Devon looked at the hand in front of him, then shook it. "Hello�" He was not used to people wanting to talk to him. He then looked at Zeus with a loud sigh. He rubbed the dog's ears, "Why do animals like me?" He whispered to the dog. He was once again mad at his sister for sharing his personal life with others. And calling him a 'fricken gay hermit' Of all the things she could come up with. He then looked back at Alastor, "Dog guy, nice to meet you." he said, adding another name to his list, right beside, 'horse guy'.
June frowned when Zeus walked away and angrily flopped on the couch, like a child. "I was raised in Europe, but my grandmother died years ago and I came here to see if my parent was still alive" she hummed, but her tone when she talked about her 'parent' was one of pure hatred, getting her an annoyed look from Devon.
Devon looked at the hand in front of him, then shook it. "Hello�" He was not used to people wanting to talk to him. He then looked at Zeus with a loud sigh. He rubbed the dog's ears, "Why do animals like me?" He whispered to the dog. He was once again mad at his sister for sharing his personal life with others. And calling him a 'fricken gay hermit' Of all the things she could come up with. He then looked back at Alastor, "Dog guy, nice to meet you." he said, adding another name to his list, right beside, 'horse guy'.
June frowned when Zeus walked away and angrily flopped on the couch, like a child. "I was raised in Europe, but my grandmother died years ago and I came here to see if my parent was still alive" she hummed, but her tone when she talked about her 'parent' was one of pure hatred, getting her an annoyed look from Devon.
Zeus licked Devon's hand in response before moving to sit next to June on the couch.
"You can call me Al if you'd like," Alastor chuckled. He'd been called many things throughout his career but 'dog guy' was a new one.
Devon shook his head, wiping his hand off, "Whatever you say shortstop" He said, fighting the small smile that was forming. He looked over to Lucky, "horse dude, why are there more people here?" He was being more talkative, now that he wasn't running on no sleep, but still not being 'nice'. He took his glasses off and shoved them in his hoodie pocket, fine with not being able to see, over feeling like he looked stupid.
June wrapped her arms around Zeus, "I love animals, but they are never drawn to me" she pouted.
(so whats the ratio of people in the room male to female?)
Lucky was still processing Lucas's answer when Devon started talking to him. It took him a second to respond. "Oh. Uh, because we ran into them at the gas station and Lucas invited them in and now we're all friends so. Yeah."
He was rambling, which happened a lot when his thoughts were scattered. He was glad Devon was at least talking to him, though. That's progress.
He noted Ronni had come back in from the truck, and something clicked. The truck!
"Does the truck have a radio?" He knew he should let it go, but now that there was worry⦠he couldn't.
(so whats the ratio of people in the room male to female?)
3 girls, 5 guys and a dog
(so whats the ratio of people in the room male to female?)
3 girls, 5 guys and a dog
and a horse right outside the apartment.
Ariella ran her hands up and down Lucky's back. She wished she could do something, anything for him. Part of her wanted to distract him from the conversation at hand but she knew he wouldn't stop until he learned the truth. She felt useless.
Lucky was still processing Lucas's answer when Devon started talking to him. It took him a second to respond. "Oh. Uh, because we ran into them at the gas station and Lucas invited them in and now we're all friends so. Yeah."
He was rambling, which happened a lot when his thoughts were scattered. He was glad Devon was at least talking to him, though. That's progress.
He noted Ronni had come back in from the truck, and something clicked. The truck!
"Does the truck have a radio?" He knew he should let it go, but now that there was worry⦠he couldn't.
Lucas frowned.
"I have a small portable radio in my larger pack, go ahead and grab it." He told Lucky sympathetically.
He felt bad, mostly because he knew how it felt, while no one knew if Lucky's family was alive he still felt the pain of having to wait, and he had hope, if destroyed it could seriously ruin him.
Ronni was about to nod, when Lucas piped up about the portable one. She felt bad, because she knew what he'd hear. She pointed up at him, remembering what they'd had to do earlier to get signal.
You'll have to get up higher than hereβ¦
She made a sympathetic face at Ariella. Lucky seemed nice, and this could be bad.
Be there for himβ¦
Lucas saw Ronni's movements and nodded at her.
"you'll have to get higher up though, like Ronni suggested." he told Lucky.
"i'm sure someone will go with you, to find someplace higher up than here." He added.
Devon shook his head, wiping his hand off, "Whatever you say shortstop" He said, fighting the small smile that was forming. He looked over to Lucky, "horse dude, why are there more people here?" He was being more talkative, now that he wasn't running on no sleep, but still not being 'nice'. He took his glasses off and shoved them in his hoodie pocket, fine with not being able to see, over feeling like he looked stupid.
June wrapped her arms around Zeus, "I love animals, but they are never drawn to me" she pouted.
Shortstop? Alastor wondered, blinking in confusion. He glanced back at Zeus who was accepting the embrace from June with a satisfied thump of his large bushy tail.
Devon sighed, shaking his head, "you are shorter than me, so..short stopβ¦Sorryβ¦June used to call me that because its not true" he muttered "I'll just go back to sleep" He muttered moving back towards the room. Regretting trying to be friendly.
June smiled practically bouncing up and down with happiness. "this dog is my new BFF"
Devon sighed, shaking his head, "you are shorter than me, so..short stopβ¦Sorryβ¦June used to call me that because its not true" he muttered "I'll just go back to sleep" He muttered moving back towards the room. Regretting trying to be friendly.
June smiled practically bouncing up and down with happiness. "this dog is my new BFF"
"Wait," Alastor said quickly before Devon could leave the room. "I've just never heard that word before, so I was a little confused." He paused for a moment before smiling a bit. "It does make sense though." It was a lot better than being referred to as a personal arm rest, which his brother had done for years. Or being mistaken as a lost middle schooler on his first day in the police force. No one had ever let him live that down.
"Wait," Alastor said quickly before Devon could leave the room. "I've just never heard that word before, so I was a little confused." He paused for a moment before smiling a bit. "It does make sense though." It was a lot better than being referred to as a personal arm rest, which his brother had done for years. Or being mistaken as a lost middle schooler on his first day in the police force. No one had ever let him live that down.
Devon stopped. "Rightβ¦sorryβ¦Didn't think of thatβ¦" He muttered, honestly making fun of people's height was not something he did often, as he was awkward with his own 6 foot heightβ¦he wished he was shorter. He just stood there awkwardly, turning to face Alastor, squinting slightly to see his face.
Ariella unraveled herself from Lucky only to take his hand. "Come on, I'll go with you." She had given the new female, Ronni, the smallest of nods to say she understood.
She pulled him with her as she grabbed the portable radio and led him outside, sway from the others. It was best they put as much distance between them as possible in case Lucky didn't take the news well.
Lucky nodded slowly. "I'll have to thank Lucas when we get back." He headed up the stairs toward the top, fiddling with the radio to figure out how it worked.
(ight, I am out until monday camping with my family so no wifi rip)
Devon stopped. "Rightβ¦sorryβ¦Didn't think of thatβ¦" He muttered, honestly making fun of people's height was not something he did often, as he was awkward with his own 6 foot heightβ¦he wished he was shorter. He just stood there awkwardly, turning to face Alastor, squinting slightly to see his face.
Alastor smiled at him. "It's all good." He leaned against the wall and looked around the apartment. "Looks cozy," he commented, turning his gaze back to the guy in front of him. "Where are you and your sister headed?" He asked curiously.
Ronni glanced at Lucas. He's perceptive. She often had to get people's attention somehow, but he had seen her gesturing and had known what she meant. She gave him the smallest smile, before heading back into the kitchen to find something to eat.
Ariella walked with him, trying to guide him to the furthest end away from the apartment they were currently staying in. She hoped they would be high enough for the radio to work.
Trying to give him a small distraction, she kissed his cheek. "Whatever happens, I'll be here with you."
Lucky was deep in thought, and barely registered the kiss. They made it to the top floor of the apartment building after a couple minutes, and he headed up the stairs for roof access. Once they got out on top of the building, he flicked the radio on. The sun had mostly set, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, so he figured he'd get okay radio signal.
They came in on the middle of a broadcast. "β¦ in total losses. England is reporting a total loss in the population over 30. The continental European nations closed their borders earlier, and were able to hold off the flu more, with the exception of Lithuania, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Those three nations are showing casualties in the area of 98% of their total populations. The borders across the world have closed in response. Asia has gone to total lockdown in order to hold out. They will not send humanitarian aid. The UN cannot help us. Australia is in lockdown and will not-"
Lucky shut it off, numb inside. He stared at the setting sun for a long moment.
Ariella nibbled in her lip worriedly as she listened to the radio. Her gaze kept looking between Lucky and the radio. She swallowed as he turned off the radio.
He was silent. It worried her. She wasn't sure what that meant. She went to stand in front of him and pulled him unto a tight hug. "Lukas?" She said his real name, looking up at him.
Lucky didn't respond. He didn't know how to, at this moment.
His dad had died about 10 months ago of cancer. He'd come over here to visit his aunt and uncle and his 4 cousins in Wyoming. He'd been here for a month or so when the flu hit. He'd had to watch his cousins all die of the flu, his uncle get shot trying to help some neighbors, and his aunt die of grief. He'd ridden across the US over the last week and a half to get to the east coast, to try to get back to Europe to find his mom and sister in Germany.
And now, he had no clue what to do.
There was no going back to Europe, and from all accounts, it sounded like German was a total loss. His whole family, gone.
Just Lucky and his horse.
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