“Welcome back, August!” She gleefully greeted.

August grinned and ruffled the girl’s hair. “Sorry I didn’t bring you anything this time. I just wanted to check up on you all.” 

She pouted and went back to her father. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see London, who was grinning at him. She had been a rebel who had cut out her AI chip from her own wrist. She had shaved her head and dyed it a bright blue. Her dark skin was dotted with the popular luminescent tattoos that even in the dim room, seemed to glow brightly. She held out a fist and August grinned as he bumped hers with his own. 

“Hey London! Collin said you had the new delivery?” From her pocket, she pulled out what appeared to just be an ordinary pen before handing it to him. “Had to change suppliers. Not sure how well this stuff will hold up. I don’t know this guy that well but Collin found him and I trust Collin.”

August rolled the pen in his hands, inspecting it, before he stuffed it into his pocket. “Thanks, London. You know I owe you my life for this, right?”

She waved her hand. “Nah, you’re saving all of us. I could never pay back that favor. Just make sure you don’t get yourself caught, yeah?”

London was probably the only friend he really had. She had never been afraid to speak her mind and, when he first met her, she had been part of a rebellion. She was high on the AI’s search list. Cutting out her ID chip, however, had almost killed her. The ugly ragged scar on her wrist was testament to that. 

“And do something about this ragged hair of yours!” She chastised with a laugh, reaching up and musing with his rainbow colored hair. A dye job he certainly didn’t regret. Even the dragon tattoo rising up his neck was as blue as his roots. 

He swatted her hand away. “Not everyone wants to be bald like you.” He teased her.

London pretended to run her hand through non-existent hair and throw her head like a hair model might. “You’re just jealous of my look.”

August snorted and laughed. He took some time talking to the other refugees. Robin was a young man exposed as an Omega. His blood was special for Them and most Omegas among humans ended up as personal chew toys for Them. Robin’s parents had sold him to Them for a few measly meal plans and he had run. Stephan, the little girl’s father, had refused to allow his daughter to be subjected to farming days and thus, had to escape with her. He would have been killed on the spot. Each of the refugees had their own story to tell and a reason to stay hidden. He just wished he could do more for them. He got a list of provisions they would all need and any messages to friends and family they wanted to share before he bade them all goodbye and left the small room. London, however, followed him out. She made sure the door was closed securely before she turned to him with a hard look. 

“Take it, right now.” She demanded and August knew immediately what she was talking about. The suppressants made him dangerously sick and he tended to only use the suppressant until the very last moment when he could feel the beginning signs of his rut. He knew she was just concerned for his safety, much like Collin was, but he couldn’t help but give her an equally annoyed look. 

“I said I would take it.” he told her but London just crossed her arms and barred his way back down the hallway. 

August clenched his jaw before he gave a groan of submission and pulled out the pen. He yanked off the cap to reveal an epi-pen. He held out his arm and injected himself in his forearm. When it was finished, he replaced the cap and handed the empty pen back to her. “Happy?” he growled. 

She was grinning now as she took back the pen to dispose of without it being seen. “Yes. Collin has already given you the next few days off till your sickness runs its course. You should probably run home.”

While London was his friend, he often saw her more as an older sister and while he was annoyed she made him take the suppressant earlier than he wanted to, he knew deep down that she deeply cared for him. As a Beta, he was safe around her. She reached out and wrapped a hand around his neck to pull him in until their foreheads touched. “Be careful out there, August, okay?” she murmured. 

He placed a hand on the top of her head. “Yeah, I got it.” He told her before they separated. 

He fist bumped her again before he headed back down the hallway, leaving the band at the cabinet before heading back up to the Junk Shop. He tried to insist on staying for the rest of his shift but Collin all but shuffled him out the door. He swiped his wrist over the AI reader to report his end of work day before he was standing on the street, the door to the junk shop closing behind him. 

Hands in his pockets, he gave a little half smile of amusement before he headed towards downtown.