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Description
I giggle to myself as I watch Rat walk happily out of the donut shop, contentedly licking sprinkles off his fingers.

Lee is carrying two boxes of jelly filled donuts, and I smile softly as him and Joe quarrel playfully.

I walk out of the shop behind them, thinking silently to myself about what was awaiting us.

Mickey suddenly appears at my side, grudgingly carrying another box of donuts. He grunts quietly, and my gaze flickers over to him.

“So…”

His voice is husky and captivating, and I see him staring nonchalantly ahead.

“Is there a type of, I don’t know, test or something? Some sort of initiation we have to go through?” I watch his brow furrow slightly, the only sign of nervousness I can notice.

“We don’t do that kind of thing in the Bevy.” I look away from him and concentrate on the bags I carry. “You just prove yourself with time, I guess.”

“That’s rather stupid don’t you think?”

My eyebrows rise involuntarily, and I feel myself bristle slightly.

“Hey. Chill.” He rolls his eyes at me, his shoulders slightly shrugged. “Man, you’re worse than a porcupine. Put your quills away, Big Mama.”

I fight back a smirk and feel myself calm slightly.

“All I’m saying is that you could be letting in the worst gang banger ever. For all you know, Rat and I could be the most conniving and ruthless dips around. And you’d just wait around until we ripped your Bevy to pieces.” He shakes his head slightly.

“Where’s your strategy in all this?”

I ponder this quietly, wondering how to explain my thinking in a way he wouldn’t scoff at.

In all reality, I realize that we do risk everything. Using the trust method was incredibly unsafe.

“It helps us establish respect.”

My words shock me, as I spoke without realizing it. I blush slightly at my lack of control.

Glancing at Mickey, I see he’s not in the least surprised.

“Yes, go on.”

“Well…” I feel myself stumbling for words. “You’re pretty familiar on the streets, right?”

He snorts loudly, and I notice Lee glancing back at us. Joe turns as well, and I see him tilt his head slightly. Nodding firmly at them I turn to give Mickey my full attention.

“You know the rules then. The ones that most gangs go around proclaiming, and forcing on all new members.”

He nods and I see him thinking intently.

“You’re talking about the basics.”

“Yeah, exactly.” I say.

“Well, I guess we use the trust method because of that one rule. ‘When it’s earned, it’s-‘”

“’It’s yours’.” He finishes the rule with me, once again nodding.

I sigh, relieved that he seems to be catching on to my thinking process. Trust in the Bevy wasn’t something that you just got. It took time and determination to build it, and once you gained the respect of everyone around you trust just came with it.

“I see what you mean I guess.” Looking away, he seems to notice what part of town we’ve arrived in.

“How far do we have to go?”

I shrug, not wanting to give him any leads.

I call out for Joe and Lee, seeing that they’ve already stopped. They turn towards us, and I realize that Joe seems pretty peeved.

Rat stands close to Lee, and I see that he already has a bandana wrapped around his eyes.

When Mickey notices this he stops dead, his right hand curling into a fist.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing?” He says this quietly, but his voice shakes with anger.

Joe stalks over to him with a matching bandana in his hands. I roll my eyes slightly, and sarcastically say “Kidnapping you. Duh.”

Mickey glares at me for a moment, and I smirk.

“I thought you trusted everyone.”

“I only said trust is earned. Never did I say that we automatically trusted you.” I feel guilty for egging him on, but I absolutely love the way his eyes flash angrily.

I’m shocked at this thought and stare with wide eyes at Mickey.

He’s looking over at Rat, and I see that he’s having a battle of thoughts. A vein is pulsing wildly in his neck and I wonder how hard it is for him to contain himself.

Eventually he relaxes, and glances over at me. “Sorry” I mouth, feeling bad for not warning him.

He shrugs casually and allows Joe to tie his bandana.

I sigh in relief, and as I catch Joe’s eye he nods stiffly. Lee also nods, confirming that they have the two under control.

And with this, we begin to walk in circles around the entrance to our home.

~~~~~~~~~~

I laugh my head off as Mickey stumbles over the same piece of sidewalk for the sixth time.

He huffs loudly, and I worry about this being a giveaway.

So instead I try to just giggle as we make our final round.

When we have a newbie, or in this case newbies, we try to keep their heads slightly messed up. We reach a certain stop sign and cover their eyes, then walk a block north.

We then make a square pattern around our headquarters, crossing streets and stopping at redlights. Sometimes we spin around and march the wrong way a few times, just for the fun of it.

But after seven journeys around the block, it's tradition for us to make our way inside.

With Joe and Lee following behind, I casually walk over to large garage door. I knock three times, then tap once with my finger nail.

After thirty seconds or so I hear my rhythm repeated.

I smile, knowing exactly who is on the other side of the door as I tap a new message.

"Come on Ary. They've got to know who it is... Geez. Just open the door." Lee is buzzing with impatience, and I laugh softly.

It's at this moment when the door opens, and I find myself looking into a pair of serious brown eyes.

They sparkle in the dimming sunlight, and I see a wide grin spread across his face.

"Hey." He says, his voice light and gentle.

"Hey yourself."

We grin goofily at each other, and I completely forget the people behind us until Mickey clears his throat loudly.

"Are you going to keep leading us in circles or are we freaking there yet?"

Robin turns abruptly, noticing our arrivals for the first time.

"What the heck, Ary?"

Description
I giggle to myself as I watch Rat walk happily out of the donut shop, contentedly licking sprinkles off his fingers.

Lee is carrying two boxes of jelly filled donuts, and I smile softly as him and Joe quarrel playfully.

I walk out of the shop behind them, thinking silently to myself about what was awaiting us.

Mickey suddenly appears at my side, grudgingly carrying another box of donuts. He grunts quietly, and my gaze flickers over to him.

“So…”

His voice is husky and captivating, and I see him staring nonchalantly ahead.

“Is there a type of, I don’t know, test or something? Some sort of initiation we have to go through?” I watch his brow furrow slightly, the only sign of nervousness I can notice.

“We don’t do that kind of thing in the Bevy.” I look away from him and concentrate on the bags I carry. “You just prove yourself with time, I guess.”

“That’s rather stupid don’t you think?”

My eyebrows rise involuntarily, and I feel myself bristle slightly.

“Hey. Chill.” He rolls his eyes at me, his shoulders slightly shrugged. “Man, you’re worse than a porcupine. Put your quills away, Big Mama.”

I fight back a smirk and feel myself calm slightly.

“All I’m saying is that you could be letting in the worst gang banger ever. For all you know, Rat and I could be the most conniving and ruthless dips around. And you’d just wait around until we ripped your Bevy to pieces.” He shakes his head slightly.

“Where’s your strategy in all this?”

I ponder this quietly, wondering how to explain my thinking in a way he wouldn’t scoff at.

In all reality, I realize that we do risk everything. Using the trust method was incredibly unsafe.

“It helps us establish respect.”

My words shock me, as I spoke without realizing it. I blush slightly at my lack of control.

Glancing at Mickey, I see he’s not in the least surprised.

“Yes, go on.”

“Well…” I feel myself stumbling for words. “You’re pretty familiar on the streets, right?”

He snorts loudly, and I notice Lee glancing back at us. Joe turns as well, and I see him tilt his head slightly. Nodding firmly at them I turn to give Mickey my full attention.

“You know the rules then. The ones that most gangs go around proclaiming, and forcing on all new members.”

He nods and I see him thinking intently.

“You’re talking about the basics.”

“Yeah, exactly.” I say.

“Well, I guess we use the trust method because of that one rule. ‘When it’s earned, it’s-‘”

“’It’s yours’.” He finishes the rule with me, once again nodding.

I sigh, relieved that he seems to be catching on to my thinking process. Trust in the Bevy wasn’t something that you just got. It took time and determination to build it, and once you gained the respect of everyone around you trust just came with it.

“I see what you mean I guess.” Looking away, he seems to notice what part of town we’ve arrived in.

“How far do we have to go?”

I shrug, not wanting to give him any leads.

I call out for Joe and Lee, seeing that they’ve already stopped. They turn towards us, and I realize that Joe seems pretty peeved.

Rat stands close to Lee, and I see that he already has a bandana wrapped around his eyes.

When Mickey notices this he stops dead, his right hand curling into a fist.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing?” He says this quietly, but his voice shakes with anger.

Joe stalks over to him with a matching bandana in his hands. I roll my eyes slightly, and sarcastically say “Kidnapping you. Duh.”

Mickey glares at me for a moment, and I smirk.

“I thought you trusted everyone.”

“I only said trust is earned. Never did I say that we automatically trusted you.” I feel guilty for egging him on, but I absolutely love the way his eyes flash angrily.

I’m shocked at this thought and stare with wide eyes at Mickey.

He’s looking over at Rat, and I see that he’s having a battle of thoughts. A vein is pulsing wildly in his neck and I wonder how hard it is for him to contain himself.

Eventually he relaxes, and glances over at me. “Sorry” I mouth, feeling bad for not warning him.

He shrugs casually and allows Joe to tie his bandana.

I sigh in relief, and as I catch Joe’s eye he nods stiffly. Lee also nods, confirming that they have the two under control.

And with this, we begin to walk in circles around the entrance to our home.

~~~~~~~~~~

I laugh my head off as Mickey stumbles over the same piece of sidewalk for the sixth time.

He huffs loudly, and I worry about this being a giveaway.

So instead I try to just giggle as we make our final round.

When we have a newbie, or in this case newbies, we try to keep their heads slightly messed up. We reach a certain stop sign and cover their eyes, then walk a block north.

We then make a square pattern around our headquarters, crossing streets and stopping at redlights. Sometimes we spin around and march the wrong way a few times, just for the fun of it.

But after seven journeys around the block, it's tradition for us to make our way inside.

With Joe and Lee following behind, I casually walk over to large garage door. I knock three times, then tap once with my finger nail.

After thirty seconds or so I hear my rhythm repeated.

I smile, knowing exactly who is on the other side of the door as I tap a new message.

"Come on Ary. They've got to know who it is... Geez. Just open the door." Lee is buzzing with impatience, and I laugh softly.

It's at this moment when the door opens, and I find myself looking into a pair of serious brown eyes.

They sparkle in the dimming sunlight, and I see a wide grin spread across his face.

"Hey." He says, his voice light and gentle.

"Hey yourself."

We grin goofily at each other, and I completely forget the people behind us until Mickey clears his throat loudly.

"Are you going to keep leading us in circles or are we freaking there yet?"

Robin turns abruptly, noticing our arrivals for the first time.

"What the heck, Ary?"