𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗. // 6/6 // CLOSED

She quickly found Lucky and moved to his side. He was the safest person at of all of them to her so far.
Lucas smiled and nodded.
"If there's a sleeping problem, I can share the couch, it's big and wide enough, whoever I sleep with will just have to be at the other end." He told Lucky, his voice was scratchy.

Lucky nodded at him, plopping down on the floor and patting the open spot next to him to invite Ariella to join him. She looked more comfortable post-shower, but was clearly not ready to relax around the others. Lucky wasn't sure what he'd done to gain her loyalty, but he was glad she wasn't afraid of him.
"I don't think there's a sleeping problem, I just don't know the best way to split this up. We should be able to sleep with everyone comfortable, but none of us really know each other, so… there's no great solution." He looked at Ariella. "I wondered if the girls would wanna room together. It'd be you and June, and then we 3 guys can split up the couch and one of the beds between us. Or, we could do the siblings in one room, Lucas and I in the other, and you can have the couch." He didn't immediately mention that the other combo that'd crossed his mind was the siblings in one bed, Lucas on the couch, and he and Ariella in a room. Too forward. Not that anything would happen, but nobody would believe that.

"I think…horse boys friend would be more comfortable with him. Me and the other guy could share the couch or something" he shrugged, crossing his arms.
. She preferred to stay with someone she knew, and trusted the best she could in the circumstances. And that just happened to be Lucky.

Lucky grinned at Devon. "I have a name, you know." Although 'horse boy' was hilarious.
He looked over at Ariella, who seemed to be giving every indication of agreeing with Devon. He thought for a moment and lookd back up at Lucas. "Well… if June is ok with it, we could put her on the couch, you two could take on of the beds, and we'll take the other. Doesn't seem fair to cram you two fellas on the couch."

Devon looked at the floor, "yeah ok that works"

Lucky nodded. "Ok then. Sounds like a plan." He stood and went out to Sinjoro, digging some stuff out of his saddlebags in order to make room. He brought his belongings in and set it all in one of the rooms. "Guess I'm claiming that one." He smiled at Ariella.
He turned to Lucas as he headed back out the door. "There was a gas station the next block over I could see from the road. I'm gonna head that way, see if I can get us more food. I'll be back soon."
He walked out, walked Sinjoro out of the building and down the steps, and got into the saddle. They turned and trotted off in that direction.

Alastor let Zeus lead the way, keeping an eye on the massive ball of muscle and fluff as he sniffed the sides of buildings, searching the area for food and people.

They got to the truck pretty quickly and Ronni checked the door. It was unlocked, so she hopped up in the driver's seat and felt around under the steering wheel. Within a few minutes, she had the truck hotwired and was motioning to the fellas to hop in. The cab had enough room for all of them, if somebody didn't mind cramming into the smaller seat in back.

She motioned up the road and tapped the fuel gauge, trying to tel Alastor she knew where there was a gas station up ahead.
And how are you going to explain knowing how to jimmy a gas pump and hotwire a car? Tanya asked her.
I don't have to explain, I'm sure they'll just be glad I know how.

Lucas hurried out after him, jogging and waving.
He made it beside Lucky and began walking at the same pace as the horse.
"So…" he said, trying to make conversation "I think we have a pretty good group. Ariella has obvious trust issues but probably for a valid reason, June is energetic and social, which would be good for meeting survivors and having to get supplies for anything we need to build. Devon… I think he needs a while to warm up to us, see our intentions, like Ariella." He said at last.

Lucky slowed Sinjoro down to a walk and hopped off, walking alonside Lucas. "I agree. I can't blame them for being a bit stiff. After what we've all been through, I'm surprised it's gone as well as it has." He smiled up at Lucas. "I hope you don't mind that I keep running things by you, I just-… you're bigger and stronger and probably smarter, and in this kind of situation those are the things people look for in a leader."
They had made good progress, covering a couple of blocks already, and the gas station was just ahead.
Out of nowhere, a pickup truck came rumbling around the corner and pulled into the station. A short girl hopped out and began fiddling with the gas pump.
Lucky froze when he saw two guys and what looked like a German shepherd in the truck. "Lucas?" He knew what he would do on his own, but he wasn't on his own anymore.

Liam petted Zeus as he hopped in the back of the cab, only barely squeezing in. He gasped in surprise. "Guys!" He said excitedly. "There is a jar of peanut butter back here." He held it up.

Ronni started them towards the gas station, weaving around other cars and bodies in the road. Occasionally, she had to drive up on the sidewalk or through a yard or parking lot to get where she was going, but they made steady progress towards the gas station.
She glanced in the rearview when Liam found the peanut butter.
DON'T eat that! Tanya yelped.
If it's still sealed, it should be ok. Ronni had eaten plenty of things she wouldn't have even given a second look before. She reached back and tapped the lid, trying to warn him to check before he ate.

They came up to the gas station and she pulled the truck in next to a pump. She got out and was so focused on trying to get the pump to work, she didn't notice 2 men and a horse across the street.

Alastor jogged up to the man who had waved at them and smiled at him apologetically.
"Sorry about that. Whenever Zeus sees a horse he thinks that it's now his new best friend and playmate."
"Hello," Lucas said, sticking his hand out for Alastor to shake. "Im Lucas, this is also Lukas, but we call him Lucky and his horse's name is Sinjoro."
"I'm Alastor, the kid in the car is Liam, and…the other one can tell you her name when and if she comes over."
"We have a few people back that way." He said, pointing behind him "in an apartment is where we're camping."

Lucky saw the dog coming and immediately jumped into the saddle. He knew how Sinjoro would react.
The horse reared as the dog ran up, wagging and barking, and Lucky had his hands full trying to calm Sinjoro. The dog lost interest and went over to where Lucas was talking to his owner, and Sinjoro calmed down, nickering nervously as Lucky patted his neck.
"Easy, Big Boi, you're ok."
The dog wasn't attacking, so Lucky walked Sinjoro over to the conversation, in time to hear Lucas tell the strangers where everyone else was. He stiffened, as that wouldn't have been his first move, but… he trusted Lucas's instincts.
I can always just shoot them all if it comes to it… Not a pleasant thought, but they wouldn't be the first people he'd put bullets in during the last few weeks.

Alastor, Liam, and the girl. He figured Lucas had introduced him as well, so he just nodded at Alastor and stayed quiet.

Alastor jogged up to the man who had waved at them and smiled at him apologetically.
Liam watched from the back of the truck, He hadn't seen anyone for almost two weeks and now here was four new people, and Zeus. He got out an walked up to Alistor and the other guy.

Ronni wasn't ready for Zeus's outburst, and she flinched when he started barking frantically. She looked around, reaching for her weapon, before seeing the two men and-… A horse?? In NYC??
Alastor went over as Zeus said hello, and they seemed friendly, but Ronni wasn't so sure. She would have to trust Alastor's lead… although it made her nervous.
She could tell the guy on the horse wasn't comfortable either, so that was good. He's worried for the same reasons I'm worried. We don't know if we should trust each other… but if he was trying to con us or kill us, he'd be confident.
She continued trying to get the gas pump to work as Liam walked over to the newcomers. Regardless, we'll need the truck.

Lucas bid a small goodbye to the new group and turned to Lucky, nodding in the direction of the gas station and started heading that way.

Lucky watched Lucas walk into the gas station, before looking at Alastor again.
"Lucas is planning on heading west, so if you're going somewhere more rural, we're all probably headed in the same direction." He paused, thinking. "I know he mentioned where we are staying for now, but… if you wanted to join us, you're welcome to." They already knew where everyone else was, may as well invite them. "We're a mixed group, so your friend there wouldn't be alone." He pointed briefly at Ronni. He glanced at Liam. "And you're Liam, correct?"

Lucas started heading that way.
Chips, water, milk and even some beef jerky.
He groaned in ecstasy and drank again, only stopping when it was halfway gone, then refilling the cup to be full again.

Ronni had filled the tank on the truck and shut the pump off. She watched as the taller man walked past her and the truck and into the gas station. She went in behind him, silently, looking for gas cans. She found several and went to put them on the bed of the truck, where she could fill them.
His choices caught her attention. She had no idea why he would want the milk, as it would be warm and spoiled by now. But the slushie looked good.

"Hi." Lucas said, sipping on his slushie "want one? the machine still works."

Ronni nodded quickly, pointing at the red. I hope that's cherry…