CW: Mentions of sex/sex work, references to sexual assault/coercion, mentions of physical abuse, explicit language, alcohol use.

While Bucky entertains her client, the Rat and the Bull spend the next hour lazily idling in the sun, sharing a jug of cold River Wine. The potent wine is pungent and strong with the scent of sickly sweet river apples. The royal blue apples are grown in state orchards and left on the trees until they are overripe. They are then placed into salted and waterproof barrels which are left in the waters of Hanjuyang River to ferment. It's a fine drink for such little coin and a favourite of the Slummers.

The two young men sit at one of the outdoor tables, watching the bustling street with heavy eyes. Though the majority of their interactions end in a fight or an exchange of scathing words, they are, as claimed, the best of friends. Best, in that they often accompany each other and, perhaps, know each other more intimately than anyone else.

Now and then, when Rin is feeling particularly lonely, he would slip into Bellow's bed and spend the night with him. Though the brute is a rather poor lover, Rin finds some comfort in his clumsiness. And in the darkest of times, Bell reveals an earnest side of himself that he rarely shows anyone, and the Rat can only find him endearing (though he would never say such a thing to the brute's face).

Bellow peers at Rin over the rim of his cup, face wrinkling in a spectacularly ugly way. "What happened to your face?"

Rin downs the last mouthful of his drink and snatches the jug to refill his cup. "What do you think happened?" he snorts, leaning back in his seat when his cup is full.

"...You shouldn't piss her off," Bellow grumbles into his cup, hiding his face. "Would be a shame if it scarred."

Rin gives the larger boy an indolent smile, face gently flushed by the heat and drink. The raw gash tugs painfully on his cheek. Thankfully it has long stopped bleeding. "You think I do it on purpose? My face paid for this drink, pet. There's no way I'd intentionally endanger my income." He huffs and sips at the wine, savouring the sticky sweetness. "Anyway, she found my stash of watches under my bed and it...devolved from there."

"Eh. My old man's the same. He beat me black and blue the other day for not working the farms with him. I don't see why I have to if I still bring coin home. He thinks I should just give up the gang and be a fucking farmer. Can you imagine that? Me being a bloody corn farmer? Being forced to break my damn back for some snotty lord who don't even know corn from his own dick."

The Rat hums in agreement, running his fingertips around the rim of his cup. He's watching a strange figure chatting amicably to the fruit stall owner. Clean white robes reflect the sun in a way that makes this figure appear like a lighthouse in a colourful, grimy sea. The raven tilts his head and hooks the corner of his lips, dark eyes mesmerised by the handsome face and strong form. Who's this little lord?

"Where are the boys?" Rin asks distractedly before pressing his lips to his cup. Sweet blue liquid laps at the plump pink flesh, but he doesn't yet take a sip.

"I gave them the day off." Bellow pounds his chest with a fist and releases an impressive burp. "Did you know that the Marquis' been trying to give them jobs behind my back? The fucking prick thinks he can steal my lads away from me. Turn them into his Hounds. But that ain't happening. See, he don't treat his people right. I do. I give them a day off. Give them equal shares whenever we do a job. I don't beat them like the Marquis does. Plus, I ain't a perv like he is."

"You are a perv, pet," Rin interjects, eyes still fixed upon the radiant figure across the road. "A big. Huge. Perv."

"...Well, not as much of a perv as he is. You know first hand what kinda sick fuck he is."

"Hm." Not exactly a memory Rin wants to linger on. "Don't worry too much about the Marquis. He's just testing the waters, seeing what he can get away with."

"Yeah, right," Bellow gruffs, thoughtfully. He slurps his drink loudly and smacks his lips with relish.  "Should we get another jug?"

The boy in white bows politely to the fruit vendor before wandering down the road, glancing around with keen interest. Those golden eyes flash with every turn of his head, as brilliantly reflective as his robes. As he draws near, Rin notices a sword sheathed at the little lord's waist. A white sheathe with a golden emblem, too small to attract much attention: a majestic lion's head embossed in metallic gold.

The raven suddenly sits upright, almost spilling his drink, eyes flinching wide. His smirk deepens when he realises the identity of this little lord. "Well, well. Now that is interesting."

"What is?" Bellow asks dumbly, shaking his empty cup above his head to catch the last drop with his tongue. "I'm going to get another jug. And maybe a bowl of noodles. Want one?"

"Mn." Rin waves at him distractedly, tapping the sides of his cup with restless fingers.

And with that noncommittal response from his friend, Bell grumbles and stalks into the inn to place his order.

It doesn't take long for someone else to notice the little lord. This is, after all, Slum territory. And with the Slums comes the desperation and hunger, keen enough to take a life for a few bits of coin.

A gang of three rough looking men step into the lord's path with ugly sneers upon their faces. They are heavily scarred and each carrying a weapon of some sort: a couple of rusty daggers and a heavy looking club.

Rin knows who these men are. In fact, their leader, a rather short, dense looking man, had tried to corner him when he'd been suffering from alcohol poisoning about a month ago. Thanks to Bellow's help, he managed to escape with his ass intact. Unfortunately, he's not yet had a chance to get his revenge. That is, until today.

Judging by the way the three men are leering at the lord, it's clear that they are trying to extort him somehow. And the noble, as stupid and naïve as he is, pulls out a rather large coin purse and begins counting out several gold pieces. The three extortionists exchange excited glances, practically salivating when they see the amount of money this lord has on his person.

Their faces turn ugly and they step closer to the lord, crowd around him. The leader throws an arm around the boy's shoulders and they quickly lead him into the nearest alleyway. Dark and secluded. Away from prying eyes.

None of them notice the small figure ambling after them, hips swaying slightly with each swaggering step and a drink held loftily in one hand.