Happy birthday, sweet sixteen. {OPEN!}

[Kid Blink]

"Got a late start this morning, so I still had a few papes to sell -- the park always has lots of people during this time. Got one left." He smiled, following Tree's line of vision to watch the family as well.

[Tree]

"Oh, if I'm holding you up, please, feel free to return to the working world," she said. "That single penny can make or break a day. And it's not like I'm not used to being alone. I mean, you already saved me from certain doom, so don't feel like you have to stay here and talk to me just because we're in the same tree. Not that I'm trying to get rid of you or anything."

Too late, she realized she was rambling. Drat. It was funny, she thought, that when she first found the lodging house, she barely spoke two words to anyone, and now she was having to stop herself from speaking too many. Couldn't she ever just find some middle ground?

Truth be told, though, she really didn't want Blink to leave. She wasn't used to having company when she was out and about, and it was nice to have a real person to talk to, rather than someone she had made up in a daydream.

[Kid Blink]

Blink, himself a champion rambler, did not think -- nor even notice -- that Tree was chattering. Let alone that she was embarrassed by it.

"Nah, I can sell this last one easily. I mean, yeah, I agree about that penny. I could buy a ton of cotton candy with that. Or a pretzel. Yeah, a pretzel. You want a pretzel? Let's go get pretzels -- my treat?" he grinned. "I mean, I am your savior and all. So you need to get used to this kind of treatment."

[Tree]

Tree laughed. "I appreciate it and all, but I'm just gonna warn you, you won't want to be my savior for too long I'm a little too... strange, for most people." She grimaced, then began scooting towards the trunk of the tree. "But a pretzel sounds wonderful!"

It's almost like a birthday present.

[Kid Blink]

"...Why? Cause you climb trees? If it's because you climb trees, then those people are stupid. It's your name after all! Jesus, people are stupid," Blink said, actually getting a little angry in the midst of his rant. He jumped down to the ground, feeling powerful.

PRETEZEL TIME.

[Tree]

"Oh no, it's not that," Tree said quickly. They were on the ground now, walking along a windy little path that led towards the edge of the park. "I think most of the newsies have enough odd hobbies of their own that they wouldn't judge me for mine. No, it's just that I... well, you know, I'm surprised you haven't heard, with the rate gossip travels through the lodging house. Some of you newsboys are just as bad as us girls."

[Kid Blink]

"Whaaaat?" Blink scoffed. "We don't-- Naw! I mean..." Yeah, they were actually worse than the girls.

[Tree]

"Don't try and deny it," Tree said knowingly. "I've got my informants on the second floor."

She let out a small sigh, kicking along a pebble that lay in the middle of the path. She honestly wasn't sure if she wanted Blink to know about all her quirks that seemed to drive others away, or at least make them keep her at a wary distance. Was it too much to ask for one friend who treated her like a normal person, rather than an unpredictable time bomb?

[Kid Blink]

"It's Snipeshooter, isn't it?!" Blink demanded. "I KNEW IT!"

[Tree]

Busted.

Tree laughed. "Yeah, a bit. Tumbler and Slider, too. The little guys like it when I tell them stories, so in exchange they give me all the dirty secrets from downstairs. Might have to switch it up a bit now that you've caught us, though." She winked at him, then frowned. Was it insensitive to wink at someone with only one eye?

[Kid Blink]

Blink winked back, grinning.

"What, really? Them?" he seemed impressed with himself. Well, more than usual. "I KNEW IT! Nah, you can talk to them all you want. Fair is fair. We know a lot too."

[Tree]

"Oh, really? Like what?" Tree was intrigued. Newsgirl secrets were often closely guarded, and she could think of several girls who would be dealing out a big ol' can of whoop-ass if they got word that someone had been ratting them out.

[Kid Blink]

"Nothing for me to tell," Blink said. Yeah, he was a no-good loudmouth but he'd be damned if he repeated anyone else's secrets.

[Tree]

"I doubt there's anything you know that I don't," Tree said honestly, but didn't push it. While most of the girls would be mortified if their secrets spread to the boys' ears, many of them also had surprisingly loud mouths in the safety of the third floor washroom.

"So, where are we goin' for pretzels? You have a favorite place?"

[Kid Blink]

"It's just a vendor on the other side of the lake," he pointed. "Mikey something or other runs it. He's pretty swell. He lost a leg and it's a peg."