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.
It had been two days since Brynlee was locked in a supply closet with another nurse and Kane. It took hours to get things back under control, back out of a state of emergency. Kane dropped on her, which she barely had time to help catch him. Only saving his head from crashing hard into the floor below them. Her immediate panic bubbled in her throat as she thought that he was going to die on the floor, that her efforts in saving him were going to be in vain. At some point she shook him and told him that he couldn't leave her yet. That he promised her a slow dance that she planned on cashing in on once they were out of there.
She went into full operation mode and cut his pants off and kept her efforts up on saving him and keeping him as stable as she possibly could. The keypad beeped several times, but no one entered. For hours, it went on like that until she finally grew frustrated and hated the color his skin was turning. She told the nurse to wait there, keep him stable and she'd be back. She left the room, and it was eerily quiet in the halls, and from the look of it she knew that they would be recovering from this for a long time. But it wasn't the time to look at that now, she rushed down the halls and as if a guardian angel was watching over her and Kane, she ran straight into a surgeon who worked in ER. There was a slight disagreement of 'I have others to tend to' in which Brynlee grabbed the front of his coat with bloody hands and brought the mans face down to meet hers. "And I won't repeat myself after this. I have a... police officer who is on the verge of dying. I have done the best I can and you WILL go prep the surgery room."
From there she grabbed another nurse and had them come help her move Kane. From there it was a blur. Her mind was exhausted, but she was in full on auto mode as she assisted in the surgery, refusing to leave him until he was settled into a bed to recover. As she watched them settle him in, pain relief hooked up and his face cleaned. She wasn't sure how long she stood there just analyzing everything that had happened. All the questions she had for him, though they seemed so small compared to the fact that she just wanted to see him open those blue eyes and look at her. She left him only long enough to switch into a fresh set of scrubs and a cup of coffee. And then she was pulled.
She worked for twenty four more hours straight after that. Helping try to get the patients settled, helping who she could as they were overwhelmed with new patients. She was glad the military stepped in and took their own back to the base to treat. That was, all of them except the one that she easily fibbed was a police officer. When her body was shaking from exhaustion, she was told to go home. But that's not where she wound up. Instead, she was changed again and wound up in Kane's room. He had been still sleeping peacefully when she entered and she picked up his chart, reading over it to ensure that everything was still checking out. She let out a shaky breath when she saw so far he was doing well.
The redhead cross the room, pulling the lounge chair in the room close to his bed side and folding herself into the chair. She turned the TV on just for light background noise to help her not listen to the voices outside their door as she reached out and took his hand in hers. Lightly stroking his knuckles as she laid her head back on the chair and fell into a sleep that washed over her in only a few minutes, her body and mind craving that escape and demand that it needed. Her body shifted and she wound up sitting in the chair, leaned over so her head rested on his bed with her hand still above her head holding onto his hand securely.
This is Brynlee. She is overwhelmingly friendly, the one friend who always seems to make new friends everywhere that you go with her. She is wickedly sharp with her wit and banter in conversation and blurs a bit of the line between teasing and flirting. She means well, and is there for just about any and all of her friends when they need her.
After this pandemic hit, she has been stepping outside her usual duties as a biomedical engineer, helping with rounds and even assisting in a few operations that she shouldn't be involved in. But that's what happens when there is no one else there to help out.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- Bryn would have a lot of friends, though only a few would be someone she considered close.
She has four siblings, and Benjamin Valentine is one that is living near her now in Lethford.
Enemies would be those of her friends or those who do not like how she buddies up to people so easily. She can be found overwhelming at times.
Lovers, though she is a giant flirt, having three older brothers has scared a lot of them away in her younger years. She tends to not bring anyone around her family until she feels like they aren't going to run away the moment they find her big brothers waiting on them.
Will here is a Combat Control Special Tactics Officer. He just moved off base to make room for the newbies that are being shipped in. He has a good heart, and even though he takes his career seriously, he also has started picking up on the wrong doings that have been happening lately within the military.
He has a daughter that will be sent to him here soon, which he is going to have little to no notice about. He is also involved with Ruby Torres, a civilian Lawyer.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- Overall, Will can find common ground with a lot of people. He has an easy banter that he can carry on with and wit that is easy to find amusing. He'd probably have more military friends than anything else considering he was just stationed in Lethford after the pandemic.
Family - He has a sister who's wedding got delayed unfortunately. And a daughter of the age of 8.
For enemies, these would be anyone who are doing sketchy side jobs or abusing power within their stations (police, military, etc).
Romantic wise, his sights are set on a little brunette named Ruby.
Little Arlo here is miss calm, cool, and collected. She has been told that she is sound, quick on her feet, stubborn, and yet witty. She makes decisions quick for friends when they fumble or have a hard time picking a place. She had a rough up bringing with an abusive father who was hard on her and pushed her to be as neutral as possible.
She moved to Lethford a few years ago and joined the police department as a dispatcher about two years ago. She doesn't make a habit of going over to meet the officers she talks to, but someone recently made her start rethinking it.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- friends don't really expand much outside of her high school friend that she moved to Lethford with. Though if she did make any, it would have been through Trinity. She is starting to come around to the idea of meeting the voices on the other end of the line though at work, so who knows what that will bring to her.
Family - she's an only child and her mother died during child birth. Her father, Trinity, and her aunt are about the only people she has that are family.
Enemies would be someone who has hurt her or her friends. She is wickedly protective over those that she has gotten close to. And if someone has done her wrong, she is quick to cut them off.
Lovers are something that Arlo would take from either genders. And she might be on the look out for something/someone to get her mind off the 'friend' that she recently realized she was actually in love with.
Pierce here is a doctor but for the cute and fluffy animals. And the scaley, and the snappy, all of the above. He is a big lover of animals and it shows on his cute little business card that his staff talked him into. Though he admits that the picture of him and the office cat Betsy is pretty adorable. Pierce here has his own practice and on his way home from work stops by the abandoned streets to feed strays.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- Friends - he isn't one to push away friends. But he also is semi set in his ways. Someone would really have to make sure to put in a little more effort at first to get him to actually go out of his way to talk to people.
Enemies are those who are against animals or what he does in general. Or just completely crappy people. He is a gentleman in a way and seeing anything outside of it would anger him.
Lovers are a tricky one. He was left at the alter a few years ago and has not tried dating since. He is scorned and bitter over the experience and doesn't handle 'feelings' well ever since. He is a gentleman but shuts down flirting if he realizes he does it quickly. But like, we need to snap him out of it.
Tyler here is what we could call: Spoiled. She comes from family money and is used to getting her way financially. She is a translator and is fluent in seven languages (American sign language, Spanish, Mandarin, French, German, Japanese, and Russian) outside of English. She works for the government and her father pulls her sometimes for business reasons. But outside of that, she is free to do what she wants. She's a bit of a material girl, but she is educated and confident in herself. She always keeps up to date on current events and can easily charm someone her father is trying to make a business deal with.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- Friends - she has few that she could actually call friends outside of the ones who use her for the things she has. She isn't oblivious to it but she allows it to happen. Better to keep them close right?
Enemies - anyone who calls her a spoiled brat would easily fall into her 'enemies' list. It's one thing to think it and another to throw it in her face. Also if she feels like people are stepping over what she allows them to take, she is quick to put them in their place and cut them off.
Lovers - she would have some high standards that would have to be met for her to get into any sort of a relationship. She is charming for business deals and can try her best to work out a deal in her favor, but she never used herself to make those deals stick. So be prepared for a challenge if someone is wanting to pursue her.
Jasper here is a giant of a man. No seriously, he stands at over six foot seven inches tall and is built like a linebacker. He runs a local mechanics shop for a family who left town and left him in charge. He also might just be a rebel that has a safe place for others to lay low for a while. He knows because of his size, he can't go out publicly without easily being spotted, so he does what he can from behind the scenes.
friends&family&enemies&lovers -- Friends - the gentle giant here (in a way) is easy to get along with. He isn't a push over by any means but he is agreeable at times when he thinks thats what is best.
Enemies - he is against the force that is being used right now with the pandemic and the force from the government who will not face the fact that shady stuff is happening. So if you consider yourself a cop/military? Good luck.
Lovers - He's a tree. Climb him. He doesn't go after women nor would he be known as some kind of womanizer, but he does know what he wants when he sees her.
Brynlee groaned as her phone went off, it was simply too early for her to be getting calls. Her hand snaked off the bed as she grabbed the old alarm clock from the side of her bed and peeked at it. The red lights reading that it was just after 8 o’clock in the morning. A curse left her lips as she tried to bury her head under her pillow. She had only left work five hours before, meaning by the time she got home and showered, skipping eating, she had been asleep for a little over three hours. Though as her phone continued ringing, she let out a frustrated snarl as she grabbed her phone.
She didn’t need to look at the name on the screen to know who was calling her over and over again. “Okay, okay! I’m coming in. Just… give me like an hour.” She snipped into the phone before she hung up. The red head thought about falling back into her bed and going to sleep. She was utterly exhausted. Pulling doubles back to back, and then expected to just continue picking up when they needed her. She was going to talk to them today. She needed at least twenty four hours off. She had to get some sleep or else her body was going to start breaking down. And her mental stability was going to take a major tumble. Well, more than it already has.
She shot out of bed as a text went through, knowing it was boss lady texting to make sure she was up and ready to uphold the statement she had made. She ran to the kitchen, got her coffee ready, and in under 15 minutes dressed and out the door. Her hair pulled into a messy bun as she jumped into her truck and made her way to work. She sat in the parking lot longer than she’d like to admit, just sipping on her coffee as she death glared the front of the building. This wasn’t her usual look, the happy go lucky, overly friendly girl was usually the one who walked in. But today it just didn’t feel like it.
As she dragged herself through the doors, she shot an unamused look at the nurses at the front desk who only returned the look with chuckles. They knew she didn’t mean any offense, but she also wanted to get a full eight hours of sleep as well. As she rounded the corner to go drop off her bag, she almost bumped into a patient. “Oh, sorry!” She beamed a smile at him as she steadied the both of them with soft hands. Ah, there was the Brynlee everyone knew. “Where are you supposed to be?” She said with a slight teasing voice. He seemed out of it, the back of his hospital gown flashing his back side. She tossed her bag back towards the nurses station, which thankfully one tucked it behind there for her before they rushed off, busy as always.
“I’m Brynlee, how about we get you a seat?” She offered him, which he just shook his head in agreement. She wrapped her arm in his as she guided him easily to a room where she could get a blanket to lay under him and place him on a wheelchair. “What’s your name?” She asked as she went to place another blanket on him, which he gave her his name. “Alright Mr. Jackson, how about we take a tour through the halls? I’ll show you around.” It was her way of getting him to relax as she tried to see exactly where he had wondered away from.
Oh, she liked watching him squirm. That was what ran through her mind as he dropped a compliment about her looks and then suddenly found himself backtracking. And not backtracking like he didn’t mean it, because clearly he had been speaking his mind when it slipped out. Backtracking as in he was trying to reword it because he was embarrassed that it slipped out. His hand rubbing the back of his neck expanded his chest in a very nice way and she let her stare linger for a moment as he was trying to look around the room at anything but her currently. She let a laugh fall from her mouth, before she brought the back of her hand up to her mouth to try and stifle the laughter.
“Oh you are just delicious,” she said between laughter. Once she settled herself down, she flashed him a smile. “But thank you, I am glad I am not approaching the ma’am looks department.” She wasn’t going to linger on it, unless he did. Which judging by the heat on his cheeks, he probably would be avoiding it as best as he could. Though that didn’t mean when he made the the comment of him only doing donuts and coffee, she gave him a ‘boy have you lost your mind’ look. Her brows pulling together in disbelief. “Alright, I really do think I need to order you that CAT scan.” If he thought all he did was eat donuts and drink coffee, then he had hell of a metabolism. Or he had found the magically donut shop that made you lose weight instead of gain in.
She’d need directions to that if that was the case. He let her move him around easily on the table and she shot him a deadpan look that didn’t last too long when he slipped out that ma’am again. Though her smile and light shake of her head let him know that she was not angry. She got it. His parents probably raised him up on yes ma’am’s and no sir’s. She was willing to bet that he was also the kind of man who would hold the door open for her or insist on walking on the street side of the sidewalk as well. And they said that chivalry was dead. As he met her eyes, she noticed the way he locked on to her. It was enough to make her shift slightly without breaking the eye contact until she needed to.
When he tossed back a joking question at him, she shouted to him, unashamed of who heard, “Oh Officer Shelby, I might just like offer.” It was a joke. Maybe. But she had a feeling he wasn’t going to pry into it as she came back into the room with him. He easily took the X-ray and overly seemed impressed as she explained what she did. Most men found it intimidating that she had the career she did. The mechanic of the medical world, as she liked to put it.
“Wow. Talk about impressive. You sure you want to get coffee with a boring cop? Don't you have some handsome surgeon friends you'd rather hang out with?”
Her small hands reached up as she sat on the table, slowing tugging out the elastics that held what was left of her braids together. She slowly started combing through one side. “Surgeon’s tend to be jerks,” she stated. And from her experience, it had been true so far. She had tried to date one, they last two dates and she easily found herself putting distance between them. Every one since seemed to be no better. “Don’t tell me that you are having second thoughts about ‘hanging around’ me now that you know how kick ass I am professionally?”
As she worked on her second braid, her feet swinging lightly still, she peered over to him as he gave her a different suggestion. Her eyes lit up at the idea, “Haven’t been in a cop car before.” She said with a grin. With a push off the table she faced him and motioned to his clothes behind him. “As much as I’d enjoy watching you stroll out of here without a shirt, I’d suggest you re-dress to keep our residents from having heart attacks,” she flipped one side of her hair over her shoulder as she grabbed her bag of tools from near the door before she turned to him. “I’ll go get out of these scrubs, and meet you near the entrance.” It wasn’t a question or suggestion. Brynlee was simply stating the course of actions that she was going to go forward with. And with that, she was out of the door and headed towards the staff room to gather her things.
"I make police officer salary ma'am. Let's keep the tests to a minimum."
Ma'am. She immediately groaned at that and shook her head, more red strands out of the braids than in it at this point. Or so it felt. "No, please don't ma'am me. I am not old enough to qualify as a 'ma'am' yet. I've got at least one husband to get through before that. And to even start that journey to ma'am, I'd at least have to find someone to take me as their mate," She joked. She always felt like the woman who wanted that respectful ma'am were the ones with the Karen haircut and have been divorced at least once in their lives. And she was far from that. Was this also a subtle way of dropping that she was single? Possibly. But she wouldn't admit to that. "Besides, I'm sure we could work out the cost if needed." She laughed lightly.
As he asked her about the end of her shift, she gave a lightly, tired smile. Letting the peppiness drain from her for a moment. "Was it the bags under my eyes or the rough gravely voice?" she said, watching him with curious eyes. "We've been pulling ridiculously long shifts, part of the job I guess during an outbreak like this. But I guess I'm not one to complain to an officer right now." They already worked long shifts, so she couldn't even imagine the demand that was being put on them right now. Though at the moment he looked to be in better standing than herself. Maybe his shift had just begun though.
Though she was normally unfazed by bare skin, she felt that small rush as he got closer to her. Normally she would be almost mechanic in a way, nudity was part of the job. And she's come across all different body types and shapes over the years, and when doctor mode was on, she didn't feel any certain way about them. This was a bit different though, so she tried her best not to stare. Especially since her tired mind was the one that was driving the ship of Brynlee. "Well Shelby, the pleasure is all mine. Thanks for being my victim this hour." Even though technically it was the middle of the day.
He took instructions well, getting on the table in a flash and she might have done a once over at his back as he got himself up. It was something she always found extremely attractive in a man, the broad, strong back that some of them had. Kane seemed to have that going for him. Once he was settled, she went into autopilot, adjusting the machine over the table to the right spot. Brynlee reached forward and grabbing his ankle lightly, moving it so that it was in the right position under the light. "Don't move, or else we will be here all day." She paused to look at him in the eye. She noticed the scarring on his chest and such. It seemed a bit more intense than a normal officer, but she also knew that he wasn't really a patient. So to ask about it, made her only linger for a moment.
She also trusted he was smart enough to warn her if he had a stint or something that might be issues. But when she looked at his neck and shoulder, she didn't see any scarring to suggest otherwise. As he asked the question about her being a doctor, if her clinical look over didn't give him a clue, she laughed a little and moved towards the door. Before she got out the door she turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "Oh, I just found this outfit in a closet. Figured it'd be fun to play nurse or doctor to the first attractive man I came across." And with a wink she disappeared behind the wall to go and take a picture. She cleared her throat for a moment before she yelled out a countdown so he could hear her. After the machine whirled to life and took its picture, she waited to see the confirmation and printing out the picture.
She re-entered the room and flashed him a bright smile. "Everything looks good," as she handed him the photo that was secured in a sleeve. "I'm a Biomedical Engineer. I fix all the things basically, and if you ever lose a limb," she knocked on a chair that had a wooden arm, showing that she was trying not to jinx him. "I'd be the one who would fit you, make the prosthetic, and then help make sure its properly used. Inside or out." She hopped up on the table where his feet would been and let her legs swing lightly. Her freckled face turned towards him with a small smile, knowing that the machine was fixed she was now officially done. "So, how about that cup of coffee?"
“Now I'm a little worried. When's the last time you had your eyes checked?”
Brynlee let out a laugh, flipping one of her red braids over her shoulder. Brynlee wasn’t exactly running around looking for attention from men, hell she spent her high school years trying to just get out from her three older brothers shadows. Not a lot of boys then wanted to give her the time of day because of the protective three. She used to say they were the deathly hallows, there to kill her chances of having any kind of love life. And the few that had tried to come home with Brynlee? Well they made it over once. And didn’t come back.
Cowards. But that was when she took to the dating scene in college as almost a secret from her family. Though after a few really bad dates, she didn’t think it was so bad to have brothers to help weed out the bad ones in the bunch. But what she did know, was a handsome man when they were in front of her. “If you think my eyes are bad because I see a handsome man, maybe I need to put in orders for a CAT scan as well?” She raised an eyebrow and smirked at him. “Perhaps too much time in the field has messed with your mind?” She joked. Police officers had a tough job. She had helped fit a few for prosthetics after bad calls, and she always thought that they didn’t get paid nearly enough for what they ran into. Same with firefighters.
As she worked the last few adjustments, she kept her attention on the task at hand when he mentioned the technique she was planning on using. Knowing that it would make sense in a moment. Which with his ‘gotcha’ she figured that she had yet to hear him object to the task at hand.
“Hmm. Coffee and an x-ray image, how could I say no to that?”
Her smile widened as he grinned back at her. She liked this one. She hadn’t met him before, but he had a boyish charm to him and she hoped that she wouldn’t ever have him wheeled through those doors. It’d be a shame. “Thatta boy,” she agreed before heading over to the door and grabbing some slides for the X-ray machine. Her attention elsewhere as she let out a small yawn, the back of her hand covering her mouth as she let it wash over her. She might even need that coffee before she tried to drive home. She didn’t need to be falling asleep at the wheel. Or maybe she would just sleep in her car in the lot.
“Is this alright?”
Her attention turned back to him and she let her eyes widen, as she was not ready to be laying eyes on a topless handsome cop. Though she let out a small laugh as she realized that he had a badge and everything on the top. Not one that made fun of him, but one of amusement and surprise. “More than alright,” She commented loud enough for him to hear, a small nod from the redhead before she walked over and placed the slide under the light that was on the table. At the mention of weirdest way to be asked out she let the laugh fall from her. Well he was just what she needed as a perk me up. “Well I am honored to have taken that spot. Just go ahead and pencil in Brynlee Valentine there for me, officer…?” She hadn’t been awake enough to look at the name on his uniform top, so she was hoping he would willingly give her his name.
She stepped to the side and patted the table, “Hop on up.” She directed. “I promise to be gentle.”
there is a swelling storm and i'm caught up in the middle of it all
Brynlee had a way about her, she was one of five children, and she was not the oldest, nor the youngest. But she was the oldest daughter, her sister falling behind by only a few years. So to be heard in the Valentine household, you had to be loud and charismatic. And she definitely had those two things in her pocket, but what others didn’t know was in the other pocket she was smart and had the capabilities to make things that kept human beings alive and working in every day tasks. And she enjoyed shocking the hell out of people with that as well.
Her current victim gave her an amused smile after she gave him a pet name, something she really did because she didn’t know his real name. And couldn’t quite read his last name that would be printed on his uniform top. His yes ma’am had her grin wider if possible as he made his way to her. She made sure to give him plenty of room as he entered the room without actually moving. Brynlee was always that touchy friend but she reserved that for once she got to know the person, not when she was trying her best to convince them to help her out. He looked around the room as if scanning it, very officer like.
“I would say you don't owe me anything, but I guess I should reserve judgement for that until I know what you need from me. So what can I help you with?”
She stepped into the room as he turned towards her, hands in his pockets. “Handsome and clever. I think you will do just fine with me.” She said, amusement covering each word. She walked over to her bag of tools and picked it up off the hard bed that was under the x-ray machine. She walked it near the door, placing it just on the inside before she turned back to him, brushing back a few stray pieces of hair behind her ears, the braids falling over her shoulders. “How comfortable are you with letting a stranger see inside of you?”
She knew it was an odd way of asking and she said it more to gauge his reaction more than anything. She walked back over to the machine and turned the light on, that set up crosshairs on the dark gray bed beneath. She worked on moving the light to where she needed it. “I just fixed this x-ray machine, and I need a test subject. I can’t quite test it on myself as I need to stand over there to take the x-ray,” Her hand motioned to the door where she would stand just outside to hit the button to take the picture. Brynlee turned and pressed her back against the bed, her arms crossing over her chest as she tilted her head at him. Her body language screaming casual and relaxed.
Raising an eyebrow at him she looked him over once. “You might need to loose the belt, and a boot. Won’t cost you anything except your time, and I’ll even give you an awesome copy of the picture.” Was she trying to charm him? Yes. Was it working? Well she certainly hoped so. “But if that doesn’t fill the payment requirement for you, then we can work something else out. Perhaps a better cup of coffee than the crappy stuff from the lobby.” She mused, flashing him a smile, “What do you say, officer blondie?"
there is a swelling storm and i'm caught up in the middle of it all
She watched him with curious eyes. He was definitely weighed down with something heavy, enough that it was showing through his breathing and the way he was nursing that glass in front of him. As he downed the one she gave him, she watched his face contort. Ah the lovely bourbon after that first taste. It always seems to get rougher until suddenly its going down like water. And thats when you were in trouble. As he mentioned the paranoia coming with the job, she flashed him a smile. “Oh, please let me in on this game. Okay,” She said, drinking some of her own drink as she looked to the ceiling, mulling over possible ideas of what he did.
“Paranoid, bourbon loving, handsome.” She started off, before she stood back up and put her hands on her hips. She made a show of looking left, and then right, as if suddenly there were people close around them. Which there were not. She slowly leaned back down, not getting straight into his face because how rude. And she was a medical professional, so she knew better. But she lowered her voice as she put up a hand to block the no one beside them from seeing her mouth move as she spoke. “You’re FBI right? No, wait, Secret Service.” Probably wildly wrong, but that was the whole point of it. Speculate wildly to make him smile and ease up. Brynlee was that ever person to do such a thing. She looked left and right again without moving away from him. “International spy?” Her eyebrow quirking up at that.
As he looked back up at her, she waited patiently for his proposition. She leaned a bit back into her own side of the bar, her face falling back into her casual small smiled look. Friends used to swear that her face naturally rested like that, unlike others who had a case of what they called RBF. A thought for a thought huh? So he did want to talk about it, but wasn’t willing to give it up without something in return. “You’ve got yourself a deal. But be warned,” She stood back up and uncapped the bourbon that she was holding hostage, reaching out and filling up his not so empty glass. She had a feeling that he was to appreciate more of the drink as this conversation went on. She placed the bottle down and grabbed a white cloth that was near by, still completely in her ‘bartender’ roll. She started wiping down the bar top beside him before she continued her warning, “My secrets may shock you. And I will plead the fifth till I am blue in the face if you bring me to court.” That playful smirk returning.
It fell a little as he went on about his vague, yet telling enough, problem. She nodded though, pulling out another glass and started mixing a drink. She had decided she was going to at least entertain him with different drinks she knew how to make, sticking her best to bourbon since he seemed keen on it for now. “Well at least I don’t need to worry about what I may confess,” she joked, since he was on suspension, he wouldn’t be a great witness in her case. Not that she had one or anything. “Was your mistake something that could not be reversed?” She asked, trying to understand why he would be suspended from whatever job he actually had. Though in her mind, international spy seemed to fit perfectly.
She whipped the white down over her shoulder, and placed her hands on her hips. Well, the deal was a thought for a thought right? “I preform medical procedures that I haven’t done since school or never at all because of being as short staffed as we have been. And I’m concerned I am going to mess up one day and its going to cost us.” She wasn’t talking about money costs at the hospital. She was talking more her life or someone elses. This wasn’t new news, being short staffed everywhere meant people were working insane hours or doing things outside their normal tasks. But it was her reality. It was the one she faced every time she suited up at work and walked in the doors. She should really not be seeing many patients at all. But she was making rounds as if she was in residency all over again.
there is a swelling storm and i'm caught up in the middle of it all
Was this a brilliant idea? No. Did she really care? Also no. She knew that technically she should finding an actual technician to come run some tests, but with how spread thin they had been lately… She’d never get home. Which meant she was going to take matters into her own hands and just real with the reprimand later, if there even was one. Because the first thing coming out of her mouth would be how she had assisted on a surgery last week that she was no where near qualified for.
Brynlee almost felt bad as the man she selected, well he was the only one around so maybe he selected himself? Whatever that may be, she almost felt bad as he looked behind him before looking back at her. Especially as she took in the uniform and radio attached to him. Oh, this was a bad idea. A police officer? But she was tired, and that was pushing her to cut corners.
“Me?”
She smiled brighter if possible, as if he was an old friend that she hadn’t seen in years. She pulled the other headphone from her ear, tucking it into one of her scrubs pockets. “Of course you, blondie. Can I possibly borrow you for a moment?” She asked, never leaving the doorway that she was peaking out of. Brynlee has always been told she can be almost overwhelming with her friendliness and ability to make people feel like they needed to help her out.
She wasn’t trying to manipulate anyone, but sometimes it just worked in her favor. She hoped this was one of those times. “I’d owe you one.” She pressed on, hoping he’d take the bait.
there is a swelling storm and i'm caught up in the middle of it all
Brynlee didn't grow up Lethford, but she was that social butterfly person. When she moved there, a while before all the pandemic madness started, she went out at night. Got to know some of the local bar staff and managed to even make a few friends who she actually kept up with on the regular. Well, used to keep up with on the regular. Now even some of the harder partiers were cautious about leaving their homes unless they really needed to. And they used to lecture her about being more careful, especially since she should know all about it since she was an essential worker. But all she knew was that as long as she didn't go around licking door handles and everyone's hands, she'd be okay.
"I would like it back once your drink is done."
She let out a soft chuckle as he passed her the bottle, not the bartender, who upon further inspection was Sam tonight. Sam got right to work on the man's shot order as she palmed the bottle of scotch before boosting herself up in her chair. Sam was busy, and clearly this man was having a young life crisis, so she would help herself. Besides, she knew he way around a bar thanks to her years of bartending back in college. With a quick slide over the bar, her feet hit the rubber mat on the other side. She briefly met the eyes of the actual worker there and he gave her a quick "just don't get hurt or else my boss will kill me." Before he walked towards other patrons on the other side of the bar.
While the man was downing his shots, she got to work gathering her supplies for her own drink. Though she did not work there, it all made sense how things were kept, so she busied herself without taking forever to find all the ingredients. After it was warm and inviting, she took a sip and let out one of those commercial 'ah's' before she settled her eyes back onto the originally owner of the bourbon bottle. Well, she had nothing better to do, so why not make a new friend? Or at least make him a familiar face. She picked up a short glass and a clean rag from the stack and started wiping the glass. Brynlee skipped the ice cubes because he didn't look like he wanted to have to work around those.
She poured him a nice glass, being slightly over generous with it and put the bottle back on her side of the bar. Out of his reach for now. "You know, they say the best person to talk to when you have problems isn't a therapist," She mused as she shrugged out of her denim jacket and place it on the bar where she had been sitting. She walked over, picked up the drink she made for him and placed it down in front of him and pushed it towards him slowly. "They say to talk to your bartender." Brynlee grabbed her own drink and leaned down so her elbow held her up and she was at eye level with him, using the bar as her barrier between them. Not that it was a large one. But she was never a shy one.
"So, bourbon for your thoughts?" said a smirk across a freckled face.
eloise valentine 24 | youngest Valentine sibling | suggested FC: Laura Berlin
Youngest of siblings, and the only other girl. She was definitely the one that got away with the most (don't all of the youngest?), and has the best pout to try and get her way. Personality outside of that is up to you as well as the career path.
The eldest child, Dean is the father of 2 children (who Brynlee affectionately calls monsters). Whether or not he is married is up to you. He and Brynlee are the closest and have weekly calls to check in on one another. He is a biologist, but outside of that the rest is up to you.
Benjamin, or Benji as his sisters call him, is probably the most level headed of the bunch. Calm, cool, and collected would describe him. Career path is up to you.
The middle child, Carson is known as the 'meanest'. Many would say it was so he wasn't forgotten as the middle, but he just doesn't have much room for stupid people or questions. Career path/rest of personality is up to you.
As with all the siblings, they'd have a similar growing up story in the sense of family closeness & such. But after they leave the nest, that is up to you. Prefer to keep the siblings close, in the sense of checking in with one another. But if we want to stir up a little family drama, I am down to plot away. All the face claims are up to you, just wanted to give some pretty suggestions.
