Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Poprockz]

Tiffany watched from the side of the room, her eyes briefly going to Vin and Sabastian. Soon, the lightbulb went off in her brain and she realized that Vin and Sabastian were an item. There was no mistaking the way they caressed one another. It felt good to know that he probably rejected her because he was gay.

When Vin had said Lizz's name so loud and sharp, Sabastian had jumped for just a moment, the little man then straightening up and simply hovering to the right of Vin. He gave the man a smile after his voice became soft again, wanting to let him know that he didn't pull away because he was afraid, he was simply a bit embarrassed about having jumped. Speaking of food, he was starving. Some grub really did sound good right now.

It seemed as though they were at a consensus about eating, so Damien nodded and headed outside, quickly grabbing some of their food before coming back in. They didn't have anything to heat it up with, so he'd have to work up something that didn't require it. Thankfully, they had several cans of soup that wouldn't be too bad if served at a lukewarm temp. To make them more palatable though, he whipped out his precious spices and seasoned it in a way he thought they would all enjoy.

There weren't any bowls to be found in the station, but there were red plastic cups, so he dished everyone up in those, giving everyone some saltines to eat or crush up into the soup as well. Maverick and Tiffany also got a portion. While she was a bit flirty with Damien when getting the soup, she looked a bit disgusted at it when he looked away. Though that look quickly changed to surprise as she tasted it.

Damien was nothing if not a talented cook.

 

[Drobabes]

Lizzy had been tinkering with some unidentifiable part, holding it in place with a giant clamp on the end of one of the workbenches so that she could tap away at it with a hammer. She was so engrossed in her task that when Damien handed her the soup, it took her a few seconds to realize someone was standing beside her.

"Oh," she gave him bit of a sheepish grin as she took it.

"Thank you."

She didn't suspect it was anything special, and she had planned on simply sitting it aside to continue her work, but when she took a sip of it, she found it to be really tasty. Before long, she had downed the whole cup, and let out a little belch as she sat the now empty container down next to her tools.

Vin on the other hand was having a harder time eating. It was good food, he just found that his appetite wasn't there at all. After a few more attempts at trying to force himself to eat, he finally just reaches over and offers the cup to Sabastian.

"You should eat a bit more, your metabolism is faster than mine."

Cora had been watching Tiffany as she conversed with Damien, and while she had harbored just a bit of doubt before, now it was pretty obvious she was flirting with him. A little anger bubbled up in her again, though she tried to hide it by focusing on the soup in her hand. The chick was being extremely rude in her opinion, just openly flirting with him like that and not even trying to hide it.

God, I'm sitting right here bitch. I can see everything you're doing...

When she was about halfway through her soup, she started crushing up some saltines. And crushing them. And, crushing them just a bit more.

 

[Poprockz]

The next day, Randy sat on his bunk and sighed. This wasn't going to be easy, but he had to make it work. He had found Jesse around ten and brought her to the band room, the girl wondering what this was all about.

He looked her in the eye and set his hand on her shoulder, his expression serious as he started. "Hey honey, I know this is really sudden, but we need to go. I packed your bag, and everything is ready."

There was stunned silence in response as Jesse tried to take in what her father was saying. "What the fuck, dad?! Why are we leaving? What about Tommy?!" They had finally gotten together, so it really seemed like the worst timing ever to be leaving.

"Don't worry about any of that. Listen..." He sat down on a couch and patted the spot next to him. She hesitantly sat, waiting for some kind of explanation to what he was doing. "You know your cousin Rory? I got word that he's holed up in a town nearby that the army visited to rescue people. They tried to pick him up, but he wouldn't come out for anybody, thinking that they were just some guys posing as military- you know how skeptical Rory is."

Jesse nodded slowly, things coming together a bit.

"If you and I don't go talk some sense into him, the military is going to leave him there. You know how they don't force anybody to come if they don't want to. The only way to keep Rory safe is to convince him that he needs to come back with us. I would go myself, but I know how close you two were. He might not listen to me, but he'd listen to you..." On the inside, Randy's heart ached, the guilt of what he was doing twisting inside of him. Luring Jesse to safety by dangling the idea of Rory's safety was low, but it was the only way he could think of to get things to line up in a way that he could pull off. When she found out that he had lied to her, she would be very upset, but he would rather her be upset than captured by a corrupt army general.

"Okay... that makes sense... but what about Tommy? Aren't you even going to let me say goodbye? What if... what if something happens?" Jesse's eyes were concerned, thinking to herself that if she could almost die in a military base, then all bets were off out there beyond the walls. To leave Tommy behind and possibly never coming back was a distressing thought, the woman having wanted more time to fall more deeply in love with him and to explore their relationship further.

"Nothing is going to happen, Puffs. Tommy is going to meet us there. You know he's one of the best snipers they've got, so he goes on the rescue missions sometimes. He'll be visiting the town shortly after we get there." Another lie.

"Why didn't he just tell me yesterday?" Jesse asked, still a bit reluctant.

"Well honey, we didn't know about all this until this morning. We've got to go immediately- time is running short." He patted her knee reassuringly, hoping she wouldn't fight him on this.

Her shoulders relaxed and she let out a relieved breath. "Well... okay. I guess the kitchen is going to unexpectedly short, but fuck it- family comes first."

"Yeah." He gave her a hug and rubbed her arm for a minute before letting her go, letting her potty-mouth slide this time. "Family comes first."

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While he did accept the soup, Sabastian's brows knit with worry. He didn't say anything, but he made a mental note to keep an eye on Vin regarding whether he ate or not in the future. Grief could affect one's appetite, but he couldn't let it get to the point where Vin was suffering for it. He wasn't sure what he would do if he got to that point, but he supposed he could cross that bridge when he got to it. The little man drank all of the soup, licking his lips clean afterward.

He figured Vin might need some time to ruminate, so he patted the man's back and walked over to lizz, looking at what she had in her hands. It was mesmerizing watching her tinker with... whatever it was, something that was almost better than television. "I'm not going to ask what that is, but I am curious how you got into mechanics. Was it something you pursued, or was it passed down in your family?" The blonde asked curiously.

Maverick also noticed Tiffany's flirting, and seemed just a bit annoyed by it. It didn't seem to surprise him though, probably seeing it as something that happened fairly often. He too was surprised and pleased with the soup, sipping quietly after sticking his gum to the side of the cup.

Having dished everyone up and finally been able to tear himself away from Tiffany's conversation, he went over to Cora and sat down beside her, feeling a bit drained. It was starting to get uncomfortable for him to be around Tiffany, the obvious flirting not lost on him. He was committed to playing nice though, not wanting to disappoint Cora by being very cold or menacing toward their two new party members.

"So Damien... You know, I could totally give you a hair cut if you wanted. I was a salon hairstylist before everything happened. I could even do it for all of you guys if you wanted. I'm sure most of you haven't seen a hairdresser in a bit with the pandemic going on." Tiffany looked at his hair, secretly liking the tussled look of it, but thinking to himself that he'd look great with a more kempt hairstyle.

"I don't know about that. I think Cora quite likes my hair the way it is, and as long as she likes it, that's enough for me." he replied with a polite smile.

 

[Drobabes]

Sometime later, one of the army trucks was sitting outside the gate, loaded up with some empty crates to hold supplies. Kyle was standing outside of it and writing on some notepaper, seemingly making some kind of checklist. He was wearing a hat today, which was not like him, usually preferring to go without, and around his neck and all along his forearms, he was sporting some nasty looking dark bruises. They weren't big enough to be from a punch, and it seems almost as if someone had held him down and aggressively pinched him until he turned black and blue.
________

Vin gave him a soft smile as he stood, and after a moment of sitting, he went out to the car to fetch his guitar. Once he brought it back in, he moved his seat over to a more private corner of the shop and simply strummed on it quietly, letting his mind wander and his fingers not sticking with any one tune for too long.

Lizz looked up, smiling politely at Sabastian's inquiry. She wasn't ready to ask the man yet, but she was quite curious about him as well and how he seemed to have captured Vin's attentions.

"I pursued it mostly. When I was a little girl, my grandpa used to let me play in his mechanics shop, similar to this one, while he was at work. He worked on tractors and big construction machinery though, and I've always been interested in cars more. It's pretty soothing too, being able to throw myself into a project and just let my brain numb out while it tries to figure out a puzzle, or what could be causing an engine to stall..."

She turned her eyes away from his briefly to tap the hammer down a few more times before sitting it down and reaching over for a new tool.

"So, how did you two meet?" she asks, giving him a playful grin.
______

"So Damien..."

The little packet of crackers in Cora's hand, which had long since been pulverized, suddenly opened with a little 'pop'. Keeping her eyes down on her task, she sets the cup of soup between her knees and then taps the contents of the dust into her soup, her eyebrow cocking slightly as she listened to what Tiffany had to say. Maybe she was a hairdresser, and maybe she was really good at it, but one thing was for sure-she wasn't coming within ten feet of Cora's hair with a pair of scissors.

"I think Cora quite likes my hair the way it is, and as long as she likes it, that's enough for me."

Her hazel eyes look up from her now thickened soup mixture and take in his hansom face as she gives him a soft smile. It made her feel good that he only cared about what she thought of him, but at the same time, she wanted him to feel like he could make his own decisions too.

"Do you want a haircut hun?" she asks, running her fingers through his hair to push it back a bit, her fingers lingering on his cheek as she lets her hand come down.

"I do love your hair, but it's hot and if it's bothering you, I don't want you to feel like you need my approval."

 

[Poprockz]

Around 11:30, Randy and Jesse grabbed their bags and headed for the gates, being stopped by one of the guards and asked why they were leaving.

“We’re going to find family, but we’ll definitely be back.” Randy replied with a relaxed smile. Jesse didn’t say anything, his comment matching up with what he had told her earlier.

The army man sighed, “alright. Be careful out there, okay?”

Randy nodded, moving past him and outside the gates with Jesse. She looked around and saw Kyle, grinning and walking over to him, her father secretly pleased that she was giving them an excuse to talk to him. The more organic it looked, the better; who knew if they were being watched or if the tapes would be reviewed later. He didn’t want anyone to find out that Tommy had helped them.

When they approached though, he saw all the bruises and his brows furrowed. “You okay there? Those are some interesting bruises.”

Jesse smirked, noticing that his head was also covered, the girl wanting to know what he was hiding. “Yeah... They look like they were painful. Also... That’s a nice hat you’ve got there, Kyle. It’s be a shame if the wind... knocked it off!” She quickly lifted her hand, knocking his hat off and into the air.

———————————-

Sabastian listened quietly.
It made sense, liking the challenge of solving the puzzle, and the satisfaction that came with conquering the mystery and fixing it for the client.

He hadn’t thought he had been obvious regarding their relationship, having been trying to keep it on the down-low until Vin mentioned it or made a move to indicate that they were intimate. As such, he figured it was just a general question.

“Oh, us and Vin? Well, Cora, Damien, and I were traveling and we stopped at a gas station. Damien and I went inside to find gas cans, and I ended up in the employee part of it. He was drunk off his ass, and said something super dumb to me before passing out. So, me and Damien took him outside and tried to decide what to do with him.” He glanced over at Vin and smiled, enjoying that memory of their first meeting.

“He almost flashed us to show us his bite mark, and we decided to take him. I mean, not because of the flashing, or anything. No one wanted to see his dick.” The blonde flushed slightly, hoping she didn’t get the wrong idea. That was almost untrue; he had been at least a little curious about seeing the man below his belt at the time.

“Anyway, we took him and the rest is history. Although, he had planned on splitting from the group when we next reached a military base, and he did. But... shit went down there and we thought we lost him. We ended up meeting back up at this crazy church guy’s place. He was locked in a prison cell and I busted him out. That place... it’s a bit of a long story.”

—————————————

Damien pursed his lips, looking a bit conflicted. In truth, he would have preferred to have it trimmed, having neglected having his hair trimmed for a while, and personally finding it to be refreshing to have it returned to it’s shortness. However, he really enjoyed that Cora thought the longer hair was sexy, and very much needed her approval.

Tiffany watched, her face just a bit sour as Cora touched him and ran her fingers through his hair. Though her expression cleared up and she gave him another smile. “I’d have to agree with Cora on that one. There’s nothing sexier than self-confidence and the ability to make your own decisions. Besides... it’ll grow back later if you don’t like it.”

The steely-eyed man was a bit quiet. He didn’t like the way she made that sound, and didn’t want to validate it. He did want the haircut though. However, he decided to stall a bit to give him time to think about it more. “You know, let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” He took a sip of his soup and left it at that.

 

[Drobabes]

Kyle looked up, acting surprised to see the two. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when Randy asked if he was ok. His face twisted up a bit and he looked down at his paperwork for a moment.

"Who, me? Yup. I'm fine. So what are you two...Jesse, don't even fucking think about it."

Poor Kyle. He tried to run away, but the little women was just too fast for him, and before he knew it, he was dropping his notepad on the ground in favour and frantically swinging his arms through the air to grab that hat. He didn't catch it fast enough, however, and as he turned around, Jesse would be able to see the perfect outline of a very phallic shape shaved into the poor man's hair.

He quickly covers it back up as soon as he has the hat in his hands, but when he turns around, his face is as red as a tomato.

"Don't fucking say a damn word" he growls as he reaches down and picks the notepad back up and dusting it off. He then clears his throat and looks at Randy instead of Jesse.

"So what are you two doing here?"

His eyes go to their backpacks and bag, and then his face seems to fall a bit.

"You guys aren't leaving are you?" he asks, not being able to hide the worry in his tone.
______

Lizz listened intently, only intermittently taking her gaze away to fiddle with the project in her hands or swap out her tools. She had a genuine smile on her face for most of it, and she laughed in a very lighthearted way during certain details, especially the part about finding him drunk at the gas station and when he had almost flashed them. That part especially seemed to give her the giggles for a full minute, as Delvin wasn't the type to take his clothes off when drunk. Usually he was the one stopping other people from stripping.

When Sabastian got to the part about the church, she looked up at him a bit sharply. A little touch of concern was in her expression, along with some anger.

"What did this crazy church guy look like?" she asks, her voice raising a bit higher and her hands gripping the tool in her hand hard enough to make her knuckles white. Before Sabastian could answer, however, Vin spoke up from his corner.

"He's dead. Untwist your panties."

After that, he went quiet again, his face focused on toying with his guitar, and Lizz seemed to relax a little. She looked back to Sabastian then and started working on her part again.

"So..." she says, making sure her voice stays quiet this time.

"Are you two...dating?"

Her light brown eyes look up at him and she has a bit of a shit eating grin on her face. She had tried to ask him before, but the little blond hadn't seemed to have taken the hint, so she thought she would be a bit more direct this time.
________

Cora brought her soup up to her lips so that she could hide her smirk, not wanting Tiffany to know that she was feeling a bit petty and happy that she didn't like the fact that she had touched him. She was even tempted to reach out and do it again, just to see that look on her face again, but she held herself back. She had never liked those types of games, and she didn't want to start now. Besides, it would likely only cause more tension between them, possibly even dragging one of them into a fight, and that she just wanted to avoid at all costs.

When she finished her soup, she looked up at Damien with the intention of seeing if she could get Bowie to come over to her lap, but the little danger noodle was nowhere to be seen. It only took her a moment of looking around to find him, however, and with a little smile, she stood and picked up her chair.

A moment later, Delvin felt a light pressure around his ankle, and when he looked down, he saw Bowie looking up at him with that familiar body language, like he was asking to be picked up. He couldn't help but smile and reach down, letting the snake use his arm as a bridge. Not a minute after he had him in his lap, he saw Cora sit her chair down in front of him.

"How you doin big guy?"

He let out a little sigh, but he tried to smile.

"I'll be alright."

Cora gave him a bit of a look and then tilted her head to the side a bit.

"Yea, I know you'll be alright, but I was asking how you are."

His brown eyes moved from Bowie and up to meet her hazel ones, and he let out a little chuckle.

"Well, not great. I think I knew it was coming, though."

He was quiet for a moment, adjusting his guitar on his lap to give Bowie a little more room.

"You know, I just woke up this morning with that kind of pit in your stomach feeling and craving a smoke. I thought maybe it was just everything catching up with me, but then I started thinking about the friends I've probably already lost. I think I already knew in a way, but I just didn't know who it would be."

Cora looked at him quite seriously as he spoke, and though she was usually a bit of a skeptic about such things, she couldn't help but be reminded of that dream she had had when she was back in Damien's cabin, just before the nightmare. She could have chalked it all up to coincidence, but the feeling of it still remained no matter how much she had tried to rationalize it. It had felt too real; unlike any dream she had ever had.

Without really thinking about it, she reaches her hand forward and puts it on his knee.

"I'm sorry Delvin" she whispers.

He had been petting Bowie, but when he felt that hand on his knee and heard her quiet words, he stopped for a moment to lay his hand over hers and give it a soft pat, just like how he had done to Sabastian.

"Thank you."

Nothing else needed to be said after that, so Cora took her hand back and was content to simply watch him strum his guitar, letting the melancholy fall between them like a heavy but comforting blanket.

 

[Poprockz]

Jesse's eyes lit up and she grinned like a little demon as she saw the dick shaved into his head. She couldn't deny that it was fucking hilarious and that he totally deserved it. It only made her admiration for Tommy grow, knowing that not only did he have one of the best senses of humor, but he could also put his money where his mouth was. He had indeed murdered Kyle's dignity by shaving him in that way.

The dick-shaped doo did not escape Randy's concerned eyes either, the man raising his eyebrow at it. He figured it was just one of many shenanigans of young men. It was actually nice to see that they could still have such light-hearted fun during this time though.

"So what are you two doing here... You guys aren't leaving are you?"

Randy sighed and shifted his bag on his shoulder. "Yeah, we got a tip that we have a relative in a nearby town who needs a bit of convincing to come back to the base. We fully intend to come back to the base, but we can't just sit inside the walls while there's a family member nearby." He knew Kyle knew that his story was complete bullshit, but he had to keep appearances up in front of Jesse.

His daughter shuffled her feet a bit, kicking a rock lightly before looking up at Kyle. "Yeah... I honestly can't wait till we get back and we haven't even left yet. It's fucking hot too. I already miss the air conditioning."

------------------------------------------------------------------

When Lizz got tense about the prison part of the story, he wondered if she had half a mind to go out there and beat the man with a wrench. However, he was glad when Vin interjected with such a short, direct answer. Her next question threw him off-guard though and startled him into becoming a bit flustered.

"What?! I- don't, I mean-" Sabastian turned bright red and gulped, not really sure how to answer that. The simple answer was yes, but he wasn't sure if Vin was out yet. How would he feel if Sabastian spilled the beans on such a personal detail of his life? He personally wasn't ashamed of being with him, and he knew for a fact that Vin wasn't ashamed of their relationship either. Still, he didn't know how Vin felt about his sexuality or whether he even wanted to share.

He glanced over at Vin before looking at her and then averting his eye once more. He wasn't a good liar face-to-face when he was riled up, so he decided to redirect instead. "What would make you think that?" A slightly nervous look was on his flushed face as he fiddled with the edge of Vin's shirt.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Damien simply watched Cora get up and go over to Vin, noticing for the first time that the little noodle had stealthily slithered off his shoulders and away, presumably to comfort Vin. As he finished his soup, he felt just a little bit awkward sitting with the couple by himself. While Cora was now away, Tiffany leaned forward and said softly, "hey Damien. have you ever... been curious about having a threesome?"

Maverick seemed to perk up a bit at that, paying close attention to the conversation.

After a moment of stunned silence, Damien forced a smile and replied, "no. I've had my fair share of those, so I can't say I'm even remotely curious."

The woman started twisting her hair around her finger a bit, her eyes flicking downward and back up in a flirty way. "I bet you've never been in a threesome with a man/woman couple before though, have you..." She took a sip of her soup and licked her lips suggestively. "What about that?"

Damien's brows knit slightly for a moment and his body stiffened, "I... don't see how that's any of your business." His tone was rather neutral, but still had notes of disapproval in it.

From Damien's body language, Maverick leaned back with slight disappointment. He didn't really have a thing for Damien, the man not really being his type, but he always enjoyed a good DP with a honey in the middle. Based on the way he reacted, Maverick assumed that Damien had been involved in those types of trysts, but he probably hadn't been by choice. Likely his babydoll at the time had put the choke on him and made him do it to keep her happy.

Tiffany giggled and patted Damien's hand, "oh, calm down you. I was just joking. You don't look like the kind of guy who likes sausage anyway."

The steely-eyed man wasn't sure if she really was joking or not, but either way, this was not a conversation he wanted to have with them. With another forced smile, he looked at Maverick and asked, "So what did you do before all this?"

"Me? Oh, I was a masseuse. I may look like pure muscle, but you best believe that these hands can be so gentle when they need to be..." He looked at Tiffany with a grin and wiggled his eyebrows, the girl giggling again.

 

[Drobabes]

He looks at them both, and then over his shoulder at the truck, then when he looks back he has a grin on his face.

"Hey, why don't you guys ride with me? Which way are you heading? I'm supposed to go out to pick up some more supplies from another base, but I'm sure they won't mind me taking a small detour. Besides, it will keep you guys from having to hike it on foot and I can keep you safe for part of the way."
________

She snickered a bit and looked back down at her little project, still keeping her voice low so that Vin didn't hear her.

"It's not that hard to tell Sabastian. Delvin's pretty relaxed and chill, but he doesn't just let people cuddle up to him like that most of the time. On top of that, I've hardly seen anyone be able to chill him out so quickly when he's angry, and if that didn't give it away, well..."

Her eyes looked over to him, sitting there shirtless, and then back to Sabastian who was wearing a way too baggy t-shirt that didn't seem at all his style.

"I'm pretty sure that's not your shirt, is it?"
________

Cora was listening to the tune, trying to figure out what song it was, when suddenly the chord scratched and grated as he hit the wrong note. After that a moment of silence fell between them, and then,

"What did you do when you found out he was gone?"

Her hazel eyes looked up into his face, but she quickly averted her gaze. She could see that tears had started to well up in his eyes again and it was pretty obvious he was trying to fight it, hold it all back.

"My brother?"

She reached out and plucked a string on the guitar, smiling softly at the sound it made.

"Well, I didn't handle it very well. I had to drive back home first, but once I was about twenty minutes from my apartment, I started drinking like a fish. I also was planning on using my last bullet to kill myself because I thought I had nothing left."

Vin was listening quietly, his own fingers simply resting on the strings, but not making much of a move to pluck them. He didn't feel that desperate about the situation, but he could understand what might have brought her to that point. The end of the world would seem a very lonely place to be without another soul to talk to.

"But when I got back into my apartment..." she chuckled, sitting back in her chair and then she looked over to where Damien was sitting.

"I found a certain someone sitting on my couch, eating my food and watching my TV."

Vin looked up at her, a few tears spilling down his face which he quickly wiped away. He still didn't say anything.

"After that I lost my nerve. I wasn't alright. I don't think I'll ever be alright, but... at least I'm not walking alone now."

Delvin glanced over to Damien briefly, but then his eyes went to Sabastian. He didn't know what Lizz had said to him, but the blush that he had on his cheeks was the cutest fucking thing he had seen all day and it made him smile.

 

[Poprockz]

Jesse looked a bit excited, nodding her head and saying, "hell yeah! That'd be great! I'm going to put my bag in before you change your mind." She grinned and moved to the truck, throwing her bag in the back before coming back and grabbing her father's bag and tossing it in too. When that was done, she hopped up into the truck. The girl sighed and slumped in the seat, happy for the AC. She wanted to mess with Kyle a bit, so she looked around for something she could use to bug him.

Ah... a little packet of honey. She opened the corner of it and squeezed just the tiniest bit out, smearing it on the steering wheel. That little bit of inescapable stickiness would drive him nuts. With that, she hid the packet and sat there innocently.

Her father watched her go, waiting till she was in the car to turn to Kyle. He wasn't sure quite how to address the question, not really knowing where Tommy had arranged them to be taken. "Hm... I think it's a town north of us, but I have to admit that the tip was mostly general information other than the name of the town. I think they said the town's name was called Sweethome? I'm not sure, maybe you know what they were talking about?"

----------------------------------------------------------

"I..." There really wasn't a way to hide it at this point, the woman having sniffed it out and pointed out a few irrefutable points, especially the fact that that he was wearing Vin's shirt. It made him a bit surprised to hear that he was more successful at calming Vin than most, thinking that Vin was simply a gentle man who needed the right compassionate touch.

"Yeah... We're dating," he grumbled, moving a bit closer to her and keeping his own voice down. His face changed to a more vulnerable and concerned expression. "I just... didn't want to out him. It's not a good feeling having something private be shared without your consent, I would know firsthand." He looked down at his shirt and then back to her after a moment.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"How about it? Do you need a massage?" Maverick joked to Damien, finishing off his soup.

Damien shook his head, a little smile on his lips. At least the man wasn't actually flirting with him anymore. A massage sounded great, but he'd prefer Cora's hands even if she wasn't a professional masseuse.

Tiffany and Maverick seemed to be in a good mood now, the man leaning over and whispering into her ear. She smirked and got up. "I'm going to to the bathroom. I'll be back."

"Me too." Maverick added, following her into the hall, his eyes on her ass the whole time.

It wasn't hard to tell that the two of them were about to spend some intimate time together, especially with how thirsty they both seemed. He had to admit that he was glad that he no longer had to talk to them anymore. That line of questioning wasn't the most comfortable one, and he'd rather not revisit those memories.

Sighing, he got to his feet and brushed his pants off, glancing at Cora and Vin. They seemed to be sharing a moment, as did Sabastian and Lizz. For that reason, he simply walked over to a chair in the corner and sat in it, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes for a little nap.

 

[Drobabes]

"Oh! Yea, I've heard of it. Actually that's perfect, it's only slightly off my route, so I can drop you off, pick up my supplies, and hey maybe on the return trip I can pick you two back up."

As he said this, he started walking towards the truck, finishing as he loaded up in the front seat and buckled himself in, then waited for Randy to get in. Once everyone was buckled, he started it up, then took hold of the wheel.

They drove for approximately an hour, taking a few roads that were off the beaten path and not at all in a straight line like perhaps what was expected to take them to the next base. During the drive, Kyle kept fidgeting with the steering wheel, constantly taking his hand off of it only to wipe it on his jeans in annoyance. He also kept looking out his rear view mirror, especially as they got closer to their destination.

Suddenly the truck pulled off the side of the road, into a little abandoned gas station. There didn't seem to be anyone else around, and although they had parked, Kyle didn't turn the engine off for a good few minutes until he was sure they hadn't been followed. Taking one last look around through the windows, he finally shut it off and turned to Randy.

"Alright, he should be here any minute. His name's Jameson, and he's going to take you to a town a little south of here. They've already got some survivors set-up and they've cleared the area of any infected."
________

Lizz was a bit shorter than the blond, standing at only five-foot-two, so when he stepped closer, she had to look up to him to listen.

"I just... didn't want to out him. It's not a good feeling having something private be shared without your consent, I would know firsthand."

The smile she got on her face after he said that was like a little kid on Christmas finding out that there was a puppy waiting for them downstairs, and suddenly she put her tools down and reached out to wrap him up in a tight hug.

"Oh my god, you are so cute and thoughtful! No wonder he likes you so much!"

She pulled back from him then, but only after she had rocked him from side to side a few times. She still had a huge grin on her face when she let him go, although now it seemed to change to a more soft expression.

"I know exactly what you mean though, and good on you for thinking of him first. However, if he hasn't told you already, then I'll just go ahead and say that I don't think you need to worry about it too much. He's pretty open about it, and he helped organize a lot of our LGBT meetings back home."

Lizz looked over to Vin then, and with a little smile, she said,

"He actually helped smooth things over between me and my dad when I came out. If they hadn't of been such good friends, I don't think my dad would have been so... Well, he wasn't cool with it, but at least he didn't kick me out of the house."

She looked back to Sabastian again and grinned, having a newfound appreciation and respect for the blond man now.
________

Over in Vin's little corner of the shop, he finally seemed to have found a song to play on the guitar, and soon Cora joined in with her own soft voice.

https://youtu.be/woM1X_LqEo8

 

[Poprockz]

After Kyle let them know about the next leg of the journey, Jesse looked back and forth between them with furrowed brows. She seemed a bit confused as she said, "how could Jameson have known we were coming? Wasn't this kind of a spur of the moment thing?"

A tense silence hung in the air, Randy trying to find the words to give her an explanation. After about a minute of silence, Jesse looked at her dad and said insistently with a hint of fear in her tone, "dad! what's going on?"

He donned a sober seriousness and turned to her. "Jesse... Rory was never in town. I... I had to tell you that to get you to come with me. It's not safe at the base anymore, honey. There's... well, there's corruption going on within the military and we were worried about what might happen."

Jesse stared at him in shock, looking at Kyle to confirm that she wasn't just out of her mind with what her dad had just said. "W-what the fuck, dad?! Who the fuck is "we?" Why is it dangerous? When is- when is Tommy coming?" She stared at him with a slightly panicked look. "He's coming, right? You said he was coming?"

A look of pain came across Randy's face and it was all the answer she needed. Her shock turned to anger and she started trying to shove past Randy. "Let me the fuck out. I'm going back to the base. If it's not so goddamn safe, then what the fuck is he still doing there?! Let me go! Goddamnit, let me go!" Randy had grabbed her, pulling her into his arms and preventing her from getting out.

"Honey, you can't- Please just-"

"LET ME GO DAD! GET THE FUCK OFF ME! I HATE YOU! LET ME FUCKING GO!" Jesse was crying as she screamed and struggled in his arms, beating her fists against his chest in an effort to break free.

He held her until the screaming stopped, the woman eventually deflating and simply drooping in his arms, crying softly.

"Puffs..." he said softly, "Tommy was the one who arranged this. He wanted to keep you safe... I want to keep you safe too..."

"Well fuck both of you... fuck both of you for making all the decisions for me and taking away my right to chose. Who the fuck is going to keep Tommy safe? Fucking tell me that, dad." Her voice dripped with venom and betrayal, but underneath there was just fear for Tommy.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The little blonde was taken my surprise by her hug, but he found it warm and genuine, the little man finding himself putting his arms loosely around her as she rocked side-to-side. Though the mention of him being cute made him frown for a moment and grumble, "not cute..." behind her back.

His frown relaxed into a more friendly expression when she let him go, Sabastian listening as she gave him a little peek into Vin's past. So he was a leader. That didn't necessarily surprise him with how charismatic, charming, and well-spoken he was. He seemed like the kind of guy who could sweet-talk most anyone. His sapphire eye glanced at Vin for a moment before returning back to Lizz.

"Oh... I had thought he was pretty transparent about it when he would flirt with me, but I figured he might feel differently if he was around someone he had history with. We hadn't actually gotten together until recently though." He smiled back at her, feeling much more relaxed now that he knew he could trust and confide in her. "It's good to know he has good taste in friends. So you're... are you lesbian? bi? pan? demi? I mean, if you don't mind me asking." His expression was curious, the little man wanting to know more about her own orientation.

------------------------------------------------------------

At the sound of the guitar and the mixture of Cora and Vin's voice, Damien cracked an eye open and simply listened for a while, the sound of their combined voices lulling him into a light sleep. Her voice was so sweet, even though the song itself was laced with pain.

 

[Drobabes]

Kyle had been sitting in the seat, his own body stiff with tension. He had known this wasn't going to be easy to do, but by god, to hear her scream like that...

After she stopped and she was simply crying, Kyle finally unbuckled himself and jumped out of the truck. He went around the front, and then he swung Randy's door open hard. He took Jesse by the hand, gripping it with some strength, and then he looked at Randy briefly as he said "let go of her". Once he had, he yanked her out of the truck and pushed her until her back hit the hot metal, then he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Jesse, look at me" he said sternly, all traces of his good humor gone. He was nothing more than a soldier now, his voice barking authority and carrying more weight than he thought himself possible.

"You might hate us for it right now, but we have to keep you safe. That's our job. That's what we do-this is what we live for, to protect, you. To protect, your dad. To protect, the people, we love. Do you understand? If something happens to you, then who do we have to protect? What reason do we have to keep going Jesse?"

He finally let her go, taking a few steps away from her and looking over his shoulder. He could hear Jameson's truck coming. When he looked back, there was pain, but also just a bit of fear, in his face.

"Jesse... If something were to happen to you..."

He steps up very close to her again, his eyes staring down into her own with intensity, demanding that she listen.

"If someone were to take you...do you think Tommy would be able to keep his head on his shoulders? To fight, and do what he needs to do? Think about it. Please."

The other truck was within eyesight now, and Kyle turned away from her once more to wave him down. Once it pulled up, an older man wearing sunglasses and prosthetic hand stepped out, greeting Kyle with a salute before turning his attention to Randy. He offered his still intact hand for the man to shake.

"Jameson, it's a pleasure to meet you."
______

"Lesbian. I mean," she said, giving a bit of a shrug.

"I'll lean a little bi if I'm with the right person and they're wanting a bit of fun, but for the most part, I'm a one girl show. I don't need all that extra drama on my shoulders" she says with a laugh, waving her hand in the air dismissively.

Lizz looks over to Cora then, slightly surprised by the women's sweet voice as she sang with Vin.

"I totally would have stole your hottie of a friend of there, but she turned me down" she says with an exaggerated sigh before smirking.
________

When the song ended, Vin was feeling a bit better for it, and he let a comfortable silence hang between them. After another moment or two, Cora gave his knee a light pat, and then she stood up and made her way over to Damien. She sat her chair down as quietly as she could beside him and then gently leaned against him. He had the right idea, although she had no clue how he could fall asleep sitting up like that.

 

[Poprockz]

When Kyle pushed her against the side of the truck, her pigtails were unkempt, her eyes puffy from crying as she looked back at him. The authority and bark of his voice had jostled her out of her anger for a bit, the girl simply listening to what he had to say.

She could understand where he was coming from, even though she didn't agree with all of it. When had everyone decided that she was the golden egg that needed to be tucked away from harm? Why couldn't she stay with Tommy to protect him? Tommy might be a military man and a damn good one at that, but even he needed support and protection, things that she now wasn't able to give him from afar.

Why did he need to fight, and who was he fighting? The corrupt military? What were they doing that required a fight to be made? While she really didn't understand and couldn't sort out her feelings right now, she decided that she would go with her dad for now- she didn't have a choice anymore. She couldn't find the way back with all the twists and turns he made, and he wasn't giving her a ride back either. Jesse resigned herself for the fate they had chosen for her, the woman deflating a bit.

Though Kyle was turned away, he would soon find a pair of arms going around him in a hug, a soft, scared little voice speaking into his ear. "Keep him safe Kyle, please... What am I going to do if he gets hurt? What am I going to do..." She squeezed him tightly, the girl unable to stop the tears from coming.

This was all so shocking and confusing, part of her still angry about what they had done. However, she was also very concerned about Tommy. It sounded like he was planning on doing something there, something that might get him hurt and she couldn't stand the idea of never seeing him again. He might be able to die peacefully knowing he kept her safe, but if he were to die, then how was she supposed to keep going? She clung to his shirt, shaking and sniffling as she cried.

This was so much more difficult than Randy had thought it would be, the sight of his little girl weeping like that striking at his very soul. He hung his head until Jameson arrived, lifting his gaze and offering a sad smile as he took his hand and shook it. "The name's Randy, and that's my daughter Jesse. Thanks for comin' out and giving us a ride."

----------------------------------------------------------

He chuckled at her joke, nodding. Personally, he was a one-man show as well; he definitely did not lean toward women in any capacity, preferring the strong grip of a man's hands on his hips.

"Oh, Cora. Yeah, she's a good one." Sabastian smiled as he looked over at her as well. Cora was held in high regard by the little blonde, especially since she had been nothing but helpful and supportive of him throughout their time knowing one another. She was truly a kind, albeit spunky soul.

Sabastian glanced at Lizz and said softly, "Vin's a really good one too. I was really uncomfortable with myself and my body, so I turned him down a few times. He was... really persistent. Or maybe stubborn is the right word, and eventually he bashed through my walls like the kool-aid man." He chuckled lightly, remembering how Vin had backed him up, taken off his eyepatch, and kissed him, tricking him into having to open up.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Mm..." He reached out and put his arm around her waist, holding her gently against himself as he lightly dozed. At night, most would check a room to find someone, so he had been made to get creative about his hiding spots. That's part of the reason he learned to lock-pick. Though it wasn't comfortable, sleeping in a supply closet one assumed was locked was safer than sleeping in one of their guest bedrooms. At the very least, his father took longer to find him that way.

 

[Drobabes]

"Keep him safe Kyle, please... What am I going to do if he gets hurt? What am I going to do..."

Kyle put his own arms around hers and hugged her close, but he didn't turn around to face her because he was just as scared. Tommy might have wanted to go on some noble crusade to make the world a better place, but Kyle didn't care about all that. He just cared about his friends. That's why he was doing this. Not for the world, but for Tommy.

"You're going to be there when he comes home Jesse. Just be there for him. Now go get in the damn truck, they're ready to go."
________

Lizzy's smile had softened a bit as he talked about the big man helping him become more comfortable with his body. It sounded just like something he would do, too, and it was something that always warmed her heart. At the little reference to the Kool-aid man, however, she couldn't help but get the giggles again, the mental image of Vin busting through a wall and yelling "OH YEA!" just too damn funny.

"What are you two giggling about over here?" Vin said, suddenly appearing by Sabastian's side and putting a hand on the small of his back.

"HOLY SHIT! Is that a bullsnake?!"

Lizz's excited voice echoes throughout the relatively empty shop, and she completely ignores Vin's sharp look of disapproval as she reaches up to his shoulder and plucks Bowie off of him.

"Holy shit it's huge! Oh my goodness, look how beautiful you are!"

She let's out a gasp as she holds the snake up above her face.

"And your eyes! How did I miss you before you gorgeous creature?"
______

Cora had snuggled into Damien's side quite comfortably, and she surprised herself by feeling almost tired enough to fall asleep. However, when Lizz shouted her profanity, she couldn't help but flinch and look over to make sure everything was ok. Once she realized what had happened though, she just chuckles and lays her head back down against his chest.

It wasn't the most comfortable position to be in, but damn if she wasn't tired. Soon enough she finds herself drifting off to sleep, the steady rhythm of his heart playing against her ear like a sweet lullaby.

 

[Poprockz]

Jesse reluctantly released Kyle, looking past him at the truck where her dad and Jameson stood waiting. Walking forward a bit, she suddenly turned to Kyle and took off her bracelet, holding it out to him with a worried expression. Can you give that to him? Tell him... that I expect him to be the one to return it to me sometime. And that... I think he’s a total butthead right now, but... I still care about him and I’ll still miss him. A lot.” She nodded, trying to keep the tears from coming.

Once he took it, she turned again and walked over to her dad, silent as she tried to process everything that was happening. Randy led her into the truck and got in himself, buckling his seatbelt and waiting for Jameson to take off. His little girl looked so crushed, he questioned whether he was doing the right thing. Though, he thought to himself that if Tommy was going to fight the good fight, then it was better to have her tucked away where she wouldn’t be made to suffer by being used against him.

———————————————

Sabastian looked up in surprise, not having expected Vin to creep up so quietly. That hand on the small of his back felt nice though, the blonde liking that simple yet affectionate touch. He thought to himself that while he enjoyed seein g Vin shirtless, he should probably give his shirt back at some point soon.

“Oh, I was just joking ab-“ he jumped at Lizz’s loud exclamation, watching as she snake-knapped the noodle from Vin’s shoulders.

Bowie seemed fairly calm in her hands, despite the fact that she had moved quickly and unexpectedly. His little tongue flicked out at her as she held him up, but he wasn’t particularly comfortable just hanging there. The snake curled itself around her arm and slithered down and around her shoulders, his head slightly raised once he was situated.

A light sense of pride could be felt from the snake, probably pleased about her words of praise regarding his size and eyes. Sabastian got a little smile on his face, finding it a bit funny that Bowie was susceptible to flattery.

Looking at Vin he finished his sentence, “we were just joking around. I was telling her about how stubborn you were about breaking down my walls.”

——————————————

Damien cracked his eye open at the loud sound, closing it when all seemed well. He hoped whoever was watching them had lost the trail seeing as there hadn’t been any cars following. In any case, the worry and stress of it made him exhausted, the man quickly falling back asleep with Cora’s comforting body pressed against him.

 

[Drobabes]

Four Days Ago:

Kuznet watched the nurse leave the room and slam the door shut, her eyes brimming over with tears and her once tightly coiled braid in disarray. She looked up at him briefly, revealing the stains of today's lunch-spaghetti, all over her clean skirt.

"G-General" she stammered, trying to wipe her tears away.

"I was only trying to help hi-"

She was interrupted as Kuznet laid his hand upon her head to brush back some of the stray hair from her face. Looking down into her eyes, he gave her a gentle smile and spoke to her softly.

"I will handle it Mary. Go take an extended break for yourself and get cleaned up; I will need your help later."

With loyalty and adoration bordering on love, Mary looked up into his sky blue eyes and gave him a little smile, nodding in understanding before she thanked him and made off on her way. Once she was gone, Kuznet reached out and turned the handle of the door, stepping in slowly and observing the scene.

There was a tray laying upside-down beside the bed, and the rest of the food spilling out beneath it. His second in command, Officer Niles, was using a wet rag to try and wipe away a small splotch of red sauce, which had landed upon the sleeve of his shirt. His face was completely lacking in emotion until he looked up and spotted his commander, and then anger, white and hot, flashed across his features.

"Kuznet. I want that bitch put on my list."

The General cocked his brow at his second, before letting his eyes slowly sweep down the length of his tall frame, still covered in castings and bandages, and all but tied down to one of the few hospital beds they could spare. He didn't say a word as he slowly strode inside, locking the door behind him. When he got to the seat next to the bed, he sat down in it cautiously, as if expecting it to simply break apart beneath his mighty weight.

"Niles" he said simply, reaching out to run his thumb along the cast on his leg. He knew the darker toned man was looking at him, but he didn't bother to look up just yet.

"Have you ever owned a cat, Niles? Ever spent much time around them?"

"Why the fuck would I own a cat? They're filthy creatures, worse than children. They 'clean' themselves with their own spit, and then track their shit covered paws all over your furniture and counters. Filthy."

Kuznet sat back in the chair and crossed his hands over his lap, finally looking up to meet Officer Niles dark eyes.

"Yes" he said, letting the silence fall between them for a moment.

"They can be quite filthy. But you know what I find interesting, is that, they are very predictable creatures. Simple really. You feed them, give them shelter, and in return, they give you affection. If you know how to handle the little beasts, you can even pet them without receiving a nasty bite or scratch. Granted, you don't pet them in the wrong spot, of course."

He gave his lacky a little smile before continuing, prompting Niles to remain silent. He knew that Kuznet had a point to make, and right now was not the time to speak out of turn.

"So, Niles. Do you know how," he leans forward a bit, letting his voice drop down to just a quiet whisper.

"I already knew the answer to this question, before I even asked it? Because, Niles... Quinton is like a cat. A cat that, you, pet, in the wrong...spot."

For a long moment after that, Kuznet simply stared at the hospitalized man. They both could hear the ticking of the clock, almost a full thirty seconds going by before the second finally decides to speak.

"Ray," Nile's started, his voice quiet but serious. It was almost stern, even, as if he were about to correct the General.

"Your little fucking pet almost kill-"

"WHAT ORDER DID I GIVE YOU NILES?!"

Kuznet was out of his chair faster than Nile's eyes could see, and within just a hair's width of a second, the Officer was reminded of how easily Kuznet could end it all. The mountain of flesh stood over his bed, each giant, muscled arm, gripping the bars on either side of his comparatively tiny frame. His eyes-glacier, cold, insane, were just a mere inch from his own as Niles leaned his head back as far into the mattress as he could.

"Did I give you an order to go into their cells after you were done with the little tramp?"

"No" his voice shook.

"Did I let you use her until you were satisfied?"

"Yes."

"And did I...tell you..."

Niles could feel his hot breath on his face, and all he could think about in that moment was how many filthy pathogens and germs were being passed between them. Infecting him.

"That you could EVER, punish Quinton without my EXPLICIT PERMISSION?!"

"No sir..." he whispered, his body beginning to quiver as he felt his stomach flip, the awful feeling of his gag reflex on the verge of being triggered. Just the thought of it was enough to send him into a cold sweat, but to actually feel it made his bladder hurt with the sudden urge to release itself.

Finally, almost mercifully, Kuznet let go of his bed and stood up. He gave him one last long stare, and then he turned and headed to the door. Just before he unlocked it and pulled the handle down, he looked over his shoulder and smiled at his second.

"Redeem yourself Niles. We're living in a brand new world and humans are quickly becoming outdated tech."
________

Present Day

Tommy felt like he was going to puke. It wasn't the first time, and he really thought he would have been used to it by now, but the stress of everything was starting to catch up with him. At a really inconvenient time, too.

Kyle had left about an hour ago. He knew this because he had been up on his post, using his scope to watch as he convinced Jesse and Randy to come with him. Well, not convinced. He couldn't pretend like they really had a choice in the matter, and to act otherwise would really only be throwing salt on the wound of how he had to betray his girlfriends trust.

God, Great Creator, whatever you are...if you're out there, please, throw a coin in the well for me. Let her forgive me.

But he had left, and now Tommy was simply playing the waiting game. Waiting for him to come back, to give him the all clear, and in the meantime, throw another prayer out that he wasn't about to get a bullet between the eyes the second he stepped through that deceivingly normal door.

"General Kuznet? You asked to see me?"

"Ah, Tommy. Come in and take a seat."

He did as he was told, not buying that friendly smile and soft tone. It was an act, a front to put most people at ease, and he had to admit-he had fell for it. But that's what they were good at, weren't they? Blending in. Just like a predator.

"Do you remember the last time I called you here, Tommy?" Kuznet said, bringing his chair out in front of his desk to join the boy. Getting on his level. Trying to get close.

"Yes sir, you were showing me some pictures of Delvin and his companions."

"And Mr. Finch."

"Damien?"

"Yes. And do you remember what we were discussing?"

"Yes sir. You were inquiring if I had learned anything about his companions, anything suspicious that might imply a criminal history."

"Yes, I was inquiring about that, and I have found some interesting details that I wish to share with you. However, do you know why I am going to be sharing these details with you, Tommy?"

Tommy could feel the palms of his hands becoming sweaty, but he made no move to wipe it away.

"No sir."

"Well Tommy, I think that you are a very bright young man. When I handed you that photo, and I told you it was taken south east of our current location, you were quick to point out my mistake, correctly informing me that it was actually north west. Now, do you think I made that mistake by accident?"

The boy had been looking down at the paperwork in his hands, trying to keep himself relaxed and respectful. However, when Kuznet asked that last question, he sensed there was an urgency here; a need to answer him quickly and honestly, just like he had before. Taking a small breath in, he brought his own light blue eyes up to meet the General's.

"No sir, I don't believe you made a mistake. I recognized the generator in the background of that photo because me and my cousin carved our initials into it when we were very young, and we left a small toy there the last time that I visited. Since you are a General, and a damn good one at that, then you would already have this information on my file."

Kuznet smiled, and Tommy could feel a tingle go up his back.

"See, that!" he said, pointing a finger at the young man before tapping him on the chest, directly above his heart.

"That is what I saw in you when you first came into my base. That spark. That brilliant flame. It's the reason I let you enlist soldier, and it's the reason I have personally saw to your training. It is also the reason," he said, sitting back in his chair a bit and straightening the documents in his hand.

"That I am going to be bringing you in on what I have been investigating. Because I believe in you Tommy. I believe in your insight, in your ability to quickly take in and catch details that others may have missed. And I believe in your courage."

He knew if he swallowed right now the General would see it in the way that his throat moved, so he let the excess saliva sit in his mouth as he forced himself to talk clearly, despite it.

"Courage, sir?"

"Yes. Courage. You were not afraid to correct me. You were not afraid, to speak up. I respect that. I want to encourage that. I want you to feel like you can trust me Tommy. Always. Because without trust...we cannot stand united. Do you understand, soldier?"

His light blue eyes looked down at the documents, then back up to gaze into those icy depths.

"Sir yes sir."
________

Kyle almost looked as if he wasn't going to take it, his arms crossed in front of him for some time before he finally gives in and holds his hands out for it. When she finally drops it in his palm, he can't help but look up into her face, and, despite his best efforts, there was a vulnerability there. He was scared, and no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't hide that fact. Tommy had told him just a small bit of what he knew, but enough so that he could make his own decision on whether or not he wanted to do this with him-to charge into the battle. He had given him one final chance to back out, and Kyle had refused it. So how could he refuse this?

"You have my word as a soldier that no one but Tommy is going to bring this bracelet back to you."

Once they were loaded up in the truck, Kyle finally let a bit of the tension leave his shoulders, and it was only when they but a speck of dust on the highway did he finally get back into his own vehicle. He had a lot of road to cover, and not a lot of time to do it.
________

Delvin watched Lizz admire the beautiful bullsnake and he couldn't help but smile a little. She had wanted a pet reptile her whole life, but she had never quite gotten around to getting ready to house one. If made him curious. If there were other animals that had changed, like Bowie had, would Lizz be willing to care for one?

"we were just joking around. I was telling her about how stubborn you were about breaking down my walls."

Vin looked down at him, his smile changing to a look of affection as he bends over to kiss the top of his head briefly and rub his back a little.

"I don't know if stubborn is the right word. Persistent maybe" he said with a laugh.

Lizzy glanced at them and got that shit eating grin on her face again, and as she moved Bowie down a bit, to let him get on her shoulders, she started talking to the snake in a bit of a coo-ing tone.

"Aw, you're not the only one that's adorable, no you aren't. Uncle Vin is being totes adorbs too, yes he is."

The hand that had been lingering on Sabastians back suddenly drops off and Vin brings it up to point a finger at Lizz's face.

"Damnit Lizzy, I told you not to call me that. I'm not your uncle, and we're barely even cousins. You're not even related to me by blood!"

"Aw, see?" she said, starting to turn away from them both and walk away, still holding the snake up in the air a bit and talking to him in that same honeyed tone.

"He acts big and tough, grr! But underneath all those tats is a big fluffy bear who likes big scary dwagons and drinks wheat juice while he rides the big, loud, vroom vroom motorcycles."

"Damnit Lizzy!"

 

[Poprockz]

He raised his eyebrow with amusement, finding it a bit funny how Vin had managed to say the exact opposite of what he had told Lizz regarding Vin’s stubbornness/persistence. The soft kiss and back rub mad him smile though, those little reminders of Vin’s affections always putting him in a good mood.

Sabastian giggled a little bit, enjoying the playful banter between Vin and Lizz. While calling him “uncle Vin” was hilarious, he wondered why she had come up with that specific nickname. Was it just to knock him down a peg or push his buttons?”

“Well at least you don’t have to worry about me ever calling you uncle Vin. I might call you daddy on special occasions, but that’s about it.” He gave Vin a one-eyed wink with a playful grin. The blonde was joking, the fact that It might actually turn him on not occurring to him. After all, that seemed like one of those things that really kinky couples did.

He read an erotic comic once where the protagonist would moan things like, “harder, Daddy!” but reading that would always make him blush. Well, most of the erotic things he read made him blush, but that one in particular gave him very rosy cheeks.

 

[Drobabes]

Lizz completely ignored Vin's protests, content to play with the beautiful bullsnake as the big man simply seethed behind her. He let out a sigh and crossed his arms before smirking. Despite his annoyance, it was sure good to see her.

"I might call you daddy on special occasions, but that’s about it."

Vin looked down at him as a slow grin formed on his lips. He wasn't going to say anything out loud, but he found the idea of that pretty amusing. Possibly even enough to test the waters with it a bit later. Could he get Sabastian worked up enough to say something like that? He certainly didn't seem to have a problem saying other slutty things when he was in the throws of bliss.

 

[Poprockz]

That look on Vin's face was almost suspicious with how amused he looked, border-lining on mischievous. Sabastian wondered what he was thinking, the man maybe actually entertaining the idea of having Sabastian call him daddy. He suddenly felt a bit embarrassed for having brought it up, his cheeks becoming pink and the blonde looking to escape Vin's eyes by quickly saying, "I'm going to grab my shirt, I'll be right back."

He moved toward the door at a brisk pace before exiting and returning a moment later with his own shirt, taking off Vin's and putting on his own. With that, he offered Vin back his shirt. After all, it was a bit chilly in there, so he was bound to get cold for him sooner or later.

Although... this ended up not being the case. About two hours before dusk, there was a loud clank and what sounded like a machine dying. The generator had been doing that for several days, so they assumed it was still sputtering along afterward. However, the AC shut off and it started to get warmer and warmer.

About an hour before dusk, it was pretty muggy in there, waking Damien up as he now had a bit of a moist spot on his shirt where Cora had been leaning against him. He gently woke her up, wiping his forehead and looking around with a puzzled expression. When had it become so hot?

Tiffany and Maverick had since come back from the bathrooms, obviously having been doing some naughty things in there. Though the heat in the shop certainly wasn't the kind of hot situation they craved.

"Oh my God... It's so fucking hot in here. What is going on?" Tiffany fanned herself with an envelope she found in the office. Maverick took off his shirt and tossed it to the side of the room and shrugged.

Sabastian looked at Vin and Lizzy, the man also finding it to be a bit too hot for his shirt. Though he felt a bit uncomfortable about taking it off, seeing as his body was more petite and not super manly. His eyepatch also felt a bit moist, but that had to stay on unfortunately. He sighed and fanned himself with his hand, "do you guys think that noise was the generator dying? Do you know how to fix generators, Lizzy?" His eye was hopeful as he asked the question, not wanting them to have to move to a more insulated home to keep cool.

 

[Drobabes]

Since Quint had left, the lights in Sayori's cell seem to have been put on a more regular schedule. They would come on roughly an hour before breakfast was brought in, and would turn off roughly an hour after dinner was given. Today's dinner was a mixture of some canned vegetables, lightly salted, and some baked chicken, delivered by Francisco. He ignored her cellmates as he came in, letting the door slide shut behind him, and as per usual, he greeted Sayori with a big grin a cheerful demeanor.

"Good evening Ms. Sayori, how are you feeling? It seems your wounds have all but healed."

He sat the tray down on the end of her bed, but instead of remaining standing to leave after she had finished with her food, he pulls up a chair and let's his legs sprawl out as he takes a seat. He let's out a groan, relaxing back against the metal.

"Shit it feels good to sit down for a minute."
________

The look that the little blond had gotten on his face was precious, and Vin wished they had had some more privacy. He had barely got to tease the little man in the past few days, and after the wonderful night they had shared at the lake, he was more than hungry for the little man. However, he resigned himself to the fact that it would just have to wait. He wasn't about to embarrass Sabastian by being too flirty in front of a bunch of strangers, and it was too dangerous to try and sneak off by themselves. Even if Sabastian could dispatch the zombies quite easily, Vin didn't want to risk their new companions seeing him, nor did he want his own scent bringing any of them in towards where they were staying.

Sometime later, when the clank had been heard, Lizzy had a suspicion of what it was but she didn't say it out loud, still hoping she was wrong. However, as the room began to heat up, she soon found herself resigning to their fate and simply peeling her clothes off. By the time that Sabastian mentioned the generator, she was down to a stained white tank top and a pair of shorts, which she had been wearing under her baggier pants for comfort, as the pants were a bit scratchy.

"I mean, I could try and take a look at it" she said, pulling her tank top out away from her stomach for the fifth time.

"But even if I can figure out what the problem is, do we want to waste time and resources on trying to fix it? I say we just get your guy's car fixed now and get us another vehicle. My old truck is beyond repair, so I was looking anyway."

Cora sat up a bit groggily, using her own shirt to wipe the sweat off of her face. It was definitely too damn hot, especially in that leather chair. She tries to sit up, intend on getting up and walking around, but she let's out a little hiss of pain when she moves. Falling asleep in such in awkward position had pulled a few muscles in her back and neck it would seem, and she tries to reach back with her hand to rub them out.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori nodded in agreement with Francisco’s assessment. They really were almost completely healed, and she was very relieved about it. Having them pick at her wounds was certainly not fun, so hopefully they wouldn’t replace them with new ones. It was extremely disconcerting that her finger had literally grown back though. Even she couldn’t deny the way it very slowly had reformed from the goop. Now it looked like someone had just cut a bit of the tip of her finger off.

She looked at it for a second before raising her eyes to Francisco, his grin putting a smile on her face. The woman knew that it was foolish to think of him as a friend since he probably didn’t care for her and would put a bullet in her without question if given the order, but the loneliness that she was experiencing was simply too heavy for her not to seek some comfort from his friendliness.

“I am feeling as good as one can in my situation. I am very grateful for the paints though too. While it was probably just his intention to humor me or something along those lines, it’s nice to have an outlet.” She ate a carrot before continuing.

“It’s good to have a chance to talk to you too since I feel like you’re the only one I can talk to. The general acts nice, but it feels dangerous to talk to him, like I’m walking on thin ice. Officer Niles... even if he was here, he is much too mean to speak with. I understand you’re working for the general too, but I appreciate at least being allowed to speak freely with you. It is a freedom I never knew I had taken for granted when I was free.” The woman started eating her dinner, the fact that the veggies were lightly salted made them very tasty.

——————————————

“Yeah... you’re right. Probably better to fix the car.” Sabastian sighed, not able to take the heat anymore. He took off his own shirt threw it lightly over his shoulder before heading off toward the bathroom, looking to get it wet in the sink. The cool water would definitely help with how warm it had become, even if it was lukewarm instead of actually cold. Little did he know that there was actually a hickie on the lower back of his neck from sleeping with Vin the night before. While they hadn’t done anything naughty, Vin had still given him a couple kisses goodnight.

“Are you okay?” Damien had looked at her with concern upon hearing the little pained noise of hers, watching as she tried to reach those painful spots. He had only ever given the kind of massages that ended up with his fingers slipping inside a woman, so he wondered if he would be able to work out those kinks for her because it didn’t look like she could reach them all.

Maverick looked up when he heard Cora’s hiss of pain. He had watched them sleep a little bit earlier and thought to himself that while Damien’s posture wasn’t good, Cora was definitely sleeping in a position her body wouldn’t thank her for later. He didn’t approach, but he let out a low whistle.

“Wow, you look to be in a spot of pain over there Cora. Is your back giving you trouble? If only there was an incredibly good-looking and talented masseuse who could treat your muscle pain...” he raised his eyebrow at them, waiting for them to accept his indirect offer.

Damien’s steely-eyes turned to the man and he responded. “Hm. If only there was someone like that here. You were previously a masseuse at least, right?” He already didn’t like the man for having hit on Cora earlier, and he really didn’t trust him to put his hands on Cora without doing something inappropriate. He was going to have to go outside to keep watch for Lizz pretty soon here, so he certainly didn’t want to leave her in his hands if he could help it.

The other man frowned, “that was a bit uncalled for. Still, she’s obviously in pain, right? What kind of dick are you that you wouldn’t let her get some relief? Overprotective much? Why don’t you let the lady make her own decisions?”

It was a direct shot to Damien’s insecurities. He paused, unsure. God, he hated that the man could be so infuriating and yet still make very reasonable arguments. His frown only deepened, his finger starting to tap on his leg. If Damien had his way, Maverick wouldn’t even look at her, but it seemed as though he might have to put his pride and protectiveness to the side this time. He looked at Cora, wanting her own input, his expression softening slightly.

 

[Drobabes]

Francis simply smiled, remaining quiet as she talked. He would let her think what she wanted about the paints, because to tell her the truth was just unnecessarily cruel. He wouldn't tell her that Kuznet took a painting down to Quinton every night and wove tales of how he was going to keep his new little pet for his own entertainment, nor would he tell her that he intended on sending another message to Damien with a few of them. It was just unnecessary.

"Well," he said after she had eaten a bit.

"I imagine you might begin to lose your mind a bit faster than he would like if you didn't have someone to talk to. Perhaps when Ol'Johnny boy comes home I can get us a round of poker going. Oh!"

He sat up in his chair a bit, slapping his knee and looking a bit excited again.

"Speaking of home-you're being moved tonight. New digs. You'll have an actual bed and everything."
________

Vin noticed the hicky when he peeled his shirt off, and while it stirred up some lovely teasing feelings, he imagined Sabastian wouldn't like it if everyone else saw. After he enters the bathroom, Vin goes to wait outside the door, intent on scooping the little man up into a hug and adjusting his shirt for him.
________

Cora listened to the two men converse, but she didn't offer any comment until Damien looked down at her with concern. She didn't like the idea of Maverick touching her. Not only would she be uncomfortable, but she knew Damien wouldn't like it either, and that was fine. A little uncomfortable jealousy was healthy once in a while, so long as it didn't escalate.

"You know I think I can stretch it out. Thanks for the offer Maverick, but I'm a bit of a weirdo when it comes to people touching me-no offense to you."

She gave him a polite smile and then forced herself to get up and start stretching, although the pain was obvious from the way she winced a few times.

 

[Poprockz]

His comment about her going insane only prompted a little, "hm" from Sayori as she ate. He seemed to think that it was only a matter of time before Kuznet twisted her beyond recognition. She wasn't sure how she felt about it to be honest. On one hand, to go insane sounded like a welcome relief from the horrors of this prison, and on the other hand, she thought to herself that if Cora and Quint had somehow hung on for most of their lives, then she would also try to hold out for as long as she could in the hopes that someday she might escape from this him like Cora had.

The bit about "Johnnie Boy" made her confused though. She wasn't sure if he was referencing Quinton, or perhaps another prisoner or officer. There wasn't a chance to ask for clarification though as he soon moved on to the more attention-grabbing piece of information.

At that point, the vegetables had been finished and she was starting more in on the chicken. The woman quickly chewed and swallowed the bite in her mouth and looked at him with a bit of uncertainty.

"I'm being moved to a new room? That's... very sudden." She had to admit that she was a bit surprised. It had been a given that if he captured Cora once more, he would move them into the same room or at least adjoining rooms. The fact that she was being moved early either pointed to Cora soon/already being caught, or that Kuznet simply following his own weird logic and reasoning.

"Is Cora here, and that's why he's moving me? I think he said something about me being a companion for her." Sayori wondered if maybe Quint would be taken to a similar room once his punishment was up. Perhaps Quinton was only in a regular prison cell because the other prison rooms were just being set up. The thought of seeing him again made her excited, though she put a damper on it quickly, not wanting to get her hopes up.

------------------------------------------------------------

When Sabastian entered the bathroom, the smell of sex hit him right off the bat. It would seem that Tiffany and Maverick had decided to do the dirty in the bathroom of all places. The blonde rolled his eyes but quickly noticed that the smell was getting him a bit worked up, a bulge growing in his pants. Perhaps it was the fact that he hadn't done anything since he and Vin were out at night at the lake. He didn't think he had been followed, and he figured if someone came in, he could simply say he was using the restroom. For that reason, he set his shirt on the counter and went in the furthermost of the three stalls to take care of himself.

He pulled the lid down and sat down, unzipping his pants and starting to tug on himself a bit. Leaning back a little, he daydreamed about Vin. He let one of his appendages squirt a bit of lube into his hand and he continued, panting softly as his hand slid over himself. At that rate, it wouldn't be too long before he would finish.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Damien seemed to look relieved as she gave Maverick that answer, the man's shoulders relaxing at the thought of her being kept away from him. Although, it was short-lived as he soon noticed how even when she tried to sit up, her back seemed to be giving her a lot of trouble.

The other man watched her stretch, nodding and crossing his arms. Based on the way she was moving, she was going to be in a bad way pretty soon. Now that she was awake and was increasing the blood flow to those muscles by stretching and aggravating them without fixing the problem, she was in for a painful time pretty soon.

"No offense taken. When you change your mind, my offer will still stand." Maverick gave her a little half-smile and stood up, walking over to Lizzy. "You know Liz, my offer to you is still standing at full attention as well if you wanted a massage to loosen up a bit before you start fiddling with that car's naughty bits."

Nearby, Tiffany rolled her eyes and continued to fan herself, eventually sighing and reaching down. The woman then pulled off her shirt, Her lovely black bra on display as it framed her C-cup breasts.

Damien stared at her for a moment in shock, surprised that she was doing that there. Though he quickly looked away much in the same way he had done with Daphne, not wanting to give Cora any reason to doubt his commitment to her. When he had collected himself, he cleared his throat and looked at Cora, "If I go outside to help protect Lizzy while she works, are you going to be okay in here? Or did you want to come outside with me?"

 

[Drobabes]

"Mm, no, Cora's not home just yet."

He was quiet for a moment after that, seemingly just watching her eat and being in no hurry it would appear. Whether the man was tired or simply thinking was unclear, but he did let his eyes wander to hers for a brief moment, seemingly looking for something.
________

Vin simply continued to wait, although the little man seemed to have been in there for a minute. He wasn't worried, just curious. Perhaps he was just enjoying the chance to use an actual toilet instead of having to go in the woods. The thought made him chuckle a little.

His brown eyes looked up to watch Maverick as he walked over to Lizzy, and despite knowing she was an adult and fully capable of taking care of herself, he still couldn't help the hairs on the back of his neck stood up just a bit. The way the man swaggered over had trouble written all over it, but he held himself against the frame of the door to see how she would handle herself. The little women was a real sweetheart, but she had a tongue on her when she wanted to be feisty.

"You know Liz, my offer to you is still standing at full attention as well if you wanted a massage to loosen up a bit before you start fiddling with that car's naughty bits."

Lizz looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile, almost as if she were going to take him up on his offer.

"Aww, really? You're such a flatterer. But you know," she said, standing up and away from the table she had been leaning on so that she could get a bit closer to him.

"I would much rather play with your girlfriends naughty bits. Especially in that tantalizing bra."

With her hands on her hips, she leaned around Maverick so that she could look at Tiffany and give her a 'come get me' smile.

Vin laughed out loud and shook his head, then decided he was probably better off not watching their shenanigans. Especially now that the pink haired women had basically just stripped in front of them. Leaning forward, he turns and heads into the bathrooms, whistling a little to let Sabastian know he was coming and not just startle the little man.
________

Cora had also stared in shock for a moment, although she seemed to recover a bit more quickly than Damien and looked down at the ground with a little blush.

The freakin nerve of that...

"If I go outside to help protect Lizzy while she works, are you going to be okay in here? Or did you want to come outside with me?"

Cora looked up at him, her face in a bit of a scowl, although she hadn't meant to aim it at him. She quickly tried to let her expression soften, but before she answered, she couldn't help but glance over at Tiffany again and bite her lip in anger.

"Yea, you know, I think I'm good. I think I'll stay here. Keep an eye on things..."

She clears her own throat, looking around the room.

"I mean, someone's gotta watch Sabastian so he doesn't blow his top" she said, managing to give him a bit of a grin. Of course, when she had said keep an eye on things, she really meant the thirsty women who seemed to be stuck on getting her hands on her man.

 

[Poprockz]

Sayori eventually finished her chicken, sighing with satisfaction and putting the plate down on the bed. Her eyes moved up and eventually met his, the man's face unreadable. She gave him a little smile then looked around her cell at all her folded origami flowers and her tissue paper flowers as well. Perhaps the next person who inhabited her cell would find them comforting, and hopefully they would find that chocolate bar as well if they didn't collect it first.

When her eyes returned to him, she asked, "is it time, or do we get to chat here for a while longer?"

---------------------------------------------------

With Lizzie's response, he simply raised an eyebrow for a moment and then grinned. "Well, I'd be down for that as long as you let me watch."

Tiffany didn't seem phased at all, the woman glancing at Lizz before coming over to the two of them. She put a hand on her hip as well as she fanned herself with the envelope again. "Well, I mean what are we supposed to do when it's super fucking hot? I think it's stupid that the men get to take off their shirts, and we don't. Besides, If I was wearing a bikini, it would be totally socially acceptable right now."

"I find it socially acceptable 100 percent of the time, babe. In fact, I think you should just lose the bra too." His grin only grew wider as his eyes flicked down her body and back up. "Don't you agree, Lizz?"

----------------------------------------------------

At the sound of the door opening and the whistle, Sabastian froze with his hand on his dick. It was ridiculous being embarrassed about jerking off when the man in there had literally fucked him in the ass, but he couldn't help but turn a deep shade of red as he tried to quickly decide what to do. He ended up flushing the toilet to hide the slick noise of his cock being put away, after which he zipped up and exited the stall.

Sabastian strode to the sink first to quickly clean the lube off his hand, getting what he hoped wasn't a suspicious amount of soap before lathering up and washing his hands. Clearing his throat and trying to act natural, he turned to look at Vin and smiled, "so... fancy meeting you here." With his hands now clean, he took his shirt off the counter and ran it under the cool water like he had originally intended, getting it plenty damp for himself.

----------------------------------------------------

He was a bit intimidated by that scowl of hers, hoping she wasn't angry at him for having stared. Though he did feel slightly better when she made an effort to soften her face. Perhaps she was simply angry at the audacity of that woman, stripping in front of them all without a care in the world.

Damien nodded, "I think that's a good idea." Leaning forward, he whispered into her ear, "because I think there are too many tops off already." He pulled back and winked at her before getting up and walking over to Lizz, coming to stand at her side.

Tiffany seemed pleased that he was coming over, the woman puffing her chest out just a little as he came up to them. Just as Damien was about to open his mouth to ask if Lizz was ready to tinker, Tiffany spoke up to the man. "What do you think, Damien? Should I lose the bra entirely?" She reached up and slowly pushed one of the straps off of her shoulders while keeping eye-contact with him.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Damien reached out and put her bra strap back up on her shoulder and patted it awkwardly. "No, I think the bra should stay on. I'll meet you outside, Lizz." With that, he briskly walked to the door and exited, all but running from the thirsty woman who seemed intent on flirting with him at any chance she could get.