《 ★ Adrien Ritchie ★ 》 - Blog Posts
Adrien nods, sitting down and starting to carefully pull the phone apart.
"Anything is useful, just gotta figure out what use it's for."
His tongue sticks out as he manages to pry the phone open without making more cracks.
"Yeah. They basically run the place. They're really cool. You met them?"
He glances up and smiles at Charlie.
"I'm settling fine. Really crazy. Like I'm honestly surprised I'm even here crazy. How about you? Where'd they put you up at?"
charlie shrugged, it was weird because two days ago, her phone was her whole life and now she was stuck in a place where it was basically useless. at least to her, if they could use it for something else, then more power to them. she had no clue how things worked around here. "yeah, no problem. i just figured it could be useful in some way. i mean, who knows?"
she looked around the shop, taking everything in. this place was still so new and confusing, she wondered how this other new guy was taking it. he seemed so chipper but maybe he was just better at holding things together than she was. "el works here?" she asked, looking back at him. she thought back to how el talked about helping people and it being their duty. this made sense considering what they talked about their old life.
"how are you settling in?" she dares to ask, mostly just killing time before she has to be alone with her thoughts again. "crazy first night, huh?"
Adrien shrugs it off.
"You're probably the least scariest thing I've seen in the past 24 hours."
He steps aside and let's the woman — Erin — in.
"So how can I help you, Miss Erin? I'm not fully trained in where everything is yet, but I do know how to fix things."
He moves to a desk and tries to look all official, even with his ear-to-ear grin.
seeing someone she doesn't immediately recognize sets her on edge. maybe because of the storm, or because it just spells newcomer - neither of which she's particularly thrilled about. more people meant more people to potentially loose to them. so her face isn't exactly one of cheer when he answers the door for her; instead, its probably the exact opposite, stuck in some kind of look of sympathy and pained. "sorry for scaring you," her voice is quiet, as it is most often, and remains sympathetic to his plight. she was plenty scared her first days here too... doesn't like to think of it. "i'm erin."
Finally. It had been a long day. Survive the storm and night, get the run down of the town, meet El, see the Chop Shop, and now, finally, being shown where he's going to be living. It's a cool place. Big, a little fancy, and it's buzzing with energy even with quiet somber air. So different from his aunt and uncle's place.
Cameron showed him his room and where the supplies he might need are kept. Then he's let loose to wander and see what he can find.
He finds a common room with some couches and chairs. And books he steps in to see what kind of books might still be here, but then he freezes because someone else is already in here.
Adrien blinks because there's no way this guy is real.
Adrien's seen cute guys back home. But this guy? He's handsome, beautiful.
Adrien licks his lips. Then, he realizes the guy is looking at him. Talking to him.
"Oh. No, not mine. I don't have much that's mine anymore. Just my mini-tool kit. No books. Uncle Don didn't let us bring books on our family hikes. So it's fine if you read that."
He's feeling breathless under the guy's gaze.
"Hi, I'm... I didn't mean to stare. I just... well, you're..."
He shuts his mouth and swallows hard. Get yourself together, he tells himself.
He steps forward, wiping the sweat from his hand, then holds it out to the guy.
"Adrien. I'm new."
@patroclusblossom
LOCATION: colony house
The storm passed. Some were hurt, and a few went missing. Less died than he expected, but the gruesome sight was enough to send many into somber silence.
Sangjoon had finally settled into the Colony House thanks to Cameron and was clearing out a spot to sit. There was a book in his way and after a moment of deliberation, he picked it up. He wasn't completely sure what the rules were regarding property in this house and wondered if he was going to upset someone just by flipping a few pages. Still, after all the horror, it felt nice to read.
Escape for a moment to a safer world.
What pulled him back to the bleak present was a pair of eyes. Sangjoon, having lived the way he did, was always hyperaware of any attention on him.
Fortunately, the gaze did not seem unfriendly.
"Is this book yours?" Were you looking at this, or looking at me? "I should have not touched it without permission, sorry."
"Ah." Adrien deflates a little though it's understandable. No real point to a phone without service. He shakes his head and smiles again. "Well, I'm sure we can find some good stuff from it, not just the battery. Thanks."
He takes it over to El's desk, certain that they already know of some use for the parts or can give Adrien some ideas on what he could do with it.
He turns back to Charlie. "Is there anything else I can help you with? I'm really only supposed to be cleaning up but I'm sure El and Noah won't mind me helping you out."
Honestly, he really just wants people to talk to. He's spent so much of his life not getting close to people, but now he kind of has no choice because he can't just not be a part of the community.
charlie walked inside the shop and glanced around. she knew it was useless to fix the phone, there was no point, there was no service here, no internet. it was just a broke brick at this point. it was weird, she spent so much of her time on her phone back home and now it was nothing. "well, i threw it at a tree so i don't think it's really worth fixing even if we had service here. but you might be able to use the battery or something. i don't really know. just thought it was better than going in the trash."
Adrien gives a dramatic sigh, like he's so put upon by the lack of candy.
"Fine," he says, sounding like a petulant teenager. "So long as there's at least one good-looking guy I can drool over, that should be enough."
He snickers.
Then he listens closely to El's explanation. His mind wonders what causes people to come over? What is the deciding factor? Who is deciding?
He nods in agreement. "That's all we can really ask for now, isn't it?"
He gives El a small smile. Then it turns mischievous.
"Besides, if I wanted glamorous, I'd be asking for a different job. You've got grease on your face, you know?"
El’s mouth curves into a smirk, their usual mix of dry humor and good-natured sarcasm creeping in.
"Eye candy, huh? You got some high standards already. I’ll see what I can do—though if you’re lookin’ for real candy, you’re probably outta luck unless you’re into stale peppermints."
They adjust their position slightly, wincing but masking it quickly with a chuckle. "As for how I got here, uh - I was on my way home from a work trip and the rest is history as for how I got this thing... long story, but let’s just say I tried to play hero and ultimately became the victim." El taps their leg lightly, the gesture casual despite the damage. "Didn’t really walk away from it—more like crawled, kicked a few times, and cursed until someone dragged me outta there."
Their gaze shifts, catching Adrien’s briefly with a flicker of warmth. "You know, kid, the Chop Shop ain’t glamorous, but it’s honest work. Keep your hands busy, and your head’ll catch up eventually." They shrug. "It’s not a bad place to land, all things considered."
Adrien feels his smile soften from more forced to genuine.
"Thanks. It's seriously a lot to take in. Just give me a project and maybe some eye candy and I'll be good to go. Honestly real candy will probably work too."
He chuckles.
"So how did you end up here? And uh... how did this happen?"
He gestures to the leg, wincing again. Fuck, it looks really bad.
El offers Adrien a crooked grin, the kind that hints at a sense of humor even under the weight of pain. They shift slightly on the bed, trying to ignore the throb in their leg.
"Farm vehicles, huh? Well, lucky us. A tractor’s probably not far off from half the crap we’ve got to fix here." They let out a soft chuckle. "And hey, taking things apart to learn? That’s exactly the kind of brain I need in the shop. Radios, engines... Same concept, just different puzzles."
They tilt their head slightly at Adrien’s mention of how he ended up here, reading between the lines. "Hiking trip, huh? Well, welcome to the weirdest trail you’ll ever hike." There’s a pause, and their expression softens just a touch. "It’s a lot to take in, but you’ll get through it. And hey, if fixing stuff keeps you steady, we’re in good hands."
Adrien takes Charlie's phone and looks it over.
"Oh hey! I know this model. Come in, maybe I can get it sort of working again. Is it just not turning on at all?"
He holds the door open for Charlie to walk in, and then he starts walking around, trying to see what all kind of tools they have that he can use. He doesn't expect the fine tools a normal phone shop would have, but something that won't just smash the device is better than nothing.
"Of course, if it's just the signal or Wifi connectivity, then we're screwed but no harm in trying, right?"
after getting lost in the woods for a few hours, charlie finally made her way back to the town defeated. her broken phone was clutched in her hand as she made her way over to the mechanic shop, just about to knock to see if anyone was in when the door opens. "sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she says quietly. the boy was way too chipper for what happened last night. was she that bad yesterday? before reality set in? "um, charlie, also new. uh, so i broke my phone, not that it matters because there's no service or anything, but i thought maybe the parts could be used for something. i don't know, just, yeah," she held the phone out in front of her for him to take.
Adrien winces when he actually looks at their leg. It's in bad shape, for sure.
Adrien pulls a chair closer to the bad and goes back to smiling.
"Glad I can help. So, most of my practical experience is on farm vehicles. Tractors and that stuff. I do know about regular cars. And I'm pretty good with little tech, too."
He blushes in embarrassment.
"I'm one of those weird guys that literally takes shit apart to figure out how they work. My aunt got mad when I did it to her favorite radio a month after I moved in."
He looks at El's hands they look about as calloused as his if not more.
"I uh, we were on a hiking trip, and I fell behind. That's how I ended up here."
He shrugs. Sure, he's freaked out and kinda missing his family, but it's not a huge deal right now.
El propped themselves up on the bed, wincing slightly at the pain radiating from their injured leg, but their curiosity was piqued by the newcomer’s arrival. They didn’t recognize Adrien, but the fresh energy was a welcome distraction from the haze of their recent attack.
“Hey there,” El said, their voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm despite the setting. “I’m El, and I’m your mentor for the Chop Shop. Heard you’ve got some mechanical skills from a little birdy? That’s great! Honestly, I could use the help right now.”
They couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement at the prospect of teaching someone new, even if they were still recovering. El gestured for Adrien to take a seat, trying to mask their own discomfort. “So, what’s your background? How’d you end up here?” There was an eagerness in El’s tone, a genuine desire to connect and guide Adrien through the chaos that was their new reality.
They flashed a reassuring smile, hoping to instill a sense of camaraderie amid the uncertainty of their situation.
"Nice to meet you," Adrien says with a smile and shaking Noah's hand. "El sent me over to check on things for them."
Adam shrugs and giggles.
"I guess it could be worse. Could definitely be better but could be worse."
Adrien walks in and looks around. There's a car already up on the lift. He walks up and studies what's going on under.
"This your project or El's?"
"Easy there!" Noah smiled, raising his hands in a 'no harm done' gesture. "Didn't mean to give you a heart attack."
He eyed the newcomer for a moment , giving him a friendly smile. "Noah Adler. Mechanic. Well -" He shrugged his shoulders. "I fix things, anyway." He stepped forward, offering a handshake, a big of oil still smudged on his hand from earlier.
"So you're new in town... I don't know whether to say welcome or apologise," he laughed. He hadn't been here long himself, so who was he really to say anyway. "Welcome, I guess." he tipped an imaginary hat.
where: infirmary when: after the storm whom: @hcartcorruptcd
Adrien spends most of the morning after the storm at the town hall, getting the official rundown of where he is now and what the fuck they know.
Spoiler alert: not a whole lot.
Finally he's freed after his interview and led down the street to the infirmary. He's told that since he has mechanical skills he'll be working under someone named El at the Chop Shop. After a few months, he'll be allowed to apply for other jobs but for now, this is where he'll be.
He's led inside and to a room with lines of... beds? They don't look particularly comfortable but he supposes there aren't too many resources around.
He's pointed to a bed where a slightly older brown-haired person is laying. He shuffles over and tries to offer a comforting smile.
"Hi," he greets. "Sorry if this is a bad time but I was told I'm supposed to report to you for my assigned work."
Adrien waits for the little girl to leave. God he really hope he didn't scare her anymore than she might've already been.
His false smile drops and he looks back at the guy, staring up in shock as he answers the questions.
"What the fuck? Are you serious? Is that door gonna hold?"
He looks at the door. It does look solid, but this place just feels... off. Maybe those things have super strength and could blast the door off with a light tap?
with the door locked, the talisman still secured on the wall, and bella out of his arms to roam freely, daehyun could finally turn to inspect the newcomer who had scrambled in. the questions weren't anything new--he had answered them a hundred times. taking in a deep breath, he moved to the other, offering a hand out. " those things want to--do some really awful stuff, so it's best you're not outside right now--or at night. " it was as gentle as he could be in the moment , as his adrenaline was still racing. and when bella seemed to make herself known once more, daehyun's attention quickly turned to the girl. " hey princess , head upstairs and see if grandpa's awake, okay? " there was no objection from the toddler, who scurried to the stairs and ventured up at her father's instructions. now, with tender ears upstairs, daehyun felt he could finally speak freely. " we're all stuck here. don't know why--don't know how. and those things outside? they've killed a lot of us. "
wanted connections
lucas:
Non-work friends: people he talks to regularly that he doesn't work with
Mutual annoyances: someone he see regularly because of his job and it bothers both him and them
Friends-with-benefits: a guy he can hook up with, no strings attached because they both just need that release sometimes
adrien:
Possible romantic interest: a guy who maybe sees Lucas and wants more with him. Could lead to a happily for now or could just end
Life debt: someone let Lucas into their house while his brother Carlos held back monsters. Lucas feels he owes this kind soul so much and will do anything for them, basically no questions asked.
Friends and roommates: people living at the colony house like him that can just hang out. Maybe eventually, they can all be a tight-knit group that will all help protect each other if the need arises
Mentor/parental figure: after losing his parents at a young age and not really imprinting on his aunt and uncle, Adrien is definitely looking for someone he can care about like that and could care about him back
Meet cute: a guy that Adrien might develop a crush on and could potentially lead to more
where: Chop Shop Mechanics when: the days after the storm open starter
Adrien opens the garage door for Chop Shop Mechanics. It's technically his first day, but he figured it's better to take some initiative. Especially after the storm.
He jumps when he sees someone standing on the other side of the now open garage door.
"Shit! Sorry. Wasn't expecting someone there."
He wipes his hands on his jeans, putting on a smile.
"Hi, I'm Adrien. New in town."
Adrien is so fucking confused. He's pretty sure he's never seen this town anywhere near the hiking trail.
Now it's pouring rain and... what the fuck are those in the trees?
He immediately runs when the guy calls, slipping into the house. Literally. Slipping onto his ass on the hardwood floor. It hurts but at least he's inside.
"Ow."
He looks up at the man.
"What's going on? Where am I? What are those things?"
Then he notices the small girl peaking out from a door frame.
"Oh hi," he says, putting on a smile and waving. "I hope I didn't scare you. Didn't mean to."
location: kang household open: 0/3
it all happened so quickly. one moment, daehyun and his daughter were simply enjoying time out on the porch before the rain began to pour. it wasn't unusual to get rain every so often, but this storm in particular was very unnerving. the dark clouds that had rolled in had daehyun rising to his feet--and then he saw t h e m in the tree line. with color drained from his face and the lunch he had eaten only a short while ago churning in his stomach, the teacher snatched three-year old bella up in his arms without a second thought. " get inside! " he yelled out, directed mostly at the person passing by on the worn sidewalk. " come on! " he called again as he carried the toddler inside, looking back out from the open door to ensure the other was close behind. if they didn't get up on the front porch in a few moments, daehyun already knew he'd be locking the door without them inside. thankfully, it was but a second or two later that he was able to shut the door securely behind the other, latching the lock and ensuring the amulet was securely attached to the wall beside the doorframe.
adrien tags:
《 ★ adrien ritchie ★ 》
《 ★ visual ★ 》
《 ★ thread ★ 》
《 ★ moods ★ 》
《 ★ NSFW ★ 》
— My cherry blossom, say you'll stay though the autumn. Ah, it's more courageous to overcome —
a dependant muse blog run by cayeman for fromoblitushq
muses:
– adrien ritchie: biography / visuals / threads / moods / tags
– lucas miranda: biography / visuals / threads / moods / tags
wanted connections
plots
Adrien Ritchie
| Tanner Buchanan & he/him | Welcome to the crossroads, ADRIEN RITCHIE. Another lost soul that stumbled across a fallen tree in their path. They appear to be 22 years old, but it’s hard to tell. The town bares no resemblance to KANAB, UT, are you sure we can trust them? Seeing as they ended up here because, HE GOT LOST ON A CAMPING/HIKING TRIP. They definitely weren’t looking to end up here. Now they’ll have to rely on being UPBEAT AND HELPFUL to survive. Hopefully their AIRHEAD TENDANCIES doesn’t get in the way of that. I guess if we’re going to pass the time tonight, might as well request MEET ME IN AMSTERDAM by RINI. Oh, and one more thing, your new role here will be LEVEL 1 MECHANIC. We’ll be sending out welcoming party over to the COLONY HOUSE. Welcome to Oblitus, the only thing you have to remember, when the sun sets– don’t open the door. (caye, 27, he/him, PST) – no triggers
- how did they find the tree that led them here? what were they doing?
Adrien had been on a camping trip with his aunt, uncle, and cousins, something he really didn't like doing. He'd fallen behind a lot so he didn't see anyone he was with.
He came on the tree and was confused because he'd been on this trail a dozen times before and never came across this. Even a cursory glance showed him that this tree had been like that for years.
Then he saw the murder of crows and tried to get away following a different trail.
- describe your character’s first day/night in town?
At first, Adrien was just relieved to be among people. Maybe they would shelter him until he could get in contact with his uncle. But then the people explain where he is and a strange mix of fear and excitement settles over him. It's not that he hated living with his uncle and cousins. He just felt there wasn't room for him.
He was led to the Township Hall. Everyone seemed caring and Adrien was eager to stay safe. A place he could step away from family and still lead a simple life? Sounds more like paradise than purgatory.
He gets set up in the colony house and offers to do mechanical work since that's one set of skills he'd thank his family for.
He spent the rest of the day meeting as many people as he could and went to bed, maybe not happily, but better than he had in a long time. He slept through the night, unaware of the danger that lurked outside which (who knows?) might be even more dangerous.
Basic Information
NAME: Adrien Ritchie
BIRTHDAY: July 23
AGE: 22
HOMETOWN: Kanab, Utah
BIRTHPLACE: Boise, Idaho
ORIENTATION: gay
Appearance
HEIGHT: 5' 10"
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Brunette
BUILD: average muscular
RACE/ETHNICITY: white
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: calloused hands, random scars from farm work
Personality & Behavior
HOBBIES: Party dancing (not very good at it), mechanics and engineering, soccer
LIKES: pop, classical, and country music, classic trucks
DISLIKES: metal music, rude people, camping
QUIRKS: likes to learn how machines work, will hum various parts of songs not always the melody, stares into space and dissociates if not actively conversing or working
STRENGTHS: mechanical work, making friends, cleaning room
WEAKNESSES: taking criticism (constructive or otherwise), reading a room, watching movies
Biography
(cw: parental death)
Adrien was born in Boise, ID and is an only child. When he was 10 his parents died in an accident and he was sent to live with his aunt, uncle, and 3 cousins in Kanab, UT. While they took him in with love, there was never a real strong connection between him and them. He did his chores in the house and on the farm, went to school, participated in family gatherings. He was a happy child and on the surface, it seemed like everything was great, and while he made many friends, he rarely made significant relationships, scared that they'll be taken away without warning just like his parents.
The one meaningful connecting he made with his uncle is honing his mechanical skills. Adrien's dad had started teaching him having noticed he liked taking things apart to figure them out. His uncle helped him continue to learn those skills. His uncle though was never good with talking so that connection could only go so far.
Scared to lose the tenuous relationships he had, after he graduated, he stayed there, continuing his life. He didn't do a lot of things for himself except in his room: listening to music, taking apart broken machines to see if he could fix them. He'd go out with friends if they were in town and invited him but his social life wasn't full or fulfilling.
The camping trip that brought him to Oblitus was an unwanted family activity, but he did it because the alternative was hurt his relationship with said family. They did the same hike and camping trip every year so Adrien was very familiar with the trail and wasn't scared when he fell behind. He'd don't that before and his family wouldn't worry.
But then he came upon the fallen and was pulled out of his wandering thoughts and put on edge. This was wrong.
After he settles in town he finds that many people's stories of how they came to Oblitus are similar to his: the tree, the crows, the trail.
For the first time in his life, he feels like he might have a chance to make genuine strong connections. If he does his part and help everyone around him, he can lessen the chance of ever losing the people around him. Right?
