Dump Diving

[Hector]

Its the witching hour and even the night denizens have gone to ground. Sky is dark and deep - the first real hint that cycle of the year has turned toward winter. There is ambient heat from the coolant systems at the back of the tiny strip mall and the air has a pleasant, invigorating, coolness to it.

That is good enough for Hector. For such a small strip mall, the dumpsters out the back are large; large and easy to access. To the homeless man that was too much of an opportunity to pass up. He is there in the dumpster, digging through the rubbish with avid glee.

Question is, does anyone else hear the racket his excavations are making?

[Tuesday]

Tuesday might have moved up in the world. As in she didn't need to throw a net of Luck around herself when she huddled in an alley to make sure she lived throw the cold nights, or didn't wake to a knife or a dick pressing in places she didn't want them to be pressin'

But, that didn't mean she didn't still care about the friends she'd made on the streets. And like any other friend, she needed to see 'em to make sure they were still her friends.

...or. You know. That they were alive.

Shit happens. And when their good luck charm seems to disappear....welp. Shit. Happened.

So. Here Tuesday walks. Makin' the rounds, see what folks had to say, and who was stayin' where when she heard it.

She walks forward, not really caring about the guy rooting through the dumpster. But...she walks backwards a few steps. Friends. More was always best.

"Hey. Wanna hand?" she asks, leaning on the metal, but not making a move to jump in with this unknown dude.

[Hector]

"Alright! Pizza! And is it? Yes! Oh man! Nearly all there! Hey hey!"

Hector brandishes his prize like it was the Holy Grail, holding it high for the moon to see.

An unfamiliar voice causes him to turn cautiously - some might say self consciously.

"Maybe?" Is his choice of reply.

Slowly, his arms retract and he presses the cold pizza, in its greasy box, close to his chest.

[Tuesday]

A maybe's better then a no. And a better sign then a yes.

"A whole frikin' pizza?" asked because words.

Tuesday doesn't move closer. Or doesn't really move at all. Not gonna steal your treasure dude.

"Nice."

A beat or two or twelve.

"You come through here often?"

[Hector]

"No. This is a new place for me. I stick to another part of town."

Hector is still watching. Caution and curiosity is writ upon his face. He is still clutching his prize but apart from that his posture is generally open.

He has no need for guarded hostility right now.

"Do you? Come here often, I mean."

[Tuesday]

A head bobbed nod.

"Must be why I haven't see you before now."

Still no movement. Posture easy open. Don't want your treasure dude.

"Sometimes. Doin' rounds. Checkin' on people." easy answer, "Been a awhile since I passed through this alley though." a smile that's more of a smirk but less sharp.

[Hector]

"Yeah? Well I see no one has claimed it. No tags or marks, see?"

Territory was everything. Hector sounded indifferent. At last he responded to Tuesday's non threatening demeanour by relaxing his own posture slightly. The action was so subtly it could almost be missed.

"You check on people? What? You a white knight or something?"

The wolf could detect a story here. His posture eased up a little more and his head tilted with curiosity.

[Tuesday]

Tuesday leans back and hazels do a sweep. Confirmed what she knew and he pointed out. There was a reason she'd been on her way passed before she heard this dude's rummaging.

"Yep. I see. Or don't see. Whatever's your pee oh vee."

There's that relaxin', see, see this weekdays' still got it!

"I...welp. Some of these people are my people. You know. Moved here last year and fuck, I had a nice spot. Great corner, near a Chinese place, a buffet, they hauled out a ton of stuff, that no one wanted to eat for whatever reasons they could create. More then what I could eat. So. I payed it forward. Made friends. Build something nice. Or. Nicer. You know. But, I got onto my feet. Found a really nice place to squat, and managed to move up enough that, well. Got heat, and runnin' water. So. I wanted to see if my people were still doin' good. Make sure that Chinese place still throws out too much, make sure my friends get those bags." A shrug. Simple as that.

[Hector]

Hector hawks loudly - or is it sniffs? Clearly, he is trying to clear some phlegm back there. Just so happens that he does this the moment Tuesday mention people. But nothing comes of it. Does he sigh? Hard to tell after all that snuffling.

"People. Oh. Yeah. People. Now people I get. So you been on the skids. You seen the truth. Good on you to keep an eye out for your people. Hum. Your people still come out this way? What am I saying, they must or you'd not be here."

A guarded pause.

"Not on anyone's patch am I?" That seemed to genuinely cut the guy. "'Cause if I am, I can move on. City is big. Plenty to go around. And hunting for your food is always the best part."

Hector grinned wickedly with an animalistic relish.

[Tuesday]

There was something about this guy that reminded Tuesday of a Thyrsus. Maybe it was the grin. Or maybe it was his eyes. Intense, like they'd not only seen some shit, but shit no one else has ever seen.

"Sometimes they pass through, yeah." Tuesday answers, even if this guy had answered the question for himself. "But no one's really been here for months." she says, "Just usin' the alley as a short cut to find one of my people. Should be a few streets over this time of day."