The Nexus

Thunder cracked through the sky as the rain came pouring down for the second day in a row. Everything Darryn owned was soaking wet, but there wasn't much he could do about it if the sky insisted on raining buckets! Lightning danced through the clouds a minute or two later, lighting up the dimmed alleyway where Darryn had plopped down to wait out the storm. His flimsy cardboard roof wasn't doing him much good, but he was warm at least. A few of the stray dogs he'd become friends with had joined him in his makeshift home and were huddled up against him.

Counting to himself, he found he was missing on of his regulars: a scruffy little mix with only three legs. The tripod dog was a personal favorite of his and he worried something might have happened to it in the streets. He wasn't as fast as the other dogs after all! Darryn got to his feet as another lightning bolt lit the sky and hunched under his extremely over-sized coat. At least, if nothing else, all of his layers were keeping his skin dry as he shuffled through the puddles.

Korbin had gone for a walk in the city, and then gotten distracted. He'd ended up with a new song but now he was caught in the rain. His hair was plastered to his head and not curly at all, and he was trying to get back to a main street so that he could hail a cab.

He jumped when the thunder sounded the first time, and by the time the storm had really kicked in he was huddled in a doorway with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Storms always made him anxious, and being out in the storm had made it even worse. He cringed as it thundered again, but when the lightening came it lit up the area well enough for him to see the scruffy wet dog sitting in front of him.

"Hi doggy..." He jerked when it thundered again and he knelt down to pet the little thing. It sniffed at him and then woofed, before trotting down the street. Korbin watched him go, a little sad that his companion was gone. The dog soon came trotting back and woofed again, then went back and forth until Korbin started to follow him. The dog looked quite pleased with himself and Korbin didn't even know why he was following the dog, "Where are we going boy?" Of course, the dog was leading him right to Darryn!

Darryn was whistling for the dog like it might be able to hear him over the din of the rain and the passing cars. His face was scrunched up so he could squint through the hazy of precipitation and he trudged on down the next corner hoping the little animal wasn't too far off. He whistled again before he heard the dog's bark and moved in that direction, rounding another corner to find the dog trotting toward him triumphantly.

He felt relieved to see the dog was alright and seemed to be in high spirits even though is was torrentially down pouring! He knelt to scoop the dog up and the creature lapped at his face happily and wriggled like it wanted to be put back down. Darryn let it go and the three legged dog bounded towards Korbin. Noticing him, Darryn stopped and glared, his brows coming together. He didn't get any closer at first, trying to figure out if this kid lived on the streets like he did or if he was just lost. He couldn't figure out who in their right mind would be out in the rain if they had somewhere better to go. Darryn wasn't exactly a welcoming sight. He was tall and built like a scarecrow, not that Korbin could tell with the bulky coat and the layers of clothes he had one. His hair was black, shaved on the sides and pulled back into a ponytail at the top of his head and his ears were lined with piercings and gauges. "Who are you?"

Korbin pushed his wet hair out of his face when he saw the man and dog reunited. When the dog ran back over to him he petted the little thing, "Is this your master?" Thunder boomed again and Korbin flinched, and then when the lightening came it lit up Darryn and Korbin's breath was momentarily taken away. He didn't know why but something about the other man inspired him, even if he did look gruff and sounded angry.

Thunder boomed again and he made a frightened noise, "Korbin. I was following your dog...do you know how to get back to the main road?" Of course a guy like Korbin was lost. He was soaked to the bone but he was dressed in nice clothes and he had a pair of designer sunglasses perched on top of his head.

As the lightning gave him better vision Darryn frowned deeply. Korbin was just another rich looking kid who was lost in the less favorable part of the city. He motioned to the dog so it would come close and then picked it up, this time not allowing him to wriggle free. "He's not my dog. Take this street two blocks north and you should find it." Darryn was definitely still being gruff and the look he was giving Korbin said he might even be a bit disgusted with the clothes the man had on. He seemed to be considering something though and he stared at Korbin for a bit longer than was comfortable. "What are you doing here?"

"He's not?" Korbin reached his hands out, "Can I have him then?" The thunder boomed and he flinched again and gave Darryn a wobbly smile. "I was taking a walk to see the city...I found this really great little shop and I wrote this song, but then I tried to get back to the main road and I got turned around." He laughed nervously, "I guess that was more than you asked..." He shivered and he was still holding his arms out for the dog.

Darryn seemed to bristle at the thought of Korbin taking his dog... that was not his dog. "No. He's a stray I take care of. He likes being free." The more he talked the more Korbin could hear a southern accent coming out of him. Darryn had turned his body some so that the dog was further way... "You wrote a song?" His brow raised at that as if he were judging Korbin. His eyes ran up and down the man a second and he seemed to relax a little, turning back so the three legged dog was facing Korbin again. "Let me walk you..." Darryn's attitude seemed to shift as his mind worked.

Korbin's face fell, "How do you know?" He nodded about the song, "Yeah I did." It was obvious that this guy hadn't recognized him and Korbin wasn't going to point it out. "Oh...okay." He squeaked again as the thunder boomed over head and he was cringing when the lightening flashed. "I'd appreciate it." He gave Darryn a little smile, "What's your name?"

"I just do," He spat back. Clearly the topic of the dog was a touchy one. He didn't want to let his friend go! "You wanna be some sort of singer or something?" If Darryn did know who Korbin was then the rain drenched look wasn't helping his memory. He started to walk in the direction he had pointed out and placed the dog down. "Darryn," He offered gruff ly and didn't ask Korbin for his name. Thunder clapped again and Darryn moved closer. "Don't like the storm?"

Korbin looked sad, "I just wanted to get him dried off and give him some food...he rescued me." Korbin had already given his name and so he didn't feel the need to offer it up again. "I already am actually." He pushed some of his hair out of his face, "You ever heard of Winter's Children?" He doubted it, but Darryn had brought it up. "And I don't...I hate big storms like this." The thunder rumbled again and he jerked and ended up a little closer to Darryn.

"You can do that. But he'said coming back with me." Darryn hadn't remembered Korbin's name but the band sounded a little familiar. "Winter's Children? Wait, you got that bill board down on broadway, right?" He'd slept under the bill board a few times. Darryn moved in closer again until their elbows were touching. If Korbin was who he said he was then he was rich and Darryn could find an angle on that. "It's nothing to be afraid of."

Korbin's face lit up when Darryn recognized the band name, "Yes! That's us." He was happy that Darryn believed him, and when he came closer still Korbin turned a bit pink, "I've always just hated them." Getting into why was absolutely digging too far into his big bag of crazy for a first meeting. "Are all of these your dogs?"

Darryn grunted at Korbin. He hadn't ever heard the band's music before and he wasn't interested. Darr looked over his shoulder to find a few of the other dogs trailing them. "They're my friends. They're all strays." He walked fast as if he had places to be besides helping Korbin out, but he'd slow his pace if Korbin lagged.

Korbin smiled, "Why don't you all come back to my house then? Have you got more? We can take them all." It'd be a bit of a walk because he didn't think that a taxi would take all the wet dogs plus two wet humans. Korbin trotted after Darryn, because he's been distracted by the dogs. "I have plenty of room. And after I could get you a car back to your place." He didn't automatically assume Darryn was homeless, because that would have been silly.

"I don't need a car. I can walk." Darryn looked behind them and took a quick count. All six of his dogs were there. "This I all of them." He wasn't about to decline Korbin's offer at all. "You got a big place? You probably do. Rich and all."

Korbin flinched when thunder rumbled again, "It's pretty far. I live on the riverfront." Which should tell Darr just how obscenely rich he was. "There will be plenty of room for everyone." He wanted to stop and say hello to the dogs but he didn't want to fall too far behind Darryn. "I took a taxi down here...but I don't think one will go to my place with the dogs." And he definitely wasn't going to leave them behind.

Darryn tried to slow his pace so he didn't get too far away from Korbin. The riverfront said a lot. His father used to have an apartment somewhere around there, but he wasn't even sure the man was still in this city. "We can walk. We walk everywhere." Korbin might be able to tell by his natural fast pace he was definitely a walker. "You got a lot of food?"

"Okay..." Korbin wasn't much of a walker and he'd probably be worn out by the time they made it...especially since it was still storming out. "Yeah, of course. Are you hungry?" He gave Darryn a little smile, "Thanks for showing me the way back. I would probably still be lost if it weren't for you and your little friend." He looked at the dogs, "What are their names?"

Darryn was walking at Korbin's side no matter how slow he got. "Yes," He answered rather quickly to the food question. He turned a few tricks for food when he could but he would never turn down food if it was offered. He shrugged to the thanks because he didn't need it; Korbin was going to feed him ad the dogs and then Darryn would be the one in debt. "I don't really have names for them. They're free to come and go as they please. I told you, they're not mine. They're my friends. We keep each other warm."

"Oh...well I'll cook you something then." His happy smile faded as thunder boomed again and he jumped, "B--but...they have to have names." He tilted his head, "Keep...each other warm?" That seemed to be a curious thing to say, and he didn't quite understand it.