it's cold. wet.
its not winter, not yet. but it's close. close enough that nights cant be spent outside anymore, less one wakes up with fewer toes then they fell asleep with.
in the mean time, kidd is holed up in the crawl space of a much nicer house. it doesn't provide much heat of its own, but it sealed up enough that there's no drafts to steal away body heat. he and killer have backed it with newspapers and a few blankets too hidious for the other kids to fight him over. he jsut hopes the smell of htem dont get the well-to-do's attention, but the days arent nice enouhg to loiter outside anymore, so they should be able to avoid detection until it snows.
most of the time, its kidd sitting tight in their hovel - two sneaking in and out doubles their chances of being spotted, so lately it's only been killer leaving. kidd would be less notable, but begging for coin hasn't been getting him much these days, and killer's old enough and big enough to pull jobs. some times for the locals, but usually for the gangs. neither are happy about it, to be honest, but better to get the boss' blessing then be accused of crossing a turf line.
gang jobs are bigger risks; killer comes back more often than not pretending not to be hurt. but they pay enough to feed the both of them, sometimes even enough to save for something like shoes that aren't being wrapped to keep the soles from falling off. or haven't had the toe completely warn through because kidd hit a growth spurt and nothing fits anymore.
gang jobs also mean sometimes killer's gone for a few days; leaving kidd behind, praying that nothings gone wrong, and he'll be back that night. because once the sun's up, killer wont risk being seen, will wander off until night fall.
there's only a few more hours left until the next sun up, and kidd's been awake the whole night waiting. He's afraid to leave in case killer does come back and finds him gone, but this will be the thrid night alone, and kidd's starting to worry.
and then there's a snap in the distance, and kidd's pressed agsint hte cover, listening intently.
a shuffle of dirt and leaves, and kidd knows that pattern - killer moving the ground so the hactway being moved whole be noticable once it's moved back. the cover moves, and kidd beems up at killer's siluote, gesturing to take killer's haul so he can crawl in already.
its raining again, killer is soaked to the bone, ice cold. kidd pulls the door closed as killer plops bonelessly on thier little nest.
"foodsforyou" he grumbles, curling on his side, prooably to get as much of his soaked hair off his back as he can. Kidd tears into the food, hardly tasting the half dozen bites, because he's chugging the water killer brought back. it's got the weid aftertaste most water on kutsk has, but t's been filtered at least. it takes all his will power not to down the entire meal, to stop at just enough to take the edge off before he's tucking it away for later. there's a good chance killer hasn't eaten anythign either, and like hell is kidd gonna make him go have to scavenge something up as soon as he wakes back up.
just a few hours until sun up - kler will no doubt try to slip back out again before then, and kiddcrals over to wher ehis partner has already passed out, exhauseted.
he does his best to wring the water he can from kill'ers hair, poulling it into a clumbs brarid away from his bodyto gve his shirt a chance to dry. kill'er skin is cold, and kidd huffs warm air onto his own hands before gently rubbing at his exposed skin. killer's not shivering yet, and kidd knows by now that thats a bad sign.
the wet clothes aren't goign to hlp but there's not alot of toom here to strip killer omcpleetly. kidd does get the sirt unbuttoned, and he shoves on of the blankets btween killer's back and the shirt instead of tryig to get it off him. he's still huffign on his own hands, running htem on ki;;ers skin, focusing around his heart.
once killer has started to shiver again, kidd eases up on it, curig up against his chest, pulling the other blankets up over them both. killer imediantly curls around him, partially seeking warmth in his uncoinsous state. and part just becuase that's what he does. killer's been the big spoon their whole leves it seems, tucking kidd in clse to keep him safe. kidd snorts agisnt the cold skin of kill'er chest, his friend instincily pulling him closer.
its still to dark to look killer over, but he feel smostly in once piece. however, his bearth hitches slightly when kidd toushes his side. his fingers are cold, that could be it, but kill'ers skin feels warmer here. killer's breathing studders slightly again with kidd touches it, proably some brusing then.
kidd vows to make killer stick around today - he needs light to see what's relly going on, and killer's been gone for days, he needs rest; kidd'll put his foot down. one day isnt' goignt o change much, and killer' sno go too either of them running himself exhaused.
