#cade&aiyla

[elpida]

closed starter for @isolatednights

cade shoved his foot between the closing elevator doors to keep the doors from shutting. he was purposefully trying to catch aiyla, see he'd liked her for long enough and.. he was very well aware, he was probably too old for her, too grumpy, too anti social, all of it... but out of everyone in his life, he was soft on her.

as always his face was marked, the odd scratch, a bruise here and there. he always looked like he'd had a bar brawl, a fist fight in the streets. "aiyla?" he said, trying to put his best smile on. "cade, number 7, few doors down from you. listen i needed to ask a favour, mrs dent next door can't do it she's busy but i'm working late this week, and i just got a cat a few weeks ago, cute lil' thing. i was wonderin' if you wouldn't mind popping in and just making sure she's got food down and water, if that's okay?"

did he get that cat because he was lonely? absolutely, but it was an excuse to talk to her some more, that being said he did hope she was a cat person. "it 'aint a problem if you can't, i just thought i'd ask and she's uh, she's a real affectionate cat. she wouldn't be a problem, loves a fussing." his smile softened, he already loved that cat. "how are you by the way? haven't seen you in a while, things going okay?" he knew it wasn't the best start, but it was a start and he was just.. in awe of her.

[isolatednights]

closed starter for @elpida

"cade, slow down," the woman pants, legs trying to keep up with his significantly longer strides ( once again waving away elias' attempt to speak with her ). part of her had wanted to laugh when the three of them had pieced together what had happened to aiyla. ironic, that the woman elias had seemed to follow around like he'd once done to her had deceived them and done god knows what to the other member of their little family. and while cade had seemed to sink into some sort of rage, she'd pointed fingers of blame right at elias ⸻ accusing that if he hadn't felt the need to flirt so much, he might have seen through the rouse sooner.

it had all left a bitter taste in her mouth, and was perhaps the reason she'd jumped to follow after cade when he'd made it clear he was going after aiyla. for a while, they'd traveled by car before continuing on foot, and it was then rhea had begun to struggle. "what even is the plan?" she questions with a frown, picking up her pace in hopes of walking side-by-side with cade. "i mean, we have a plan, don't we? what if there's a lot of them?" they had weapons, but were they really going to do something so drastic? "i know she's your wife and you'll do anything to get her back or whatever, but you know she'll be livid if you end up getting yourself hurt in the process, right?"

the concern of medication for eris running out had been a growing concern with each passing day, and while he'd not liked the idea of leaving her alone with the children and silas, it had ended up being necessary. the clinic they needed to go through was undoubtedly in a hot-spot for the beasts that now roamed the earth and he'd reluctantly departed from those he'd begun to consider family to venture off with eris. he'd never admit it, but it had been beneficial on more than one front. they'd been successful in finding a fair amount of the medication eden would need ⸻ enough to leave them comfortable for some time. that, and he'd come to appreciate eris ⸻ the initial suspicion he'd felt toward the woman wearing away in the hours and days they'd been alone.

neither of them were particularly chatty individuals ; the occasional word being exchanged in favor of verifying direction. it'd been a quiet handful of hours ⸻ only to be abruptly broken up by the sound of drifting voices and crunching of feet. whoever is ahead of them was not making much effort in being quiet. shifting his gaze toward eris, a brow arches, silently asking what she'd like to do about this.

[isolatednights]

@elpida

You went out with Rachel before, did you? Did you sleep with her? I did. Once. Like… last year. But it wouldn’t be the kind of thing where, like… feelings would be involved.

NORMAL PEOPLE (2020) | EPISODE THREE

[elpida]

"we need to find somewhere more long-term. with land to farm and fresh water, somewhere high up and isolated. somewhere we can survived and live until this mess is over." (cade & aiyla)

"farmin' land isn't the hard part, it's the fresh water. we need land that's got a well or somethin' 'coz as long as we can boil down the water, it'd be safe to drink, even if it's rain water you know? or a stream near the land, that'd do." he half grumbled his response but he knew that aiyla was right, they weren't going to survive like this. "hey, it's gonna work out, 'aight?"

cade flicked his map open wider, using the tip of a knife to point out where he was referencing. "we've been here, and we've been this way, so listen whilst it's more dangerous to get through, i think we go this way, through the woods, beyond that there's just open fields so surely we keep goin' and we're going to find a farm, how about that? i can clear the space, make sure it's safe." above all else he wanted aiyla to feel safe and if she'd have asked him to run a marathon then take on a hoard, he'd do it, just because she asked. he was protective in his nature, incredibly when it came to her. "high up s'gonna be more of a problem sweetheart."

[elpida]

"Wait, who are you?" (aiyla & cade)

"darlin' you know who i am, you know me, cade- cade sabelle, thick and thin me and you, remember?" he pulled her into his harms, holding her like she was going to slip through his arms and disappear from his life, holding though as if she were smoke that'd disperse into nothing he could grab. one hand purposefully cradled the back of her head and the other ran up and down her back. "it's me darlin' n' i'm sorry, i'm so sorry, i'm here now yeah? i'm here n' i've got you." and it didn't matter either way because it was too late, damage was already done.

"aiyla, sweetheart, say you know me, you do don't you? we've been through so much shit together you can't just, there 'aint no way- you can't just forget all of that." he was fretting, fretting because what could be more cruel than this? still right there in person, but not his person.

[isolatednights]

"When did you get this?" reverse - cade&aiyla

@elpida

ever since they'd arrived the farm, they'd fallen into a routine of pairing together for whatever project required doing that day. most were necessities - repairs to the fence, hooking up solar panels, tending the gardens or going for supply runs off the property - but occasionally there were things that popped up that allowed them to live rather than just survive.

elias had approached the pair when it had been agreed additional raised beds would be built to expand their produce. the other man had wanted raspberries for rhea - a surprise, he'd claimed. cade had grumbled about the lack of necessity and only begrudgingly agreed after a silent exchange with aiyla.

the summer sun was high and hot - leaving the conversation between them restricted to the occasional comment or confirmation in hopes of reserving energy and getting done faster. when cade suggested a break for water, aiyla had stood - blue hues raising to look at him just as he's grabbed the edge of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow.

she'd moved before she'd even thought about it - fingers of one hand snatching the fabric and raising it back up while the others ghost over the spiderwebbing against his side. new - if the angry red color had anything to say about it. "when did you get this?" why didn't you tell me?

[elpida]

"sweetheart to me, you always smell like a sweet peach." elias continued, his sarcasm so evident except if it really meant that much to her, he'd find a way to believe that she really did smell like peaches and believe the lie himself. "a bar of soap? hell that's awful nice of her." something like that, after the hard jobs he was doing with manual labour would be highly appreciated and in itself, it felt like such a kind gesture, something so they could feel a little more human. "that's fine we can do that, it'll be worth our while plus... soap."

his eyes gesture above the barn door. "perfect placement, see? i told you, needed a woman's touch." he winked. "then we pad this out, we see how it goes... i could picture us here, you know? i could picture us happy here. soap included, soap and crops. doesn't that sound better than what we hoped?"

that night he fell asleep easily, gently even and although his sleep was broken, waking thoughts of wondering if cade would do anything in the night.. the next think he new he was waking to rhea beside him and sunlight through wooden planks. that he could get very used to. fed, watered, safe and content.

cade had waited until the early hours, watched the barn but soon enough he realized.. the pair must have just slept, the house was locked up, there was nothing to fear. They wouldn't get in without him hearing so after doing a last check of every window and door, creeping in the dark hours, he settled as gently as he could beside aiyla. he tried not to make much movement, just sliding himself under the duvet to stay warm, hell for a while he just laid there and listened to her breathing. having two people, two they could grow to trust... well, what if anything ever happened to him? he liked to be able to think there'd be someone there to take care of her. the last thing he'd done before falling asleep, was turn to her on her side, and push some of her hair back into place beside her ear and tuck the covers properly over her, to stay warm.

come morning, cade wasn't awake at the crack of dawn, a rare occurrence that beside her.. he slept, and he slept a lot better than he ever had, even before the whole was ruined and they'd ended up in their odd state of bliss, or he'd call it that, so long as she was involved. he was still, his breathing heavy, eyes shut and dreaming, the type to sleep with his hands behind his head.

momentarily distracted by the hair that's beginning to creep around the frame of his face, aiyla's fingers practically itch to brush them back. his words break her from the thought ⸺ though she makes a mental note to search for a pair of scissors and sit him down for a proper cut in the coming days.

"we were talking about building a few new raised beds near the house before they showed up, and now we'll really need them if we're taking on two more mouths. maybe you can show him where we found the spare lumber in the morning and i can spend the day instructing him on what to do. you'll know right where to find me and i'll be in your sight from most places on the farm." perhaps it was a bit cruel, giving the man two laborious jobs back to back, but if the two of them wanted to stay with aiyla and cade, it would be long, strenuous days until things were properly set up. leaning into the brush of his fingers and blushing slightly, aiyla releases a soft hum of agreement. "me and you."

that remaining daylight hours pass quickly ⸺ and after sending rhea off with some food for the evening, it's blissfully quiet once more. aiyla contemplates arguing with cade, but knows its an argument she won't win. brushing down a wild tuft of hair as she passes, the woman slips into the bed with a sigh. "m'kay. just wake me when it's my turn, alright? we both have to be awake enough to deal with them if things take a turn," not that she expects it to, but aiyla hopes it will prompt cade to at least wake her halfway through the night, rather than taking the full shift.

padding into the barn, brows raise at the transformation that's taken place. rhea had poked her head in shortly after their arrival during her tour with aiyla and assumed they'd continue to rough it until they were invited into the farmhouse, but somehow elias had gone and transformed the space. flashing him a smile before dark hues continue to drink in the strung lights and bed.

snorting at the mention of the smell, her attention returns to him. "yes because i smell like a sweet peach." her day might have been far easier than his, but the luxury of a proper scrub down had been sporadic during their travels. everything about what they'd grown familiar with, however, had the promise of changing now that they'd found this place. "aiyla mentioned she'd get us some towels and a bar of soap from the house in the morning. apparently there's a well nearby and we're welcome to wash up but need to dump the water away from where they're growing crops." it wouldn't be the hot shower she craved, but it would be nice to be clean again.

"oh you didn't manage that today on top of everything else?" she teases, "i was planning it right over the barn door so everyone sees it as they enter." padding across the space, she offers out the pack she'd been handed before saying her goodnights to cade and aiyla. "they sent along something to eat and refilled our bottles.... and you aren't in this alone, you know? we have a chance of some normalcy here, so we'll work together to make this work. and if it doesn't... well. as long as you're with me, i'll have a home."

[elpida]

"You know who I am, don't you?" (aiyla & cade)

"yeah, a woman." he grunted, his eyes looking her up and down quickly, as though she were just any old stranger he'd have passed in the streets. this wasn't cade, cade never looked at her like that, he looked at everyone else like that, he raised his eyebrows judgementally at everyone else, but now it was at her and he wasn't exactly speaking, wasn't a good sign for him.

he still looked beat, his face bruised, his upper cheek bone to the left was almost purple, a scratch across his jaw. he didn't look himself when he was different shades of purple and yellow, he'd taken a hell of a beating. "i help you with somethin' miss?" he didn't even know the depth of his question... cade was rude to everyone, she was his exception and even though he looked at her with no memory, he was polite.

[isolatednights]

"When did you get this?" - elias&rhea

it's the early morning sun that wakes her up - creeping through the barn boards. they ought to get up, prepare for a day of helping aiyla and cade - proving they're worthy of sticking around. yet she can't help but nuzzle into the warmth at her side - too comfortable to want to move just yet.

she's entirely unaware of their proximity until he shifts and fingers slide across his side. it's enough for doe-eyes to blink open and brows to furrow. sometime in the middle of the night, they'd curled together - though whether it was for warmth or comfort was debatable. fingers glide over the mark again, curious what the mark is from - and it's only when she feels elias stir once more that her head tilts to look at him.

"when did you get this?" it's quiet - a mere whisper. probably not a proper morning greeting, but they always have been a little... unconventional together.

[elpida]

⚡️ + cade, if you and aiyla were still alone and she fell ill, what would you do?

"i'd be by her side." he answered it without any hesitation. "i started this journey with aiyla, i'd end it with her and if she was sick then i'm sick too. if i'm honest i don't want to keep on going if she isn't here.." it was a morbid thought when it came down to it, that he'd rather have his last days with her than go on without. "i know how that sounds but.. it's the truth and i wish she realized how much she means to me, thing is i wouldn't want to do this with anyone else." he paused, fingers knotting together the more he thought about it. "i'd do anything for her."

[elpida]

🎁 ( would me asking for each of our ships be too much? 🤭 if so - gimme whoever you want! )

omg this is going under a read more!

eden&asher -

i've touched on this one already, but she'd get him dog tags, she'd sit each time he goes out and do her best job of using what she has to hand to carve a message into the metal. one side would be her old address, the bakery, the precise address and the other side would read home. why? because she'd give him them and tell him that if they were ever separated, for any reason he lost her and couldn't find her, that is where she'd go and she'd wait for him there, however long it'd take.

eris&silas -

okay so eris is totally getting silas a knife but hear me on this, she wouldn't get him any old knife, she'd find a blade that is nice and little and she'd fix it up, sharpen, and shine, then she'd find something like a reclaimed piece of wood or antler and she'd carve it to fit to his palm nicely, definitely a flip blade so he can keep it even if they were to find somewhere, protection even around normal and sane people, a way of protecting him without doing it herself.

cade&aiyla -

cade i think is more what he'd do, like when that farm is running how they want it, he wouldn't get her something specific, but she would wake up to this stupid christmas breakfast and he'd feel like an idiot but he'd bring it in to her and hand it to her like it's the most normal thing, breakfast in bed, the little luxuries, but it's very clear he really tried that day, you know?

elias&rhea -

no, no you don't understand how fast i knew what he'dget her. this man is finding some discarded wood on the farm and he is making her that cheesy home sign they talked about, live laugh love, kennefick family bedroom, hawaii is a dream away, he'd go all out for it and he'd hang it up in their room, make it as strikingly obvious at he could. he'd sit there like what do you mean you don't love it?! worked SO HARD on that

sage&benji -

sage is going to go out on a little mission to find the oldest bookshop to can and find benji a rare copy of one of her favourite reads, alice in wonderland. why? because whilst rare and old books don't mean value anymore, she knows he'll appreciate the artwork and craftmanship of it just as much as she would, and she gets him her favourite so they can talk about it together.

eris&kastor -

no hear mmeeee, she isn't going to intentionally know that it's christmas day, let it just be ironic she gives him this on christmas day, but hear me out, she'd give him some demonic looking little pendant thing, tells him to keep it on him and that it's so if he needs her and she isn't around, if she's busy, he just has to hold it and call her name and she will show up, like a direct pull to take her to him instantly without having to summon her and i think it'd be the first piece of power she gives him, which would only extend and grow from that, she'd show him how to use that to channel power ect.

[isolatednights]

there has been a guarded rigidity in her frame since she'd first been caught and dragged back here that eases at the woman's clarification. for some reason, it adds a level of trust toward these two strangers. "yeah, our guard dogs are bound to be a bit rabid when they figure out what happened," the man pipes up with a weak chuckle. once, the man knew eris would've left him behind, before they'd grown on one another and these unexpressed feelings had begun to bloom, but now? he had no doubt asher and eris would be tearing the world apart to ensure the pair of them were safe.

"whatever we decide to do, everyone will still be useful, we just have to use our strengths and we'll figure it out," aiyla murmurs, gaze trying to seek the pair out in the darkened room. "besides, from what i witnessed, you two look way worse off than i currently do, so it only makes sense that i'm at the head of whatever we try, right?" shuffling around, the woman rose her hands. "can either of you untie me? they weren't exactly loose with the bindings." silas is moving before the sentence can finish, pushing himself from the wall he leans against to sit beside aiyla to begin pulling at the rope.

"wouldn't make much sense to leave us here. why go through all the trouble of bringing aiyla back here?" silas asks. "i agree, they've got to want something from us." aiyla agrees with a sigh. "i imagine our groups both have something they want. for all we know it could be them. cade and your two. we're just the bargaining chips to get them to cooperate." it made some sense, once she thought about it ⸻ padding your group with strong individuals and using weaknesses to ensure cooperation.

"eris always mentioned trying to use whatever you can as a weapon. with the kids gone, we have a bit more flexibility. might be worth seeing if theres anything in here we can use?" the man eventually suggests.

"yeah. they're mine. mine and their dad, he's out there right now." there was an edge to how eden said that, a proudness to those two kids, a love that engulfed her because it was always what she'd wanted, a little family, one to call her own. "that's fine, what was it, cade? we have two that will be... well, they have that same kind of anger in them, right si? i know asher.. he won't back down. he wouldn't leave me behind.." not even when she was sick, he'd sooner carry the weight of her with him, than leave her when it go tough. that's how she knew he'd not just go, even with the risk he'd try.

eden didn't want to admit it, that she was trying to pour into some sort of hope to hide her own fear, she had the addition of feeling like a burden, she wanted to be just as useful and then silas just, went and said it. he might not have seen it but her tone gave it away, the alarm in her eyes. "no- no, i can do it, i can be useful too, i can fight or... i can do something." it wasn't that she couldn't, she'd done so before.. she'd done her best time and time again, but with the lack of food they'd had, and water and.. she'd barely slept. she'd been so worried over the children, about all of it. she wasn't good, maybe silas just knew her well enough to be able to hear it in her voice. "i can't let you both just take all the risk on your shoulders.." she murmured.

she heard footsteps, her arms shifting to squeeze around her legs, her body stiff, her breath held. each time she heard steps walk by this room she was seizing up, her pulse throbbing in her ears. only when she felt a familiar flutter in her chest did it startle her to take a deep breath. she wondered, was the fear so intense now because she had so much to lose? she'd never have been like this, she'd faced a lot of things in her life... but back then she hadn't had two kids to lose, she hadn't had someone like asher waiting for her to be there. she felt needed, appreciated, loved... and she didn't want to leave all of it behind. she wasn't ready to let it go.

"what if they don't open the door and just... just leave us here?"

[elpida]

cade's hair had reached the point where it was starting to flick and curl, little tufts peppering across his forward and the way he always pushed it back was effortless. "it's a good plan, try n' scope him out a bit? see if his story lines up but, you just... be careful with him alone yeah? i'm never far i just.." a slow breath, a heavy exhale.. thoughts heavy on his mind. "you come irst to me so, don't like the idea of you goin' far with a still stranger or anythin' happening to you. just don't go far with him but if anything, even if you just suspect, shout. you know i'll come runnin'." he reached forward, dared to be a bit soft.. maybe there presence had him feeling that bit more protective but he reached to tuck a fallen strand of hair back behind her ear. "aiyla you are my number one, ride or die me n' you right? that don't change."

elias battled on through the day, he got the jobs done, cade showed him where he and rhea could set up for the night. after that he went through their packs, pulling out the bedding and trying to make up a safe and comfortable corner for rhea to sleep, he'd be fine taking first watch. unbeknownst to him that was also what Cade had done, moved a chair to the window where he could overlook the barn, just incase. "you sleep first, no arguments."

"there's my lovely wife." elias was smirking, being a big idiot as ever when rhea came in. he'd set up the bed, strung up to solar powered lanterns so it felt a little more homely than desolate and sure, it wasn't ideal but it was a roof, it was safe and secure and he'd done his best to clean their section. "now i know this isn't the ritz, but maybe when they trust us a bit more- as for the smell well, awfully sorry, been lugging around logs." he smiled, stupid and goofy and if she ever realised, it was in admiration of her, always smiling at the brightest thing he had in his life now. "i'll work on the live laugh love sign." he joked, taking a seat beside the makeshift bed of sleeping bags and piled blankets, one spread and neatly arranged underneath them rather than cold hard dirt. farm life suited him. "i'm gonna do my best, you know to make this work? i want this to work for us, i want you to have somewhere to call home rhea." he just... he hoped it was with him.

rhea tried not to appear surprised when elias slipped his hand into her own once she was close enough. she might have been the one to suggest the game of pretending, but it didn't leave her any less surprised all the same. the woman always had known she'd enjoyed elias' company - it was why they'd stuck together for so long, but there had always been something else festering beneath the surface. some unspoken feeling of want - and now that she was expected to exchange these casual touches or glances of affection with the man, rhea wasn't entirely certain she'd ever be able to stop.

the look she offers him as they part for the day is weighted - and one she tries not to think about ; instead focusing on what aiyla tells her. from the few glances she manages of elias, her day is by far less labor intensive. the tour is relatively brief but peppered with information on what the couple plans to change or fix. it's ambitious, but rhea is certain the extra hands will do some good and tries to boast about either her own or elias' skillset when she can. after the tour, items are removed from a clothes line and then the two women spend most of it working at the gardens, retreating inside for a drink and something to eat. glancing up at the sound of the screen door, lips quirk at the sound of cade's questions. "the yapping grows on you, as you can see," she jokes, flashing her left ring finger briefly. "got a tour and rundown of current or upcoming projects. threw some ideas around which i'm sure you two can talk about."

"you ought to bring elias some water and some of the leftovers to eat," sending a smile in rhea's direction, she rises from her seat at the table and follows behind cade. "figured as much," aiyla murmurs, falling silent as elias approaches with an armful of logs and offers them both a smile. despite the smile and wave she offers in return, blues eyes scan over him skeptically as he turns to continue the task he's been assigned. "rhea was pretty forthcoming on how they found one another, where they've been and what they've done since the beginning. if he actually talks as much as you say, i could always drag him along with me for chores in the morning. see if everything lines up?" chuckling at his statement, her attention flickers toward the long stack of wood that now takes up a portion of the porch. "i wasn't looking forward to helping you either so, win win i suppose."

[elpida]

even a little water was more than enough to be grateful for but food too? well, he was excited about the prospects here, more excited to be able to get rhea a nights sleep under a shelter, he wanted her to feel safe and he'd go to great lengths for that. he found her friendly too, more than the man that'd barked a threat... and honestly elias couldn't blame them, had he and rhea found a good thing he'd have done the same. when rhea got closer he instinctually reached and took her hand, feeling the cool metal of his ring on her finger. he had to play a doting husband after all, only there was little acting involved.

there was a look he gave her, before he released her hand so she could go with their new found, hopeful friend, aiyla. somewhere he did hope that thhey'd all become close friends, another part of him wanted to keep rhea firmly at his side but eli wanted to prove he was capable of being useful here, and hopefully his determination would soften up the grumpy one. cade. she'd said his name was cade.

as the day progressed cade got eli to work, had him moving fire log after fire log so they were more close to hand, stacked at the front of the house. a tedious task and damn hard work so, for the most part, he appreciated for elias was simply cracking on with it and getting it done, sleeves rolled up. what he didn't do was talk, he wasn't talkative but that man sure as hell kept talking at him. yap yap yap. part of him appreciated the noise, another part of him craved the silence and birds chirping he'd become used to.

"thought i'd leave him for a bit, god rhea how'd you put up with all the yappin' that fella does?" he half grumbled, reaching for a pitcher or instant coffee which at this point, he was still thankful they had. "how you findin' it, aiyla showed you around?" he questioned, but after his small talk he gestured for aiyla to follow him to the porch. eli was walking off to get the next armful of fire logs. "we're gonna have to watch 'em tonight, you know that, right darlin'?" he asked, sipping the coffee he'd poured and eli was quick to come back, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, dirt from the wood smudges on his shirt but he kept going only, he flashed this big goofy smile their way. the most approval he'd got from cade yet was the thumbs up he gave when he neatly piled the next lot of logs up. "....i was really dreading moving those." he finally flashed aiyla a lopsided smirk.

rhea knew it had been her suggestion to go with the lie of being married, yet something about hearing elias refer to her as his wife - insisting she be safe made her want to squirm in pleasure. instead, dark hues flickered to meet the blue of the other woman - a look of understanding exchanged between them. as if both were familiar with posturing, over protective men.

glancing back at cade, aiyla's head dipped into a small nod. until these two proved themselves trustworthy, she would agree to them staying away from the house. it had become a little safe haven for the pair of them, and well it would be nice to have extra sets of hands to help make it into something more permanent, aiyla also wasn't entirely eager to pop the little bubble that had formed around them. "we'll give you some water and food as well. it's not much, but it'll fill you up." a rarity these days. a kindness not often offered by strangers, but aiyla hoped that would be enough to keep the other two from doing anything horribly rash.

"eli!" rhea hissed at the sarcasm, eyes narrowing to shoot him a look of warning before flickering back toward the other man and woman. "thank you - for the offer of the barn, food and water. we're willing to put in the work and learn whatever we don't already know." walking up to join elias - fingers squeeze at his arm, a gentle reassurance - ready to separate from him, at least for a brief period, only to pause at cade's warning. it ought to terrify her - ought to make her worry that one wrong move will place her and elias into a world of trouble - but instead, she can't help but softly chuckle. "we don't mean any harm to you or your wife," she agreed with elias. "just want somewhere safe like everyone else."

aiyla is aware how important they've become to one another - yet cade's warning causes her attention to move from the couple before them to look at him. it seems... extreme for just friends, and the others woman mistaking their relationship because of it just causes her to flush. "i'll be just within yelling distance and i'll keep my knife on me," she assures softly, offering him a small smile before stepping away from his side to properly introduce them to the others. "i'm aiyla, this is cade. rhea right? i've got some sheets hanging outback on a line to dry. should keep you both warm enough tonight. c'mon. i'll show you around while these to finish up, ya?"

[elpida]

"we picked a farm, it seemed liek a smart idea. farm or island but an island well, we weren't exactly spoiled for choice and this was the closest farm before nightfall so.. we just picked this one, i won't lie to you ma'am we didn't have much more of a plan after that, it was just come up with something and go from there and here we are." lying was going to get him nowhere, he knew that. either way he was making sure that rhea was a safe few feet back, this one hand hovering at his side as if to keep her there, where he knew she was safe. "i'd just like to be able to keep my wife safe from travelling in the dark hours."

"if? there isn't a chance in hell that they're gettin' near the house." see had anyone else brought it up, had any other person questioned him on letting them stay.. he'd have given a very firm and final answer but because he was aiyla he was pliable, he'd crumble for her so easily. if only she knew how easily.

with a slow exhale he turned his head to speak up. "what are you good at, what're your skills? you can lift, carry weight?" he had half a grumble in his voice when he asked. "you know anythin' bout farming? about repairing any of this? 'coz if you can be sueful then.." he flashed aiyla a look, he wasn't sure... but if they were in the barn away from them? they could take turns the first few nights, watching, waiting for some sort of overthrow, whether they'd stay there. "then you can stay in the barn, not in the house or anythin' but the barn is a roof.. it's clear, you can help me finish clearin' it out since there's an hour or so left of sunlight."

elias couldn't have been quicker to roll his sleeves up and open the gate. he was more than ready to put the work in. "point me in the direction, i'm happy to work." he did flash a smile to aiyla too. "rhea knows all about raspberries if that's a possibility for the farm!" sarcastic as ever.

with that cade held a hand up to pause them before they got too close. "i'll say this once and once only, for the sake of sayin' it. you hurt her, you cause any trouble, i'll break all of your limbs n' string you up for passerby's to see, makin' myself clear?"

elias wanted to retaliate, he really did... but he also knew that it was for now, better to keep the peace and not be turned away and cast out into the dark. "there wont be any trouble, not for either of you."

lips press together as he speaks - earlier teasing demeanor replaced by one of concern - entirely unconvinced that this is a good idea. it might appear to be one woman, but rhea has learned that looks can be deceiving these days and she refuses to trust anything at face value. wandering about once the sun sets however, isn't really an option, so almost reluctantly, she sighs. "i don't like it." any further protest is halted by the kiss pressed to the top of her head - doe eyes blinking after him in surprise. they've been affectionate, certainly but that was... different.

it isn't that she's unaware of her surroundings - her head remains on a swivel despite having settled into the farm some weeks earlier - but the glances she tosses up are sporadic. the dead are slow and they haven't seen another living soul since they'd claimed the farm as their own... so perhaps she's grown a bit complacent. thoroughly distracted by the raised garden bed they'd installed, aiyla nearly startles out of her skin at the abrupt greeting. taking half a step back from the garden, blue hues assess the man critically before flickering behind him to the woman whose several paces back. it isn't a decision she'll make alone, and while part of her wants to call for cade, aiyla doesn't want to place him into any unnecessary danger either. "how'd you stumble on our home?" it's the only thing she cares about.

rhea isn't surprised to see someone else appear given how unlikely it is the other woman is alone - but its the sheer speed of his approach - the way his face seems to soften for her before immediately telling them off. swallowing a lump in her throat, she steps forward to hover just behind elias ( fingers reaching blindly to clasp around the material of his sleeve once more ). "we've just been looking for a place to settle - just like everyone else these days. it's just us - elias is right. we're just looking for somewhere to stay for the night."

unconsciously, aiyla finds herself leaning back into cade's touch - grounding herself and attempting to shake some of the nerves that have appeared with the appearance of two strangers. "i'm fine - they haven't stepped beyond the gate since they showed up," she assured quietly. "we can't just turn them away, cade. they aren't wrong. it'll be dark well before they hit another farm - assuming they manage to keep the right direction. we could let them stay in the barn for the night if you don't want them in the house."

[elpida]

everything looked a shorter distance on a map, he thought they'd be here sooner, time to change plan if they needed but they were running out of time. it'd be dark soon, dark and fucking cold and he didn't want to sit there and watch her shivering thanks to his mishap. he should have picked a different farm, a different place. "rhea.." he used a calmer tone. "listen, listen to me. it'll be fine." he reassured. "it's not a group, see? one woman, i doubt she'd look at us and think oh yeah, let me fight them so how about this. yous tay back a bit, i go forward, i talk. we need somewhere to rest, we need a good nights sleep, something. maybe she needs help with the land, that's something we can offer in exchange." elias had to think with a clear head. "it's worth us trying. not everyone is bad, she might be just like us. we don't know that she didn't think exactly like us, a farm being a good idea."

with that elias turned to her and moved in quickly, just to press a quick kiss to the top of her head. he meant it to seem friendly, just a passing thing, decision made and he'd get the job done if it meant she'd be warm tonight but beneath that.. he wished he'd been brave enough to kiss her on the lips, properly. "i'm not putting you at risk travelling at night." he spoke before turning on his heels and walking right up to the front gate. "excuse me! ma'am? hi! hi, i don't mean you no harm." his hands were held up, his pack shoved to the ground already. "my name is elias, i was wondering if you might need anyone to help with the land or anything heavy needs moving, i'm good at fixing things, just me and my wife, we're looking for somewhere to lay our heads tonight and there isn't anywhere else for quite some miles.. everybody knows it isn't safe to travel at night."

cade heard an unfamiliar voice. he was out of the old barn and crossing the farm in a heartbeat. aiyla. if anything happened to her, if something bad happened. no, he couldn't bare the thought. he came rushing up behind her, his hand immediately going to rest on her back. "what's going on- the fuck is he? he hasn't hurt you no, you're okay?" he spoke lowly, his frown already settled, the judgement of the man at their gate and the woman off in the distance. all elias could do was curse under his breath. he could tell in an instant that whilst he might have managed to charm the woman, there was no charming cade. "tough." was all he stated, one word, firmly.

she can't help but laugh, knowing there is truth behind the words. "the cheesiest, i'm sure. that would've been cute though. RW + EK under where my band sat. maybe with the date. that way there would have been no mistaking that i was someones," twirling the ring that now sat on her left ring finger, rhea can't help the slight furrow of her brow, knowing this was just another thing that would have been lost with time.

"oh how the tables turn," she mused. "my apartment was colorful. plants, homemade quilts, art." now, she'd settle for somewhere that was at least safe. everything else would just be... extra.

"any animal will bite when cornered, sweetie." flashing him a grin, she skipped ahead a few steps from him, "only time will tell i suppose. though i like the thought of someone noticing that about it first. would make for a good story."

the rest of the walk to their chosen destination is spent exchanging quips, sidelong glances, and plenty of laughter. by the time the woods were clearing to give way to open fields, rhea was more than ready to bask in the open air and sunlight - but the sight of a figure near the house gave her pause. almost blindly, fingers reached out to snatch onto elias' sleeve - drawing them to a halt. it was difficult to tell at first, but the movements were clearly human - a woman, from the looks of it. "someone lives here," for some reason, that came as a surprise to rhea. when was the last time they'd seen anyone? glancing at elias, a brow rose. "maybe we ought to pick another farm nearby?" it was late afternoon, but the sun was bound to set within a handful hours, and traveling at night.... it just wasn't safe.