[PurpleBox]

Blue eyes had been bright and wide at the new book, he’d never seen a book so thick, mostly because Ian himself never held onto any textbooks he found on the scavengers. That bright look vanished when the soldiers had come to the door, replaced with a cold impassivity. It was strange for someone to see a blank face on Tristan who was normally so bright and smiling, even if he came off as shy to the soldiers.

Ian waited a moment longer after the echoes of booted feet left. “Self important arse holes….” Ian grumbled. “I hope they don’t room you with a nosey person….” Ian said this for a few reasons...someone new coming into the apartment was always stressful, would they just settle in and not cause waves or would they try to become a big thing in the complex….

The ginger scavenger didn’t need something new prying into his business… more so if they were loyal to the military… though considering the district that had gone up in flames… they likely were not… but Ian was always careful and protective over what he considered his….

“I wonder if it will be a girl? They haven’t housed a girl with a guy outside of couples for a while right? To try and control the population?” Tristan piped in after a moment blue eyes bright once again after the soldiers had left. Ian nodded in thought.

“Feel free to come over any time you want… Tristan could use a friend…. And I have a feeling I’ll be out on jobs for a while now…. Whenever something changes people always want more things from the outside…” Ian said rubbing the back of his head with a sigh.

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Sooner than they expected the lock down lifted, it was still light out and not to late in the evening, smoke still rising form the burnt husk buildings in the sick district. Ian and Tristan thanked Aren again, the young blond enthusiastic about reading more and planning to practice his reading out loud when he could.

Ian was pulling out some canned goods and squinting at the labels, fruit and some sort of pasta and cause… he opened the two and handed the pasta and sauce one to Tristan, taking the fruit for himself this time. Not even a hour after this a knock sounded at their apartment, a soft knock so Ian had a idea about who it was.

At the door was a small boy, smaller than Tristan, he lived on the ground floor in a bigger apartment with many other children with his parents. “Mama wanted to ask you if you could get some toys?” He asked with a squeaky voice that probably wouldn't ever go away. Ian just nodded. “More kids are being sent to Mama and Papa…. Mama wants to make them smile… but we already have our own toys… so Mama wants more to give to the new kids.” The boy added and Ian just smiled slightly.

“Sure thing Cooper, when are they getting here?” Ian asked, the little boy looked at his fingers squinting.

“Papa said sometimes tomorrow….” Ian sighed to himself… looks like he would be doing a night run to get the toys from the rundown store, it had been left alone as most people didn't think to use the toys for parts in other things…

Soon night fell and Ian was pulling on his pack to go out. Tristan was worrying his lip again. “ Why can’t you just go early tomorrow?” The boy clearly didn't want to be alone again so soon. Hugging his younger brother Ian sighed.

“I’d risk running into the morning patrollers… they are always the most alert, no clue how… but it’s best I get this done now...cram my pack full of toys and at least make it back to the tunnels.” Ian said soothing a hand over the blond curls on his brothers head.

Walking as quietly as he could down the stairs was a art now, Ian made no noise as he moved to the storage room, swiftly went in and moved the fake wall to drop himself down. Moving in the tunnels with his torch lit on his shoulder was also something he was used to and used to his advantage.