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It didn't take Conrad long to move his things into the alleyway by Sugah's. He didn't have much to begin with. It wasn't bad, really he kept twlling himself that at least. He was used to living on the streets, and he had some better protection from the rain now. And sure, the music and talking from the buolding was loud, but he found he didn't really mind. There was something sort of comforting about it.
Working with Dan wasn't bad either. He still insulted him almost contantly, but Conrad knew he didn't really mean it. Dan might call his ideas dumb, and shoot down his suggestions, but by the next day, he would be implementing them.
Dan wasn't the only one who listened to him, either. He would visit some of the friends he made during all this. They would talk, or catch up, or just hang out and do sonething together. He especially liked visiting The Fix. It was gold to see his old friends at the orphanage again. The Fix and Pasha seemed like much better caretakers than Madam Loathi-- Than Guilta ever had. Conrad visted her too, sometimes.
Between all that, and his key, and the compass, Conrad had a lot more influence in the city. It was something he was getting still getting used to. So maybe it was good that he had something familiar to return to, even if it was a pile of newspapers, and an old rivalry.
-----
There was one night when the familiar didn't really make up for it though. He hadn't been staying there long, but he found it hard to get comfortable on the hard pavement of the alleyway. He stayed up until long after the sounds of the club, which had become a sort of lullaby, had died down. It waa about hat time when Justin looked up at him.
"You know, I think the club's closed at this point. We could proabably sleep inside if we wanted."
Conad chewed his lip, uncertain about that. "Are you sure? I mean, people might be cleaning or something, and I don't wanna get thrown out."
"Well, we have been thrown out plenty of times before," Justin pointed out.
Conrad thought about that for a moment, and nodded, "You make a good point, Justin."
And with that, both of them went into Sugah's. They crept through the stockrooms that the alley was attached to until they reached the main club. Conrad found a booth in one of the corners, hidden away from the rest of the club. They curled up in the seat together, and both fell asleep.
Conrad and Justin continued that routine the next couple days. They would wait until the muaic of the club quieted, and the voices petered out, then slip inside and curl up in the back corner booth. Conrad had woken up fairly early at first, then went about his usual day. However, he was sleeping in more and more as this went on. One time he woke up late, and found a blanket draped over him. It wasn't one he recognized, all of his were old and worn out. This was incredibly soft, made of some rich fiber. The sort of blanket, he thought, that the pleasure center of the brain might own. Dan didn't say anything about it at their meeting that day.
----
It was a very rainy day. Most days in Mentopolis were rainy, but today even more so. Wind blew the water in sideways through the alley, past what the overhang would cover. All of Conrad's belongs would get absolutely soaked, if he didn't work fast.
Fortunately for Conrad, he did move very fast, even when he wasn't driving. Unfortunately for him, this attempt to preserve his stuff was quickly noticed.
"Conrad, you medium shit, what the hell do you think you're doing, dragging all that muck in here!"
"Well, I didn't want my stuff to get wet so--"
"Why were you even out in this weather? Who keeps their stuff outside like that?"
"You're the one who told hin he could live in the alleyway," Justin pointed out.
"Right, almost forgot about that." Dan paused for a beat, and sighed, "Well, I suppose I have a storage room in the back that doesn't have much in it. You can stay in it for today, if it means you'll stop tracking mud through this place. But I'm increasing your rent!"
Dan lead him through the hall to a small room, not too far from the entrace to the alley. There were a few boxes, ansmall window, and a dim light, but not much else. It was the nicest place Conrad had ever stayed.
"I swear you're taking everything from me, you rapscallion. First my blankets, now my buildings," Dan grumbled.
Conrad brightened, "So it was you who gave me that blanket!"
"Ah, shut up."
Dan never did collect any rent. Nor did he try to make Conrad move back out of the room.
----
It didn't take long before Conrad found Dan moving furniture into his room.
"It's old shit. I was getting rid of it in renovations. Figure if you're going to be taking up one of my rooms, I can at least use it to store my other trash too. Beats dragging to the dumpster," Dan said in what seemed an all to hasty explanation.
Most of the furniture was admittedly the more beat up stuff that used to to belong to Sugah's, but Conrad did find it strange that Dan would have been throwing out a dog bed.
----
And so they went on like that, with Dan bringing him along to see movies, or go to resturant, under the guise of "keeping an eye on him so he didn't get into trouble". Dan slipping him food, newspapers, and various interesting or useful things, becayse he was "done with it, about to throw it out anyways."
Conrad didn't call him out on it, and most of their friends would just silently raise an eyebrow if they noticed. But Conrad knew that he was cared for, even if Dan refused to admit it.