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xxxspeech: #79abb3 xthought: #b38179
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xxx"there's a war we can't ignore
xxxwaging silence on our lives
xxxwe will overcome
xxxlet the cowards run and hide."
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It was nights like this that Scott was immensely grateful to be off the streets. Not so long ago, these nights would have been spent in a potentially unsafe shelter or a definitely unsafe position a few inches from a fire. Personal space had gone out the window- they slept pressed against each other, sharing the little body heat they had. Sometimes, volunteers from charities would give them blankets and hot drinks, which made the nights infinitely more tolerable.
It was for that very reason that Scott left the house an hour earlier than needed for the meeting, carrying two bags filled with blankets and flasks of hot tea. He'd been lucky enough to end up with someone that could give him a warm winter coat, scarf, and solid shoes. He'd been so extraordinarily lucky in so many ways.
Out of habit, he checked all of the places where he and his friends had spent the cold days. There were people there- but no familiar faces. He felt guilty for feeling relieved at that- after all, what made his friends any more deserving of a roof over their heads than these people? Just like him, they'd just gotten lucky. They'd all nearly been killed in the process, but they'd made it out alive. The same couldn't be said for everyone in their position. Hadn't the man that had been killed only a week earlier been homeless?
The memories of that news story sent a shiver down Scott's spine as he handed out the last of the tea and blankets. He'd lost count of the amount of similar news stories he'd read. All about Gifted people. Some homeless, some not. He still wasn't safe. None of them were. So, they were going to do something about it.
Scott shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as he went down the steps into the subway. He'd left the bags with a family who had managed to escape with most of their belongings, but who were constantly terrified of their belongings being stolen when they were out on the street. He'd also given them some money and directed them to a Gifted-friendly shelter that catered for families. There were hard enough to find unless you had spent a night in one already.
He found the warehouse without too much trouble- the fact that people were actually going into it was a bit of a tell-tale sign. He slipped in the door just as the introductions begun. He didn't recognise the guy who spoke at first, but he did recognise the redhead who spoke next. Frankie De Vries. His family was friendly with hers, so they'd met a couple of times. Well, not so much met as been shoved together at the "young people" table. Luckily for everyone involved, they got along relatively well, so it was bearable for everyone involved.
The curly-headed boy who spoke next was also familiar. It was only as he mentioned his gift that it clicked who he was. Scott had left a couple of injured strays into the vet during his times on the streets and had also been in with the Carter family cat, Theodore, known as Teddy to all. Rather ironically, Teddy was a vicious creature to everyone that wasn't a member of the Carter family. Scott still had some scars from his first few weeks. The boy worked there, but Scott couldn't honestly remember if they'd actually had any dealings beyond saying hello.
The ringleader- who didn't appear to be the nicest of people- then took into a boy who was standing in a corner. Just as Scott stepped forward to intervene, the boy revealed his sharp tongue. Scott stepped back, smirking to himself. He had always liked wit and sarcasm. Things escalated from there, though, and before Scott was fully aware of what was happening, Garth had swung a punch. The smaller boy grabbed his wrist, and Garth pulled away with a howl of pain. Even from where he was standing, Scott could see the grey on the bully's wrist. Scott glanced at the other boy, who was now back in his corner, avoiding everyone.
"I'm Scott," Scott announced. Everyone turned to look at him instead of the boy in the corner, something that gave him a little satisfaction. "And my ability is... Well, uh... I'll just demonstrate it, it'll be quicker and easier for everyone." He knew that just shoving his hand through the beam beside him would suffice, but phasing his whole body would be easier, with a lot less potential for embarrassment. He turned and stepped straight through the beam, stepping cleanly out the other side. "It is still solid, by the way. You can come see for yourself if you want," he said, shrugging a little as he folded his arms again.
It was for that very reason that Scott left the house an hour earlier than needed for the meeting, carrying two bags filled with blankets and flasks of hot tea. He'd been lucky enough to end up with someone that could give him a warm winter coat, scarf, and solid shoes. He'd been so extraordinarily lucky in so many ways.
Out of habit, he checked all of the places where he and his friends had spent the cold days. There were people there- but no familiar faces. He felt guilty for feeling relieved at that- after all, what made his friends any more deserving of a roof over their heads than these people? Just like him, they'd just gotten lucky. They'd all nearly been killed in the process, but they'd made it out alive. The same couldn't be said for everyone in their position. Hadn't the man that had been killed only a week earlier been homeless?
The memories of that news story sent a shiver down Scott's spine as he handed out the last of the tea and blankets. He'd lost count of the amount of similar news stories he'd read. All about Gifted people. Some homeless, some not. He still wasn't safe. None of them were. So, they were going to do something about it.
Scott shoved his hands deeper into his pockets as he went down the steps into the subway. He'd left the bags with a family who had managed to escape with most of their belongings, but who were constantly terrified of their belongings being stolen when they were out on the street. He'd also given them some money and directed them to a Gifted-friendly shelter that catered for families. There were hard enough to find unless you had spent a night in one already.
He found the warehouse without too much trouble- the fact that people were actually going into it was a bit of a tell-tale sign. He slipped in the door just as the introductions begun. He didn't recognise the guy who spoke at first, but he did recognise the redhead who spoke next. Frankie De Vries. His family was friendly with hers, so they'd met a couple of times. Well, not so much met as been shoved together at the "young people" table. Luckily for everyone involved, they got along relatively well, so it was bearable for everyone involved.
The curly-headed boy who spoke next was also familiar. It was only as he mentioned his gift that it clicked who he was. Scott had left a couple of injured strays into the vet during his times on the streets and had also been in with the Carter family cat, Theodore, known as Teddy to all. Rather ironically, Teddy was a vicious creature to everyone that wasn't a member of the Carter family. Scott still had some scars from his first few weeks. The boy worked there, but Scott couldn't honestly remember if they'd actually had any dealings beyond saying hello.
The ringleader- who didn't appear to be the nicest of people- then took into a boy who was standing in a corner. Just as Scott stepped forward to intervene, the boy revealed his sharp tongue. Scott stepped back, smirking to himself. He had always liked wit and sarcasm. Things escalated from there, though, and before Scott was fully aware of what was happening, Garth had swung a punch. The smaller boy grabbed his wrist, and Garth pulled away with a howl of pain. Even from where he was standing, Scott could see the grey on the bully's wrist. Scott glanced at the other boy, who was now back in his corner, avoiding everyone.
"I'm Scott," Scott announced. Everyone turned to look at him instead of the boy in the corner, something that gave him a little satisfaction. "And my ability is... Well, uh... I'll just demonstrate it, it'll be quicker and easier for everyone." He knew that just shoving his hand through the beam beside him would suffice, but phasing his whole body would be easier, with a lot less potential for embarrassment. He turned and stepped straight through the beam, stepping cleanly out the other side. "It is still solid, by the way. You can come see for yourself if you want," he said, shrugging a little as he folded his arms again.