Stray (ON HOLD)

New Life

Macy didn't understand what she should be feeling, it was a mix of safety and fear of the man that has entered the booth. "This is Macy we found her in one of the houses down P. Del Rosario Street," Jake explained confidently to the leader. The man sighs, then looks at Macy intently as the room is filled with the silence of breathing. "You need to earn your keep in here, what can you do exactly?" he asks as if he's decided Macy to be capable of things other than staying and helping inside the station. "I- I.... I could search for supplies if you need..." Macy stutters then trails off into silence. "Good, we needed more feet outside this station than inside," the leader approves then leaves. Macy stared at where the leader stood feeling herself sigh slowly in relief. She thought to herself if this would be the 'safe' place she could stay in, thinking that only time would answer that question. "Alright, looks like you'd be staying here now. Come I'll show you where things are," Jake invites as he pulls himself up from leaning on the wall.

They both walked out the booth and Macy noticed a crying woman holding onto her resting son's hand, Jake noticed Macy staring and spoke, "You shouldn't make a habit of staring, pity isn't exactly welcomed in this world."

"Sorry..." Macy replies.

"I assume you haven't been with a group? You wouldn't stare like that if you have" Jake pointed out.

"Y-yeah.... I kind of avoided 'em..." Macy explains shyly.

"That's probably a smart thing to do... heh how should I know though... Anyway here's where we keep the supplies" Jake pointed at a shack that has been built with scrap plywood and galvanized iron sheets. Macy responds with a silent nod with which Jake continued. "We also have control over Abad Santos and 5th Avenue station and we transport supplies back and forth via tracks" he explains. "Oh so there are more people?!" Macy exclaimed in excitement of the thought of crowds which Jake found cute and chuckled. Macy felt her face get hot, she found it adorable how he laughs and it made her feel embarassed to find it that way. "Ok, so that's the basics of things here, you'll learn more as days go," Jake wrapped up as he put his hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze as a sign of reassurance.

"Hey bro!" the bigger man from earlier called out to Jake. They looked at the direction of the voice and saw the scrawny one making kissing motuons with his hands as he kisses the air making smooching noises. Jake laughed but they were both red of embarassment as the two continued to tease them. "Stop it would you? Haha... look you're making Macy blush" Jake teasingly ordered the two as he put his arms around Macy's shoulder. "Y-you're blushing too you know?!" Macy exclaimed in defense. They went silent and stared at her with astonishment, "sorry..." Jake expressed realizing they've made the situation awkward.

"Come on Gab, Kieth.... say you're sorry" Jake commanded the two.

"Yes brother..." the two of them said in unison with the tone of guilt in their voice.

"Wait... you guys are brothers?" Macy questioned as she heard them say brother. [Here in the Philippines we don't call our older siblings by name, instead we use brother/sister which translates to kuya/ate which would make sense in this situation]

They looked at her funnily then laughed, "I guess we really don't look like brothers" the scrawny one said laughing. Macy looked at them confused because the thought of them being brothers never crossed her mind. "I guess that makes sense though" the big one pointed. Jake then stopped laughing to explain to her that they are indeed brothers despite the differences in their looks. He explained that they had different fathers but the same mother.

"Your mother sounds like a kind person," Macy commented.

"She is," Jake affirmed as the other two nodded.

"So which of you is Gab?" she asks.

"I am," the bigger one said as he scratches his nose.

Macy giggled and said "then you're Kieth." Kieth then winked at her as an approving joke. They laughed as if to forget for a few moments how the world has become.

A/N: I don't even know if people would even read this story but I'm really enjoying writing them so whatevs.