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A dreamy look flitted across the kitsune's face. "Chili dogs. I could go for one of those right now..." He wistfully glanced down at his empty pockets again. It was all too easy imagining him with a sad, rumbling stomach even though he had just eaten a slice of pie. And probably other leftovers along with it.

"We could... Maybe some balloon minipets would be fun. I think I can still make a foxfire out of balloons..." Rhys was quick to notice the way Orion moved. "Hey, put that cigarette out and come sit over here."

Rhys ignored both the quip about the pie and the one about the couch. There was plenty of room. He dropped one foot to the floor, and patted the cushion between his legs. "Just come sit here! You are too tense, I can tell just by looking at you!"

"Shut up, would a twelve year old even know how to give a decent massage?" Rhys said, scooting over and ignoring Orion's grouchiness. He pushed the heavy pelt out of the way and began rubbing his roommate's shoulders, kneading the tight knots away. If Orion had just sat down where he was supposed to it wouldn't be so awkward, but the skinwalker seemed to have problems accepting gestures like shoulder massages...

"Ugh, you smell like smoke."

Rhys poked him roughly. "I do! Just sit still for a bit!" Although he could be embarrassed by this sort of thing out in public, the kitsune did like having someone sitting nearby. It reminded him of cold winters when his siblings would all huddle together for warmth and sing songs and play games, before they grew old enough to adopt their parents' attitude towards their runty, disfigured brother.

He rolled his eyes behind Orion's back, but there was a smile on his face. "Not fireplace smoke, you smell like gross smoke. The stuff with chemicals in it. Don't you get enough sleeping next to that fireplace to begin with?" He paused in his work, his hands on Orion's shoulders. "I told you, you can sleep in the bedroom if you want. We can take turns."

"That's because you've ruined your nose with all that disgusting stuff." Rhys moved his hands lower, thinking perhaps Orion should see an actual professional for this sort of thing. He was too tense all the way around.

Once again the kitsune thought back to his family. One of his older sisters had been ticklish, right below the shoulder blades. He had left the clan in order to make something of himself, but it still hurt a little when he remembered he might never see any of his family again.

"H-hey!" Rhys protested, trying to shove the skinwalker off him. It was a futile gesture, Orion had more muscle, not to mention more dead weight. "I'm not a kitten!"

He struggled for only a few moments before giving up. He should have known better than to think serious things around his roommate, Orion had this bizarre ability to pick up on those moments of vulnerability and do things... like squash him against the back of the couch. But maybe that was just the guy's way of showing his friendship. Rhys sure hoped they could be considered friends, since they shared a small, one bedroom flat and all.

"I'm not your pet!" Rhys insisted indignantly, "And I'm not goofy either! I'm perfectly normal, you are the one with the stovepipe smoking habit and stunted sense of humour- Don't you dare get comfortable like this! I want to finish reading that book!"

Oh the luxuries of living away from home... Move out, see the world, leave your upbringing behind... get squashed behind a lump of a skinwalker.

"Okay, you can stop it now! Please just act like an adult for a little while!" Rhys protested, giving Orion another shove. Even though he had been working out since arriving at Halloween Town and had come a long way from the scrawny, one-legged runt he had once been, the skinwalker was still bigger and stronger. "Ack, let me go!"