OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
She could have seen her day going in so many directions this morning. But ending up in the front seat of a police cruiser that was flying to the scene of an accident? Just because she was afraid of a little rain and lightning? She decided as they pulled to a stop that she should have just stayed home today. She should have checked the weather and decided to start tomorrow and not on a day that threatened a bad storm. That would have been the smart thing to do. But no. Kins decided today was the day. Her hazel eyes found him as he spoke to her. His tone harsh and very much full of the authority that she felt he would have.
"I can’t wait for anyone else to show up. I’m going to leave you here. Don’t get out."
She didn't plan on it. She planned on keeping her happy little behind right where she was. In the front seat. Seat belt on. And just watching the scene in front of her as if she was at a drive-in. He shot out of the car like a bullet and was in full-on rescue mode. She was quite impressed by watching him. From a sarcastic jerk to this... it was enough to make her heart stutter slightly in her chest. He was calm as the frantic woman grasped him, holding him back from actually doing something without even realizing it. His presence had the group backing off with ease, though as they started to crowd back around, he was over the hood of the car in the of the wreck. She couldn't see him. She unbuckled herself and tried to lean to watch, but couldn't get the right angle.
Without much thought, she was opening the side door, the rain was starting again here. A few drops here and there, the dark clouds threatening to come down on them. She stood up and even found herself standing on the side of the car to try and peer over. She wanted to watch what was happening. She wanted to make sure he was okay. As well as the children. She swallowed as he disappeared into the car and she ran her eyes back to the smoking hood of the last car. That couldn't be good. Where was his back up? She looked around, trying to find flashing lights or listen out for sirens but heard none.
The first child came out of the car and the young kid was safely placed into the mother's arms. She felt a small bit of relief, it lasted one a few seconds. As more time stretched out, she was starting to get more worried and found herself chewing on her bottom lip under her masks. The smoke was getting darker, which meant it wasn't going out. It was getting worse. And that alone made her feel like she had to do something. "Sorry Jude." She said out loud as she started looking over the car. Cop cars had to be prepared for any scene they pulled up on right? Whether that was a shoot out or a fire... where would there be a small fire extinguisher? She frantically started searching the front of the car. When she produced nothing, she saw the trunk button. Yes!
With a quick push, she immediately ran to the back of the cruiser and pushed the truck open all the way. There were a ton of things back there and she started shuffling through it, hoping to God she wouldn't set off a firearm as she rummaged through it. Her hands were shaking lightly as she kept going through it until she finally found the small red cylinder. It probably wouldn't put it out completely, but it would buy them time. She slammed the truck shut and bolted as fast as her legs would let her. She was taught this in school at some point. Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. PASS right? That made sense.
Kins pushed her way through the people, mentally screaming for touching them but she had other matters on her mind. She would panic about that later. She watched the first burst of red flames shoot out from under the hood and she pulled the pin. Her eyes glancing back at the car that Jude and the other kid was in. She could hear his voice yelling at her now. She aimed the nozzle towards the flame and squeezed. Sweeping the nozzle back and forth as the rain started to really come down, helping push back the flames. Not completely extinguish them, but at least was holding them back to not engulf the car itself.
She was so focused on the task at hand that she never heard the approaching sirens of backup coming. She emptied the fire extinguisher by the time that hands landed on her arms and she looked back at the helmet of a fire fighter that had shown up on the scene. "We've got it from here! Go back to your vehicle." He yelled over the rain and sirens, and from the resistance that his helmet had for his voice. Kins nodded slightly as she stumbled back towards his cruiser. She turned before she reached it though, looking for the tall man. Hoping he was okay.
Jude first tried to see if he could wedge his hand between her legs and the seat, to give her some room if he could just get the leverage. But she cried out when he tried to slip his hand between her knee and the seat. There was no wiggle room - she was wedged in there tight. The next thing he did was to lean into the front of the vehicle and try to adjust the seat manually - but there was a grinding sound and no movement. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Jude searched for anything he could use as some sort of tool in order to get the girl out. Every few seconds, his gaze flicked to the billowing smoke, watching as it grew darker and darker. Rain started to patter onto the vehicle, but Jude knew rain alone wouldn’t save them from an engine fire.
He felt that dread start to creep into his gut. Where was his backup? The ambulances should have been here. Other officers. Backup. He needed help. He was fighting against a clock, and he was running out of time. But he wasn’t going to leave the girl, not as her wide, frightened eyes held his. She didn’t speak much, maybe because she was breathing so hard that words would have been hard to manage. She was panicking, glancing back at the smoke. She knew. She was so young, but she knew.
It shattered Jude’s heart to see the fear in her eyes. But if he focused on her too long, she started to change shape. She started to look more and more like his girl. And if he let those thoughts creep in right now, he was going to fail. He’d already failed one girl, he couldn’t fail another.
His thoughts were scattered as a flash of flame broke out in his peripheral vision. Head jerking towards the rear window, Jude lunged forward, already covering the girl with his body. Cars didn’t normally explode like they did in the movies, but with the wreck, gas and oil could be all over the place. But just as the flames began to build, there was a burst of what his brain registered as a cloud for a minute, before he found Havyn. She was holding an extinguisher, looking so determined. Jude felt his chest ice over at the sight of her. On one hand, he was incredibly grateful to see her. On the other, he was suddenly terrified.
”What are you doing!” He shouted, though he knew she probably wouldn’t understand him. And he needed to take the time she’d gifted him, not waste it with trying to boss her around. Jude mentally slapped himself into focus, looking down at the girl. She was staring up at him, outright sobbing, petrified. ”It’s alright. I’m getting you out of here.” Jude told her, twisting around in the seat so that he was sitting, his legs up against his chest in the cramped space. If he couldn’t move the seat with logic, he was going to break her out.
Jude began kicking the seat as hard as he could, listening to the metal grinding. He just needed a small amount of space, enough for her to slip her legs out. There was a crunching sound, and Jude watched for the smallest of movements - the back of the seat inched forward, bending against the onslaught. Twisting back around, he finally caught sight of his backup - and took a moment to make sure they were getting Havyn to safety before Jude scooped the girl into his arms. She was wailing now, but as he pulled her into his arms he examined her knees quickly. Bruised, but her legs didn’t appear broken or seriously injured. As he felt her small arms slip around his neck, he carefully climbed into the front seat, exiting the car the same way he’d entered. Firemen were dealing with the fire. Police were herding the onlookers out of his way. The little girl was hugging his neck so tight that he was struggling to take a full breath.
He saw the flashing lights of the ambulance, and knew that was where the girl’s mother would be. Walking around the accident, and through a group of police, Jude caught sight of Havyn. His eyes met hers, and he hesitated for a moment, holding the little girl to his chest. Almost immediately, his attention was stolen by the shrill scream of the mother, his gaze snapping to the ambulance. The woman was shoving past the paramedics, past a few stragglers, and racing towards him with her arms out. Jude met her half way, transferring the little girl from his arms to hers. She took only a second to squeeze his hand, blubbering a thank you, before she turned away with her child.
Jude watched her for a second, the little girl watching him over her mother’s shoulder. His heart ached. He let himself feel the pain for a moment before he turned towards his cruiser, no longer needed. Wiping the pained expression off his face, Jude searched for Havyn as he approached his cruiser. ”What happened to ‘don’t get out’?” He asked as soon as he spotted her, closing the distance between them until he was what he guessed to be six feet away. ”You could have gotten seriously injured.” He grumbled, looking frustrated for a moment before his expression softened. ”But I guess I owe you a thanks. For the quick thinking.” He admitted, his tone clearly conveying that he wished he didn’t have a reason to thank her. He wasn’t angry with her per say, but worried. He knew that, but he no longer had the social intelligence to convey it in a non-angry way. Jude sighed as he stared at her, shaking his head lightly. "So thank you. Are you okay?" He added, taking a moment to look her over. If she'd gotten hurt while trying to help him, after he'd been so rude, he'd probably never forgive himself.
1009 words - Havyn Kinsley - ummm ignore the length?
As Kins stood in front of his car, she was glad to have a clear shot of the vehicle where Jude was. She had been taken away just in time to see him crawling out of the car with the little blonde clinging to his neck. A breath rushed out of her in relief. Her heart still pounding from the fact that she had just been trying to fight back a fire from getting out of hand to ensure the two of their safety. So to see them both getting out, made her almost slump to the group. She had never done something so reckless.
The scene that folded out was like watching a movie after it. He was so gentle with her, comforting the little blonde without actually saying anything. It was the way he was. It made her wonder if he was a big brother or uncle. Perhaps even a father himself. Her eyes traveled the two from the distance, noting there wasn’t any blood or anything that seemed to be hanging on them in an odd way. Which meant that they were both okay, shocked or scared, absolutely. But they were okay. Her eyes connected with Jude’s for a moment. It was like everything came to a halt for two seconds as she focused in on him.
Her heart even stopped, and she realized she had never found someone as attractive as she found him in that moment. Her swallowing was what set the scene back in motion, or maybe it was the screaming mother who came forward from the back of the ambulance. Coming forward to take her daughter into a tight embrace. The briefest of thank you’s to the man who just potentially risked his life to save her. Had that fire gotten out of hand, had the car decided to explode instead of just ignite... they could have had a very different scene play out. And she wasn’t going to linger on that fact. Especially not as he turned towards her.
“What happened to ‘don’t get out’?”
She stared at him for a moment. Almost in disbelief. That was the first thing he had to say to her? After everything that just had happened. After the fact that she had potentially just bought him time and saved their lives? She inhaled a deep breath, as if preparing herself for battle as the rain picked up its pace again. Threatening to drench them. But he continued. His frustration draining almost into a look of concern. His features softening as he seemed to think over what had just happened. On her actions. His sigh leaving him had a small tug happen at the corner of her mouth under her mask. Worry wart.
“So thank you. Are you okay?”
Kins noted then that he had stopped about six feet away from her. Even in his little attitude and wanting to scold her, he had remembered what she had said. Something about that made her heart do another tap dance number in her chest. Maybe he wasn’t as bad at the whole social thing as she had originally thought. Verbally, awful. But he had good intentions underneath all that anger and jackass-ness. “I’m okay. Probably need a decontamination shower now but, I’m okay. The trunk of your cruiser might be a war zone for the next time you open it...” She admitted, briefly glancing back at his cruiser as if she could see through it to see the mess she had possibly made.
She didn’t linger much on it before she looked back to him and took a small step forward. Her hazel eyes now shining with concern of her own. “Are you okay?” She wrapped her arms around her chest to keep herself from reaching out to him. She was still the same woman underneath all the germaphobe behavior, under the masks and behind the hand sanitizer. Before the pandemic, she wasn’t so cautious. She was, but not like this. If they hadn’t been in the times they were, she would have been inspecting him over herself. So instead, she’d have to hold onto herself to keep her from making any sudden moves. Or embarrassing herself in general. He probably didn’t need or want her help.
“I’m okay. Probably need a decontamination shower now but, I’m okay. The trunk of your cruiser might be a war zone for the next time you open it...”
Watching emotions flicker across her face was hard, because with the masks she wore he could only gauge her emotion based off her eyes and eyebrows. He was prepared for her to shout at him, but apparently his thanks won him a joke instead. Jude felt a sense of relief when she verified that she wasn’t hurt. His gaze followed hers to his cruiser, and he felt a smile pulling at his lips. ”If that’s the worst of it, I think I’ll survive.” He told her, his tone faintly amused.
His breath caught in his throat as she stepped closer, her eyes soft and worried. She asked if he was okay, and something in him urged him to reach out and connect. To touch her shoulder or arm and reassure her. He didn’t, of course, instead questioning the way her concern made him feel warm. ”I’m fine.” Jude responded, giving her the tiniest of nods. He glanced over his shoulder at the wreckage behind them, frowning softly. There were enough bodies on the ground now that he could probably go ahead and leave - which was good, because the clouds suddenly opened up, releasing a torrent of rain on their heads.
Turning back to Havyn, Jude gestured for her to get into the cruiser. ”Let’s get you home.” He directed, already jogging over to the driver’s side of the vehicle and sliding in. He waited for Havyn to join him before starting the vehicle, turning on the heaters. The sound of the rain on the top of the vehicle was a relaxing tempo, and he suddenly felt the weariness of his body. Glancing once more at the wreckage, he watched as the ambulance drove away, taking the family to get checked out, probably. But they were going to be okay. His grip tightened momentarily on the steering wheel, twin smiles flashing through his mind for a moment.
Brushing the memory aside, Jude pulled away from the wreckage, returning to the directions that his GPS was still giving him for Havyn’s address. ”I’m sorry you had to be there for all of that.” He said, eyes trained on the road before them. Even though the streets were fairly empty, both of people and cars, Jude still didn’t want to end up getting into a wreck of their own. What he really wanted was to just get Havyn home without anymore excitement. Thankfully, the radio stayed silent as he drove.
Something about the way that she’d called him out on his bad attitude made him want to try at the whole socializing thing. He recalled the way his captain had looked at him when he put in for a transfer. The disappointment. The pity. Jude had stopped spending time with people because he couldn’t stand the looks of pity that always accompanied those encounters. People felt bad for him - the poor widow, the childless father. He couldn’t have a quick conversation without someone asking him how he was doing. And he’d been drowning, right there in front of them. So he’d cut everyone out of his life, until he had nobody. He fed into his anger and resentment. The wounds were still fresh to him.
It didn't take long to get to their destination, and Jude pulled up to the curb, putting the cruiser into park. He knew this was where he was supposed to say something, but that was where his instincts left him. Jude didn't actually know what to say. "Can I walk you up?" He found himself offering, as if someone else had taken control of him and made him speak the words. Even though he hadn't said it, Jude was pretty sure she'd saved his life just moments ago. He didn't know how to properly thank her, but he figured being nice and polite was a good way to start. He owed her that much.
"If that’s the worst of it, I think I’ll survive."
She shook her head, looking back at the cruiser. Damn, she really wished she could remember what it looked like before she slammed it shut. "Yeah, I wouldn't say that till you see it." It was partially a joke. Though she didn't want him cursing her to next Tuesday when he actually peered back there. Though if she wasn't around, maybe it would be okay. He could curse all he wanted to himself. It wasn't like he could arrest her for finding a fire extinguisher right? Even if he did, he'd have to make a damn good case against her. Why was her mind constantly putting him as a bad guy? She really needed to give the poor man a break.
Clearly he was not that bad. A man with an attitude? Absolutely. She didn't doubt that one bit considering how they had started off. And even the way he originally came to her afterward. But what she was hesitating on, with labeling him a true asshole, was the way that he held that girl when they got out of the car. There was a gentleness, one that made her think he had a heart somewhere buried in his chest. The way their eyes had connected from the distance as if he knew she was watching and even if he wanted to not have her watch, he would not put that girl down until she was safely where she needed to be.
It was something that made her heart flip flop lightly. He seemed very much like a father in that moment. And it only made her see him in a bit of a different light. His answer that he was fine eased her a bit. She let out a small yelp of surprise as the cold rain really unleashed on them. Get her home, that sounded like a good idea. She jogged back to his cruiser and hopped in. A small shiver ran through her from the cold rain and the AC that had continued to run while they were out of the car. Seeing as neither of them had turned it off. And it also seemed like the normal thing when cops got out of their car.
"I’m sorry you had to be there for all of that."
She waited a moment, her eyes landing on his face as he drove. She studied him, something feeling off for a minute. He was going through something in his mind. And she wasn't sure if her answer would help him at all, but it came out anyway. "I've seen worse things in my life." She said lightly. Nothing to try and guilt him to focus on her, it was just the cold hard truth that she had lived with. "I'm glad it was the outcome that it was. You potentially saved those two kids' lives." Who knows what would have happened if he didn't get them out when he did. And that was just the facts of the day.
Before she knew it, they were parked outside her building. She was already unbuckling herself and collecting her bag when he asked to walk her up. She looked between him and the building. It wasn't a far walk, and she really could go by herself. Her building was one of those old brick apartments that held a freight elevator to get you up and down the different levels. Only three apartments per level. It wasn't the nicest place to live in, but it was also not the worse. He already knew where she lived, he had all of her information in that laptop that was screwed into his car. "Sure." She found herself answering him as she got out. "Don't get any funny ideas though, Officer Jude." She leaned down to look at him from where she stood outside his cruiser. The rain was lightly here but still steady. It was a tease, the smallest smile touched her lips. Though again, he probably wouldn't notice unless he really paid attention to the lift of her eyes.
She grabbed her stuff, shut the door, and was quickly leading the way to her building, one foot sinking into a puddle with a curse. She shook her foot before she snagged her keys after a few moments of digging outside the door. He probably thought she looked like a mess, but she also was a bit nervous. She hasn't had someone walk her to her door in a long time. Not since her last crappy date tried to push his way through her door months ago. Before all the virus threats. He had been quite the pick. Que eye roll here. Once inside, she'd take a breath before leading him over to the elevator. "Thanks for the ride home. I know you didn't have to do that." See, she could be polite too. She got into the elevator and thanks to the space, she was able to stand the appropriate distance from him. Though her eyes kept looking at him. Just enough that it would be noticeable if he was as aware of her as she was of him. "I, ah. I had hoped to get further along on that wall today. So I can't really give you a time to come back to see that finished project. But give it a few weeks. Find yourself running that route again, you might just see the final project."
Jude wasn’t concerned in the least about how the trunk of the cruiser looked. At her insistence, however, Jude just cocked a brow and glanced towards the back of the vehicle, as if he too might be able to develop x-ray vision. What had she done? Set off a bomb while she was in there?
Once they were inside the vehicle and finally on their way to her home, Jude tried to make his mind settle from the chaos that they just been in. He kept thinking about seeing her with that extinguisher, fighting an engine fire just because that was the right thing to do. Stupid thing, yes. And would he have preferred she stayed by the cruiser? Of course. But it was the right thing. And she’d done so without hesitation, coming to his aid and the aid of the little girl without a moment’s thought. Jude didn’t know why his mind kept going back to the sight of her, of realizing he wasn’t working against all of that on his own. The relief of knowing he had someone who was going to watch out for him while he did his job. It reminded him of the way it felt when he worked with a partner. Knowing you had someone to trust with your life.
It was the quickest way to form bonds, in Jude’s opinion. A really good way to find out what kind of person someone was. And she was a fascinating kind of person.
"I've seen worse things in my life."
That didn’t make anything better. Jude found himself feeling the need to ask her about those worse things. He felt off just thinking about what she could mean. Her follow up statement didn’t help - it felt too much like praise, and Jude had never been a fan of being praised for doing the job he’d signed up to do. ”And you potentially saved my life.” He replied, face intently focused on the road, not even glancing over at her. He could have continued on to explain that without her, he and the little girl might have gone up in flames. But he had a feeling she was smart enough to read into his statement. It wasn’t even her job to do what she did, and he’d given her no real reason to want to help him.
When they’d parked and he’d offered to take her home, he was honestly expecting a cold no and a door slamming in his face. When she agreed, following it up with a joke, Jude found himself pleasantly surprised. Peering back at her through the open door, he felt his brows draw down. ”Just Jude.” He corrected her, choosing not to address the rest of her warning. Unbuckling and getting out of the cruiser, his gaze swept up and down the street automatically before he followed her to the door. He wanted to take her things and carry them, but she seemed so adverse to the idea of physical touch that he knew it would be smarter to just let her be.
"Thanks for the ride home. I know you didn't have to do that."
He couldn’t help but watch her in the times where her focus was anywhere but on him. His brow quirked slightly at the thanks. ”Consider it an apology for interrupting your work.” Jude’s voice was deep and his gaze was anywhere but hers. It was the closest he was going to get to outright apologizing for causing her any stress. He followed her into the elevator, leaning comfortably against one wall as she told him about the planned schedule for her artwork. She wanted him to see more of it? It was right then that Jude realized he wanted to see more of it, too. He wanted to see the finished product. Hadn’t he enjoyed things like that, before his life flipped belly side up? It was better if he didn’t get her hopes up, though. Jude had a hard time dedicating himself to anything but work these days. He didn’t want to see the disappointment in her eyes. Nodding slowly, Jude glanced from her to the elevator control panel. ”I’m not sure how long they’ll have me working this route, so no promises.” Jude meant to leave it at that, but he glanced back at her, feeling his lips part without his brain having words ready. ”But I’ll try.”
He thought he should regret giving her any kind of inkling that he might be interested in seeing more of her work, but Jude realized he fully meant it. He wasn’t sure how things would change, not these days, but he wanted to see the final product of her efforts.
Her apartment building was different from his. His was a blocky building with few windows and felt more like some kind of above-ground cemetery. Hers had character. He waited as the elevator reached her floor, nodding his head for her to exit first. Following her out, Jude found himself glancing around their surroundings, taking in the aesthetic of the building.
That hadn't really crossed her mind. Not in the sense a certain sense. She just knew that she had to do something. She reacted, not sat there and planned what she was going to do. Havyn Kinsley was no hero. She didn't go out of her way for others. Not because she was selfish or heartless, but because she couldn't go out of her way for others. Her own sense of life coming into the factor there. She was cautious before. Always careful to not share drinks. Look for signs of someone who was sick and stay away. But when the pandemic hit, she was the first onboard with masks and purchasing stock in hand sanitizer. As selfish as it sounded, she wanted to live. She was already screwed out of several years of life, so she'd like to be able to stick around as long as she could. Perhaps one day she'd say forget it and give up living the way she was at the moment. And maybe she'd start enjoying life once more. Just... not yet.
She shrugged but didn't have anything else to say on potentially saving his life. She remained silent for the rest of the ride until they arrived at her apartment. She found herself chuckling lightly as he corrected her to drop the officer once more. He had already told her to call him Jude, and yet here she was teasing and taunting him with his name. "Okay, 'Just Jude'." Kins found it that she somewhat liked pushing his buttons, though she hoped he was starting to get a sense of humor now with her words. No longer bitter and harsh, but taunting and full of banter. Encouraging him to open up. "By the way, I go by Kins. My mother calls me Havyn." She told him before they made their way inside the elevator.
As he apologized, or in a roundabout way he did, about interrupting her work, she narrowed her hazel eyes on him. He refused to look at her. Maybe he felt weird about her saving him. Or the comment she made about him not making any funny moves. It was truly a joke, and she truly believed he wouldn't do such a thing. She felt like maybe she should say such a thing, but decided against it as they moved the conversation onto the wall. Something easier to land on. A safe topic of conversation.
"I’m not sure how long they’ll have me working this route, so no promises. But I’ll try."
Kins didn't believe him. He wouldn't be back. She had a feeling he would avoid that wall like the plague. Like she would avoid someone who was sick. She gave a small shrug. Her eyes on him once more as he looked at anything in the elevator but her. She settled herself to look back foward as the elevator dinged at the fifth floor. Signaling they were ready to get off, and she nodded at him as she stepped past him. Brick walls lined the hallway, and only two doors were on either side of the place. Open stairs surrounding the elevator that they had just walked up past. The floor was stained concrete which was a cheap way to make flooring, but it was quite neat to see. She arrived outside the door that was to the right when you exited and fumbled for a moment with her keys until she got the correct one to open her door.
Awkwardness set in. What was she supposed to say to him at this point? She glanced at him for a moment, a smile flashing but she remembered that he wouldn't see anything except a lift to her eyes thanks to the masks. She inserted the key into her door and unlocked it, opening it up just wide enough for her to toss her bag inside the door before she turned to him. From the opening, if he looked in, he'd see canvas across her whole living room area on different wooden stands. Some blank. Some with charcoal or paint across them. Random people, at least to him, almost like printed pictures would be found on a few, while others were just splashed of color that made her smile. She would briefly look at them and closed her door till it was just a sliver open. "And guess this is where I leave you, Just Jude." She said, awkwardly wrapping her arms around her upper arms as if to keep from extending a hand out for a shake. "Maybe I'll see you around? Hopefully not get my information run through your system..." It was a small joke, but it was there.
Had it been another time, she might have asked him to come in. For coffee or something. But it wasn't. So she would instead stand out front.
Jude felt the corner of his mouth twitch as she threw his correction back in his face, his mouth wanting to smile in response to her humor. He shook his head in response to her words, though the shrug of his shoulders stated he was giving up on it. Honestly, she could call him whatever she wanted. It only bothered him to be called something so official. When she told him her nickname, he sounded it out mentally, rolling it around in his mind. Kins. It felt personal; and it only made Jude more interested in her. ”I’ll keep that in mind.” He told her with a nod.
The silence as they rode in the elevator and continued down the hall told him that he was doing something wrong, but his skin felt itchy and uncomfortable. He wished he could be like when he was a little bit younger, back before his world seemed to upheave itself. He used to be able to talk to people - without pissing them off or pushing them away. And then everything changed, and this was what he was left with. A nervous, angry man.
At least the hall was nice to look at, and he thought it felt very comfortable. It suited her, he decided, watching her back as she led him to her door. He made sure to stop short of her, keeping the same distance between them. His gaze flitted past her as she opened the door, just for a moment, before he averted his gaze, not wanting her to think he was being nosey. It didn’t matter what her home looked like, or if he left her with a good impression. Because after this they’d never see each other, and life would go back to the gray, suffocating solitude that it had been for some time now.
Still, as she turned back to him and he watched her eyes crinkle at the edges, he found himself wanting to ask her to remove her mask again. So he could see what her smile looked like - a genuine, happy smile. For some reason he was drawn to her smile. It was like getting a flash of sunlight on a rainy day. He thought it was the kind of smile you could enjoy each time you were graced with it. She was saying goodbye, looking slightly awkward. Of course this was awkward - some random police officer harassing you at your work, and then putting you in danger, and then taking you home. Jude felt like he could just crawl right out of his skin right about now.
"Maybe I'll see you around? Hopefully not get my information run through your system..."
A lopsided smirk flashed over his features, a soft scoff escaping his lips. ”No promises.” He responded flippantly, not letting himself overthink it. Hesitating, he took one last look at her face, as if he could figure her out in that one last moment. Nodding his head, he took a few steps away, still facing her. ”Have a nice night.” He uttered, his gaze holding hers for one more moment before dropping it as he turned and walked back down the hall. He didn’t look at her again as he got into the elevator and the doors closed, only leaning his head back against the wall once he was sure she couldn’t see him.
