"You're going to eat yourself sick," Tynan growled sternly at Adam who was beaming and eating chicken wings skewered on a stick with every sign of enjoyment.

"But they faste so goo'!" Adam replied brightly with his mouth full.

"That's besides the point-" Tynan began, then sighed as Adam squealed in delight and ran up to another food store and started excitedly ordering everything in sight. "If he doesn't eat himself sick, he's going to eat me into poverty." Tynan grumbled as he went to pay for the armfull of food Adam was now holding as he grinned broadly.

"He's a growing boy," Arum replied, taking one of the chicken wings from their rice paper wrappings and tucking in.

“Growing sideways.” Tynan muttered.

Arum laughed as they walked on, Tynan’s pack now full of supplies. Tynan, in his surly mood, noticed that neither Adam nor Arum had offered to help carry anything but the snacks. “So are you always this grumpy?” Arum asked conversationally.

“So people say,” Tynan replied shortly.

Arum looked at him, concern in his blue eyes. “Seriously, what’s bothering you? You sound like you’re an inch away from braining someone.”

“Because I’m carrying supplies for three people in one pack and no one seems to give a thought,” Tynan snapped.

“Oh, well why didn’t you just say – here give me some stuff.” Arum tried to reach for the pack, but Tynan brushed his hand away.

“Just forget it.” Tynan snapped and walked on. “No more snacks, Adam, we’re not made of money.” Adam pouted as Tynan walked on, leaving Arum and the boy standing surprised in the street. It wasn’t just the pack. He felt like a work-horse – having to plan and cook and pack and try to keep alive people who didn’t seem to give a damn. If she’d only just bloody say ‘thank you’ once in a while, he thought angrily. Okay, well not just her, the others are just as guilty, but mainly her.

He didn’t quite understand why it was her indifference that infuriated him the most, and he dwelt on it as he walked back to the tavern, Arum and Adam following behind him. “Is he alright?” he heard Arum ask Adam softly.

“Mmhm,” came Adam’s reply. “He’s just going through an emotional wossname thingy. He’ll sort it out.”

Huh, Tynan thought bitterly.