Liam started toward the truck, but turned back to Lucas. "Do you need a ride, 'cus we don't know how to get there, and it would be rude to just leave you." He looked back to the small truck. "I could ride in the bed, we could make room."
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"I can have Zeus move to the bed so you can have an actual seat, Liam," Alastor said, glancing at the rearview mirror.
Liam hid a smile. "No, no, that would be to much trouble, I can just hop in." and he Jumped in the back, leaving the other real seat for Lucas.
Alastor shrugged, leaving Zeus where he was. The big dog glanced behind him at Liam before turning his head back to the window next to him.
Ronni smiled at Alastor as he got in. She was fiddling with the truck radio, not really getting much. The station they'd found earlier must not broadcast constantly.
Ariella stiffed at the news of other joining them. She wasn't comfortable with that. She didn't like it. She had only just gotten used to Lucky. She was still wary of the others. She gave Lucky a look that translated she'd rip him a new one later. She had a feeling he was the initiator for the addition of these new people. "Do we need to look for a bigger apartment?"
Lucky raised his hands, looking at her apologetically. "I didn't call the shots on that one, Lucas invited them here." He looked around and wobbled his head, kind of a 'yes and no' answer. "I think we're ok here. If folks want more space, we can kick in the next apartment down. Besides, we're not going to be here that long." He stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry, Ariella. I knew this was going to bother you."
He cringed internally as he absolutely slaughtered her name. He couldn't wrap his French accent around it correctly.
Ariella's glare softened a bit. She took a long sip of her slushie only to wince in pain a moment later. Freeze brain. She had drank too fast.
"You can call me Ella's if it's easier for you. I don't mind," she spoke a couple minutes later as the pain had dulled.
"And where are we going to go?" With as people as they had, they were bound to have different people go in different directions.
He smiled when she softened, and chuckled quietly at her brain freeze. "Easy, there." He liked Ella. It would definitely be easy to get his mouth to say. "Thank you, Ella."
He thought for a bit. "Well. I've been coming east all this way, trying to find a way back to my mom and sister. I've not heard any news about Europe, so⦠I'll probably try to keep heading that way." He glanced at her. " Lucas and the siblings are headed West, I believe, and the new guys said they were going somewhere more rural, so probably they'll all go West together if they get along." He looked down. "You're welcome to go with them and the girls." He kept his eyes down, but his voice had a hopeful uptick to it. "Or⦠you could come with me?"
Ariella listened to him, her anxiety growing by each word. She didn't feel comfortable with anyone other than Lucky. And as much as she wanted to make sure her family was alive, she didn't want to travel with someone she didn't trust.
"I've never been to Europe," she said quietly, looking down at her feet before looking up at him.
Lucky beamed at her when she said it. He'd hoped she'd choose him, but wanting to stay with the group would've been fine too.
He turned and began unpacking his saddlebags, laying out various forms of sealed food and drinks, still smiling to himself.
Ariella watched him pull out some food, sipping slowly on her frozen drink. "How are we going to split all of this? Are we going to split any of this? You were the one that found it."
Lucky shrugged. "I figure everybody contributes somehow. If you see something you want though, take it now." He smiled at her and slid a candy bar her way. "To make up for all that granola earlier."
He turned and went back out with the empty saddlebags to put them back on Sinjoro.
Ariella smiled and tucked it into her pocket to put in her bag. She waited until he left before going to their room and putting it on her bag. She also checked over her supplies just to verify if anything had been stolen. Everything checked out at the moment.
She walked back in to the living room, looking at everyone warily.
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June got up and took one of the slushies, she contemplated waking her brother up, or just letting the drink melt. She chose the latter, Devon hadn't slept much since this whole thing started, so it was a good change that he felt safe around these people. Devon had fallen asleep, laying on his back, hugging his pillow to his chest. June picked up Devon's drink, still slurping her own, and brought it to the kitchen.
Lucky came back in from making sure Sinjoro was fed and watered for the night. He'd left the horse tethered in the hallway, not really wanting to leave him outside. He smiled at June as she picked up the slushies. "I didn't know what flavor you'd want so. Sorry about that." He watched her take it to the kitchen. "We're gonna have new people. The girl seems jumpy, so don't spook her. But be your usual friendly self."
June smiled, "ill try to tone down my enthusiasm" she put Devons slushies in the fridge, more to keep any bugs or pests getting it than anything, slushies melted or became solid if put in the freezer, there really was no saving it. "Dev's asleep, probably cuddling a pillow since he's alone" she walked back to the couch, plopping down as she drank her slushie. "sorry, he wouldn't want anyone to know thatβ¦" She hummed, having no filter and always speaking her mind, and embarrassing her brother along with it.
Lucky grinned at her. "I'm glad you're here, because I don't think we'd know what to do with your brother if not." He thought for a moment. "Also, with new people in the place, you don't have to sleep on the couch out in the open if you don't want to. We'll find a space for you."
He didn't want any of the girls to feel uncomfortable, with all the guys in the place. That could be a⦠harrowing experience, and he wasn't about to let it happen.
He turned to Ariella. "They're here, by the way. Just pulled up outside." He was gentle with her, trying to prep her for when they walked in.
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Liam hid a smile. "No, no, that would be to much trouble, I can just hop in." and he Jumped in the back, leaving the other real seat for Lucas.
Lucas smiled and then hopped into the back with Liam, pulling his knees up to his chin so there was enough room.
"I don't want you to sit back here by yourself, and this way, Zeus gets a seat all to himself." He said with a wide smile. "plus, I think it'd be a nice experience to say I've finally ridden in the bed of a pickup truck.
Lucas smiled and then hopped into the back with Liam, pulling his knees up to his chin so there was enough room.
Once Lucas was in, Ronni took off. They didn't have far to go, and she had kinda watched where Lucky rode off to, so she had a general idea. It was only once they got around the corner that she looked in the rearview mirror to check with Lucas. She watched the direction he pointed, and they were at the apartment building pretty soon. Well, that wasn't difficult. She parked the truck right in front of the building, where she could see it from inside. Don't want anyone running off with it. There was Lucky's horse, and she shook her head again at it. How on earth did he end up in NYC with a horse?
She climbed out and waited for the boys. She really didn't want to walk into this situation on her own. Lucky walked out just then, and smiled at her, before leading the horse into the building. It fit through the door, and Ronni nodded slowly to herself. I guess if I could put the truck closer to me, and out of sight, I would. Lucky waved a hand, beckoning her to come in, but she pointed at the boys behind her still climbing out. I'll wait.
Lucas smiled and then hopped into the back with Liam, pulling his knees up to his chin so there was enough room.
Once Lucas was in, Ronni took off. They didn't have far to go, and she had kinda watched where Lucky rode off to, so she had a general idea. It was only once they got around the corner that she looked in the rearview mirror to check with Lucas. She watched the direction he pointed, and they were at the apartment building pretty soon. Well, that wasn't difficult. She parked the truck right in front of the building, where she could see it from inside. Don't want anyone running off with it. There was Lucky's horse, and she shook her head again at it. How on earth did he end up in NYC with a horse?
She climbed out and waited for the boys. She really didn't want to walk into this situation on her own. Lucky walked out just then, and smiled at her, before leading the horse into the building. It fit through the door, and Ronni nodded slowly to herself. I guess if I could put the truck closer to me, and out of sight, I would. Lucky waved a hand, beckoning her to come in, but she pointed at the boys behind her still climbing out. I'll wait.
Lucas hopped out and walked inside, his usual swagger still there when he walked, but barely visible anymore.
Most of his confidence had disappeared along with his parents lives.
"Hi guys." He said once he was in the apartment, smiling at everyone.
He smiled at Ariella and mouthed
I'm sorry, I know you don't like this, but they asked if they could come with us, and I couldn't refuse.
And then he slung himself onto the couch, taking off his pack and sitting it on the floor and taking a long slurp of his slushie, his tongue already dark blue from it.
June smiled, "Dev will probably be more comfortable with more males around. But for now, I am going to just let him sleep" she half shrugged, using her straw to stir the slushie, "So try not to be to loudβ¦not that he is a light sleeper" She hummed.
Lucas hopped out and walked inside, his usual swagger still there when he walked, but barely visible anymore
Most of his confidence had disappeared along with his parents lives.
"Hi guys." He said once he was in the apartment, smiling at everyone.He smiled at Ariella and mouthed
I'm sorry, I know you don't like this, but they asked if they could come with us, and I couldn't refuse.And then he slung himself onto the couch, taking off his pack and sitting it on the floor and taking a long slurp of his slushie, his tongue already dark blue from it.
Alastor got Zeus out of the truck and walked in behind Lucas into the apartment. He clicked his tounge, telling Zeus to stay back and the dog sat down patiently at the doorway.
"Hello," Alastor said with a friendly smile, looking at the new people in front of him.
Ariella held in her glare that was itching to come out. She was comfortable enough Lucky but she was nervous how any of the other guys would react to such a reaction.
She folded herself further into the hall, sticking to the shadows and hopefully out of everyone radar.
Lucas closed his eyes and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his palms.
He sat his slushie between his knees and the cup slightly dripping with blue drops on the bottom.
"This is Alastor everyone." He said to all of them. "His dogs name is Zeus, he's a German Shepard."
"There's also Liam and Ronnie."
Liam poked his head into the room. "Hi." He said simply. More people. He thought to himself. He woke up this morning hoping to find some food, but now, he was surrounded by other living people. Not just their corpses.