Name: Joseph Patrick “Jock” Brannigan
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Pronouns: he/him
Sexuality: That's something he's still figuring out
Relationship status: Single
Length in Redwood: Newly arrived
Community Job: Inventory Manager
Previous Occupation: Cybersecurity/Hacker
Birthplace: Washington DC
musings || interactions
Biography:
Once upon a time, Joseph Brannigan was a happy child who wanted for nothing. But then he started to learn bad things can and will happen, especially if you leave the safety of your home. One day, both of his parents left the house but then only his Mom returned following a car accident that killed his father. Another time, his Mom left to see the doctor, only to come back with a cancer diagnosis. Later she went into hospital for what was supposed to be a routine operation but never came home. Joseph went to live with his grandparents after that but bullying at school only exacerbated his developing agoraphobia. He dropped out of school and refused to leave his grandparents’ house by the time he was 13 years old.
Joseph decided to make the most of this shitty situation by learning everything he could about computers and cyber technology. The various languages of programming came easy to him and soon enough he was able to hack into some of the most secure systems in the world without leaving a trace. But just because he was able to, didn’t mean he did all the time. His grandparents tried to instil a sense of goodwill in Joseph so rather than focusing on hacking, Joseph used his skills to become a freelance cybersecurity consultant instead. He was able to pay for his tuition to complete a cybersecurity degree (distance learning only of course) to legitimise himself even further.
Joseph, who now called himself Jock, was able to live comfortably on his consultancy fees and thanks to next-day delivery and similar services, he never had to leave home.
The virus practically confirmed the very fear he had developed all those years ago: going outside was a bad idea! Following the devastating virus outbreak, Jock tried to remain in his sanctuary for as long as possible. With his grandparents having passed in the years prior to the outbreak, Jock was the only one in the house and had managed to build up enough resources to last him a while, according to his calculations. But it didn’t take long for his street in Washington DC to become overrun. Jock had two choices: stay cooped up until the zombies found a way into his home or take his chances and run for his life. After some deliberation and several panic attacks, Jock decided to go with the latter.
Jock packed up his most cherished possessions: the laptop he had built himself and his box of tools, along with some food and water. He got into his grandfather’s old truck which by some miracle still worked and had enough gas in it to get him out of the city (thank God for driving simulation games which somehow had taught Jock just enough to drive the truck). Once out of the city limits and in the wilderness, his agoraphobia receded somewhat. Being out in the open somehow felt safer than being in the city. But Jock couldn’t rely on this feeling of safety. He was soon going to be dangerously low on food and he couldn’t throw a punch even if he wanted to.
Jock’s truck ran out of gas just as he reached West Virginia. He had managed to avoid any close encounters with zombies or savages and he wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. So he took his belongings, left the truck abandoned and continued on foot. Luck was on his side because he came across a small farm that was tucked away from any of the main roads which happened to be owned by a couple called Lennox and Geraldine Hyland. The Hylands’ took Jock in, stating they were always happy to help others who needed it.
Jock remained on the Hyland farm for nearly 5 years and would’ve stayed there if time hadn’t caught up with both Lennox and Geraldine. They both passed peacefully and following their memorial services, held by the few survivors who lived on the farm with them, Jock decided he didn’t want to stay there without them since they were the ones who gave him the sense of security he required to keep his agoraphobia under control. So he packed his few belongings and went in search of another settlement that would hopefully give him the security he needed to thrive again.
how tall are you? what's your zodiac sign (and do you think it suits you)? what languages do you speak? do you play any instruments?
"Why do you wanna know so much about me? If this was the old days, I'd swear you're tryin' to figure out my passwords or somethin'. But since you asked...
I'm 5' 8" since the last time I checked
My birthday is August 29th. That makes me a Virgo, right? I'll let it for those who know more about this kind of thing to comment if that suits me or not.
English, Javascript, Python, and Kotlin. Although those last 3 are programming languages so I don't speak 'em but I'm fluent.
My Grandma tried to teach me piano. I can play a couple of tunes but it's more from muscle memory instead of understandin' what I'm actually playing or any of the theory.
what would you do if you knew the world was ending tomorrow?
"Really totally ending? More than it has already? Go and watch the sun rise or set. Touch some grass. Hold back against the panic that'll wanna set in for as long as possible."
You love to learn, whether in a traditional academic setting or on your own. You definitely look before you leap and you may spend so much time coming up with a plan (or five) that you never actually get around to leaping at all. You work best when you’ve had time to prepare. You love getting to the heart of something and really understanding it on a deeper level. You may not be the strongest physically, but few can match your sharp mind.
Among wizards, the Order of Scribes is the most bookish. It takes many forms in different worlds, but its primary mission is the same everywhere: recording magical discoveries so that wizardry can flourish. And while all wizards value spellbooks, a wizard in the Order of Scribes magically awakens their book, turning it into a trusted companion. You’re a curious person who highly values the preservation of knowledge. You probably have really strong feelings about the Library of Alexandria. You’re pretty resourceful and you’re good at using whatever tools are available to you to help you learn what you want to know or to accomplish a goal. You can happily spend a whole day absorbed by research or studying and you pour so much time and care into your work that you might start to see it as an extension of yourself.
Maya and Jock catch up with each other at the Redwood Prom.
@mxyacho
Jock
-Honestly, Jock was overwhelmed. This whole night had been a risk for him and he was still undecided if it had been worth it or not. He had gotten to hang out with Mayra again and meet new people like Vi and Vivienne but all the good stuff was overshadowed by Zack and his stinky, violent attitude.-
-The temptation to run home was strong and honestly, Jock didn't think he had the will to fight it off. So he started to leave the prom. That was until he spotted Maya. Despite still wanting to get home as soon as possible, the part of his brain in charge of fighting against his agoraphobia and anxiety took over and directed him towards the familiar and friendly face.-
"Hey Maya. You OK? You having fun?"
Maya Cho
-Maya had wandered off to the bathroom and was on her way back to the party when Jock spotted her. She smiled and gave him a wave as she met him halfway.- Hey, Jock. Yeah, I'm alright. How about you? Honestly I'm surprised you came to something like this.
Jock
"Yeah, I surprised myself with this one!"
-Jock looks around nervously-
"Hey, so, be honest: not everyone here is a complete jerk, right?"
Maya Cho
-Maya notices how he's looking around and looks around with him- No, not everyone here is a jerk. Why? What happened?
Jock
"I might have found a not so friendly person. And by 'I might have', I mean I did."
Maya Cho
-Maya wondered if it was the same guy who had scared her- Who was it? What did he look like?
Jock
"Some dude called Zack. Tall, would be handsome if he wasn't so fucking sour, dark sandy hair. Sound familiar?"
Maya Cho
-it wasn't the guy, then. At least that was one guy to scrub off the list- No, can't say I've met him, but now I know to steer clear of anyone named Zack. What happened?
Jock
-Jock scratches the back of his neck and then shakes his head. He feels like he's already been over this enough times for one night-
"I pissed him off so he pushed me around. Pinned me to the floor at one point. I'm fine. Shaken, not stirred, you know?"
Maya Cho
Yeah, I know that way too well. -She realizes what she just said- I had a guy here corner me and attack me in the Laundromat.
Jock
-His eyes go wide as the realisation hits him. Before he can ask about it, Maya is filling in some of the details. He frowns.-
"I thought the Council vetted everyone here. You telling me they let in not just one but two psycho assholes? Are you OK? Dumb question, I get it, but are ya? OK, I mean?"
Maya Cho
They do....vet, I mean. But I guess psycho assholes know how to beat the system. -it was a good question- I'm better now, but I'm still a little shaken. I've been staying with Alex because I don't feel safe at home by myself, so that helps.
Jock
"Man, I'm so sorry you're going through this. It's good you've got Alex to help you through it. Things going good with him, I take it?"
Maya Cho
Yeah. I mean, we're just friends, of course. But he's a good guy. What about you? Make any friends yet?
Jock
-He raises one sceptical eyebrow at her in the wake of the 'just friends' comment but he doesn't push it any further. If it was his business, Maya would've told him the additional details.-
"I'm working on that, I swear. I mean, that's the whole point of me coming here, right? Meet new people, put faces to names or whatever."
-He cringes over his rambling and the too fresh memory of Zack looming over him-
Maya Cho
Well, I'm proud of you for coming out. I'm just sorry you had to experience an asshole. But I guess the world is still full of them.
Jock
"Not everyone's an asshole. You're not an asshole, for example."
Maya Cho
-Maya smiled as she gently nudged Jock with her fist- Aww, thanks Jock. You're not too bad yourself.
Jock
-He gives her a wide grin, a genuine one too-
"Thanks. My ego needed to hear that!"
Maya Cho
You are very welcome. I am glad to feed your ego.
Jock
-His cheeks flush a little and he scratches the back of his neck for a moment.-
"Hey, so I know you said you have Alex but if you ever want to stay with me- wait, no. My place is tiny. So if you ever want me to stay with you, I can do that. Say if Alex can't for whatever reason, I can be the back-up, you know?"
Maya Cho
-Maya notices his blush and she laughs a little as she nudges him- You're so sweet. But do you mean that? I already owe you for that one Winter....
Jock
"I wouldn't say if I didn't mean it. Plus you promised me a tattoo in return for that one Winter. Maybe now you can owe me two!"
Maya Cho
If I can get a working tattoo needle and ink and everything, I will give you as many tattoos as you want. -she gave him a smile- You are amazing, Jock. Thank you. Can I hug you?
Jock
"I could get a sleeve tattoo!"
-He laughs softly before his cheeks fully flush as she praises him. He nods in reply to her question and he opens his arms out to her-
"Yeah, you can hug me!"
Maya Cho
-Her smile gets huge as she leans in and hugs him tightly- See, now I'm extra proud of you. I'm glad you found your way here.
Jock
-Jock returns the hug and grins at her-
"I'm glad you're here too. Makes this whole experience much easier to face."
Maya Cho
Well, I'm glad I could help by just being here. -she lets go- Maybe I should stop by one of these days and check out your place. Maybe work on that sleeve of yours.
Jock
"Yeah, I'd love that! I can make you tea, I have a kettle and everything. You're welcome over any time."
Maya Cho
I am going to hold you to that, so don't come complaining to me when I show up randomly
Jock
"You get a pass because you're my tattoo artist. It's very exclusive!"
How would a Fandom see you if you were a fictional character?
Needs A Hug
The poor little meow meow. The traumatised one. The one that just can't catch a break. You have a tragic backstory, and it just doesn't get better from there. You get beaten up, sacrificed, nearly die, your crush doesn't like you back, you develop a mental disorder, almost die again... all of tumblr wants to hug you and then write angsty fanfiction about you.
Bea and Jock go through the town's winter clothing and find common ground in mutual awkwardness.
Bea: -It was officially cold enough at night that Bea was switching her attention to dressing the town for warmth. That meant figuring out what they already had and what they’d need. So she headed to the market to find the newest inventory guy and see if she could cobble together some idea of what she had to work with. It took a good twenty minutes to find him tucked in a corner near the sports equipment. And even then, she had to clear her throat to get him to notice her.- Hi there! Didn’t mean to spook you—are you the new inventory guy?
Jock: -He's in his own little world right now, squashed into a far corner of the Supermarket, his back against the wall, his legs crossed and his laptop in his lap. He's happily tip-tapping away at the laptop keys as he sets up a new section of the Redwood database. He's so engrossed in his task that he doesn't notice the woman until she clears her throat and speaks to him. He jumps a little, his hands steadying his precious laptop before it could fall out of his lap.-
"Jesus, fuck!"
-He cringes when he realises there was no need for such cursing and gives the woman an apologetic smile-
"You didn't mean to spook me but ya did! Congratulations. Yeah, I'm the new inventory guy. I'm Jock. And who are you, apart from being a spooky lady?"
Bea: It’s the ghostly pale complexion, isn’t it? -she laughed a little, hoping it was clear she could take a joke- I’m Beatrice. Bea. I’m the seamstress, weaver, knitter, tailor, clothing person around here. If you’re busy, I can come by later!
Jock: -He laughs along with her, although his laugh sounds considerably more nervous than hers. He listens as she lists off her various responsibilities and lets out a whistle to show how impressed he is-
"Nah, I can make time for ya, since you made the effort to come out this way considering how much work you've probably got going on already. What can I do for you, Bea?"
Bea: Well, it’s getting colder, so I wanna make sure there’s enough winter wear for folks in town. Some have already come to me to ask for patch ups to sweaters and hats and stuff. But I’d like to get a tally on stuff like scarves and gloves—get a sense of what we’re short on that I can make. I’m also interested in stuff that could be used as insulation. For windows and doors and stuff? Rolled up towels stuffed under doors will help keep cold air out. Anything like that. I was hoping you might have a better idea of what we’ve got on hand.
Jock: "Yeah, that makes sense. All of it. All of it makes sense. It's good forward planning, I like it!"
-He starts tapping away on the keyboard of his laptop-
"I haven't got a full inventory of the clothing but I have made a start, funnily enough with the warm stuff. We can finish that section together, maybe? Because you're the expert in such things, you can tell me if the quality of what we have is good enough for standard use or if the items are better off scrapped and recycled in somethin' else."
-He stops talking and blinks as he looks up from the laptop screen at Bea-
"Unless you've got any better ideas?"
Bea: Wow…sorry, the laptop is just a trip. I mean, it makes sense! Lots of ways to use a laptop without the internet. But still, kinda wild to see. Almost feels…normal.
-a little self conscious as he stares, she shoves her hands in her pockets-
That sounds good though! Do you have time now, or do we need to schedule it? I don’t wanna mess with your flow.
Jock: "Huh, normal. Who knew such a thing could exist anymore, huh?!"
-He picks up on her self-consciousness, recognising the hands in the pockets trick he uses whenever required. He first looks up at the ceiling and then back to his laptop, figuring that's a more normal look to divert his gaze for the moment.-
"Yeah, I have time now. And you can mess with my flow. I give you permission!"
Bea: -surprised to find herself smiling- Well that’s mighty gracious of you. Maybe…start with the big stuff like coats and jackets?
Jock: -he smiles at his screen before peeking over the top of it, trying to be careful to not make Bea feel self-conscious again by staring too much. He closes his laptop and gets to his feet. He shakes his legs out before pointing further into the Supermarket before walking in the same direction.-
"The clothing section is that-a way. As we walk, may I interest you in some awkward small talk? How long have you lived in Redwood?"
Bea: -she followed his lead- I love awkward small talk, it’s the only kind I’m any good at. And I’ve been here…almost six months? It feels longer. But also like I just got here yesterday, y’know? You’re brand new, right?
Jock: "Yeah, brand spanking new. Got here just in time for the prom and everything though. I don't remember seeing you there though?"
Bea: I was only there for a little bit. Things got kinda chaotic and while I love some drama when I’m watching from a safe distance, it was a little much for me. Shame, too, my friend Cass helped me find this really snazzy old ball gown to wear…kinda went to waste. Did you have a good time?
Jock: "I'm sorry about your ballgown. Can you not wear at home? Give it a twirl whenever you feel the need? Is that something people do?"
-He winces as he thinks about his night at the prom-
"Yeah, I saw some of that drama up way too close for my comfort. But I did get to meet some new people, so it wasn't all bad. The whole thing was kinda too much for me though. I do better in more mellow situations!"
Bea: -she nods, mostly to herself- God, I’m right there with you. Not big on parties. I kinda like the ones here ‘cause they’re few and far between. And it gets better the longer I’m here and get to know people. I didn’t have much fun at the first one I was here for, but since then, my friend met the apparent love of her life…and man, that was cute as hell to see at prom. It’s easier to like the social stuff when you like the people there, I guess. What were you doing before you made it here?
Jock: -The concept of people finding love in the apocalypse causes Jock's eyebrows to raise. He never managed to find love before the world ended so he had given up hope of finding it after the end of the world. it was good to know it was actually possible though.-
"It's good to know it gets better. And good for your friend, that sounds awesome, it really does. I was at a place called Hyland Farm before here. It was home for about five years. I was doing the same there as here: inventory management, but on a much smaller scale than here."
Bea: Oh wow, did something happen to it? Or did you just decide to move on?
Jock: "The Hylands, Len and Gerry, they both passed, leaving me and, like, a handful of others living on their farm. The others, they were all planning on moving on and I couldn't look after the whole place alone so I had to move on too."
-His expression gets sadder as he talks about his former home but he changes it when they reach the necessary aisle-
"We've arrived at our destination. Thank you for travelling Jock Airways!"
Bea: -she could see his expression drop as he talked about losing his home. It wasn’t her place to say, what with not knowing him yet, but she felt sure he’d find some kind of home at Redwood. Then he made his joke and she snorted again.- Okay, I gotta ask—where does “Jock” come from? I’ve heard Jack and I’ve heard Brock, but Jock’s a new one.
Jock: "My birth name's Joseph but I never felt like it really fit me. At school, some kids started calling me Jock as a joke since I was rubbish at sports and I kinda just owned it. Like, yeah I'm the Jock who can't throw for shit, what of it? And it stuck."
Bea: Well it's interesting, at least. Unique. More fitting than Joseph, anyway. -She was glad for the distraction of the clothes before her since she was getting to the rambling phase of her small talk strategy- Wow, we've got more than I expected, that's great! A little short on things for kids, but it's way easier to make things for kids by hand.
Jock: "Thanks!"
-Now they had reached their destination, Jock settled himself back on the floor, his legs crossed and laptop already open on his lap, fingers racing across the keyboard-
"Ready to start cataloguing everything when you are."
Bea: -the work went quickly once they got a good rhythm going- Y'know, this reminds me of the time I took an archaeology class and we took this trip to a place that was a quarry site for the Hopewell tribe and I thought I'd be like, digging in the dirt or being all cool like Indiana Jones, but mostly I just counted rocks while a grad student filled out spreadsheets. Except this is way more useful. And I'm not sweating my ass off. And less dirt.
Jock: "Yeah but if every archaelogist was like Indiana Jones, they'd be whipping all over the place and shouting about things belonging in museums but not getting any of the essential work done, like cataloguing rocks for research purposes."
Bea: Well that’s a very practical outlook you’ve got there, my professor would’ve loved you. -she counted the last rack of heavy coats and leaned over behind him to peer at the spreadsheet- 7 more women’s, 5 men’s, and one toddler coat on this last rack. There’s one with a faulty zipper I’m gonna take home and fix, but we’re in way better shape than I thought.
Jock: "Yeah, I prefer practical. Makes more sense than anything else. Which is really obvious now I've said it out loud!"
-He finishes tapping in the last of the figures as Bea leans in to take a look at the numbers. He adds that one jacket is going with Bea to be fixed up before looking over his shoulder at her-
"I haven't had a chance to go through all of the overflow storage yet so there might be more coats and stuff there. But for now, I think this is it for the supermarket's stock. The towels and blankets are in a different aisle. You wanted a look at those too, right?"
Bea: Yes! Thank you for this, by the way. The last guy who was here in charge of inventory…well, we butted heads a lot. Made this kinda thing a chore to dread.
Jock: -Jock closes his laptop and gets to his feet. He gives Bea a soft frown-
"Good to know I'm making a good impression so far. The previous guy, though, what did he do to butt heads? I'm not asking to be nosy but to make sure I can avoid butt heads with you. I don't wanna do that."
Bea: Oh, I don’t think that’ll be a problem. You seem far too sweet to pull the same shit he did. He and I got to Redwood at the same time, so we were stuck in the precinct together for a while and he was just…-she grumbles to herself- Grumpy? Grumpy’s the nice word for it. And since I wasn’t, I don’t know, edgy and cynical and brooding all the time, he acted like I was a naive child. -she scrunches her nose up in disgust- He called me Barbie all the time. Not even a clever insult.
Jock: -She calls him sweet and immediately he blushes. He bashfully looks down at the floor as he wills the bluch flushing in his cheeks to go away-
"Yeah, I never got the whole edgelord, cynical thing. Even at my worst and even when the world ended, I never got it. Good to know you don't get it either."
-He looks up to see her adorable nose scrunch and he scrunches his own when she tells him about the insult-
"I solemnly swear to never call you Barbie unless you ask me to."
Bea: -she snorts at the last promise- I have never once likened myself to Barbie, so that’s highly unlikely. Maybe Strawberry Shortcake though. -they make it to the home linens aisle and she lifts a large beach towel with Yoda printed on it- Mm, no accounting for taste, huh? But the ridiculous thing is, a towel this big is perfect for insulating the drafty doors of some of the cabins around town. Like David’s. You met David yet? If you haven’t, once you do, imagine him with an 8 foot Yoda covering his front door.
Jock: "I also promise to not call you anything other than your name unless you tell me too. I just wanna cover all bases, y'know!"
-He looks at the large Yoda towel and grins at it-
"Nah, I ain't met David yet but if he doesn't want this, I'll take it. You not a Star Wars fan, then?"
Bea: I am, actually! I mean, I know Star Trek a lot better, but I loved Star Wars growing up. Never been big on merch, though. Kinda…overstimulates my eyeballs, y’know? Hey, where are you living, anyway? Do you have all the linens and stuff you need?
Jock: "Yeah I liked Star Trek but I loved Star Wars, y'know what I mean? They talked a lot on Star Trek and my attention span couldn't handle that whereas Star Wars moved faster with more explosions. Way more my speed!"
-He looks at the towel and as much as he loves it, he can see where Bea is coming from-
"I'm in a trailer out by the solar panel yard, just a little, basic place but it's more than enough for me. I got linens, towels, plates and cutlery. How about you? What kind of place do you have?"
Bea: -she's so focused on the idea of making sure his will be kept warm that she's not expecting the shift to her- Oh, uh…similar, actually. A little trailer on the farm. Means I can keep near the sheep. I'm kinda invested in the whole wool thing.
Jock: -He smiles as she is quick to reassure him. This adds to the good vibe he's picking up from her, like she is a genuinely good person, the type he wants to be friends with-
"You had me going for a moment there! I'm very glad you agree though. Makes me feel good. Not that you owe me anything, wanna make that very clear!"
Bea: -she frowns a little at his clarification and nudges her elbow against him- It’s okay, yeah? Maybe I do owe it to you. You seem decent. You should be owed some decency in return.
Jock: -His cheeks flush in the wake of Bea's nudge and assurances-
"Thank you. I try. Not that decency is difficult for me but not everyone thinks the way I do. Then again, the way I think has been called unique on more than one occasion, and once by a therapist if you can believe it… So towels. We should be counting towels!"
-He winces at his less-than-delicate segue in the conversation-
Bea: -she takes a deep breath and weighs his wording before getting brave and pointing one thumb at herself- I’m on the spectrum. Let your freak flag fly. Whenever you’re comfortable, I mean. Aaaaaand in the meantime, yes. Let’s count some towels.
Jock: -He's grinning now and he can't resist bouncing on the balls of his feet for half a moment in his excitement. It feels like he's about to make a good friend here with Bea. As well as getting some good work done that will benefit the town. That too!-
"Towels, towels, lots of towels!"
-He sits on the floor again, his legs crossed like last time and gets his laptop open again-
In which an exasperrated Jock is calmed by Vivienne's steady nerve and cookies.
@vivienneastor
Jock
-Jesus fucking Christ! This prom was really throwing things back to high school for Jock, complete with a distressing run-in with the resident bully. Jock had used up all of his bravery for the night and he needed to get out of there and get home. He was reeling so hard from Zack roughing him up that as he tried to make his retreat from the prom, he didn't realise he was about to collide with a woman who looked way too classy to be here.-
-He caught himself just in time, waving his hands out either side of his body to balance himself and prevent himself from falling into the woman-
"Sorry! Excuse me! I wasn't looking- Sorry!"
Vivienne Astor
-reaching out to cinch her grip on the young man's arm as he flails, her well-toned strength making it not too onerous to keep him upright- Calm down. What are you rushing around for? Is somebody chasing you? -peers behind him, into the dim- This place seems almost lawless.
Jock
-At least she didn't shout at him for nearly knocking her over. Jock took a breath in the hopes it might steady him-
"I'm sorry. I just- There was this guy and I pissed him off and he kinda sorta threatened me and pushed me around and I ain't good at fighting and-"
-Another breath and a stronger intent to follow her initial instruction of calming down-
"I don't think he's chasing me but I really don't wanna see him again."
Vivienne Astor
That seems reasonable. Here, have something to eat. That'll ground you. -she holds out her own plate of nibbles, bits of roasted squash and apples and nuts, some acorn flour cookies- Don't worry, I'll protect you from this guy. I'm Vivienne. I'm quite new here and I wouldn't mind the company. -in truth, she could give or take the company, but it would likely make this young fellow feel bolstered if it seemed he was needed-
Jock
-Jock blinks at the offered plate as his brain takes an extra moment to process what is required of him. He takes a cookie and nibbles on it. He looks at the woman with wide eyes, evidence of his panic still to be found there-
"Thank you. I'm Jock. I'm new too. Only been here a couple of weeks. Still learning how things work. Turns out: not everyone is as friendly as everyone else."
Vivienne Astor
That's something that exists everywhere, Jock. I take it you prefer to be one of the friendly sort? -Vivienne eyes him as he eats the cookie, still seeming faintly rattled around the edges- If you've only been here a short time, what on earth could you have done to upset this person? I hope they won't pursue it.
Jock
"You don't prefer the friendly sort?"
-He lets out a snort before taking a few more nibbles of the cookie, which is helping to ground him but the adrenaline is still rushing through him-
"And all I did was point out he shouldn't destroy the smoke detector and then he got up all in my face and maybe I antagonised him a bit but I didn't deserve to be thrown around and then pinned on the floor."
Vivienne Astor
-tuts in sympathy- Poor little creature. It does sound like your bully has a bit of a temper. Did he manage to hurt you? Or is it more your nerves that are shaken. Here, have some squash, it's candied, you'll like it.
Jock
-He barely finished the cookie when the candied squash is put into his hand. Dutifully he takes a bite and sure enough, Vivienne was right: he did like it-
"More the nerves. You're being very kind. Thank you. Though I'll understand if you'd rather go and talk to someone who isn't sulking after getting beaten up."
Vivienne Astor
I don't think you're sulking. But you shouldn't presume how other people would rather spend their time. -Vivienne's tone tends towards authoritarian rather than scolding, but she does hear how it might sound and pauses after that declaration- I don't ... intend to be short with you, Jock. I suppose it's been stressful getting here.
Jock
-He's still nibbling away at his candied squash as Vivienne corrects him. He nods as he takes it in, storing this information away to be remembered during future social interactions-
"I don't think you've been short with me. I get it. The whole world is stressful. It was before the virus anyway but now it's like the stress took something like steroids and it's angry about it and making us all suffer for it... Or something!"
Vivienne Astor
-her mouth curves into a smile at Jock's prattling, and she gives him a more measured look this time, like his own moment of consideration- Or something. What do they have you doing here in town, Jock? I understand that we're all meant to figure out vocations for ourselves, in this new steroid-jacked reality.
Jock
-Not many people appreciated his prattling but Vivienne appeared to be one of the few.-
"Oh, me, I'm one of the Inventory Managers, helping keep track of supplies and such. Do you know what you might be interested in doing?"
Vivienne Astor
-sighs, not finding much appeal in the job Jock's selected for himself- I haven't got a clue. I'm not accustomed to much manual labour. Or general labour. I can cook but not with the limited pantry available here. But that's likely a usual part of settling in here, hmm? -she eats one of the squash pieces herself- Do you like it? Inventory management.
Jock
"I think one of the Council has, like, a list of available jobs. If none apply to your skillset, maybe they adapt something for you?"
-Jock wasn't sure if that would actually work but it wasn't his job to decide that. Vivienne appeared to be a capable and self-assured person. She'd find something that suited her, he was sure of it-
"Yeah, I like it. I like keeping things in order and knowing what we have and what we don't have and stuff. I'm not the best at describing it and making it sound exciting but it works for me."
Vivienne Astor
Yes, that's a good suggestion. They can adapt something for me. -she smiles, pleased at this notion of the Council arranging their current jobs to make one specifically that Vivienne cares to do- You've described it fine. Did you consider it part of your job as inventory manager, confronting that bully about the smoke alarms?
Jock
-He smiles when Vivienne does, his ego puffing out a little for managing to impress her somewhat. But it falters when she directs the conversation back to what had happened with Zack.-
"I consider it part of my duty to the community to keep everyone safe. Smoke alarms are there for a reason, right? And it ain't for some asshole to come along and rip them from the wall."
Vivienne Astor
-she can see his reluctance to dwell on this, which makes it that much more enticing- That's very commendable. Is that the common view around here, have you noticed? Working for the good of the community, even if there's people here liable to attack you for doing the right thing? That seems somewhat paradoxical, to me.
Jock
-He couldn't tell if she missed how uncomfortable he was talking about Zack again or she didn't miss it and pushed on anyway. He decided that regardless of which was the case, it was good for him to confront it, much like he would've in therapy back in the days before the virus-
"So far, the majority of people seem to wanna help others. I can list a bunch of people who live here and how they help others, way more than the other kind of people who, like you said, attack you for tryin' to do the right thing. So far though, Zack is the only asshat. The good outweigh the bad, for sure, in my experience at least."
Vivienne Astor
-the change in her posture is immediate; Vivienne draws herself up, her grip on her plate tightening- Zack. Of course it would be. -her expression flickers through a few rapid variations, coming to rest in something neutral, placid but understanding- Zack is my husband.
Jock
-His eyes go as wide as possible as soon as she confirms she's married to Zack-
"He's your what? You married him? Why?"
-Again, his eyes bug out when he realises his potential error. He shakes his head and scratches the back of his neck-
"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that. But of all the people you might be married to, I never pictured it being Zack."
Vivienne Astor
-Vivienne shakes her head, gathering herself- It's all right. It's a natural reaction, in fact. We've been married for... -she startles, looking shocked; she hasn't actually thought about it for a while- Thirty years. I know what he's like, but only up to a point. -she hesitates for a moment, but -- what can it matter, now? with all the Astors gone, and Jock hardly looking like a society reporter?- They were a cold family, the Astors. Zack and I had a marriage of mostly convenience.
Jock
-Jock is reassured he doesn't need to remove his foot from his mouth this time around. He's gonna need to watch it though if he doesn't want to end up on Vivienne's bad side too-
"Wow. Thirty years is impressive though. Most people who marry for love don't even last that long, y'know?"
Vivienne Astor
That's ... I've never looked at it that way before. -Vivienne chuckles slightly, nibbling at one of the fried apple slices- Are you with someone, Jock? Or were you?
Jock
"Nah, I don't have anyone. It's just me. Before the virus and after. Which is probably for the best consider my-"
-he waves his free hand, the one without a piece of candied squash in it, in the air-
"Issues."
Vivienne Astor
Issues? -she perks up, chewing faster on her apple- You can't just drop that and not elaborate. Don't worry, I'm very discreet. I just also happen to be nosy.
Jock
-He considers how much to tell Vivienne, considering her connection to Zack. But ultimately he decides his issues were all documented in the town's records as part of his admissions process. Anyone with access to those records would be able to find out how deep his issues go, if they really wanted to. So he starts counting them out on his fingers.-
"There's the agoraphobia, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the C-PTSD, the ADHD and there's probably more but those are the main ones."
Vivienne Astor
-she nods- Ah, yes, I see. And are you finding that the people here are equipped to provide support for you?
Jock
"There's a therapist here in Redwood apparently. I haven't met them yet but if they're willing to work with me, that'll go a long way I think."
Vivienne Astor
That's fortunate indeed. It's good that you'll find the help you need here.
Jock
"Thanks."
-After finishing the piece of candied squash Vivienne had handed to him, he wipes his hands on his pants.-
"And thanks for feeding me and letting me ramble at you. Appreciate it."
Vivienne Astor
Stay out of the way of any more grumpy fellows and smoke alarms if you can help it tonight, Jock.
Who are your favourite and least favourite people in town so far?
"Gonna list the people who I didn't know prior to arriving in Redwood since Renee and her boys, Maya and Nicki have an unfair advantage over everyone else.
"With that in mind, my favourites are: Mayra, Vivienne, Vi, Orion and Bea.
