"Okay...." James noted. He walked quietly beside the man.

Anthony was kind of beginning to regret saying that. He glanced at James. And looked away. And glanced at him again. "Are you– are you planning something?"

"No..." the boy said innocently. Not as long as that boyfriend agreed to adopting him. He smiled up at the man sweetly.

Anthony wasn't entirely convinced, but he was willing to give James the benefit of the doubt. "Okay. That's good, then. I trust you on that," Anthony said, before turning his focus away from James and back to....going back home. Even though he was essentially just slowly limping his way back, he was convinced that he was getting closer and that they were almost there.

James didn't know the first thing about keeping promises. But he smiled at the man. He was quiet again, until he got bored. "You're slow..."

Anthony sighed. "Yes, I know that I'm slow. It's not like I can walk any faster," he explained. Well, he could technically walk faster, but it would probably be extremely painful. Luckily, he was beginning to start to recognize the buildings he was seeing – which meant that his home was closer than he had thought it to be. That was good, at least.

"Are you drunk?" The child asked. It would explain the crying earlier that evening. "I can bring you some water...?"

"I'm not drunk," Anthony said, and for once, it was actually true. "where would you get that water from, anyways?" It was a rhetorical question. Anthony's heart probably leaped out of his chest in sheer relief as he saw his home in the distance. Finally, this goddamn night is almost over.

James shrugged. "A tap, in a yard... I could bring you there..." He was eager to show that he could be helpful.

"It— no. It doesn't matter. I don't want to go into any strangers' yards tonight," Anthony sighed. He pointed to one of the buildings that they were nearing. "look, we're almost home already." It didn't take very long for them to actually reach the building, and if they desired to do so, even go inside.