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When he thought about it objectively, Kauff knew Xariy's house wasn't the most luxurious place in Oba. There were nobles here. Palaces. But as far as he was concerned, this was the grandest place that had ever existed. Being less than a hundred feet from a bath at all times was unprecedented by itself, and the bed raised the rating for multiple reasons.

He shook his head in an attempt to shift his scattered thoughts and get back to work, looking at the partially covered hole in front of him. As it turned out, patching walls was not made easier when one wielded a battle hammer. In fact, being skilled at breaking things was a distinct hinderance. But he wasn't about to give up. Kauff held a section of board against the wall, marking the spots where he needed to cut.

"It goes. Somewhere over there." He gestured behind them and turned to Xariy with amusement in his eyes. Kauff's arm circled her shoulders and squeezed as he pressed a brief kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm figuring it out." Leaning away slightly, he glanced at where Niyna hid with a small smile. "Soon I'll be adding whole new wings."

Kauff had been surprised to find how much he liked the work. He wasn't really all that good at it, but he was learning and, more importantly, he had plans. He wondered if Xariy would let the kids do a mural thing on one of the bigger walls. It might be a nice way to remember them once they grew up.

"It would." Of course, he was rather taken with this mural idea, so maybe time was something he was already willing to give. "I wouldn't use real wings for the wings," he said, smiling at the water girl. "But we could make the doorways look like they have wings on top? Maybe." He might have been getting a little ahead of himself.

"So, what are the two of you up to?"

"I appreciate the distraction," Kauff replied, finally abandoning the thought of work like he'd already abandoned the board and tools. He laughed as Xariy smacked him, biting back an inappropriate reply.

"Consider my break taken. I wouldn't dream of refusing such spectacular company." Every day he was growing less and less fond of being by himself than ever he had been, now that he was rarely alone. As much as he had felt stifled by his large family growing up, now Kauff was comforted by this little crowd, especially since his presence was appreciated. "I'm all yours." He tried to split his attention between Niyna and Xariy, but found himself looking at the latter far longer.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes," he replied, chuckling at Niyna's retreating form. "The wall can definitely wait." The sun was inviting today, and he'd finally picked up more than two shirts that were weather-appropriate. When the water girl was out of sight, Kauff bent to give Xariy a quick kiss that turned into two.

"I promise I won't be overwhelmed by our picnic," he said with a smile. "Although... I don't really know what to bring." Dried meats and canteens of water were necessary during long trips, but he imagined they'd be less fun for local outdoor meals.

Kauff laughed, his smile remaining as he followed along.

"I'm all for splurging," he said, looking down at Niyna's mysterious preparations. "And maybe going out for another, more secret one of these in the future." He gestured at the basket. "She's good at this. Maybe we're seeing the birth of a career in planning parties." He was being somewhat sincere, even if his grin said otherwise.

The thought of the kids here setting up businesses in exchange for room and board struck him as a little funnier than it should have, especially given their situations, but she had made the joke first, so he didn't feel all that bad. It wasn't like Xariy was demanding anything of them. Opening spontaneous fruit juice stands in exchange for trinkets had been a staple of his youth.

He looked over the basket, trying to recall the sorts of things he enjoyed before he started traveling and whether or not he wanted to spend time finding them, but all that came to mind were those same fruits, crushing them up with a mallet and straining them with his sisters.

"I'll have to think about it. There might be some local fish we could get from a trader, but nothing that I absolutely have to eat today. And there's plenty of Oban fish I've never eaten anyway." She was doing that thing again, thinking whatever thoughts made her eyes darken and her confidence dim. Kauff wasn't sure that anyone else would have noticed, but looking at this woman in particular was one of his favorite pastimes. He hurried to fill the silence. "I don't feel indoctrinated, I promise. I left home to try new things, and I'm still not done. Even if it is hot here, like, all the time." He chuckled, hoping that she didn't get stuck in her head for too long.

He nodded. "We could take a short trip. Possibly very short, but still." Kauff was pretty sure that between the two of them, they could manage three children for a couple of days. "It would be a good experience for them. The kids." Were they even invited? It suddenly struck him that she might have been trying to get him alone, which he never objected to, but a trip to Sauti would be too long to leave this place without supervision and... well... He had only been here a short while, but he truly didn't mind the little troublemakers. It wasn't any sort of burden to have them around, so why not let them come?

Kauff cleared his throat into his fist. "It all looks good to me." He raised an eyebrow at Niyna as she darted past, his hand still curled against his chin. "And I think you found her." It might have been a more sophisticated comedic moment if he had held his deadpan expression, but he couldn't help the grin that followed.