And with that introduction done and over with, the self-introduced leader gave me a time, the same place, same as everyone for the upcoming recruits, and for my personal time, a week away. Nothing yet. Maybe the whole "place to stay" thing was a ruse, fish bait, so I could sacrifice myself for the greater good of the place I loved so dearly. But it wasn't, on the way out, with the same two I came with, noticing the weariness, the one that wasn't the savior asking me about where I'd be next. Same as always, the slight smile of accomplishment on their face drained from the sheer worry. Offered a place to stay? Of course I took it.

Lead over from the usual path from the alleyway (turns out my little hideaway got confiscicated anyways. fuck's wrong with people, rather i lay vunerable?), over to where they lived, told a bit of backstory. My friend had arranged two or three roommates to pay for the place, it's a bit small, but they could at least get me a place to sleep for that week, and who knows, I'd be able to talk to "someone other than myself". Thanks.

Opening the door was like stepping back into that childhood I was still sorta used to, orphanage, and mostly bexause the other people there were also from that place. A group of all of us, familiar faces, greeted with the slightest handshake, a tremor-wrecked claw missing not once, but twice, the laughs taken with that. Young-adulthood small joys, small mistakes, small laughter. At least my emotions were off the edge, it was like stepping right into the warmth of a blanket to see them again. And of course, the shared struggles, hosted and shared that night over the first dinner I had in about the last week. Struggling to make ends meet still, even with that cramped a companyhood.