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all the world's a stage

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

quincyxdubois

Quincy had hardly noticed this day stood apart from any other, barring rain or snow he wasn’t as observant as some of the others. So, when it was brought to his attention, the best he could manage was a nod of hesitant agreement, gaze sweeping up to the skies to belatedly confirm. That had been the most interaction he had since he’d woken up that morning.

The man hadn’t given up yet on making amends with Rooney, and that meant leaving her to sleep in rather than go to where she was staying and see if she wanted him to make something for her. Now it was well past noon and the older woman talking to him dismissed him with an unaccustomed gentleness. He noticed the shirt first. It stood out against the burnt remains of the house. Then Quincy recognized Faust, someone that had seemingly gotten along well with his sister. He closed the distance, coming to stand a little over a foot away.

“Y’eat yet?”

The moment Faust realized it was Quincy standing over him, it was like a switch flipped and a different person took over his body. His slouched posture corrected itself; he sat at attention, snuffed out his cigarette, and gave the man a respectful nod. 

“Uh, hey, Quincy,” he did his best to suppress a cough bubbling up in his chest. He realized Quincy was waiting for an answer to something; it took Faust a moment to remember what the initial question was. 

“Eaten? Oh, no. Not yet. Why?” it might have been a dumb question, but Faust was famous for those.

Also, he didn’t really know how to act around Quincy. How do you act around the man that used to date your sister in high school? He never expected to meet Quincy again under apocalyptic circumstances, and have to explain to the man that Lena was dead. 

Yeah, that. That had been supremely hard to do.

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

xrooneyx

Rooney put her hands behind her, legs stretched out in front of her. She let her head fall back, smiling as she soaked up the sun. Her eyes closed as Faust spoke, but she was still very much listening. “Thinking? That’s pretty dangerous.” Eyes still closed, she smiled. “What kind of thoughts are you thinking?”

Ever since the horde, things had been pretty busy at the Sanctuary. Rebuilding physical places were one thing, but it was mental adjustment that really had done a number on some people. Rooney still struggled with what happened that day, but mostly she’d managed to put it to the back of her mind. A great talent of hers. Not the most healthy, but one she’d definitely worked on throughout the years.  

“Dangerous indeed,” Faust watched as she sat down, looking like a literal child of the sun the way she relaxed in the warmth of its rays.

Love comforeth like sunshine after rain, But Lust's effect is tempest after sun. Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain--

He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. Now was really not the time to be reciting The Dramatic Works of Shakespeare in his head.

“Uh, you know. How much things have changed. How that day could have gone differently...” he shrugged, “Just the usual.”

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

samuel-creed   

Taking the cigarette from Faust, Sam was silent for a moment before he finally let our a small laugh… something he hadn’t done in a long time. There was something about Faust’s feisty defense over a colorful shirt that, for a moment, made Sam almost forget about the world and it’s problems around him. If it hadn’t of been for the burnt out skeleton of house 103, then who knows how long he could of tricked himself into believing that the world was fine and that it was just banter between friends on a normal summer day. “You’re right… I might look boring and monochrome” Sam took a drag of the cigarette, coughing a little as he did. It had been a long time since he had smoked and even then it was only a couple times. “But at least I don’t look like a tropical punch Caprie sun” he laughed, taking one last drag and handing the cigarette back to Faust.

Faust quirked an eyebrow when Sam bummed off his cigarette, and let out a little laugh when the man coughed, “You getting old?”

“I’ll take that little Capri Sun jab as a compliment, thank you very much,” he was surprised when Sam gave him his cigarette back, but he wasn’t about to complain. He pursed his lips around it and took another drag.

“So, did you come out here to lecture me about something? Or was it my glittering company that drew you here?”

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

phaekings

Phaedra hated this world and she didn’t care how strong of a word it was, she truly despised everything it had to offer her. Well, she couldn’t be completely selfish. She wasn’t  the only one it hated, this entire compound seemed to have pissed someone off. What with the invasion and the burning down of an entire house – her house. It’s why she was there, staring at the remnants of ‘home’.

Stupid house. She kicked at the dust before taking a deep breath and turning her back to it. She’d have to go save Lyndsey from babysitting duty soon – and then head over to the shop with Syd. She didn’t have the time to just glare at the house.

“Oh–” She hadn’t even realized Faust was there, so lost in her own thought she almost tripped right over him. “– Hey Faust.”

“Heeeey, if it isn’t my partner in crime,” Faust smiled up at her. “What brings you h...”

He trailed off when he realized, and his gaze flicked almost guiltily towards the house. She’d lived there, hadn’t she? He probably looked like an insensitive idiot, sunbathing next to the remnants of her old home. 

“Oh,” he cleared his throat, letting out a little uncomfortable cough, “That. Sorry, I... the sun was just hitting right here, and the grass looked nice. I can move, if you want?” He was, in fact, already getting to his feet to leave. 

[andtherewillcomesoftrains]

with: @faust-fenter​ location: upstairs bedroom

It was nice, to spend a quiet evening with Puck on her lap, reading by candle light as Puck slowly drifted off to sleep. In the cozy atmosphere, among the smell of candle smoke and books, Bobbi could feel her shoulders relaxing more than they had all day. Or they would be, if she hadn’t needed to talk to Faust.

“Hey kid, wanna come sit over here for a minute?”

[faust-fenter]

He’d barely made it through the threshold when she called out to him, and his shoulders instinctively tensed up. Faust had spent the evening out smoking again and avoiding coming into the house- waiting for the familiar cold that now only came at night to bite into his skin, redden his cheeks. It was a bad habit he’d picked up recently. He had hoped Bobbi and Puck would be asleep already. They usually were by time he got back. “Hey...what’s up?” he kept his hands, which were instinctively clenching with nerves, buried in the pockets of his hoodie. Faust made his way over to sit next to Bobbi, taking care not to knock over any of the candles. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind,” he spoke softly, his gaze falling to his nephew in Bobbi’s lap. He didn’t want to wake the toddler up. 

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

Summer. More specifically, an American summer. After returning home from war it was the small things like specific seasons that one begins to appreciate. Summer in Afghanistan was two things, hot and dry; for four months out of the year, even the nights are warm, so not even dusk can soothe the sweltering heat of the desert.  

   Dorian had always enjoyed being outside no matter the weather, he liked listening to the sounds of nature and feeling the breeze caressing his skin. Today was no different as he wandered though Sanctuary sporting his usual combat boots, cargo shorts and a slouchy black muscle shirt with dropped arm holes that showed off his relatively toned figure quite nicely. He was also wearing a pair of ray-ban style sun glasses that he had managed to keep safe since before everything went to shit.

   Seeing Faust outside enjoying the sun, he figured he ought to say something, considering that the two had barely ever interacted before. He walked over to the other, his large figure completely overshadowing that of Faust. The smell of the burning tobacco made his mouth water, he swallowed hard before speaking, “Enjoying the sun I see? You definitely look a bit too chipper to be sitting next to the torched corpse of a house, a beach might be better suited to your aesthetic.” He chuckled, a soft grin lighting up his face momentarily as he attempted to break the ice.

Faust squinted up at the man, not letting his expression betray anything just yet. He and Dorian didn’t know each other all that well- had barely interacted at all really. Not that anyone was to blame for that. He supposed Dorian could be another of Bobbi or Sam’s friends- one they sent to try and cheer him up or boost his morale. Or maybe he was just a guy who genuinely wanted to chat. Who could say?

He let his gaze trail up Dorian’s body, then slowly back down. He exhaled a slow puff of smoke. “Jesus, what Uncle Sam poster did you spawn from?” he nodded to the spot on the grass next to him, indicating for the other man to sit, “At ease, soldier.”

[faust-fenter]

an imperfect actor

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for…well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[hackett-hq]

With everything that had been going on in Sanctuary for the last six months, Sam had found little time to check in on Faust. He had spoken to him a couple times about the day the horde came through Sanctuary and the events that had come before, but they had been brief and in all honesty, not very well executed. Aidan was the one who was good at those sought of things.

Spotting Faust sitting out beside the burnt out husk of house 103, Sam made his way over, not speaking a word before he had lay down on the ground next to the boy, his eyes studying the clouds in the early summer sky.

“Got anymore of those hiding in that horrific shirt of yours?” he asked turning his head to look at the boy, holding out his hand as he did. “You know Bobbi will kick your ass if she catches you smoking those”

[faust-fenter]

Faust heaved a heavy sigh as he handed the cigarette over. Of course, Sam had caught him- he had such rotten luck. 

“Excuse you, my shirt is what one would call fashion,” his gaze travelled down Samuel’s monochrome outfit, “Which you wouldn’t know anything about.”  Was he being a little shit? Maybe. Did Samuel expect this of him by now? Of course. 

[andtherewillcomesoftrains]

starter - open location - town hall

“ Okay, so- we’ve got the harvest in, so we’re good on food. ” Bobbi marked off a box next to ‘food’. “ And the well seems to be full after all the snow melted. So we don’t need to worry about water, any time soon. ” A weight seemed to be lifted from her shoulders as she ticked off another box. “ We just need to get the walls reinforced, fix the electricity in the infirmary and... ” She glanced around, looking at the dim lighting inside the Town Hall. “ here, and... build a whole new house. Honestly, we’re not in as bad a shape as I originally though we were. ”

[faust-fenter]

“ If you want to head a scouting run, see what we can find and send other runners out to get, I would… I would really appreciate it. ” Words could not express just how proud Bobbi was of Faust. He’d proven himself time and time again, that she could trust him to do what was rightand what was necessary. “ See if Charlie will go with you. We’ve been talking about find a Lowe’s or Home Depot. ”

Faust winced at the idea, but nodded in agreement nonetheless. Anything for Bobbi, for his family.  “‘Course, yeah. I’ll go as soon as I can- tomorrow morning, maybe,” he got to his feet with a grunt, the movement far more slow and effortful than it had any right to be. He tried to cover it up with a cough and adjusted his shirt. 

“Right, well. Good night, then.”

[faust-fenter]

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[faust-fenter]

“You know cigarettes will kill you.” She joked, staring down at him. It was warm outside, and as Rooney stood over Faust she could feel the hot sun beating down on her back. “Does it look like my hair is on fire from the angle you’re at?” Rooney lingered a few seconds to make sure Faust had adequate time to answer her question, and then she plopped down on the open patch of grass next to him.

She knew that things hadn’t been so bright for Faust the past few months. Rooney understood and wouldn’t push him on it. Time had passed since the horde had passed through and Rooney still felt like she should have done more for the people in her group. “What’cha up to?”

“Not if the zombies kill me first,” he informed Rooney, his smile brightening just a fraction. There was never a moment where he wasn’t genuinely happy to see her. In other words, he liked having her around. 

“Your hair... yeah.” Words couldn’t quite describe. The way the sun’s rays hit her, the way the beams filtered through her hair with an orange glow- she looked angelic. But Faust just cleared his throat awkwardly and gestured for her to sit down next to him.  He huffed out a short laugh at her question, “Up to no good, apparently.” 

As he spoke, he ground the cigarette into the dirt and snuffed it out. He didn’t want to keep smoking around her if she didn’t like it. 

“I’m just... I don’t know. Thinking, I guess.”

[xrooneyx]

[ status: open ] [ location: bench somewhere near town hall ]

Rooney’s last run had been, for the most part, absolutely useless. She’d stumbled upon the ruins of an old house. one that had most certainly started it’s journey towards desecration. Rooney could tell that kids had probably used it as some sort of hangout before the world went to shit. Inside she found three books and a wallet made out of electrical tape. Whoever had made it had put googly eyes on the front and a dick sticker on the back. There was no real need for it, but Rooney took it anyhow. You never knew when a googly-eyed electrical tape wallet with a dick sticker would come in handy.

She hadn’t even really paused to get a look at which books she picked up. Instead she shoved them all into her bag and kept on moving. The only real substantial find of the day was a solar charger.  Coming by new books was pretty easy at the start of things, but as time passed it just got harder and harder. Until finding a good one was almost like finding a unicorn. Which was why Rooney felt like she’d hit the jackpot when she realized how great of a find she’d actually managed to get her hands on. ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn had been one of her most favorite books and definitely was at the top of her list of books she wanted to find. 

In the chaos of rebuilding the Sanctuary and taking care of a new baby, the book had remained on her bedside table for a bit. Today, however, just so happened to be the perfect day for her to crack it back open and rediscover the story of Amy Dunne. When she saw the shadow of a person approach her, she pulled the book down from her face and looked upwards. “What ya need?”

[faust-fenter]

Faust didn’t check in on Rooney all too often nowadays. She had a lot going on right now- just like everyone else. And the tentative first steps into a new friendship are always...challenging, for Faust to navigate. And that’s under normal circumstances. They were friends, yes- but in Faust’s mind, it was all still new. 

And with her brother around, now, Faust really really didn’t want to fuck anything up. He was more careful around Rooney than ever. 

But today, he needed company. If he spent another millisecond wallowing in self-pity, he was going to throw himself out to the wolves. Or, well, the zombies. “What ya reading?” he took a seat next to her on the bench, leaning in to take a peek at the page she was on. A quick glance over the text told him it wasn’t any literature that he recognized. “Is it juicy?”

[andtherewillcomesoftrains]

starter - open location - town hall

“ Okay, so- we’ve got the harvest in, so we’re good on food. ” Bobbi marked off a box next to ‘food’. “ And the well seems to be full after all the snow melted. So we don’t need to worry about water, any time soon. ” A weight seemed to be lifted from her shoulders as she ticked off another box. “ We just need to get the walls reinforced, fix the electricity in the infirmary and… ” She glanced around, looking at the dim lighting inside the Town Hall. “ here, and… build a whole new house. Honestly, we’re not in as bad a shape as I originally though we were. ”

[faust-fenter]

It was good to see some of the tension leave Bobbi’s shoulders, for once. Faust allowed himself to relax minutely, slumping in his chair and tilting his head back to stare at the cracks in the ceiling. They probably had to do something about those, too (he spotted one or two leaks- not good), but he could bring that up later. “If only we had extra bricks lying around,” he said, “I can go out on a run and see what there is to find, but...” He resisted the urge to rub at his chest scar, which seemed to throb every time he thought of it. It was becoming more than a little irritating. 

[faust-fenter]

an imperfect actor

Starter: open

Location: a grassy patch near the burned down house of 103

Summer. The perfect time for...well, not much, really- in Faust’s opinion. The only thing Summer was good for was wearing ugly button-up shirts. Unfortunately he only had one of those left; he suspected that every bisexual, enby, and middle-aged father had snatched up all the available Hawaiian shirts the minute the apocalypse hit. 

Well, he’d wear the hell out of his shirt anyway. It already had a few holes in it, but it was nothing Bobbi wouldn’t be able to patch up. Probably.

Speaking of, Bobbi was the only reason he was currently sitting outside “soaking up the sun”. She’d told him he was looking a little too pale. He’d made some snarky comment in response that had earned him a thwap to the side of the head- he couldn’t quite remember what he’d said. But it’d been enough to get him off his ass and get him outdoors. 

He was sitting on a patch of green grass that had sprung up from the ashes (literally), just next to 103. The grass was a bright patch of green amidst the ashy, grey, desolate reminder of what had happened several months prior.  Hey, where else were you gonna kick back and relax?  Faust cracked an eye open when a shadow fell over him, squinting up to try and see who was blocking his sun. He took the cigarette out of his mouth (one of the last he had stashed) and said on an exhale of smoke and a forced smile:  “Hey.” 

[lil-miss-pineapple]

[faust-fenter]

the present

“A mask tells us more than a face” - Oscar Wilde 

After everything that happened, Faust felt like a shell of a human being. He blamed himself; he was wracked with grief over Perry, over the fact that he’d practically lead a horde of the undead right to their doorstep. Nobody told him that they held him responsible for what happened, but they didn’t need to. The knowledge of it all was a persistent ache in his hollow chest.

But there were still those who needed him. Bobbi, Puck, friends like Rooney...

Except, Bobbi was strong- so strong, so resilient. There were moments Faust wondered if Bobbi had ever needed him in the first place. And Puck... well, Puck was growing at a rapid pace. Over the Spring, Puck had started talking more, walking without support, becoming a friendlier and happier and more playful toddler. That in itself gave Faust some hope; his nephew was growing into a ball of sunshine of a little man despite it all. On the other hand, the day where Puck probably wouldn’t need him anymore seemed to be inching closer. 

Faust did his best to stay himself. It was easy to put on a face and act like everything was fine for the benefit of those around you. By the time Summer rolled around, he fell back into a steady rhythm. He was the drama teacher for the Sanctuary’s kids, and that was fun. He kept his job as a runner, but his runs were becoming shorter; his body wasn’t in peak condition anymore, and he had to admit that what was beyond the sanctuary walls scared him more than ever.

It was only late at night, when he was all alone with the cold empty ache in his chest that was right underneath his viscerally ugly scar-- only then did he let himself wallow.

[faust-fenter]

xrooneyx

Rooney looked up at him, tears spilling over, and nodded with a smile. “Yeah, it was about time.” She leaned in and hugged him, still holding onto the photo. Such a show of affection was rare for her, but she felt it was needed. When she pulled back she wiped the tears from her face and looked back at the photo. What were the odds of this happening? They had to be slim- beyond slim. Though the odds of the apocalypse happening had to be slim as well. She hadn’t been given the opportunity to really talk about her family in years. Not on her terms, at least. There were times when she had to go to court here and there, but no one had ever actually cared to ask her about them. It was always just her and Beanie. Beanie asking and Rooney telling.

“That’s uh,” She sniffled and wiped her face again before pointing at Riley. “- that’s Riley.” Her finger drifted towards Wes. “And that’s Wesley. I called him Wes though. Or Wessy- which was stupid, I know.” Then she looked at herself, and at Quincy. All of them frozen in a happy embrace that wouldn’t last all that long beyond that picture. Finally she pointed Quincy, and herself who was balancing on his shoulders. “And that’s me and Quincy.” It was almost as though she’d momentarily disappeared into the picture, reveling in the image of her siblings. “I’d forgotten what they looked like,” She looked up at him. “That’s fucked up isn’t it? I’d forgotten what Riley and Wes looked like. They’re all probably dead by now.”

“This was taken before Beanie came along.” Beanie marked the fifth of their group. Of their siblings, Rooney had been the only one who’d spent her years growing up with Beanie. It dawned on her that he’d have no clue as to who Beanie was she clarified. “Beanie was our youngest sibling. She had this mop of red hair and freckles.” Rooney, realizing that she’d been rambling about her siblings, stopped. “You probably don’t care, sorry. It’s just- wow. I wasn’t expecting this.”

By far the most surprising moment was the hug. He almost didn’t know what to do with himself; he hadn’t thought Rooney the type to show any affection. It took him a moment to return the gesture, arms raising almost awkwardly before wrapping around her small form.

He felt like they were having a moment- he didn’t know how to describe it beyond that. They’d barely known each other before, yet they’d been inexplicably linked. And now they knew, and it changed things.

Faust couldn’t say he minded.

He stayed quiet for a moment as Rooney got lost in the world of the photo. It happened to him, too, sometimes; when he took the time to look at family photos, it was as if your mind dwelled in that captured moment. A better time. A better place. Frozen forever on paper.

“You should tell me more about them,” Faust said, “Your family. I...understand what it’s like to miss them.”

“And, hey,” he added, “maybe you have some embarrassing stories about my sister that I haven’t heard yet.” 

[faust-fenter]

greyhatgabe

Gabriel had been sitting in the back corner of the bunker in an attempt to keep as far away as possible from the others. He was scared, and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to have a full-on freak-out. He sat with his eyes closed, taking deep, calming breaths but it felt like his heart rate was only getting faster. Gabe’s eyes snapped open, head-turning towards the familiar voice beside him.

     “Yeah, but only if you’re sharing.” He joked, a breathy, almost disheartened laugh leaving his lips. “You were with uh, Perry, hey?” Gabriel asked, a sympathetic look on his face as he pulled a purple bic lighter from the pocket of his jacket. “We don’t have to talk about it, but I am here for you.” He added, placing his hand on Faust’s shoulder.

Faust took the lighter with a grateful nod. He lit the cigarette just as Gabe asked about Perry. He winced and placed the cigarette between his lips.

“I was,” he said, “It, uh. It was a hard thing to see.” He exhaled shakily, watching the smoke from the cigarette curl in the air. Faust coughed and waved it away from his face.

“But I’m...okay,” he passed Gabe the cigarette. He leaned his head back so that he could stare up at the cracked, water-stained ceiling. After a moment’s pause, he continued, “And by okay, I mean that I’m just numb and can’t process anything right now. You know how it is.”

[faust-fenter]

calbeckbs

Cal was thankful he’d just eaten a pretty large meal before being cage away like an animal, though he knew the others may not have been so lucky. The children behind him devoured their sweet snack with smiles on their faces, and he could sense the shift in Faust’s liveliness just slightly.

“Thank you.”

As the hushed chattering and tiny giggles began, he offered the other a small smile in gratitude. If there was one thing Cal knew, it was that food helped to cure all - especially a room full of scared children. He was already making an impact on the mood in the room.

The question came as sort of a mild shock to him. Taking a moment to think of why he actually thought they’d be fine, he hitched the knees of his jeans up and took a seat on the ground beside the other.

“Listen, kid… I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that everything is gonna be all sunshine and rainbows.”

He bit his lip in thought, he knew how he must be feeling; having been the last one alive with Perry. It reminded him of losing Anna… Sure, Cal wanted to dwell in his sorrows just as much as the next guy, he just couldn’t bring himself to stop fighting. To stop truly living. If nothing else, for the sake of everyone else that still relied on him. His hand reached up to showcase the survivors around them, then planted itself on Faust’s shoulder.

“But you’ve got a room full of people here who would stop at nothing to fight foryou and beside you, every step of the way. Might get a little roughed up along the way, but… to be expected, right?”

“Right,” Faust echoed, staring into nothing as he finished his Pop-tart.

At that moment in time, Cal’s words were falling on deaf ears. Future Faust was sure to appreciate them, once he’d processed things properly. Present Faust was a different story.

“You’ve had blood on your hands before, right?” Faust asked, “Not just in the literal sense. How do you...deal with it?” he hated how his voice cracked on the last few words.