[Gin Couture]

This was one of the more slummy parts of town. the businesses here were ramshackle at their best. Put together with brick, concrete, and waterlogged two-by-fours, most of the buildings tended to make one think of a semi-permanent refugee camp rather than a shopping district, but such it was. One of these little enterprises was a tailor shop. The very front of it was made up of a cracked and crumbling brick veneer, a door jamb that drooped so that the actual door never close quite properly, and a very large window with a fantastic crack at its middle so it seemed as if a meteorite has smashed into it. Luckily enough for the owner however, it only partially obscured the view into the shop and the window, such as it was, did not need to be replaced just yet as the glass was still whole enough to keep out the wind and rain. A weak little wooden sign jutted out from above the doorway, a pair of stylized scissors and a spool of thread featured prominently on it to proclaim the shop's specialty. Or it would have had the thing not been covered in soot, the poor owner being too short to clean it off properly.

Gin sighed very softly as he sat in the window seat, looking out the unmarred portion of the window. At least it was a sunny day. He thought to himself as he worked on a pair of trousers. The young man was the proprietor of this little enterprise, he'd inherited the building from his late parents and had ever since been peddling his only skill in it. Only people from outside the slums really came to him to actually have clothes made for them. Most of the people here only wanted patching jobs done.

The red haired young man hummed as he worked, pushing the needle through the fabric time and time again. At the very least he liked his job. Gin never really got to do any of the fancy embroidery that he enjoyed but this business kept him under a roof and with a full belly. He couldn't complain when others had it much worse off than he. He chewed his lip humming a little song, wondering if he should put a tea kettle on. It didn't seem like he would have any more customers today....

[Edward Crane]

Growling under his breath, Edward Crane stormed up the street, a struggling bundle under his arm. Being on the bottom rung of the Hunters' Association was not the best job to have, but it still paid better than any of the other, little jobs around this town and he didn't make enough even with a handful of those other jobs to move away.

It wasn't like there were any decent jobs elsewhere to draw him away, either.

Thus, he spent his days chasing down 'missing' pets, keys, documents, and damned evil, little imps that some brilliant (note: sarcasm) hunter was able to summon for the sole purpose of 'training' (note: torturing) any Retrievers.

Sometimes, the brunette really felt like a dog.

[Gin Couture]

Gin paused in his stitching to turn his head up towards the sun, eyes closed as the light shined over his face and warmed him up a bit. He sighed softly and glanced away towards the street. Not many people were out this time of day. He paused only because a young man, maybe about the red-head's age, had caught his eye. Very few young people passed through this district. It was not a fashionable place to be and most large families lived elsewhere.

The tailor smiled a bit more, watching the other go. He probably wouldn't pass through here again, and anyway he was a Hunter. Hunters didn't pay much attention to the people they weren't working for. He sighed softly, at least it was nice to have seen a peer even just in passing. Gin was popular enough with the people but only as a Tailor, he didn't really have any friends his own age.

[Edward Crane]

The stupid cat - Nin-something or other - clawed its way out of the bag, taking off before Ed had time to react. It dashed for the slightly open door a few feet away, squirming into the building through sheer determination and dashing off into the darkness.

Running forward, Ed jerked the door open, peering around in the afternoon sunlight and only finding a very surprised and considerably adorable person sitting in a pool of the warmth. The brunette stood there for a moment, hazel eyes locked on bright blue.

Then something was knocked over in the back, reminding him of why he was busting into someone else's shop like some sort of heathen.

"Sowry!" Ed dashed back to where he heard the stupid cat making a mess, brain still stuck on those gorgeous eyes.

[Gin Couture]

Gin jerked upright, gazing in surprise at the brunette boy. He held his work tightly, watching the other boy disappear into his back room to get the blur of a beast that had run inside. "O-oh..." he stood and followed them back. well he'd not been expecting this at any rate. He bit his lip and watched the cat make a mess of his fabric bins.

He followed them back, watching the hunter work. This was the most exciting thing that'd happened all month to him. Well...in several months actually, the last even mildly surprising thing that'd happened was waking up to that great crack in his front window. That hadn't been pleasant at all.

[Edward Crane]

"Get back e'yer, yous winnick, a basil belly moggy!" Ed snarled, chasing after the cat, who scrambled between huge bins of color. This was the thirteenth time he had been sent out to catch this cat and he was getting tired of it. Somebody up in the Association didn't like him he swore most of the time and especially now. Maybe it's because there weren't many Retrievers right now, but it still pissed him off to be chasing after the same damn cat repeatedly.

And he couldn't even tranq the stupid thing.

[Gin Couture]

Gin watched them run around his back room, progressively making it messier. On the outside the shop didn't look like much but the red head tried to keep the insides immaculate.  He finally watched the cat dart between a box and a wall, he sprinted over to head the beast off, surprising it in time that he could turn over an empty laundry basket on it and trap it there. He took a deep breath, looking up at the hunter with a very small, tired smile. "Um...Hello." He put his foot on the basket to keep the cat there.

[Edward Crane]

"Oh, god, me savier," Ed moaned as the strangely feminine person with a rather masculine voice caught the accursed feline for him. Padding over to the stranger, he wrapped his arms around the other, resting his forehead against a firm shoulder.

"Ay could neck yous, but ay won't. Wuddun wanna scare yous," he murmured, panting as he loosely held onto the - realizing what he had been chasing the cat around - tailor. Dear Lord, Ed just wanted to fall over and sleep. Catching the damned thing the first time that day hadn't been easy, considering it had been wandering around in a particularly decrepit building downtown. "Ta so much. Ay think ay might neck yous anyroad."

Lifting his head slowly, the brunette brushed his lips against the tailor's cheek before letting go and kneeling down to see what the cat was doing. For his curiosity, Ed received a clawed swipe through the slats in the laundry basket and some vexed yowling.

[Gin Couture]

Gin blushed, very surprised by this sudden peck on the cheek. "I...erm." he looked away this was the most casual contact he'd had with anyone in a very long time. "It's nothing really..." he watched the other for a moment, strange, he'd never heard such an accent before. Not many people moved into the part of town from such far away places. He looked away again at all of the mess that'd been created. He bit his lip. He'd need to clean this up when they left.

He rubbed his arm in a shy sort of way, looking to Edward. The taller boy had a nice face. The little tailor looked at the cat beast from under the basket. This hunter was not very high on the totem pole to be babysitting kitties.

[Edward Crane]

"Thirteenth time, yous little bugger! If ay 'uv ter chase yous down one more time, Am go'n ter file a complaint," Ed groused, glad that he was out of range. Those cat's claws were sharp.

Looking up, the brunette realized what a lovely view he had of the - boy, yes, he could tell much better now, particularly because of the clothes he was wearing. If he had a little less shame, Ed might have stayed right there to continue enjoying that perspective, but then thought better of it. Just because he was a teenage boy didn't mean he was a walking bag of hormones.

Oh, who was he kidding?

"Or'rite. Am sorry 'bout dat about de choss, but would yous prefer me ter find firkin ter weigh down de basket so ay tinnie get about ter clean'n this up er would yous like ter continue ed in yer Captain Morgan pose?"

[Gin Couture]

"Um..." he paused, trying to decipher the other's thick accent. He was having issues understanding it. "Oh, yes a weight...You could bring over that bin. I think it should be heavy enough to hold this down." He gestured to a bin full of reference books. He looked away in a shy manner "So, You've had struggles with this cat before?" he asked softly, watching the taller boy work. The beast hissed angrily and waved its paw at him, trying to catch the tailor's leg with its extended claws.

[Edward Crane]

Picking up the bin of books, Ed set it down on the edge of the basket, scooting it closer the center once the tailor moved his foot. He was quite glad for his long legs as he was able to do that and stay well out of swiping range.

"This... moggy is one o' de widest rang'n o' its species, ay swear! De owner - nice lady - keeps go'n ter de Association fe someone ter br'n 'im back. Eez a 'ellion ter br'n back," Ed explained, taking a moment to blow a raspberry at the white and gray tabby cat. Striding over to the nearest knocked over bin, he righted it, glancing back at the redhead. "Tell me whuz ter put things if yous want dem somewhuz specificalleh."

[Gin Couture]

Gin smiled and moved away as the cat was sufficiently trapped beneath the laundry basket. He began to pick up the scraps of cloth. "Oh just go ahead and set them upright and I'll move them around alter...I've been meaning to reorganize all of this anyway." he said softly, taking the handful of scraps he had and dropping them in their original tub.

He finally paused, stretching his arms above his head and yawning.  Well that had been an exciting chase. He thought to himself, looking side-long at the british hunter. Exciting indeed.

[Edward Crane]

"Am Edward Crane, by de way," the brunette said cheerfully, gathering up some buttons that had been scattered on the floor. "Would yous like some ellp organiz'n? Ay feel bad fe tak'n up yer time like this."

The redhead stretching like that gave Ed another eyeful of sexy, slender body before he forced himself to look away. His taut stomach made Ed want to do a little bit of tasting, but the hunter did his best to distract himself. The mess was his fault, so he would clean it up. He was probably distracting the little tailor from something really important.

[Gin Couture]

The tailor smiled "Oh, no, really. I'm not that busy today." he picked up a box of ribbons and put it back on a shelf. "Um, My name is Gin. Gin Couture. It's nice to meet you Edward." he nodded politely, smiling again. "Well, I was just about to put the tea kettle on...if you'd like to stay for that. I mean, I understand if you're busy." he murmured, going a bit shy again. He imagined internally that he might make friends with this Edward, however the tailor had a mild awkwardness about him and he feared that might put the other off. He went quiet, straightened an old hat box full of lace.

[Edward Crane]

"It's a good th'n, dun," Ed stated, trying to be cheerful as he continued to pick things up. "And I'd love a cuppa. Aside from bring'n back de moggy, Am not busy and ay 'uv nah problem keep'n yous company, if that's wa' yous want."

Picking up a pile of cloth, he glanced at the redhead, smiling slightly. How long had it been since he had been invited to tea? It had been years, surely.

[Gin Couture]

Gin perked up again, hearing the other wanted to stay. "Oh, alright...I'll go put it on now. I won't be but a moment" he said nodding. He picked up another box before moving to a set of stairs in the corner that had been partially hidden by bins an a dark curtain. It was the way up to the apartment above the tailor shop. The young man quickly set up for tea, putting the kettle on the stove and picking out two chipped cups as well as some tea packets. The upstairs apartment was mad up of only three rooms; a bathroom, a tiny closet sized bedroom, and a kitchen/dining/living room area.

After a few minutes the cute red head moved down the stairs again.

[Edward Crane]

"Dun hurt yoself," Edward murmured softly, watching the redhead disappear up stairs. The tailor was adorable, but he couldn't get too attached. There were all sorts of baddies out there that would be ecstatic to devour Gin's sort, especially if it meant harming a hunter - no matter how far down the totem pole said hunter was.

At least the tailor was already situated in the Hunter's Town, one of the safest places from such random violence. Anything that attacked this place was sure to be wiped off the map, considering how many hunters were gathered at any given time. There was a pretty good farming community nearby and Hopeless, of course, to support the hunters in exchange for protection. This was the best place to be for a non-fighter.

Hearing the slight creaks of the wooden stairs as Gin came back down, Ed looked over the room, proud in the fact that it looked much tidier than in had when the redhead had left.

[Gin Couture]

Gin bounced down the stairs looking around the room and seeing that it was noticeably cleaner than before. "Lovely." he said, offering the other a smile int hanks. "I hope you don't mind Darjeeling Tea?" he asked softly "it's the only kind I have at the moment." He found a seat on a sturdy tub as he waited for the kettle to whistled. He would have invited the other upstairs but for one it would have seemed a bit to forward to ask the other up and two the apartment was modest and had only one or two places to sit, including his bed.

[Edward Crane]

"Ay like Darjeel'n," Ed responded, smiling at his host in what he hoped to be a reassuring way. Now that he had mentally assured himself of Gin's safety, he could dig for a little information. No need to skip right into danger without even considering what obstacles might lay ahead.

"So, w's a lovely la' like yoself do'n in de 'Unter's Terwn? It's not exactly de most popular place fe people us age, ye nah." Not just anyone was allowed to live here, besides. This little tailor's record must be as clean as a whistle or target that the Association is trying to protect. Ed really hoped that it was the first option.

[Gin Couture]

"Um, well I used to live in Hopeless with my Uncle. My parents left me this shop in their will and it said that if I wanted to keep it I'd have to move into it right away." He answered, blushing very slightly at the 'lovely' comment.
"Besides, I was told that there aren't any good tailor shops in town and figured my services might be of use to some of these people." he ran a hand through his long curly hair, smiling in a shy manner. He folded his hands together in his lap finally, looking to Ed.

[Edward Crane]

"Do yous ever get visits from yer Uncle?" Ed asked, mentally sighing in relief. At least the redhead was a normal person, not wanted for anything nefarious by unsavory characters. He wasn't sure what he would have done if Gin was some sort of ward of the Association because Big Badass #562 was after the adorable tailor with crude intentions.

His superiors probably would have given him extra duties to ensure the target's safety if he showed any interest.

[Gin Couture]

"Ah? Oh, no. He's getting up there in years and says he can't be bothered to come into a rough place like this. I go visit him sometimes though." Gin answered with a smile. The tea kettle began to whistle and the red head popped up. "How do you like your tea?" he asked. "I have milk, sugar and honey if you'd like any of those things in your drink." He moved to the edge of the stairs, awaiting an answer.

[Edward Crane]

"Rough, indeed," Ed groaned softly, shaking his head as a feeling of dread crept over him. "Please, tell me yous 'uv an escort whun yous go visit 'im." There were all sorts of thieves, rapists, murderers, and all around kinky bastards between towns and not all of them were well-known enough to show up on the hunters' lists of Soon-to-be Dead Persons.

"Juss a good dollop o' 'oney, if yous dun mind," the brunette said, working his way closer to the stairs as he continued getting things in some semblance of order. Since he was almost done and had left part of the room unstraightened for a reason, Ed supposed that the next few minutes would go as planned. Gin would go upstairs to fix their drinks while Ed quickly finished and quietly watched the tailor work because it was better to be safe than sorry - or worse, dead.

The Association was no perfect and any hunter worth his salt would not consume anything from any stranger unless they watched it being made.

[Gin Couture]

"Eh? Why would I need an escort. It's a fairly quick walk." he answered blinking. He shook his head and moved up the stairs, humming a little tune. He poured the water out into the cups and put a tea bag in each one. He got the honey down from the cabinet and the milk from the fridge. Finally he sat himself up on the tiny counter to wait for the tea to steep properly.