The alley was quiet now, the clamor of the city dimmed to a distant hum. Lanterns flickered against the uneven walls, throwing shadows that danced over crates, barrels, and discarded cloths. Adrian—Aiden to the kids—sat cross-legged on the floor, the remnants of the small meal they had shared spread across a clean board of wood he'd found.
Lio, perched on an upturned crate like it was a throne, shot Adrian a wary glance. "So… Aiden, you really going to stick around, or are you just pretending to be some kind of hero?"
Adrian tilted his head, calm and deliberate. "I stick around if I want to. I'm not pretending anything."
Lio snorted, leaning back. "Suits you. But I'm watching."
Tomas, arms crossed, smirked from his spot on the floor. "Watching, huh? Don't act like you don't want to compete. I bet I'm faster than you."
"Faster?" Adrian's voice was flat but calm, a spark of dry humor in the words. "I don't race small children for fun."
Mira giggled softly, her bright eyes flicking between the two. "He's funny when he's serious."
Adrian's ears turned a shade red, though he tried to hide it. "I'm not funny," he muttered, quickly picking up a piece of bread to nibble.
Lio raised an eyebrow. "You're blushing. That's funny."
Adrian coughed into his fist. "I am not blushing. You're imagining things."
Mira clapped her hands lightly. "Oh! I want to hear your stories, Aiden. You must have some, right?"
Adrian leaned back, observing the three. They were energetic, chaotic, and bright in ways the streets had taught them to survive—but they were also raw potential. He could see it clearly. Lio's cunning, Mira's observation, Tomas' instincts. These were the kinds of traits he might someday need.
"I've… had experiences," Adrian said carefully. "Nothing worth bragging about."
Tomas leaned forward eagerly. "Come on, Aiden! If you're going to be part of our crew, you have to prove yourself. Tell us something!"
Adrian's lips twitched faintly. "Fine. I once navigated an entire market without anyone noticing. Not because I'm fast or sneaky—but because I watched, planned, and moved when no one expected it."
Lio's eyes narrowed. "Planning, huh? Sounds like a noble. And you still claim you're like us?"
Adrian shrugged, calm, unshaken. "Perhaps I move differently. That doesn't mean I can't belong here."
Mira smiled, clapping her hands. "I like him already. Aiden, you think things we can't even notice!"
Adrian's ears burned again, heat creeping up to his neck. He quickly looked down at the wooden board in front of him, pretending to inspect the food. "I'm… not special," he muttered, more to himself than them.
Tomas shook his head, chuckling. "You're weird. But I like weird. Weird can fight."
Lio leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't trust easily," he said quietly, eyes sharp as knives. "You've got something, though. Something you're hiding."
Adrian looked at him evenly. "Everyone hides something."
Mira laughed softly. "Fair enough. But you're not hiding bad things, Aiden. You seem… nice."
Adrian's heart skipped. Nice. Not something he heard often. He shuffled slightly, uncomfortable. "I… I don't know about that."
The conversation lulled, and they began to eat in more relaxed silence. Tomas hunched over the bread, taking enormous bites, crumbs flying. Lio carefully tore pieces of dried fruit, inspecting each one. Mira nibbled delicately, humming under her breath. Adrian watched them quietly, noting how they moved, how they interacted, how instinct guided them.
"So… what's the point of living in an alley if you can't do something fun?" Tomas asked between bites, loud and animated.
"Fun?" Adrian raised a brow, dry humor flicking through his voice. "This is fun?"
Mira smiled. "Fun is relative."
Tomas groaned. "Ugh, philosopher. You're so weird, Aiden."
Adrian's lips twitched faintly. "I prefer 'strategic observer.'"
Lio snorted. "Weird names for weird people. Fits."
The kids laughed, and Adrian allowed a small, almost imperceptible smile.
After the meal, Tomas jumped to his feet. "Race! Whoever touches that corner of the wall first wins!"
Adrian blinked. "A race?"
"Yes!" Tomas turned to him eagerly. "Come on, Aiden. Or are you too slow?"
Adrian considered it. He couldn't push too hard, couldn't reveal his skills. But he could engage enough to earn their respect.
"Fine," he said, standing carefully. "I'll race. But I warn you, I don't go all out."
Tomas smirked. "Good. You'll still lose."
The three children lined up. Mira clapped her hands. "On your marks… ready… go!"
They dashed, weaving around crates and barrels. Tomas took the lead immediately, his speed natural, aggressive. Lio was slightly behind, slyly taking shortcuts. Adrian moved cautiously, but with calculated precision, letting the others think they led while positioning himself to overtake at key points.
When they reached the wall, Tomas hit first, panting, chest heaving. Adrian reached the wall just moments after, placing his hand down carefully.
"Ha! Beat you!" Tomas laughed, proud.
Adrian's lips twitched into a faint smile. "By a fraction," he said dryly, deliberately underplaying his speed.
Mira clapped. "Not bad, Aiden! You almost caught him!"
Adrian's ears burned again. "…I said it was nothing."
Lio rolled his eyes. "Sure, nothing. You're full of surprises."
They continued with small challenges—tossing scraps, balancing on crates, dodging imaginary guards. Adrian participated just enough to impress without overreaching. Mira's calm observation caught every little move he made, Tomas' loud cheers encouraged him, and Lio's sly scrutiny made him cautious and calculated.
Through laughter, playful shoves, and mock arguments, Adrian began to see the dynamic forming. The three children were chaotic, wild, and unpolished—but there was potential. Intelligence, instinct, loyalty. The exact qualities he would need.
Later, when they were catching their breath, Mira leaned against a wall, voice soft. "Sometimes I wish… we didn't have to steal. That there was a place we could just… be safe."
Tomas shrugged. "Safe? That's boring."
Lio frowned, more serious than usual. "There's no safe place for kids like us."
Adrian, sitting a little apart, listened quietly. The words struck something deep. A place for children like them… not just surviving, but living. He didn't speak immediately. He only watched, thinking, calculating.
If a place like that doesn't exist… maybe I'll make it.
Mira's gaze flicked toward him. "Aiden? You're quiet. Thinking?"
Adrian's lips twitched faintly. "…Maybe."
Tomas snorted. "Of course you are. You always think. Don't try to hide it."
"You're too perceptive," Adrian said softly, heat creeping to his ears.
Mira laughed lightly. "You're blushing again!"
Adrian groaned and looked down, hiding his face. "I'm not."
Lio muttered, "You're impossible."
As night fell, the alley grew colder. The kids settled around the remaining scraps of food, sharing stories, joking, laughing. Adrian sat slightly apart, observing. He noted how Tomas' energy could rally others, Lio's cunning could predict danger, and Mira's sharp eyes caught details even adults missed.
He smiled faintly to himself, quietly thinking: If I could gather people like this… people with potential, with heart… then maybe this guild I've been imagining could exist.
The city outside roared on, oblivious. But here, in this shadowed alley, something had begun. Something new, fragile, but full of possibility.
Adrian—Aiden to them—watched the three street kids, and a spark of determination glimmered in his red eyes.
This is where it begins.