somewhere in the south ( trevor, shade, fye)

He really should find a better job. Maybe if he did he wouldn’t be sitting in a practically collapsing building trying to tie a semi-clean rag around his bleeding arm. The gang member who had paid him a measly 5 credits had had his arm nearly cut off. Trevor uttered a muffled grunt of pain into the cloth between his teeth, tightening the knot with a final tug.

He examined his handiwork, it would probably still bleed for a while but his arm would be out of commission for only a few days. Rolling his sleeve back down over the arm, he pushed himself off the dirt covered floor and patted his clothes in a futile attempt to completely remove the layer of dirt that usually accompanied the inhabitants of the dirt broke. He winced with the movement and started to walk out from the building. Jeez, he’d go after bounties for money but his strength was only slightly above average at best and he knew his harbinger power was completely useless in a fight. He wandered aimlessly a bit, the south district was huge and he never felt comfortable staying in one place too long.

He heard something, not exactly sure if the sound was a voice or some movement but his hand went instinctively to the switchblade in his pocket, he called out a cautious “Hey.”

Trevor himself almost tripped over himself stepping backwards on reflex as a person suddenly appeared to fly out from behind the corner and crash into him. A look of shock was quickly replaced by a frown. Glare aimed down at the strange girl “What are you in such a hurry for?” Wearing a heavy black hoodie and tinted glasses in the middle of summer was suspicious enough, and Trevor always chose the side of caution.
He tightened his grip on blade in his pocket, wishing he was not out an arm at this moment. Was she a harbinger too? It might explain the tinted glasses.

“H-hey I can defend myself just fine girl!” He replied rather dumbly in response to her unexpected reply. Like hell he was going to let some chick fight while he ran, even if she was a harbinger. He could hear voices not far off. Angry voices that sounded like a pack of angry dogs to Trevor.

“Agh, dammit…” With gritted teeth he grabbed the girl by the wrist and started running in the other direction, ignoring the searing pain his arm was replying in protest. He might not be that strong but he had stamina and long legs let him run fast. He ran down a few random alleys in some crazy pattern trying to confuse their pursuers with the crazy trail.

He could only keep up the pace for so long though and nearly collapsed when he rounded some corner. Breathing heavy and dizzy. He didn’t hear any chasing at least. Oh yeah there was the girl too. Blue eyes flashed over to the other figure, she better be grateful for all that running he just did. Though honestly he was too overexerted to really care what she might say anyways.

It took him a full two minutes for him to get his breath back and for the buzzing in his head to clear. He straightened himself up to standing but still leaned heavily on the brick wall in the alley they were in. He couldn’t even feel his injured arm at this point and considering it probably wasn’t a good thing. “A thank you would be nice.” He stared down at the girl who was currently at a loss for words. Not that he could blame her really since it was his fault.

Now that they weren’t running he vaguely recognized her leaving that bakery in west district. He also noticed she seemed to be leaning her weight on one side and off her other foot. Had she injured it when they were running or something? He felt a twinge of guilt and pointed at the ankle, “For a few credits I can take care of that for you also.”

“Oh, Um, thanks,” He shrugged, he didn’t mean for her to take his remark seriously. He watched her pull that dark hood up and hop onto the dumpster. Strange, she looked pretty pale and Trevor thought she could use some sun maybe, not that he was one to talk with his almost sickly pale complexion that plagued him no matter how much time he was outdoors.

He bent down partially and lifted the hem of her pant leg just enough so he could see her ankle was swelling, definitely sprained but not broken. He just touched his fingers to the bare skin and winced when the expected pain flooded his own ankle and any indication of injury on the girls disappeared instantly. He dropped his hand and stood back up; choosing a stance that hid his pain better than the girl had done earlier.

“There you’re fine now.”

He reflexively went to take a step forward when it looked like she was about to fall off the dumpster in her shock but then she caught herself, albeit with a look of shock on her face. He shifted back to his previous stance; well at least it was better than some of the reactions he’d received in the past.

“You’re a harbinger too?” So he was correct in his earlier assumption that she was one. So maybe the reason her voice had suddenly gone reached dog whistle level was out of surprise from meeting someone like her. Trevor himself was a little shocked that she was one too.

“Thank you,” Now that was unexpected. Trevor just stared at that… coy smile aimed towards him. “U-uh, it’s no problem…” the words clumsily tumbling out of his mouth. He’d never really… had someone genuinely thank him before. And he really had no idea how to respond right now.

“U-uh…” Reeling back as the girl was increasingly getting closer and invading his personal space. He turned his face at an awkward angle, trying to hide the bright blue under his bangs. “N-no I can’t and back off…please.” How the hell was he supposed to deal with a person like this? She backed off quickly though but her next comment made it clear she’d probably seen his eyes anyways.

“You could pass for a regular person.” It was a murmured remark not directed towards Trevor but he heard it anyways. He dropped his gaze back down, noticed her fiddling with…wire? He watched with some interest as she messed around with some metal parts and let it hang from her wrist, disguising it as a piece of jewelry. If she was a harbinger too the weird wire thing was probably related to her power.

“What would you like?” Another smile. “Ah, no… it’s…fine. No charge.” The words came out before he could really process why he was declining money.

“Sorry,” Oh shit did he say something wrong? “I-it’s fine.” Should he be the one apologizing? Her voice had gotten all quiet and bashful all of a sudden. He ran a hand through his hair, usually his face was stoic as a grave but subtle uncomfortable movements revealed how really terribly awkward he was at interacting. “I-it was just instinct I grabbed you…you shouldn’t really be thanking me…” Ok now he was just practically rambling nonsense.

Her voice trailed off though, he looked at her more seriously. He understood in part. She was probably much more capable in a fight than he was but she seemed like the type that would rather not hurt anyone. Maybe she didn’t have full control over her powers yet.

He eyed the credits she was holding out, waiting for him to take. He reached out, hesitating with the thought that maybe he should continue to refuse… He accepted the money, shoving it in his pocket.

“Trevor… it’s my name by the way.” He kept his gaze to the side while he mumbled out a poor excuse for an introduction.

“Shade then.” Very… odd name. If it was actually her real name at that. He glanced back at Shade and she was holding her arm with one hand, not out of pain but a shy gesture. So maybe they were both awkward turtles then. “Like I said it’s nothing… though uh…Shade, are you part of… one of those ...gangs or something?” No offense, but he knew that all of them went by those weird codenames and such and Shade definitely sounded like one of them. Though she acted nothing like any of those criminals he imagined.

He shifted position to lean against the wall, it would heal soon enough but for now he really shouldn’t be putting too much weight on his newly sprained ankle.

“There are some events in my past that I want to distance myself from. That’s all.” Ah so that was it. He watched her as she seemed to flashback to some horrible memory. Tension that he didn’t know he was holding drained from Trevor though when she stated she was not in fact part of those gangs. Though bad memories of the past… He could relate far too well. All harbingers especially have some kind of tragic tale. Before he realized what he was doing he stuck out a hand and ruffled her hair. Although technically he was ruffling her hood since it was over her hair but it had the same general effect. He didn’t smile but his eyes kind of softened into one of mutual understanding.

The small gesture of gentleness only lasted a moment though, his hand retreated back into his pocket and his eyes hardened back into a cold stare. “I’m fine. It’ll heal soon.” His other arm though was probably a different case. It had bled through the makeshift bandage and his sleeve some time ago but the dark fabric and shadows of the alley had hidden it well.

He was glad that she didn’t throw herself away from the touch or reject it, then he might’ve have been the one having old memories rise to the surface. He glanced up at the sky as well, it was way on its way to night and there was probably no adequate shelter near here.

"...Let me make sure you get home okay. Whether it heals quickly or not, it can't hurt, right?" He opened his mouth to decline the offer but he hesitated. He was out two limbs and in some random alleyway in the most dangerous district in the substratum. “…fine.” He moved beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder and leaning somewhat heavily on her. “I just need to find some place that’s sheltered.” He ‘d never spent more than a couple of months in one place since he was 12.

The arrangement was made even more awkward and Trevor could feel a small flush rising up his neck that he hoped wasn’t visible. He was definitely not used to being this close in contact with someone longer than a few seconds and also he felt embarrassed being so useless.

“West? Why are you taking me all the way there?” He just needed an abandoned building or something and there were plenty of those around. But it’s not like he could really walk away on his own, so he was forced to continue leaning on Shade and let her lead to where ever they were going.

“I told you I’d be fine!” He scowled and tried to separate himself away from her but her grip was firm. He really didn’t want anyone else involved, it just meant more debts to owe and unnecessary involvement with his life. He noticed Shade had pulled her hood down. Did it have to do something with the shift from day to night? He put it off as a possible restitution maybe.

"At the very least, we can get some food. I know I haven't eaten all day. Have you?" He remained silent, glaring off to the side like a stubborn child. Truth is he hadn’t eaten at all today either but he was used to it and it didn’t bother him too much.