As visits from Maggot became less and less frequent, the Scraps really didn’t know what to do with themselves. It seemed like the rich had only gotten more police to secure the area, which only made it more difficult to steal from them, which mean eating shoes.

But it seemed to be a miracle bigger than Maggot could produce when Stone began bringing cans of beans back to the alleyway. And then it was vegetables, and then it was fruits. He brushed it off whenever Vinnie or Skipp asked where he had stolen it from, ending the conversation with a “just appreciate I grabbed it.”

Well, it was a longer story than “grabbing some food.” A whole lot longer.

Stone met you not too long ago. He was probably the second most presentable Scrap, so it wasn’t too strange you had thought he was at least middle class. Catching him alone, drinking, it made your heart ache.

It also made you thirsty.

So, Stone said he’d give you his bottle for two dollars, and you handed it over to him like it was absolutely nothing. So of course he started scamming you every time you saw you!

Hey, it made good grocery money.

But then he started seeing you just for the hell of it. It was very out of character for someone like Stone but.. what could he say? You weren’t the worst.

So, now the two of you hung out on the outskirts of Ramshackle, drinking. Stone in his slightly decent clothes, and you in your obviously expensive ones.

“Ya ain’t gonna drink all’at, are ya?” Stone asked, the right corner of his lips quirking upwards just the slightest amount.