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Headcanons

#headcanons #will add more as things come up!!

it's not all she wants to say. benny may not always be the best at picking up on the subtleties of body language or words left unspoken, but he knows his siblings well enough that his shortcomings in that sense seldom matter, at least when it comes to them. he suspects he might already know what's going through her mind. or part of it, at very least. it's no secret to anybody that she is the last muñoz still tethered to afterglow now. he also knows why she is still there, the value of such a risk that makes it worth the cost to her. he has no room to criticize or to speculate. if javier and santiago hadn't arranged his discharge, he'd still be right alongside her.

benedicto lets the subject drop in favor of one she seems equally hesitant to discuss, if for very clearly different reaosns.

❝ why do you talk to me like we are still children? ❞ there's a faint smile twitching at the corners of benny's lips, curious and teasing. ❝ i know you can take care of yourself, mana. just because i worry does not mean i do not think so, ❞ he points out. ❝ i will be nice, i promise.❞ and he stays true to his word, too. the confession, when it does come, is not a name benny would've expected. but that does not mean it is a name he is unhappy to hear. ❝ mantsouri? ❞ there's no other atlas, not that he knows of, but benny would like the confirmation. if it is him, benny knows at very least that his baby sister is seeing someone he can trust. he's aware it wouldn't be his place to meddle either way, but the idea comes as a relief all the same. ❝ i did not know you two were close. ❞

apocafics

~~*~~

Sera rolled her eyes. She wasn't outright acting like they were children but even adult siblings indulged in those informal relationships sometimes. "Yes, Mansouri," she answered impatiently, a little too eager to puff her chest and brag about her new love. It wasn't an experience she'd had the privilege of doing with her brothers in her life and she was finding she enjoyed the feeling of it. "Well we weren't close and now we are. Isn't that how it works with anyone? You meet someone and then eventually you end up a staple in their life. And Jordan too. He's so smart. I never really imagined what it would be like to have children but it's quite extraordinary what they are capable of. I find he makes connections with things almost faster than some adults. I've been thinking..."

And here she paused. Her next admission was not one that she could come back from. Once she shared this with any of her siblings it would be as resolute as if it were written in stone because that was just how her family worked. "I...was thinking of bringing him to family dinner. Letting everyone meet him, you know, officially." Showing off was more accurate but that didn't matter at the moment.

#p: sera

apocalyptixs

There was a difference between the way Javier spoke - in vague terms that could be about just about anything. As simple as a car giving him trouble in the shop or as deep and dark as the matters that had been attended to at Afterglow. Anyone listening would have no reason to suspect anything untoward. But Sera had been talking about their siblings by name, spoken out loud of things that could only point in one direction. "No, not particularly."

But Javier didn't know the 'opponent.' Not like the rest of the Muñoz siblings did. Not beyond what he'd been told. But the way they'd crushed Benny's spirit was more than enough to make Javier want to do something about it. There wasn't much he figured he was good for, but he certainly knew how to throw a punch.

He didn't know what she thought was going to happen, that Benny was going to get snatched off the streets or something in broad daylight so that Afterglow could have their 'science experiment' back. But, as far as Javier knew, they wanted Benny for his skill. Not to be a lab rat. "I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not the brains behind any operation."

apocafics

~~*~~

Sera tilted her head to the side, the gravity of the conversation momentarily forgotten as she considered not just his words but his tone. "I think you might be selling yourself short there." It was easy to get lost in their family. There were so many of them and, even if you did do or say something extraordinary, someone had already done it before you. She knew that better than most given how everything in their house was handed down to her. She had someone's old boots and someone else's old knife or book. It was the same for ideas or skills. It had never really bothered her, it was just the way of things. In this moment, however, she was starting to see how it might have negatively impacted each of them. Maybe Dolores had more of a reason to be so isolated than she gave her credit for.

"Ok, let's just say, hypothetically of course," her comment was more for their potential witnesses than him, though at this point the damage was already done, "That you are the head of a very large and very lucrative corporation. You see people as assets. They are the same as the computers you use or the chairs you sit in. Just equipment. And a very expensive piece of that equipment is suddenly just...not there. What would you do?"

#p: sera

strcinedhecrts

@apocafics

LOCATION: atlas' home, late night FOR: sera muñoz

YOU CAN NEVER ANTICIPATE when shit's going to hit the fan. all you have to do is be ready. it's a feeling that even he can't quite explain to himself. but as he treads home from a job that while successful, had left him with a handful of wounds -- he perhaps feels more worried about the fear that he's going to wake his son up, and he'll see him like this. not beaten at his own game, but certainly bruised. he had kissed the top of sera's head and promised that he'd be safe. and yet, he'd be cleaning blood off not just his hands. he's successful upon his initial entry into the home -- but then there's the bedroom, where he's sure sera's awake. will he be protected by the darkness? probably not. she knows him better than that, and it's one of the many reasons he adores her as much as she does.

but of course, there she is. wide awake and waiting for him.

" i'm alright, darlin'. i promise. " atlas begins, but it's clear that something on his right side is bothering him. the grunt that follows his speech is small, yet audible. " ....baby please... i just wanna clean up, get in bed with you, and go to sleep. "

apocafics

~~*~~

There was no illusions about what Atlas did for a living and the family that surrounded him. Sera had no hesitations since it was so similar to the family she had surrounding her. To her, there was very few differences between what people referred to as a gang and the militia she supported. Both were technically operating outside of the law. Both were a misfit band of people you'd never expect would get along. Both took care of their members as if their life depended on it.

And...she cleaned members of both up.

Her lips were pressed together in a tight line as she bit back the exclamations that rose in her throat. He already knew them by heart and she had no doubt that whatever he did was in support of the people that he cared deeply for. She wasn't really shocked by the actions he took, only scared for the injuries they caused to himself.

"I know, mi amor, but I will sleep much better if you let me at least clean you up and check you over. Sometimes it's the slow bleeds that are the most deadly." Her hands had already started removing his clothes to check things. The noises he made was at least supporting her suspicions that something was worse this time. Though nothing besides the feeling in her gut had made her think that in the first place. "Do you want to talk about it?"

#p: sera

ashryder

Even as Sera was spewing out fun facts, Ashton was listening intently, a smile growing on his face, it almost felt nostalgic for a second, something she used to do, distract from whatever pain was ailing him in the hospital. He paused before joining her in a short laugh, "I've kinda missed your fun facts, not gonna lie, always made me feel smarter." He digested her words meaningfully, "perhaps we just had more tools around us to make us feel like we're more superior even if we're not." Though sometimes it feels like the balance is certainly reshifting, the old world was no longer how they operated anymore. It took them awhile but the tension had been slowly but surely dissolving bit by bit, with every passing day. Maybe having Atlas in between as a metaphorical buffer had been good for their repairing relationship too. "A lil bit of paranoia is always healthy," he shrugged, before lowering his voice, "especially here." She should know as well as he did.

"-oop, definitely not," he knocked lightly on the nearest surface to ward of the bad superstition he might've invited, the certainly could do without anything happening, especially right now. "Feels like we're always waiting for another shoe to drop in this town," he sighed folding his arms, but he glanced over to her, wanting to at least check in, "but.. no one's bothered you here yet, right?"

apocafics

~~*~~

"Well I am full of those but I do confess that they are not always fun and often they are not even related to what we were speaking about. I'm glad you like them." In all honesty, the tension with him that was created by her double agent role was one of her few regrets about it. There was little she could do but he didn't know that until recently. And even then, it was a hard to accept. But she'd put a lot of energy into earning his trust back even if there was no way to earn his respect. She had to keep focused on the lives she was going to save in the long run. Hopefully, he understood that now.

Sera glanced around slightly with a look of affection. If there was one thing she'd always appreciated, it was the people that were rough around the edges. One look at her family showed the stock she came from and the fact that she was an outsider even in that group had never really escaped her notice. Even now. "No, not in any way that goes too far anyway. I think it's been very established who I am here with but, I'll be honest, I feel far safer here than I do at work. I mean, at least here people are fairly open about their intentions, even if they are nefarious. There's no head games. It is what it is. I feel like anyone could truly appreciate that."

#p: sera

insainted

The repeat of his own term brings something of a sheepish grin to his face despite the situation they find themselves in. Leave it to Chuck to not let him live down mistakes or word choices; Dante knows he certainly missed the sharp edge she brings to his life like that. "I'm not sure what you call them, so I tried to give you space there." As much as Dante's heard about the Jackals, for his own peace of mind, he hasn't looked too far into their business. And if details were needed, he'd leave that to his brothers.

Perhaps it's self-protection. Perhaps it's just wilful ignorance. What he doesn't know can't hurt him, after all, and although he's well-aware that Chuck is just as violent—if not moreso—as he is, whether by choice or circumstance, he doesn't want any morals to get in the way of what he sees when he looks at her. Or have anything mar the way it feels when she looks at him.

Selfish, maybe. But Dante's decided a long while ago that happiness is complex and that you have to fight for it any way you can.

"No. Well, I don't know." There's a sigh. Linds is here, at least, as well as Maisie. "Santi's not here. Dot's... also not here." He gives her a slight smile. "But she's been fine for 19 years without me, I have to trust she knows how to take care of herself."

apocafics

~~*~~

"Your child? Yea, I'd say that's a safe bet." She'd never even met the infamous Dot. Well, in fairness, she only found out she existed recently, but anyone that had Dante's blood running through their veins was probably going to be fine in the long run. And while Chuck had never personally birthed another human, she did have her children. The ones that had snuck right into her heart and, like the grinch, had made it grow three sizes. She'd do anything for them, including hold back from some of her more murderous tendencies. That level of devotion also came with the worry so she understood how he was feeling for the most part.

"Don't you have some other communication options? I mean, back in the day you had all sorts of sneaky ways of getting through. I seem to recall you using smoke signals at one point when we got cut off." Her tone remained serious but the smirk playing at the edges of her lips was obvious. "Are you losing your edge?"

#p: chuck

Who: Lou and @strcinedhecrts (Joni)

Where: Barley and Rye

Life always went on. Even on those days when it felt like it wouldn't. When people usually gave up and let themselves wither away, either literally or figuratively, it still went on. That was a lesson that Lou had learned the hard way when she was far too young but it was something that had fundamentally changed who she was as a person. She got up and continued on because everything else did so why not her? Eventually everything that might cause someone to give up would catch up to her but for now...

"Interesting how quickly people just go back to life," she said to no one in particular and yet looked up to find that someone was actually listening. Or maybe just looking at her. But she took advantage of it all the same. "Every other day something is trying to completely take out the human race and then in between, here we are, buying pastries."

#p: Lou #closed starter

Who: Lou and @dishaunt (Georgie)

Where: Red Line Diner

Normal wasn't a word that Lou used often. Not to describe anything more than the weather which surprisingly was anything but normal these days. While she'd long gotten over the fact that everything that lived was trying to kill them these days, it did feel like a personal affront that the weather was jumping on that bandwagon now too. On the other hand, it did make a nice change. Something interesting for once. Unfortunately it also meant that her job was up ended as she had to help rebuild the store. The consistency of her scheduled was messed up and that frustrated her more than anything.

"I assume the menu has been pared down considerably due to the weather and lack of access," her tone was short and annoyed and she knew it but she really didn't care. Everyone's tone was likely a little short these days. "Can you just recommend something? I don't want to go through the whole thing just to be told you're out of everything." She dropped the menu back on the table and looked up at the waitress adding almost as an after thought, "Please."

#p: lou #closed starter

Who: Lou and @insainted (Gray)

Where: Wherever works

The storm and a lack of distraction as a by product had thrown in to sharp relief how little progress Lou had made in her ultimate goal. Her father was still out there somewhere and he had done god knows what to her sister. It wasn't vengeance she sought but it was what she would settle for. Yet she had spent years just living. Doing nothing to move closer to her goal. The sentimental part of her, which was small yet ever present, reminded her that she'd made some connections, done some good. But that wasn't going to help ultimately. Those thoughts swirled around her brain as she sat continuing the very distractions she was chastising herself for.

"Mm interesting," she looked over his shoulder at his project, "You've bypassed the locking mechanism completely and added stabilization chemically rather than with cross pieces. Light weight. Did you consider removing those completely?"

#p: lou #closed starter #watch brees try to talk high techie techie and be entertained

Who: Lou and @murdcrofcrows (Kai)

Where: On the street

Civic duty wasn't exactly the top of Lou's list. The practicality of clearing the sidewalk again after the drifts continually fell in was hard to ignore though. It was purely selfish, it annoyed her to walk through the snow, but it was somehow seen as altruistic by anyone who saw. She was continually waving off thanks and comments by neighbors. It was almost enough to make her deal with walking through the snow.

"Yes I am aware this is very kind of me and continually pointing out the obvious does not actually do anything to..." she had spoken without actually looking up and when she finally did it was to see a face that she had tried very hard to forget. Or at least, pretended she had. It wasn't often that people got under her skin like them.

"Uh," she very articulately came up with before clearing her throat and shaking off the weight that had settled in her chest, "Just clearing snow."

#p: lou #closed starter

Who: Lou and @eatabug (Jasper)

Where: The Inkwell

Everything was a mess. The damage to the building was extensive but what bothered Lou more was her whole system had been disrupted. She'd set everything up to run as efficiently as possible and now even the parts that weren't outright destroyed were not where they belonged. It was maddening. There really was no point in starting to clean up until more repairs were made yet here she was, sorting through what she could to at least find her tinkering projects that had been left.

It took a few minutes before she realized she wasn't alone. She knew other people worked with her but as their positions didn't overlap she never really paid them any mind. Or...she ignored them. If there wasn't a benefit or goal to the interaction, there really was no point. Social conventions in the current situation did, however, dictated that she acknowledge her co-workers. She joined him, his name slipped her mind at the moment if she'd ever learned it at all, and turned to look at what he was, "Are we staring at the press or the wall or the windows?"

#p: lou #closed starter

Rumor has it Chuck works at the drive-in as a cover for her assassin career

"What am I supposed to do with this information? Argue? I'd have to care what people say first. And I don't. I guess you all must be desperate for some entertainment if you have time to come up with stuff like this."

#a: chuck

Rumor has it Sera is shacking up with a criminal, I wonder if Afterglow knows

"I think we have very different definitions of criminal. Someone who does what they have to do to protect people, to care for them, to put themselves in harms way in order for others to be safe; well I wouldn't call that a criminal. Perhaps you need a change of perspective. Look out a window maybe. Talk to other humans. And shacking up is so crude. You really have a lot to learn in life."

#a: sera

Rumor has it Lou was captured by the east atlantic army for tinkering with their machinery during the blizzard

"Tinkering is my specialty. And I could probably make a few of their products far more useful if given half a chance. But I don't think they want me touching their stuff."

#a: Lou

Rumor has it Lou is actually a robot in disguise

"That's an interesting hypothosis," she shrugged thinking through the logistics, "I would have far fewer physical weaknesses if that were the case so it's pretty apparent that I'm not but it's worth thinking about."

#a: lou

Rumor has it Serafina made a mistake and caused harm to a patient and she's desperate to cover it up and keep her shiny record clean.

"Is there something wrong with your head? Seriously?" Sera was certain she felt her heart skip as it thudded in her throat suddenly. Of course she'd never hurt a patient but she was keeping secrets. Not really for her record, though that was important to her, but for bigger reasons. "The clinic takes mistakes very seriously so there is no way to cover things up and that's assuming a lot about me that is violently untrue since nothing is more important to me than...you know what, I don't need to defend myself. This is ridiculous. I can't believe you people have nothing better to do."

#a: sera #this was such a good one #please ignore the guy with a bloody nose in that gif #or don't #she could be treating someone

apocalyptixs

"Well, I don't know about strange," Ari murmurs, worrying her hands together as she processes the thought. "I mean, everyone has to go home eventually. Everyone has lives outside of their jobs. That's how it all works." Well, Ari tried to, anyway. But the hospital was where she most belonged. Even as a child growing up, she spent more time there than anywhere else. It was her home, more or less. "It's just like, you get used to seeing someone in one place...you know."

"Oh, um...I guess...groceries? I'm usually able to get most of what I need on the compound but...it's nice to get out. From time to time." Her shoulders lift, the slightest of a shrug. "But yeah, it's been good. It's always busy but Kas is back now so that is a big help. Not as many cicada burns or things of that sort - at least, comparatively. What about um - the clinic? And uh - you? How - how have you been?"

apocafics

~~*~~

"We do tend to get used to that," Sera nodded. It wasn't necessarily just work either. It always jarred her when she saw someone that she knew from Silver Linings out in the wild and, in many cases, she had to pretend like she didn't know them quite as well as she did.

Sera felt her shoulders lift in a shrug to mirror the other woman's but her smile became much more fixed. While she didn't begrudge people being cared for, especially not people like Ari who contributed so much of themselves to their work, it was just another example of Afterglow hoarding resources. Another tally mark in the long line of reasons she hated them. Her own employer. There were many of their employees that were good people just trying to get by in the messed up world they were left in though. Most of them that worked in the medical centers fit that. "Yes I imagine getting out of there can be a real perspective shift," she cleared her throat and shifted her bag from one hand to the other. "But there's gotta be other stuff that's far more exciting to get out of there for. My brother's would say the bar, and I don't think you have one of those on the compound, but I would say the library. Far more interesting things found in books than a bottle. But I don't think I've ever seen you out so I've never had the opportunity to ask what your go to is? What's your after work vice?"

#p: sera

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