still, to hear it like this...
Teo reaches out. He reaches for her sleeve, tugging it gently between his fingers. It's the closest he can get to grasping her hand.]
It's okay...
[She knows him. That's what matters.
The other girl looks them both up and down once again. Her mouth presses.]
Hm. Fine. Your partner, your business. Let's get going then.
[She's still fretting...and also pretty steamed, but both those feelings are tempered by the slightest tug of Teo's hold on her sleeve. If she were the big predator cat she dreamed of being, her ears would be pinned flat to her head and her tail swinging with barely-restrained irritation. She'd be ready to play volleyball with this girl's head. Instead, she's a regular-ass girl, same as the other, and not in a particularly great position to be snapping at her. Ryder might huff and cross her arms if she didn't worry that would make her shirt slip from Teo's fingers. As it is, her venom is probably already melting into an obvious sulk.
Right. She's the one with the info and the one with the less busted voice. She wants to chew the absolute hell out of her lip, ugh.]
...The old guy -- dad? [Not that it mattered for her to look back to Teo and half-grumble an explanation.] Ground with us, before. But -- Maddy n'other girl -- with guns. Don' remember names. Keeping w-watch, now. Up. [Oh, actually -- ] They use hand -- signals. S'cool.
[The bitterness even melted away like it was never there, for that comment! It was really cool!! She wants Teo to know!!!]
...Were trying to -- help. Nice to meet them. I guess.
[Yeah. She's right. It's cool. He taps his covered chin.]
Hand signals... We should... try that...
[Lord knows they both struggled with speaking in their own ways. But helping made sense. Even if that guy had scared the hell out of him.]
She's my sister. Cecily. And yeah, I guess you could say he's my dad, though we don't call him that.
[Now that they're back on the move, or at least soon to be, Maddy's back to watching the surroundings for any lingering dead. She spots a few up ahead, distant enough they're not running for them. Yet. But she's ready.]
So what're you two doing in the city? You know it's infested out here."
[She can get started on that right away -- Ryder offers a thumbs up. Fuck yeah. Hand signals.
But then her attention is drawn back to Maddy, eyebrows raised in an interest that she would rather not explain, because even if it were the case (and it most certainly is not), the thoughts she has about their relationship aren't exactly polite conversation. They might not call him dad, but what about...something close to and very, very far away from that?
No, okay, head out of the gutter. Maddy's unfortunately right again -- the city's infested.]
S'everywhere.
[Like, it's just kinda the way the world was, now. Speaking of -- sure are some zombies up there. Ryder looks over to Teo again, and minutely mimes holding a bow and drawing back an arrow with a grimace. A questioning noise accompanies it. Not only would it go against his desire to live and let live, there was also the fact that he used those arrows for hunting... He'd been willing to shoot to protect her, but was it worth it now, if only to seem less suspicious...?
She doesn't linger on him long enough for an answer, or even to see if he was able to understand her silent communication. Back to lying. For good reasons!]
How I know -- we can do it. Get stuff. Told you... Our city.
[Hell yeah, thumbs up right back. Maddy totally isn't deadeying this.
The thumbs up lowers and his hand droops down. He looks from Ryder to the dead, brows pulling together. He... doesn't want to. He really doesn't. But this girl is here and he's already let Ryder down.
He reaches back for his bow and then an arrow. He lines up the shot. Don't drag her down, Teo. Don't you drag her down with you. There's the familiar snap of air from the loosed air. He watches one of the dead pair fall. The other doesn't so much notice this as it does the sound, and then them.
The undead snarls and starts to rush them. He lines up another shot.
Only for the creature to drop with a faint thud, a knife lodged in. He turns and Maddy straightens out of a throwing stance.]
It is. But it doesn't have to be.
[Maddy's reply regards the dead.]
Everyone thinks the key to survival is holing up and playing defense. But for how long does that actually work? Avoiding the dead isn't enough. It only helps youself. For some that's the most they can do. For others it's cowardice. A lack of initiative.
You know less than half actually turned in the outbreak? Some people were killed, some got into accidents, some took their own lives, and others simply died. Heart attacks, not taking to the infection, not being up on their shots. And of course, there's all the ones who were eaten alive. That's only a portion of the population actually turned. Still more of those are put down by survivors. There's only so many out there.
The dead... need to be exterminated. Cecily and I have been training since we were born. This is what we're here for. So I'll tell you, this really can be your city, for as long as you work with us. What we want is no less than the survival of everyone.
[Teo feels sick. He feels cold and dizzy. He can't even tell if that speech was ridiculous or inspiring, he's too busy trying not to let his hands shake as he tucks away his bow.
Everyone. Everyone but him. He stupidly latches on to the most irrelevant part.]
Apocalypse was... only... years ago... not even... how...?
Are you going to suggest that being prepared for this was stupid? Because if you haven't noticed, it's happening.
[The more Maddy says, the less Ryder likes her, and the girl hadn’t exactly started out in the highest of graces. It doesn’t matter that she takes out the other undead so that Teo doesn’t have to — even if what she was saying wasn’t making Ryder’s tension rise like it was a word counter, she wouldn’t have liked that, admittedly. It was still not the way she’d do things, especially now that she knows it’s possible for them to become more. Though...becoming more is what Maddy’s icky “family” is trying to stop. They want fewer and fewer until there were none left, and then the world would be saved.
It’s both a surprise and not to hear the statistics. How could she possibly know? But it wasn’t like she didn’t see it happen around her, as detached as she tried to be. No, the real question that disturbs her...]
...Soldiers. Y-you’re child soldiers.
[This man that they could say was their dad but didn’t had raised them for this their whole life? Who cares if it did eventually happen, and that the girls weren’t children anymore? That’s — she’s pretty sure that’s child abuse?
She wants to throw up. She wants to throw a tantrum — maybe an axe into that sicko’s head. What she won’t throw away is the story she’s drafted for herself and Teo, as ridiculous as it is. Especially not now, with people like this to balance idiots like her out. Plus...the picture Maddy paints shouldn’t be making her feel so sick, and she knows it.
Ryder swallows down the urges, as well as the one to reach out and take Teo’s hand in hers.]
Not us. We want to l-live. ‘n start thinking ‘bout long — term.
[She’s glad he put his bow away. Why did she make him do that? Fuck, she’s sorry, Teo. Ryder shakes her head, scowl overtaking her, as she thinks that the only thing she wants to do for these people is get them supplied and kick them out. She tries to hold her temper back. They didn’t need her causing more problems, even though there’s so much more she wants to argue about. It was already a bad situation, and one they might end up having to leave, rather than holding strong. She has to start trying to mentally prepare herself for that. She tucks those plans next to the bitter, hostile thoughts about Maddy and Crew’s philosophy. What the fuck. Can’t believe she’s met the villains of their video game, and it’s the ones acting as “the good guys”. She just wants to be a hermit and let Teo be happy and sort-of-alive, for fuck’s sake.]
‘partment’s this way — a bit yet. S’been — couple, like I said... Dunno how it is, but it will work. While you guys s-stay.
[It should be pretty damn clear, see as it was the first of the two hordes the pair accidentally led to the slaughter. Even if they got these people out as quick as possible... The population had dwindled quite a lot already. Definitely no need for their help, when Teo would have ensured they were fine already.]
[Ryder's definitely more on the ball than he is, asking the relevant questions. She's also fighting valiantly to control herself, he can see, the little things that he can read from her face to her fingers. She's putting his attempts at faking humanity to complete shame.
He moves closer, bumping his arms to her side in lieu of holding on. He wants to hold on.
Maddy doesn't show much of a reaction to that accusation. She barely shrugs.]
Someone has to be. Might as well be me.
[Me, she says. Not us. He wonders at that, but he doesn't ask. He nods along with what Ryder says. Just want to live. He just wants to live. It's not really a lie at all. He wants to stay with Ryder and push things out as long as they can. It feels like the living, more than the dead, keep getting in the way of that now.
But no. That's not fair. It was the dead that took over this world, the dead that hurt people. And Ryder is alive. He wants to keep her that way. What would he even do if he didn't have her now? If he'd met these people alone. He has a feeling that he'd probably be dead.
He follows at Ryder's side, willing his gratitude to be felt by her. Magically, he supposes. He asks Maddy--]
Statistics...? How...?
[Another half-shrug.]
Higher connections. At least before that fell apart. Shame.
[Her tone doesn't suggest it was a shame. He doesn't want to ask further.
They walk until they come up to that apartment. His shoulders sag at the sight. All these people... he did that. It was necessary. It was for Ryder. But he still did it.
He didn't have this much of a damn moral issue before. Sure, he'd prefer to spare what he could, but it didn't feel like this.]
[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.]
[He whispers an apology just for her for making her jump. She recovers on her own otherwise, handling the living just as he suggested. Though, back then, he hadn't imagined anything like this. She really is saving his 'life' right now. As if he didn't owe her so much already.
He nods along to confirm what Ryder says. Maddy makes a face, as if trying to decide whether she considers that good enough. But really, only he could be more thorough and right now he's got to pretend that that's not possible for him.
They all go in together while he wishes they could just leave Maddy behind. Would she be safe? Could he live with that if she wasn't? He sure as hell doesn't feel safe right now. They creep past the dead that he slaughter and up the stairs. They listen close and crouch low and then that last door is open. Back...]
Feels like... ages ago... We met here...
[It was the first time they spoke. The first time they saw each other up close.]
Too risky... up there... If they tried... they're gone...
[It doesn't make him happy, but it's just the way it is. He goes to those books, kneeling down to look at them again. He never did get around to bringing them back to her. Feels a shame.
Maddy steps in behind them, weapon still at the ready. She searches every room one by one, the unwelcomed scully in their band of two mulders. She nearly finishes her search when a whistle sounds in the doorway. He whips around and he's pretty sure she does too.]
"Niiice place!"
[There with her pink shoes, mismatched socks, cropped hair and a grin, is the second Graves sister.]
Cecily?! What are you doing here!? You're supposed to be on watch!
[Cecily snorts, pushes off the doorframe, and waltzes in, looking around.]
"Oh, relax. It's fine! The guy practically sleeps with his gun. He's probably making out with it as we speak. Oh, baby, my one true love, I'll never leave you...!"
[She mimes a passionate makeout session and Maddy looks like she wants to vomit.]
[Ryder gives a tiny nod, even though she doesn't want to think too much about that right now. Not only was that a day of dumb idiot mistakes, it also...wasn't really that long ago. It might feel like it sometimes, but really this whole thing has been a whirlwind blowing through their lives. She doesn't want to think about not knowing Teo -- and she doesn't want Maddy thinking about it, either. These people didn't need to know how little of a grasp they had on this city despite Ryder's claims.
She should probably care more about the living that had probably joined the dead now. It's not good news. Even unconfirmed, it isn't. The new voice isn't bringing good news, either. Ryder startles and twists to stare wide-eyed at Cecily now. It feels like she's a rock or a shell, incapable of stringing her thoughts together and coming up with no answers to the questions of why the other girl is here, or what she's supposed to do. It...shouldn't change things, right? All three coming here was the plan. Just...what was she doing here? And why did their dad want to kiss a gun? He could do something else involving his gun and his mouth, but that's not exactly a pleasant mental image either, and Ryder shakes her head of it before moving jerkily to Teo's side, stepping in front of him as half cover again.]
...Dumb. Should've -- come together. Too m-many -- trips.
[More time for the undead to discover them, or for them to discover the undead there. She's glad that how loud her heart is is something only she can hear. Cecily was an unknown factor, but she at least was less uptight... Ryder looks over to Maddy with a growl after a hard bite of her lip.]
It pas-passes, right? So get -- him n'make -- list.
[She can go and Cecily can stay and make things marginally less stressful, right? Please? Oh god, what if it isn't less stressful. Fuck. What happened to her day of being treated like a princess?]
[Teo tries to shrink on himself, which isn't an easy feat given his stature and the general appearance of his guise. Ryder's shielding helps a little but certainly not enough to truly hide him.
Maddy catches Ryder's muttering and turns a scowl back at Cecily.]
Exactly. Dumb. Even she agrees.
"Pretty sure she was saying this plan was dumb. Which it is."
[Maddy's scowl is returned to Ryder. Clearly, she doesn't consider things down. She turns her back to continue looking around, but this time not simply checking for undead.
Cecily rolls her eyes and looks over at the pair, head tilting so far she leans with it.]
"Aw man, you guys look wound up. Don't worry. I promise, we're the good guys."
[Without looking back:] I already told them that.
[Cecily snorts.]
"What, with your speech? I can't believe you're still doing that. You're creeping everyone out."
[Maddy grumbles but says nothing. She makes her way to the kitchen, bending to pick up a cast aside hand towel.]
"So! You two looking to go anywhere? Dream vacation on plague beach?"
[Maddy's eyes narrow at the cloth, spreading it out so she can eye the black marks all over it, too dark for blood, and yet too close. The finger marks have strange lines-- like the edge of a fingerless glove.]
[All of it is dumb...! Ryder wants to scream to not drag her into weird sibling bullshit -- she was never even part of her own sibling bullshit, how is she supposed to deal with someone else's?! But then Cecily moves on and thank fuck she knows that her sister is freaking them out something fierce. Still, the conviction she finds in being the good guy offsets some of the comfort, even though Ryder knows objectively that she's right. Or...as "right" as you can be in a situation like this. Everything is some kind of wrong, now that the world doesn't have a clue what it's supposed to do or what anything means. Probably not figuring it out anytime soon.
Her jaw sets, not knowing how to answer or which sister she's supposed to be more wary of for the time being, but Teo's interest decides for her. Cecily earns full attention.]
...Never knew an'thing 'bout them. Just -- rumors. S-sometimes there would be -- someone I was with f-for a day, or -- so. Wanted go there. Um. Never stayed.
[For one reason or another, there had always been something to keep her from sticking around the others. An outpost... A place meant for people, but like a real one and not the facsimile that Ryder had dreamed up. One that worked...]
Do you, um -- [She glances back to Teo and bites her lip, then flicks her eyes back to Cecily.] W-where... What's the -- closest, anyway? If -- if we wanted to.
[Cecily beams with pride. Teo, for as much as he can with his hidden face, seems rapt. He nearly forgets to breathe. She twirls a hand.]
"Not the construction, but in clearing out the areas so settlements could form. We've made rounds back to a few when they're ready to expand their area and build out. That's what we usually do. Clearing out cities is more... extracurricular! So, in the future, Scavengers can come through here for supplies or even safely live someday."
[If he were still aside, this would sound promising. He might've latched onto the hope. As it is, all he can think about is one place. His hands curl in on themselves to stop him from reaching out and shaking her.]
New Port... Settlement... on ninth... Do you know it...?
[Cecily blinks and glances from him to Ryder and back. His nails bite into his palm.]
"Well, it's still standing, last we were there, but..." She hisses through her teeth. "You're looking at a state size trek East. It's pretty rough out that way." She brightens. "But the good news is, Outpost five, or Coltwater, isn't far from here at all. You're looking to go west into woodland, past the first town there, and a bit into woodland again. It's pretty easy to miss and it isn't very big, but it's something."
[The addition of, more of something than holing up in a city, lays implied. He should be taking Ryder there, to see her safe. He shouldn't be acting so desperate. He should be thinking at all. But his hands unclench, scrambling for the pocket on his jacket by his heart, fumbling, making it with something...]
Sara... s-Sara... Do you--?
[He doesn't get to finish. Cecily barely gets to open her mouth. In quick strides, Maddy rushes over and grasps him by the wrist, yanking it up. He lets out a strangled yelp of surprise.]
[She feels like someone else, in a sudden moment. Someone better suited for the apocalypse, or for negotiation, or negotiating in the apocalypse. Someone that can find a home and safety with others. Not someone that only learned to behave socially when accompanied by an emotional support zombie, and who would rather live in a witch hut in the woods (as long as the internet was good). It's safer to listen in as this person, whoever she is, as Teo animates and asks his questions. Very...specific questions, for someone with no memory of his life before.
'I had... a letter... in my pocket... It was all... I had... A blank head and a letter...'
Sara. Sara, who was important and held the answers to Teo's life, if hers was still going. Sara, who wouldn't make guesses in secret, marking pages that could never go back to the way they were before.
'like a full head and blank book...'
Could she go back...?
The character can be excited for him, giving a determined set to her jaw and absorbing whatever information Cecily had to offer them. However, the character isn't ready to deal with Maddy's sudden movement and is thrown to the side as Ryder reacquaints with her own skin, muscles, and bones again so she can launch herself at the other woman. Her voice cracks with a mix of fury and panic. It's too bad. The character this story was made for probably would have taken time to gauge how readily the other two would shoot her for this. Ryder doesn't know how to think, pushed back into the scene while her anchor is under threat.]
Fuck are you doing?! Get off him!
[Touching him wasn't good. An insane whisper of jealousy reminds her that she wasn't even allowed -- but that doesn't matter. What matters is prying the two apart and resisting the urge to sink her teeth hard into Maddy to force her attention onto her alone. Biting probably wouldn't be taken very well, right now.]
Get th'fuck away from him!
[Fuck, she's so weak, though. The years have whittled away at her muscle and more, and she'd thoroughly exhausted herself the day before. Her attempts to separate them and push Teo to freedom is probably laughable, to child soldiers like this.]
[Cecily looks just as alarmed by this development as the rest of them. Her eyes go wide and she appears to have a mind to ask the very same thing that Ryder does. But she's been trained better than that.
Ryder lunges and Cecily places herself between, arm out to block the motion and hold Ryder back without necessarily restricting her. She makes sure that Ryder isn't about to slip past her, and then--]
"Maddy what the hell!"
[Maddy grips Teo's wrist tighter as he tries to yank free, rasping, no, no, please, as if he were about to be shot. Or something worse. But Maddy doesn't let go. She squints at his hand, his fingers, the line of his gloves where they're cut off.
Then she snarls.]
They're hiding something.
[Her glare turns on Ryder.]
They're both hiding something.
[She throws Teo's hand from herself and he scrambles back, clutching it like he's been burned. Really, it's closer to the other way around. He stares at her.]
I saw blood on that towel. It wasn't human. The print matches his glove.
[Cecily speaks through her teeth, struggling to keep her tone level.]
"It's the fucking apocalypse. Everyone's got blood on them."
Not like that. This guy went digging. I want to know what the hell for.
[As much as she wants to tear through Cecily, she's grateful for her presence. If not for the other woman keeping her back -- plus the extra chiming in on questioning her bitch of a sister -- it would probably be her getting pretzeled up into a ball and dunked through a window. She still wants to go absolutely feral on Maddy, though. She can feel flushed with both panic and hatred, and wishes the heat would radiate off and burn the sisters down to bone.]
Are you -- fuck! You fucking -- [Despite her best interests, there's a real attempt to slip past. Let her at 'er! Let her scratch out her eyes with jagged, bitten nails and pray it's the same principle as dull knives!] H-how many -- times -- not your business! Fuck you!
[This was supposed to be simple. They just wanted to clean up their temporary home a little bit, and then they'd wanted to find each other, then help survivors that didn't even need it. Simple, as far as simple can go when you're shacked up with a zombie in an apocalypse. They didn't have to bring them here! They didn't have to have good intentions! No wonder she hates people! Let her hastily-made, shitty grave say, 'Here Lies (LOL) Ryder Morris: She Was Always Right About Everything. Fuck You.'
"hereshelies" would be an excellent zomryder username, incidentally.]
What -- are you gonna do about it? [She forces herself to still, rooting to the ground so maybe her body at least won't provoke the others. Can't stop her idiot words now that the cap's been blown clear off, though.] Kill us? Wow, real fucking -- great job saving humanity, you dumb bitch. You don't g-give -- a shit about people, we're just -- just trying to fucking live, and y-you're -- Just fuck off!
[Not at all suspicious... But really, she's too mad to even pretend to think up some kind of lie. The truth goes right along with her anger: Maddy doesn't need to know. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, but if she finds out...]
[Despite Ryder's valiant attempts, she's not getting through. Cecily adjusts each time to Ryder's movements, no doubt making her frustration boil over worse. If there is a worse to be had. Things are looking pretty bad from where Teo's sitting. He needs to think of some excuse, something to get them out of this, but he's having trouble thinking clearly at all. And it would seem he's not the only one.
Something twitches in Maddy's expression and she turns on Ryder. She nearly snarls.]
It's entirely my business who my sister goes with and whether they're safe!
[Cecily falters, nearly letting Ryder through. In fact, it might not be so hard for Ryder to do just that if she timed things right.]
What--?
Forget it. This was a waste of time. Even if they haven't got some kind of trap they're not nearly capable enough to be a worthwhile team. We've seen the place, now we report back to him.
[Luckily for...well, let's be real, Ryder, she's dug her heels in and stopped her rabid attempts to get to Maddy. She's nowhere near close to being calm, of course, but at least for the moment her rage is kept to clenched, shaking fists and a mental roar.
True to self, she thinks with annoyance turned inward, an excuse comes to mind after the moment's already passed. Fucking useless. Teo's the only one in this room that she's not going to kick the ass of. This...was why she liked writing, though -- or thinking about writing. Conversations or confrontations could be drafted again and again until they reach a satisfying ending. Someone would win unless it was something that couldn't be won, and then it would be all poetic and shit. They'd skipped to poetry and gone straight to shit, this time.]
Fuck your "teams". Never said -- shit about anyone going w-w-with. Only I get --
[She cuts herself off with a growled sigh. That definitely would have sounded psycho, even if she didn't mean to be particularly possessive in this instance. She just needs Teo to be safe, and fuck these survivors...! Never mind that it's safest if she's not around for the next half of their proposal. Which...]
You -- helped, we help, th-then -- you get out. If we die getting -- meds on our own or fucking off, no fucking skin off your dicks, right? If you can't d-do that, just take the fucking city. W-we'll -- go. Only we lose, always. S-sso quit being an asshole to us! The f-fuck is your problem?!
[Teo slowly, gradually, picks himself up and makes his way past Cecily and over to Ryder. His fingers find the edge of her shirt and hang on.]
Ryder... [He pleads her name, worried. For her, of course. He turns back to the others.] We just... want to live... Just want...
[Maybe that's not all true. A second ago his dead heart felt alight with some hope, the chance of fixing his whatever went wrong in his past. The chance of a future. Now, he feels lost again. Cecily looks thrown off herself.]
You want to get rid of me?
[There's a pause and a scowl on Maddy's part.]
You wanted normal. This is it. Or would be.
[Cecily stares her down a moment, her expression twisting. She gives a shake of her head.]
She's right. You're being an asshole. But big surprise there, huh?
[Maddy doesn't flinch. Cecily breathes deep and turns to face the other Ryder.]
He's going to want us to come back, to confirm with him. You too. I know it sucks but... I can do the exchange alone after that and you won't have to deal with any of us ever again.
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storywalks) wrote2021-11-17 08:42 pm
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But this is the apocalypse. Not even he gets that luxury all the time.
He bobs his head and obeys, drawing the goggles down over his eyes. He tugs his gaiter up more to meet it.]
Okay... good plan...
[More a plan than he has. His means of pushing survivors on usually involved leaving gifts. He suspects that wouldn't have panned out so well with these ones.]
I can do that... Jus' tell 'em... Got scratched... long ago... 's true... More or less...
[There's one more thing that nags at him.]
...Ryder...? Thank you... for coming back...
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[Well, the particulars of the excuse didn't matter so much, really. If she has things her way, they won't be spending much time around the survivors to chat them up anyway. She returns her attention back to him to ensure he didn't have anything obviously out of place, leaving his status questionable, and is about to reach out to pull his hood over his head when he shocks her. Ryder frowns, her expression partly offended, but mostly confused and sad. She steadies herself with a breath, glancing down to the little space between them instead.]
'How many slams in an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.'
...H-how could I not?
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He hears himself make a noise. He's not sure what it is himself. He ducks his head and wills himself not to start goddamn crying again.]
I don't know... Just felt... needed to say it...
[He smiles behind his gaiter.]
You're a good friend...
[And he's got a whole lot of love inside him. He pulls his hood up himself and takes one last steadying breath.]
Guess we should... go out there...
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Ryder doesn't answer, even though she tries, and winds up just clearing her throat before checking him again and turning to reach for the car door. Already she can feel that love being covered in a layer of dirt at the prospect of interacting with these other people again... Well. Burying it was probably the better thing to to, both for his safety and...hers. Stupid infectious death.
A scowl is already on her face as she pulls herself from the car and settles her gaze back on Maddy. The stilted manner of her words won't be anything new to Teo, but there's a clipped, annoyed roughness that he'd managed to skip past, thanks to the circumstances of their meeting.]
-- Ready. Taking you first, or heading -- back for -- other two?
[What are introductions? If only she could say it was purely a desire to take focus off him, but unfortunately she just sucks at the social game.]
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Clipped roughness is new from Ryder, but he can't say he's all that surprised. Other survivors were a risk on a good day. This, thus far, has not been a good day.
She looks about their age, this one, himself, and Ryder. Maybe younger than him or older than Ryder, it's hard to tell. Especially these days where it only matters so much and can barely be tracked. He moves around the car to Ryder, settling in a little behind her, and the girl watches with narrowed eyes. She takes her time to actually answer.]
I'm scouting first. They'll be waiting.
[Which is probably code for "don't try anything funny." She looks at him.]
Name?
[Teo looks from her to Ryder and back.]
...Teo...?
[A downward twinge to her brow.]
Alright, Teo. What the hell'd you take off for? You know ditched your partner?
I-
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Shut the fuck up, you don't know shit! What the fuck is your problem? None y'r fucking business how we work -- christ, it's your fucking fault, and I said we'll fucking help you anyway, quit being a pack of assholes! He's my partner, the fuck do you care? Fuck off. God.
[She's shaking her head and starting back in the direction she's pretty sure the apartment is in before the situation hits her again and gets her jaw to clench. It's true, but maybe she shouldn't say it... Especially not like that. At the same time: fuck these guys!! Ungrateful. She could have done this without them, it was just -- faster. Ugh. Well, that's another L in the social interaction column, which wouldn't normally make it feel like caterpillars are squirming around in her stomach this hard... Some squirm, sure! But she was used to it.
...Teo was not. Fucking hell. What if he realized just how stupid it was to be around her? She sucked! Fuck. Goddamn it, Ryder. It would almost be a kindness for Maddy or the other girl whose name starts with C to strike her down. Then everyone could be on their merry way! Happy ending for all! Stupid, stupid...]
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Ryder steps up. Immediately, she's at his defence, and this is isn't familiar at all but he feels it just as sharply, breath catching. He knew she felt that way, but still, to hear it like this...
Teo reaches out. He reaches for her sleeve, tugging it gently between his fingers. It's the closest he can get to grasping her hand.]
It's okay...
[She knows him. That's what matters.
The other girl looks them both up and down once again. Her mouth presses.]
Hm. Fine. Your partner, your business. Let's get going then.
[And then, just to Teo.]
It's Maddy, by the way.
[He glances between the two.]
Nice... to meet you...?
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Right. She's the one with the info and the one with the less busted voice. She wants to chew the absolute hell out of her lip, ugh.]
...The old guy -- dad? [Not that it mattered for her to look back to Teo and half-grumble an explanation.] Ground with us, before. But -- Maddy n'other girl -- with guns. Don' remember names. Keeping w-watch, now. Up. [Oh, actually -- ] They use hand -- signals. S'cool.
[The bitterness even melted away like it was never there, for that comment! It was really cool!! She wants Teo to know!!!]
...Were trying to -- help. Nice to meet them. I guess.
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Hand signals... We should... try that...
[Lord knows they both struggled with speaking in their own ways. But helping made sense. Even if that guy had scared the hell out of him.]
She's my sister. Cecily. And yeah, I guess you could say he's my dad, though we don't call him that.
[Now that they're back on the move, or at least soon to be, Maddy's back to watching the surroundings for any lingering dead. She spots a few up ahead, distant enough they're not running for them. Yet. But she's ready.]
So what're you two doing in the city? You know it's infested out here."
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But then her attention is drawn back to Maddy, eyebrows raised in an interest that she would rather not explain, because even if it were the case (and it most certainly is not), the thoughts she has about their relationship aren't exactly polite conversation. They might not call him dad, but what about...something close to and very, very far away from that?
No, okay, head out of the gutter. Maddy's unfortunately right again -- the city's infested.]
S'everywhere.
[Like, it's just kinda the way the world was, now. Speaking of -- sure are some zombies up there. Ryder looks over to Teo again, and minutely mimes holding a bow and drawing back an arrow with a grimace. A questioning noise accompanies it. Not only would it go against his desire to live and let live, there was also the fact that he used those arrows for hunting... He'd been willing to shoot to protect her, but was it worth it now, if only to seem less suspicious...?
She doesn't linger on him long enough for an answer, or even to see if he was able to understand her silent communication. Back to lying. For good reasons!]
How I know -- we can do it. Get stuff. Told you... Our city.
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The thumbs up lowers and his hand droops down. He looks from Ryder to the dead, brows pulling together. He... doesn't want to. He really doesn't. But this girl is here and he's already let Ryder down.
He reaches back for his bow and then an arrow. He lines up the shot. Don't drag her down, Teo. Don't you drag her down with you. There's the familiar snap of air from the loosed air. He watches one of the dead pair fall. The other doesn't so much notice this as it does the sound, and then them.
The undead snarls and starts to rush them. He lines up another shot.
Only for the creature to drop with a faint thud, a knife lodged in. He turns and Maddy straightens out of a throwing stance.]
It is. But it doesn't have to be.
[Maddy's reply regards the dead.]
Everyone thinks the key to survival is holing up and playing defense. But for how long does that actually work? Avoiding the dead isn't enough. It only helps youself. For some that's the most they can do. For others it's cowardice. A lack of initiative.
You know less than half actually turned in the outbreak? Some people were killed, some got into accidents, some took their own lives, and others simply died. Heart attacks, not taking to the infection, not being up on their shots. And of course, there's all the ones who were eaten alive. That's only a portion of the population actually turned. Still more of those are put down by survivors. There's only so many out there.
The dead... need to be exterminated. Cecily and I have been training since we were born. This is what we're here for. So I'll tell you, this really can be your city, for as long as you work with us. What we want is no less than the survival of everyone.
[Teo feels sick. He feels cold and dizzy. He can't even tell if that speech was ridiculous or inspiring, he's too busy trying not to let his hands shake as he tucks away his bow.
Everyone. Everyone but him. He stupidly latches on to the most irrelevant part.]
Apocalypse was... only... years ago... not even... how...?
Are you going to suggest that being prepared for this was stupid? Because if you haven't noticed, it's happening.
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It’s both a surprise and not to hear the statistics. How could she possibly know? But it wasn’t like she didn’t see it happen around her, as detached as she tried to be. No, the real question that disturbs her...]
...Soldiers. Y-you’re child soldiers.
[This man that they could say was their dad but didn’t had raised them for this their whole life? Who cares if it did eventually happen, and that the girls weren’t children anymore? That’s — she’s pretty sure that’s child abuse?
She wants to throw up. She wants to throw a tantrum — maybe an axe into that sicko’s head. What she won’t throw away is the story she’s drafted for herself and Teo, as ridiculous as it is. Especially not now, with people like this to balance idiots like her out. Plus...the picture Maddy paints shouldn’t be making her feel so sick, and she knows it.
Ryder swallows down the urges, as well as the one to reach out and take Teo’s hand in hers.]
Not us. We want to l-live. ‘n start thinking ‘bout long — term.
[She’s glad he put his bow away. Why did she make him do that? Fuck, she’s sorry, Teo. Ryder shakes her head, scowl overtaking her, as she thinks that the only thing she wants to do for these people is get them supplied and kick them out. She tries to hold her temper back. They didn’t need her causing more problems, even though there’s so much more she wants to argue about. It was already a bad situation, and one they might end up having to leave, rather than holding strong. She has to start trying to mentally prepare herself for that. She tucks those plans next to the bitter, hostile thoughts about Maddy and Crew’s philosophy. What the fuck. Can’t believe she’s met the villains of their video game, and it’s the ones acting as “the good guys”. She just wants to be a hermit and let Teo be happy and sort-of-alive, for fuck’s sake.]
‘partment’s this way — a bit yet. S’been — couple, like I said... Dunno how it is, but it will work. While you guys s-stay.
[It should be pretty damn clear, see as it was the first of the two hordes the pair accidentally led to the slaughter. Even if they got these people out as quick as possible... The population had dwindled quite a lot already. Definitely no need for their help, when Teo would have ensured they were fine already.]
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He moves closer, bumping his arms to her side in lieu of holding on. He wants to hold on.
Maddy doesn't show much of a reaction to that accusation. She barely shrugs.]
Someone has to be. Might as well be me.
[Me, she says. Not us. He wonders at that, but he doesn't ask. He nods along with what Ryder says. Just want to live. He just wants to live. It's not really a lie at all. He wants to stay with Ryder and push things out as long as they can. It feels like the living, more than the dead, keep getting in the way of that now.
But no. That's not fair. It was the dead that took over this world, the dead that hurt people. And Ryder is alive. He wants to keep her that way. What would he even do if he didn't have her now? If he'd met these people alone. He has a feeling that he'd probably be dead.
He follows at Ryder's side, willing his gratitude to be felt by her. Magically, he supposes. He asks Maddy--]
Statistics...? How...?
[Another half-shrug.]
Higher connections. At least before that fell apart. Shame.
[Her tone doesn't suggest it was a shame. He doesn't want to ask further.
They walk until they come up to that apartment. His shoulders sag at the sight. All these people... he did that. It was necessary. It was for Ryder. But he still did it.
He didn't have this much of a damn moral issue before. Sure, he'd prefer to spare what he could, but it didn't feel like this.]
You've scouted this place out?
Just... just a room... a floor...
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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.
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He nods along to confirm what Ryder says. Maddy makes a face, as if trying to decide whether she considers that good enough. But really, only he could be more thorough and right now he's got to pretend that that's not possible for him.
They all go in together while he wishes they could just leave Maddy behind. Would she be safe? Could he live with that if she wasn't? He sure as hell doesn't feel safe right now. They creep past the dead that he slaughter and up the stairs. They listen close and crouch low and then that last door is open. Back...]
Feels like... ages ago... We met here...
[It was the first time they spoke. The first time they saw each other up close.]
Too risky... up there... If they tried... they're gone...
[It doesn't make him happy, but it's just the way it is. He goes to those books, kneeling down to look at them again. He never did get around to bringing them back to her. Feels a shame.
Maddy steps in behind them, weapon still at the ready. She searches every room one by one, the unwelcomed scully in their band of two mulders. She nearly finishes her search when a whistle sounds in the doorway. He whips around and he's pretty sure she does too.]
"Niiice place!"
[There with her pink shoes, mismatched socks, cropped hair and a grin, is the second Graves sister.]
Cecily?! What are you doing here!? You're supposed to be on watch!
[Cecily snorts, pushes off the doorframe, and waltzes in, looking around.]
"Oh, relax. It's fine! The guy practically sleeps with his gun. He's probably making out with it as we speak. Oh, baby, my one true love, I'll never leave you...!"
[She mimes a passionate makeout session and Maddy looks like she wants to vomit.]
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She should probably care more about the living that had probably joined the dead now. It's not good news. Even unconfirmed, it isn't. The new voice isn't bringing good news, either. Ryder startles and twists to stare wide-eyed at Cecily now. It feels like she's a rock or a shell, incapable of stringing her thoughts together and coming up with no answers to the questions of why the other girl is here, or what she's supposed to do. It...shouldn't change things, right? All three coming here was the plan. Just...what was she doing here? And why did their dad want to kiss a gun? He could do something else involving his gun and his mouth, but that's not exactly a pleasant mental image either, and Ryder shakes her head of it before moving jerkily to Teo's side, stepping in front of him as half cover again.]
...Dumb. Should've -- come together. Too m-many -- trips.
[More time for the undead to discover them, or for them to discover the undead there. She's glad that how loud her heart is is something only she can hear. Cecily was an unknown factor, but she at least was less uptight... Ryder looks over to Maddy with a growl after a hard bite of her lip.]
It pas-passes, right? So get -- him n'make -- list.
[She can go and Cecily can stay and make things marginally less stressful, right? Please? Oh god, what if it isn't less stressful. Fuck. What happened to her day of being treated like a princess?]
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Maddy catches Ryder's muttering and turns a scowl back at Cecily.]
Exactly. Dumb. Even she agrees.
"Pretty sure she was saying this plan was dumb. Which it is."
[Maddy's scowl is returned to Ryder. Clearly, she doesn't consider things down. She turns her back to continue looking around, but this time not simply checking for undead.
Cecily rolls her eyes and looks over at the pair, head tilting so far she leans with it.]
"Aw man, you guys look wound up. Don't worry. I promise, we're the good guys."
[Without looking back:] I already told them that.
[Cecily snorts.]
"What, with your speech? I can't believe you're still doing that. You're creeping everyone out."
[Maddy grumbles but says nothing. She makes her way to the kitchen, bending to pick up a cast aside hand towel.]
"So! You two looking to go anywhere? Dream vacation on plague beach?"
[Maddy's eyes narrow at the cloth, spreading it out so she can eye the black marks all over it, too dark for blood, and yet too close. The finger marks have strange lines-- like the edge of a fingerless glove.]
"Or one of the outposts maybe?"
[Teo's head lifts immediately, jolted to life.]
You've... been there...?
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Her jaw sets, not knowing how to answer or which sister she's supposed to be more wary of for the time being, but Teo's interest decides for her. Cecily earns full attention.]
...Never knew an'thing 'bout them. Just -- rumors. S-sometimes there would be -- someone I was with f-for a day, or -- so. Wanted go there. Um. Never stayed.
[For one reason or another, there had always been something to keep her from sticking around the others. An outpost... A place meant for people, but like a real one and not the facsimile that Ryder had dreamed up. One that worked...]
Do you, um -- [She glances back to Teo and bites her lip, then flicks her eyes back to Cecily.] W-where... What's the -- closest, anyway? If -- if we wanted to.
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[Cecily beams with pride. Teo, for as much as he can with his hidden face, seems rapt. He nearly forgets to breathe. She twirls a hand.]
"Not the construction, but in clearing out the areas so settlements could form. We've made rounds back to a few when they're ready to expand their area and build out. That's what we usually do. Clearing out cities is more... extracurricular! So, in the future, Scavengers can come through here for supplies or even safely live someday."
[If he were still aside, this would sound promising. He might've latched onto the hope. As it is, all he can think about is one place. His hands curl in on themselves to stop him from reaching out and shaking her.]
New Port... Settlement... on ninth... Do you know it...?
[Cecily blinks and glances from him to Ryder and back. His nails bite into his palm.]
"Well, it's still standing, last we were there, but..." She hisses through her teeth. "You're looking at a state size trek East. It's pretty rough out that way." She brightens. "But the good news is, Outpost five, or Coltwater, isn't far from here at all. You're looking to go west into woodland, past the first town there, and a bit into woodland again. It's pretty easy to miss and it isn't very big, but it's something."
[The addition of, more of something than holing up in a city, lays implied. He should be taking Ryder there, to see her safe. He shouldn't be acting so desperate. He should be thinking at all. But his hands unclench, scrambling for the pocket on his jacket by his heart, fumbling, making it with something...]
Sara... s-Sara... Do you--?
[He doesn't get to finish. Cecily barely gets to open her mouth. In quick strides, Maddy rushes over and grasps him by the wrist, yanking it up. He lets out a strangled yelp of surprise.]
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'I had... a letter... in my pocket... It was all... I had... A blank head and a letter...'
Sara. Sara, who was important and held the answers to Teo's life, if hers was still going. Sara, who wouldn't make guesses in secret, marking pages that could never go back to the way they were before.
'like a full head and blank book...'
Could she go back...?
The character can be excited for him, giving a determined set to her jaw and absorbing whatever information Cecily had to offer them. However, the character isn't ready to deal with Maddy's sudden movement and is thrown to the side as Ryder reacquaints with her own skin, muscles, and bones again so she can launch herself at the other woman. Her voice cracks with a mix of fury and panic. It's too bad. The character this story was made for probably would have taken time to gauge how readily the other two would shoot her for this. Ryder doesn't know how to think, pushed back into the scene while her anchor is under threat.]
Fuck are you doing?! Get off him!
[Touching him wasn't good. An insane whisper of jealousy reminds her that she wasn't even allowed -- but that doesn't matter. What matters is prying the two apart and resisting the urge to sink her teeth hard into Maddy to force her attention onto her alone. Biting probably wouldn't be taken very well, right now.]
Get th'fuck away from him!
[Fuck, she's so weak, though. The years have whittled away at her muscle and more, and she'd thoroughly exhausted herself the day before. Her attempts to separate them and push Teo to freedom is probably laughable, to child soldiers like this.]
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Ryder lunges and Cecily places herself between, arm out to block the motion and hold Ryder back without necessarily restricting her. She makes sure that Ryder isn't about to slip past her, and then--]
"Maddy what the hell!"
[Maddy grips Teo's wrist tighter as he tries to yank free, rasping, no, no, please, as if he were about to be shot. Or something worse. But Maddy doesn't let go. She squints at his hand, his fingers, the line of his gloves where they're cut off.
Then she snarls.]
They're hiding something.
[Her glare turns on Ryder.]
They're both hiding something.
[She throws Teo's hand from herself and he scrambles back, clutching it like he's been burned. Really, it's closer to the other way around. He stares at her.]
I saw blood on that towel. It wasn't human. The print matches his glove.
[Cecily speaks through her teeth, struggling to keep her tone level.]
"It's the fucking apocalypse. Everyone's got blood on them."
Not like that. This guy went digging. I want to know what the hell for.
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Are you -- fuck! You fucking -- [Despite her best interests, there's a real attempt to slip past. Let her at 'er! Let her scratch out her eyes with jagged, bitten nails and pray it's the same principle as dull knives!] H-how many -- times -- not your business! Fuck you!
[This was supposed to be simple. They just wanted to clean up their temporary home a little bit, and then they'd wanted to find each other, then help survivors that didn't even need it. Simple, as far as simple can go when you're shacked up with a zombie in an apocalypse. They didn't have to bring them here! They didn't have to have good intentions! No wonder she hates people! Let her hastily-made, shitty grave say, 'Here Lies (LOL) Ryder Morris: She Was Always Right About Everything. Fuck You.'
"hereshelies" would be an excellent zomryder username, incidentally.]
What -- are you gonna do about it? [She forces herself to still, rooting to the ground so maybe her body at least won't provoke the others. Can't stop her idiot words now that the cap's been blown clear off, though.] Kill us? Wow, real fucking -- great job saving humanity, you dumb bitch. You don't g-give -- a shit about people, we're just -- just trying to fucking live, and y-you're -- Just fuck off!
[Not at all suspicious... But really, she's too mad to even pretend to think up some kind of lie. The truth goes right along with her anger: Maddy doesn't need to know. What she doesn't know won't hurt her, but if she finds out...]
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Something twitches in Maddy's expression and she turns on Ryder. She nearly snarls.]
It's entirely my business who my sister goes with and whether they're safe!
[Cecily falters, nearly letting Ryder through. In fact, it might not be so hard for Ryder to do just that if she timed things right.]
What--?
Forget it. This was a waste of time. Even if they haven't got some kind of trap they're not nearly capable enough to be a worthwhile team. We've seen the place, now we report back to him.
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True to self, she thinks with annoyance turned inward, an excuse comes to mind after the moment's already passed. Fucking useless. Teo's the only one in this room that she's not going to kick the ass of. This...was why she liked writing, though -- or thinking about writing. Conversations or confrontations could be drafted again and again until they reach a satisfying ending. Someone would win unless it was something that couldn't be won, and then it would be all poetic and shit. They'd skipped to poetry and gone straight to shit, this time.]
Fuck your "teams". Never said -- shit about anyone going w-w-with. Only I get --
[She cuts herself off with a growled sigh. That definitely would have sounded psycho, even if she didn't mean to be particularly possessive in this instance. She just needs Teo to be safe, and fuck these survivors...! Never mind that it's safest if she's not around for the next half of their proposal. Which...]
You -- helped, we help, th-then -- you get out. If we die getting -- meds on our own or fucking off, no fucking skin off your dicks, right? If you can't d-do that, just take the fucking city. W-we'll -- go. Only we lose, always. S-sso quit being an asshole to us! The f-fuck is your problem?!
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Ryder... [He pleads her name, worried. For her, of course. He turns back to the others.] We just... want to live... Just want...
[Maybe that's not all true. A second ago his dead heart felt alight with some hope, the chance of fixing his whatever went wrong in his past. The chance of a future. Now, he feels lost again. Cecily looks thrown off herself.]
You want to get rid of me?
[There's a pause and a scowl on Maddy's part.]
You wanted normal. This is it. Or would be.
[Cecily stares her down a moment, her expression twisting. She gives a shake of her head.]
She's right. You're being an asshole. But big surprise there, huh?
[Maddy doesn't flinch. Cecily breathes deep and turns to face the other Ryder.]
He's going to want us to come back, to confirm with him. You too. I know it sucks but... I can do the exchange alone after that and you won't have to deal with any of us ever again.
[She flashes the briefest glare at Maddy.]
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