James still had bread in his hand, but was chewing eagerly. He turned his head slightly to the side and looked at Anthony. "Aren't you hungry?"

Anthony was certainly hungry, but he won't admit that. "No, I'm good," he replied, flashing a brief smile as if to confirm that he was, in fact, not hungry at all. Really.

James eagerly ate. "Then i'd like more, please." he said with his mouth full. He always wanted more, but he usually had to fight his siblings over it. He suddenly frowned. He had been taught little about justice or fairness, but he could understand that it was not good to rob someone who had been nice to you. He still had those coins in his pocket. He wanted to give them back. But he was also afraid the man would get angry and kick him out after all. Best to wait for that extra piece of bread first, he decided. He stuffed the bread in his already full mouth and held his hand out for more.

Anthony didn't expect the kid to actually ask for more. But, as his conscience would plague him forever if he didn't give James more, he nodded at him and then walked off into another room yet again, emerging after a moment with more bread. That's basically the only thing he can afford to buy, and now this kid is going to eat all of it. He wasn't angry at that, though. "Well, go ahead, then," he gave the boy the bread. Despite being certain that he would regret the choice in a few days, he still made it.

James ate more of the bread, until he couldn't eat anymore. "Thank you," he said. Then he nervously dug his hand in the pocket of his coat and took out the coins and tossed them down."Sorry I took your money." He crawled back a little, out of the man's reach, just in case he decided to box his ears after all.

Anthony just stood there, aloofly, unsure of what do to do now. And that uncertainness only grew stronger as James took some coins from his pocket and tossed them down. Anthony looked at the ground, then at James. He wasn't mad, just disappointed. "It's fine," he sighed. He won't be cruel to this child. "what did you throw it on the ground for, though?" Anthony asked, his tone half sincere and half humorous. He didn't want the kid to feel like he should be afraid of him—if Anthont were still a child, he wouldn't want to be afraid. He would want to feel safe.

James looked up uncertainly. "I thought ye might be angry, so I didn't want to come close," he said, still leaning back, ready to crawl back further if the man should change his mind. "Ye'r not?"

"Not at all, James," Anthony said. He will not be cruel to this child. He simply will not. And if this meant that he had to push whatever irritation and remnants of anger he felt at this away, so be it. Kids like James faced enough hardships as it is, they didn't need some random fuck yelling at them because of some stolen coins.

James looked up at the man with wide eyes and mouth slightly opened.

"... Will you adopt me?"

Anthony stared at him.

"What?"