Fandom The Day The World Changed { The Last of Us 1x1 with icedthemoon }

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh didn’t mean to take the leadership, but he just did what he thought was right. As they reached the top of the stairs, he couldn’t help but snort a little laugh. He felt the hand on his shoulder and sent a smile to him. He watched as Soren jogged ahead and he followed behind him at the gesture. He looked around but he didn’t even know who the commander was. And no one seemed to offer up any help. And Josh felt helpless because he couldn’t see him either.

Jacob smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re welcome. I know you’re trying. I get it. I.. I couldn’t get any sleep last night on my own. I kept seeing her face.. kept hearing her.. so I completely understand how hard it is.” Jacob told him.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

“You tell me how someone is supposed to command when he’s not even around,” Soren complained as they moved through the hospital. No one had seen him. Someone saw him a couple of hours ago. How did that help him? And finally, when he was going to give up and start yelling in the middle of his giant place, he heard that voice. “Soren!” It boomed from down one of the halls. A tall, darker skinned man with hardened features stood at the end. “You better have good news for me. I am in dire need of good news.” He eyed Josh who was with him. “Mm, you’re his second? Is that the research in that bag?” He waved a hand, and a woman moved quickly towards them. “I believe the doctor is going to want to see that.”

Her face. His mother Hayden assumed. How hard must it have been to watch his mother turn into a monster and then try to kill him? Harder than watching your love kill the neighbor who looked at you like a target? At least it wasn’t his love that did it. Or his mother. He hoped his father’s death was not so hard. Maybe it was somehow quick and painless. He let his chin fall to the table. “Do you think it ever gets easier?” This was an impossible question for him. How could he possibly know. “Do you think it will ever stop?”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh heard Soren and followed him as he shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know.” He said as he froze, hearing the booming voice. Oh. He looked at the man as they made the way over to him. He noticed him eye him and nodded. “Uh yes sir. Joshua Smith.” He replied not sure if he should hold his hand out for the man or not. He saw the doctor stepping forward and promptly handed the bag over to the doctor. He looked at the man, his commander, and swallowed a little.

Jacob watched as Hayden put his chin to the table. Easier? “It will. But it will take time unfortunately. And I know that’s not what you want to hear but sometimes time and having someone to hold at night when the darkness surrounds you is really the only things that helps.” Jacob said.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

The man looked over them. His presence was large as it always had been. He was probably in his sixties, and he had more than a few scars on his face that told a story of his time in the military. Soren was there for one of them. That was not a fun time. “Ah, nice to meet you Joshua Smith.” He stuck his hand out towards him. “Jeremiah Hollis. Or Cap as he keeps calling me.” Soren shrugged. “Sometimes it’s Captain. When I’m feeling formal.” The commander’s laugh was loud and reverberated in the hall. “I take it he’s not pleased with me?” He addressed Josh and not Soren. When Soren tried to speak, Jeremiah raised a hand to stop him. “He feels I was harsh with my decision?”

Hayden groaned. He didn’t want it to take time. He was already spent from it. How was he supposed to do this for however long that took? Even if he had Josh to hold him and keep him together. “I’m glad you have someone too then. I can’t imagine doing this alone.” He stared out a window, wishing he could see Josh come back, but he knew they had hours until then. “So, how do we fill our suddenly open but certainly stressful day?”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh took him in, seeing those scars and then the hand stuck out towards him. Josh gave him a firm handshake back with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you sir.” He said before he heard Soren and then the commanders laugh. He felt like he’d been put in the hot seat when Jeremiah addressed him about Soren. “Uh. I don’t entirely know, but based on the evidence we have.. it seemed like the best decision at the time.” Josh said, he wasn’t lying because he only knew what he’d heard. “It’s certainly not an easy decision to make for anyone either.” He added, not used to this but trying his best to act like a soldier who’d been doing this for longer than two days.

Jacob heard the groan and he didn’t like the fact that it would take time either. “I don’t think I could do this alone. I’m uh really glad you had him as a neighbor. And that he helped you guys, because I have to wonder if I’d ever met him if this hadn’t happened. So I guess I have you two to thank for this.” He admitted, before he tilted his head. “I’ve got movies, uh some old puzzles and games. Anything sound interesting to you?”​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren thought this line of questioning was an entirely unfair. Cap was their commander, and he was asking Soren’s subordinate. He wasn’t sure if it was a power play or a question of loyalty or what, but he didn’t appreciate it. It almost felt like a parent interrogating his child’s new friend. But Josh handled it well. “No, it certainly isn’t an easy decision, and I appreciate that you followed orders. Sometimes, we have to make the hard decision to protect the majority.” Soren had enough of this. “Right, so I think it’s time we stop sending people down there. We can’t keep sending people down there to die. We don’t know enough, and those bottom floors are far worse than rough. We lost six men, Cap. Six.” Jeremiah looked at him a moment then turned to Josh. “And how do you feel about it?”

Hayden wasn’t sure if anything did sound interesting. “What’s something that can really keep my mind off of things? Something really distracting? You know like your mom would do when we all needed something?” He frowned. He loved their mom. She was his second mom. “She was so great at helping us.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh didn’t like this. Not one bit. But he couldn’t not answer his commander. He was in charge of them both after all. “Of course sir. I understand that while it wasn’t easy, it was needed.” He agreed and then turned to look at Soren. He wasn’t expecting for Jeremiah to ask him how he felt about it. “Uh. Soren is right sir. It’s time to stop sending men. We barely made it out ourselves. We’d be losing men that we could use to secure more of the city and the civilians that aren’t infected.” Josh told him. “And it would make more sense to use those men to save the majority of our city. Protect them.”

Oh. Um. What would mom do? Oh! Jacob smiled and nodded. “She loved playing those old board games. Remember when we would play monopoly? I think Josh and Logan almost got into a fist fight the last time. We could do that, maybe rope Logan into playing? Though if we got into a fight, he’d win. Or.. SORRY! That was another one she would pull out. I think she liked pitting us against each other.. um but I don’t know. Those don’t sound too distracting I guess.” Jacob admitted, racking his brain and trying to remember the happy memories with his mom. It was harder than he wanted to admit. He twisted his hands together as he thought.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Commander Jeremiah Hollis looked at this officer he never met before and considered what he said. Soren wasn’t sure what he should do about it. He wanted to speak up and say this was uncalled for. It was unfair. But he also didn’t want to make it worse. So he waited. “I agree.” Soren’s eyes grew wide. That he was not expecting. “We will seal it off for now and in the future we can clear it out. It’s been a fruitless endeavor and seems unlikely to do more than kill off our men now that you have found as much research as we are willing to recover at this time. I will be passing along to the Director that we should focus our efforts elsewhere in the city. Perhaps downtown. There are reports of many lost souls. We are discussing now how we need to handle this.” He smiled and Soren mostly gaped. He could only get away with that with someone he was close to. “Alright, go on now. I have people to talk to. Unless you have anything else you’d like to add?”

Any of those sounded good. He didn’t know how distracting it would be, but he remembered family game nights. “Why don’t we start with Sorry! and go from there? We could get Logan and Lucas to play with us? I bet they need it too.” Monopoly could potentially be a stressful game but also could be distracting. They would more likely to get more people in with cutthroat Sorry. Hayden reached out and touched Jacob’s arm. “You’re very good at this. Like your mom. She did good with you.”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh's mouth opened a little in surprise, he wasn't expecting to hear that. He listened to the commander and nodded, still a little shocked that he'd like his suggestion. He looked at Soren and then back at Jeremiah and then shook his head. "No sir. It was nice to meet you." Josh told him, looking at Soren before he turned away. Josh didn't know what else they were to do here but he wanted to get away from the hot seat he felt like he'd been in.

Jacob nodded with a smile. "That sounds good to me. I'm sure Dad and Logan will want to join us. I'll ask them." Jacob said, but before he got up, he looked at Hayden when he felt the touch on his arm. "Thank you.. that means a lot, especially right now." He said, smiling at Hayden. Jacob moved away from the table, heading for his old room. He grabbed the game and knocked on Logan's door. "We're playing Sorry! If you want to join us." He said and heard a muffled. "I'll be down in a moment." which made Jacob nod and walked down the end of the hall and knocked on his parent's door. "Dad, we're playing Sorry! if you'd like to join us." But silence answered him. Jacob sighed and headed downstairs and into the kitchen. He sat down with the game. "Logan will be down in a moment, but dad didn't answer so I don't know about him." Jacob said.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren also wasn’t sure what to do. If Josh weren’t with him, he would question what this was all about. He would ask Cap just what he was doing here. But he also kind of just wanted to walk away. he twisted around also started to move. “Soren.” That big booming voice captured his ears, and he felt himself slow and look back over his shoulder. “We are doing what’s right. We are doing what we have to do.” Soren stared at him a moment and then followed Josh away. He moved quietly until they were back in the central area. “I am so sorry. That was unfair and uncalled for. I don’t know what he was thinking. Testing you like that. I wouldn’t have brought you with me if I knew he’d do that.” He groaned. “But you did good. I’m yet again impressed with how you handled things.”

Hayden stayed in his chair and waited. He waited with eyes open and mind shut. Board games were fun and good. They were something that could easily take your mind off of other things. Played with family. The whole family. Except for their mom. Or his mom. Or his sister. Or Josh. Or Soren. He imagined the world without so many people around, and he realized that he was living it. He was living in that horrible space. Space with people who bled out of their pores and still growled in your direction. People who walked the streets looking for someone to attack next. what kind of world was this? He looked up at Jacob’s return and sighed at the news that Lucas would not be joining them. He wasn’t sure if he would either if he lost Josh. He reached for the box to help start setting it up.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked back at the commander when he heard that booming voice. But he kept moving away. He headed into the central area and then stopped. His eyes looked over at Soren when he started talking. “It was unexpected and I have to admit that I was a little nervous but thank you. I tried my best I guess. So now what? If we aren’t going back down, where do we go?” Josh asked.

Jacob sighed as he helped Hayden start setting up the game. A few minutes later Logan showed up and he sat across from Hayden. He was quiet but seemed better than yesterday. “Hey.” Jacob said with a smile towards him. “Hi.” Logan replied as they got the board set up. “Any color you’d prefer Hayden?” Jacob asked. He didn’t care himself what color he had.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

“Take a breath,” Soren answered. “Well, get everyone moving out of here first, probably. I know they were trying to set up some sort of central headquarters kind of thing in the area so that we could actually have a base of operations. We see if that’s gone up yet, and what we can do to help set that up. But we take a breath. We make sure the other two are okay.” He put a hand on Josh’s shoulder and smiled. “And I tell you how much I appreciate you stepping up back there. I don’t know what happened. It was like I short circuited, but I had you there to have my back. Mine and theirs. I really appreciate that.”

Hayden looked up at Logan’s presence and tried to smile in a way that was reassuring and not at all like he was currently Jacob’s patient as well. “Hey man.” With all the colors available, he plucked up his favorite. “Alright, I’m blue then.” The color of water. “What about you guys?” He wished that Lucas would join them. He wanted to fill the room with people. But this would have to do for now.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh did just that. He took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do this. Check on our team and then check on the base of operations.” Josh said, and then he smiled at the hand on his shoulder. “Oh uh. You’re welcome. I was just.. getting us out of there safely.” He said. His entire thought process had been to get the two of them back home. Get back to Hayden. “I’m here to help the city, help you and our unit.” Josh told him before he turned to look over at the other two.

Logan smiled at Hayden. “Hey man.” He said as he took the yellow pieces and Jacob? Jacob took green. A soft smile crossed his face as he remembered last night. Green was Soren’s favorite color and he was honored that he was the only one who knew. So he chose green because it reminded him of Soren. “Did you want to start us off Hayden?” Jacob asked.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

“What were you even doing before this? Whatever it was was a waste of your talents, Josh. Born leader and hero.” Soren patted his shoulder a couple of times then looked out into the crowds. The two soldiers that they had with them were together and standing near one of the pop up first aid stations. Had they gotten hurt? Some leader Soren was. He should have made sure they were okay before running off to find Cap. He moved to them and smiled as warmly as he could manage. “How are the two of you doing?” One of them stayed silent as he held his arm. It was patched up after some sort of injury. He looked away.

Hayden took the first card from the pile. “Starting off with a winner here,” he claimed as he discarded his very much not a one or two. This, he felt, set a precedence for how the rest of his game was going to go. That was okay. He did love a challenging game of chance and strategy like this. He thought about asking how Logan slept, but he didn’t want to bring up anything bad. The thought brought his own sleepy memories, and those were bad enough. He pushed them away and focused on the little pawns he needed to get to safety.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh blushed a little and looked at him. “I was the shift leader at the Lost in Time Cafe.” He said as he felt the pats on his shoulder. Josh followed Soren to the other two, and he saw that one of them had a patched up arm and the other looked at Soren and Josh. “I’m fine, but he got cut up from one of the desks.” The one who wasn’t injured said. Josh looked away, it had been his idea to get the desks and one of their men had gotten injured because of it.

Jacob went next and pulled his card. An 8, and he sighed discarding it. “Definitely starting off strong.” He said with a chuckle as Logan went and drew a one. “Oh. Well.” He said a little surprised but a small smile drew on his face as he pulled one of his pawns out from start.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren sighed. He really was off his game. “Some cuts from a desk after saving literally everyone in this building and the surrounding area is a worthy sacrifice, I think.” He looked to the uninjured one. “Thank you for patching him up. That’s how we make as part of a team.” He gently touched the uninjured arm of the injured soldier. “Thank you for sticking it out to make sure we didn’t mess up. Now, both of you, make sure you get some food in your stomachs and then take a good, long breather. Anyone asks about it, you tell them to come talk to me. We lost too many down there and almost lost our own lives. You get to come down from that before they do anything else.” He nodded towards them both and stepped away. “Really?” He asked Josh continuing a conversation they briefly put on pause. “A café? That is shocking. Huh.” As they moved, he spread the news that they were shutting this operation down for now. No one goes in those lower levels, and we’re cutting off the hospital as a priority for now. Pack everything up and get ready to move it. Of course, now he had to figure out if anyone knew if they had a headquarters yet. Or housing. So many of these soldiers and officers were out of a place to live. He and Josh were some of the few lucky ones, and he was mildly worried that would not last either.

The next several rounds were a whole lot of Hayden not pulling cards that would let him out of his home. “I guess I’m not playing after all,” he joked as he slapped down a three. It was so close. “Ooh, does that mean I get to see one of your legendary twin fights?”
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

“Yes sir.” The uninjured one, Danvers, said before he nodded. Josh waited until Soren turned back to him and nodded. “Yeah. I uh I liked it. Having a set schedule was nice.” Josh said as they walked. He listened to Soren telling everyone the plans. And he wondered if they had any kind of HQ or even housing because he didn’t want to keep staying with his dad. They needed their own place again. “So do you know where were they putting the headquarters?”

Over the next several rounds, both Jacob and Logan had gotten all their pawns out. Jacob pulled an eleven and swapped his piece with Logan’s which put his piece closer to home and Logan’s further from his. “Hey!” Logan snapped and Jacob grinned. “Sorry!” He said with a laugh. Logan stood up, glanced at Hayden and then looked at Jacob. Jacob stood up and glared at Logan. “Problem brother?” He asked.

“Jacob..” Logan warned and then one brother pushed the other before a loud. “Boys!” echoed around them as Lucas stood at the door. “Sorry dad.” Logan said first and the two backed down sitting down in their seats and Logan took his turn, pulling a ten and then it was Hayden’s turn. That was standard for their fights, usually Lucas or Claire would break it up before it actually got bad.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren shook his head. “I know where the big central is. That’s in Washington DC. I know where my original headquarters was, because I was in the New England branch, so that was in Maine. But now I don’t know. Everything is different.” He sighed and stopped out of the way of the people moving around. “Everything is wrong. This isn’t how we normally operate. This is a whole lot of people who don’t know what they’re doing. A whole lot of people who are making decisions that aren’t actually happening because someone else didn’t make that decision.” And then people started moving. A lot. A whole lot more than they had been. Soren nudged Josh’s arm as he grabbed the attention of the first officer to stop. “What’s going on?” “We’re moving out. They finally secured a place for us to setup.” The officer was gone. Okay then. Guess that’s how it’s done.

Hayden did not mean to bring on a fight. He knew that it wasn’t his fault, but having just mentioned it, he worried that it kind of was. Foreshadowing was never a good thing when it came to that. He pulled a card, and finally he could pull his first pawn. In fact, the card was a two, so he got to go again. Which meant he was officially on the board and roaming around. “Well, look at that. I do get to play after all!” Now to hope that he would continue getting to play in the coming rounds.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh listened to Soren, nodding as he did. He didn’t know much about FEDRA so he took in all the information he could. As he was about to say something further, he saw people moving a lot. And then he heard the officer and looked at Soren. “So we help them pack up and follow everyone to the place we will have as our base?” Josh asked, ready to help move stuff. He wondered if they’d have housing for the soldiers.

Lucas pulled a chair up and sat, just watching the others playing. Logan chuckled as he heard Hayden. “There ya go!” He said with a smile. Jacob pulled a five and got his first pawn home while Logan pulled a 12 and got one closer to his home. This was certainly interesting as anything can happen in this game.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren nodded. “I think so. Let’s get out of this place of horrible memories.” With the presence of so many people and so much stuff, there was plenty to move and load into the big vehicles. As soon one was loaded with stuff and soldiers, they were on to packing the next one. They were even meant to pack up that overflow pop up clinic out at the front, because there was no use in it staying there. As they moved it along, he tried to push away the entirely inappropriate topic that he really wanted to bring up with Josh since now was really not the time. But when was the time? Maybe in the truck when they follow to wherever it was? It was silly. It was stupid. He struggled with the thoughts. “Okay, looks like most of it’s packed up. People are starting to move themselves wherever we’re going, so I guess we should do the same?”

Hayden smiled at Lucas as he joined the table, even if he wasn’t going to play, and pulled a card. Another two! He was lucky now pulling out his second pawn. He too pulled a twelve as he got to play again. He picked up his pawn and started counting. One, two, three, four, five, pile, seven, eight, bat, ten, door, twelve. He flicked at the green pawn in his spot, his mouth already forming the titular word, the little green guy falling down on the space, and all Hayden could see was Chase’s beaten and bloodied face. Hayden pushed back in his chair, so startled and afraid, that he shook the table, pawns sliding and falling as he scrambled away, tipping over his chair, and falling backwards. His leg caught in one of the chair’s and he fell onto his side, a rib cracking across the edge of the seat as he skittered with limbs he no longer controlled. The panic and fear overtook him as he fled across the floor and stopped only when he smacked into a cabinet hard in the spine.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh helped the others pack up each of the big vehicles. He was focused on the task and rather quiet, but he was glad to be out of the hospital. That place held nothing but bad memories, scary memories. Moments where he thought he was going to die. He’d promised Hayden he’d make it home each time, but there was a few times he thought he wouldn’t. And he wasn’t going to do that to his partner. Josh was startled from his thoughts as he heard Soren speak again. “Right. That’s a smart plan. To the truck then I guess.” Josh said, smiling at Soren as he made his way to the truck, and getting in, waiting for him.

Jacob watched Hayden take his turn, but then everything went wrong. He saw Hayden push back in his chair, which tipped over and then he heard the crack against the chair, and him all but flee across the floor until he hit a cabinet hard in the spine. “Hayden..!” Jacob moved from his seat and immediately went over to him, sinking to his knees. “Hayden! Buddy.. talk to me. I’m right here.” Jacob said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He wanted to check his ribs and spine but he couldn’t do that yet. “Hayden.. it’s not real. Whatever you saw just now.. it isn’t real.” He said, somehow guessing that he was seeing flashes like Jacob saw when he closed his eyes of his mother.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Soren moved to the truck, wondering if FEDRA was going to be able to get everything under control enough to be able to get gas in the relatively near future. As of now, he would be fine, but he didn’t think about filling up prior to the end of the world that he didn’t know about. He got into the truck, started the engine, and got into the long line of FEDRA vehicles and people following them. This was going to take a while. They were having to clear out the way so that they could get places. “So.” He could do this. “Uh.” It was just so awkward. It would have been awkward before the world changed, but now, it was especially awkward. Before, he would have been talking to his neighbor he only barely knew. “Um.” Now he was talking to a housemate, if brief, and also a subordinate? This had to be weird for Josh too. But now was as good a time as any with it only being the two of them and a reasonable amount of time to kill. “I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something.” Starting off cryptic was a good way to go. “So, I think I like your brother.”

Sirens wailing and doors with splinters and bats covered in blood and little girl’s faces all torn and askew. His breathing was as fast marathons, his head moving from side to side as his eyes stared at a nothing spot of the floor where he saw everything all at once. “No no no no” repeating as the pain spread throughout what he was sure was his entire body. Words without meaning. Sounds garbled and gnashed. Touch on his shoulder, and he ripped away from it, smacking the back of his head into the cabinet, eyes shooting towards a beaten, bloodied, covered in spready veins, shot, and angry version of Jacob. The last of his ‘No’s became a shriek similar to the one that woke everyone that morning as he slammed closed as his face cringed away. There was no relief in the dark. His eyes opened again, too see the blurry but normal view of his favorite brother. Alive. Not dead or turned. Not a monster. His hands slid away from the ground to come up to his face, his whole body sliding several inches lower without the support, and he sobbed right there on the kitchen floor.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

Josh looked at the long line of vehicles in front of them and sighed. This was going to take a while to get through. He heard Soren and turned to look at him. Josh wasn’t sure what Soren wanted to talk about but he would listen. Oh. Well. That was unexpected. “Really? I’m a little surprised. But not shocked. What um what makes you think that?” He asked, tilting his head. He knew that Jacob was very selective with finding someone, considering he’s the only one who’s never really had a relationship before. “I’m not upset, or mad or anything, just curious.”

Jacob heard the repeating ‘No’s’ and saw him rip from his touch. Heard the smacking of his head against the cabinet. Oh no. Jacob’s as so concerned and worried for him. The last ‘No’ made him jump a little but once Hayden covered his face and slid down a little, Jacob slid with him and wrapped his arms around him right. “Shh. Hayden. Buddy. I’m right here.” He said as he held him. It was the only thing Jacob could think to do.​

 

[icedthemoon]

Hayden Gaines and Soren Truelson
Citizen of Seattle, FEDRA Officer | 24, 35 | Current location ;; Washington State

Surprised but not shocked. What did that mean? Did everyone like him, because honestly, Soren could believe that. It did make him feel a little better having the reassurance that Josh wasn’t upset about it. He knew that happened sometimes when friends started liking siblings. Soren knew this wouldn’t be a jealousy thing. Josh was happily with Hayden. It was still weird though. Of course, that could have just been him. He was weird when it came to talking about anything personal or more real. It probably came from his past where he was pretty much on his own always. What made him thing that? “Um, I don’t know exactly. I haven’t really liked anyone before or anything. Ever actually. Um. And I didn’t know that if I did I would, uh, like a guy. Not saying there’s anything wrong with that!” Soren felt like he was saying all of this wrong, and he didn’t want Josh to feel like he was attacking him or anything. “I just… I didn’t know. But your brother…” How exactly does one say something like ‘I saved his life a couple of times, we cooked chicken together, he patched up my arm, and now he’s all I can think about,’ to the younger brother of the person you are very attracted to? “When we were down there, in the basement, he, um. He’s who I kept thinking about. That this apocalypse didn’t get to be the reason I didn’t get to see him again.”

Broken. He was broken. He twisted so that he was sobbing into Jacob’s chest. He thought it over and over. I am broken. Sometimes the thought was just something he intrinsically knew. No words. But sometimes he could see the words in front of him. They were static and deafening. His fingers grasped at Jacob’s shirt, trying to claw their way out of view of those forever staring eyes of a head that cracked on the ground. They were so wide in his death. So much of him hurt. His chest, his side, his back, and his head. It crackled through him like static. A pawn falling like a body. Hitting game board and floor alike. He tried to breathe so that he could speak again. “I’m sorry.” He was so quiet as the words poked through the cries. They waved and jumped on their bumpy ride from his mind to his mouth and out into the world.
​

 

[EquineGurl23]

Joshua and Jacob Smith
FEDRA Officer, ER & Trauma Nurse | 24, 30 | Current location ;; Washington State

He listened, carefully to Soren. Josh held back the small chuckle he wanted to release at the comment about the first person he liked being a guy because he could see how he was trying to explain himself. “That’s the thing about liking someone, you never know who you’ll end up liking. And as for liking Jacob? He’s a special guy and I think if he likes you back, then that’s awesome.” Josh said, smiling before he thought for a moment. He heard Soren’s last comment and smiled. “I know exactly what you mean. And I think that’s great. You both deserve something like this. I support you two.” He said, patting Soren’s shoulder.

Jacob just held Hayden, letting him cry into his chest. He felt the fingers grasp into his chest as he sat there. “It’s okay.. you’re okay. Shh. No need to be sorry.” Jacob whispered as he rubbed Hayden’s back. He knew Josh did it so he thought it might help. He’d check Hayden over once he calmed down a little more. ​