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Though it was still early morning, the Hub was already bustling with trade among the residents of Loxley. Whoever intended to be a vendor for that day usually arrived at Dawn to set up, which meant the earliest to arrive for shopping would get the best pickings. Since money was scarce in the county, everyone dealt in trades, making successful trips harder to come by for some. But if they arrived just early enough to be among the first, they could walk away with whatever they wanted for whatever they had. Robin used to think that the loot they shared with their neighbors from their heists would allow people to relax more about transactions within the Hub, but he had yet to see it. Some were so grateful of the gifts bestowed upon them that they held on and cherished it, only parting with it when absolutely necessary. Still, not once had he seen those people look bitter or upset to have to be up and out that early in the morning.

"All the spots are taken," Will said with a yawn, stretching his arms and knotting his fingers together behind his head. "Should've been here earlier if you wanted to get rid of that meat."

"Guess you should've thrown the pillow at me earlier, then," Robin replied sarcastically, giving him a fake smile. Will smirked in return.

"I'll keep that in mind for tomorrow."

"God, why don't you two just date already," Rye groaned with a roll of her eyes. Robin felt heat rush to his face, for a moment, at her words. Aside from Tucker, Rye was the only one who knew of Robin's interest in both sexes. It wasn't that he was embarrassed or afraid of what others might think, so much as not believing it was anyone else's business. They all had their secrets and that was just one of his.

"While you bicker among yourselves, I'm going to go see Ami," Tucker said with a shake of his head as he started to walk away from them. "She said she had something she thought I might be interested in. I'll see you all back at the house." He disappeared into the crowd before any of them could ask him anything more; not that he would've answered them anyway.

Robin took a deep breath as he looked around at all the people he'd grown up around before turning back to his little family. "Well, there isn't really any reason for all of us to stick together—" he started, pitching his voice so only they could hear him. Before he could finish the thought, Will spun on his heel and walked in another direction.

"Glad you said that, Rob," he called over his shoulder proudly. "I've got a date I need to scam for."

Robin rolled his eyes; sometimes he didn't feel like a leader so much as a babysitter. "Whatever," he continued. "I still need to get rid of this meat and we still need to check the Wall."

"Do we need anything in exchange for the meat?" Jon asked, fingers flexing and uncurling at his sides.

"Not really," Robin answered. "Why?"

"I was walking by Gil's yesterday and saw some of the Kregs in the alley. Babbs was there, said they hadn't been able to find anything to eat lately. One of them died last week because he ate the first scrap he found in the trash and it happened to be covered in rat poison. They're trying to be careful, but a lot of them are getting desperate," Jon said, meeting Robin's green eyes confidently. He straightened his back to look as tall as he could, an action he recognized as Jon trying to make him proud. "I thought maybe we could give it to them. They could really use it."

"A lot of people can use it," Rye said. "You're just letting your bias get in the way again."

Jon shrank a little in on himself and Robin glared at her. The Kregs were a group of kids worse off than most everyone else in Loxley; the kid dregs of their society. Jon had been with them for a year before Robin decided to take him in, but he always felt indebted to them. Before the Merry Men came to save the day, many in Loxley were far from friendly. Jon thanked every god he ever heard there was that the Kregs had been. Robin admired him for his loyalty.

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