Rhys Davies

Emrys Davis, 37 years old, Child Supervisor

[seeing-red-arrow]

[rhyslikespopcorn]

A Shoulder… Just a Shoulder (to cry on?) || Mimi & Rhys

drfitrei‌:

I said- [Mei Zhu almost snaps at him, exasperated, of course she’s alright, why would she say that she is unless she isn’t? Her husband had been asking the same thing, if she was alright, if she was sure. And she had told him the truth; everything was not alright, but there was nothing he could do, and he would just have to trust that she would sort things out. He wasn’t happy with the answer, obviously, but he knew better than to keep asking. So he stopped, and resumed looking at her with worry, which she wasn’t sure was better or worse.

But it isn’t as if she could tell that to Rhys; she does think of him as a friend, but she doesn’t know how much she can trust him. And so, lost for words, she almost stoops to lashing out before catching herself at the last second. She’s been raised better than that, and it is very kind of him to inquire after her well-being. He cares about the people around him. It is an admirable quality, like she’d told Mr. Bastiaans.

She smiles, and it’s a little more genuine this time, if a little tired.] The latter, if you don’t mind. I seem to be in need of some distraction.

[He couldn’t pretend to be surprised by the almost snap. Almost, snap. 

Something must truly be bothering her, but then again, it wasn’t his place to try and make her admit to it. He knew not everyone spit it out after just the tiniest pressure. Whenever he felt terrible, and people asked him if he was okay, Rhys would often start crying right away, and sort of made that very obvious that he wasn’t. 

If Mimi wasn’t okay, then he would do what she wanted to help her. Plus, he was very, very good at distracting people. 

On a daily basis, it felt sort of like his second... third... fourth if he included chores, hunting, and supervising... occupation.]

Okay, perfect, let’s do that then. 

Uhm, can I offer a coffee or something? Tea? Water? Ice-tea? 

Pretty sure I know how to make that. 

[He grinned, offering her his arm, gesturing to the common room.] 

Talking while sitting is always better than talking in the hallway.

Especially at a busy time like now. 

I hate people walking into me.

[Which was a joke, because he had just walked into her, or the other way around. He wasn’t sure.]

[rhyslikespopcorn]

Distractions || JR & Rhys

[When the first message had come in, Rhys had been so distracted that he almost completely forgot about the Mutated Dog Incident. 

So far, he had never before used the PDD to message JR, and it seemed like an impossible thing to expect as well, since last they spoke, the other hadn’t had such a great experience with the digital device. 

Rhys only used his bliep-bliep machine for work, rarely typing in all his thoughts. Simply because the Colony was such a small place, and if he wanted to talk to someone, he would just go out and find someone. 

But it was nice to get a message for once though. Their history was empty, so Rhys quickly filled it up as he walked.

At first typing back was sort of easy, since he was walking in almost deserted hallways, but as the meeting place became sorted out, and he changed his course, more people crowded the place. 

With that he started to loose his focus on walking and typing coherent sentences. Instead, he didn’t even bother retyping things, walked into someone who scowled him with a snarl, and quickly ran the last turns until he made it about five minutes prior to what he told JR. 

He had never been great at figuring out how much time something would take him. 

The kitchen was almost empty, clean dishes from lunch were drying on the counter, the little preparation island was almost spotless, and he felt bad for taking one of the plates and throwing some bread on there. All he could find to put on it was a little batch of hummus that seemed to be someone’s experiment for dinner. 

He hadn’t had much variation of food since D-day, but he found that at least what little they could make with their garden and everything that was traded, was a lot more nutrition-rich than most of what he had eaten before. 

For some reason the bread usually tasted way better, and he liked the process of making it as well. It was sort of calming to pretend he was a baker, or a farmer, or a chef in a 17th century kitchen. 

The hummus was delicious, whomever made it was certainly doing a great job at it. He wondered if they could grow kidney beans on the island. 

He sat down on one of the folding chairs, and leaned against the counter with his head, suddenly aware of how tired he was after the hunting trip. Luckily he didn’t have a shift today, and he was on meal-prep, so he wouldn’t have to do anything in at least a few more hours. 

Maybe he could get that hummus recipe. 

He let his head rest for a bit as he waited.]

@who-is-jr​

[rhyslikespopcorn]

Excuse the Squirrel || Clove & Rhys

[Certain actions should not be taken for their consequences are or could be disastrous. 

As a young boy Rhys had always heard that he should watch his surroundings, that he should be aware of every little thing that was going on around him. A person who was prepared, was less likely to do something stupid. 

Despite their warnings, his parents were always apologizing to random strangers because Rhys was prone to walking into people, jumping in front of strangers, or just generally being clumsy. 

Thus he was used to getting into awkward situations with other people when his parents were no longer there to apologize for him. 

Also, as a young boy it had been sort of adorable, an older man of thirty-seven really had no good reason to be paying no attention at all to other people. 

And if you think his Infection might’ve saved him a whole lot of trouble, it actually did the opposite. 

He had come back from his hunting trip carrying two squirrels, the only catch of that day. To him they looked a little odd, and he always wondered if it was the radiation, or just because he had never really seen one of them up close and personal. Not to mention dead. 

He had bound the squirrels together with a piece of rope, and slung them over his shoulder. 

They bounced around as he walked, not to mention they swung every which way as he talked, gesturing to the others about how he had caught them. 

He was covered to mud up to his midsection, which was sort of part of the story. 

They each went their separate way, Rhys planning on delivering the catch to the kitchen, and he waved at them, the squirrels flying into the air. And as he turned, he saw the creatures fly right in the face of an unprepared stranger. Realizing his mistake as time seemed to slow down, he watched the dead things make a lurch right between the eyes of no other than Clove Modius. His eyes went wide as one of the two hit the other’s face, while the other bounced off of his shoulder.]

Oh. 

[And the squirrels dropped, falling back against his body as the rope pulled on them.] 

OH. I AM SO SORRY!

@clove-modius​

[rhyslikespopcorn]

PDD MSG.  JR » EMRYS DAVIES

JR: kitchen sounds good.

JR: ... you're going to have to tell me about the dog

Emrys: Okay, meet you there in ten.

Emrys: I mean: I'll be there in ten. I'll see you showing up I guess.

Emrys: Mabye. For now I'll pretend I never send you anytihgn, th mutated dog inceident did not happen. I was not invovled. I want that black on white.

Emrys: But if Alios ever asks, i did not tlel you about hte mutated dog incident.

Emrys: Anway, see you in a bit, gonna focus on waliing in a straight line now.

Emrys: I jsut walked into someone and they laooked really mad.

Emrys: if alosi doens't kill me they proably will.

[rhyslikespopcorn]

PDD MSG.  JR » EMRYS DAVIES

JR: Yes

JR: to meeting up

JR: that's a difficult message to ignore by the way

Emrys: Cool, cool!

Emrys: Okay, so, your place, my place? A not yours or my place?

Emrys: Or how about the kitchen?

Emrys: I AM STARVING.

Emrys: Unrelated to the dog incident.

Emrys: Which I'll never tell a soul about.

Emrys: So Kitchen?

Emrys: Or like any other place is cool, you know, just fine. Any place you like.

[rhyslikespopcorn]

PDD MSG.  JR » EMRYS DAVIES

JR: are you busy?

EMRYS: Hey!

EMRYS: Nope, I just came back from the hunting chore.

EMRYS: Almost shot Alois, but so far I don't think he knows it was me.

EMRYS: So I also am probably alive for the next couple of hours.

EMRYS: Wanna to meet up?

EMRYS: I was not responsible for the mutated dog incident.

EMRYS: Sorry, ignore that last message, it was supposed to be for Alois. :p

[rhyslikespopcorn]

What’s Love got to Give || Annie & Rhys

annie-perrault‌:

[It’s funny that Rhys mentions them being cursed, because Lissy’s said similar things before. None of them really linger on it too much, because clearly romance isn’t the right priority to have these days – but they’re a romantic bunch, Annie and her roommates, so it does come up fairly often. It’s easy to play it off as an age thing, because they’re a bunch of young women caught up in difficult times. Of course they’ll focus on the good things where they can.

But it’s also nice to have an older figure, a ‘proper grown up’, agree that romance is fun and it sucks when you’re not having any luck there. Maybe it’s not important, but it’s something to put a smile on Annie’s face – and that feels important enough.] 

Oh my god, yeah, of course they didn’t mind. They were so nice about it, Mira did my hair and everything, they were so excited for me. [Annie really doesn’t know what she’d do without her roommates. She’s a lot less anxious now than she used to be, and she credits them entirely with it.] I wish I was as outgoing as you, just shooting your shot every time. Statistics are in your favour that way too.

[Although Annie is prone to nervous chatter, she rarely says anything regrettable. She does always find a way to regret the things she’s said, but she’s certainly never asked anyone out before. The fear of rejection is too strong.]

Ohh, I am a sucker for forbidden romance. Like, the princess and the stableboy. Or the princess and the princess. Or the pirate and the admiral. But you know how the stories end, right? The truth comes out, and you get to celebrate your romance publicly. Secrets are only fun when you know they’re not gonna be secrets forever.

[He laughed a little when she mentioned that statistics were in his favor. It seemed such an innocent gesture. 

Of course, it also meant he was rejected far too many times, but worth it, he thought, because at least he’d tried.] 

That’s the only thing I hate about being an Elite, I have no roommates. 

Except rats probably. 

Pretty sure I have rats. 

And spiders. 

You have no idea how many of my house I’ve tackled in the common area over the last couple of years, who run every time they see me now. 

[He said with a grin.]

It’s not really about being outgoing, though. It’s more like... thinking something is a good idea and overthinking it so much that it becomes the best possible idea at the moment. 

Also I am really into kissing random attractive strangers who are nice to me. 

So that helps with the statistics. 

[Not all random strangers though. He wouldn’t kiss Annie, maybe a kiss on the forehead like a dad. 

Though he was a fun uncle. 

But there were lots of people who were kind to him who he wasn’t really attracted too. Which counted for a whole lot. But using the word ‘horny’ in this conversation would probably make him feel awkward for a year.] 

Good point, good point. 

The princess and the stableboy.

Favorite forbidden romance movie: The Princess Bride. 

For some reason though, I always identify more with the princess than the stableboy. 

[His smirk was self-aware. But his conclusion was true. He did enjoy being the princess, waiting for someone to take him away from his boring life. 

Though, his gestures were probably more like Westley.]

[rhyslikespopcorn]

Untitled_Elsa & Rhys

elsa--copland‌:

[The overgrown path is narrow but she knows it well enough to avoid the twisted roots and brambles. A bag full of scavenged items clangs against her hip and catch occasionally as she pushes through the forest brush. Her group had been out most of the day and had made their way back to sweep the colony perimeter.

Scavenging days are one of the few times she doesn’t mind using the guide cane the colony supplied when she arrived. She even made a few changes to help her search for resources. She’s particularly fond of the magnetic attachment she crafted to help find metal objects. As she turns down a lower path, it doesn’t take long for her to find something hidden under the forest growth. She clears the moss and carefully inspects the curved surface of the object until her hands trace to the ground where the rest remains buried. 

Her curiosity takes over and she quickly pulls on a pair of gloves. She gives the object a strong tug. The object is much lighter than she anticipates and lifts from out of the ground in one swift motion. Elsa takes a sudden step to steady herself when her heel catches. The landing is surprisingly soft which is less of relief when she sinks an inch in the ground. The smell of mud sets in around her but at least it hasn’t seeped through her jacket. She lies there a moment chuckling at the wheel-shaped object still in her hands. Elsa quiets only as she hears the sound of footsteps close by and without lifting her head she greets them as casually as she can manage.]

Hey there, how’s it going?

[Rhys was very used to be the idiot of the Colony, falling out of trees, falling into puddles of water, losing kids. Really, it could go any way. Being clumsy was sort of his trade-mark. Some people over-thought a lot, some were anxious about things, he was mostly clumsy and then awkward as a result.

He wasn’t much used to other people being a little clumsy, that when it did happen, he quickly ran to the person’s aid. 

He had been coming back from hunting duty - his favorite part of the week - and was completely exhausted by the amount of sounds he had heard during the day. Hunting should be quiet and chill, but most of the time it was neither.

Whenever a new sound reached him, Rhys wouldn’t react with the mind of a hunter, but either jump up and scare off the prey, or spend about twenty minutes trying to determine where it had come from. 

Some of that sounds continued to haunt his dreams.

He ran quickly when he heard someone fall - a sound he was used to because of.... well, because he had heard it often enough.

He saw a young woman - one he recognized but couldn’t right away place - in a puddle of water, asking a random question since she had heard him come closer.

He replied automatically.]

Fine, fine. 

Uhm. Do you need help? 

[He offered, edging closer and stepping through the mud.] 

Kind of muddy situation you’ve got yourself in, you did. 

[rhyslikespopcorn]

Bloom of Sunset || Percy & Rhys

[rhyslikespopcorn]

persevans‌:

[Percy gives him a soft smile.] Thanks. It’s just… what it is. How it went. He didn’t like a challenge, and when life got complicated, he decided to try again. He just stopped coming around. I saw him once with another woman. When I saw them there was a kid with them and I don’t know if he was only hers or both of theirs. [She hated finding that out. She hated, even more, when she told her mother and she was so dismissive of it; like she didn’t care or she already knew.] There was a time I was mad at that little kid. I would get so mad because what made this son better than the one he already had; what made him better than his daughter? But eventually, I realized it wasn’t that kid’s fault. It was all just his. I used to be furious at him, at everything he put my mom through. But now I almost pity him, if that makes sense. Like he was so unable to handle the punches life threw at him that he’d just go and try to start a new one. I doubt he made it a week after the asteroids fell.

[She looks back over to Rhys, almost apologetically for going on about her dad for so long. There was definitely a lot there she hadn’t unpacked yet, and she knows she’ll need to eventually. But this isn’t the time.] But yeah, my mom was great. She definitely cared a lot about us and somehow did even more for us. [Her relationship with her mother was definitely complicated, but there was never a doubt in her mind that she loved her. In an odd way, her mother almost felt more like an aunt, or just a distant relative the older Percy got. She was doing more work, she was around less and when she was she was quiet. Percy and Sam would rarely see her around the house on weekdays, and the weekends she was just very tired. Occasionally she’d have a break or something and they’d all go out and have a good time. But she never really felt that closeness she thought you were supposed to feel with a mother. And even as distant as they got at times, there were times still when Percy wanted nothing more than to just see her. There were things she wanted to tell her and things she wanted help with, sure, but she would be more than happy if she could just see her one more time.]  I think she would’ve really liked you. [And she means it.

She smiles softly and almost a little sadly before reminiscing about Sam. He wasn’t a topic he shared with everyone, but she felt comfortable with Rhys.] He was wonderful. Just funny and kind and always so positive. I looked after him a lot. There was almost a five year age difference, so I was definitely the baby sitter. Which was never a bad thing. Sam was like my best friend as well as my little brother. When we were kids we would play together all the time, and as we got older we would go to the movies or just hang out and talk for hours. He could always make me laugh. [She pauses briefly, tucking a bit of hair back behind her ears.] He almost died when he was about eight. His leg got caught when we were playing by some train tracks. He ended up losing his leg and he had issues with his back for the rest of his life, but even after that, he was still always the same. And I hated it when people would baby him because I saw how much he hated it. But I think I was the worst of it. Because while other people would act like he was incapable of carrying his own things or going upstairs on his own, I tried to keep secrets from him. I wouldn’t tell him about the things going on with our dad or if I was doing something… not good. And I think that was probably worse.

[She blinked, her eyes a little misty. A nervous little laugh left her throat.] Sorry, I’m bringing down the mood, aren’t I?

[Percy listens as he talks about his parents. Her brow furrows a bit. Hearing what he said about them, she wouldn’t have pictured his parents like that with how kind and genuine he seems to be. She knows she’s one to talk, but she just figured they were, well, a little bit like him. Sure, he said they cared about him in their own way, but Rhys just seemed like he cared about everyone. He just seemed so positive–so genuinely optimistic–so often, it was almost hard to imagine that someone would look at him and think that he wasn’t “perfect”. Whatever that was. Probably what her dad was looking for too.

But literally, he even ended his story about how he could’ve had it worse. He was so positive, his outlook on so many things just seemed so bright. How could a parent not think he’s perfect.] That’s… that wasn’t really fair of them. To expect perfection from a child. No child is perfect, they’re all still just learning how to even be a person. But you’re right. It could always be worse. And we both seemed to end up alright now, [she grins a bit.] All the great and not so great things that happened in our lives shaped us to who we are now and led us to this very moment. And I’m glad that it got me to right here, to right now, with you.

[Rhys shook a little as she explained, he could barely imagine what it was like seeing your dad with an other woman, and an other child at that, but he could feel the emotion through her words. It shook him to the bone, thinking that someone could do that. But then again, it wasn’t as if he was positive because he believed humans were perfect. 

Rhys thought people were capable of great kindness, even if they were fundamentally flawed. 

But he liked to see the good in all people. Even Percy’s dad perhaps, but right now, he was only seeing how it had shaped her. Despite it, how she had, as a young woman, been able to see it wasn’t the kid’s fault, how she had gone from being angry at her dad to pitying him. It was kind in a sense, he saw how that had turned her into the strong woman he saw today.]

I think I can understand, in a sense. He could’ve had a great relationship with you, if he had been braver, but he lost that opportunity, because he wasn’t. 

[Rhys concluded. Maybe the wrong conclusion, but that’s how he saw it.

He grinned widely when she suggested her mom would’ve liked him. He hadn’t gotten introduced to the parents much, he had never done the introducing either. Because when he had been younger, and still lived with his parents, he had never dared to bring anyone home with him. 

He wasn’t sure why, to this day, but he always thought his parents wouldn’t like who he hung out with. 

Not even his friends spend time at his place, they would always meet outside. 

Maybe that was one of the reasons why his parents always thought he was up to no good.

Though, they had made it very obvious they approved of nobody they met either. 

Except for the studious girls that often helped him with his classes. Even though they helped him though, he never dared to tell his parents why they stopped helping him eventually. As if telling them that they broke up would somehow add to what they already thought of him.

But the conversation shifted, not in a bad way, to her little brother. The one who wasn’t there anymore. He smiled a kind smile when she started speaking, his hand brushed hers as she continued. 

He couldn’t imagine how painful all of that must’ve been, but he figured a lot of it hadn’t been bad at all. He had always wanted a little brother or sister, and he felt slightly envious, even though she had lost Sam recently, he still figured the time they had together had been amazing.

Thus when she suggested that she was bringing the mood down, he quickly shook his head.]

No, you’re not. 

[He quickly moved forward to give her a hug. A strong one, a bear hug if anything, because he wanted her to know it was alright. Feelings, emotions, sharing these kind of things.] 

I think you were probably the best sister anyone could ever wish for. I think Sammy probably loved you lots. Most likely. Definitely. 

You’re allowed not to tell people things, you were protecting him after all, even if that meant keeping secrets. That’s not a bad thing. It’s not about good and bad after all. Family, that’s always difficult, always a little... I don’t know, grey areas. 

We do a lot of crazy, sometimes questionable, stuff for our loved ones. 

[He grinned again.]

Exactly. We turned out alright, the both of us, despite what we had to deal with. 

I think people tend to focus on the worst of it mostly. Like, don’t see the positive anymore. 

I had a friend who used to tell me: Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Plus, he would always mention that everyone had some trouble in the past, but as long as it doesn’t divine you, it would be good. He had a pretty terrible childhood too, but he always took care of me, and his kids were the best. But he also said that he wasn’t perfect either, he had said things to his kids that he still felt horrible about, even if they no longer remembered, but he used to tell me that it was human to make mistakes, it was even human to not think about them as mistakes. As long as there is love. 

[Rhys rambled. He thought of everyone as good. Flawed, but good. Some people less flawed than others, but he would never judge them for their mistakes, only for their lack of kindness.

His smile to her was intense, it was lovingly. The more he learned about her, the more he liked her, the more he got to know her, the more that liking would edge towards love.] 

[rhyslikespopcorn]

What’s Love got to Give || Annie & Rhys

annie-perrault‌:

[’Or outside of dreams’. It’s a nice thought; Annie wishes she could believe in it. She knows people see her as a sweet, innocent optimist, but she’s more cynical than people tend to give her credit for. She’s seen a lot more cruelty than kindness, and sometimes she finds it hard to believe in love. Her family loves – loved – her, she knows that, but the rest of the world…

Well, Annie’s desire to believe in love is strong, even if her actual belief isn’t. It’s the only thing that keeps her going, sometimes.] 

I don’t know, they keep getting crushes on people that don’t like them back, or that they’re just… not compatible with? [Annie shrugs. Mira’s said she isn’t really interested in dating, but Maisie and Lissy both seem to have hit a spell of bad luck lately. It’s a grim state of affairs when Annie going on one date is a cause for such a stir, but that’s about the most exciting thing, romance-wise, that’s happened to any of them in ages.] 

Wait, oh my god, you do have a secret romance going on? [Annie grins. She loves secret romances. She loves romance, really. And she’s come to like Rhys a lot; the thought of him finding happiness with someone is enough reason to smile.] Why does it have to be a secret?

Oh eh. 

Yeah, that’s never fun. I mean, it happens, but to have it happen a lot of times... to different people from the same social circle. 

Almost sounds as if you all are cursed. 

Which I’m not saying. 

[Rhys grinned then, like a stupid grin, that he sort of didn’t think much on what he said before it was already out of his mouth. And it showed. Or like... was hearable.] 

But they’re good friends right? They don’t mind you going on a date and maybe having a good experience for once. 

But! But... being a little unlucky in love from time to time doesn’t mean there’s not a bright star on the horizon. Take it from me, I’ve been rejected countless of times, half of those times I was incredibly sure the other person was flirting with me, but it just either didn’t work out or the other really wasn’t flirting with me. Which was devastating, but did help me make some conclusions on the idea that not everyone who is very nice to you is also very interested. 

Wise lesson we all need to learn. 

Some people are just very nice, to everyone, and you don’t want to make those people feel like they’re doing bad just because they’re nice and leading someone on. Soo....

I was going to make a point with this, but I don’t think I made up that point before I started rambling, and now I have no idea where I am going with this. 

Just wish them the best of luck, and please continue to be a disney princess because the moment they do end up with someone, it is going to be so worth it. 

[And he said “so” with a huge emphasis on the ‘o’.

He considered the latter question about why a romance had to be a secret, not the first, but he was grinning all the while.] 

I would think a Disney Princess knows there is nothing more exiting than a secret romance. Sneaking around, whispering, sharing notes. Text-book forbidden romance is awesome, especially in a place like this. 

[But his facial expression made it unclear whether he was joking or being serious about it.] 

[rhyslikespopcorn]

A Shoulder… Just a Shoulder (to cry on?) || Mimi & Rhys

drfitrei‌:

[Mei Zhu had been on her way to get a cup of tea. She’d had too much coffee, and gone on a self-imposed cleanse, as it were. But she couldn’t go without caffeine cold turkey. She passes several people on her way, who seem to notice that she doesn’t look at all like the pristine, put-together woman that she always is. (Her husband had definitely noticed, and started to ask questions that she couldn’t answer.) But it doesn’t matter what they think of her, she has more important things on her mind. The thoughts race through her head, when she almost walks straight into someone. Or rather, they almost walk into her.

The doctor takes a step back, startled by the man’s sudden appearance. It isn’t the first time he’s done it, materializing out of thin air. Perhaps it speaks to her lack of attention to her surroundings, but Rhys seems particularly adept at it. To her surprise it hasn’t bothered her too much—if it had been anyone else she would’ve been annoyed, but he makes her laugh—until now. The doctor’s been on edge for the past several days, and the surprise isn’t an entirely welcome one. In fact she could do with no surprises at all for the foreseeable future, considering the nasty one she’d had. None of which she can explain, obviously. And so she gives him a smile, albeit a slightly tense one.]

Rhys. Right. I’m very well, thank you for asking.

[See, obvious. 

Anyone with half a brain could’ve figured out from a distance that Mimi was not in a talking mood. 

Yet he was the only individual who happened to be an idiot enough to go barging in thinking everything was roses and... other good smelling things. 

He looked at her and his smile faltered a little. 

Then slowly it turned to a grimace as he held Mimi in such a high regard that he felt both stupid and sad. He didn’t like seeing her like this, he had gotten used to her more held back attitude, though she had shared a lot more in their last conversation.

He studied her for a moment, with a half-serious face, trying to gather just from looking at her what was wrong. But mostly trying to determine whether or not she wanted to tell him what was bothering her, and if it was okay to ask. 

Probably not. It seemed to bother her a whole lot.

But also he worried that by not asking, he was not acknowledging that she was feeling bad, and maybe needed cheering up. 

He really liked her, but she wasn’t someone who he right away knew how to approach.] 

I don’t mean to intrude, or anything, but that wasn’t really convincing. 

Are you sure you’re okay? 

Do you maybe want to talk about it?

Or like... talk about other things. I’m a walking talking machine. Walking machine that talks. A lot. 

[See, he was terrible at these kind of things. He was great at talking people down from having panic attacks, but if it wasn’t panic, and it wasn’t a child, he was just throwing blunt darts at a piece of wood hoping one of them would stick.]

[rhyslikespopcorn]

BACK TO THE GRIND || alois, rhys & trig

alois-the-real-boy‌:

trig-balker‌:

[Trig grimaced as he places a bundle of dirty silverware into the soapy water, splashing it in every direction by mistake. But that isn’t as shocking as Alois’ story, and his jaw falls open the slightest bit as he explained the events leading up to the bruises in his complexion.] Kaiser Bahr? [The way he says it it feels like his voice rose several notches, laced with a thinly veiled layer of fear, but he hopes neither of the other two notice. He hadn’t interacted with the man much at all - but that was more so because he fully made an effort to avoid him. Just one glance was terrifying enough, really. His head dips down as Alois passes him a dish, wiping it dry with a towel like it was the most interesting thing in the world.] 

[’…at least apprehend him afterwards?’ Trig can’t stop the snort at the remark, eyes skirting towards Alois, then Rhys, then back down to the dishes.] Doubtful. [Who was the ‘they’ anyway in this equation? The elite? Those who wanted only the best for themselves? A little squabble between two infected hardly seemed like their biggest concern. But hey, what did Trig really know? Pfft.] 

I mean, even if they did…he doesn’ exactly strike me as the type ta care much what anyone else says. 

[[ Alois met Trig’s gaze and mirrored the quirk of a smile, however sardonic. ]] Yeah, I’m with Trig. Our dear lord and high savior the Chancellor did deign to visit me in the infirmary, and asked me what happened. [[ If he wasn’t watching what he was doing with the plates to avoid dropping or banging them together, he might’ve strained something with an exaggerated eye roll. ]] But he seemed a lot more keen on getting me to rat out another Infected than I’m sure he cared about the state of me.

[[ Not that it bothers Alois any. It’s not like he wants any extra attention from the Reformists; he’s dug himself a deep enough hole with Clove as it is, but obviously, he’ll bite his tongue on that. God forbid that get out, and as much as he’s learning to enjoy Rhys’s company, he’s not positive he’d trust him with such intel.

Instead, he lets out an unaffected sigh that actually manages to be unaffected, and hands Trig another plate. ]] So maybe they talked to him, too. I don’t know. As long as he’s got it out of his system and doesn’t feel like taking it out on me again, I don’t really care what else happens. I’m not expecting an embossed apology letter. [[ Nor does he want one. ]]

@rhyslikespopcorn​

[Rhys still couldn’t stop himself from staring, the dishes unfinished and barely touched before him. Looking with big eyes at Trig snorting at his hopeful conclusion, and Alois explaining it all as if people getting away with punching others was a normal thing. 

His eyes got even a little bigger when Alois said that the Chancellor had visited him. 

He was also wondering why nobody told him who Kaiser was. Maybe he was supposed to find that out for himself. 

And he really didn’t want to. 

So he looked from Trig to Alois with question marks all over his face.]

So, who is Kaiser? 

And how fast do I have to run when I walk into him? 

[Where the only questions he dared to ask, he felt like was a little out of sorts, or at least like he didn’t have enough knowledge to participate in the conversation.

He was unsure if he should be continuing the conversation at all, or just leave it there. But also he felt personally victimized by Kaiser beating up Alois, while he figured he probably shouldn’t, because it was a little creepy. But also: why would anyone beat up another human being over just words? 

It still made no sense at all.]

[rhyslikespopcorn]

A Shoulder... Just a Shoulder (to cry on?) || Mimi & Rhys

[Rhys was bad at reading situations... not technically bad, but just too impulsive to take notice of the state the other person was in before having already approached them in whatever mood he was in. Be it happy or over-enthusiastic. Because those were his only known moods and the only moments at which he came up to others. 

He had walked in on a lot of crying people over the course of his life. 

And fucking. 

He wasn’t sure which of the two had been more awkward.

For him, that was. For him it was always incredibly awkward, no matter the situation, and he would apologize for hours on end, sometimes even days if it had truly been a strange confusion.

But usually he read the mood after being the one to make it awkward.

Like, right during the first sentence, or a couple of sentences in. 

Anyway, too late.

Today he walked up to Mimi not realizing it might be a bad time.] 

Hey Mimi!

[He said with a huge smile on his face as he walked around her, claiming all her attention.] 

How are you today?

@drfitrei​

[rhyslikespopcorn]

Out Comes the Sun || Rhys & Mimi

drfitrei‌:

You have the children now, at least. Not that they’re your pets, just something to take care of. And they seem to love you back. I think that’s why pets are so important to people, someone to love, someone who loves you back. [She looks out into the woods, almost as if she’s waiting for Hamlet to saunter up to her like no time had passed. But he’s long been dead, and that little girl who loved her cat is gone, too.] Unconditionally. [She smiles at Rhys.]

I think we all need something like that. [It might sound strange coming from Mei Zhu, who’s been known to shut herself off in the lab for days. She just means that everyone needs… Something more, something other than themselves. And she never feels alone in her lab. She has her microscope and her samples, and the music of the machinery to keep her company. Science is how she makes sense of the world, and science talks to her just as much as she talks to it.]

[They make their way back to the building, and it takes a few moments’ deliberation for her to come up with the answer to his question. It was a simple enough query; he probably doesn’t even mean anything by it. But nevertheless the truth somehow seems… Unwise to reveal. She could tell him that she doesn’t really sleep that much anyway, that she stays up too late working, and rises at the smallest disturbance.

It’s a habit that she’s acquired in the time after D-Day; before that she’d slept like a log every night, and on weekends she would sleep until well past noon, until someone woke her. Her grandmother used to comment that she used to check her breathing to make sure she was still alive. The doctor’s sleeping habits have greatly changed since then; it isn’t bad enough to warrant medical assistance, but if her grandmother saw her now she’d be shocked to say the least.]

Yes. [A lie, but it’s much simpler than the truth.] You’re very kind for asking. The weather turning had a hand in it, I suspect, as I’ve finally had a chance to get some exercise. I’ve always enjoyed walking.

Maybe we could do it again sometime, as I should be going back to work now. Thank you for keeping me company, Rhys.

fin.

[rhyslikespopcorn]

What’s Love got to Give || Annie & Rhys

annie-perrault‌:

[When he says he’s never been a dad figure before, Annie shoots him an amused, eye-narrowed look that says: really? Because she’s spent enough time now helping out with the childminding that she can say with as much confidence as Annie ever says anything, that Rhys is absolutely a dad figure to a lot of the younger population of the Colony.

He might not have the stern authoritarianism, but most of the kids do look up to him as a fun, goofy father-type. For some, that lost their parents in the Falling, or in all of the chaos afterwards, he’s the only father figure. Annie thinks he does a really great job of it, actually. The Colony doesn’t need more bossy leaders, it needs more gentle, understanding nurturers. He might not be Mitch, as he says, but there’s room for more than one of them. Plenty of room. Annie knows she’s got space in her life for more than one father-figure, and she’s not even a kid any more. 

His blunt realism over the possibility of both Annie and her partner being new to the kissing thing, and therefore both absolutely sucking of it, makes her laugh. It’s probably true, too. If the other person is as inexperienced as her, then neither of them will really have any idea of how good or bad it is anyway.

It’s… a soothing thought, she thinks. The pressure doesn’t have to be on her. Either she’ll find someone more experienced and follow their lead, or she’ll be awkward and useless with someone equally as awkward and useless.

He quite definitely dodges her question about his own dating life, she notes. If it was someone like Maisie, she’d read that as Maisie trying to create a sense of excitement and mystery so that Annie would beg her for more details, but she doesn’t know Rhys quite well enough to make that distinction. She thinks that probably he doesn’t want to talk about it, for whatever reason.] 

Alright. [Annie laughs.] Keep your secrets then, I think you’re going for mysterious dad figure. I’m going to choose to believe you’ve got some great secret romance going on, since all of my roommates are unlucky in love right now and I’m a total Disney princess that wants there to be love and magic everywhere. [She inclines her head thoughtfully, a wistful look out the window.] I wonder if there’s a limit on how many people you can love. I bet there’s not, in dreams.

[Was he going for mysterious father figure? 

Now this was getting confusing. 

Very confusing. 

His gut told him: eeeeh don’t. 

His brain told him: think about this, if she says you’re the mysterious dad figure, than be the mysterious dad figure.

But his heart told him: TALK ABOUT LOVE. TALK TO HER ABOUT PERCY AND JR, but keep it clean and nice. 

Rhys mostly only told Pax about his... adventurous world of dating, which at the Colony was a little weird and often not as exciting as now. 

And because it was as exciting, he wanted to talk about it.] 

Or outside of dreams.

[Rhys threw out without thinking, okay, with thinking, he threw it out for a reason. He felt his brain hit an error as he did, but instead decided to focus on her disney princess reference, because that was something he could work with. 

Maybe.]

Same on the Disney princess part. I feel like one too, constantly basking in the happiness of other people. Which is good, I like basking in the happiness of others. If there’s love around, then you know you’re in a good place. 

How are your roommates so unlucky in love? How is anyone unlucky in love... 

That’s not a philosophical question... i think. 

But yes, I totally have a secret romance going on, that’s what dad-figures do, even if they’re clearly married, then that secret romance is with their partners... I hope. 

Oh, see, I’m great at overthinking things too. 

[rhyslikespopcorn]

The Colony’s Own Botanic Gardens || Rhys & Anaya

anayadolmen‌:

[Anaya never thought that such a simple experiment would excite the kids so much, but it seems to be the case. It’s specially perfect for her, since she won’t have to work for it much, at least in terms of making this work. Anyone can drop a bean in some cotton and make it grow, that’s why it was a kid thing.

Hopefully it’ll still excite them when the bean is actually growing.]

Of course we can plant it tomorrow. I’ll be around waiting for you guys, [she promises easily, even though they don’t ask her directly. She’s sure she can make some time in her big schedule doing nothing all day.

Answering kid questions actually makes her feel more useful than doing dishes or hunting ever will, so this is a good thing.] 

Ah, good questions. No and no, [she answers. Technically, they could eat some of the plants here, but she’s smart enough not to mention that. Because telling a kid that they could technically eat something was a surefire way to get them with a stomach ache at the infirmary later, with three pounds of random leaves in their stomachs.] Nothing you can eat, but nothing you need to be afraid of. We could grow edible plants, though, in theory. Let’s hope we can do that in the future, yeah?

[Rhys knew he had to strike up a conversation with his fellow supervisors when back about the whole ordeal with the woman in the garden, but he was certain that if he promised to take the kids again - because all of them knew what a terror the kids could be on a field-trip, even if most of them had never been on a field-trip with any kids since D-day - they would allow it, no questions asked. And he would like to take them as well, they seemed eager enough, and he thought that information like this was important not to die out. Someone like Anaya should teach kids about plants, about planting, about agriculture, even if they weren’t very interested. Now luck had it that all of the kids were extremely into the whole plan. 

He could see that even Sammy was enjoying his time in the garden with the nice lady, even if there weren’t any plants that he could eat right this moment. 

He saw Fiona had a huge interest in plant life, and Ma had this intense stare regarding one of the plants, as if she thought she could see it grow. It was warming his heart.] 

Yeah!

[Ma said loudly, then buried her head away in Rhys’ pants, clearly surprised by her own enthusiasm, and afraid she might get attention from the lady for it. 

Rhys grinned, as he patted Ma on the head and turned to the kids.] 

Okay, little ones, I suggest go back quickly and ask the others if anyone’s interested in growing their own plant. 

[They almost got the opportunity to make a sprint for the Colony, before Rhys caught his own unclear order.]

Walk back quietly in a nice line behind me. 

[He said carefully, making eye contact with every single one of them, hoping he was clearer this time.] 

And say goodbye to Anaya, we’ll see her again tomorrow, okay. 

[The kids’ heads snapped back to the lady in the garden, each with their own little smile or facial reaction. He watched them with a smile of his own, a little proud at these very plant-based kids. All super excited about making a little plant grow.] 

Thanks, for entertaining them. 

[Rhys said to Anaya, sending the kids walking.] 

We’ll be seeing you tomorrow then.