Content Warning: Profanity.

Several days had passed, and the sound of rain pounding against the old cabin roof had become almost comforting.

The morning had started like all the others: rainy, gray, and silent. Leonard, with determination —as if preparing for a ritual before going to work— had decided to try to clean up a bit.  

While sweeping the dust accumulated near the entrance, he glanced at Vin, who was sitting in a corner, arms crossed, watching him like he was the worst performance in the world.

Leonard let out a sigh, debating whether to confront him. Then he gathered his courage and said, 

“Vin,... aren’t you tired of sitting around all day? Could you help me out? At least move those boxes, or just... do something. Would you like…?”

Vin raised his gaze, incredulous.

“Help you? Clean up the crap in this dump?” he dramatically gestured around with his right hand, like the king of the ruins.

Leonard looked at him with mild annoyance.

“I’m not asking you to redecorate the place... Just... just a little help. I don't want to leave this all a mess. Okay?”

Vin growled.

“What a pain,” he huffed but stood up anyway.

He headed toward the kitchen, thinking he would tidy up there, even though there was hardly anything left.  

He spotted a box full of rusty cans that Leonard must have left on the floor to get rid of later.  

He grabbed it roughly —and without realizing it, one of the cans, as if it had a life of its own, flew straight at Vin’s face, spilling its ancient, rotten contents all over him.

With a loud crash, Vin cursed over and over! Shouting obscenities Leonard had never even heard before.

The human jumped, dropping the broom.

“Vin?! Are you okay?!” he exclaimed, rushing toward him.

The Rainbane had… old food splattered across his face, and several stains now decorated his battered coat. His expression was a mixture of pure hatred and absolute resignation.

“I’m... perfectly fine,” he growled, spitting out an old can label that had stuck to his mouth.

Leonard, genuinely worried, grabbed Vin’s right arm to guide him over to wash his face, using a small vessel he had reserved for cleaning himself, with bottled water —treated and free of radiation. A rare and precious resource.

“I usually leave expired food near the door... to hide my scent. I discovered it keeps the Rainbanes from tracking me. Sorry... I should have told you.”

Vin glared at him with murder in his eyes.

“Hey, I’m really sorry... It wasn’t on purpose, but…,” Leonard, looking closer at Vin’s ridiculous state, couldn’t help but burst into quiet laughter.

“Yeah, laugh it up! Laugh louder! Ha-ha-ha!  I'm laughing my ass off at this!” Vin barked sarcastically.

Still cursing in some strange language that probably only existed inside his head, Vin stormed away from Leonard.

“Never again, Leonard,” he said dramatically, as if he had just survived a brutal fight against multiple mutants.  “Never again will you make me clean your goddamn palace!”

Leonard raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“But Vin! This also happened because you're way too rough when you move things around!”  he said, smiling faintly.

Vin shot him a death glare —but couldn't quite hide a slight twitch at the corner of his grotesque mouth.