#;atrium

If he stayed in his apartment any longer, he might just go crazy. While the kindness of friends kept him company, Ash has essentially been isolated in singular locations for almost an entire month. But he didn't have it in him to disobey doctor's orders on his ankle. The worst case scenario if he didn't let it heal right was that he could never walk or run again, and that thought sickened him to a very dark point. If he became rendered useless, redundant, then what's the point? He combated the thoughts through minor work, chores, goals, anything that felt productive, or really, just to feel human again. Showers, cleaning his apartment, and today, doing laundry.

It was hard to dry anything in his own apartment and he'd been somewhat updated on the changes already implemented in the building while he was gone, including a clothesline. And when Ruth brought him a crutch that the scout team actually managed to procure, it seemed like as good a time as any to face the world past his door again. Crutch in one hand, basket of clean damp clothes in the other, Ashton sucked in a breath and headed down. He rather not be seen by others, not this weak and broken, but he was curious of the shifts in the atrium, and desperate to move, so he tried to stay unnoticeable, small, invisible. It takes him slowed, cautious movements to hang what he had, mumbling to himself or anyone else in the vicinity, "so much changed.. Will these even dry here?"

While Hope has been to the Wexley, she hasn't really been to the Wexley. Mostly coming by to visit specific floors to Beau, to Val, and that's it. But it was still crazy to see what the building has been through. Firstly, what the fuck happened at the front entrance?? Maybe the less questions she asked, the better, Dante and Santi warned her to keep a low profile, and while she usually doesn't take anyone's orders, she trusted their judgement.

Good! She can instead focus on the beauty of a garden up top and the studio assigned to her had so much space she could make her own little indoor garden with that lovely full length window for sun. Her mind was already turning with excitement because for once.. they weren't on the go anymore, Beau was here, Val was here, Santi found his love, Dante found his daughter. Something in Hope felt like she could just.. pause for a moment. Well, other than the fucking tyranny they walked in on. Hope really doesn't do well with authority. And so they were right in requesting her to stay quiet. They didn't say anything about not exploring the building though.

In her time in quarantine she had started planning out the extra room in her place to start growing even more plants, excitedly yapping with Beau the first chance she got, drafting out plans for the stuff they could grow. "Oh- hi!" She spoke to the next person that came by while she was roaming around the common area, "do you know if there are any spare containers? Buckets, pails, pots, beer bottles, ..anything actually. My plants are gettin' some cabin fever."

The moment Sada and Jeremiah and their gang left, tensions seemed to ease off in the atrium, if anything at least alleviating the immediate threats of death. Devan had immediately kept his eyes on the entire group here and specifically on Ashton more so than the rest. He was basically out on supervised bail and even he knew the imminent end for himself. Sada wouldn't pass of the opportunity, well, she even picked out a cell for him already.

Ashton continued help in the area, the reality starting to set in as he completely numbed himself earlier from the shock of who's dead. Mr Wexley, Lane.. Ashton numbed himself with the shock again, not wanting to break down from it all. They worked in silence until everyone was instructed to head back to their apartments for a lockdown. Ashton just wasn't sure if he'd be allowed to go to his. Sada's words might have sounded like mercy but none of the actions speaks it as so. They were pretty much the last ones left, Ashton rigidly standing there as if waiting for a begrudging order. He met Devan's gaze, cold and unemotional to steel himself from whatever they have planned. "..do I at least get to go back to my apartment before you lock me away?" Ash asked the other without much hope, as much as he wanted to make full use of the additional time Jer squeezed in for him. Loose ends to tie, things to settle, things to hide before the regime took over and he no longer owned anything as his.

It was a shit show and Ash had wished he had been downstairs with everyone earlier on, always just a little too late. Since they got down here, it had been a rush in hopes to help the injured, find the dead, make sure they all stay dead. Half the time still not knowing what exactly happened other than the face that some people were dead, some were bitten. And underlying it all was a nervous lump in his throat not seeing Jeremiah anywhere with the injured, or the dead - god he haven't even begun to process who died yet, keeping his focus on the people still alive. He had lastly been with Charlie in the diner, staying with her as long as he could to help with her shoulder, and just be with her after Roman.. no one should have to go through that alone.

Until the familiar figure he had been looking for this entire time came into view, Devan not far behind, alive. He didn't even wait for a beat before moving out of the diner and running over to Jeremiah, whatever bad tension they had over the past few days evaporating completely in favor of pulling him into a quick hug before cradling his face with his hands, "Jer, hey- hi.." it was only a whisper with a flash of a worried smile as his eyes frantically inspected all over for injuries, bites, there was so much blood it was hard to tell if it was someone else's or his. "I couldn't find you, I- you okay? Are you hurt?"

Ash had taken the time to wonder through the area at least once during a quick break that Alice kindly offered to look over the bar for a moment while the karaoke was quieter. He was on the way to pick up some snacks for them from the diner, and at the same time drop off some drinks to the team working there, when he saw a familiar face and made a detour, compelled to check up on them as the opportunity arose since he last saw Ziggy that night. "Hey Zig, thirsty?" He raised the tray of small cups, a mixture of alcoholic and non alcoholic for them to choose. "How are you holding up?" He felt the need to ask after the way he left them in the care of Beau at his insistence for Ash to get some rest.