Lucas Looks Up And Sees A Girl Standing At The Front Desk. She Looks Lost And Scared.

Lucas winces as Becca pushes.

"If I say it barely hurts will you let me go?"

He'd stumbled in from the storm, trying to do his job and help as many stragglers that were still caught in the storm as possible.

Now he's sitting here, dripping wet and trying to get back out there as soon as Becca says he can. If she says he can.

where: lost and found bar when: after the storm starts who: open (0/2)

everything was too sudden for becca to truly understand. distractions took her attention before she could think; the hurried conversations, the rush of movement, the sudden noise of a hard rainfall on the roof and windows. even her own voice didn't sound right. it felt strained and warbled in her throat when she spoke, still caught by surprise just as she was getting the hang of this place. but her hands are steady on the injured ankle while she feels for irregularities underneath. "it's not a break or tear- that's good. now, i'm going to push on your foot and you let me know when it hurts too much."

I think about this look daily. The hair. The shirt. Him. 🤭

Adrien listens as he works, El's voice very soothing in contrast to the familiar sounds of work.

"Yeah, Cameron's cool. She's lives at the colony house with me."

Then Adrien lifts his head to look toward El. Cherry? Complicated? "She's seems like good folk, though. Don't see what could be so complicated." He ends with a smirk on his face, teasing El a bit.

Then he turns back to the work as he talks.

"I'm trying. There's some really interesting people around. Like that, Muz guy. He seems cool."

Ellington’s hands paused over the engine, the faint grin on their face softening at Adrien’s words. The moment felt lighter, somehow, despite the heavy things they’d both touched on. They tilted their head, giving Adrien a sidelong glance.

“Solid people make all the difference,” El said, their voice low but warm. “Sounds like you’ve had a few of those in your corner. That’s not nothing.”

Adrien’s question brought a small chuckle out of El as they leaned back against the workbench, arms crossed loosely. “Friends? Well, I wouldn’t say I’m drowning in them, but I’ve got my people. Cameron’s one—she’s good at grounding me when I start thinking too much. Low-key but solid, like the kind of friend who can share a drink in silence and it still feels like a conversation.”

They glanced at Adrien with a knowing smile. “And there’s Cherry. She’s… complicated. Keeps me on my toes, though, which might be why I stick around. Or why she sticks around me—hard to say.”

El shrugged, their grin turning a little self-deprecating. “But I think you’re underestimating my loner tendencies. I have my people, I'm a friend to everyone, but I also spend a lot of time alone or... I used to. Seems like that might be changing nowadays,” in their minds-eye, Cherry's face appears and they can't help the little grin that appears on their lips.

They picked up a wrench, turning it idly in their hands. Their eyes flicked back to Adrien, their tone a little softer, more thoughtful. “So what about you? Got your people here yet?”

Task 002

Lucas lives in a residential house, one of the few that want to be alone.

Well, he doesn't want to be alone, but he is. Even after 7 years, his house doesn't feel anything like him. It's furnished as all residential houses are: simple, clean, all the necessities but no personality or charm. While it's not empty, it feels lonely. Like there isn't enough life moving inside it to make it feel like a home.

There are little touches of him: books left on tables, dishes in the sink, plants that he's trying to keep alive. But overall, it seems like one of the empty houses on the street, ready for some new unfortunate soul to move in.

The places he's more clearly left an imprint are the sheriff's offices and the homes of his friends. He's more interested in making the town his home rather than his house. Because then maybe he might not feel so alone.

Adrien chuckles weakly, still pushing.

"No treehouse, and if someone does figure out a way out, I'll help them build it, but I'm not the one coming up with it."

He pauses for a moment to get the truck over a small hump in the road.

"Nah, more just trying to make life here suck less, I suppose. There aren't a lot of cars that work here. This is fully electric, so I figured I'd see if I can get it working. If not then I'll strip it for parts."

He chuckles again.

"Not fate. I'm just not as bothered as some people are."

mira chuckled under her breath, the sound dry but not unkind. "impatient and dumb? well, at least you're self-aware. that's a good start." she braced herself against the car, her boots digging into the asphalt as they worked together to push it forward. her muscles protested immediately, a reminder that she'd been running on adrenaline and not much else these past few weeks. "interrupt? please." she rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching up in a smirk. "you think i had something better to do in this place? trust me, you’re doing me a favor. beats pacing around colony house trying to avoid everyone's drama or sulking." her gaze flicked over to him, studying his profile for a moment as they trudged along. "so, adrien, right? what kind of 'projects' are we talking about here? you building a treehouse for the end of the world, or are you one of those people who actually think they can science their way out of this nightmare?" she huffed a little as they hit a slight incline, her smirk deepening. "or maybe you’re just hoarding random junk to keep busy. i’ve seen a few people try that trick. spoiler alert: it doesn’t work." she adjusted her grip on the car and added, her tone light but tinged with a hint of sincerity, "and for the record, you’re not annoying. yet. but if you start talking about how this is all fate or some crap like that, i might change my mind."

Adrien looks at her and laughs.

"Close enough, I suppose," he says. "I'm going for that guy in Saltburn? But forest fairy might be sexier."

He snickers and shimmies to shake the wings.

"How about you?"

He looks her up and down, studying her outfit to see if he can put together what she is.

closed event starter @patroclusblossom

adrien seemed like he was having a good time, she's not sure she's ever seen someone so in the element since well- herself at parties back home. at first, she thought it was a little strange how happy he seemed, but now? maybe he has a point. fake it till you make it. he reminded her a lot of some of her friends back home. "i like the wings," she said over the music. "are you a forest fairy?"

where: colony house when: Halloween night whom: @rampents Catie

Adrien stumbles out of a bathroom, shaking his hands to finish drying them. He's having way too much fun for what everyone seems to think Oblitus should be.

He's about to head back to the dance floor when he notices someone chilling on the floor, not really paying attention to her surroundings.

Not one to let someone stay alone for too long, Adrien runs then slides on his knees, stopping right in front of her.

"Hey, there, I'm Adrien. Want some company?"

Lucas relaxes once he sees it's Marama. He walks to stand beside her, tilting his head up to join her in basking in the sun.

"Really makes you appreciate the little things, doesn't it," he says after a few silent beats.

He's aware of Marama's situation. It's sad and while he tries not to let it affect how he interacts with her, it does color everything about her in specific colors and light.

He can't help but ask, "How are you after last night?"

standing in the middle of the road, looking up at the sky, marama drops her head to the side when she hears lucas call out to her. always so serious. "all good officer," she calls back. "just enjoying the sunlight while i can." in her sixteen years here, she has never seen a storm or a night as long as the last, if this was going to become a regular thing, she wanted to get as much sun as she can.

Lucas slumps into the chair, a frustrated growl escaping him.

"Fuck, Becca! I can't just... fuck!"

He puts his face in his hands and tries not to cry from his frustration. So many people could be out there; Jim, Ana, Rae, even people who don't know about the creatures. Newcomers wander in all the time. Not in as big as a group as recently but still.

"Will it at least be okay in the morning? If the storm let's up by then, I have to be able to help."

she knows he's eager to leave and lets him stand, holding her hands out for support. but as quickly as he stood, he's back in the seat again. "well, that proves it. a sprain like that- if not properly healed- will weaken your ankle, forever." becca didn't like having to be dramatic with patients, but sometimes people just don't want to accept the severity without it.

"a job you can't do right now, and if you try to push through it, you won't be able to do it right ever again." she almost wants to push him over and make sure he stays seated for good, but keeps her hands out anyway when it looks like he wants to try again. "just sit your ass down, lucas. don't be an idiot."

Lucas gives him a dubious look, not really believing him at his word but not really able to call him a liar either.

Then he eyes the bench, wary. If he sits, he's not sure he'll stand back up any time soon. But getting off his feet sounds so nice.

He sighs and settles down next to Muz.

"If I fall asleep, you better wake me up," he says with a relieved sigh.

'Lucas, baby, what d'ya mean, man? Full twelve hours, me. Sleep the whole night through.' Twelve hours total in the four months since landing in this town, a bit more likely. But he lets a smile slip. 'Need your beauty sleep, man. Come sit for a bit. Gimme company.'