《 Jeb, Josh, Kennedy 》<br/>Location: Road to Dryden<br/>With:<a class="username" data-user-id="6997" data-username="Traveler" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/6997/">Traveler</a><br/>(copied over from messages)<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/jeb-jpg.132992/" title="Jeb.jpg">
<img alt="Jeb.jpg" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/jeb-jpg.132992/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="600" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='544' height='600' viewBox%3D'0 0 544 600'%2F%3E" style="width: 160px" title="Jeb.jpg" width="544"/>
<noscript><img alt="Jeb.jpg" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="600" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/jeb-jpg.132992/" style="width: 160px" title="Jeb.jpg" width="544"/></noscript>
</div><div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/josh-jpg.132993/" title="Josh.JPG">
<img alt="Josh.JPG" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/josh-jpg.132993/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="600" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='450' height='600' viewBox%3D'0 0 450 600'%2F%3E" style="width: 131px" title="Josh.JPG" width="450"/>
<noscript><img alt="Josh.JPG" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="600" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/josh-jpg.132993/" style="width: 131px" title="Josh.JPG" width="450"/></noscript>
</div><div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/kenny-22-jpg.132994/" title="Kenny 22.jpg">
<img alt="Kenny 22.jpg" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/kenny-22-jpg.132994/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="427" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='320' height='427' viewBox%3D'0 0 320 427'%2F%3E" style="width: 129px" title="Kenny 22.jpg" width="320"/>
<noscript><img alt="Kenny 22.jpg" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="427" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/kenny-22-jpg.132994/" style="width: 129px" title="Kenny 22.jpg" width="320"/></noscript>
</div></div><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>"Rookie, right. Seems like he's a local celebrity!" Kennedy smiled. For all of Jeb's apparent gruffness, it seemed like the brothers were close despite their different personalities.<br/><br/>He couldn't help but grin when Josh clandestinely slid back to him to continue their conversation. Dogs. He wanted to know about dogs and cats. It was incredibly endearing to have someone taking an interest in getting to know him over the simple things in life.<br/><br/>"I like both, actually," Kennedy replied with the same quiet tone. "Dogs a really friendly and fun, but cats, cats can be really cozy and warm, like an awesome sweater. Do you like sweaters? It seems people either love or hate them. I'm a fan," he asked hoping the conversation continued forward.<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>"Huh, I hadn't thought of it like that," Josh admitted. "I always thought it was more a matter of fetching or snuggling." He continued to walk with Kennedy as Jeb pulled ahead, his long legs giving him an advantage.<br/><br/>"So both. But only when it comes to cats and dogs, huh?" He shot Kennedy a sheepish grin. It was rare that they got to talk to new people, and Kennedy was certainly new and a person. "So what did you do before the dead started eating us?" he asked. "Were you some kind of teacher or something? You got that teacher vibe."<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>The young man was full of questions and Kennedy was amused that he hadn't answered the one he'd posed about sweaters. Such a good soul, it just radiated off him. Kennedy smiled then leaned closer with a dramatic air of secrecy. "Not just cats and dogs...I go both ways with Pepsi and Coke, too. I know, it's scandalous."<br/><br/>He moved back with wide eyes and then brought a finger up to tap on his chin as he thought of how best to answer the next question. "I suppose you could say I was in politics? Kind of? A bit? More like I advocated for marginalized groups that were getting the short end of the stick be it because of race, orientation, disability, things like that. So I did speaking engagements, university lectures, and a good number of protests. I suppose you could say I was a professional thorn in the side of greedy oppressive cunts." he chuckled.<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>The Pepsi and Coke comment had drawn a sudden, quickly quaffed, laugh from Josh. He was enjoying this Kennedy fellow. He seemed more like a sitcom character than a real person, and he wasn't hard on the eyes. It was altogether pleasant to talk about something other than crops, hunting, and whether or not they had enough wood split for the winter.<br/><br/>"So...marginalized. Like whether or not people like sweaters?" he teased. Then he waved a hand. "No, no, I get it. You were one of those activists type, the kind that's tying themselves to trees and shit." He had a wide grin on his face as he looked at the man.<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>"Well, not really. I mean people who don't like sweaters are really just kind of weird." he kept his laugh subdued to a chuckle.<br/><br/>He took a quick moment to look around like he'd just remembered that they should be doing that, but soon he was talking again.<br/><br/>"I can't say I've ever tied myself to a tree but.....there was this courthouse in Savannah, Georgia...It was a whole labor discrimination Chic-fil-A thing." he grimaced, "A terrifying two nights in jail which I later felt bad about because honestly, the Savannah police were really fucking nice. I really had to get over my judgmental self."<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>"Oh, well I don't want to be weird, so I guess I like sweaters too," Josh said. In truth, he didn't know. If it didn't come in camouflage and was handed down by Jeb, Josh didn't wear it. It was the curse of the second-born son when their parents were not wealthy. Hand-me-downs and second-hand toys were his life.<br/><br/>"So you're saying you've grown since then?" He grinned at Josh. "You know they don't discriminate in hiring, don't you? I mean, they gave water bottles to people who were protesting them." He shrugged. "Not agreeing with something doesn't always mean you hate those who do those things."<br/><br/>He wondered if he was treading in dangerous waters and changed the subject. "Do you have brothers or sisters?" he asked, figuring that siblings were a safe topic. "I bet you weren't the kind of brother who gave ear loogies or pulled anyone's whities up their cracks."<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>Josh had some unexpected mad skills with philosophical thinking. "I was young and full of fire, everything to prove. We've fixed that since then. Every time I went to jail after that was legitimate...not like hard crime legitimate just protest legitimate." he amended quickly.<br/><br/>"Loogies and wedgies!? Josh, what kind of a savage do you think I am?" he snorted in an attempt to keep from full-on laughing. "Ph, I totally indulged in the suck-up spit thing with my older brother. He was a whiny little douchebag who tattled on everything, so I figured if I was going to do the time, I was going to enjoy the crime. Sometimes I just couldn't suck that spit up fast enough," he chuckled impishly.<br/><br/>"Was no surprise at all that he went on to become an equally whiney attorney. I have a sister who was just barely a year younger than me and I never trolled her until high school when she got into this 'Mean Girl' phase and started treating everyone like crap and posting all these 'glamour shots' of herself to all her profiles. So whenever she'd be a bitch to me, my friends, or my little sibs, I'd stalk her profiles and whenever one of these dumb pictures got posted, I'd raid her closet, find the exact outfit, wear it, selfie, and reply post with some obnoxious comment.  It wasn't long until she was mortified enough to break free from the spell. Annnd, she went on to become an attorney, too. There are a lot of attorneys in my family. Other than that I have two other younger sibs. A brother and sister. There's a fair gap between us from when my mother slowed down the Irish Catholic baby machine and ran for public office. I never terrorized them because I was pretty old by then and heading overseas to college."<br/><br/>The was a slight pause then he added, "Oh! They didn't become attorneys. My little sister joined the Chicago PD and my little brother went to Seminary. All around, a very good Irish Catholic family."<br/><br/>"So how many Wilson siblings are there? Is it just you and Jeb? Have you always lived up here?"<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>"Wait, you have..." he counted on his fingers. "Five of you? Five? And they're all attorneys and cops and a priest?" He blew a breath through his lips. "Damn, Kennedy. That's a lot to live up to," he realized.<br/><br/>"It's just me and Jeb from our parents, though they have some from others, but they don't really count. We grew up with our Gramps and he knew Mr. Miles." He shrugged. "Dad was a long-haul trucker and mom didn't see a point in keeping her legs together for someone who was never there, so she had another three with some randos. I think she was pregnant the last time we saw her, but that was a while ago."<br/><br/>He walked a moment in silence, thinking about the alignment of it all. "That means you and me are the second-born sons," he realized with a grin. "We're kind of alike in that way. I ain't never protested, though. Didn't see the point in it. It's all a big sham, anyways. Two sides pretending to fight each other and keeping us guessing, when in reality they're just big banks using people like commodities."<br/><br/>Josh shrugged. "Guess it don't matter now. No one's buying Gucci or caring who voted blue or red. We're all just people now. Maybe that's why this happened to everyone...to make us remember what's really important in life."<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>And there went Josh with all the unexpected wisdom again. But was it really unexpected? Kennedy had opened his eyes to a lot of the stereotypes that plagued his youth and he'd found that wisdom could be found in many many places.<br/><br/>"You, friend, are incredibly philosophical, aren't you." He wasn't asking, he observing and telling Josh what he saw. "I wish I could bottle up all the sweetness and sensibility and drink it down. So refreshing."<br/><br/>That really sounded like a flirt, but oh well, it was a harmless flirt, just an expression of appreciation for the joy Josh brought.<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>Josh held his smile but his eyes half-squinted as if trying to decide if his companion was serious or teasing him. "Philosophical? As in smart?" He chuckled. "You, friend, are blowing my mind."<br/><br/>Though his follow-up comment made it seem as if there were other things he might want to...ahem.<br/><br/>"So how does one make a living being an advocate? It don't sound like the people you fought for had much cash, and if you don't take offense, even covered in End Times Grime you look pretty spiffy for someone who got locked up for waving signs."<br/><br/>He glanced up the road where his brother walked. Jeb seemed fine, the roads were quiet, and if it wasn't for the occasional waft of decay in the air, it would feel like a normal day three years ago.<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>"Yes, friend," he chuckled, seeing his comment was being scrutinized for its validity. "Smart. You have insights that aren't common. You know that saying that common sense isn't so common?"<br/><br/>And then it was his turn to squint. Spiffy, what did Josh mean by that? In this context it sounded perhaps that it could be a dig at the affluence he enjoyed growing up and throughout his life.<br/><br/>"They weren't of means, but I was paid by the advocacy groups, universities, districts, and such. Like Habitat for Humanity, have you heard of them? They have several branches that do community outreach, building and fixing homes in impoverished areas around the country. I worked with them a lot, and spiffy as I am, I was boots on the ground building and hauling debris."<br/><br/><u>Josh and Jeb</u><br/>"Really?" That brought Josh fully to attention. H for H, huh? You were part of that? You know, Carter was in our town once for one of those things. I was pretty impressed. For an old feller, he was pulling his weight even when the cameras were off."<br/><br/>The walked a bit more, Jeb ahead of them took out a recently passed man who looked too intact to be from anywhere other than Abendblume. The growler was snagged on a barb-wire fence and standing in place, gurgling its discontent.<br/><br/>Jeb waited for the two to catch up. "That one had a broken neck," he pointed out. "Probably took a wrong turn last night." He glanced over the two of them, deciding they were doing just fine. "You two have fun cackling? We're almost to the edge of Dryden," he said. "Might want to keep your voices down."<br/><br/>Josh nodded as his brother took off again at a brisk pace. He put a hand on Kennedy's chest, taking hold of his shirt to keep him from following too closely, then patted him when it was time for them to follow. "So boots on the ground, that mean you up for joining us on a harvest? Deer will be moving through the valley soon," he said. "Good time to get blooded."<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>"Carter is a really decent man. I never got to work for him, but I got to meet him briefly, along with a whole team of other people so it wasn't like a direct meeting, but he was very genuine and kind."<br/><br/>Kennedy's little bubble of socializing burst when they came across the necro. His expression immediately fell.<br/><br/>"That was Mr. Reed. He had a heart condition, so he worked mostly with tracking inventory at Abendblume." Kennedy didn't doubt for a moment that he'd suffered an attack after all the stress of the eviction.<br/><br/>Once they were about to move again, he began to quietly step off until he was drawn back by Josh. The light-handed surprise brought him back to himself and for a moment he furrowed his brows at the other.<br/><br/>"Blooded?" Then his mind connected the dots and clicked in. "Is that some kind of hunting thing?" his brows then raised, clearly not in the know. "Like a secret hunter ritual of manliness and first kill rite of passage?" The thought was intriguing and even a little bit exciting. "Am I not too spiffy for that kind of thing? Would I really be allowed?"<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>It had been oddly touching that Kennedy knew the man and of his ailments, and it made the dead more human to Josh. Aside from those in the Network, he knew no one. Not any longer, at least. Most of his closest connections beforehand had been people he'd seen on a screen. And then "seen" was only figuratively for many of them.<br/><br/>"So yeah, like a right of passage. I mean, unless you've hunted before," he reached out and took Kennedy's nearest hand in his to turn it over, palms up, and draw the fingers of his other hand across the skin.<br/><br/>"Nope," he said, "I don't see a hunting line on your palm. You're not a vegan, so you must be someone who gets his meat given to him," he assessed, allowing Kennedy's hand to fall once more. "And I don't think anyone is too spiffy to hunt. Not if they're hungry enough."<br/><br/>He walked a few steps before tilting his chin towards Kennedy. "You hungry enough to take another life to feed yours?"<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>Kennedy smirked with a sudden chuckle. "What is this, some kind of mystic palm reading?" But his words drifted quietly off as the younger man's fingers crossed softly across his palm.<br/><br/><i>Oh my...In any other place and time, this would be a total come on...</i>He blinked quickly, re-centering his thoughts.<br/><br/>"What exactly is a hunting line? I mean, well, I've got some experience with handguns. Sister cop. You know. But is there some kind of..." He brought his palm up to scrutinize it. "...mark...or something...that shows you're a hunter?"<br/><br/>Was there some kind of fascinating underground hunter fight club culture? He suddenly felt a bit diminished. His meat had always been given to him, even at Abendblume, two years after grocery stores ceased to exist. There was something very pathetic about that and it felt like it surrounded him like an ick. Sure, he had people skills, and community-building skills, but...but his privilege ran deep, even beyond the end of privileged society. It was...disturbing.<br/><br/>When he looked up again, Josh was a few paces ahead. Kennedy looked at him with a lost expression on his face.<br/><br/>"I...I would like to learn to hunt then..."<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>Josh's face broke into a broad grin. "Figured as much," he said. "And Jeb n'I'll teach you, once you settle in and figure out where you want to be in Dryden." He would have invited Josh to bunk with them, but Jeb was something of a loner.<br/><br/>"I think you'll fit in well." He narrowed his eyes in a squinty-I'm-thinking kind of way. "It's just..." he seemed like he wasn't sure if he should say it. Looking away, he scanned the horizons before continuing. "It's just, it's odd, y'know? You seem like the kind of guy who would have someone joined at the hip."<br/><br/>He blinked a little quickly, then finished his thought. "You didn't just lose your someone special like Miles did, did you?"<br/><br/><u>Kennedy</u><br/>"Wait..." he didn't really stop or want Josh to stop. It was all a figure of speech. "You live in Dryden? I'm going to live in Dryden? I thought I was trading chicks for seed...."<br/><br/>Oh, the anxiety ran hot thinking he may have misunderstood everything.<br/><br/>"Wait, what?" It was his turn to have squinty eyes of concentration.  "I...no...I didn't just lose anyone like that..." He silently chastised himself for soft coating the pronouns. "I didn't have a boyfriend or husband when I went to Abendblume for a vacation." It was a little spooky that Josh could suss so much out about him.<br/><br/><u>Josh</u><br/>"Well, I suppose Dryden. I mean, unless you want to live with Miles," he chuckled, "or try to make it on your own." Casting a glance at Kennedy he suspected that the guy would prefer the company of people. "Besides, it's still spring, but Winter's fast approaching. You need time to get ready for it all, and those chickens will help balance out whatever resources you drain."<br/><br/>Josh shrugged. "Not like you're a commodity or nothin', not like that, but people gotta eat."<br/><br/>When Kennedy clarified his single status it brought a soft smile of understanding to Josh's lips. "So single before this hit and no Armageddon hookups since?" His smile turned a little sheepish. "I mean, not to stereotype you or anything, but I always heard that fa - ah.. gays were all sluts. You don't seem like a slut to me. So I just figured..." he shrugged. "You had someone pretty serious."<br/><br/>He let it lay at that. "But yeah. Jeb n'I live pretty close to Dryden. We'll take you out for a little hunting coming-of-age ritual if'n you're up for it. It'll be fun. Kind of like a coming out party," he said, his grin widening across his face.