Lucas Actually Pouts And Slumps Deeper Into This Seat. He Feels Like A Reprimanded Child, And He Deserves

RAFAEL SILVA — via Instagram (2024)

Adrien keeps his distance from the cow, eyeing it warily.

"You sure? I haven't had much personal luck with cows in my life."

His cousins and uncle were in charge of animal care back home. Adrien was never interested in that side of farm life anyway. Not to mention that first week after he moved in with them where the cow literally did bite him. He only got a massive bruise, but it still mentally scarred him for life.

Seems Maude is comfortable, though.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐂𝐊 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍 was where she spent the majority of her days, diligently ensuring that the animals were well cared for, nurtured, and as healthy as circumstances would allow. Though she had grown accustomed to the pungent odors that permeated the air, she couldn’t shake the anxiety that others might begin to associate her with that unsettling aroma. “You work too much,” they would often say, but for her, it was the only way to distract herself from the fear that threatened to seep into her very psyche.

With a stethoscope pressed firmly against the animal’s fur, she focused intently, striving to discern whether everything sounded normal. “So far, so good, I’d say,” she murmured, though she struggled to pinpoint the root of the issue—the newfound behaviors and erratic mood swings that troubled her. She frowned, glancing up at the observer. “Would you like to pet her? I assure you, she won’t bite.” / ( 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐋𝐋 )

I think about this look daily. The hair. The shirt. Him. 🤭

Rafael

Task 002

Lucas lives in a residential house, one of the few that want to be alone.

Well, he doesn't want to be alone, but he is. Even after 7 years, his house doesn't feel anything like him. It's furnished as all residential houses are: simple, clean, all the necessities but no personality or charm. While it's not empty, it feels lonely. Like there isn't enough life moving inside it to make it feel like a home.

There are little touches of him: books left on tables, dishes in the sink, plants that he's trying to keep alive. But overall, it seems like one of the empty houses on the street, ready for some new unfortunate soul to move in.

The places he's more clearly left an imprint are the sheriff's offices and the homes of his friends. He's more interested in making the town his home rather than his house. Because then maybe he might not feel so alone.

Adrien sets the wrapped tech aside and stands.

"I mean, I'm not an expert, but I know how to handle them. I'm sure it's easy."

He wipes his hands on his jeans and follows Cam.

"Where to first?" he asks with a grin.

"that's good, stick by them and you'll be set in this place." el was always the best at getting new comers settled in. she understood why they would rather work in the shop than be a welcomer but they were the great at it.

"well, you never know, you could get it working and if we find the other one, it could be useful around here." she liked adrien's attitude, he always seemed to look in the bright side of things. they needed people like that around here. "how good are you with a hammer and saw? want to help me board up a couple windows? a couple cracked in the storm and i gotta get them patched up."

Lucas looks up and sees a girl standing at the front desk. She looks lost and scared.

"Hi," he greets, walking over and chuckling. "I am, and yes, we do. We even have a couple of deputies if you can believe it. But it's just me today. How can I help you?"

He stands with his hands behind him, polite and non-threatening, so he doesn't scare her.

nowhere county jail, lucas. @patroclusblossom

Catie steps in. The place feels wrong in ways she can't quite place, but it’s the sheriff’s office, she figures, and she has no idea what else to do. She’d been walking for what felt like hours, the streets of Oblitus starting to blur in her mind.

She’s about to turn around, maybe head back outside and try to wrap her head around any of this, when she sees Lucas.

He’s young, maybe a few years older than her, with dark hair that’s a little too messy for someone in law enforcement. Catie pauses, her thoughts scrambling to form a coherent sentence. 'You're the sheriff?' Her words come out a little sharper than she intends, and she realises she sounds like she’s questioning the whole damn idea. 'This place… actually has a sheriff?'

Adrien hears the voice, though not the words. He stops and straightens up, squinting at the person.

"What? No, not a death wish. Just impatient and dumb."

He smiles and starts pushing as well.

"Yeah, I've seen you around. Sorry, I have introduced myself yet. Been busy with some projects. And with your help, this should be a breeze."

They carefully make their way down the street.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything," he grunts as they push. "I appreciate the help but don't want to be annoying."

mira squinted against the midday sun as she ambled down the street, her arms crossed loosely over her chest. the oppressive quiet of this town was something she still couldn’t get used to, the eerie kind that made the sound of her boots on cracked asphalt seem too loud. she kicked at a small rock, watching it skid ahead, when the groan of effort caught her attention. up ahead, a guy — shirt sleeveless, face strained, clearly regretting his life choices — was trying to push a car. alone, at that. the sight almost made her laugh, but there was something about the sheer stubbornness in his posture that struck a chord. she recognized him, vaguely. one of the colony house faces she’d seen in passing. she considered walking by, minding her own business. but who was she kidding? mira wasn’t wired that way. even in this hellhole of a town, she couldn’t resist stepping in where she wasn’t needed. “hey!” she called out, picking up her pace. “you planning on pushing that thing all the way to the chop shop, or are you just working on your biceps for the apocalypse?” stopping a few feet away, she tilted her head, sizing him up with a smirk. “let me guess. nobody wanted to play mechanic’s assistant today, so you decided to be a one-man pit crew?” she rolled her shoulders, stepping closer. “looks like you’ve got a death wish or, i don’t know, something to prove.” without waiting for an invitation, she moved to the back of the car and placed her hands on the trunk, glancing over at him. “well? don’t just stand there. i’m not doing all the work.” she shot him a wry grin, her tone teasing but warm. “i’m mira, by the way. colony house, same as you. figured i’d introduce myself now, just in case you collapse halfway and i have to try carrying you back.”

Lucas watches them for a quiet moment then nods.

"Okay, makes sense. Do you remember anything right before? Or right after? Where you were, what you were doing, any notable things in your surroundings?"

He tries to be slow and patient, but Elm is the first person he's gotten to interview that got taken and came back alive.

"IF THEY WANTED ME TO REMEMBER THEN I WOULD ." there's no hesitation in elm's answer . they toy with their laces . " just like if they wanted to kill me then they would have ." they glance up at him before shrugging, " ... but they don't want me to remember so i don't . and they didn't want to kill me so they didn't ."

Lucas chuckles.

"So I should maintain my regular professionalism with the undertone of, 'You're not good enough for my best friend, but you're still good for her' level of amicability?"

He raises a questioning eyebrow with his smirk, continuing the light-hearted tone they've moved to.

Anastasia feels a swell of gratitude for Lucas; he’s been her steady anchor since they both took on the responsibility of leading this town. She manages a smile, nodding at his statement of hope. “You’re damn right we are.”

As she watches him idly sort through items on the table, she’s caught off guard when he brings up Cameron. She gives a casual shrug. “We’re alright. I just went over to check on her… you know I still care, even if we’re not together.” She knows he understands; they’ve spent more than a few nights drinking and hashing out the complexities of her and Cameron’s past.

With a bit of a wry smile, she adds, “I don’t think she’ll be coming to game night, though.” She tries to keep the tone light, hiding the small sting of disappointment behind a half-joke.