Lex slopped a good amount of thick stew onto his plate, hardly bothering to wait before digging in. Forest wasn't lying; the meat was still tough and hard on the jaw, but that didn't bother Lex all that much these days. Tough food was better than no food, and unlike most of the roadkill meat Mason and Wallis acquired for him, this was actually seasoned and full of flavor. It was better than anything Lex had had the privilege of eating in a long time, and he made an effort to savor every rough bite as he roused himself from his seat on the steps and followed Forest back into the house.<br/><br/>He gazed around passively as Forest led him through the various rooms, taking note not only of the size of the house but also just how well-maintained it was despite the state of the rest of the world. He imagined the farm boy spent every waking moment from dawn until dusk keeping the farm running and the house decent. It was a lot for one man. Forest would surely appreciate the help Mason offered, though Lex wasn't all too excited about the prospect of working himself to the bone all day. But maybe it would beat out wandering from abandoned town to abandoned town, and with a little security perhaps Mason would ease up a little bit.<br/><br/>He breathed a heavy sigh of relief to see there were enough bedrooms for all of the men to have their own space. Lex had stayed close to Mason and Wallis for a long time, not cut out for post-civilization Alabama on his own. They kept him safe, for a price, but now they had walls and doors and were miles away from any immediate threat. Maybe even that big beast roaming among the sheep would come in handy, though he didn't seem all that interested when the trio found their way onto Forest's land. Still, it was calm here, especially compared to what Lex was used to. The silence that had seemed to follow them as they wandered from city center to suburbs and beyond was an eerie, melancholy sort of nothing. A creeping sensation of emptiness hovered behind them at all times, tugging at the hairs on the back of Lex's neck and reminding him that the quiet was unnatural and something to be wary of. But here, in Forest's home, that lingering emptiness didn't seem so loud.<br/><br/>“What I would do for a pint of beer,” Lex whined, tossing a cheeky smile in Forest's direction. “You need an official brewmaster I certainly wouldn't mind applying for that position, mate,” he chuckled, his sweet English lilt present even in the chiming of his laughter. “Let me know when you're ready to get pissed and I'll be right beside you.”<br/><br/>Lex didn't know much about anything on the table beside the metal container. Gun paraphernalia was about all he could gather. Mason had made an active effort to keep Lex away from the firearms, even Wallis' useless one, though Lex still liked to joke the butt of the gun could still provide a good wallop against someone's skull if Wallis swung hard enough.<br/><br/>“You got a nice place here, Forest.” He smiled, chewing absentmindedly on his lower lip as peered around the basement. “You're quite generous, allowing us to shack up with you. I'm sure the boys will be nothing short of princes and behave. Admittedly I can't promise such things from myself. Bit of a rascal, you know. Unless you're fond of rascals? That could benefit both of us.” Lex was joking. Mostly. Forest was an oddity, handsome and curious, seemingly too much of a good ol' southern boy. Lex's curiosity about their new host was burgeoning, and he figured a little good natured poking never did anyone any harm.