[FweepFwopFwoop]

Eventually, Arnwen could force down no more food. "Bleugh..."

[Eskal]

"How about we go to a bath house next?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Arnwen looked confused. "Whassat?"

[Eskal]

"It's where we can go and take a hot bath."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Arnwen still looked confused, like he was waiting for Valen to finish explaining.

[Eskal]

"Like in a large tub of soapy water rather than just a bucket and a sponge."

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Arnwen raised an eyebrow. "That's a thing?"

[Eskal]

"Yeah. I'll show you." Once they left the building, Valen lead Arnwen to the nearest decent bath house and they were taken to a private room.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Arnwen was looking all around the place they stood in, entranced by it all. He looked at the pool of water curiously. He'd been washing with buckets and sponges for as long as he could remember. He began taking off his clothes, and once he was naked, he paused as he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. Entranced by his reflection, he put a hand on his belly, as though he were now truly seeing it on his body for the first time. It seemed as if it was the first time he were seeing himself. His body was comprised of skin and bones. His arms and legs little more than bone and bare muscle, ribs visible through his skin, which itself was pale and sickly looking, and certainly exacerbated by his worsening diet. Bags hung under his eyes, his nose practically screamed that it had been broken at some point, and his left eye had the color of a healing black eye. One of his ears was slightly torn at the tip, like an alleycat who had been fighting for food. All of it juxtaposed with a belly jutting out from his body, like a ball strapped around his midsection. "Ah look... so weird wif this gut." He looked down at his belly, then back to his reflection. "....Ah'm so ugly."

[Eskal]

"You look fine," Valen said as he removed his clothes. He had lost quite a few pound over the past few months with meager rations coupled with hard work. He was still fairly toned, however. He wrapped his arms around Arnwen and put his hands on his lover's belly.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"Ah'm so ugly." Arnwen said again, gulping.

[Eskal]

"You're not ugly," Valen assured him.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"What else could ah be called?" Arnwen said, his voice cracking.

[Eskal]

"Does it matter?" Valen asked as he helped Arnwen into the water.

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"Yeah. Ah mean, yer the one what has ta look at me all day."

[Eskal]

"Have I ever said anything about your appearance before?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

"No..."

[Eskal]

"Then it's not an issue." He helped Arnwen into the warm water. "Doesn't this feel nice?"

[FweepFwopFwoop]

Arnwen sat in the waste and closed his eyes. "Feels so good . Muh back's been feelin' awful, but this is makin' it feel bettah."

[Eskal]

Valen smiled and messaged Arnwen's back. After a while of silence Valen broke it. "We could still run, you know."