* / a j a x

Christine had never had a problem being bold and upfront about things. After all, she’d been a sex worker before all of this, so it wasn’t like it was new to her to be in situations like this. How she saw it, at least here she wasn’t paying bills and struggling to make ends meet, all while trying to protect her sisters. They were with someone better equipped to care for them and didn’t have to go without things they wanted; it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. “Mmm, maybe,” She smirked, looking at the man and raising a brow. “It’s not too bad if you know the right place to go, y’know? There are places that aren’t patrolled as bad, you just have to be careful not getting seen.”

Ajax pressed his lips together in consideration and nodded. “Right, right,” he said. “So it makes sense. You’ve scouted things out. I’m guessing those... less patrolled areas are probably pretty taken, huh? Taken and, uh... maybe not just for the sex.” There was no telling what kind of criminal acts could take place in a place like this. It was almost a relief to know that there was a way for people to blow off steam. Not that Ajax minded behind tightly wound, but he wasn’t used to having to control himself and wait for others to check him out like a library book. “You ever get caught?”

Christine always enjoyed their time outside. It was something she looked forward to every day and rarely ever missed the opportunity to go out; it made her feel calm, like she wasn’t stuck being cooped up all day long and had at least a bit of time to herself. The blonde had been laid back in the grass just relaxing, fingers running through the grass slowly as she looked up at the clouded sky. “They expect us to behave and be ready and willing to do whatever they say,” She shrugged, rolling her head to the side so that she could look at the other. “Fucking’s risky but sometimes it’s worth it.”

Ajax couldn’t help but grin at the woman’s boldness. He enjoyed watching others break the rules and test their leashes a little. Helped him to see how much he could get away with. Let someone else get electrocuted first, so to speak, so he could see if the fences were charged or not. “I’m guessing,” he said, amused, “that you’ve gotten away with it a time or two? Is it that hard?” The half-demon didn’t typically test the rules, no, but maybe it was time to branch out.

Max shrugged, simply enjoying the shade. “Fighting’s off limits too. No fighting, definitely no fucking and so yeah, most people chill. Some people get in fights anyways, even if they’re not supposed to but that’s mostly the hybrids that come from war. Mostly people talk, some about how to get out, some about how to get in with certain masters, it really depends on the day.” He had seen it all, the many different ways some might try to fill their time and while Maxwell was sure some of them found their own attempts amusing, he simply enjoyed the warmth that came from being out in the yard. Not to mention gathering information about some of the slaves.

“Right on.” That one surprised Ajax, slightly. No fighting? He’d been trained to fight, and wasn’t that the whole point? Nope, he had to remind himself. That was bad in the eyes of the Higher Ups. Control needed to be exerted, and there was no one better to do that than the people who sat around on their asses all day and called themselves Elders. Must be nice, he thought. “I’m a hybrid. Don’t come from war, though... but I think they were sort of... getting me ready for it. I don’t know how long I would have lasted. I’m not much of a fighter.” Not to say that he couldn’t. Ajax had bruised a few jaws in his time, but it was too much effort. “So what do you do?”

Z looked over the other man and nodded, it was awesome, compared to being drilled with training 24/7 and being constantly told how much you’re needed to fight the good fight. Hell, Z was pretty much having the best time of his life. You could say he was too laid back to be a soldier, so this life, doing fuck all until someone wanted to rent him, this was a god damn picnic.

“Same. Fuckin’ high life.” he replied with a smirk and then gave a shrug “Ain’t been no sicing yet, in fact, there’s  been a bit of sex and some labor, but it’s a damn picnic if ya ask me.”

“Listen,” Ajax started, laying it out. “I fucking... like... basically all I did before was fuck and fight, raised up for that kind of thing, you know? So needless to say, it’s not a stretch for me to be happy and just... chill here for a bit.”

Okay, so maybe the digs weren’t quite as nice as the cushy rooms he’d gotten when he was home with family, but it didn’t suck. They got meals, they got yard time... and it was a far cry better than he imagined he’d be getting if someone decided they liked him enough to take him home. It was really a crapshoot here, no matter what way you threw it. Maybe that was the real punishment. The not knowing what would happen next. “Ajax,” he stated, simply. They’d earned a first name basis, he figured.

Why was it that slaves felt the need to talk to him. Quint barely even grunted at most of them, just picking where he was laying just because it was the less inhabited area of the courtyard. Not because he wanted the company of the stranger. “Dont care.” Quint growled as he relaxed back against the grass, hands tucked behind his head and eyes closed.

Being outdoors, the suns comforting light easing the tension that had built up since he had last been in the courtyard, it was a nice feeling. Not as nice as going hiking would have been, he mused to himself, but that wasn’t really an option these days either. He rolled the mans name around in his head, putting a name to a face even as he gave his own. “Ryan,” the hellhound offered, a slight smile coming to his face at the eye contact. He hadn’t had a friend before, besides Elona but she had been far more precious to him than that. Maybe he could do this, mingling because he enjoyed someones company versus mingling to gain an upper hand. Ryan didn’t have to impress anyone anymore. He could be himself. 

“Ryan.” Ajax repeated it, committing the name to memory. The woman who raised him always repeated names when she first met someone; he’d picked it up, without really noticing that it ever happened. Nature and nurture were the strangest beasts. “I like your vibe, Ryan. You’re chill. Calm. Most people seem to be pretty on edge, and I dunno, but I can’t see how that’s a help to anyone.” He scoffed a laugh, though it was in amusement, glancing off again. “Except for your shitty soccer idea.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, “It was an idea. I’m pretty sure they really only have a baseball court and the humans hog it. And anyways, you’re too pretty to leave behind.” He sat back on the grass, but he didn’t lay back as the other man had, keeping his eyes on the others roaming around, as if he was expecting something to happen. He waited a few moments before finally asking, “Do you have a name?”

“Not a bad idea, just more... participatory than I was going for.” Ajax settled in more comfortably once the other man sat, relinquishing the height difference between the two of them. Ajax breathed in the quiet for a few moments, the only sounds coming from the others further in the yard. Nearly joyful. Nearly. “Ajax,” he answered, not breaking his line of thought. “You?” He glanced towards the other, eye contact showing muted interest. Friends were hard to come by these days, and Ajax wasn’t saying it would happen; however, it was nice to have the option, despite his detached affect.

Ryan tilted his head in agreement, crossing his arms and looking out at the others moving about across the courtyards lawn as he replied, “I wish they had something to do out here though. Think I could convince a guard to get us a soccer ball or something? There’s not a risk of being impaled by a soccer ball is there?” He glanced at the other, smiling just a little at his own attempt at a joke. He hadn’t been at the City Prison very long, maybe a week or two at most, but between his chatty cell neighbor and being used to living outdoors, it was always a relief to step outside onto the grass.

“Soccer ball? I mean, sounds like fun and all but... I dunno, I could think of some better things to do. Though, I mean...” Ajax motioned around them, the array of pebbles. “There could be some game here. Like... Throw the Dirt on the Guards or something. Sure they’d love that.” Ajax, instead, sprawled out on his back, hands tucking underneath his head, stretching out. “Me? I’m gonna enjoy the sun while it’s out. You have fun kicking balls around.”

Slavery wasn’t something Z even cared about, he’d been brought up in a home with other kids like him, half breed, and taught to fight and use his abilities to his advantage. As far as he was concerned, that was just a prison, and slavery was probably a step up. At least he didn’t have to go out with a supervisor when he was rented, most let him wander around alone. 

Not to mention he got to stretch his legs in the yard. He was actually relaxing when he heard the guy on his right ask what they were meant to chill. “Chill.” he replied and his eyebrow shot up above one eye. “Its your time to do whatever the fuck ya want without those asshole guards pulling at ya chains. Relax a little, it’s the only time you fuckin’ can.”

Ajax gave a nod to the other man’s proffering of what to do. It had been a while since he’d been able to just chill, and the thought was something of a welcomed distraction. “Dude. Fucking awesome.” Ajax wasn’t sure if this was some kind of trick for the slaves, or maybe just a solid rest period that led up to a shitstorm, but hey. He’d take it where he could get it.

So the demon hybrid plopped down, right there, his back pressing against the chain link of the yard, head tipped back, eyes closed. “Shit. Yeah. Feels good. I could get used to this. Heads and shoulders above what I had.” His eyelids fluttered open for a moment, lips lifting in something close to a smile. “So this is it, huh? This is what we get before they try to sic us on the world.”

cassandra grew up her life like in a town where she was able to be free, she wasn’t able to leave, but she had her friends and family there. but now because someone told the supernaturals about her town she was a slave after they came and invaded. and she hadn’t been at the jail for long and since she wasn’t use to this situation the blonde was very more timid than most people were. she didn’t want to see what the supernatural creatures would do to her since she heard horror stories about them from her older siblings. the blonde looked up at ajax when she heard him speak, wanting to give him her full attention. “it really matters what you want to do while you are out here, some people fight and others chill. and i know that people do have sex, it just matters if you can be sneaky about it since as long as you aren’t caught you can do it.”

Can do and should do were two totally different eggs in this picture. Ajax knew that, and he knew that there were eyes everywhere. Even when the consequential They said that They weren’t watching... They always were. “Right. So getting away with the sex thing. That’s something you know from experience?” Ajax was dubious, and he showed the emotion through a momentarily quirked brow. “I mean, I’ve never been punished for fucking, but I’ve always been in a place where, uh... that was kind of my job. That said.” He shrugged once, seemingly unaffected. “Ain’t worth the risk, lil mama.”