Realistic or Modern Those That Remain

[Becboc]

Ruby Cosgrove
Age - 26

Appearance - Being small during a zombie apocalypse certainly has its benefits. Standing at five foot five, Ruby is slight, with a fairly boyish figure that has been largely dictated by her circumstances and the life that she leads. Supplies have always been scarce and so putting on weight is almost impossible, not to mention her role in her camp is athletic; climbing into abandoned buildings, slipping through small spaces that others can't fit into; stealth, agility, speed are the names of the game. Her body has developed in line with her behaviour and what she lacks for in height, she more than makes up for in a surprising amount of strength. Due to lack of exposure to sunlight, Ruby has fair skin that definitely lands on the paler side, naturally ginger hair that she wears just above shoulder length with jagged ends from trying to cut it herself so that it doesn't get in the way of running away from the undead, and her eyes are a deep, olive green that when someone looks at closely, have flecks of grey dotted around the pupils. Ruby also has a scar wrapped around her left ankle where she got caught in a snare once, and she sports a maroon neckerchief that she often wears over the bottom half of her face to hide her appearance from outsiders. She also wears a beaded necklace around her neck that she's never spoken about the origins of, to anyone ever. Period.

History - A product of new kind of world, Ruby was born just as the outbreak of the virus began and quickly became one of the rare children to survive it. The chaos of the end of the world is all that she's ever known, and she doesn't remember the start of her life, or the hardships her mother went through to keep her safe throughout it. In fact, her memories of her mother are hazy at best, but she does remember the day that she got bitten trying to protect her, and consequently her heartbreak and confusion when her mother kicked her out of their hideout to stop Ruby from seeing what would become of her parent if she stuck around for long enough to find out. She also remembers her mother handing her the beaded necklace she always wore and making her daughter promise not to forget her; Ruby has worn it around her neck ever since. The next couple of years after that, Ruby used all that her mother had taught her to fend for herself, travelling between the outskirts of cities that she never knew the name of, avoiding people and what were once people until the inevitable happened and she was captured by a tribe of nomads who saved her from an unexpected infected attack when she was scavenging in an underground parking lot. Impressed by her ability to hold her own and use a gun, the leader of the small group didn't give Ruby much choice of where she would go next; join or die and so, of course, she picked the former, and so began the rest of her life. Training in combat, survival and some kind of societal way of living, Ruby has watched her organisation grow, has become an integral part of it... her loyalty for which knows no bounds.

 

[BoneBrain]

Grim (Avery Joyce) REDACTED
Age- 42

Appearance- Grim’s nordic ancestry really shines through with his sturdy build and long sandy brown hair. He’s covered neck to toe in ink and before end times he enjoyed pairing silver jewelry with his daily attire. Grim had to change with the times, his appearance shifting into a more rugged version of himself. Scars and wounds mar the splashes of ink over his body and his clothes reflect his survival lifestyle. Grim doesn’t give two shits that cargo pants look hideous, those pockets are damn useful. On the road he keeps himself as well maintained as he can, keeping his long hair tied back. Grim's eyes are a deep amber, with flecks of green circling his irises. Age and surviving the apocalypse have weathered him, leaving grey streaks in his beard and hair, as well as a few lines of age near the crows feet of his eyes. Despite the long years of survival, Grim is strong and his body shows it.

History- Before the world exploded into pure chaos teenage, high school dropout Grim worked as a bouncer for one of those high end nightclubs. During the night he’d happily escort drunk and disorderly off the premises by the collar of their shirts, while during the day he helped out in the back of his older sisters's newly established bakery. The world ended during one of those mornings, Grim was half way through kneading the newest batch of sourdough when the first of the infected started rushing the streets. Those events ever changed him, and now years later Grim is known as one of the more ruthless mercenaries for hire. He left behind his name, his morals and his sense of justice. He'd been taught right off the bat that the world wasted no time in tearing down the good in anyone. You have an issue that needs a little violence? For the right price Grim will do just about anything, it's survival, nothing else matters. He learned long ago that friends and family are nothing but weaknesses to be exploited and he's determined not to make that same mistake again.

 

[BoneBrain]

"Avery!" J.J's voice filtered out from the front of the bakery, her tone musical as she called his name to the tune of the song that filtered over the speakers in Lotta Loaves. "Turn up the music dude!" The man by the name of Avery rolled his eyes, his strong arms buried deep in the latest batch of dough.
"Turn it up yourself! And stop calling me that!" He called back trying to make his voice assertive but sadly his teenage voice box failed him in those moments. His sisters chortle could be heard over the music, even as she went to turn it up. J.J peeked her head into back of her bakery, flashing a wide smile at her brother. They didn't exchange any other words, and even though he hated himself for it the man couldn't help the small twitch of his lips as he watched his sister waltz out of sight and back to the front of the store. He resumed his work, bending his head over the dough as his fingers sank deep into the newly risen mixture.

"Avery!" He lifted his head, ready to scold her for her use of the name he abhorred when she started screaming.

"Wakey, wakey." A voice pulled him from the memory and Grim groaned as a lancing pain moved through his skull. "There he is! Grim my boy, welcome back to the land of the living." Amber eyes tinged with green opened, closed and then reopened. Blinking away the bleariness from his eyes Grim made another noise of exertion as he pulled at the restraints keeping him to the chair. "Clay hit you a little too hard there, I guess he didn't take to kindly to your job performance this go around." Grant Rivers crouched down in front of him, catching Grim's eyes with his own bright blues, a crooked smile curling his mouth.

For a moment Grim thought to say something, demand to know why he'd been sent to rough up a pregnant woman; but he knew Grant and Clay wouldn't explain a damn thing. He may be a monster, named after the collector of the dead but even Death had its limits.

"Well, are you going to say anything for yourself?" Grant stood, his knees creaking with the effort of his trajectory and Grim found himself pleased that despite his four decades on this earth; his knees had yet to do that. Grant prodded him with the dull end of his hunting knife he always kept on his person, the man shit, slept and ate with that fucking knife. Despite the knife hovering close to his shoulder Grim remained silent. He wasn't the kind of man to beg for his life. "You still owe us Grim, after that little stunt you pulled today. Letting her walk away without a scratch wasn't in the job description." Grant continued after a moment, realizing Grim wasn't going to say anything. "Your slate isn't clean just yet."

"But after this job it will be." Clay spoke from behind Grim. Those words caught the restrained mans attention and his gaze flickered to Grant for confirmation.

"You do this for us and we'll forget about a year ago." Grant agreed.

"Tell me what you need." Grim finally spoke, his voice deep and rough. Blood from his head wound leaked down the side of his face as he broke out into a menacing grin a few minutes later. "It's a deal." Pretty soon he would be a free man.

The job was simple enough, a fort up north had recently been overrun and the rumor mill was alight with talk of the resources that had been stored away there. Before the infected had surged through all the protective measures of Fort Strand it had been known as plentiful place. Those who were brave enough to step outside and into the wilderness saw Fort Strand as their North star, a hub where you could find medicine, seeds for farms and most importantly weapons. Those same weapons were of great interest to Clay and Grant, and when he was able to acquire them a number of those shiny weapons, Grim's debts would be paid.

All he had to do was haul his ass up to the fort while dodging zombies, raiders and other looters and bring the boys back their coveted prize. Simple enough.

It took Grim almost a week of driving until he reached an overgrown sign that had been spray painted with yellow spray paint. 'Fort Strand - 10 KM' with a helpful little arrow pointing which direction Grim needed to steer his truck with it's bed attachment in the right direction. He'd had to stop and siphon petrol often, but with the help of the three jerry cans he stored away he'd had no problems keeping his truck in running shape. His truck cab remained silent, as Grim had left that sort of entertainment long behind him, he didn't need anything uplifting his spirits or even worse- giving him hope. He parked a safe distance away from the Fort, making sure to hide his truck by some dense bushes and trees.

Grim stepped from his truck and regarded the fort in the distance his hands on his hips. He wore a simple black shirt, and tan pants that seemed covered in endless pockets and zippers. After rolling his head and letting out a satisfied groan at the number of sharp popping cracks that emanated from his spine, Grim set his foot forward and made tracks for the now crumbled walls of the fort.

 

[Becboc]

"Fort Strand is located here." Erin slapped the old, stained map down on top of the wooden table that the chosen few of their tribe stood around, grim expressions worn upon their faces that caved lines into their weathered skin from the familiarity of hearing news that they would much rather wish they hadn't. "And we..." Erin's forefinger trailed south until she reached their settlement, tapping her nail against the point that was already marked with a star, etched into the paper. "Are here. The journey is a good couple'a days north but it's doable. To the right person, of course." The older woman's grey eyes switched around the group of five, two women, three men, lingering briefly upon Ruby's olive greens which stared right back at her, receiving the pointed message, buying her time for when to speak up.

"Rumour has it that infected swarmed the place a few days ago. Left no survivors." Erin stood back then, looping her thumbs into the straps of her jeans, determination worn upon her aged features, preparation for maybe a little pushback.

"It's dangerous to act solely upon rumours, Erin," Jack was the next to speak up, his voice gruff yet reasonable, as these meetings usually tended to go. "We've been bitten by that kind of whack story before. Hanna and Lucas, remember?" There was an almost audible wince at the mention of members once lost, a shift that Erin could sense and one that she knew exactly what to do with.

"Hanna and Lucas won't be the only ones to end up in the ground if we don't take this opportunity," she continued, sternly, forcefully. "Our supplies are low, those rations Pauly brought in with him? They won't last us the week. It's dangerous to act on rumours, but rumours are about all we got right now. We need ammo, weapons, medicine. Food. Everyone here knows Fort Strand had the good stuff, many of us died trying to acquire it. This is something we can't afford to pass up and if there's one good thing to come of the fucking undead, then it's them clearing the place out and having no need for the loot they'll have left behind."

A silence fell following her speech and despite the morbid sense that now engulfed the group like a fog, Ruby felt the corners of her lips twitch into a smirk in the shadows. One second passed, then two, three, four...

"I'll go." Her voice rang clear between the bodies, each of them turning towards her, Erin's deflating with a loosed breath of relief. Nobody spoke, nobody tried to talk her out of it because each and every one of them were glad that somebody else had thrown their hat into the ring. Ruby herself knew this was how it was meant to go, knew that whoever had volunteered in her place, she'd be sent out with them anyway. Because she was damn good at what she did, and held a success rate that nobody else in the whole goddamn camp did. Erin relied upon her, they all did, even though none of them would openly say it.

And so, that's how Ruby ended up alone. Out in the wilderness with only herself for company, and a few infected she managed to gut along the way.

"Bring back what you can. If it's safe, and you return, I'll send out more of us. But for now, scope the place out. Medicine first, ammo second. Then whatever else you can carry."

Erin had been the one to close the gates behind her departure, the one to seal her fate, whatever it maybe. Ruby had accepted long ago that her death when it came would most likely be premature, but that didn't mean she wouldn't go down fighting and she saw this mission as simply an extension of that, a necessity, maybe even an adventure. Because despite the safety in staying put, Ruby often found herself restless, needing focus to rid her of the nightmares that plagued her mind.

Two days passed before Fort Strand finally came into view upon her horizon, just as Erin had said. The redhead wore her hair around her shoulders, a dusty black jacket covering her torso and secondhand jeans upon her bottom half, alongside laced boots and her neckerchief that she wore, as usual, covering the bottom half of her face. Ruby moved quickly and quietly, as was her forte, keeping her back to walls, one hand ready on the strap of the shotgun she wore over her shoulders, eyes and ears listening for any signs of movement... life or otherwise. The wall of the fort towered above her and she scoured the perimeter until she found a crumbled shell of where the entrance had once stood, skilfully slipping through the gap the rocks had created and sliding down onto the other side. Her boots landed with a dull thud and the redhead crouched, waiting, her own breaths filling her ears, believing that for now at least... she was alone.

 

[BoneBrain]

Fort Strand was certainly deserted, it's crumbled stone walls gave way to old buildings, dust and carnage. Based on the smell of the place the infected had pushed through the forts defenses more than two weeks ago. Grim's nose crinkled as the smell of decomposition filtered through his nostrils, and he took in the sight of the aftermath. Over the years it had gotten easier to stomach the smell and the sights of the apocalypse, but even Grim had to admit his stomach did a twirl as he stepped past what remained of a family huddled together. His boots crunched over debris as he slowly made his way down a street, hugging close to the dilapidated buildings that lined its walk.

Grim's eyes and ears were peeled for any sign of life or undead life around him, he walked deliberately, ensuring he wouldn't cause any abrupt sounds. Ahead of him he spotted a large building with ornate stone pillars and pale stucco siding. Before the world had gone to shit he supposed the place must have been a government building, now it served as a central hub. In all his travels Grim had come across countless forts and encampments but there was one similarity between them all, and that was how people dealt with handing out resources. It was better to store that which was important in one central location and dole it out as the people needed. If Fort Strand was anything like the other places he'd been, Grim would have bet his left nut that the old government building served as Fort Strands central warehouse. Not the right one; he liked that one.

As he passed an alleyway Grim's eyes caught sight of movement at the other end near the wall. Immediately he pressed his body to the shaded wall of the alley behind a rusted dumpster and crouched out of sight. He heard the dull crunch of debris before the fort once more fell silent. Grim's breath steadied as one heavily inked hand reached for the dark grey pistol he'd acquired from looting a police car. The ammo was one of the more common types found in the world, but unfortunately Grim's ammo supply had not replenished with all of his recent looting. His hand hovered over the pistol for a moment, before he decided whatever it was he would use the knife strapped to his ankle. As quietly as he could Grim slipped the lethal looking knife from its scabbard, his knuckles turning white over its hilt.

A second noise came from down the alley, quieter now, but he heard it all the same. Careful footsteps sounded on the old concrete, and Grim tensed as the footsteps drew nearer. His free hand braced against the wall he'd pressed himself to, ready to push off and help him get the drop on whomever it was that was unfortunate to have crossed paths with him in this alleyway. His world narrowed down to the rapid increase of his pulse, the sounds shuffling closer and closer until finally they were just moments away. From his position crouched behind the dumpster he knew his opponent wouldn't see him before it was too late.

The first thing Grim spotted as he pushed from the wall was a flash of red. Red hair, red scarf. The second thing he noticed as he shoved was how small the person was. In a few short seconds he'd pushed from the wall and with one heavily inked hand he'd unceremoniously shoved the red head with their back against the opposing wall, his knife to their throat. Perhaps he was getting soft in his old age, but there was something about those olive eyes glaring up at him that stopped him from dragging the knife through the skin of their throat. He felt frozen, which was strange, he never froze; but his own eyes seemed trapped in that gaze. Without thinking, a single word rumbled out of him.

"Fuck."

 

[Becboc]

They were almost mirror images of each other, circling opposite ends of the fort until their paths inevitably crossed.

Once Ruby was sure that there was no movement coming from anywhere around her, she kept low and began to creep further into what had once been a settlement, the signs of life left behind in the forms of bodies or supplies, equipment that were scattered across the ground, falling where people had taken their last breaths. She could almost hear the echoing screams of the last line of defence, telling the story of their demise. It was clear that the once inhabitants of Fort Strand had put up a fight, from the volume of bodies that were left in what would have once been the main entrance, guns dropped at their feet, daggers strewn and old blood that had dissolved into the stones beneath them. Ruby herself had become somewhat numb to such sights and sounds - in some ways, it was all she had ever known. But despite her apparent ruthlessness, she could not bring herself to loot the bodies. Desperation was a funny thing and maybe one day she wouldn't have a choice but while she knew that there was most likely more here to find, she would leave the graves as they were.

Straightening slightly as she became more comfortable and more convinced that she was alone, Ruby began to venture further in, keeping her back to the walls, just in case. The streets were littered with rubble and rubbish, the buildings covered in graffiti and overgrown plants, with cars and other signs of what life once was scattered in between. It wasn't too dissimilar to her own encampment, except for maybe the sheer size of Fort Strand and the goodies that she assumed would be waiting for her in some kind of central hub that she soon approached in the form of the largest building, sat right in the centre of the fort, ornate pillars still existing at the front of it, above a set of stairs that had been half crushed by an explosive somewhere along the line. Much like Grim, Ruby had enough knowledge of the world to know that supplies were most likely kept centrally for ease and therefore if this building was to be her ticket to survival, she also knew that she was perhaps at the most dangerous point of her mission, the location that was coveted by people like her from all over the state. So, rather than approaching the front entrance, she dipped like a shadow down an alleyway next to the building, spying an opening that looked like some kind of old fire escape above her and carefully beginning to drag items into place so she could scale the wall and access it.

It was for this reason that Ruby didn't hear someone else approaching, as well as the fact that the person sneaking up on her was as professional at this as she was. Her back had been to Grim when he'd made his attack, so the first thing that she knew about it was large hands upon her shoulders, her back being pushed against the wall of the building, a sharp knife at her throat and then... amber. Blazing amber and inked skin.

Her chest heaving from the shock of being apprehended, the fear in her eyes quickly subsiding into fury, Ruby found her neck angled away from the blade that threatened to end her life, her heart pounding in her ears, waiting for the death that she knew would be inevitable... the death that never came. They both seemed to freeze in that moment, staring at each other in what could have been surprise, confusion, anger, or all of those things squashed into the seconds that ticked by. The rumbled one word, when it came from Grim only sought to confuse Ruby even more as she panted, her mind battling with some kind of escape route as well as grasping at understanding for why she wasn't bleeding out right now. In the end when she spoke next, her own words were born out of her fear of the unknown, despite them sounding bitter, aggravated, furious.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She hissed beneath her neckerchief, staring back into the wolfish orbs of her captor, never taking her own olive green from his features. She could already tell from the way he was towering over her that she didn't stand a chance strength-wise, that the ink told the story of him being around this life for much longer than she had been. "You gonna finish this, or what?" Ruby barely had time for the words to leave her before a sound echoed from what sounded like inside the building behind them, her attention momentarily captured by the falling of rubble, and the mystery of what had caused it. Her breaths had stopped so she could listen and then in what could have been considered a split-second decision, she gripped onto Grim's arm that pressed into her chest, using the leverage to swing her foot up into his gut, so that if he let go, she could make a run for it. Because there was no way in hell she wanted to stick around here to find out what other company they were about to keep.

 

[BoneBrain]

Their proximity felt almost electric, and Grim found himself worried that the smallest movement or sound between the two of them might cause an explosion. That was foolish of course, and his worries were broken when Red spoke. He could all but taste the fear and anger emanating off of her with each word, it was a strange feeling to be torn apart in two ways like this. Should he push the knife deeper and relish in that sweet fear some more? He'd all but convinced himself to start pulling away the knife when a noise sounded from behind the wall they were pressed against and she took the choice from him, her foot driving painfully into his gut. He absolutely deserved it.

The hand that had been holding her steady slipped to land on the wall he'd pinned her to as he doubled over in pain. Little Red wasted no time in rushing out from his grasp and he made a move to grab her but his fingers only grazed the strands of hair that blew back in the gusto of her escape. She was out of the alley and rounding the corner towards city hall and out of his sights in the space of a heartbeat.

A noise sounded from behind the wall again, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Grim straightened, forcing the pain away as the sound of a something fleshy hitting the street sounded just outside of the alley. He stilled, his thoughts curling like smoke in his brain, his own breath held as the sight of a newly infected shuffled across the opening of the alley. It hadn't spotted him, and Grim wondered if the woman had taken cover. The newly infected had been a man in his late twenties, his brown skin had been mottled with bruises and the space where his stomach should have been was replaced with trailing entrails. In the sunlight Grim spotted shards of glass from the window sticking out of the infected head. The creature's head twisted, his jaw seemingly unhinging as a high pitched shriek emanated from it lungs. Grim's heart stuttered as the zombie took off in the direction the woman had gone.

He reacted without thinking, forcing his knife back into its sheath and stepping out of the shade of the alley and into the street. He didn't see the woman anywhere, but based off how the infected was barreling down the road towards city hall, it had certainly seen or heard her. His gun was in his hand and even though he knew there were only three bullets remaining in its magazine he didn't think twice of using one to dispatch the infected. After all, if anyone was going to kill Red it might as well be him. He didn't like leaving a job unfinished, never mind the fact that he had every opportunity to and squandered it.

Grim lifted the pistol, his eyes narrowing on the head of his target. He flipped off the safety and let his finger gently hug the trigger. His arm tracked the movement of the wild infected and with one steadying breath he pulled the trigger, the gunshot echoing down the street of Fort Strand.

 

[Becboc]

Shaking the tension that had settled between herself and the stranger was no easy task, even as she surged forwards from the alleyway, desperate to find some kind of cover from whatever the hell they had disturbed inside of the building they had both previously wanted to get into. Something played in that back of her mind, something that may have resembled guilt if Ruby hadn't known better. The world that they lived in was kill or be killed, it was really as simple as that. And yet... she couldn't help but question the way that those crinkled eyes had looked at her, why the knife hadn't severed her neck? If their roles had been reversed, she wouldn't have hesitated... would she?

Trying to shake off these thoughts in favour of getting to safety, Ruby instinctively looked back over her shoulder when the shattering of glass ripped through the ragged breaths that pounded in her ears, the sound of a body thudding onto the rubble of the floor following straight after, which is about when she managed to frog-leap through a window, landing on the other side and crouching, her gun cradled to her chest. She didn't need to listen to know what would come next, the dragging shuffle of footsteps, the creaking and squelching of rotten flesh and then... a scream, high and piercing through the otherwise deserted fort. A sound that struck fear into anyone who heard it, a sound of death.

Squeezing her eyes shut briefly against the memories that swarmed her, the fear that gripped her throat, Ruby found her hands trembling, a soft, "Come on," pep-talk whispered to herself once and then again a second time, more urgently. With a deep inhale, or two, the redhead jerked into kneeling, cocking the shotgun on the window-ledge in front of her and taking aim at the now grunting infected who was barrelling in her direction. One eye squinting closed, Ruby tried to steady her hand, lining up the cross hair with the creature's head, her finger on the trigger... but the shot when it came wasn't from her. The echoed bang made her jump and she quickly moved the weapon out of her line of sight so that she could see what had just happened. The zombie had crumpled in front of her, another bloodcurdling shriek emanating from it as it writhed on the ground in amongst a pool of its own blue-brown flesh. The bullet had penetrated but it wasn't quite down and unable to witness the display any longer, Ruby didn't hesitate this time in lining up her gun for a second time and taking her shot.

The gunfire rang out and silence followed as the sound disintegrated into the air, falling upon the two people who were there like momentary peace. Though it wasn't long before an aftermath began to turn into expectation, into a game of chicken with each passing second. Ruby knew that he was still here, just as he knew she was; they had taken down an enemy together, despite being enemies themselves. What would come next though, she didn't know as she stood with her back against the wall next to the window, waiting... listening, wondering why this stranger had not only spared her life, but now saved it too. Her next steps were not clear, when the actions leading up to this moment didn't make sense themselves. Kill or be killed, that was the rule. Mercy didn't exist anymore. Or at least she thought that it didn't. Until now.

 

[BoneBrain]

The infected fell to the ground after his shot, and Grim face turned morose when he realized he'd not made a clean kill. The creature writhed in place, its hands and mouth reaching and gripping at nothing. Before he could even think of using his second last bullet a flash of a muzzle from across the way captured his attention and the mass of flesh and blood between them stilled. His eyes narrowed on the broken window, as silently as he could he ducked behind the cover of a nearby outcropping of concrete stairs on the opposite end of the street. There was silence for a long while as the two looters did their best to measure up one another and figure out their next steps. Of the two Grim decided it was time he made the first move.

"Hey Red!" He barked his greeting from across the way, the pieces slowly coming together in his mind. "You willing to make a trade?" He slowly peeked his head out from behind the stairs and glanced towards the spot where he knew she hid. He wasn't sure if she could see where he was and so in a gesture of good faith he slowly lifted his hands in the air for her to see. "How about we don't kill each other?" At least not yet. When no shot came he decided to go for it, and with a push from the ground he stood at his full height and stepped out into the open, hands still in the air.

He knew it was probably stupid, she had a clear shot and his head could be clean off. There was a part of him that he once thought had been long dead that flared to life, after all it was only fair she be given the same choice to spare him. It was definitely stupid, in this world people shot first and didn't even bother with the questions later. Survival had changed the world, and Grim had taken front row seats to the transformation of humankind. That same survival sense screamed at him to get back behind the stairs, but Grim didn't budge.

"There's likely more than enough goods to go around between two people." He continued talking, his eyes scanning the surrounding area before landing back at the window she stood behind. "I can share, 'sides it'll be easier to clear a place like that with a... buddy." The word almost pained him to say, but he couldn't think of another word for her. "What do you say, little one?" It was a simple enough plan, two heads were better than one, until they weren't- he'd re-evaluate the situation after the goods were safely in the bed of his truck.

 

[Becboc]

The silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity until a voice called out into the space between them. Ruby felt her heartrate quicken at the suggestion of a trade, at the suggestion of working together, at the suggestion of not needing to kill another human, the nicknames... The redhead couldn't help but peer around the edge of the window at this man, who she now saw was wandering out into the open, his hands held in the air. Was it a trap? Would he shoot her dead as soon as she stepped into view? But despite her very normal, natural reactions for this kind of situation, Ruby felt the intrigue bubbling alongside the fear; he hadn't killed her when he had the chance before, so why would he do it now? Though that didn't quite sate the question of... why?

Her mind raced, eventually giving way to what she knew best. Ruby cocked her gun once more, peering through the target at the towering giant who now stood in the middle of the street. As far as she could see he was inked from head to toe, his beard was long, and so was his hair. He looked as though he could crush Ruby within the palm of his hand, yet this formidable giant had shown her more mercy than anyone for as long as she could remember, and in the end, despite her worries of sharing loot that she needed, despite one half of her brain screaming at her to take the shot... she couldn't, and much like Grim had just moments ago, she muttered a small, "Fuck," before pulling the weapon away and rising to her feet.

That wasn't to say however, that she didn't appear without the gun still pointed at Grim, that she didn't keep her distance and her face covered as she emerged from the shadows. "Keep your hands where I can see them," she ordered pointedly, circling the man like a skittish animal, her hands trembling, her body working through her sudden surge of adrenaline. Like him, she knew that she was putting herself at risk right now and also like him, she wasn't entirely sure why. All that Ruby knew was how could she bring herself to end his life when he had spared her hers?

Eventually, her small form came to stop in front of him, gun still raised, olive once more meeting amber. "I don't like sharing with strangers," she growled, her voice laced with distrust and still muffled by the material that covered it. It was meant to sound menacing, but the quake of her tone took the edge off. "How do I know you won't stab me in the back the minute we're done here?" Then she added, a little more softly, "How do I know I can trust you?"

 

[BoneBrain]

The woman peeked around the window and Grim let himself take in a good look. It wasn't often he was able to take in the appearance of strangers, the fact that he usually jumped right into the killing and self defence tended to hinder ones ability to sit back and appreciate. Oh boy did he hate himself for appreciating the woman who slunk out of window, her gun trained on him as she approached. Jesus, she looked like she was in her twenties, with her lithe figure and shapely legs that seemed shaky as she circled him. He kept his hands up at his shoulders, his fingers pointed up at the sky.

"You've got it squirt." He said the nickname more for his own benefit, it seemed good to remind himself of their age difference. His eyes followed her every motion and he had to really focus on keeping his bored expression in place as she came to a halt in front of him. For half a moment he considered reaching out and pulling her scarf away from her face, the curiosity of what she looked like under all that maroon was intense. He wondered about the shape of her mouth as she growled at him, and that noise broke him of his expression, instead a smile creased his lips. He had to admit; the kid had gumption.

"First of all." Grim slowly moved his hands, holding them in front of her as he ticked off one finger. "Nobody likes sharing with strangers. Second, you don't know that and finally, third; of course you can't trust me." He leaned forward a bit, his movements still slow, but easier now- more relaxed; and as his eyes met hers again he held her gaze. "What are you, new to the apocalypse or something princess?" His grin was all teeth now, perhaps a little menacing. "But, I also don't know if you're going to stab me in the back either. I sure as hell don't trust you Red, but I know I'm not interested in killing you right at this moment. If you don't like it go ahead and shoot me now." He wasn't sure what made him speak so cockily but even as she pointed a gun in his direction knowing all too well that if it were anyone else neither one of them would have hesitated to do what had to be done. Perhaps she might do him a favour by ending it all here and now, what ever higher powers were out there knew he had his fair share of stains on his life.

In an effort to be extra helpful, Grim reached out and directed the barrel of her gun right to the spot where his heart thumped in his chest. Was he acting a little bit unhinged - absolutely, was he enjoying having this random woman pointing her gun at him - also yes.

"What's it gonna be sugar?"

 

[Becboc]

She didn't know what it was, but there was something about the nicknames he was giving her... something bold, and infuriating and... humanising all at once. Though despite the flare of irritation as he used them to perpetuate the very obvious differences between them, Ruby took notice because to him, she was a squirt. He was much, much larger than she was, towering over her even with the space between them. The crinkles at the corner of his eyes were a tell-tale sign that he no longer held the youth that she did, which made the sight of her pointing a gun at him seem all the more comical, and he seemed to think so too because when he started to speak, there was no sign of fear, of trepidation. His tone was relaxed, amused, as though he were truly speaking to a buddy, someone he'd known for longer than all of five minutes and his smile only sought to reiterate that and the annoyance Ruby could feel burning heat into her cheeks.

Though despite the way he was making her feel, Ruby had to admit, the points he was making were all sound and things she already knew to be true. They couldn't trust each other, that was the way of the world now but the only other alternative was to shoot and they both knew that she wasn't about to do that, not now that communication, contact had been made. It was all good and well shooting people you didn't know, but shooting them after you'd attached some kind of meaning? Near enough impossible. Or at least it was to her anyway, even though her stubbornness meant she'd never admit it.

Before the redhead had a chance to respond, a large tattooed hand reached out towards her, gripping the gun she still held and drawing it in with a force that she stood no chance against. The barrel pressed to his chest, bringing them naturally closer and Ruby could see the glint in those amber eyes, the menacing humour that lingered and for a moment she felt frozen, staring into him just like he had her when he'd held a knife to her throat. In the end, she only managed to snap herself out of it when she felt herself falling too far and she yanked the gun away from him, taking a step back but still keeping it trained in his direction... for now.

"Fine," she relinquished, her voice dripping with contempt. "A trade. But on one condition." Ruby nudged her gun towards him again. "Hand me your weapons." A pause. "All of them." And then she shrugged, pulling her neckerchief down around her neck. "You're bigger than me. I need them more than you do." Holding her hand out expectantly, that olive gaze never faltered, even when she added, "Oh and you can quit with the nicknames whilst you're at it, smartass. I'm no princess."

 

[BoneBrain]

For a moment Grim wondered if it truly was the end. They were frozen, staring into one another's eyes as the barrel of her gun pressed between the spaces in his ribs. Grim held his breath, and he felt the rapid beat of his pulse against his neck. In the next moment the gun was pulled away from him and Grim let out a long breath of relief, without truly realizing what he was doing he let his hand rest over his heart for a brief moment. He would reflect later about how conflicting it was to be held captive by the little thing.

She demanded his weapons and Grim crinkled his nose at her. "Well now, I can't see how I would be much help if there are more of those fuckers laying around." Grim gestured to the zombie who still lay oozing nearby, but at her explanation he rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright." Muttering to himself he handed over the pistol with its two bullets and the knife. She gave him a pointed look and he reluctantly handed over two more hunting knives. "That's it I swear, pat me down if you want." His eyes gleamed a little at the thought.

She added her distaste at the nicknames he'd given her and Grim's grin widened. "You take my weapons and my fun. That hardly seems fair. Give me a name to call you then little girl." If she gave it, he would certainly enjoy not using it- there was something about the woman in front of him that inspired a lot of nicknames, and it seemed a shame not to voice them. He didn't offer his name, he never did with anyone.

Once Ruby seemed satisfied that he'd handed over everything they turned to look towards the city hall. In the time since the world had ended the architecture had started to crumble but it seemed a sturdy enough building to house everything the fort would need. Grim fell into step beside the woman who held his weapons captive and placed his hands in his pockets in a casual act. She still eyed him warily but he ignored the look, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead as they began to climb up the rubble and stairs to get to the large wooden doors. The doors however were locked up tight and no amount of pulling could get them open. Grim gave the doors a good kick with his boot, and leaned forward listening at the small crack between the doors.

"Doesn't sound like anyone's home." He said after a few quiet moments of listening. He backed up, his gaze bouncing around for any tools that could help them move forward. A little to the left of them Grim spotted a window that was just out of reach. He considered for a moment and then looked to his new 'partner' with a raised brow, with a head jerk in the direction of the window he pointed her attention. "I can boost you." He offered.

 

[Becboc]

Reluctance was expected when being asked to hand over the few things that helped someone to feel better protected, but Ruby persevered, waiting when Grim handed over his pistol and a knife and then waiting again for the other two that followed. "Maybe I will now I have two knives in hand." The retort came out against the offer of patting him down before Ruby could really consider it, until she eventually secured the weapons to her person - the pistol she tucked into the back of her jeans, the knives in holsters, ones that she wore across her body and then finally the smaller of the three she lowered into her boot. For safe keeping. It was only when she noticed the man smiling did she look back up at him, hissing a curse quietly under her breath when he requested her name, followed by yet another nickname. "In your dreams, grandad," she scoffed, because there was no way in hell she was giving him anymore of her identity, especially when he hadn't given her any of his.

The walk to the city hall wasn't a long one and Ruby made sure to always keep two steps beside her new companion, maintaining her gaze at least partially trained upon him at all times, not giving him to chance to do anything stupid. If he noticed he didn't mention it and when they finally reached their destination, the two of them expertly clambered through the rubble and up the stairs. A quick tug of the doors was enough to show them that they wouldn't be getting into the place the easy way and Ruby couldn't help but wince when Grim kicked at them, the sound reverberating around the empty street. Standing beside him for a moment, only when he backed up did she begin to look for alternatives herself. "Well it's a good job they're not, because they'd sure as hell know we were here if they were." The statement was muttered mostly, but loud enough for Grim to hear.

When he gave a jerk in the direction of a small window, red eyed it uncertainly in the wake of his offer, briefly looking around in the hope of finding another way but when she found none, she sighed in defeat and gave a rigid nod of her head. "Alright. But don't go getting any ideas." Waiting for Grim to cup his hands together, as soon as he was ready for her she placed her boot there and gripped onto his shoulder, allowing him to shove her upwards with unsurprising ease. Ruby gripped onto the window ledge, hauling herself up with a soft grunt and pushing at the window so that she could scramble through onto the other side. For a moment she balanced precariously between in and out, before shifting so that she could dangle her body down some of the way from the ledge until she could finally let go and hit the floor, just about managing to absorb the impact with her feet.

Immediately pulling up her neckerchief, given that nobody knew how this damn virus spread yet, Ruby clicked on a flashlight she kept on her person, marvelling briefly at the piles of boxes and crates that lay around the outside of the hall. Grim was right, it seemed to be completely empty, except for the remains of a few infected who judging by their silence, were very much already dead.

Once she was sure it was safe, Ruby found herself scouring the room for what she eventually found in the form of an old fire door, one that they hadn't seen from the outside, simply because it was buried in debris and overgrown plants. It had a bar across it that Ruby tried to push, but it wasn't without resistance, and in the end she just about managed to crack it a little, enough to peek out at Grim and into the slither of daylight. "Psst, hey. Over here. Give me a hand with this, would ya?"

 

[BoneBrain]

Red was getting harder to look away from with each passing moment. When she'd pulled down her neck scarf Grim had taken in a few small details, like the necklace that tangled with the scarf that was bunched around her neck, or the gentle arch of her cupids bow on that soft pink mouth of hers. That same mouth threw back a rather hurtful nickname and he found his lip curling in distaste, and to think he'd thought he could have been enamored by her. Her muttered criticism of his methods had his fingers digging into the palm of his hand, leaving little crescent moons in their wake.

The woman agreed to being boosted and Grim pressed his back to the wall under the window, couching a little before cupping his hands for her to step into. Her strong hand touched his shoulder and he did his best to ignore the pleasant heat that radiated through the fabric of his shirt. He lifted her with ease and he watched as she hauled herself up the wall and through the window. He definitely didn't notice the curve of her rear, or the shapely form of her legs. As red disappeared behind the wall a sickening thought occurred to Grim, she had all his weapons and now she had every opportunity to just leave him there and not open the door.

"Fuck." He muttered to himself, despising the lurch of betrayal he felt manifesting deep in his gut. That had been stupid. He twisted around trying to spot something he could drag to the window when a creaking noise sounded a little to the left of him. He wasn't sure if it was surprise or relief he felt when those olive eyes peeked at him from the crack in the once hidden door. He moved forward right away, his strong arms tearing through the vines and debris that covered the door. Once he found the outside handle his hand wrapped around it and with his other arm braced against the wall he pulled with all his might. The woman pushed on her end and with a few good tugs they were able to open the door enough for Grim to slip inside. They pulled it closed once more, not wanting to let anyone from the outside in as they cleared the place.

Grim pulled his own mini flashlight out of one of his many pockets and flicked it on. Twin beams of light moved through the space, scanning over a large entry hall that had been haphazardly filled. Likely Fort Strands residents had done their best to collect any of their goods during the attack to better protect it. The smell inside the hall was just as bad as outside and when Grim turned his beam of light to Red he noticed she'd pulled on her neck scarf once more, a part of him wished he'd brought his own, and he made a mental note to supply one of his many pockets with one when he returned to the truck.

Grim and Ruby moved forward through the call, stepping over infected long dead. The fort had set up a large table in front of a large set of marble stairs that led to an upper floor. Makeshift gates had been made at the base of the steps and both looters made their way towards it. The gate creaked open and Grim stepped past it first, deciding that his chivalry had died long ago. They reached the second landing and what had once been government offices were now storage rooms for all sorts of goods. Old decorations from the time before the apocalypse lined the walls, paintings of fields and important heads of office hung above glass cases. Grim however had no interest in old dusty sets of plates or ancient tools, he passed them quickly and made a beeline for an office whose glass walls had been covered with wooden boards. The door was locked, but with one swift kick he managed to break the lock with ease, the door swung open wildly hitting the wall with a loud bang.

A shrill noise followed the bang and Grim's eyes widened as a zombie lurched up from behind a rack of weapons. He immediately recognized the creature, it's face was a mess of boils and pus that seemed to almost burn through the skin, right down to the bone. It's eyes were long burned away. The smell grew worse with the open door, the infected rushed towards the door, but in its haste it knocked into the rack sending both the creature and a rack of guns clattering to the floor. The zombie was tangled in it's mess and the noise echoed through the halls. Grim's breath halted and he turned to Red, his eyes meaningful as he quickly and quietly rushed to her.

His hand reached out towards her chest and before she could stop him, he pulled one of his knives from the band strapped around her. The turned and fell silent as the infected blindly crawled from the room, his skin dragging and leaving ooze in its wake.

 

[Becboc]

It hadn't once occurred to Ruby that she could leave Grim standing outside of the building waiting for her, for her to never return. She was ruthless, but perhaps not that ruthless, or perhaps there was simply something else stopping her from wanting to end this partnership prematurely... despite everything about her words and her body language saying otherwise.

For the most part, once they were inside the two scoured the hall in silence, their flashlights leading the way, illuminating the deceased, the relics of a world that no longer existed. They slipped through the gates at the bottom of the stairs with surprising ease and Ruby found herself stopping along the way to open draws in old cabinets, to rifle through papers in case they might find anything of use.

Her head was buried in reading names in an old registry folder when Grim kicked the door to the room with glass walls that had been boarded up and Ruby jumped, spinning towards him with a scolding on the tip of her tongue when her words were stolen by the familiar screech of the undead. That familiar pounding in her chest began as she watched the creature struggle with the rack, alerted to their presence yet unable to do anything about it. In fact, it was for this reason that Ruby didn't immediately notice Grim reaching for his knife, their eyes only meeting when she felt the removal of it against her chest. No words were passed in that moment, because even if she wanted to protest she knew that to do so now would draw unwanted attention. Plus, she had to admit... it probably was safer for him to have a weapon. For the both of them. If he wanted to kill her, he'd have done it already... right?

It soon became very clear that the zombie couldn't see either of them, with its already hollowed out eyes and half eaten features. Both the smell and sight of it was abhorrent and Ruby could only stand to watch it slide across the floor for a few moments longer. Using her hand, she pressed it into Grim's broad chest, encouraging him back against the wall with her so that the infected could pass by them, so that she could approach it from behind quickly, silently, eventually ramming her own dagger through its neck. The creature screamed again, a horrifying sound until it gurgled and finally... fell silent. For a long moment Ruby stood and stared at it, but no remorse spread across her features. Not anymore.

Avoiding Grim's gaze, the redhead only yanked her weapon back again when she was sure it was dead before stepping past the body and into the room it had come from. She did so in stages, keeping her back to the wall until she was sure there were no more, shining her flashlight around the perimeter of the room. It was like a goldmine in terms of guns, knives, ammo. In fact, Ruby had never seen such a stash in her life and she couldn't help the low whistle that escaped her as she picked up a particular neat looking hunting rifle.

"So..." She spoke first in the end, her voice echoing slightly in the otherwise empty room. "I'm guessing you're here for the same things I am. You want them for yourself or...?"

 

[BoneBrain]

Maybe he was getting to old for this, Grim's tactics had never caused him a problem in the past but upon further reflection he'd missed out on a clean kill, he'd almost set himself up to be abandoned by his new 'buddy' and now he'd set another one of the infected on them. A warm hand pressed to his chest and Grim resisted for only a moment before allowing the woman to press him back against the wall. Her olive eyes were trained on the creature as it slowly crawled towards them and both of the looters breath's fell silent as the stench emanated from right under the noses. The woman moved before he could and Grim watched as Red expertly snuck behind the creature, careful not to make a sound as she prepared her knife.

It's scream pierced the air and was quickly watered down by the gurgles of blood that gushed through it's airways. Red clearly knew what she was doing when it came to looting and navigating through places silently, and Grim told himself that the reason he was looking so closely at her was because he needed to get his shit together if he wanted to continue surviving in this world. He watched as she regarded her kill silently, and he recognized the familiar look in those desensitized eyes of hers.

She didn't demand the knife from him again as they moved away from the horrible smell and he didn't offer it to her. Instead he slipped it back in it's sheath and followed her into the room filled with ammo and guns. His eyes sparkled at the sight and he could all but taste the sweetness of his impending freedom. Red's voice caught him off guard and he blinked in surprise at her question. Normally he wouldn't have answered such a question, finding it too personal- but she had just taken care of his incompetent ass. He should probably say thank you.

"I do need some weapons yes, I was hired to get them for a few guys running a settlement down south." It was a half truth, better than nothing; she didn't need to know about the debts that hung over his head. "How about for yourself? Do you want to split them down the middle or are you looking for something in particular?" He asked folding his arms over his chest and popping a hip on a nearby crate. Words lingered on his tongue and he struggled with how to voice the words. "Tha-" thank you. "There's a lot that has to be done, we better get this show on the road before it becomes too dark." His words were gruff, almost angry as he forced himself up and began to gather the items he needed.

"I will be needing my gun back princess." Grim muttered later when the two of them had gathered backpacks filled with supplies and ammo. Guns were strapped together using belts and scavenged rope, and Grim slung his assortment of weapons back. He wasn't sure what made him demand the weapon back when he had a plethora of others to choose from, but there was something that irked him about the way she'd taken it from him, and he knew it was childish but he'd found that gun, that was his prize to keep.

 

[Becboc]

The way that she asked her question was casual but the way that she listened for his answer, less so. People were always suspicious of each other these days, knowledge did tend to be power even now, and she half figured he wouldn't answer her, though that didn't make her any less curious. Despite being desensitised to the violence that was necessary to survive, it would seem that Ruby had still held onto at least a little bit of her humanity and she listened to Grim with a kind of morbid fascination, though one she tried to hide by examining multiple weapons as though she understood what she was looking at. "You're like a mercenary then?" She also couldn't help but wonder how he was paid.

When the question was turned back onto her she just shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Yeah, there's a few of us. Splitting down the middle works for me." It wasn't ideal, but if Ruby was honest she wouldn't be able to carry the whole lot back by herself anyway. Already beginning to throw various items into the large holdall that she had been carrying empty on her shoulder, it was only when Grim began to speak again did Ruby look up at him, expectant, although he seemed to hesitate before continuing. She didn't press, but she found her gaze lingering upon his hair, his beard, his broad shoulders for maybe a second or too longer than was completely natural before she looked away again, only nodding at his gruff voice and how he seemed almost angry at whatever he had been about to say. It wasn't her place to pry, although she found herself in that moment wondering what it would feel like if it was.

Once they had finally cleared out most of the room and managed to wrap their things together enough to be able to comfortably carry them over a distance, Ruby had straightened and was about to suggest they check some of the other rooms when Grim spoke first, requesting back his gun. She looked at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes, mainly at the nickname. "You don't already have enough to choose from, grandad?" The question bit back as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder and wandered towards the door. "You'll get your gun back when we leave." It wasn't exactly clear why she was so reluctant to hand it over; it certainly wasn't for fear of being shot. If he wanted to kill her, he could very easily do so now with the amount of ammo on his back, so then maybe it was some kind of powerplay? Or the knowledge that if she gave it back she knew he could leave, that was preventing her? Either way though had the same result of her moving through the door and back out into the corridor. "I'm gonna have a quick look around. See if there's any medical supplies."

Red didn't wait to see if Grim was following her as she started towards the next door along, one that this time opened easily and without incident. Olive eyes scoured the place for a safe, or some kind of locked cupboard, which she eventually found in the corner of the room that at one point may have been some kind of staff common room, with vending machines tipped over onto their sides and two cups that still had spoons in them next to a rusted looking sink, an old boiler above it. Approaching the unit, a rattle of the door told Ruby that it would need breaking into and with a sigh, she slipped out a slither of metal that she kept on her person for exactly this kind of thing. She was no stranger to picking a lock and it took her all of a minute or two to find the sweet spot until the lever gave way and the lock clicked, opening to reveal shelves of bandages, creams and... penicillin. Her heart surged a little, Tim's aged and weary face flashing behind her eyes as she frantically gripped at the bottles and piled them into her bag.

"Hey," she called while she did so, trying to contain at least a little bit of her excitement. "Do you want in on some of this?" The sound that followed however, was not a voice, but a clattering of furniture, then hurried footsteps and finally... the type of grunts that haunted her nightmares. Ruby turned just in time to see the infected launching itself at her, the two of them collapsing to a heap on the floor as she tried to push its oozing and eaten face away from her, droplets of rotten flesh spattering her skin.

 

[BoneBrain]

"Yeah, I'm like a mercenary." Grim parroted back at Red, his brow lifting.

When the gun wasn't immediately handed over to him Grim felt his lip curl once more at the nickname she'd decided to give him. There was a part of him that wanted to snag her by her upper arm as she passed him, force that maroon neckerchief off her face and intimidate an apology out of her. The idea of wrapping his hand around her throat or snagging her chin with his rough fingers was appealing. However the delightful image was also a distraction and she breezed past him easily promising his weapon back when they escaped. He watched her walk away and his hand twitched as his side as she passed multiple walls that would be the perfect spot to pin her against. Ruby disappeared into the next door over and Grim hesitated on following her, instead choosing to run his hand over his face and take a steadying breath.

"Jesus, fuck." He muttered as he pulled his backpack and bundle of guns out into the hall. Rather than continue carrying his loot he placed them near the stairs that lead out to where they'd come from. He looked over the door where Red had come from and was making his way over when a supply closet caught his attention. It thankfully was also unlocked and with a quick peek he determined there was nothing of value for him. He could hear Ruby inside the room fiddling around with something and he found himself pausing to just listen. God, if only his sister could see him now, she'd call him a coward- question if he'd ever spoken to a woman before let alone been with one and certainly with the way he was acting it sure seemed like it. Grim had never felt more hot and cold with his emotions in his life, truly he'd all but convinced himself he was nothing but cold with his feelings. It had just taken one look, one press of their bodies against as wall and suddenly everything felt like it was sparking to life within him. The thought was both terrifying and irresistible. Her excited voice brought him out of his thoughts and he felt that warmth again as she offered to share whatever it had been she'd found.

He stepped into the doorframe ready to answer when movement and noise drew his attention to the opposite side of the room. From behind a plush rotted sofa two figures surged to their feet. He felt his body move even before he fully registered what was happening, his only directive was to stop the masses of flesh and rot from their trajectory towards Ruby. His hand found the knife in his hilt as the zombies collided with Ruby. There was a sickening thud as they hit the ground and Grim let out rough yell as he reached them, his arms rearing back with the knife. The creatures paid him no mind, their sole focus was the flesh of Ruby and he heard their teeth clattering against themselves as she held them off. His first hit came from the side, spearing into the temple of the zombie, sending him knocking into his partner. Congealed blood oozed from the spot as he quickly reared back once more, sending the knife sinking once more into flesh. The creature slumped, it's limbs growing heavy and landing on both Ruby and the other zombie.

Grim didn't hesitate, kicking out with his heavy boot and crunching into the ribs of the zombie that struggled, sending it rolling off Ruby. He followed after it, grunting with the effort it took to pin the creature to the floor with a boot on its chest. He felt skin, rot and bone crunching under his weight. The knife dripped with blood in his hand and he adjusted his grip quickly and then brought the blade into the spot dead centre on what had once been a face. The body beneath him twitched and then went still, Grim's head lifted, his skin spattered by the remains of the deceased, his eyes seeking out Ruby as she struggled to get out from beneath the dead weight over her. His knife clattered to the ground without a second thought, and he stepped away from his kill to reach for the ankle of the creature and drag it off of Ruby. He pulled the first body out of the room and into what had once been a staff bathroom, he did the same with the second body and shut the door on the stench.

"Are you hurt?" Grim finally spoke once more as he hurried over to Ruby. Fragments of the dead stuck to her skin and clothes and Grim wasted no time in opening drawers trying to find something to wipe away the mess. He found a collection of old dishtowels that looked like they had seen better days but he knew it would have to do. He deposited his find on the ground next to them and helped Red to a sitting position where she could lean back against the cabinetry of the sink. With the first of the towels he got to work on removing the bits of flesh and blood that spattered her face.

"Did any get in your mouth, eyes, nose?" If she answered him he still proceeded as if she hadn't, his hand reaching out to her scarf and pulling it down. His fingers found her bare chin and instead of grabbing it as forcefully as he'd been imagining earlier his grip was firm yet gentle. He tilted her head up with one hand and inspected closely. "That neck scarf of yours is quite the lifesaver." He didn't pull away quite yet, even as he finished ensuring her face was clear of any debris, his hand still pressed to the soft skin of her jawline. "Seems like I'm winning now Red. I've got two and half for kills and you're sitting at a meager one and a half." He wasn't sure what made him prod at her only minutes after her attack, perhaps because he preferred the fire in her eyes rather than the fear that was lingering.

He sat back finally, his rump hitting the floor with a repressed groan from him- he didn't want to give her anymore reason to call him grandad. One of his knees came up and he rested his forearm there, his hand hanging limply as he regarded the woman in front of him. After all this and he still didn't know her name, and if he was being honest with himself he really wanted to know it. With a resigned sigh Grim brushed back a strand of hair that had come loose in the struggle. "Give me your name Little One. I'd like to know the name of my competition..." He trailed off knowing it was only fair to exchange his name for hers. The struggle on his face was evident but he finally relented. "I'm Grim." He didn't meet her eyes as he spoke the name that he'd taken up.

 

[Becboc]

This was it, Ruby was so sure of it. And all because she'd let hope get the better of her, for one measly minute. Hope and excitement, both of which had led her to where she was now, with gnarled teeth gnashing at her face, rotted claws that were once human hands ripping at her clothes and congealed blood and pus seeping onto her from the otherwise dead body that was pressing down on top of her. Her panic in that moment was almost crippling as she used what she could of her strength to keep those teeth away, twisting her face in one direction and the next as they inched closer, her hands pushing into the thing's bony shoulders. Its eyes were bloodshot, feral, inhuman and she was so frightened by them that she didn't realise that she was whimpering in her struggle, or that Grim was soon on top of them all, his knife landing blows to the first, large hands dragging away the second.

The struggling seemed to stop all at once as more liquid wet her, the stench enough to make anyone gag as the body collapsed its weight once what was left of its existence had been punctured. It was all Ruby could do to lay there for a moment in shock before she was trying to push it away, desperately, afraid of the walls that felt like they were closing in on her lungs, of being so restricted by something so incredibly dangerous that she couldn't seem to move. Or at least that was until something, or someone dragged it off of her, releasing her breath, freeing her momentarily from her own terror. A few moments passed before she was able to start pulling herself up, olive eyes wide with fear, face pale as she became aware of Grim moving around the room, searching, looking, then helping her to rest against the rusted kitchen cabinet, gently wiping at her face... after he'd just saved her life.

To his first question she simply shook her head, words failing her for the moment. Everything had happened in such a blur but now that her panic was subsiding, the pieces were coming together like a jigsaw, an image forming of the yell as he'd tried to intercept the infected, of the crunching of his knife, his boot into the two beings intent on killing her. Her gaze was distant as she recalled it all despite it happening only moments ago, and only did it return when she felt large, warm fingers gripping her chin, gently but supportively, a kind of 'I got you' without words. Olive met amber in that moment, and everything else fell away.

Ruby couldn't remember the last time she had felt such care, such.... consideration that in her own mind bordered on affection. She found herself wanting to lean into it and wanting to run at the same time, the two sides of her brain warring with each other. Their size and age differences were suddenly made so stark by their closer proximity, yet Ruby found it a comfort, felt drawn to Grim's confidence, the way even crouched, he towered over her, protective, maybe even a little... possessive? To his second question she shook her head again though this time weak words managed to follow as those fingers tilted her head back now that her face was fully revealed. "No. No, I don't think so." And his jibe when it came was welcomed, was exactly what Ruby needed without either of them realising it. "Yeah, well. I figured you owed me one."

When he finally sat back, the redhead loosed a breath she hadn't even realised she had been holding, taking a few moments for herself, to gather herself, to regain some kind of composure. They were both still shaking off their near miss in silence and only did Ruby look back up at her new buddy when he spoke, curiously and then with surprise when he offered her his name. His struggle was evident and wanting to comfort him as he had her, Ruby's own prod came back at him almost immediately, "You said it." A smirk ghosted across her features as she found herself willing him to look at her, to see her silent, 'it's okay'. His name wasn't something she had been expecting; it was unusual and she found herself wondering if he had always been called that, or if he'd chosen it for himself... and then wondering why she wanted to know. Stranger things had happened, though despite her curiosity, Ruby in the end chose not to pry, for he had already given her a part of himself for now, and all that was left for her to do was return the favour.

"Ruby," Ruby offered eventually, her voice quiet. "My name is Ruby." Then, an idea struck her and she shifted, carefully easing the pistol from the back of her jeans, turning it over in her fingers and then with a sigh decidedly handing it out into the space between them, back towards its rightful owner as a small representation of trust, an unvoiced thank you. "Don't make me regret this, Grim. I have some catching up to do. One and a half, remember?"

 

[BoneBrain]

Even now, as he sat perched a safer distance from her, his fingers twitched to touch her again. He could still feel the warmth of her under his touch and he wondered if the sensation would ever leave him. He could see the terror from the moment slowly drain away from them and with each passing second he let his shoulders droop and relax. Her mouth formed into a thoughtful curve as when he gave his name and he half expected the usual barrage of questions- Did your mom name you that? Is that just like a codename or something? But when Red didn't pry he was grateful. The reveal of her name had a true smile transforming his face, one that lifted up to his eyes and crinkling the crows feet wrinkles there.

"I knew I was right to call you Red." He preened at his own insight. "It suits you, and not just because of the hair." He pointed at her locks but didn't bother to explain further, his own thoughts trailing off as Ruby reached behind her and she revealed his gun. Her arm extended and Grim met her halfway, his hand meeting hers as his fingers closed over the gun and her own hand. His skin brushed over hers as he accepted the weapon from her. "I won't make it an easy competition." He vowed as he dug into one of the pockets near he knee and pulled out a few of the bullets he'd saved for when he got the gun back. The gun's clip slid out easily and he deposited the bullets one by one, when he was finished he slid the weapon into its rightful place at his waist.

"What was it that you wanted to share with me? Before- you know." Grim looked pointed to the bathroom where the two bodies lay before rising to his feet. He held out a hand to help her up and once she was back on her feet they peered up at the cabinet of medicine together. Grim blinked at the bottles of helpful medicine and then looked down at the woman who'd offered to share those little treasures with him. Would he have shared this with her? Was she truly so warm hearted, even in this world? His gaze raked over the pain meds, penicillin, bandages and anti-septic wipes, knowing full well if he had stumbled upon these treasures he would have never thought to share them. Perhaps long ago he might have, but this world had stolen all the light from him.

Grim reached for a small package of wipes, and after gaining confirmation from he that he could take it he stepped away to let her gather her goodies. As she bent over her pack he contemplated her, wondering if she knew the kindness she bore was the greatest treasure he'd ever stumbled upon. He stepped away from the room needing a moment to breathe, and when he looked down at his pack and the bundle of weapons he felt the cool rush of reality hit him like a punch to the gut. A woman like that would not be long for this world, not the world he'd come to know. His brain scrambled against the truth of the situation and what to do, the unhinged part of himself wanted to steal her away and become the dragon that guarded the princess away from outside terrors. Shaking his head against the notion Grim bent to retrieve his pack and slung it's heavy contents over his shoulders. He groaned a little against the weight, and groaned a little more as he bent to retrieve the bundle of weapons.

He turned to seek out Ruby, his gaze traveling down her from, lingering as if he wanted to memorize every detail. A heavy sigh reached him, and when his gaze finally met hers there was sadness there. He mourned for her and the kindness he was certain would be torn from her. In truth he was happy they were nearing the end of time together, he wasn't sure he could bare witness to it.

Not again.

The amber fire in his eyes died a little as he forced his walls closed once more. "I'll walk out with you?" He asked, gesturing with his head to the stairs. Thank god he had a truck to lug him the rest of the way home, because carrying all this was an impossibility.

 

[Becboc]

God, that smile. Ruby couldn't remember the last time she had seen someone smile like that, the kind of genuine, eye-crinkling smile that lit up someone's features. She certainly couldn't remember the last time her name was responsible for such an expression either and despite herself, she felt her cheeks colour slightly, because damn, grandad looked good when he smiled, even better when he paired it with a compliment that Red didn't know how to accept. So instead she ducked her head just a little as if she were trying to shake it off, feeling more comfortable with the challenge that was cast her way. "Glad to hear it." Her gaze lingered upon his inked hands, upon the feeling of his skin against hers. She had noticed it of course, the way their fingers caught in the handover, just like she had noticed the tingle that lasted there after. It almost made her stretch her fingers out but in the end she shook off the need, internally scolding herself for the way that her stomach rolled, her chest flipped at these tiny little details that she should know better than to acknowledge. This was about survival, nothing more, nothing less.

When their attention was finally turned back to their task, Ruby glanced at the hand that was held out to her and took it reluctantly, standing becoming the mental reset that she needed. She led Grim to the cabinet where she had found the medicines, not paying a second thought to the possibility of not halving the loot - that's what they had agreed on, hadn't they? In truth, it hadn't crossed her mind to take the items without offering some of them to him before he joined her, even though in reality she probably should have. It was funny really, how quickly she had so naturally reversed into the person she wanted to be around him, rather than the person she was, or maybe that vision was more muddled than she believed it to be? Nevertheless, she was surprised when he only took the antiseptic wipes, leaving her to fill her bag with the rest - she didn't question him, figuring that whoever he was finding this stuff for got their medical supplies elsewhere.

Once the cabinet was finally empty, Ruby straightened with her own bag, a glimmer of amusement stroking across her features at the way Grim groaned, twice, though she chose this time not to comment. Their silence was companionable, one that shared a lingering knowledge underneath their company that this would soon be coming to an end. Ruby wasn't sure how to feel about that, or why she wasn't sure, but as their eyes finally locked again she felt a dip in her mood at what she thought was sadness lingering in his gaze. Or was that wishful thinking? Was she imagining it? How could she be sure, when she didn't know him? Didn't really know anyone. Not anymore. Human emotions were confusing, messy and there certainly wasn't a place for them in the world anymore. Ruby had long since come to accept that, even in only her twenty six years. Or at least she thought that she had.

To his question though, she couldn't help but quip back against the impending feeling of unease that was starting between them, humour a barrier that she wore well. "Sure. If you offer me your arm though too, I'll have to politely decline." A flash of a smile and Ruby wandered ahead, trying not to let their destination get to her.

After her near miss, she was careful as she paved the way out of the building, soundlessly tiptoeing around broken furniture and checking corners before turning them. Thankfully, they made it out onto the street again without incident, an orange glow cast across the sky and candy floss clouds floating on by, lazily, a stark contrast to the world they looked upon below. It was still silent on the outside, a good sign Ruby figured, and once they'd pattered down the steps and across the rubble again she stopped, mainly to give her shoulder a rest from the weight that was already making itself known against her small frame. The journey home was going to be fun.

With a sigh, she turned to Grim once more. "How long will it take you to get where you're going?" She asked him, gazing over bulky arms that she wished she had right now. "My journey's around two days but I think this lot is going to slow be down quite a lot. Do you... do you have supplies? For your journey?"

 

[BoneBrain]

They fell into silence as they left, and Grim followed after the agile woman as best as he could. He could tell she was used to gaining access in and out of places with a little more grace and style than he might have used. He was the destroy first, deal with the consequences with more violence kind of guy. Well at least he had been up until this day. His grip tightened on the strap holding the guns together as he did his best to maneuver around some of the rubble once they were outside.

There was something about the sunset that seemed to give Ruby and her flaming hair a sort of ethereal glow and he swallowed hard against the slew of words that came to mind to describe her. Fucking beautiful, and trouble, so much fucking trouble. He took comfort in the strain of the weight on his shoulder, letting the pain remind him of the truth of their situation. Even when he tried to look away from her he was aware of her presence and how she slowly halted in her steps and set down the pack to give her shoulder a break for a moment.

Just keep walking Grim, leave it at that; she spoke and asked her question.

Don't stop.

The gravel crunched under his heel as he ignored the echoing words and twisted, facing her. "Probably a week or so, depending on how things go," He shrugged, biting his tongue at adding anything more. His gaze dropped to her things as she spoke about her own journey. He ignored her last question, his own self desperation begging him to get away from her as soon as possible before he offered to do something stupid. Like offer her a ride. He could never. Working transport was just as valuable as medicine and he knew the prize of his truck might change things between them. It was better she never learn about it, because he wasn't sure he would be able to fight back if she tried to take it from him.

Better he walk away now and never give her the chance. "Well... try not to die Little One." He couldn't look at her, if he did she might see more than he wanted her to. He knew it was suspicious and rude as hell but he turned away without another word. He would not look back, not once. His shoulders protested as he picked up the pace wanting to get as far away from Ruby and her effect on him.

When he finally reached the walls of the fort the sky was slowly darkening above him, the lazy clouds turning deep purple with the setting sun. He heard the final call of a bird nearby and made tracks for the spot where he'd hidden his truck. He kept his gaze peeled on the route ahead, looking for any other raiders or infected that might cross his path. As he walked his stomach rumbled and he could taste metal in his mouth as he grew slowly dehydrated from the day. He'd only had something to eat for breakfast and his body was certainly enjoying making him pay for it now.

He reached the truck a few minutes later, reaching for the tail of his truck to open it and slide the weapons inside a crate which he then locked. He was quick to open the driver side door when he'd finished and pluck the half filled water bottle from its spot in the console. Standing with his back to the woods he took a long gulp.

 

[Becboc]

He didn’t answer her question. Grim’s skipping over of her request immediately did the opposite of what he’d meant for it to do. Ruby was good at picking up on these things, small details that others might easily miss. It came from a life of being quiet, observant and she watched the taller man silently as he seemed to bristle with his own discomfort, the reasons for which she couldn’t be sure of. He seemed reluctant almost, but reluctant to do what? Leave? Stay? He was unreadable in that moment, though in the end, and perhaps incorrectly, Ruby took his behaviour as a keenness to separate from her, to be on his way. Maybe because he had something to get back to? Or someone?

The words he spoke before he turned away twisted something deep within Ruby’s chest as the goodbye that she wasn’t herself ready for swept around her. You would think by now that she would be used to watching people leave, through force or through choice but it never truly got any easier, especially when making connections with people these days was so rare. Although now that Grim seemed to want to leave, she wasn’t about to do anything that might stop him, even if she wanted to. “Yeah, you too. Or at least not before your time, grandad.” It was a small attempt to lighten the mood, to cause a reaction, to at least get him to look at her… but in the end he did none of these things. He turned and walked away and he didn’t look back.

Ruby on the other hand, watched him until he was out of sight. The pounding of her heart didn’t subside even when she couldn’t see him, the tugging in her chest not once alleviating with his absence. She didn’t understand the feeling, couldn’t quite shake that she was missing something, despite the other half of her that told her to turn away and do the same, to leave and never look back. “Fuck.” Despite herself though, Ruby knew, deep in her bones that she couldn’t do that. Knew that her curiosity, that was so often her downfall, would be once again. She couldn’t let him go. Not like this.

The redhead stalked him like he was her prey, following in the direction he had left in and finding his prints in the dusty ground to lead her to where he had walked. It wasn’t clear in her mind how long this might go on for, if she would even see it through or allow him to see her again, she just needed to sate whatever this whim was circling through her system, to answer Grim’s strange behaviour and then she would be able to turn back to her task at hand… or at least that’s what she thought until she finally spotted him in the distance… standing by a truck.

Bastard. The anger rippled through her with the immediacy of a flare, the feeling of betrayal, of confusion that she had no right to hold. If Ruby had been in Grim’s position would she have done the same? Kept this little bit of survival for herself? She thought of the medicine and the way she had called to him, had offered to share it though and suddenly she found herself moving closer, using bushes and rocks to crouch behind, only shifting when he had his back to her. When Ruby was close enough, she dropped her bag, unhooked her rifle from her shoulder and took the last few steps to meet Grim just as he was taking a drink. The barrel, she pointed square between his shoulders so that it touched the muscle there through his shirt, so that he knew what this was.

“You move, I shoot.” Ruby tried to ignore the fact that her hands were trembling. “Wondered why you left in such a hurry. Guess now I know.” She also tried to ignore the tremor to her voice. “Weapons first. Put them in the back.”

 

[BoneBrain]

The water may have been lukewarm but Grim relished each sip of it. Immediately his mouth felt better and he was excited for the pack of food he'd found from an abandoned military vehicle along the road. He was just twisting the cap on his bottle when something hard pressed into his back making him stiffen. His eyes narrowed when he heard Ruby's voice and the tremor of anger- or was it something else that made her voice shake? She commanded him to place his weapons away, and he did so, walking with his hands up around the side of the truck and towards the back. He kept his hands up, eyes forward as rage and perhaps a little touch of guilt simmered within him.

When the weapons were put away Grim slowly turned, the muscle in his jaw ticked as his teeth ground at the sight of the olive eyes woman who had caused him so much strife. "Think carefully before you force us down this path, princess." He should have known she might follow him, he'd been so desperate in his plight to get away from her that he'd once again made a mistake. The thought of his failings only fueled his words. "Walk away Ruby, before you do something that I'll enjoy making you apologize for." A menacing glint appeared in those eyes and he regarded the weapon she pointed at him. She held all the cards and he knew it despite his searing words.

Grim followed the next direction's she gave him and he stepped away from the bed of the truck, keeping his hands up in the sky for her to see. His eyes moved over the grip on her gun and he was to admit rueful admiration on the way she held her gun; there would be no opportunity to snag the weapon with the death grip she had on it. His tongue moved over his teeth as he thought on what to do. He knew as much now as he did back in the fort, if Ruby attacked he would lose whatever battle ensued.

"Do you even know how to drive this thing?" He questioned, taking a slow step forward so the gun pressed hard; almost painfully against his chest. The sensation grounded him and there was a part of him that had to admit that he enjoyed watching Red tilt her head back further the closer he got to her, exposing that neck of hers. "Do you honestly want me to believe that you wouldn't have done the same. That after our little jaunt you would have just casually let slip that you were in possession of transport and would have offered me a ride?" What if she would have? God after that moment with the medicine perhaps she would have? Grim pushed the thought from his mind, refusing to believe that such a person still existed. "Look Red, whatever it is that your selling, that cute kindness bullshit- it's not gonna work on me or any other person you come across." Grim fell silent then, hating himself in the moment. He didn't want to be the one to break her, his angry words echoed in his mind and he suddenly wished he could take them all back. He wished that perhaps he'd thought to offer her a ride.

He had a sudden image of the two of them sitting in the front cab of his truck, the road taking them past a cheery looking lake. The smile she might send his way. Shame coloured his cheeks a pale rose, and his amber eyes caught on hers. Whatever happened next, he wanted to make sure that if she killed him the last thing he looked at was her.