ZOMBIE ROAD IC [M] bluemoon x Siks

[SikstaSlathalin]

With a low sigh Grizzwald nodded. "Yeah, I'll pay. Luckily, a woman named Brenda owns the diner and she understands the great hidden wealth of TP. Go find us a seat and pick your meal, I already know what I'm getting so don't need to look at the menu. Just gonna go sign for the scrap now." Spinning on his heel the man left the diner again and turned left to vanish from sight as he headed for the garage.

While the diner was pretty much next door to the Bellflower, Nicky's Garage was little bit more of a walk. He'd made the walk to it a dozen times before, but something felt off this time. Quickly pulling out his revolver he made a show of checking the rounds in the cylinder and slid it back with a loud clack. No one made themselves known, but it was very quiet even for a town like Erwin. The wind didn't even seem to be blowing now, paranoia isn't a new thing for Grizzwald. In fact it's the one thing he could fully count on to never change in this world of zombies and pretty, truck stealing, women who never where bras. The remaining humans could kill all the zombies and create that Garden of Eden everyone wants and that paranoia would still be there.

Squaring his shoulders the mad man quickened his pace eager to get somewhere noisy. Monsters wait in the silence of this world, and the sound of silence is their hunting call before they plunge their teeth and claws into some poor bastard's back. And Grizz had a very succulent back he was told before so those monsters would be quiet happy to chomp on him no doubt. That feeling of being hunted kept at the back of his mind right up until he stepped through the rusty gates of Nicky's Garage.

[bluemoon]

Narrowing her eyes at Grizzwald’s retreating form, Dawn did not move from the diner’s entrance until he was no longer in sight. “Damn it,” she mumbled under her breath, unsure if the man was going to use this as a chance to double cross her. She continued her vigil at the door’s window for a few minutes more, finally huffing out a sigh as she turned to face the interior of the dimly lit restaurant.

Hit with a sense of nostalgia, she looked closely at the booths with their torn vinyl cushions and the stained walls defined by the rash of peeling paint. She couldn’t help but think of an often frequented greasy spoon back in her hometown. Even the smell of cigarette smoke and fried burgers on the grill were the same. A smile came to her lips as she wandered around the small sitting area, finally seating herself in a location that allowed her a decent view of the truck if she leaned forward a bit.

The minutes passed by, and Dawn took her time looking over the menu that was dropped off at her table. The selection was minimal, but it was still enough to keep her occupied. She couldn’t remember the last time she had done this...her refusal to pay extra for this luxury leaving her with little choice but to eat what she could scrounge. Cold meals eaten alone was her usual fare. When she finally decided, she set the menu down, once again checking outside to ensure the truck was still there.

As the waitress wandered over, she shook her head. “I’m waiting on someone,” she said, her eyes drifting to the ample breasts pushing out against the thin material of the woman's dress. It was no wonder ole birdie wanted to come here...the woman’s assets were impressive. Clearing her throat, Dawn unconsciously pulled her shoulders back to give herself a little lift. There truly was no comparison. Frowning slightly, she leaned back in her seat and lifted her gaze upwards.

“My...friend...should be here soon. Maybe give it a couple more minutes.”

[SikstaSlathalin]

As Dawn was experiencing natural envy Grizz was experiencing a different sort of envy. One of the external variety. As can be expected a working big rig truck and paying work are uncommon in the aftermath of the Zombie Apocalypse. Unless you got a lot of land to farm on or want to spend you days riding around looking for Zombies to shoot your options for employment are restricted to whatever town you find yourself in. And for a smallish place like Erwin, all the good jobs are taken so the young, desperate, and dumb need to find more...devious ways to make a living. As Grizzwald passed the gates of the garage he learned the extent of some people's desperation.

The first thing he noticed was how empty the garage and decent sized parking lot were. Usually whenever Grizz came to town Nicky's was almost always the busiest place in town as it was one of the few operating garages still left that could fix a vehicle be it a zippy little motorcycle or a big beautiful beast like Annabelle. And it's where most of the trade caravans go upon reach Erwin turning Nicky into the mayor of the town more or less. But today it looked deserted and as the driver cleared the building he learned why. A loud yell followed by the air whistling as an aluminum bat crashed into the concrete wall where Grizz's head would've been had his coat not caught on a nail holding him up for a second or two before the hit came. Reacting like the former solider he was he jumped away from the building pulling his pistol out and getting a quick bead on a young man with a patchy beard wearing an oversized military overcoat much like Grizzwald's but older and dirtier. The mad man was about to shoot the boy when a girl's voice barked up close behind him and he quickly ducked and rolled as the girl stumbled past him carrying a friggin' sword obviously too heavy for her . She was skinny and dressed in short shorts and a cropped sweater that was nearly falling off her thin shoulders.

"Dang it Micheal you swung too soon!" She screeched as she tumbled over her own two feet clattering to the ground sending the sword skittering towards the boy who quickly picked it up with his free hand.

"And I told you I should've had to sword Andi, I knew it was too heavy for you!" Moving quickly he helped the girl up his words not matching the concern and worry on his face. Once she was upright again he handed her the bat and took the sword, though it looked borderline too big for him too. Both kids looked half starved and wild like so many dogs Grizz has seen. Dangerous looking, but far more scared of you then you are of them. The man sighed and holstered his pistol studying the kids.

"Well, well, I guess it's safe to assume Nicky isn't here right now. Otherwise two fifteen year olds would never be able to stage a failed ambush of someone in his parking lot."

Both kids frowned, but Andi, the girl, had more fire in her eyes than the boy Micheal did so she responded with a scoff holding the bat threateningly. "He's out dealing with some merchant's dispute, and we know how popular this place was so it was only a matter of time! Now shut up and give us all your shi....stuff!" She stumbled over almost swearing.

Micheal shouldered the sword it indeed proving to be too heavy for him, but he tired to make it look cool.
"We want your valuables not your life, But if you try to make a move, we won't th-think t...twice!"

Crossing his arms over his chest Grizzwald shook his head slowly. His eyes and demeanor taking on the look of a disappointed parent. He could see how skinny both kids were, Grizz could fully close his hand around Micheal's wrist and touch his own thumb, and if Andi didn't have long hair and and a pink scrunchie around her wrist she could've easily passed for a boy herself. He felt sorry for the kids. "When was the last time you two ate anything?"

The pair stood in stunned silence for a few seconds, but once again Andi spoke first. "That's none of you da.....darned business old man! Just give us what we told you to give us!" She took half a step towards Grizzwald, Micheal creeping along behind her still keeping the sword on his shoulder. Their eyes were sunken in and the medic noticed trembling in their legs and arms sure signs of extreme hunger.

Unphased Grizzwald simply reached into his pocket and pulled out the two rolls of toilet paper and gummi candy he was planning to pay for dinner with and tossed them on the ground at the kids. "There, the gummis should take the edge off and you can use the TP to buy enough supplies to last you a few days."

Nearly throwing his sword down Michal quickly grabbed the items and stuffed them into his coat pockets quicker than you'd expect a half starved kid to move. Suddenly gaining some confidence Andi nodded and moved closer nodding at Grizz's gun. Where the candy and TP could buy them food for a few days. They could get way more with that gun or even use it to rob more people, bullets wouldn't even be an issue cause most people were quick to listen when a gun was pointed at their head. "O...ook g-good. Now giv-give us that iron tttt-to!"

Micheal grunted in agreement picking up the sword with noticeable effort again.
'Y-yeah what she...she said!"

The man's looked turned from disappointment to calm neutrality.
"No, now go, what I gave you is enough and I would recommend giving up this fledgling life of crime while you're ahead. I have business with Nicky and when I tell him you two tried to rob me at his place you won't be able to pull this little stunt again without being shot and thrown out of town ya got me?"

The confidence instantly left Andi and Micheal at the mention of the town's de-facto mayor. They were orphans hiding out in one of the old houses down the street from here. Easy to find and even easier to get rid of. Without saying anything else they quickly dropped their weapons and ran from the parking lot. Grizzwald sighed low and picked up the bat and sword, he could trade these to Brenda for dinner, but first he wanted to get his business with Nicky done first so after fashioning a way to carry the sword and bat he went to the back of the garage to look for Nicky.

[bluemoon]

Noticing the way Dawn's eyes and body moved the waitress smirked and casually fixed the front of her blouse, pulling it taut against her chest as if just smoothing it out. "Sure thing hun, name's Cat and I saw your friend as you two walked up." Placing her notepad into her small apron she popped some bubblegum, still smiling as she slipped some stray strands of auburn colored hair behind her right ear. "Riding with Grizzwald Night huh? Quite the...interesting man isn't he?" Her eyebrows quirked lightly, her smile saying she's either trying to make an innuendo or looking to gossip about the crazed bird man.

Dawn narrowed her eyes, purposely keeping her gaze on the waitress's face in an attempt to ignore the flaunting of her breasts. Pulling her bottom lip into her mouth, she nodded quickly at her question. "Birdie? Yeah...he's...um...an odd sort I guess. Only been with him for a day though...well...two days and one night...like twenty-four hours..." Jeez...she was rambling. It really had been a while since she talked to someone about a guy, and she was finding herself rather flustered. She didn't even like him, never mind the fact he was cute and had a nice ass...not that she had noticed. Sighing, she went back to chewing on her lip, hoping she seemed nonchalant.

"Why are you asking?"

Cat smiled and slid into the booth opposite Dawn, pulling her gum out and sticking it into a napkin. The place was dead today so she was looking forward to chatting a little, even more so cause this woman was so squirmy. There weren't a lot of decent men in Erwin or anywhere really, they were all either too damn old to be any fun or too damn young to even know what "fun" really meant.

Leaning forward still pressing her breasts out some more she clicked her tongue. "Oh just curious, he's got quite the rep around here. Crazy one he is, though Birdie is a new name for him. He never travels with anyone, especially such cute anyones." She smiled more studying Dawn's face and body up close, she really couldn't see why the man was letting such a slight thing hang around him. A lot of ladies in Erwin were better looking in Cat's opinion, so this was just curiosity getting the better of her. "So what brings such a cute little thing like you under "Birdie's" notice?"

Dawn felt her cheeks flush under Cat's scrutiny. She didn't like all the attention...not one bit. Leaning forward to look out the window in hopes of evading the question, she scoffed at the empty street. Just where the hell had the birdman gotten off to? With no recourse, she turned back to the buxom waitress, unable to miss the display of cleavage in her direct line of view. Her eyes shifted quickly, followed by a shake of her head and a deeper reddening of her cheeks.

"I um...I don't know. I guess we sort of just bumped into each other." Shrugging her shoulders, she carried on with her lie, making it up as she went along. "We were at a trading post...and I was admiring his Annabelle...and maybe he thought I was trouble. Had a gun pointed at me and everything. Really though, I just like trucks. I used to work on them pre-infection. So it worked out to be like a mutual benefit for both of us. I get a ride and he gets repairs for free."

Cat smirked broader seeing the woman's face reddening by the second. Oh there was far more to this than just a live in mechanic for Grizz, he stayed close to the same route every time he moved loads and scrap, so a mechanic would never be too hard for him to find. Hell he stopped in Erwin itself a couple of times a month and always made Nicky's his first stop before he even checked into the Bellflower or came here for some food.

No this girl was more than just a grease monkey to that man, the waitress knew it. He was straight for starters, Cat knew that for certain, and while he never traveled with anyone he had blown off steam with girls in town before. Though he never showed a preference for cute little things like this girl before, maybe she was compact enough to fit in the bed in that truck. It was then an idea struck to almost one-hundred percent know where this woman stood with Grizz. "Interesting, so you've been in the truck? Tell me he ever show you his duck? Commodore Quackers or something right?" She rested her cheek in her hand watching the girl like a cat about to catch a mouse.

Fuck...this was not going as planned. Puffing out a breath, Dawn struggled to keep her eyes on Cat, nodding at her impatiently. "Of course...I already told you I spent the night there...so how couldn't I know about his stupid duck." She bit her lip...hard...trying to remember its name. It wasn't Commodore anything... "I don't think that is what he called it...something Ducky...Captain...Colonel...fuck...um...Admiral?" She slapped her hand against the table. "That's it! Admiral Ducky. He had all this toilet paper too...like it was gold."

Cat let out an amused giggle. The woman passed her test. She had really been in Grizz's truck, every girl he'd taken in there talked about how much he revered that stupid duck. Talking about it like it was a living thing or something, talking with it under his breath, and even making quacking sounds to it when he thought they weren't listening. Snapping her fingers Cat chuckled. "Yeah that's it Admiral Ducky, cute little thing though. Wonder why he's so attached to it?" She opened her mouth to ask another question when the bell above the door jingled and Grizzwald walked in scanning the mostly empty diner and finding Dawn and Cat's booth.

His face shifted lightly upon seeing Cat, his eyes drifting between the two women. He couldn't tell if this was a good thing or bad. But considering he had walked into the place carry a sword and bat at his belt he was sure he could handle either. Clearing his throat he walked up and nodded at Cat, his eyes instantly glancing down at the cleavage on display, but quickly looked away as he glanced at Dawn's red face. "Hmm hey Cat, how are you today?" He asked almost shyly.

Cat had to stop herself from busting a seam with laughter upon seeing Grizzwald walk up with a bat and a sword. She supposed those were what he planned to pay with and simply stood up knowing his order by heart. "I'm doing fine "Birdie"." She giggled again glancing down at Dawn. "Was having a nice little chat with your nice little friend here. She doesn't know what she wants to order yet, but I know what you want so how about I go put that in while she figures it out?" Giving the man a wink she squeezed past him, pressing her body a little to his as she breezed past. Clearing his throat again he pulled the sword and bat off leaning them against the wall before he sat down. "Soooo...." Was all he said after looking at Dawn.

Dawn's eyes widened a bit as she glanced down at the newly acquired weapons, silently pondering them before looking back up at Grizz, realizing she was both relieved, and yet not, to see him. At least she didn't have to answer any more of Cat's questions. That was the good thing. Lying when she didn't have any time to prepare herself left her easy to read, like an open book. She stammered, sweated, and often turned bright red...just like she had. She had not expected to get the third degree...and now Birdie was staring at her with that same inquiring look. Sighing heavily, she crossed her arms over her chest, her brows furrowing in agitation.

"Soooo....what? Exactly?"

Leaning back he drummed his fingers upon the table. He really had nothing to follow that up with, he was hoping she would start talking and he could just piggyback onto something she said to break the awkwardness they both just experienced at the paw of Crafty Cat. Erwin town gossip and confident sex queen of the area. While not a slut or prostitute she knew her way around the bedroom like no other. Her confidence scared Grizzwald every time she tried to put the moves on him. He would pale in comparison to nearly any guy he assumed she'd been with. So his brain tied his tongue up and forced him to nearly run away.

He knew Cat had ways to get into anyone head and under their skin. He just hoped Dawn wouldn't learn the same tricks. She already knew the trick of being almost naked around him to get him to lower his guard. If she learned even a quarter of the tricks Cat knew, he'd be staked alongside the road with Dawn driving Annabelle off into the sunset in no time. Grasping at any straws he could he clicked his tongue saying the first thing that came to mind. "So how do you like Erwin so far?"

Confusion surfaced on Dawn's face, her arms falling back to her sides as she peered across the table. "What? Erwin?" Scoffing, she shook her head. "I hate Erwin. ...and just where the hell have you been by the way? You leave me in this dump while you do God knows what...and I get set upon by McBoobs. Jeez...did you sic her on me? I can't effing believe you. She was going to eat me alive." Grabbing up the menu, Dawn opened it, running her finger along the selections, grumbling under her breath as she located the one she had picked earlier. "I'm just going to have the chicken sandwich...number twelve. Can you tell your girlfriend that when she comes back please?"

Grizzwald scoffed at the accusation. "I didn't sic anyone on anyone, I didn't even know she was working today." He glanced at Cat who was shaking with mirth behind the counter as she tallied up some tabs. "She'll take a chicken sandwich Cat." He shouted across the diner to the woman who nodded, vanishing into the kitchen still laughing as she went. Once she was gone he leaned forward and angrily whispered. "She's the town gossip and likes messing with people, just ignore her. As for where I've been. I told you I was at the Garage signing for my scrap, Nicky was just a little busy when I got there so had to wait."

Copying his movement, Dawn lowered her voice as well, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Hmm....yeah...she did mention all the women you take to your truck liking your little duck." Her brow arched, the double meaning quite clear. "I suppose she is gonna throw me into that list of girls you have conquered. Yay me." Sitting back, she looked back to the bat and sword.

"You gonna tell me the truth about this Nicky thing? I doubt the weapons are part of the scrap you are driving out of here. I thought we were supposed to be partners. So, how about telling me how you came upon them Birdie?"

Grizz scoffed lightly, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "There haven't been that many women, maybe three. Cat just likes to exaggerate. And the good Admiral is a wonderful conversationalist. He just doesn't like to speak with those who have tried to sell him into slavery." He looked up as Cat returned with Dawn's sandwich and his own plate of noodles and spam. She only gave them both a quiet smile before moving on to other duties. "As for the sword and bat I got them in a trade on the way to Nicky's. They should cover the costs of our meal here." He simply left it at that and began eating his food.

Muttering under her breath when Grizz started to eat, Dawn stabbed him with a dirty look. "Is that three woman in Erwin...or the total of your life's accomplishments?" she asked, laughing as she rolled her eyes. She wasn't having any of it. The man wasn't telling her something...and again with the damn duck. Kicking him in the shin to get his attention she pointed a finger his way. "I'm trying real hard to deal with your shortcomings Grizzwald...honestly...but I just don't know when you're joking. I mean...you do know that your duck is stuffed...right? Like, it's a toy?"

With noodles hanging from his mouth Grizzwald put on a face of shock at her words after a quick grunt in pain at her kick. "Stuffed Duck Lives Matter too!" Was all he said before going back to his food like nothing at all had happened. It seemed Dawn would be left dazed and confused for a little but longer.

Mouth open in astonishment, the girl stared at him, her nostrils flaring as she grabbed her sandwich and took a bite. "For fuck's sake," she said under her breath, giving the man another of her looks. "The least you could do is eat like a human...God." Deciding to let him eat in peace...mainly so she wouldn't have to see his noodles dangling again...she kept her head down and ate her own meal.

Once she was done, she pushed her plate aside, leaving behind almost half of the chicken, her stomach not used to putting away that much food in one sitting. "Are you getting the room now?" she asked. "I was hoping I could take a shower...and maybe wash some of my clothes. If they have running water, that is."

The man ignored her rants about his eating habits and simply enjoyed the taste of cooked food he didn't have to cook himself. This was one of the things he missed the most about the world Pre-Zombie takeover. Being able to just walk down the street and grab a burger or a pile of General Tsu's chicken, food was a luxury he and many others took for granted back before. People wasted it everyday in so many different ways, if it got a little warm they chucked it away. If it smelled funny they left it where they found it until someone else threw it away.

And as he finished his food he shrugged at her question about the room. "We have the room now." He pulled out an old key made of very stained stainless steel with a flimsy bit of faded plastic attached to it with the number twenty-four scribbled on it. "You can go ahead if you want." He placed the room key down by her half eaten sandwich smiling. "You can even have that sandwich wrapped and bring it with you to eat later. They do have running water, but the hot water is always iffy. Either hot enough to burn your skin off or barely at room temperature. Have fun playing that game." He cackled lightly wiping his mouth off.

Nodding, Dawn picked the key up and looked at Grizz. "Just the one?" she asked, dangling it in front of her. She could deal with the temperamental water, the thought of actually washing herself with any warmth a real treat. And soap...oh God, if there was soap she was going to be in heaven.

Waving to Cat and pointing to her food, she waited until the waitress came over and wrapped it, then offered a smile to the birdman. "If you want, I could wash your clothes too. Think of it as a peace offering. Unless you pay to have that done also?"

Grizzwald nodded giving Cat a small smile as she took the plates away. "No need, my clothes are fine don't wanna lose my protective layer anyway. You go enjoy, it'll be many days before we see any water that isn't in a bottle or in a hole in the ground. I'll move Annabelle around and hook her up to the trailer in the meantime."

Standing up he nodded to Cat. "Thanks for the food, Cat tell Brenda the sword and bat will be more than enough for the meal." Turning on his heel he moved to leave the diner.

Trotting behind him, Dawn gave a little wave to the waitress before she exited the diner after Grizz. "Hey...What the hell is a 'protective layer'?" she asked, her nose wrinkling in distaste when she considered the possible options. If he was talking about a person's natural smell...i.e. body odor...she was going to slap him. Grabbing for his arm, she latched on, trying to slow him down. "...and what's this about moving the truck. Maybe I should wait until you do that before I go in. Not sure I really trust you yet."

It was getting to be a bit of a pain having to worry about her transportation driving off without her all the time. There had to be a way to make the situation easier, but Grizz would not give her the keys...and she did not trust him with them either. Even if she could jimmy the wheel again and hot wire it, she really preferred not to. Which left them learning to trust each other. Or maybe... An idea coming to her, Dawn smiled to herself and let go of the man's arm, running ahead to wait for him at Annabelle's side.

Momentarily stunned by her sudden closeness, it took Grizz a second or two to realize what her game was, or at least half her game. His eyes widened and he took off after her, quickly gaining ground, but not being quick enough to beat her to the truck. Panic welled up inside of him, but as she reached the truck finding it locked he let out a deep sigh. Leaning against the truck he leveled his gaze to her panting a little. "Why so eager to beat me back here?"

Feigning an innocent look, Dawn leaned back into the truck, putting her foot against it. "No reason Grizz...just felt like racing you here," she said, a smirk on her lips. "I just need my pack...you know...for my clean clothes and the ones I want to wash. How about opening up your little beauty here so I can get to it?"

She waited on him, hoping to execute her plan and grab up his duck, but it would only work if the big guy didn't follow her inside. She was sure he wouldn't leave Admiral Ducky behind...so the stuffed toy could be her insurance. All she had to do was slip him into her pack and bring him into the room...the rest would play itself out.

His eyes narrowed as she spoke. He knew something was afoot still his nose was twitchy and that was enough for him to be suspicious. Moving around her he leaned in close keeping his eyes on hers and his face close to her's, madly mismatched eyes still narrow while he watched her. The door to the truck clicked and he opened it, but suddenly stopped his head picking up like he heard something panic flashed across his eyes as he looped his arm around Dawn's waist and bodily lifted her off the ground and out of the way as he bolted into the truck heading right for the bunkroom.

"ADMIRAL DUCKY I HEAR YOU KEEP QUACKING! I'M COMING FOR YOU SIR!" He began tossing both his and Dawn's items out of the small bedroom until he let out a horrified gasp. "DON'T WORRY ADMIRAL I'M GONNA SAVE YOU!" The sound of the bed being lifted up and nearly flipped followed until Grizz gasps again, but this time in relief. Staggering out he was clutching his beloved stuffed duck to his chest looking like he'd just had the fright of his life. The stuffed animal was partially squished and looked to be covered in some kind of dried liquid. It's glossy plastic eye seeming to glare accusingly at Dawn.

Petting the small animal slowly Grizz panted. "Ooo thank goodness the Admiral has centuries of combat training under his wings. He'd been holding his breath all die while trapped under a folding part of the bed. And luckily he somehow got covered in apple juice so he wouldn't go hungry. But now that's he's saved he needs a bath." Picking up Dawn's bag he slipped the duck into it arranging the animal so its heads was poking out of her bag and staring at her still then handed it to the woman a big smile on his face. "You can take him into the shower with you, he has a lovely singing voice and he promised to not look at your nakedness, you'll just need to cover his head with a towel as he lost his eyelids in World War II. Thank you so much." He leaned in and kisses Dawn's cheek, before pushing everything into a pile in the bunkroom to be worried about later then slipped out of the truck whistling lightly as he made his way around the back of the truck to check the couplings and such for the hook up to the trailer.

Dawn took her bag from the crazed man with apprehension, the expression on her face hard to read. What...the fuck...just happened, she wondered, too shocked to say anything to Grizz as his lips grazed her cheek. From the up close encounter outside the truck...had she ever noticed his eyes before?...to his apparent 'rescue' of his duck...that was the oddest part...to his return with the stuffed animal in her bag...just where she had hoped to put the damn thing....and then the kiss. It was all very confusing and strange, and definitely too hands on, but she had been too stunned to fuss. Watching Birdie disappear behind the vehicle, she finally let out a held breath and nodded absently in his direction.

"Okay Grizzwald...I'll um...take him into the shower."

Really, was there any other choice, she wondered as she walked towards the hotel, her pack in one hand and the key in the other. She looked over her shoulder once, then shook her head. Friggin' lunatic...that's what he was. She would have to watch her step.

[SikstaSlathalin]

About a half hour later Annabelle was hooked up and locked up safe in Nicky's parking lot for tomorrow. He figured he'd leave Dawn to enjoy some privacy, but surely after a full half hour she'd be done right? And Grizz had to use the bathroom.

Walking into the room he tossed his coat on the single bed and pushed the door open wide, expecting Dawn to be fully dressed or on her way out, but what he saw was definitely not that. Opening the door with his hand half way undoing his belt he saw Dawn fully naked in the shower, as there was no curtain. She was just finishing up shaving her legs, and he could feel from the warmth of the shower that she got the super lucky perfect warmth shower. The Admiral was fluffed up lightly with a washcloth around his head drying. His eyes widened a little as his eyes openly studied the woman, his head moving down slowly. "Very...nice." Was all he said his hand still down on his belt.

The razor fell from Dawn's hand as she jumped back and squealed, her body slamming against the shower's back wall as she stared wide-eyed at Grizzwald. The placement of his hand didn't help her state of panic, her eyes darting about frantically as she tried to locate the towel. It wasn't within easy reach, but she managed to snag it from the sink's counter and pull it against the front of her, the floor getting wet in the process.

"Get out!" she screamed, throwing the only thing within arms reach at him, the bar of soap barely worth the effort. "God...don't you knock?"

He found himself staring for a few more seconds even after the soap thunked off his head. "Sorry!" He said loudly as he grabbed the duck from the sink and darted from the bathroom, closing the door behind him loudly. Holding the Admiral close to him he blinked his eyes a few times. His face bright red. "Damn...she's pretty."

Her breathing finally coming back to normal, Dawn stepped from the shower and checked the door. She stared at it suspiciously, listening for any sounds from the other side. Hearing the birdman moving around, she started rubbing herself down with the damp towel, barely taking the time to get herself dry before she wrapped it tightly around her slender frame. Her clean clothes were laid out on the bed, even her underwear, right in plain sight...not that it mattered now, Grizz had seen more than her lacy black panties.

She opened the door slowly, her face flushing just at the thought of looking at him. He had barged in on her, so she assumed he needed to use the head. It was just her dumb luck she had washed her dirty clothes first. Otherwise she would have been clean and dressed. She looked at the main door and scowled. She could have sworn she had locked it, but she had been so excited to have running hot water, maybe she had forgotten. It was no matter now...he had seen her naked. His words played though her head...'very nice'. Oh God, she was going to die of embarrassment.

Walking over to the bed, Dawn picked up her clothes and gave the man a fixed look. "I'm done," she said, her cheeks red enough to appear rouged.

Having forced himself to focus on tidying up some of his own clothes and hanging them outside the window to air out a touch he kept his mind off her curves and how good she looked under the stream of the shower head. But seeing her underwear on the bed every time he turned around in their little room only made him picture her in those lacy black panties and considering he doesn't see a bra anywhere in Dawn's stuff meant she was free birding at all times.

All that combined just made his focus all the worse. But after some words with the Admiral he suppressed them enough to get most of his clothes airing out. That even included the current t-shirt he was wearing so as the girl left the bathroom he was padding around the room barefoot and wearing only his jeans. All his shirts and socks were catching some wind outside.

Even after she exited wrapped in a towel he couldn't bring himself to look at her as he went into the bathroom to finish his business. Only Ducky remained in the room sitting atop the table besides the man's gun and the truck keys.

The bathroom door closing was Dawn's signal to get dressed, her underwear pulled up before she dropped the towel. She dressed quickly, not bothering to put on anything other than her street clothes, the leather vest and armor set aside for the morning. She looked at the Admiral several times, her eyes straying to the truck keys, but she bit her lip and resisted the urge to grab them and run. Somehow she knew Grizz would find her again, the end results perhaps not being so civil.

Letting out a sigh, she plopped down on the bed...mulling over the fact she would have to share this with him if she stayed the night in the motel. Did she dare? She couldn't even remember the last time she had slept with a decent mattress under her and the temptation was strong. He hadn't tried anything last night..so she should be fine...but last night he hadn't caught her in the shower. Maybe if she slept with her knife again?

She didn't know if she could do it...and the sight of his naked upper torso as he walked past her just a few minutes ago wasn't helping with her decision. A warm heat spread through her as a flush hit her skin again. That was the last thing she should be thinking about...but the marks on his shoulder and chest, perhaps caused by the ill-fitting harness and robotic arm, were things she could think on. She could look at the arm for him...if he allowed her near it, that was. Maybe she would mention it...anything to help her forget the way his eyes had roamed over her.

A minute or so passed before Grizzwald returned to the room. His teeth were around one of the straps of his harness as he walked out, grunting lightly as he pulled it taut again, the already red and bruising skin bulging and swelling lightly as he put it on too tight once again. But at least it wasn't sliding down the stump of his upper arm anymore. Going back to the desk he picked the keys up and slipped them into his coat pocket before he lifted the Admiral, smoothing down his fluff a little, a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you for cleaning the Admiral, Dawn, he's appreciates it." Placing the stuffed animal back down he went back to pulling things out of his pack squatting down before the woman, his back to her, his back muscles flexing as he worked.

Dawn tried to ignore Grizz as he moved about the room, the obvious distress his harness was causing him pulling her eyes back time and again. She grunted out a 'welcome' as he thanked her, but said little else. She'd never had a problem talking to him before, and it irritated her that it was different now. The hang-up seemed to be hers though, as he seemed back to his normal self. She reminded herself that he was crazy as fuck and maybe that was the difference.

She pushed aside her reservations, looking at the stupid duck and scowling. She could be an adult about this...it was just a body and she was sure he had seen plenty. Waiting until he looked about ready to stand up, she scooted to the bed's edge and swung her legs over.

"Grizz?" she said a bit shyly. "I could look at the arm for you...and the harness. Maybe even help you put it on properly."

Grizz looked at her quickly as if not being sure he heard that right, yea she asked to help him. He half crouched in shock for a few seconds trying to figure if this was some kind of ploy or the like. But as he shifted a bit of metal from the clasps jabbed him in the skin and decided for him. "Y...you sure? Thought you only worked on trucks?" He asked somewhat dimly still trying to process her being nice to him.

"Yeah...I'm sure...I mean we're partners...right? We should help each other." It sounded pretty phony in her ears, but she was trying to be sincere. It wasn't often she could do something meaningful, and working on engines and the like was her only true passion. She was doing for herself as well as him, plus the distraction would be helpful.

Shrugging she moved closer, reaching up gingerly to undo the straps across his shoulder. When he didn't resist, she became a little bolder, her fingers tugging on the leather and working it around to see if it needed to be adjusted. Once she had the limb detached she placed it on the bed.

"Actually, I work on trucks and cars, but your arm is mechanical also, right? So it kinda falls in the same category." Pressing lightly on the bruised flesh where the artificial arm sat, she grimaced. "You shouldn't be pinching it so tight to your skin....if you get an infection that could be it. I've seen it happen lots since antibiotics became scarce."

She turned her back to him and fitted the pieces together on the bed, mentally calculating where she could make adjustments. "Can you go a day or two without it?" she asked.

He nodded lightly wincing as she pulled the arm off, the instant relief from having it gone turned his wince into a deep pleased sigh. "I know, but it's kinda old. It used to have like this pully or something I could use to tighten, but lost that in a close call with a Hunter Zombie awhile back. Bastard chomped on the handle and broke it off as I was running away." He moved to sit beside her, slightly leaning over her back to look at it on the bed, judging how long he could go without it. "Uh I guess, it'll make driving hard but not impossible. What can you do to it?" He asked like a curious child, leaning over some more his chest pressing against her back a little.

Dawn started to get a little uncomfortable when Birdie sat beside her, her breathing becoming a little haggard when he leaned closer. When he touched her, she flinched, her dark eyes wide as she glanced back at him. "What?" she asked, her cheeks taking on color when she realized how close he had gotten. "I..um...I'd need to take your measurements...your chest and shoulders...to put up against the harness." She swallowed hard, trying to meet his gaze without thinking about him in the bathroom looking at her. It wasn't working well, sweat starting to bead on her forehead the longer she stared into his eyes...blue and green...they really were very pretty.

Sighing heavily, Dawn put her hand on Grizz's chest and gently pushed him back. "I can't think with you so close," she said. "You're distracting. I mean you're distracting me."

Still looking at her somewhat wide eyed, he rocked back and sat down on the floor giving her the space she needed. "Oh ok sorry. So how will you measure me?" He asked looking as confused at the question as he was at the asking. He hadn't been measured for anything since he got his Class A's in basic training and that was...a long time ago and he's sure he'd grown since then. Not sure what else to do though he knelt on the old blue carpet and puffed his chest out a little, straightening his back remembering what he was told to do in Basic.

"I'll um...yeah..." She stopped mid-thought, staring at him strangely for a moment, not exactly sure what he was doing. Was it some sort of exercise? "What are...oh..." The implication of his positioning finally hitting home. She laughed lightly. "You want me to measure you. I get it. Okay." It was like dealing with a child...a child with an impressive chest and abs. She wasn't even sure what was coming over her...she was not one to swoon over a man, especially someone like this, but she was feeling odd, her stomach actually queasy with the feelings that were pulsing through her. Could this all be due to her embarrassment?

Shaking her head, Dawn went over to her bag and dragged out a roll of duct tape, turning it over in her hands before bringing it over. "I can use this," she said. "I won't put the sticky side against your skin." Picking up her knife she unrolled a long piece and cut it. "Just be still."

What followed was a process of putting the tape against his girth in various areas and cutting the tape to size. Once again Dawn became flustered, her cheeks a bright red the entire time she was measuring him. Her fingers brushed against his bare skin numerous times and she had to lean into him way too often to get an accurate account. She lost track of how many times she turned his head away so he wasn't looking at her. By the time she was finished, she was a bundle of nerves, her resolve to find something to distract herself now biting her in the ass.

"I'm done. I think I need some fresh air. Maybe you can put on a shirt while I'm gone?"

What a rollercoaster, after such close contact Grizz's whole body and face were hot. He could almost swear he was sweating near the end of that one. So once she was done and wanted some air he was quick to agree. "Yeah...yeah me too...uh sure." He said rather absently getting up and grabbing the closest shirt to the window where he was airing out his clothing. A simple gray tank-top that clung to him tighter than he wanted it to, but his already scattered mind was all over the place so he was just glad to have anything on.

He watched her go quickly picking up his canteen and taking a long pull of it, sitting heavily down by the table, trying to focus on breathing. He looked at the duck and sighed. "Admiral what is happening?" He asked quietly.

Dawn had only grabbed her Glock and jacket before she left, wanting to breathe in some air and clear her head before she did something really stupid. What a FUBAR situation that had turned out to be. She was an idiot. Grumbling under her breath, she walked around the motel, stopping to lean against an old ice machine that was no longer functioning. She brushed her hair out of her face in frustration. It wasn't like she had never been seen naked by a man before. Although when she really thought about it, her nudity had always been covered by darkness or a sheet. She had preferred it that way, never comfortable with her body. And men like Grizz, the buff and good looking sort, they never cast their eyes in her direction. She was too masculine in her behavior, basically a tomboy mechanic that surely must like girls, and so her reputation was set.

After all this time, she thought she was fine with it...being on her own with no need for attachments. She could protect herself, and had a marketable skill. It was her choice to roam what remained of the world, but she just as easily could have decided to plant herself into one of the settlements to repair vehicles. What she needed was a truck...and Grizz was the obstacle to that goal. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep it on her own though, Grizz had proven to be more of a pain than she could handle. How would she protect it against a larger force?

Starting on her way again, Dawn kept to the well-kit areas, walking until her feet started to ache. It didn't take long, the soles of her feet still not healed from her long trek days before. She made her way back, heading into the room and remembering to lock the door behind her this time. "I'm back," she said as she took off her jacket and tossed it on the bed, heading over to the window to look outside. The truck was no where in sight, as she had already discovered on her walk.

"I guess I'm staying in the room with you tonight," she said with a look over her shoulder. "I call dibs on the bed."

The man laughed, finishing up with bringing his nicely aired clothes in. "Well unless you wanna try to break into Nicky's garage and steal the truck again yeah you're stuck here tonight. But sadly I must veto your calling dibs on the bed." He tossed her coat to the left side of the bed and laid himself down on the right letting out a pleased sigh. "Besides the bed in Annabelle is way smaller than this and we fit on that fine." Yawning large he stretched out, listening to his joints pop in a series of crackles before he settled back down, closing his eyes a little.

Dawn huffed, crossing her arms as she watched him getting all comfortable. What was the use in arguing? She couldn't physically make him move. "I'm not breaking in anywhere...and if I wanted to steal the truck I could have done it while you were in the bathroom. You left the keys in plain sight." She went over to 'her' side of the bed and pulled back the covers, trying to ignore Grizz as she sat down and removed her boots.

"It's not the same and you know it," she said, her socks and jeans following the boots then dropped into a pile at her feet. Her revolver went under her pillow before she laid down and pulled the blankets up. "Make sure you stay on your own side...and I mean it...don't make me shoot you." Laughing lightly, she wiggled around a bit under the covers as she pulled off her tee, the shirt emerging as she rolled onto her side, her back to the birdman. "I'm going to sleep with one eye open. Any trouble and your ass gets the floor."

The man did his best to ignore Dawn as she stripped down for bed. His cheek heating up as she pulled her jeans off. Grizz caught a teasing peek of the woman's panties before they were hidden under the covers. He thought he'd be safe then, but as he saw the girl's continued wriggling and soon saw her t-shirt join the rest of her clothes, he knew she was almost as naked as she was in the shower. Once she was done he got up and closed the window and locked them before he checked on the Admiral, finding him still damp, so looked like he would need to stay out and keep drying. Grabbing a dry towel he placed the duck on top of it then clicked the lights off. Now under the cover of darkness he didn't have to worry about her seeing his red face. He silently pulled his own pants off then the tank top before he returned to bed, already feeling his body beginning to betray him at the thought of laying next to her. But once he got under the covers he felt better. He let out a low laugh at her little threat and rolled over a little patting her head. "Sure thing, Dawn, sure thing, good night." He let out one more laugh and got comfortable on his back waiting for sleep.

"Hey," she snapped, turning her head to look over her shoulder. The room was dark, but enough light filtered in from outside to allow her to see him laying there. She knew he wasn't full dressed, his movements in the room ignored, but heard. "Stop it," she murmured before reaching out to smooth down her hair where he had touched her. Not a strand was out of place, but that was not the point. It was like wiping away cooties. She grunted her disapproval as she tucked herself deeper into the layer of blankets, her hand slipping under her pillow to rest against her gun. It wasn't Grizz she was afraid of, but more the people of the town. She avoided townies, other than to trade, the evening hours when the crazier ones came out. Even the zombies seemed more active at night.

Thinking she would be awake for a while, Dawn closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her...Birdie's even breathing...water running in one of the rooms...voices from inside the hotel...an owl...low inhuman moans in the distance...and then there was nothing. She forgot about all her worries as the warmth and comfort of the bed folded her into its embrace, her body slipping into slumber shortly after her eyes closed.

Hours passed without incident, the quiet of the night taking over the small town of Erwin. The occasional sound of a revving patrol truck in the distance and sometimes a very faint gunshot being the only sounds. Survivors learned early on in the outbreak that as soon as the sun went down the town gates were locked tight and anyone caught outside were on their own until the sun came up. It was sometime during the night that the sleepers had shifted positions a little. While Dawn was still curled up on her side, Grizz had rolled to his side and his arm was wrapped comfortably over the woman. His forearm was resting on her hip and his hand had looped across her stomach and chest gripping her left shoulder. He had pulled her close to his chest so they were in a very cozy spoon position.

His breath was swallow and calm, each inhale filling his nose with Dawn's clean unique scent. Sleeping outside of Annabelle was a hit or miss situation for the Driver. Sometimes he could do it...other times his mind played cruel tricks on him. While normally a fitful sleeper he remained asleep through his tossing and turning. But tonight that changed, his arm tightened around Dawn's body and his hand moved to squeeze her chest a little, his body shaking frantically for a few seconds before his eyes shot open, fear filling them. His body quaked as if trying to move, but everything was locked up tight. While the room would be empty to Dawn, for Grizz looming over his side of the bed was a tall, gangly, humanoid shape dripping blood from every pore and orifice. The creature seemed to be only muscle and bone, it's body shaking with harsh ragged breaths and his every inhale was filled with fire and exhale was filled with ice. In it's hand was a large metal cleaver, it's eyes glowed a sickly orange.

Grizz's whole body shook, likely vibrating Dawn's sleeping form. Through clenched teeth the man repeated over and over. "He's here!.....He's here!...God, why!....He's here!." Sleep paralysis holding the man still he could only watch as the Bloody Man began lifting the cleaver high.

Dawn went from a deep state of sleep into an abrupt awakening, her body jolting, but hardly able to move due to Grizzwald's firm grip. In the first few moments she squirmed frantically, trying to free herself and get to her weapon. She envisioned the dead were trying to devour her, her body caught in their hold...but as awareness of her surroundings kicked in, she realized who held her...the only question was why he was doing it so tight.

As her struggles lessened, she picked up on the birdman's chanting, the fear in his voice overwhelming. His dread leeched into her and she tensed, searching the room for the ominous "He" that was there. She craned her neck to check every corner, but found the room empty. The only thing she could fathom was he was suffering from PTSD or night terrors, either of which explained his panic. She would have to talk him down.

Forcing her body to relax, she tried to ignore the feel of his tense muscles against her and drew in the deepest breath she could. Exhaling slowly she turned her face towards him. "Grizz," she said hoarsely, her left hand twisting around to get a hold of his wrist and push it further away. "I don't see anyone. Please...let me go. It's hard to breathe."

The Bloody Man was still leering above Grizzwald so he only barely heard Dawn's words or felt her moving. He was still chanting in fear and Dawn knew she would need to take matters into her own hands. Remembering a trick her brothers used to use, she took her thumb nail and jabbed it into the joint of Grizz's thumb, forcing his hand to loosen enough for her to scramble from the bed. She turned on the lamp that sat upon the nightstand, filling the room with light.

While the Bloody Man vanished form Grizz's sight, the fear still gripped him as he laid curled up on the bed. Watching him for a moment, Dawn heaved out a sigh and crawled back into bed. She laid down facing him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. Gently smoothing down his hair, she tried to be reassuring, telling him it was all right and that he was safe. She rocked him, like she remembered her mother doing when she was little and had suffered a nightmare. Not getting the results she hoped, she pulled back and looked at him, her dark eyes focusing on his. "Grizzwald," she whispered, "..it's okay." With their faces only a few inches apart, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his softly.

Upon seeing the light and feeling Dawn's warm presence the sleep paralysis faded. Grizzwald nearly melted into the bed, his arm coming around to hug Dawn's lower back. He pulled her closer for comfort, their hips pressing together now. His breath quieted and as she kissed him he forgot to breath for a few seconds. Tears had been falling from his eyes during the scene, but now they looked somewhat widely for the first few seconds of the kiss, before they came up for air. Sniffling lightly he then tucked his head into the woman's breasts his hand moving slightly down her backside squeezing the last of his fears away. "The Bloody..M...Man...t...thank you Dawn." Letting out a shuddering breath he kept a firm hold of her, the warmth returning to him, his hand staying on her ass and his head on her chest.

Dawn could feel her breath quickening with the intimate embrace, her heart pounding in her chest. Unsure of how she should react, she hesitated briefly before leaning down and kissing the top of his head, her lips lingering as she loosened her hold around him, her hands starting to move over the knotted muscles of his back, then falling lower. The feel of him so close caused a shudder to run through her body and she moaned softly, her eyes closing as she clung to him in turn. It was only after a few moments that she stirred and looked down at him.

"Are you...okay now?" she asked barely above a whisper.

As he felt her hand move down his back, his hips moved instinctively towards her, his hand wrapping around her entire backside now to hold them as close as possible. Looking up he simply nodded. "I am now." He gently rolled them over letting her be on top. His arm remained wrapped around her as if she might vanish when the lights went off. Pulling her back down into a deep kiss he groaned, mentally taking back everything he thought about her before.

There was not enough clothing between them to mask the reaction she felt against her, the heat radiating on her skin as she was drawn into his kiss. She didn't reciprocate at first, her hands pressed against his chest before her mouth finally opened to him. It was the last act that highlighted her uncertainty, her kiss deepening to match his in intensity as she reached around his neck and bought him closer.

She pulled away shortly afterwards, her eyes meeting his as she grabbed the edge of her tank top and pulled it off. Leaning over to turn off the lamp, she then stripped off her panties, the darkness giving her a bit of confidence as she leaned in for another kiss.

Feeling her nude body against him Grizzwald carefully worked his briefs down. They joined quickly thereafter, his lips locked into a passionate battle with hers as his hand roamed over Dawn's body, memorizing her curves and loving every second of it. Time faded into darkness, only the ebbs and flows of their passions telling the passage of time.

When they finally parted, Dawn fell back onto her pillow and sighed, her gaze turning to him in silent appraisal. It had never been like that for her before, her body tingling in its afterglow. She ran her hand along his bare hip before she reached down to cover herself with a sheet.

"That was nice," she said, not elaborating on just how 'nice' it had been.

Panting softly and covered in a slight sheen of sweat Grizzwald rolled to his side so he was facing her. His hand coming up to brush some stray away from her face even in the darkness of the room he was sure she could see his bright smile. Pulling the covers up over them both his kissed her again nodding. "Very nice...thank you...again Dawn." Staying facing her he draped a hand over her side giving one last breath before he let sleep over came him with Dawn following shortly after.

[bluemoon]

Dawn awoke at daybreak, her arm falling over her eyes as she mumbled curses at the sun. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so well rested, the warmth of Grizz’s body so close to hers keeping her in comfort throughout the night. Biting her lip, she stared at him as he slept, wondering just what had happened last night. Feeling a flood of heat on her cheeks, she lifted the blankets and looked under, verifying that yes, she was still naked. Her blush deepened, but it wasn’t the thought of having sex that had her concerned...it was the figure that he had seen right before that. They had not discussed his terror, or anything else for that matter, but it worried her that he had been so frightened. Just what would it take to scare someone like him...and would it happen again?

Knowing she would not get any answers while dozing in bed, Dawn gently eased Grizz’s arm off her side and scooted away. She leaned out and snagged her tank top and panties, determined not to get out of the bed completely nude. It only took her a moment to slip into them and then she sat up, letting the covers fall around her waist. Trying to keep quiet, she got out of bed and padded her way over to the windows and looked outside. The town was just starting to wake up. It would probably be best if she got her partner up so they could hit the road soon, his schedule for arriving in Wichita tight if they didn’t get a move on. But first she would clean up and get them something to eat. Surely there was time for that.

Fifteen minutes later, she was washed up and dressed. Coming back into the room she put together a quick meal of sliced apples and jerky, the only food stuff she had in her pack. Wiping her sticky hands on her jeans, she turned towards the bed, not surprised to see Grizz awake and watching her. He had said he was a light sleeper. “Time to get up lazy head,” she teased, the trace of a smile on her lips, "...the day's awasting."

[SikstaSlathalin]

For the first time in a long time Grizzwald slept the whole night without tossing or turning. No nightmares, no more of the Bloody Man leering over him. Just the warmth of Dawn in his arm and the smell of her hair in his nose. He forgot what it felt like to sleep with someone rather than just share a bed. He shared the bed with women in Erwin before, but after the deed they rolled to their side and he rolled to his. Neither touching again until the morning when one had to climb over the other to use the bathroom.

Last night though, the afterglow of sex was almost better than the sex itself. Just two days ago he never would've pictured himself sleeping with the woman that stole his truck. Now not only did he do that, but he almost feels...happy about having her along. He barely even cared about her stealing Annabelle now...ok he still cared a little bit, but baby steps as far as he was concerned. He was sleeping so soundly that he didn't even feel her wake up and wriggle out of bed first in the morning. His arm curled around nothingness feeling colder already with her absence. But as she slipped into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for the morning he figured he might as well too. Rubbing his face slowly he let out a soft yawn and felt around under the bed looking for his briefs and pants. Finding them more bunched up than he remembered leaving them he got dressed as quickly as a one armed man could.

Despite his best efforts though it took most of the time Dawn was in the bathroom to get himself dressed and put together. Putting his belt on was the biggest annoyance, but he did it just in time to see her exit and grab some food for them to share. Taking the jerky he smiled at her smile and winked. "Good thing I hooked Annabelle up last night." Holding the jerky in his mouth like a dog he quickly went about gathering up his stuff and tossing it in a pile by the door before he returned to the bed and sat down actually taking a bite of the jerky now. "Good thing there's no traffic or speed limit between here and Wichita. We should be able to make good time today."

[bluemoon]

It didn’t take long for Dawn to get her meager possessions together, her and Grizzwald out the door of the motel and heading to pick up the truck a short time later. For her, things were a bit awkward, her usual sarcastic air lacking as she regarded the man a bit more fondly. She was carrying his arm much to his chagrin, but it made the most sense to have him unencumbered in case of an emergency, due to his knowledge of the town and its people. With her backpack slung over her shoulder and his limb in both hands, she was pretty much useless.

Once they reached the garage and subsequently, Annabelle, their belongings were placed in the truck’s sleeping area and Grizz moved to climb into the driver’s seat, Dawn interrupting before he could get far by putting her hand on his arm. Smiling softly, she motioned to the keys.

“Can I drive the first stretch? Please? I promise I’ll be gentle. I really miss being behind her wheel.” She gave the birdman a pleading look then leaned closer and batted her eyes, laughter following as she snatched the keys from his hand. “Just an hour. I’ll get us through the curvier sections and onto the highway. Then you can take over and I’ll work on your arm’s harness. Deal?”

Much to her surprise, Grizz gave in to her request. She supposed it was due to a combination of her offer to help with his arm...and the night of sex. Either way, it didn’t matter to her, she was on the road with the beast of a truck in her control. Rolling her window down, she rested her arm on the edge and began humming an old Pearl Jam song to herself, an occasional few words being sung in a less than perfect pitch.

Spoiler: Jeremy 

[SikstaSlathalin]

Surprised with himself as much as she was with him. Grizz sat in the passengers seat of his truck resting his right arm on the door resting his head on it as the warmth air whipped around his head and into the cab behind him. He'd never been the passenger in Annabelle before, always behind her wheel and in control at all times. She was the only stable thing in his life these past two years.

The few people who traveled with him were single serving friends for the most part. He helped them get somewhere and they helped him with supplies and jobs when they floated their way. A loose collection of acquaintances, but no close friends. Anyone he considered a friend lived in the towns along his truck routes and even they weren't considered "close" friends to him. He'd have a drink with all of them fur sure, but allow them to live with him in the truck? No way. Allow them to even drive the truck? Not a snowball's chance in hell.

So why was he letting Dawn? The sex was great, but that wouldn't be enough to wrest control of his truck to her. She wasn't the nicest person whose ever ran into him, nor did he feel he could trust his life entirely to her...at least not yet. Maybe it was because she was there for him when the Bloody Man showed up. She comforted him and reminded him he wasn't about to die. The Bloody Man has been stalking him since the night he lost his arm in a foxhole to a well-placed grenade. He saw it fly in and scrambled up his left hand grabbing the lip of the hole seconds before the grenade went off. The foxhole had a heavy concrete cover that kept rain and animals out when not in use. The explosion knocked it off the small hill it was placed on and it flattened Grizz's arm destroying it. The sudden blood loss and shock wave form the grenade had dazed him. From out of the destroyed foxhole the Bloody Man first appeared. Like a demon freed from hell, he attacked Grizz. But the wounded soldier blacked out before the man got him. And ever since he's been hunted by this ungodly thing out to get the one that got away.

Usually Grizz could keep him away by locking Annabelle before he went to sleep. He would see the man lurking around the outside and climbing up on the hood, but never could he get into the truck. That was why Grizzwald tended to sleep only in his truck. Very rarely did he sleep in hotels, and the few times he did he barricaded the doors and windows so the Bloody Man couldn't get in. But he hadn't done that last night and so the relentless monster found his way in. But Dawn had saved him...maybe that was it. She saved him and this was his way of rewarding her. Content with that conclusion he hummed along with her choice of music.

[bluemoon]

Dawn handled the truck well as she made her way towards Wichita, the music in the background keeping her entertained as she hummed along with the majority of the songs. She had picked a station that played a lot of older music, her distaste of the more modern genres in the days before the collapse making it an easy choice. Unlike her, Grizz managed to keep in tune, her own voice never one to carry well. She could keep a beat with her body, but her singing was atrocious.

After a little over an hour of endless empty road, she finally spotted some activity, although not in the form of another vehicle. A small group of undead was meandering over the median line after some prey. Gangly and weather worn, their pace was quick for slow deadheads, their attention barely shifting as Annabelle roared past. Whatever they were chasing was far enough ahead that she couldn’t spot it and she blew the horn to distract them, hoping to save whatever, or whomever, from their ghastly fate. Seeing them was a reminder that it had been several days since she had gone out to ‘practice’ her killing methods, the desire to exercise and get some entertainment outweighing the risks.

Slowing down some, she glanced over at Grizz. “I'm gonna stop pretty soon to switch out. We’re almost on the straight stretch and I want to get going on your harness. Do you need to get out to do anything?” she said with a smirk. Pulling the big truck over after a few more miles, she let out a contented sigh. There was no sign of any trouble in the area as she put the rig in park and unhooked her seatbelt. Scooting sideways, she climbed over the big man's lap so they could switch positions, the thought of stepping out and going around dismissed for the rather intimate contact the maneuver allowed.

Once they made it to their destination she hoped to have some time to explore in the smaller towns, her supplies needing to be refilled. She could get the parts she needed in Wichita to finish repairing the steering column on Annabelle, but that would exhaust what she had left for trade. Once that was done, she was good on her promise to put the old girl back together, her relationship with the Birdman back on neutral terms in regards to the damage she had done to the truck.