· · · 》𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙁𝙄𝙏𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙈𝘼𝙉𝙃𝘼𝙏𝙏𝘼𝙉

[avicularia]

𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖
newbie|| 18 years old || tagged; cass, brielle || mentioned; fox, joelle, red, elias, ziggy, jasper, celeste
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xxxWhile she finished the remaining half of the candy, Sparrow caught Cass’s gaze returning to her between bites of chocolate. It made her feel like a specimen under a microscope, though this was nothing new to the red-haired woman. Admittedly she would much rather have blended into the woodwork. With Cass, that seemed like an impossibility. Sparrow felt there was a reason she was always on guard. She guessed it had something to do with protecting herself from nefarious people in the past, but she doubted she’d ever get it out of the closed-off woman, not that she wouldn’t try. “Like what ya see?” she grinned through a mouthful of candy.

xxx’You ever fixed windows before?’ For a split second, Sparrow thought she might have been joking until she looked at the other woman’s expression. There was no hint of comedy in the dark eyes. Sparrow was on the verge of making up some spectacular story of a summer fixing windows, but something told her that Cass was starting to figure out her web of lies. “I’ve broken my share of windows,” she laughed. “Don’t know that I’ve ever gotten around to fixing them.”

xxxTaking a quick glance around them, she made sure her sweet sister was nowhere close by. Celeste often took the high road, taking jobs instead of stealing and trying to fit in with whoever was around her. Sparrow took a different approach, spinning wildly through life and taking whatever opportunities didn’t require too much work. Of course, she would never have told Celeste all the things she got up to when she managed to sneak away from her older sister’s care, like breaking her foster family’s windows for fun. When asked, she chalked it up to an accident and moved on, not really caring what they thought. They never kept her anyway.

xxxSparrow stood up with Cass, ready to help in whatever way she could. She was mostly skill-less, having had little traditional school and even less adult intervention into her limited learning. What Sparrow knew had come from Celeste, trial and error, and the few things she’d learned in the last month with the trinkets. “But I’d love to learn anything ya have to teach me, and I’m sure that’s quite a lot,” she added, now hearing the raindrops hitting the roof above the din of voices around them. “Maybe we should have some smarter help than me if we want to fix ‘em before we get washed away.”

xxxShiloh was her first thought, but she was busy more often than not. Unsurprisingly, she caught sight of her with three others and a pile of buckets. Plus, Sparrow wasn’t sure she was helpful in fixing anything other than people. Jasper would’ve been helpful, but he was talking to Ziggy and Jo. Honestly, anyone would have been more helpful than her, except maybe Bear. He might have tripped on some loose board while attempting to repair the glass and gone headfirst through it, creating a bigger problem. Luckily, she caught sight of a familiar brunette leaning against one wall. “Hey, Brielle! Wanna help us fix some windows? I can pay in Snickers.” She held up a third candy bar as proof, wiggling it in her fingers, as if that would entice Bri into aiding them. Cigarettes went further as payment in the world of the trinkets, but she didn’t have any of those to spare.

xxxThese were the two Sparrow felt the closest attachment to in the trinkets, other than her blood relation. Both were far smarter than her, and she wished nothing more than to soak in all the knowledge they could offer. It didn’t hurt that Bri was fun to be around, and Cass may have been on the grumpier side, but that just meant it was a little more exciting to pester her. “Where’d ya learn to fix stuff, Cass?” she asked curiously, following her closely. “I figure you’re pretty enough other people want to fix everything for ya. Or does Fox have something against beautiful people and gives you all the hard jobs? Maybe he’s just jealous.” Sparrow winked at her. She loved Fox’s company, but still found him an easy target for light-hearted rumors. It wasn’t her fault if other people took her seriously. “What about you, Bri? Fox making you do all the hard work, too?”

[ꜱᴀʟᴇᴍ.]

ϟ 𝚉 𝙸 𝙶 𝙶 𝚈
{zak wolfe}
newbie I location; warehouse I mentions; fox+layne+elias I tags; jasper+jo I w.c; 636
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ziggy’s carving slowed as he listened to jasper telling him his actions were selfless, the realisation of what he did really, fully set in. he’d admit any day that yeah, sure, he was selfless in doing so, but he never actually thought of it like that. in his mind, he was just another stupid kid doing another stupid thing - even if it was for good. considering zig hadn’t done much good in his life and he was always looking out for himself since he had nobody else for him to worry about or someone to worry about him, the decision to do something for someone who seemed in just as bad - if not worse - of a position than he was, seemed.. easy. the offer of housing and a family in return was not something he expected, but it was dfinitely a bonus. how could he turn something like that down? how could anyone in his position turn that down? he was still a stupid kid, but now he was a stupid kid with a family of other people like him.

“i’m sorry i haven’t really made the offer to speak to you before,” yet another thing he was not expecting. “eh, i’m not exactly approachable. i understand it.” he replied, his tone a lot softer. “got any favourites?” favourites? ziggy hadn’t really thought about it to tell the truth. he let out a light chuckle at the nudge he received from the other, and hummed lowly, thinking. “hmm, well of course, fox is up there, considering,” he began, stating the obvious first, “i’m not really sure. i haven’t spoken to anyone much. bri’s quite the firecracker, she seems like fun. you’re making your way up.” he looked up at jasper and offered a warm smile.

ziggy followed the other’s gaze shortly after and saw layne and fox walk in, not together but staggered, something of a rare sight since he joined the trinkets. he made eye contact with jasper, examining the puzzled look he had been given, and simply gave a shrug. he followed jasper’s eyes once again and saw a rather clean looking boy - the one who aleko brought in the night before - walk through the door, following the other two far behind. he watched as the boy made his way over to red and shiloh, and he let out a short laugh when he saw him almost shake shiloh’s hand. oh dear, he is so clearly way out of his comfort zone. when jasper turned back to him, ziggy quickly changed his expression from quite amused to a litte more serious. “seems like the warehouse is the place to be, hm?” zig nodded and went on to scan the room.

then as quickly as he had laughed moments before, a frazzled and confused expression lay on his face and travelled into his whole body; the boy tensed as jo came almost barrelling towards them, sitting down beside him and then leaning into his space. he looked over when she shortly after craned herself backwards and into her own little bubble of space. well that was.. awkward. “oh, uh, thanks..” was all he could muster to get out of him. ziggy soon relaxed one again, and cleared his throat, listening to the two of them speak. “we’re getting popular apparently,” jasper said, seeming thoughtful and a little in his head.

if it wasn’t made clear to anyone before, now would be a great example of just how quiet and introverted the boy could be. he wasn’t used to being around so many people, let alone someone getting physically close to him. to be fair, it was his own fault. he wasn’t exactly the best at conversing and he knew he could look a little rough, let’s say, around the edges.

[avicularia]

𝐊𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐘
photographer || 19 years old || tagged; maisie // fox, jo, red, elias, imogen [mentioned]
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xxxKimmy laughed effortlessly at her friend’s joke. “No, that’s definitely one for the wall at home,” she grinned. Having taken thousands of pictures, Kimmy was left with too many to possibly know what to do with. Most were stored on a variety of flash drives she kept in a locked desk drawer, away from prying eyes. The more important ones were printed and displayed on her boring white walls. Most of those contained various faces, often with names or dates scrawled along the bottom as a reminder of who the people in her life were. A whole corner was dedicated to Maisie and the memories they’d made together. Kimmy didn’t want to forget any of them.

xxxHer favorite of these was one of the first ones she’d taken of Maisie. The two had gone together to a potential news story, Kimmy sent to take pictures while Mae gathered information for her future article. Prior to telling others of her peculiar problems, Kimmy often snuck pictures of the people she needed to remember. She felt Maisie had been one of these and snapped a photograph on their outing. Deep in conversation, her bright blue eyes were full of focus, the blonde hair perfectly framing her pale features. Kimmy remembered the intensity fondly. It was one of the things that had drawn her to her best friend, yearning to have that same passion and liveliness, though she doubted she’d ever reach Mae’s caliber.

xxxRain began pelting them just before entering the warehouse. She was thankful for the warning and tucked her camera under her shirt to save it from any potential water damage. It was dark. That was the first thing that registered to Kimmy as they reentered the building. Gloom now hung in the corners. Where she saw beauty before, mystery was cast in the shadows, leaving her to guess at what lurked beyond her vision. She hated the dark. While pictures were still a possibility, they were forced to come with a flash, disturbing her potential subjects and creating an environment of expectation. She preferred the secrecy light provided, as the only indication she’d taken a picture was the nearly inaudible click of a button. Frowning, she put the lens cover back in place, assuming the trinkets wouldn’t take kindly to the flash of a camera disturbing their various activities.

xxxStill feeling the immense comfort of her best friend beside her, she gave life to the little screen that displayed images she’d already taken. “Oh, see? You’re perfect.” She had brought up the picture they’d just taken together. Both had grass tangled in their hair, but wore matching smiles while the storm clouds gathered behind them. “Your call, though. I’ll delete it if you want.” One finger hovered over the button that would send it into the abyss.

xxxDistracted, she pondered Maisie’s question. Now what? Kimmy might have been a leader when she was young; she couldn’t remember. After the accident, she’d let others pick her destiny, feet planted firmly on the path chosen for her. Without direction, she faltered, overwhelmed by the amount of choices life provided.

xxxStuck at home, they would have had infinite activities to keep them occupied through the storm. Even talking kept them up for hours, swapping secrets deep into the night. But this wasn’t a place for secrets. Too many people swarmed the warehouse, ready to overhear and spread destructive rumors. Looking around, she found she knew only a handful of the shadowy faces. There was Fox, sitting by himself and focused on a slim pad of paper. Red stood with the woman whose name she couldn’t remember (and was that Elias, the mayor’s son?), both still covered in paint. Imogen was near them. Jo sat with two other men whom she had yet to meet. Other than that, she was clueless to the names or faces of the people surrounding her.

xxxHome never felt further away. Trapped with strangers, she clung to Maisie like a life-preserver. While not exceptionally patient, she had made an exception for Kimmy and her limited memory, gently reminding her of anything she needed help with. She was always extremely grateful for the help provided and did what she could in return, though never felt like it was enough for Maisie to stick around. Yet the beautiful blonde always returned. “We could…” she trailed off. She desperately wanted to talk to Maisie and tell her all the things she’d seen and done and the emotions growing within her. There was no room, no secret hideout, nowhere for them to go in secret and discuss the trivial aspects of life.

xxxPulling Maisie further inside, she found a desolate corner and found safety there, still holding her hand. “It’s so crowded,” she spoke softy. She yearned to mention the variety of city kids she’d seen her, wanting to get Maisie’s take on their appearance. Of course, she knew this was all simulated by the mayor (so why was his son here?), but she was curious why he had picked these certain people and whether or not they had made their motives known. Kimmy was a horrible liar. She’d told the truth to whoever asked, not wanting to hide anything from the people whose home she was now sharing. “What do you think of them?” she whispered sincerely. While she’d found no fault with this struggling group of people, she was often blinded by her own ignorance. Mae would know.

xxx“I mean…” She took a deep breath and lowered her voice to something barely audible. “I know the mayor doesn’t like them, but personally, I don’t trust him. And my parents had nothing to say about the whole situation.” Even Maisie didn’t know about the handful of photographs she’d taken of the mayor without anyone’s consent. That flash drive she hadn’t trusted even to her locked desk. It now sat heavily in her pocket. “I talked to Fox, and he seems decent. Maybe you’ve seen something different.” Kimmy could only hope. She didn’t want her and her family on the opposing side of the mayor, but that’s where things seemed to be headed.

[ꜱᴀʟᴇᴍ.]

✮𝙸 𝙰 𝙽xx𝙲 𝙰 𝚁 𝙻 𝙸 𝚂 𝙻 𝙴
intern I location; warehouse I mentions; elias+shiloh+red I tags; aleko+fox I w.c; 677
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ian listened to aleko tell him everyone’s names - well, everyone he could find - and followed his pointing fingers to look at every person he spoke about. this was helpful, to say the least. there were a lot of people there - new as well as old, as he was told - and any information he was given would definitely be needed if he were to stay there for a while to help out like he wanted. elias. as in, elias black? what the hell is the mayor’s kid doing here? he thought to himsef. that was something he’d definitely need to find out. “thank you,” he said, his eyes re-scanning the crowd around he and aleko, “it seems like the storm will be hitting hard- is there anything i can do to help out?” ian asked, watching a few people grabbing flashlights and buckets.

“i don’t mind helping out with bucket duty. maybe even get some boards up on the windows or doors if need be.” ian continued looking around, and saw fox grab two buckets and put them beneath windows, ian guessed it was for any leaks that may occur from the cracks they bore. this could be a good opportunity.. he thought as he lifted himself from the wall he had been leaning on and putting his hands into his pockets. “that’s fox right?” he asked aleko just to make sure. his eyes stayed fix on the boy with the thick, curly locks sat atop his head, watching him move from one end of the warehouse to the other, stopping to pick something up on the way there. “should we go on over to him and see what’s going on? see if anything specific needs doing?” he suggested.

without even waiting for an answer, ian pushed off in the trinket boy’s direction. he knew that aleko would follow; he said himself that he wanted to keep an eye on him, so hopefully he didn’t seem too.. rude. he brushed past multiple people, making sure his eyes were trained on fox so as not to get distracted. while he walked, he noticed tiny little streams of rain water making its way inside the warehouse and across the floor - he would be sure to mention that to fox, best he knew. before he even got there he heard the pitter patter of claws clopping against the floor, getting closer and closer to him. ian turned around to find kaine running towards him and aleko, and when he made eye contact with the pooch he ony ran faster. “hey pup! glad you’re okay.” he said with a laugh, sparing a glance over at shiloh and - red, was it? - giving shiloh a nod as if to say thank you for taking care of him.

spinning on his heels, ian continued to make his way over to fox, kaine happily trotting by his side. “hi there! i’m ian, this here is kaine,” he introduced himself and his compainon before turning back to look at the boy again. “i came here a little earlier, spoke to shiloh and gave her my truck’s keys to retrieve my other supplies. hope it’s okay that i brought kaine with me.” he continued, leaning against the wall beside him shortly after and crossing his arms up in front of his chest. he then looked back over to aleko, who had been trailing behind him. ian glanced down at kaine, who was staring up at him with what looked like a big, goofy grin, and gestured over to aleko with his hand. after that little signal, kaine bounded over to aleko and barked once, looking up at him and rapidly wagging his tail.

“i was wondering if there was anything that myself and aleko could help out with? considering the storm brewing outside,” he asked, looking back over to fox, “oh- i also saw a few little streams of rain water running into the warehouse, i’d be happy to look for the source of that and try to sort it out?”

[ꜱᴀʟᴇᴍ.]

☀ 𝚁 𝙴 𝙳
{tamsyn beaumont}
older member I location; warehouse I mentions; fox+imogen I tags; shiloh+elias I w.c; 729
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before red could give any responses to elias regarding the tattoo conversation, shiloh delicately - though also abrupt in red's mind - mosied her way into the conversation to get them back on track concerning the storm. "right, shoot! sorry shiloh." she said almost in a whiny, child-like voice; it wasn't like her to do so, but in her defense she was under a lot of stress, considering the brewing storm outside and the amount of people - both new and old - crowding into the warehouse, which now felt and looked quite small to red. she wasn't claustrophobic, was she? it had never been something she'd experienced, what with the trinkets being such a small group before and her having her own little open and free section of the building. she'd never been in a situation for such a phobia to take over her mind. but now, she was beginning to feel quite sick and dizzy. there was a lot going on for her, and it seemed to be going right to her head.

she was snapped out of her thoughts when she realised yet another person had joined their little group conversation; a clean and kept woman. red took a second to look her up and down. stone faced, stood strong, quiet but definitely not afraid or shy.. needless to say, red was a little intimidated. she shrunk back into her little corner while shiloh divvied out orders of bucket duty and gave out flashlights. red looked over at elias when she heard the word 'torches'. torches! wow he really doesn't belong here. she thought to herself. it wasn't meant to be insulting by any means, but it was very clear by the way he spoke and the way he held himself that he was definitely from somewhere more.. put together, let's say.

shiloh seemed more comfortable with this other woman than she did, so she found herself staying closer to elias than anyone else, though she wasn't exactly trailing behind him. she grabbed a couple of buckets from the little stack near to them, and started placing them in the places she knew would be the worst. it was routine, something she was used to doing and that was something she liked. something normal to her in a totally abnormal, people-filled situation. after she had placed her second bucket down, she noticed that elias was now making his way back over to her. she shuffled on her feet uncomfortably. she had no idea what he was going to say to her, and she was preparing for the worst. but then he spoke more about tattoos and dinosaurs. she blinked; well she wasn't expecting that. she listened to him speak, and couldn't help but smile at him say that fox had told him they could bond over dinosaurs.

"he knows me so well." she said softly, her body relaxing again. then, when he apologised for his rambling and said that he had noticed that she looked quite uncomfortable, she began to fidget with her hands. "is it that obvious?" she asked with a light, yet slightly awkward laugh, "to be completely honest i am not used to this many people around. i'm not the biggest fan of crowds, especially when said crowds contain so many new people." she explained, scanning the building again. she was looking for fox. she didn't know why, maybe it was because he knew what a mess she could be during weather like this. "i also hate storms. i'm terrified of thunder and lightning, and this building.. well, you just never know how much it can take. to answer your question though, i can't choose between a dilophosaurus and an allosaurus. but i love all dinos, i just think they were all so cool." she gave him a smile, listening to his next question.

red looked around again, trying to see if she could in fact account for everyone, but instead she became dizzy once again. she closed her eyes and let her head hang a little, so she was facing the floor. she stayed that way for a few seconds, before looking back up to elias and displaying a weakened smile. "i can't say for sure, but considering the rain i believe everyone would have made their way inside already." she replied. "there's more people than i thought there'd be." "hah, yeah, you and me both."

[senna_]

𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀

[ ❝𝐁𝐑𝐈❞ ]
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rank. trinkets strengthxxage. 20xxpronouns. she/herxxlocation. warehousexxment.|tags. jasper, ziggy, joelle | sparrow, cass

It was springtime, but Brielle still found a bit of a chill lingering on her person, almost in a taunting manner. She brought one leg up, resting the bottom of her shoe against the wall she was currently leaning against, and began to drum her fingers against her raised knee. She failed to tap into a particular melody, but still found herself humming along nonetheless. If there was one thing that really thrilled Brielle, it was music. She distinctly remembered when she brought that old carry-on speaker back to the warehouse. While she had never been the girl to wrap her head around the specifics of cars, she had tagged along with Bear and Roman, who had been like bloodhounds on the hunt for spare parts. The radio-speaker was a random find, one in such bad shape that it indeed looked as if someone had previously kicked it like a soccer ball across the junkyard. Determination was both her biggest strength and weakness, and with the help of Cass, the two inexperienced tinkers managed to bring the box back to life. The connection was flawed, with few channels to work with, but Brielle compromised – this being one of the few things she willingly worked around. She craved its presence now, but it was tucked snug in the far side of the barn’s loft. She’d have to get it later. In the meantime, Brielle used her imagination to shift distraught mumbles into something of a pleasing hum.

x’x Her eyes opened a few moments later, dark irises skimming through the equal lighting that brought them safety during the time of the storm. She was quick to spot Jasper, who was cross-legged on the floor, lanky legs awkwardly placed in a way that looked oddly comfortable. Ziggy sat close by, looking a bit less enthusiastic; Brielle could only imagine what sort of gears were turning in his mind. For a brief moment, Brielle debated gathering the energy to push herself over there. She thoroughly enjoyed spending time with both of those boys. Jasper nearly had a heart attack every time they spent more than a few seconds together, but Bri made sure (or at least, tried to make sure) he settled back down before pulling another jump scare on him. Bri and Ziggy alongside Jasper? Well, best believe Shiloh was around somewhere, because they were the duo with all fuel and no brake. Brielle had practically lassoed Zig into her bubble when he arrived, sticking him to her side like he was her younger brother. Jasper, on the other hand, felt more like the older brother who cared a bit too much─ in the sweetest way. Come to think of it, Bri wasn’t too sure she had experienced many moments with all three of them at the same time. There was probably a reason for that.

x’x Near them was someone else, someone new. She had a tiny frame, delicate even from where Brielle was standing, with big eyes that shouted innocence. Bri had seen her before, once or twice, but apart from recognizing her golden-blonde locks and extraordinarily tidy clothes, that was all she could say about the stranger. That and that she was a city kid. Nobody needed to know anyone’s name to point out who was from the city and who was a Trinket at heart. Brielle had found it beyond entertaining, watching the Manhattan royalty attempting to do something as easy as properly lock up the paddock gates. She and Sparrow frequently returned to that topic of conversation. What were they fed over there? Sugar cubes and English tea? Nothing about that perked Bri’s interest. She was happy in her scuffed-up boots, with her chain necklaces and dirt-stained fingers. Her hair had grown out to the point where her bangs frequently played with her eyelashes, but she didn’t care to swipe them and free her view. She’d surely be kicked out of whatever fancy boarding schools they attended in a heartbeat.

x’x The main reason Brielle decided against joining the group was because of Goldie Locks; she wasn’t exactly feeling up to playing houseguest at the moment. Not that she ever kept that act going for long. It worked out in her favour, because just as she set her leg down to shift her weight, Sparrow came skipping up to her, a mischievous glint in her eye.

x’x “Do I look like Handy Manny to you?” Brielle retorted, an expression that could not be mistaken for anything but disgust casting a perfect mask across her face. “Nobody fixes things around here. Nothing ever lasts long enough for that to happen.” Comments aside, Bri was evidently ready to join the little gang Sparrow and Cass created, as she had already stepped closer to the two. What else was there to do, anyway? Besides, Sparrow and Cass were cool. While Brielle wasn’t exactly the type of girl to hang out with others for hours at a time, this didn’t sound like too bad of an idea. She put her hand up, palm up towards the ceiling, and folded her fingers towards her palm in a give it here motion. “Payments in food are always accepted.”

x’xThe package was warm from Sparrow’s grip, but that didn’t deteriorate Brielle in the slightest bit. Sparrow had bounded off after Cass, leaving Brielle no choice but to slide in alongside them, taking Cass’s other side. “She probably has to fix up all those windows her little feathered hype men break.” The sarcasm on her tongue was thick as she spoke, even though Sparrow was not talking to her. When the ginger-haired girl did address her, she allowed her gaze to roll in her direction, catching Sparrow’s eye. “Oh, Fox tries to make me do a lot of things,” she returned with a casual shrug. “Pretty Boy needs to get his own hands dirty from time to time.” She paused for a second, tilting her head as a thought struck her, then motioned towards Sparrow. “So was that you who shot that baseball through the barn window the other day? Or Cass, did we get to the worst of you?” She put a hand to her heart. “Mother needed to take her anger out somewhere. Next time, don’t be shy, use a moving target. The smokers are the easiest ─ they’re too focused on trying not to gag on the cigarettes to pick up on their surroundings.”

[senna_]

𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐍

[ ❝𝐌𝐀𝐄❞ ]
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rank. city's journalistxxage. 20xxpronouns. she/herxxlocation. warehouse xxment.|tags. kimmy

With Kimmy by her side, Maisie could feel a big shift in the energy. The two of them were like tiny ants living in a whole new world. She couldn’t deny the few moments of feeling like she was something paranormal that had arrived on Earth, with the way she was looked at, how she was spoken to. But with Kimmy, they were two peas in a pod, even if that pod was surrounded by dozens of other pods, identical to one another yet differing substantially from the two girls. Right now, it felt like they were hiding safely in the wings while the Trinkets took to the stage. Maisie couldn’t help but feel impressed from the way they jumped into position so quickly, without even being given specific instructions. The people at home should take notes. Mae was all-too familiar with the notion of independent studies. It had gotten to the point where she dreaded partner work. But here? Watching so many helpful hands folding together to craft up something of pure brilliance was a delight to see. Mae felt more inclined to hang back as the action unfolded. She knew little to nothing about their routine, and she would hate to get in the middle of things. Instead, she fished through her book bag, securing her fingers around her notepad. Flipping to a new page, she quickly scribbled down some observations as best she could in the poor lighting. No hesitation to help one another. More than a team. Family dynamic, along with a few more jot points. When her gaze lifted towards Kimmy, Maisie was quick to notice the way her friend was shifting her camera around, as if attempting to find the perfect angle to snap a photo. She smiled to herself. Their minds had always been much alike, even if their personalities upon first glance suggested otherwise.

x’xThe blonde tucked her notepad away as Kimmy repositioned the camera, giving Maisie more visual access to the screen. Her eyes briefly grazed over the photographic version of herself, then contentedly lingered on the snapped image of Kimmy. Her best friend’s smile was so large, so contagious, that Mae found herself smiling just by looking at it. The camera had captured the crinkles of Kimmy’s eyes, those big almond irises holding round balls of joy itself. “Keep it,” she insisted, a bit more demanding than she had intended, as she almost cut off Kimmy’s sentence. A sheepish smile crossed over her features, and she took a step back, almost amused at herself for feeling such a sudden feeling of alarm. Kimmy wouldn’t delete any photos with the two of them, even if she were to tease about it. That was something Maisie could confidently say. “It’ll be a good memory to look back on.” She especially appreciated the irony, from smiling faces to a loathing backdrop.

x’x She let out a huff of defeat, propping her hands onto her hips as she once again observed the setting around her. The Trinkets had turned into Tinkers, and Maisie was collecting dust by standing there. Thankfully, Kimmy seemed just as put back as Mae was feeling. She felt her friend’s grip tighten, and she squeezed her hand in return. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot. Kimmy surely knew it too. Maisie grew up with conservative parents: every move she made was watched. It was a primary warning brought to Kimmy; one of the first things she had made clear to her friend. Kimmy won the heart of her mother, of course. Kimmy won over everyone’s heart. She wished they had attended the same school; what great partners they would have made. They were brought together for a reason, though, she just knew it. Words could not describe the immense exuberance Maisie undertook when she first saw Kimmy at the front of the warehouse. Together again.

x’x It didn’t take long for Kimmy to make a beeline towards an open corner, to which Maisie followed with ease. “Crazy, isn’t it?” she mused, swivelling so that her back faced the corner of the walls. “It feels so homey yet so claustrophobic all at the same time. I bet it’s nice in the winter, though. Nice and cozy.” She was trying to paint a pretty picture, romanticize the situation. Anyone who knew Mae knew she had a knack for sprinkling a bit of upbeat energy onto the situation. She did feel a pang of sympathy for Kimmy, though, and reached out to reassuringly rub her elbow. “You’re feeling okay here? If you get too hot or anything, I’m sure we won’t melt from a few drops of rain.” She shot Kimmy a small lopsided smile, unsure if the brunette was able to catch sight of it in this lighting. She could feel the tension radiating off of the youthful photographer, and Maisie was determined to keep both of their minds away from that anxious energy. It was overwhelming when either got into their heads, and when both did… Maisie didn’t want to reach that level.

x’x When Kimmy spoke again, her voice was so hushed that Maisie found herself leaning closer until the girl’s breath tickled her ear. “Honestly?” Mae gave a small shrug of her shoulders. Her and Kimmy were different when it came to how they chose their words. Kimmy was a terrible liar, and they both knew it well. While Kimmy said things honestly because she failed to find a way to twist them, Maisie often said things a bit too boldly, too straightforward to have time to consider the possible reacted outcomes. “I feel bad for them. It’s like seeing all those sweet matted puppies in cages at the shelters. I’m here, but I’m not here, you know? So far, Bear and Roman have been the only ones who have spoken to me as Maisie and not as some rich city girl. But I can’t figure out what about this group seems to monstrous to the mayor. They’re practically kids, just trying to make it by. It sucks.” Her lips formed a bit of a pout before shaking her head. “Between you and me, I’m with these guys. They deserve basic human treatment, for goodness sake.” She wouldn’t dare say that within earshot of any of city folk; people switched sides all too quickly to put her trust in more than just two or three.

x’x Clearly, Kimmy saw eye-to-eye with her accordingly, which wasn’t much of a surprise. The two girls had exchanged a few hushed opinions about it over the years, although nothing in too much detail – who knew who was around listening in? “I think if you aren’t in love with the mayor’s ideas, it’s best to stay quiet,” Maisie reflected, remembering all too well the feeling of walking on eggshells in their work place. “I like that these people think differently.” Her personal anger was sparked from more than just the way the mayor treated certain people in an inhumane way. He cracked the Vaughn family dynamic into pieces. She would forever be bitter over that.

x’x Upon mentioning Fox ─ and only Fox ─ Maisie allowed her gaze to shift over towards their proclaimed leader, who, upon connecting eyes with Mae, quickly shot his head back down towards his paper. A raise of a brow was followed up by the faintest of smirks. “I think he thinks you seem decent, too,” she semi-teased in return, giving her a gentle nudge. In case Kimmy missed his (rather obvious) gazing, she added: “I haven’t talked to him much. But he let me stay and he let you stay, and that is enough for me to consider him a good person. Bear has a lot of good things to say about him, so he can’t be all that bad. Do you think we can really help this group get what they want?” Something about this feud felt unusual, different than the usual tensions she felt between groups. It was like The Hunger Games all over ─ they were left to ask themselves how long it would take to take down President Snow.

[senna_]

𝐅𝐎𝐗

[ ❝𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐈❞ ]
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rank. trinkets leaderxxage. 21xxpronouns. he/himxxlocation. warehousexxment.|tags. [jo,] kimmy, sparrow, cass, bear, celeste|[aleko,] ian —> jasper

Fox was in no rush to move himself from the chair he had snatched just a few moments prior. He kept his notepad close to him, resting the papers against his propped-up knees since there was no table in sight. His fingers gripped the pencil tightly, the tips of his fingers the same shade as white chocolate as he jiggled the writing tool in his hand. Staring back at him was a blank sheet of paper. It was challenging to formulate new ideas in a closed-up space such as what he was currently in; there was a reason his main sketchpad was kept hidden up in the fire escape staircases. Coffee-brown eyes flickered up, skimming over the heads of his fellow Trinkets, as if that would encourage inspiration to hit him. What would be the most efficient way to catch the attention of the mayor and his clique? It wasn’t as if Fox and the crew were holding these city people hostage ─ they came for the support that they failed to receive in the big city. Did the majority of the city folk even care that a small handful of their young adults were resting in the place they compared to a trash land? Given that nobody seemed to be looking for them, Fox figured bringing attention to them wouldn’t bring any special attraction their way. They needed to do something big, bold, and brilliant. He needed Layne.

x’xHis notepad lowered, and he rested the coils that strung the papers together just under his chin, becoming extra aware of the additional coolness that was being gently applied to his skin. Panic seemed to be kept to a minimum, which Fox was grateful for. He had spent enough individual time with most of the members here to get an idea of where they stood when it came to storms, rain or snow. They were all masters at maintaining a brave face, though. Fox aimed to make this space safe for expressing emotion, but he understood masking it for the sake of others. He would be lying if he said he didn’t do the same thing, and on a regular basis, too. Most of the time, that went unquestioned, although his go-to comeback was protesting that as a leader, he couldn’t let that vulnerability flow the same way the other members could. That wasn’t exactly a lie, either ─ it was just a stretch of the truth. Fox kept most softer emotions to himself because it was a safe habit for him. It was far too difficult to explain how it was a challenge to open up after spending so many fearful years trapping all soft emotions in a concrete container. The Trinkets were helping him, though, just as he hoped he was helping them.

x’x On the topic of helping, eldest member Aleko approached him, with Ian by his side. Fox’s eyes first darted towards the canine that was hot on Ian’s heels, a slight glimmer of drool lining his lower jaw. Fox offered the dog an awkward little smile, as if the dog was familiar with the expression. He flipped the notepad shut, sliding it under his thigh, even though there was nothing of much secrecy inside. A hand was offered in greeting towards the man in blue. “Fox,” he introduced himself as, although he supposed that wasn’t anything new to the stranger standing before him. If he didn’t find a way to make himself known, someone else surely did. Most of the time, it was because of something regarding his personality or some stupid act he had recently pulled. Introductions always seemed to crumble beneath his touch; he had to rope in a lot of charm to prompt people to stick close by.

x’x “Right,” he continued, head raising just a bit as Ian’s words jogged his memory from earlier today. “You’re Truck Guy. Thanks for that, by the way. As long as our Strengths don’t get their hands on ‘er, she’ll be a real big help for us.” Fox couldn’t help but wonder for a fleeting second why Ian would have willingly driven his vehicle out here, but with so much going on in the background, he didn’t think now was the best time to ask. It certainly wasn’t off the table yet; he’d get around to it eventually.

x’x There wasn’t even a flash of surprise that spread across Fox’s features as Ian eagerly made note of some nearby lines of running water. “Sounds about right,” he shrugged, before grinning up at Ian. “You’ll soon learn that the only thing workin’ around here is us.” He let out a breath that sounded like a huff of a laugh, before rising to full height. They were practically at eye level now. “I’d appreciate any help we can get. There’re rags and buckets under the staircase over there ─” he nodded his head towards the other side of the building, where the kitchen and stairs that led to Shiloh’s workspace-slash-supply room ─ “those’re easy to come by, so use what you must.” He spoke it so casually that surely Ian wouldn’t automatically connect those words to the idea of swiping towels without the hassle of paying for them. Thieves never gave away their secrets, and they certainly never hinted at them. “Thanks, man. Aleko can help too, surely. Him and his big muscles.” Those last few words were slick with sarcasm, and he shot the blond a cheeky sneer before saluting Ian, as if to dismiss him.

x’x The two were quick to take off, leaving Fox to keep himself company once again. For about the dozenth time within the past five or so minutes, he watched his family move about. Cass, Sparrow, and Brielle looked like they were on a mission; Fox couldn’t help but let out a breathy snicker as he watched a few newcomers practically leap out of their way. Just past them stood Kimmy, alongside Maisie. He breathed out slowly, fighting hard to resist staring. Something about Kimmy’s presence really reeled in his attention, but he couldn’t figure out what it was about her that was so captivating. He knew Bear would be all over it if he mentioned anything, but for all the wrong reasons. Despite Fox’s reputation, as some would say, he was pretty sure even a shared kiss wouldn’t be enough to open Bear’s eyes to the newest exploration of romance. The goofy flirting between the two boys strayed in a very different direction than genuine attraction. Fox genuinely wasn’t sure if his good friend knew the difference between the two, to be frank. The thought of anything romantic twisted his stomach, and he found himself searching for a certain person. Celeste. For a moment, he almost considered approaching Sparrow to ask where her sister was hiding, but he resisted. Her comforting presence would be well appreciated, but they kept things quiet for a reason, and he figured pushing that ─ especially at a time like now ─ wasn’t the greatest move to make. He’d have to find her later.

x’x Finally abandoning the spot he had found himself in for a good bit of time now, Fox approached the light box, having figured it wouldn’t hurt to give the light switches another go. Just as he went to reach for the thin lid of the cable box, he noticed the rhythmic splashing of small water drops plopping onto the material. With a heavy sigh, shoulders drooping in frustration, Fox turned on his heel and headed straight towards someone in particular. Jasper. At the same time Fox had come up to Jasper’s side, Joelle had rather awkwardly scurried off. “Cat got her tongue?” he spoke up, nodding towards the blonde, though quite obviously directing his words towards Jasper. “You blow a handful of dust on her?” Mischief twinkled in his eyes until he remembered why he had approached the newer Trinket in the first place. “You’re good with all that wiring technical stuff, I remember you helping Bri and Cass with that radio box. Mind giving me a hand with something?” His nose crinkled with displeasure as he lazily motioned towards the box on the wall he had just been standing at. “I think some water’s leaked into where all the wiring is, and I’m not really in the mood to take the risk of burning the place down.” A casual shrug followed up with those words, although his tone was playful. “Wanna check it out, mister electrician? I trust you more than myself with that stuff.” Fox reached out to clasp Jasper’s shoulder in a friendly manner. “How’ve you been doin’ anyway? Keepin’ busy and all?”