Dumpster kids

chapter 1: everybody talks

TW: Blood and injuries, nothing too heavy

---- April, 12, 2019 ---- 2:00 AM -------

Blood ran down the side of Elle's face blurring her vision and leaving the sour taste of copper on her tongue. That would definitely be a problem later but right now they had a much more pressing issue. Daphne's watch was missing. Well not "missing" missing they knew that it was somewhere in this alley, but it was a very big alley and Elle was a very small man. Not to mention but Daphne was on the verge of passing out and would be in no condition to help search. Stupid, fuckin, Daph.

Elle searched the alley as best she could with only half her normal eyesight, to no avail. The only place she had yet to check was the dumpster that sat in the far corner of the alley right next to where Daph was propped up. They had fallen into a not-so restful sleep and every time a groan left their lips Elle would run over to her half-conscious friend and make sure they were alright before continuing her search. If Daphne had been fully awake Elle wouldn't have constantly checked on them, because one they probably were fine, two Elle hates the smirk Daphne uses every time Elle shows an ounce of kindness towards them.

She checked on Daph one more time before jumping into the dumpster with as much enthusiasm as she could muster being that close to a dumpster. Elle searched through the dumpster with a surprising amount of grace that showed just how much experience she had with being a raccoon. Who knew trauma could come in this handy?

The sound of footsteps hitting the pavement near the entrance to the alley froze Elle in place. "Not now c'mon" she thought attempting once more to use her powers, no luck, they had been a little messed up. Elle guessed it was because after years of not using her powers her body wasn't used to using them constantly. She shut her eyes and tensed every muscle in her body trying her best to slink into the shadows without her power.

"If only Daph hadn't been so dead-set on finding the god damn watch"

The steps were closer now

"If only they hadn't dropped it in the first place,"

The steps turned the corner into the alley

"If only I had done my job and kept a look out, Daph wouldn't be on the verge of death in an alley way"

The steps stopped

"Uhhh...You okay back there?" a voice asked, Elle guessed It belonged to the footsteps, they were talking to her, that meant they saw her and that she was screwed.

She had to remind herself to breathe.

Getting no answer, the person stepped closer. Elle opened her eyes to meet the eyes of the person, they looked worried. They weren't calling the cops so that was good.

"You're bleeding." The person says their voice was steady and surprisingly calm considering the amount of blood coating what felt like every inch of Elle's body.

"No" Elle responds, her voice a little weaker than she would've liked. Who knows maybe dying in this alley would be better than going to jail. Nah Daphne couldn't survive jail without her. Shit Daph!

"They're bleeding." the person says again pointing at Daphne, a fact not a question.

"And badly too, shit," they say crouching down next to where Daphne was sat, unconscious.

No matter how badly Elle's head began to hurt Daph was unconscious and without any means of protection next to a stranger.

"HEY!" Elle barks at the stranger. Using the last bit of her remaining strength to pull herself out of the dumpster.

After taking a single step towards Daph and away from the dumpster she collapsed onto the ground.

"Can you wait a little while longer to die, one half-dead person is enough I don't need two." the person says rolling up their sleeves and pulling out their phone.

Alarm bells rang through Elle's head. She pulls herself up so that she's at least sitting and grabs the nearest object to her, a metal pipe. She tries standing again and succeeds.

"Don't you dare touch her, and don't even think of calling the cops." Elle says pointing her makeshift weapon at the person. They looked about the same age as Elle, maybe a year older. Then again Elle could barely remember her own age let alone judge this person's.

"Okay sure." they say holding their hands above their head. Their voice never fluctuates from a calm quite tone, that angers Elle more than she cares to admit. The person drops the phone and stands up.

"If you do anything, I won't hesitate to kill you," Elle threatens although her voice cracks halfway through due to the amount of blood and bile forcing its way up her throat. The person nods with a small smirk on their face.

"How about this, you clearly don't want my help, but your friend needs it," they tilt their head towards Daphne, "If you can walk to the end of the alley, with your friend, I'll let you go and you can die without it being on my conscious," they tilt their head to the end of the alley.

Elle has never been the biggest advocate for thinking things through, but she knows she would much rather die a slow painful death than accept this person's help. She moves closer to where Daphne is passed out and slings one of their arms around her shoulder while suppressing a scream that comes when one of her ribs shifts so that it's poking her lung. She manages to get Daph off the floor when the person talks again,

"Your friend has maybe a few more hours in them. You maybe three days, without any medical help that is,"

Elle freezes in place. No matter how many times she's said I hate you to Daphne's face or punched and kicked them or screamed insults and curse words, she knows she couldn't live without them. She definitely doesn't want to be the reason Daphne dies.

She turns and stares the person in the eyes. They look sincere, shit Daph might die. It hits Elle like a tsunami, both of them could die.

She nods, and that's all the response the person needs to jump into action. They grab Daphne from around Elle's shoulders and then urge her to sit down. She does so, her mind still stuck in a weird fog caused by the fact that both of them could've died tonight, they still could.

The last thing Elle hears before passing out from the amount of blood she's lost is,

"Loki get your ass down here we have a problem."

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(1119 words)