[log] Two murderers and a child [closed]

[advanced]

Characters: Bucky, Kesara, and Royce
Location: Building 15, and the school shed
Date: Days 348 and 349
Summary: Various meet ups
Warnings: None currently.

15: A standard single-story house with a kitchen, living room, dining room, bathroom, and bedroom. The windows were once boarded up, but the boards have been removed. The light flickers and twists strangely through the glass, tricks of the light making it look as if something is just outside even when there isn't. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY ONE, TRAVELLING WEST" is written on the hallway wall in pen. Finger-sized slits have been cut into the couch cushions. An eye symbol has been cut into the sofa.

29: A small shed outside the school, going inside reveals sports equipment is being stored in here. There are hurdles, various sports balls, giant mats, and the like. There's nothing that could be used as a weapon, though, unless you're going to try to hurl a basketball at someone's head. This is the only place on the campus it's possible to stay in overnight--if you try to stay anywhere else, you'll be made to leave at 7PM. The following is written on the wall in blue ink: "This is Building 46 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath is a fairly accurate map showing the shed in relation to the school. The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The shed is labeled "Shed". Behind the shed is a small army of snowmen armed with sports equipment. There's a drawing spraypainted on the inside of the shed. It has been labeled "GEROMY". The skin color has been left blank. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY TWO HUNDRED AND SIX, FOR ANY ASSISTANCE PLEASE CONTACT @LELRIC." is written on the wall.

Comments

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[A: 348; for Kesara]

[Despite having asked her to cook for him, Bucky had no plans to actually seek out Kesara. As smart as she might be, she was still just a kid and that meant she would be even less able to fight him off than most people if something went wrong, either with him or with the town.

He's actually been pretty successful at avoiding people since he last ran into Flynn and Nicole, so he's got a little lax about checking houses before using them as a base for the night. Which is why it's already too close to lockdown for him to move on when he notices someone else there.]

...hey.

[Damn.]

[B: 349; open]

[It never rains but it pours, and after being blissfully alone for a while, now Bucky is running into people left right and centre. And there's nowhere he dislikes being caged with others for the night more than the school shed, it's so confined that it feels like they're all on top of each other.

He settles in a corner as much as he can and begins sorting through the food that he just picked up. If either of them catch his eye, he'll offer a can out to them wordlessly.]

B

[bywolves]

[ Royce wasn't expecting to actually run into people, here. In fact, when he opens the door to the shed about fifteen minutes before lockdown, seeing two people already there almost makes him shut the door and walk back out into the snow. But he doesn't have time to get anywhere else, and he doesn't want to die, so he glares at both of them from under his hood and tucks himself into the corner of the shed as far away from both of them as he can.

He doesn't say hello. And he doesn't seem to recognize them, either.

His bag stays behind him, and he doesn't eat, or move much. He's completely still, hood up and cloak wrapped around himself, tense.

But he does sneak glances in their directions, and when Bucky offers a can to him, Royce just stares from under his hood, red eyes glinting and just barely visible in the dark. He doesn't say a word, just stares - and it's almost a malicious stare. ]

[advanced]

[He sort of recognises Royce; he's seen the man around more than once, but they've not had occasion to interact much. What he has seen of him, though, is less overtly hostile than this. Isolated, even grumpy, but not outright aggressive.

He's been watching for long before he offers out a can, the itch at the back of his skull saying danger is near just rising more each moment, and when Royce reacts to his offer with such a malicious stare he eventually speaks up. He might not have, if it had just been the two of them, but there's a kid here as well.]

Got a problem?

[bywolves]

[ That itch is mutual - Royce can sense this guy is dangerous, or has the capability to be. He's not looking for a fight, but he will fight, if he has to. For now, he curls down further into his cloak, watching Bucky's hand. ]

Don't need your food. [ Royce says, voice soft and cold. ] Keep it to yourself.

[advanced]

Haven't seen you eating any of your own.

[He sets the tin down on the floor between them.]

[bywolves]

Not hungry. [ Scowl. ] Have plenty. I'll have even more tomorrow, if the guides weren't lying.

[advanced]

What's that supposed to mean?

[Royce has been here far too long to question the guides.]

[bywolves]

... It means there's food in the school, presumably.

[advanced]

You've been to the school a bunch of times, everyone who's been here as long as you has.

[What's going on here?]

[heavensreader]

[Kesara is sitting on the sofa and being empty when he comes in.

She makes a sad little bundle of wool and a tremendous hat, staring out the window at the shapes in the light and glass. She's so tired. She can barely think, and all she cn think of is just useless repeating things. The Chinese are marching on Lop Nor. Lao Dian and Roksann will be thinking she's run away. She'll never see Dame Ariel again. She'll never see Zach again. She let Steph down. Lilly ran. Vanitas died. All her thoughts are circular and in the middle of the circle is a void.

When Bucky comes in she only gives the smallest of starts. She shifts her stare from the window to him, and her face grows even blanker in confusion. Did he really - ?]

Did - did you come so I'll cook for you?

[advanced]

[He'd actually almost forgotten about that.

But she looks so woebegone that momentarily his need to run from company is overridden; he's stuck here anyway, he might as well try and get that pathetic look off her face by the time morning comes.]

Sure.

[Not even slightly.]

You're not welching on the deal, are you?

[heavensreader]

[For a brief moment, Kesara only blinks in deer-in-headlights astonishment. She hadn't forgotten the deal, but she'd been reasonably certain he had. Probably she wasn't wrong, she reflects, probably he'd only just remembered and is saying this to distract her and make her feel better.

Lord, but she wants to feel better.]

I never do. [She rises to her feet, a little laborious. Can she do this? It feels like such a heavy leaden effort.] Did you bring me anything?

[advanced]

[He's not good at comfort, he's not good at being around people, and he's especially not good at children... so this should go brilliantly. But he can tell she's suffering, even if he has no idea why, and he can't be there and watch it without trying to do something to help.]

I've got tinned apples and a bottle of gin.

[Not age appropriate at all.]

A few other standard things.

[heavensreader]

[Pft, age appropriateness. Kesara brightens very slightly at the mention of tinned apples and gin, and it's hard to tell which of the two is responsible for that reaction.]

I miss real travel rations, [she briefly laments.] Do you think we could manage to start a fire?

[Let them both be practical for a while. Perhaps it will help where not much else does.]

[advanced]

Yeah, I've got some matches and there's enough stuff in here that'll burn if we're careful with it.

[Hard to cook without a fire, after all.]

So-- on your own?

[That's probably not as subtle as he'd like it to be, but he's concerned and not great at this.]

[heavensreader]

Matches! Oah, I miss matches too... [Now she thinks back to all the tiny luxuries she had in Serindia, compared with Norfinbury, and that snuffs out some of her newfound spark.

She heaves a sigh.] I had Lilly, but she ran. Please will you not tell Steph? I will find her again.

[advanced]

It's not your fault what someone chooses to do.

[Steph again, idiot girl. Why would she put the burden of care onto a kid like this?]

You want me to help you look for her?

[Now why would he make that offer? That's stupid of him.]

349

[bywolves]

[ Clearly, something isn't right with Royce - Kesara might notice more than Bucky, but he's not his usual self. Sure, he's quiet normally, but not like this. No, tonight, in this tiny shed, he's tense and on edge, waiting for some sort of attack. His hood is firmly up, his stuff is well-protected, and all eye contact is avoided as much as possible.

He doesn't want to be here. In fact, he won't be, in the morning - the second lockdown is up, he's out. But for now, he sits, twirling a straight razor idly between his fingers, not sleeping. ]

[heavensreader]

[Thankfully, Kesara comes prepared, remembering her conversation with Alfie. Royce doesn't remember, and isn't inclined to trust anyone. That is only a small problem. She knows things he doesn't, and that is her preferred method of interacting with people.

She puts her best Emily act on. Creeps up carefully and shyly, looking with some fascination but also some open fear at the razor he's twirling.]

Do - do you like knives, sir?

[bywolves]

[ His expression is tight and sharp, but he does watch her as she scoots closer. For now he's just suspicious - he's never much liked children, even when he was one. ]

No. [ Not especially. They're useful and he's fond of using them, but he doesn't much care either way. ] What do you want?

[heavensreader]

[Rather than try further buttering, Kesara conquers a flinch - affects it, anyway. See, Duster, she's scared of you but she's brave - and hefts her backpack off her shoulders. she digs through it, keeping an eye on him all the while, and eventually extracts a paring knife.

She holds it out to him, handle first.] I only thought you might like this.

[bywolves]

[ He stares at the paring knife, and then looks back to her, gaze firmly on her. ]

What do you want for it?

[heavensreader]

[She does like the focus. It's a good sign. Is it a good sign? She shrinks a little where she stands.]

Just - in case an anomaly comes, or something else goes wrong, I think that you can use it more than me. To protect us all.

[bywolves]

[ He actually laughs, a short, mean sound. He stabs the paring knife down into the floor underneath them, between her feet. ]

If you're looking for protection, you can keep the knife. [ He folds his arms across his chest. ] I know you can't fight the anomalies. Don't insult my intelligence.

[heavensreader]

[Kesara doesn't wince this time, but she freezes. He's right of course, she shouldn't have assumed about what he'd know or not know by this point. She'd made a mistake. She keeps making mistakes with him, doesn't she?]

I'm more frightened of the other things, [she says very quietly.]