"We're out of food."

Tulio glanced over at Miguel, who was bouncing Eugene up and down, a concerned look on his face as he stared into the cupboard.

"What do you mean, we're out of food?"

"I mean, we're out of food." Miguel sighed, "Do we still have some coins from yesterday?"

"No, because Eugene just 'had to have that little wooden horse', remember?"

Miguel winced sheepishly at this, thinking back to the day before when they'd made the mistake of passing the toy stall. Maybe he had been a bit pushy. "Then… we're just going to have to split up." He decided, "I'll play music, and you should try and con some food with Eugene."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tulio held up his hands and waved them slightly, indicating that Miguel should just stop, "Why do I have to take the baby?"

"…. Well, it's really hard to move around the streets with a six-month-old… and he's so cute!" Miguel held Eugene up in front of him, the pair of them seeming to make the exact same, wounded puppy look, "How can anyone say no to that face?!"

Tulio tried… oh God did he try. But he never managed it with Miguel, so it was definitely a lost cause against Eugene.

"He would be useful with those little old ladies…" Tulio stated, acting like it was his idea all along, "… they defend their stalls like soldiers. A baby is a fantastic weapon against old ladies."

"So… you'll take him with you?"

Sighing, Tulio reached out and took Eugene into his arms. "Fine… but if he starts crying, I'm finding you as fast as possible."

"Love you too!"

…..

"Two teddies… why would you need two teddies?"

Eugene stared up at him, a beaming grin on his face as he chewed on the eye of one of his toys, drool dribbling out of the side of his mouth ever so slightly.

"I don't know how these ladies keep falling for your cuteness…" he mused, "… how is drool cute?"

Eugene just cooed.

"Yeah… I don't know either."

As he continued down the streets, he resisted the urge to groan when every old lady in the damn town seemed to flock towards them, wrinkled fingers reaching out to pinch at Eugene's cheeks, cooing as the baby squirmed.

"Sorry kid…" Tulio whispered, slowly allowing one of the old ladies to pull Eugene out of his arms, "… you've got to make that sacrifice."

With the old ladies and several other people preoccupied with Eugene, Tulio slipped past their stalls, slipping the occasional piece of fruit, veg and fish into his inside pockets whenever he could.

It wasn't a lot, but it would keep him, and Miguel occupied for a few days whilst they earned enough coins to buy food legally. Eugene would just have to rely on the free milk that they got, no matter how much he loved mushed up apple.

And then he spotted the soldiers marching up the streets.

Quickly, and making his excuses to the old ladies who had been cooing over Eugene, he took his son back and almost raced away from the scene, picking up speed when he heard the soldiers call out for him.

"Lesson number one in being a con-man… thief… always make a quick getaway." He muttered to Eugene, darting into a side alleyway and watching as the soldiers ran past them, "Lesson number two, anywhere can be a hiding place."

Once he was sure that the danger had passed, he cautiously made his way out of the alleyway and raced home.

"I'm back!" Miguel practically danced into the living room, lute in hand as he made his way over to a giggling Eugene, placing the instrument on the ground, "Did you guys have fun?!"

"He did…" Tulio groaned, still face down on the bed, "… He's going to be quite the ladies' man when he gets older."

"He'll take after me then!" Miguel lifted Eugene into his arms and started twirling around, "I think over half of those coins are from the lovely young women of this city!"

Tulio knew it was stupid of him to feel jealous… him and Miguel and been partners for years, and lovers for not much shorter… Miguel had shown no interest in cheating on him

But there was still that little bit of doubt.

"Well next time you can take the baby, and I'll flirt with all the women."

Silence.

Instantly, Tulio knew he'd gone just a little too far.

"So… Did you get any food?" Miguel's voice was low, subdued… instantly falling back to a time where he was expecting a beating for speaking out of turn or too loudly, "I- I mean, me and Eugene can head out into the market and get some if we need to."

"No, it's okay…" Slowly, Tulio pushed himself into a seated position, forcing a smile onto his face, "… I'm just being silly."

"…. So, you're just being you?"

Miguel's tone was light again, and Tulip felt like a weight had been lifted from his heart, lifting up an arm and allowing Miguel and Eugene to snuggle up next to him.

"You're the silly one, remember Miguel?"

"I'm also the one who's going to lie here and watch you cook tea." Rolling over, he beamed at Tulio, "I've been on my feet all day."

"And I haven't?"

When Miguel just smiled at him, Tulio rolled his eyes, leaned over to kiss the man on the forehead.

"Only for you…." He muttered, "… only for you."