Lucien smiled a little amusingly, clearly having pulled Faolan away from his train of thought. 

[color=burlywood]"Alright then. I'll leave you to it, but don't think about this so hard it keeps you from sleep, alright?"[/color] He teased a little, lightly running his thumb over Faolan's hand. Even small things like this.. he was glad to be able to do them again without having to hide. 

[color=a36209]"I think I'm going to sleep just fine."[/color] He had responded. 

Aurel retained his smile as he went back down to drawing his picture, linking Lucien and Faolan's hands with his crayon before he moved on to the scenery around them. It looked just right. 

--

The next day, Faolan had gone off to town to look into the trailers as he had said he would, while Lucien went about his usual tutoring duties. Aurel always listened in during these lessons, wanting to learn too as Lucien taught the other boy, but never actually spoke up to ask questions, not wanting to catch the other boy's attention too much, otherwise he usually kept his distance. 

It was after they were done for the day and they had gone back to the trailer that Lucien decided to bring up a question. 

[color=burlywood]"Aurel.. do you never feel like playing with the other boy?"[/color] He asked. Considering he probably hadn't really gotten the chance to play with other kids.. at least.. that's what he had thought at first. He remembered Aurel saying that children and adults didn't like him.. before the Circus, and he had wanted to indirectly inquire more about that. 

Aurel looked up at Lucien at his question, and shifted his gaze back to the drawing he had started to work on. [color=#a7d3d4]"No.. not really.."[/color] He muttered. [color=#a7d3d4]"He would probably think I'm weird.. they always do.."[/color] 

Lucien took a seat next to Aurel on the cot as he said that. He truly seemed to believe what he was saying. [color=burlywood]"What makes you say that? He's asked me about you before, I think he might want to try playing with you."[/color] He asked.

The boy averted his gaze, halting his movement and setting his crayon down. [color=#a7d3d4]"I.. used to be in a place with a lot of kids.. none of them really liked me.. they would always tell me I looked weird.. the adults weren't any nicer... I was probably a bother to them.. that's why they left me.."[/color] His voice quieted as he spoke, causing Lucien to furrow his brow. 

He told himself maybe he shouldn't ask, but he found himself questioning the boy's words. 

[color=burlywood]"Left you..?"[/color] He hesitantly asked, before Aurel finally raised his head to look at him.

[color=#a7d3d4]"In the forest."[/color] He responded. [color=#a7d3d4]"But.. it's okay, cause that's where I met him."[/color] He said, raising his hand as the brown striped snake slithered down his arm. His time alone had been scary but.. he had enjoyed a different freedom when he had met the snake and his other friends. [color=#a7d3d4]"Snakes have always been nicer to me than people.."[/color] He said. 

[color=#a7d3d4]"Not you and Faolan though.."[/color] He clarified, wanting him to know that they weren't included in this.