kiwi.

@annihilvtion Javi & Jo

Jo made it her mission to protect what she could, and who she could. Her occupation as a bounty hunter served her well thus far, she wasn't anticipating on going down without a fight. It had never been in her nature. With her gun drawn, she makes her way slowly down the hall, lights flickering above her as she listened to the noises around her. It didn't take all that long, for someone unfortunate to stumble their way toward her path.

"Right" he muttered quietly as he picked up one of the empty bottles to look at it, "yeah that did happen" he spoke rather awkwardly before setting the bottle back down and looking over at her. Their latest fight being that he fought she was flirting with others, one of the many times he unintentionally ruined something good between them. Joshua had a tendency to self-destruct whenever things seemed to be going too well for him, the fear of losing people permanently like his parents scared him and he'd rather not grow attached if he could help it. Maya was somebody he felt addicted to though, he ruined things but always came running back. "I hope so" he smiled slightly, "can we be okay? I don't want to fight anymore."

Her lips form a tight line as she contemplates saying anything next. Ultimately, choosing not to. There was no reason to bring up the past so constantly, only pushing them father away from each other in the end. She had only attempted to move on once, after possibly the worst fight they'd ever had, and at the encouragement of a good friend. Obviously, it didn't go well and she was grateful for that. There wasn't anyone else for her, but Josh. She decided a long time ago that no matter what happened, she'd be there for him. She smiles at his reply as she sets the now steaming mugs onto the countertop, arms moving to wrap around his shoulders, she nods. Quickly, however, she's startled by the sound of gunfire nearby. Coupled by screams, and more gunshots. Her eyes fall on Josh, then, panicked and confused. "What was that?"

"Miss Jo." The two simple words were all Sebastian said initially, forced out between lightly smiling lips. The help was welcomed, and thought Sebastian's arm was wrapped around the woman's shoulder, he did his best to hold his own weight. He knew he was big--and he didn't need to crush Jo with his weight if he stumbled too much. "Never--been so happy ta see ya," he confessed, a breathy, barely there laugh leaving him after his words. His head hung forward slightly, eyes heavy and legs feeling uncomfortably weak from the blood loss he had been experiencing, but he was a l i v e, and that was all that mattered. Still, even in his own waning health, Sebastian had to warn someone about the food. "Meat's all gone," he added, brow furrowing as his own feeling of failure hit. "Got there too late..."

"You won't be happy to see me if you try to die on me," she tells him firmly as she guides him along. "So don't die on me. There are few people I like in this town, understand?" Although, many may think it's a light-hearted statement, she's entirely serious in her words.

Lying was never fun. Especially when Ms. Campbell was involved. But Rafael gave a nod, forcing a soft smile with it. "I do. It'll take time--maybe a lot of time--but one day, things will be all right again." His voice was gentle and hopeful, despite there being very little hope left inside the teacher. But he didn't need that to spread to Maya, or any of the younger generation for that matter. They were the future--and the future needed h o p e . Rafael was quick to shift his mind to something a little more positive--learning. Pushing his glasses up a little higher on the bridge of his nose, the elder listened closely as Maya described each of the items she picked up. Some, he was familiar with. Others? He hadn't a clue. But he was always an eager learner and he was mentally taking note of all the little details the herbalist was sharing. "No, no--not at all. I know I'm old but, I do still have some power to learn up here," he added, grinning as he tapped at his temple. He reached out slowly, picking up a container of a material he wasn't familiar with. "And this, oh wise medicine woman? What's this?"

She listens to his words carefully, soaking them in as if to give herself a little bit of hope for the future. As much as she knew she shouldn't feed into the idea too much, it was still nice to allow herself a moment every now and again. "I would love to see it someday," she smiles over at him softly, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

As Jo returns fire, Atlas does the same. It just as quickly pulls attention towards where they're hidden, and it becomes obvious just the two of them could be taken out within seconds if they stayed where they were.

She doesn't hesitate, not that she ever did, to move quickly and quietly. Her experience out on the field truly was an asset in times like these, although, she couldn't recall the last time something this drastic happened in Jackson. "Perfect," she mutters with a nod.

Truthfully, Maverick heard the gunfire and truly thought that was it. He did not expect to see his brother's face come into his view, as blurry as it now was. "Ajax, fuck, thank you, man." Maverick spoke, reaching up to wipe the blood that was now dripping from his face off. "Better this than dead, right?" He laughed dryly, righting his balance. "I can see, I'll be good in a minute." He reassured him. "You are a sight for sore eyes, dude, I'll tell you what. Are you good?"

"You don't have to thank me," he tells Maverick with a humorless laugh. "Just try to avoid getting shot again, will ya? You're a magnet for trouble," he leaves a hand on his brothers shoulder, at least until he steadies himself. "Right, man. Take your time," Ajax chuckles, regaining his own composure as he looks around them. "I'll have to fill you in later," he gestures to the gauze around his own thigh. Evidence of the evident break in at his own home, where he'd been separated from Beck. And not for the first time.

Maverick embraced Maya back immediately, his hands caressing her head gently. He was so happy to see her alive, he wouldn't have known what to do if she wasn't. He wiped her tears gently as she began to speak to him. He decided to let the thought of Josh go for the moment, not wanting to upset Maya any more than she was already was. "Here, sit, let me see." Maverick gave her a hand to lower her to the stairs, examining her ankle once she was settled. "Okay, okay, you gotta get off this ankle. And we need to get you some ice." He concluded with a nod. "I don't know if it's over yet, but it seems to be over for right now. I'm okay, you know me, nothing I can't handle."

She follows his instruction, trying to keep from wincing as she moved. There wasn't much more she hated than feeling weak, and useless. She'd wanted to help, not hide. "Ice sounds good," she agrees with a forced laugh as she looks up at him, trying to see how worried he was about all of this. It's how she would determine how royally fucked Jackson would be now. "You're brave, Mav. Thank you for helping me," she smiles.

"Anything I can do to help?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, I've been trying to track some down, you can tell they're on their way back soon." She agreed, still taking the time to look around the armory, in the off chance that she missed something. "If we can't find more guns, what are we doing, D? We gotta have some back up plan."

His lips pull into a thin line before he nods slowly, "help me get this place back up and running, is all. We'll need protection first and foremost," he nods once more, reassuring himself it was possible. He thinks for a moment on her question, leaning his body up against the door frame as he gazes into their empty storage rooms. "We've gotta get guns," he turns to face her, offering a half-smile. "Or else we'll die next time around. Maybe some of your connections on the outside can help."

So much happened last night, that she was still processing it all. She was able to live with some cuts and bruises but Diego had been out after getting hit. When Nadia witnessed that, she feared for his life. The same fear that filled her as the night she had with their daughter. She worried she was going to lose him like she did Nova.

Her words were like knives in his ears, his vision going blurry as he laid his head back onto the pillow beneath him. As much as he didn't want to believe it, or rather, as much as he'd wanted his dream to be real again, he did know better. Deep down. It had been a memory, just like when a dream feels all to real. Even when it's improbable. That's what their daughter was now. Just a dream. He had to live with that every day since she died. Tears began to stream down his face, one hand moving to wipe them quickly, lingering there over his face for a moment.

closed starter - @annihilvtion - maverick x ajax location: town square

Ajax, separated from Beck out of his home and forced into the streets, with none other than a bullet wound to his leg, managed to clear some of the raiders infiltrating the streets. It had been out of pure adrenaline at first, and now he was banking on only anger - as exhaustion had begun to creep up behind him.

Maverick had done his best to stay off the streets, holding up with Elijah in his house as he tended to his wounds. He knew he needed to leave to get them some help, supplies, food, literally anything that was going to help. Elijah was in no state to travel, not that Maverick would have let him do it anyways, so off he went outside.

Upon seeing Maverick with her own two eyes, she couldn't help the tears that began to stream down her face as she wraps her own arms around him. She pulls him into a hug, whether he'd wanted one or not, and grips onto him tightly with relief. "It's, um," she chokes back her tears, only pulling away slightly to gaze at her ankle. "I think it's my ankle. I don't know where Josh is," she tells him, her eyes reaching his face now. "Are you okay? Is this all over now?"

Thalia lowered and holstered her weapon in one swift motion once she realized who entered the room. Diego had been on her list of people to check in with, she was happy to see him in one piece. She exhaled a sigh of relief. "You look like shit, what happened to you?" She asked, crossing the room to meet him. "Everything but the stuff in the safe." She responded, shaking her head. "Which wasn't much, but it's better than nothing." She slid him the extra gun she retrieved.

He continues to make his way in, looking around at everything left behind. All of their hard work in organizing and maintaining the armory, diminished overnight. "It's a long story," he tells her with another weak cough. "More importantly," he begins, taking the gun she's tossed him and inspecting it. "We'll need to get more guns. Soon. I doubt they will be staying away, now that they know what we're capable of here."

"Uh huh," Atlas breathed, the corner of their lips twitching in a hint of a smile. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." If they were to be honest, Atlas was freaking out - this wasn't normal for Jackson. This didn't mean anything good. If these raiders could find their way to their little town, then who knew who else was out there searching for what the had? And what would they have after all this - if they even made it out?

She can only shake her head at them as she fires more shots, noticing how quickly they're becoming overrun. Jo nods in response before someone runs out from one of the alleys beside them, their gun aimed directly at her. She shoots without hesitation, turning to Atlas with quite the concern reaching her eyes. Probably for the first time in her life. "We can't stay here," she glances around them once more before taking their arm in hers. "Can we shortcut to our secret spot? We might be able to get up onto the roof. I left a gun there."

chase was working late in her classroom when everything had happened. she eventually had fallen asleep on accident but was abruptly woken when the savages were smashing in windows. all she had to her was a knife, but even then she knew it wasn't safe to just sit and hide. she needed to flee. she made her way quietly through the hallways and was able to stealthily kill one of them that was blocking her exit. she ran so far, so fast, and avoided any stray bullets along the way.

Maya can only nod slowly against the pain and she grips onto Chase, relieved to at least have someone friendly at her side. "Okay," she mutters as she grips onto the railings, prying herself up the stairs. "What the fuck was that?" She asks with both concern and irritation.

beck and ajax were simply just talking while in bed when everything broke out. it was pretty late in the night, they honestly didn't expect this. but it didn't take long for the both of them to jump into action. "i got it." beck grabbed one of the guns they had tucked away, taking care of the back side of the house. her eyes met his one last time as she kissed him back, just as rough, just as much passion. "i won't let anything happen to you." she vowed before facing back to where she needed to be. "what'd you say? post-apocalyptic wedding? we both gotta make it there." she muttered.

Even as his heart raced in fear, he couldn't help but smirk down at her. Her raw energy and ferocity was what attracted him to her in the first place and he couldn't have been more in love with her then. "Agreed," he murmurs just moments before the anticipated infiltration.

Maya was one of the first in this place that he opened up to and let in. He hated the thought of being vulnerable with someone, he wasn't the kind to talk about his feelings or fears. He never really talked about his past, what he went through, it's just not the kind of person he is yet Maya got that out of him. He trusted her. She knows him, she understands him. "I had to leave for a few days to clear out some infected" he answered, his hand tangled with hers as they moved towards the kitchen. "I thought I told you but maybe I didn't, we weren't on good terms so yeah.. maybe I didn't?"

As they approach the kitchen island, littered with herbs set to dry and some empty bottles that needed filling, Maya begins to get to work on the hot chocolate. "Right. No, you did tell me. But then we had that fight and I just tried to forget about it," as she often did, by keeping herself busy at the shop. She quickly reaches to grab two mugs, placing them gently on the countertop. "Are you," she begins, teeth grazing her bottom lip. "Are we okay?"