[Poggio]

He smiled, he may not need to use his boon after all. He had one last question for the boy since his eyes were already heavy with sleep. "Would you like a vacation from your ivory tower? I'll offer my blood that no one will kill you so long as I am around." He held up his already punctured thumb.

[littl3chocobo]

he didn't smile back. "you haven't earned the one i owe you, i cannot make another with you until the first is done, it just does not work that way." he moved close to the wall, "you cannot have the bed but i will share it with you if you don't do anything weird"

[Poggio]

He looked at the young man. His haughty attitude was driving him banana's. Ree felt like the young man had no right to claim something that was offered to him. He shook his head, his mother would expect him to play a decent host. “The bed is yours tonight.” He said sliding from its edge to recurl himself up on his spot on the floor.

[littl3chocobo]

the bed was hard and lumpy and the sounds of a half-dozen sleeping bodies was odd. his own sleep was hard to come and restless when he did fall into it. he woke with the sun but he did so alone, peeking over the edge of the bed showed him to be one of only two left. he caught the attention of the small child folding away blankets, "where is the th- er, where is ree?"

[Poggio]

A small boy turned and looked at Yianni, lying on the bed. He gave him a measuring gaze before answering. “Chopping wood....” He said before turning back to his own duties.

Ree did not hear the soft foot steps over the loud cracking of wood. His mind was on estimating how long their stores would last before he would have to forage for more wood. A loud cracking snap echoed through the small yard. He assumed that the person approaching was a child. “The wood for the stove is in that pile, I will heat the furnace, tell every one the water shall be hot with in a hour.” He wiped the early morning sweat off his brow before raising his rusted axe again.

[littl3chocobo]

he was a little surprised at the request but did not speak. he could see scars crossing lines and angles down the sweaty back of the other and it curbed any venom he could possibly think to offer. taking up an armful of wood he headed back inside to find someone to tell

[Poggio]

When he wasn't responded with his usual yes sir, Ree paused and turned to make sure it wasn't the mute boy. Instead he was completely surprised to see the royal disappearing back inside the house. He blinked returning to his chopping. Once he was finished he gathered a hearty pile of wood into his arms and made his way to the basement, to the furnace that controlled all of the heat in the house. While the older kids could maintain it, he was the only one who could start it. He rose from the basement and joined the other in the kitchen. He paused at the door listening to his mother, and a few older girls ushering the little ones on what small reading lessons they could, other children scrambled for the tub getting the hot water while it was fresh. Ree found a dry rag, and cleansed his face of sweat. He reached out taking a slice of bread from the table. “Thank you... for helping.” The words felt strange coming out of his mouth, especially towards Yianni.

[littl3chocobo]

he was lost in the swell of small and large bodies mixing and eddying in the kitchen and though he was glad a wide-eyes youth of indeterminable gender had taken his wood and message he now had nothing to do and was lost. he found himself pushed to the middle of the kitchen against the large low-slung table, falling down onto a long bench he watched the madness until a familiar body broke through and the other, still shirtless, came up next to him and took a slice of the dark bread from the table. he had to look away at the words. he felt ashamed of his thoughts and actions from before but an apology was beyond him. flickering his gaze back up he noticed the front of the other had much fewer marks than his back. this led to many questions he couldn't ask and so he looked away again

[Poggio]

He did not understand the nobles since, he merely took it as him being true to his word on silence. He laughed. “What is ours is yours, you are our guest until, I get you home.” He slid a plate with butter towards the other. “One of our girls is a nurse at a small farm. They pay her in goods so there is enough to share until winter season.” He took another bite of his bread and thought no more of the others silence. “I will find you some more clothing, once you are ready we will bathe.” He rose from the table taking another slice of bread with him and disappeared into the hive of children.

[littl3chocobo]

he felt reluctant to eat but was too hungry to turn away the food. taking his time he chewed on the course bread until the other returned

[Poggio]

He escaped the clamor of the children and once again disappeared into the house. He found his mothers scrap pile of clothes. He found a decent shirt, breeches and an extra towels. He came back to the find the other munching on breakfast. Ree gestured for the other to follow him and made his way through another maze to the small bathroom with a large tub, it still had a reserve of water in the bottom. Since the little ones were bathing all the house, he ran what hot water he could into the washer tub and started to shred himself of his clothing, setting it on a shelf and pulling a wash cloth and spare soap. He tested the water before getting in.

[littl3chocobo]

he did not understand why he was made to follow if the other was going to bathe first instead of getting him afterwards but when he was gestured at he understood. he was expected to share with the other. he opened his mouth to complain but once more the shame he felt over the other boy's situation killed the words. quietly he stripped out of his stole rags and slipped into the large tub sinking until he was sitting on the base. "....your...how did you get your scars?"

[Poggio]

Ree did not watch the other nor look at him until he was fully submerged shrouded by the steamy murky water. He started washing himself. There were still many patches of soot over his body from the previous days explosion. The question caught him off guard. It was the first time he noticed the other was not cleaning himself. Ree plucked a rag up and rubbed it against the bar of soap and then lightly messaged the boys knee cap with a sigh, the other would not have to learn his life style, he thought. He lifted the leg and started to shrub the under side of the pale leg. “Its not something you should worry about.” He said gruffly..

[littl3chocobo]

the response was not entirely unexpected. he tried again, "you said your mother collects children? i assume these are not your brothers and sisters then?"

[Poggio]

To that he laughed as he rinsed the rag out and switched legs. “Do you think one woman could breed this much? You must have no concept of the world at all. No a lot of them, their parents could not afford another mouth to feed so they were turned out, or they were abandoned at birth, beaten, bruised, street children who would have picked up the trade of crime. You would be surprised how warm food, clothes and a safe place to sleep can change the mind of a child. It gives them hope. Usually the ones that are too broken do not come to my mothers arms.” He gently set the foot down back into the tub. “I need you to turn around and come closer so that I can wash the rest of you.”

[littl3chocobo]

he had to think about that. turning away from the other and sliding so that he was close enough to be reached with the rag he opened his mouth again. "is she really your mother then?"