"It's mostly land right now," Porthos admits. "The house is in no shape to be lived in, it'll have to be torn down and rebuilt in the image we like." He watches Athos carefully, so desperate for him not to run out, not to leave them, but he knows they have to be honest. "You'll have to help by telling us what you wish of a house. I only care about the bed and the kitchen."

For all that Porthos wears a poor poker face, sometimes Athos is just as bad. Porthos rearranges himself so that he's tucked under one of Athos' arms, settling in and curling in possessively close.