𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄

dr. jamie "coop" kuiper 40, medical. kasimir janson 37, patrol. kasha veldsman 45, seal.

[lnabsolutes]

wvrldsend​:

“some might find it comforting.” did she? there was a possibility. it was authentic, gave her a little something of him that she hadn’t known. those little aspects of people were so rare these days. it was somewhat disheartening to think about, that fact that getting to know others on a different level, on a deeper level, wasn’t something that was prioritised anymore. those details of others simply faded because they weren’t needed to survive. there was no comfort in that for theo, no comfort in people losing pieces of themselves. who was she without those pieces? 

his initial reaction forced a small pull at the corner of her lips, before she blinked back at him. “is it out of your nature to be gentle?” she watched him, light furrow across her brow, teeth gently nipping at the curvature of her lower lip as her chocolate hues noted the way he travelled over her in thought. the twist in her gut knotting itself a little tighter the longer his gaze lingered on her skin. but then the shake of his head happened, the words leaving him and forcing light rejection to untangle the knot that had been growing in the base of her womb. blinking once more, she gave a small nod, licking her lips as she leaned back into the couch. “in the morning then.” 

-

      coop didn’t find comfort in being one of the last. perhaps it was now up to him for the language to have some semblance of life left to it ---but that wasn’t a responsibility he wanted to bear. he already carried too much - atlas, threatening to crumble under the weight of the world, the heaviness of his own. and he was so goddamn tired. that kind of exhaustion seemed never to leave him, now. it was sewn into his bone marrow, apart of the very fibers of him where an autopsy would reveal blood and sinew and exhaustion all held together by the meat of him. he could sleep a thousand years and still feel that kind of tired. coop was sure it would never end.

      at her insistence of in the morning then he nodded, gave a soft hum of agreement where he was sure she’d forget by then. ---it wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes either. now he craved the feel of his mattress, the world of nothingness where he didn’t dream. though his gaze lingered on her a moment more, considered some unknown shape of her hidden beneath the folds of her shirt and the sweatpants, before he blinked away and shuffled for his room. he had no recollection of shirking his boots and socks, jeans or his t-shirt, of pulling his own sweatpants on before he collapsed onto the bed and moaned into the pillow for how much it all was. something sure and sincered from the center of his chest.

      “ half an hour, ” coop murmured into his bed, as if setting some internal alarm where he’d rise then to check on theo and ensure she wasn’t feverish.

[kerriganwrites]

      ——inheritance, (insp).

[lnabsolutes]

rubydelgado​:

It sounded so simple and easy to believe when he said it, Ruby could almost have convinced herself she was silly for worrying. The surety of his words, the obviousness that he believed what he was saying, reminded Ruby of one of her old friends, someone she hadn’t seen since everything went to hell. Maybe alive somewhere. Maybe not. “It’s funny, isn’t it, that we used to say that about the old world? You know, having a drink at the end of a hard day…” She shook her head, laughed weakly. “We had no idea. From that perspective I feel more than entitled to several drinks.” Looking over at him, she frowned. “You’ve been here a while, haven’t you? Has it started feeling normal yet?”

-

      did it start feeling normal yet? he supposed normal was objective, now. kas had adapted to the world as it was, now ... but he supposed he had little to no choice in the matter. too many people spent their time dwelling on the circumstances of life now, circling around the idea of impending death and shortages ... rations, the harvest. he understood. but it was no way to conduct themselves if they hoped to live while being alive. so he grabbed his beer and had another drink, swallowing the mouthful down as if it didn’t cost nearly an arm and a leg to have - as if it wouldn’t short him somewhere else, potentially. they deserved a break, now and again.

      “ yes. no. i don’t think i’ll ever be used to the world outside, those things. but i accepted my lot here when i was assigned it and i am ready to just see how tomorrow is. one day at a time. and then it becomes normal. as soon as you divorce yourself from life before, it becomes normal. ”

[lnabsolutes]

[engulfes]

something deeply intimate about being outside early in the morning all alone and seeing the world as she is

[lnabsolutes]

wvrldsend​:

“i like it.” a soft comment, her body feeling heavier now as the comfort of the couch cushions took some weight off her joints, only letting her feel the stress of her day. “you should speak it more often.” she thought about maybe speaking more in her mother tongue, but it was the one thing her and her mother shared. she spoke english to her father, spanish to her mother. her mother sort of took that with her. 

she blinked back at him, brow furrowing slightly before a light chuckle left her. “No, I meant with me— ” she trailed off, licking her lips slightly before she reached for the glass of water again, throat suddenly a little dry. it wasn’t something she did often, it wasn’t something she thought about often either, given that it was not a priority these days. but it had been a substantial amount of time, and she wasn’t above asking. “ like you and I having sex, not so much if you have sex sometimes.” another chuckle left her, there was a comfort here, clearly. 

-

      “ no use in speaking a dead language. ” he’d chased his accent away in his teenage years, only the odd word seemed to perk a lilt that would fall unnatural to an american’s ear. he thought little of it, though a small part of him felt the odd sort of sadness for the idea that entire cultures were dead, now. languages that would never be spoken again, traditions that would fall to memory ---if that. it was the exhaustion. coop scrubbed at his face with his palms as if to chase the thought away entirely. and when he dropped his hands he felt the slightest bit disconnected from it - his tether to the awake world slipping. he wanted his bed, needed it, and his body agreed.

      no, i meant with me. one brow rose in slightest, the only register of emotion on his face, the slightest of expressions to suggest he was at least thinking of the meaning. like the wires weren’t connecting, as if he needed assistance getting across the finish line. but he understood, and he snorted somewhere at the back of his throat. “ you’ll tear your stitches. ” but that was the only argument. she was beautiful. physical interaction like that was useless, now. the compound couldn’t afford to have any accidents, and children were a big accident. still, his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than needed - shifting down to the shape of her shoulders from the curve of her neck, to her thigh through the borrowed sweatpants, and coop shook his head. “ get some sleep. you’ll need it. ”

[lnabsolutes]

darianbackstrom​:

Darian wasn’t old. Not really, but the last year seemed to have aged him considerably. Darian was always tired, even if he thought he was used to the bone-shattering fatigue he felt during his time in the Marines, but this was a different kind of exhaustion. It never seemed to leave him even if he slept through the night. “Oh yes. You are a fossil Coop. I’m surprised you’re still working. Why aren’t you planning your retirement? Are you going to travel during your old age? Maybe move to Spain?” 

With a roll of his eyes, Darian nudged Coop with his foot when he called him ‘boss’. “Maybe I should tell him that someone did this but refuse to tell him who it was. To torment him a little. He deserves it.” He paused momentarily before continuing. “I doubt you would see me again if I would do that.” He whispered as if he was worried the walls could hear him.

-

      “ yeah, out to spain where i can be torn to pieces by spanish undead. sounds like a dream. ” retirement didn’t seem to be in the cards anymore, but even if this wasn’t a jesting situation he couldn’t imagine sitting still enough to cut back on work. he was too used to the adrenaline, too situated with small things to keep his hands busy before he went absolutely insane. it was why he didn’t mind it here, even if he worked hours that had him questioning his sanity on the odd occasion. it wasn’t as if he slept cleanly ---to used to keeping an ear open, and now it suited the end of the world too well. he shook his head as he patted the bandage onto the graze, enough to stick the adhesive but not enough to irk the wound. “ if i went anywhere, it’d be back to the netherlands. but that’s never going to happen. ”

      and he sighed, sitting back in the stool and cracking his neck when he did. “ or ... just don’t tell him anything. no need to bother him with something this small. but make sure that you’re more careful with whatever it was you were doing ... and potentially whoever you were doing it with. last thing we need is an accidental discharge killing someone. ” it was gun safety 101, but even the basics escaped some. “ some people aren’t meant to handle firearms. and that’s alright. ”

[lnabsolutes]

[vivienvalentino]

MICHIEL HUISMAN Harley and The Davidsons, 2016

[lnabsolutes]

itsandrcw​:

It was even worse when he knew the other was just being nice about it. Andrew instantly recognized Kas – seeing that they’ve been on many night patrols together, so he knew the other would be tired. Hell, he was just surprised Kas didn’t snap at him, especially if one craved sleep after a long night of duty.

“Maybe I should wake up and actually watch where i’m going.” he decided to take a nap for an hour or so before his shift, just to ensure that this didn’t happen while he was on patrol. Andrew couldn’t help but look the other over, as if ensuring that he didn’t cause enough damage. 

“How about I get you some ice? Follow me?” sure he could have let the other go, but that just seemed rude especially after ramming a door into his forehead. He was sure that may leave a bump or a red mark. The least he could do was offer him ice? “–Or coffee to you know, safely wake you up rather than bumping into you on occasion.” he added sheepishly. He felt like an idiot, the least he could have done was offer him – something.

-

      it wasn’t in his nature to snap, certainly not over a little mistake. he was used to functioning in high-stress situations from a life before the apocalypse, it translated over well ---his cool demeanor. kas was unflappable, and he’d certainly had worse happen to him than being clocked in the forehead by a door. ( in truth he was still coping with the grief of it all, but the cheshire grin that curved his lips upward perpetually would never give away that he was attempting to overcome his loss ). in fact, he’d never so much as informed the seals about his trauma - they didn’t need to know the circumstances of his arrival, just that he’d come alone and free of wounds, and that was that.

      but tragedy as easily pushed aside, replaced by the light throb at his hairline where the door had made impact. but he didn’t fuss or argue, rather just followed after andrew like a lost kitten tottling after a human they’d run into on their way. “ ice is fine. even that’s too much, i promise i’m alright. ”

      still, he followed after, aware that it was rude to decline and keep going on his way, especially with how bent out of shape andrew seemed to be. and that was his nature, or as much as kas had observed in their time on patrol together. it was refreshing to see someone else who tried to remain light - all of the seriousness in ravenswood would be far deadlier than any viral outbreak, in his opinion. “ i would never presume to imagine there’s enough rations in the world to spend on an apology coffee. ice is easier, definitely. and honestly, it’s fine. no need to feel bad. ”

[lnabsolutes]

rubydelgado​:

“It’s a good thing I’m a lightweight,” said Ruby ironically, hands clasped around a drink at the tavern and a bitter smile on her face. “Because using rations on alcohol feels really irresponsible, doesn’t it?” With a heavy sigh, she finished off her beer and shook her head, feeling the effects of it though she’d only had the one. “Then again I think I might actually lose my mind if I had to stay sober twenty-four-seven right now, so technically I’m just looking after my mental health.” And then, finally, she laughed. “Sorry. Not to be a buzzkill.” ( @harveststarters )

-

      “ i don’t think it does. ” though there might have been a deadly, raging virus dictating their lives presently, it didn’t mean that self care didn’t still exist. it just came in different forms. life shifted to working more, now ---busying one’s self with survival as opposed to hobbies, and stress was always at its limits. the bar had been a good idea, or kas imagined its operation to be among those who’d decided to give it life, and it was their rations to spend as they pleased. he sipped from the very full rim of his glass before he set it down, licked at the line of his lips to rid them of the foam, and rolled his shoulder.

      “ there’s nothing wrong with finding ways to wind down at the end of a hard day. and if you can afford to spend the ration on a drink or two, why not? sometimes you need an escape from the shit of the world. ”

[lnabsolutes]

bathildarichter​:

@harveststarters​     (    location,  somewhere in the compound    )

rounds were almost over, which was an odd thought to have. rounds, shifts, she remembers those like found, but old memories in a place that no longer existed. worked for a government that crumbled at the first sign of trouble. having a bed to lay in, being able to breath somewhat easier behind walls  …  that’s not something she thought she’d have again. her mind is brought back to the present when brain catches up to what her eyes are seeing, and she’s thrown back into work.    ‘ hey.    ’    bathilda announces herself, stiffly might she add.    ‘    do you need any help?    ’

-

      she kept odd hours. the military had drilled light sleeping into her years ago, the ability to catch a cat nap in twenty minutes to quickly recharge her batteries for small bursts of energy and task fulfillment. it was an endlessly useful skill here, where it seemed work was an endless juggle of what was more important. some might have imagined the seals would abuse their power, shirk off their responsibilities onto the rest of the compound while making them work for their keep, but kasha had a hard time sitting on her hands. she always had.

      eyes shifted from the power cells before her, laid out and deconstructed to repair the fault parts, where they relied so heavily on solar power. patrol. they answered directly to the seals, broken down and under the guidance of one of wolfgang’s personal unit. part of task delegation was overseeing them, and it wasn’t strange for them to check in before clocking out. kasha shook her head, turning her attention back onto her screw driver.

      “ i’m good. you can go home, if you’re done. sleep, or rest. ”

[lnabsolutes]

itsandrcw​:

@harveststarters​ (– open to anyone and everyone; assume connections.)

     It had been a long night, or maybe a short night? Regardless, sleep was still needed. Sleep is what Andrew craved in this moment, but seeing that it was later in the afternoon and his shift would start soon, he needed to stay awake. He’d rarely eaten but that’s because he rarely had much at his place of stay. Or they ran out fast - or perhaps his roommate just liked to eat alot. Whatever the reason, he still needed food items for later, so Andrew was quick on his feet to head to the grocers.

His mind had been preoccupied with tonights scheduling. Whether he should ask to change patrol shifts, or if he should continue the night shifts. Rather than watching where he was going, Andrew had pushed the door to the grocers pretty fast and even hard that the person on the other end of the door had either gotten a door in their face, or you know knocked down because of his stupidity. 

He instantly realized his mistake and stepped in to see the damage he had caused. The extreme list of apologies began as he reached out to help the other. “I am so sorry, I did not even see you. Are you hurt? Do you need help? I’m so sorry!” 

-

      bonk.       it was enough of an impact to temporarily wipe the ever-present grin from kasimir’s face, at least the surprise of the door whacking him in the forehead ( mercifully no other part of his face ) was enough to pull him from his reverie. he was a night patrol regular, preferring to exist in the space of the dark where he could talk to himself to keep company, or imagine he was anywhere else in the world but at its end. of course, noting that he had a preference for that shift only went so far ---few times in his months here he rotated back today schedules and ended up all but sleep-walking his way through ravenswood until he either adjusted or got put back on his preference ( usually the latter ).

      his initial reaction was to glance down at his hand, to ensure that what he’d purchased wasn’t on the floor, released with the surprise of the whack, and when the bag was still clutched between his fingers he looked back up to his attacker and let the usual wide smile occupy his features once more. it never quite met his eyes, but it was convincing enough.

      “ i’m alright. ” laughter laced his words, the soft throb at the point of impact in his forehead was a hell of a lot better than some of the wounds he’d suffered while being here. he’d take it over them any day. “ i think you woke me up, is all. ”

[lnabsolutes]

ofjohnson​:

» @harveststarters  ​ —   O P E N

The compound was restless. Everyone in Ravenswood knew that the weather was changing, the wind growing fiercer and the nights growing colder, it was only a matter of time until a storm hit them. Most were trying to stockpile, doing their best to get an inventory of the resources they had available and begging the patrols to locate necessary items — and Nate wasn’t above begging.

“We’re running low on a lot of shit,” he grumbled to the person next to him, “Gauze and bandages we can make from old sheets and shit, but medicine…. even the small stuff like painkillers.” He heaved a sigh and shook his head, trying not to get caught up in the what if scenarios of their dystopian world. “Let’s just say we need a lot of help, especially with the storm coming… I’ve got a feeling it’s not gonna be easy for anyone.”

-

      “ noted. ” there was a tightness to kasha’s jaw that never really seemed to leave - as if she were always biting back something more to each of her statements. easily it could be assumed that she was simply displeased with helping in medical inventory today, but in the reality she didn’t mind it ---she was just surly. her lips pressed into a thin line while she considered the possibilities as well ... she hoped the staff wasn’t handing out what they did have like candy. ( it was never safe to assume ).

      “ there’s a clinic that wasn’t too far from here, but we emptied it out last harvest. i know there’s a small, private hospital about six miles out, but that’s a hospital. ” and they were as good as ground zero in this place. still, the need for supplies, especially before the harshness of winter truly hit, would outweigh that. maybe a morning run, early, between two of the seals if the supplies were badly needed. “ i’ll talk to west about it. basic supplies, medicine ... anything else? ”

[lnabsolutes]

darianbackstrom​:

Darian bit down on his lower lip to hide the smile that threatened to make an appearance when coop pointed out that he should have been more careful. “Perhaps I’m getting sloppier with old age.” This time around, he was unable to keep himself from smiling. Slowly the smile began to fade, and Darian didn’t say anything for a long moment. Instead, he watched Coop work before he finally added. “Between you and me, I just don’t want to get anyone in any trouble, and I should have been more careful.” He shrugged, causing the wound to bleed a bit more. 

“You shouldn’t waste any supplies on this. You can just wrap it up with whatever you’ve got and call it a day. I will try to make sure it’s clean.”

-

      “ yeah? you’re old? i must be a fuckin’ fossil. ” his snort was soft, stuck somewhere in the back of his throat where it choked out before it could be fully heard. he did have the beginnings of salt and pepper now, shots of grey in his beard and at his temples where they hadn’t been even six months before. he’d blame it on stress if he cared, but there was little to do in the way of aging. not that it really mattered how anyone looked, anymore. not that he really cared how people perceived him, either. still, coop nodded at the instructions, fully intending on doing it his way, anyway.

      “ you got it, boss. ” and he busied himself with cleaning at the skin, as gentle as he could manage while clearing away dried blood and sanitizing it, before he dropped his hands to the bandage. one that would wrap around, gauze becoming more and more prevalent of a tool here than it had been before, where the cuts and scrapes required more than a garfield bandage and a lollipop. “ don’t let wolfgang hear that. sure his head will spin right off its axis. ”

[lnabsolutes]

wvrldsend·:

he worked quickly, and again without much notice. her eyes were on him again as his fingers moved over her skin once more and she felt the heat in her rise again. “— What— what language is that?” she asked, more occupied on that then on what his fingers were actually doing. she didn’t want to look at it again. didn’t want to see what had happened to her, it wasn’t much of a problem anyway as he had soon covered it, leaving it feeling more raw that it already was. 

there was a light cloud over her, fogging her thoughts a little. groggy if that was even the word for it. she leaned back on the couch. looking back at him. “did you just tell me what to do?” she asked with a light chuckle, smile over her features as she sent her eyes over him. theo wasn’t generally one to beat around the bush, she often said exactly what was on her mind but she’d learned to somewhat hold her tongue in recent years. it wasn’t the right place, or time, but theo found herself looking at him longer than was likely deemed appropriate before she stood slowly and pulled the sweatpants on in front of him, taking the pill and swallowing it with the water shortly after. 

“well, squirming is another matter.” the words left her, somewhat hushed, as she sat herself back down, whatever meaning lay implied in them, she held no control over just now, but she watched him again, eyes dark eyes moving over his lips, noting the speckle of grey hair that decorated his jaw. he was obviously an attractive man and there was obviously no point in hiding the attraction. “—do you wanna have sex?” it wasn’t hidden behind other words, theo never really a woman to do that unless she felt the need. 

-

      perhaps in another life he would have been squeamish around medical things. in that life he certainly wouldn’t have been a former field medic in the marines, but a small part of him dared to understand where her hesitation came from. it was noted that she purposely kept her eyes off of what he did while he worked, and when coop was satisfied with the job he gave her space once more. he was so close to his bed now, as if his mind remembered that it was only a room away and decided to start shutting down what it deemed to be lesser-needed functions ... his own haze was settling in place. those dark circles must have looked like eclipses, and when she asked what language he spoke he chuckled softly before wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue.

      “ one i imagine is probably dead, now. ” surely there were people still alive in the netherlands. it was foolish to think that only here was safe, and no other civilizations had banded together. but the chances of him meeting those people was slim, and it felt like he was the last piece of a soon-to-be-forgotten people. or perhaps it would, if he was feeling especially melodramatic. “ dutch. ” and she stood, tugged the sweatpants on pointedly and coop nodded, as if he needed to be sure she could do even that simple thing. he’d only laughed when she questioned if he was ordering her around, ready to offer that he was her doctor and it was prescribed, before she swallowed it down without another tiff.

      and just as he was about to head for that bed room, to change into his own sweatpants and night shirt, to collapse onto his bed and drift into the land beyond, her question came through. and the exhaustion had his answer coming well-before he could process and think about it, well-before he could consider that she was in fact making a pass at him. “ sometimes. ”

      he shrugged, immediately pushing the thought from his mind. sex was pointless now, and the want for it passed just as quickly as it came. still, it didn’t mean he was immune to that desire - just that he was better at pushing it aside.

[lnabsolutes]

wvrldsend​:

she’d started to drift off the more he spoke about it, her stomach turning and twisting and the pain in her leg ( and now her arm from the shot ) was starting to throb. it was somewhat calmed by his laugh, as soft as it was, rumbling in the back of his throat like thunder deep in a valley. her eyes rested on his as he peeled the bag from her shoulder and soothed whatever worry he’d given her over something as dumb as eyes popping out of ones head, before he slipped past her, taking lead and allowing her to move a little easier in his shadow. “yeah so me and the medical stuff— the whole virus thing— I don’t do that stuff well.” she admitted, not really needing to go much more into it. “so I don’t know when— eyes pop out or whatever.” 

his apartment was largely the same as it was when she came around for the check. it was clean for lack of any other word, still holding onto the theory that the man who lived there was nothing more than a ghost. “— every half hour? do I need to worry about anything?” she asked, moving slowly into the middle of the room and sinking onto the couch. she ridded herself of her boots slowly, wincing every so often before she began on the studs on her jeans again. “you don’t need to give me your drugs.” she stated, again wincing as her jeans moved over the wound, colouration clear through the dressing now. 

-

      coop was quick with his collection of things, disappearing into his room to fetch a spare pair of sweatpants and the tylenol he had on the bedside table. he didn’t need it, but he also had a few spare emergency things around just in case. and it’d been months since the sole pill had occupied the space in his apartment, only moved around when he was sure it would be lost into the void of an otherwise clean living space somehow. and though he hadn’t seen her begin to de-robe once more he just had a feeling ---so when he returned to the living room it was with a fresh bandage added to the small pile he had begun putting together.

      wordlessly he stooped beside her, set the sweatpants down on the cushion beside her, and pressed his lips into a thin line. “ ah, verdomme. it’s already starting to seep through. ” everything was automatic. the gentle peel of the hydrocolloid bandage versus the cleaning of the stitches ( and thankfully they were still intact, just blood oozing around them ), and the re-wrapping of her thigh. this time it was a tight loop, gauze around the entirety of her thigh and taped off to keep a decent amount of pressure on. when coop straightened he made for the kitchen, returning with a small glass of water and setting it wordlessly on the coffee table beside his keys.

      “ you’re going to want to take that pill. and it’ll be easier to squeeze into the sweatpants, no constrictions and rubbing. you don’t need to worry about anything but i want to keep an eye on that. especially if you already bled through. worst case i have to re-stitch it. so take it easy, don’t squirm around a lot. ”