Continuously glancing over his shoulder, Vessie made sure to keep note to where Michelle was playing and where Eloy was sulking. The girl was still skipping around, singing a nursery rhyme as she did; the boy silently watched Michelle for a while before standing and joining her in playing. "[b][i]Hey pipsqueak, let's look for someone else to continue our game."

Scratching and picking at his neck, Vessie smiled at Marcus before turning to give a call "Don't go too far, I want to be able to see both of you. Look after Mich."

Watching Eloy give a weak wave and Michelle giving him two thumbs up as they ran off, he mumbled to himself. "Can't have another scrapped elbow, they play too rough." Last time when Eloy and some older kids were playing with Michelle, she came to him in tears with a bloodied elbow. Said that the kids had pushed her and she got an owie. Nearly killed those punks.

Turning back to Marcus and Aubrey, he nodded and smiled again. Dancing seemed pretty neat, a pretty activity to watch. He knew someone that was a dancer. It was always nice to see him practice. Just go to one side of the room and watch him move along to the beat of the music. The man offered to teach Vessie how to dance, but he refused it over and over. He would rather be a viewer than a participator. 

Plus what else did he need to know other than shuffling, the worm, and the wave? It was all this man needed. Simple basic moves that wouldn't somehow end with him hurt.

Stopping for a second on his picking, he stared stupidly at Marcus. A crooked smile spread across his face as he burst out laughing. Pressing both his hands on his cheeks, wincing just the slightest, he shook his head and scrunched his face. "Sexy man, sexy man" he hummed jokingly.

Rubbing at the area that he had been picking at, Vessie shrugged, arm dropping to his side and smile fading, "Playing tag with my siblings. Got off work a couple of hours ago and took them out to burn some energy before dinner" he answered, "It also gives Halmi Choo some time to herself to get things prepared." Glancing over Marcus, he looked at Aubrey. Was she as clumsy as he was?

Gradually focusing back to Marcus, he hummed a tune, swinging both his arms beside him. He looked soft. He bet he was soft. Would it be weird to ask that? Yeah, it would be. But then again, he did ask if he was a stripper. What could top that? Staring intently at him for a second, he shook his head and giggled. "Are you going to be late to your dance? Your sister looks ready to smack you a good one."

Raising his hands to look at the damaged skin, he began to pick at the ripped skin-pulling some bits off. Biting his tongue before he cursed himself, he checked his knees and did the same. "I should go take care of this. Wash it out and patch it up" he mumbled to himself.

"Hey, little man, when can I pay you back for saving me the other day?" he bounced back up and raised his arms above his head. The soft popping of his bones bringing him to a grand groan. Shaking his arms, he continued to pick at his skin. It was a nasty habit he tried to train himself to stop doing. And clearly, it didn't work. At one point, he picked until he began to bleed. "How do you want me to pay you back? Want to go get ice cream again sometime?"

Having been distracted from the conversation and looking at his scrapes once more, he sat on the ground and examined his knees. They burned and felt uncomfortable, but it wasn't too bad. Few days, a week or two tops, and it would good as new. Tearing away hanging skin and blowing dirt from it, ignoring all common sense on not picking at the open wound, he glanced back at the Gray's and shrugged.

The plant shop, eh? He didn't recall if he ever really went into the shop, probably not. He wasn't a fan of plants, as he had a cursed thumb, as his grandmother said. Every pot he got, he'd end up over watering, under watering, or not giving it the right sunspot. An unfortunate cycle of events, but there was no real interest in keeping them alive. Halmi, on the other hand, enjoyed having a pot or two around the house.

Staring up, Vessie scratched his neck. He worked two jobs and told Marcus this; "[b]I work part-time at a bar a few blocks away and at a warehouse, stocking shelves and getting things ready for ship-out." As well as having these sources for money, he also got an 'allowance' or a payment for each task he did for Martin. Or anyone else, really; he'd go and mow lawns, rake leaves, set anything up, or handle business. All in all, he was able to keep up with bills and day-to-day spending. And if he couldn't, he'd turn to his family for help, and they'd pool money to help. And so would he, when another member turned for help.

It also helped that Halmi had herself a little [i]business, cooking or baking dishes and selling them to families. She'd also cook for the Church every other weekend.

But what had thrown him off had been the mention of a plant kink. What exactly was that? Staring at Marcus before shifting his gaze to his lap, he frowned "Plant kink? Like getting off to them? I mean, I guess. Free country and all." he whispered to himself, giving an odd expression.

Dropping his hand to the ground beside him, he nodded while wondering what made him a heathen, and what exactly was a heathen. While he usually didn't take orders from anyone he didn't know, the scare tactic made him stop. He didn't want his leg to be hacked off.

But soon after, a pleasant surprise had been presented as the agreement to the payment. Or more like a hangout. Excited for the chance to be around Marcus again later in the night, he had been ready to invite him to a party he and a few other people had been planning on going to later in the evening. But a too familiar voice called out to him. The familiar accent made him turn himself and looking for the figure and soon finding him standing next to his kids. Eduardo, also known as Uncle Ed, had Mich by the hang and Eloy jumping around him.

"Stop bothering those kids and get over here, I saw your fall," he called, walking towards them. Groaning softly in disappointment, he pouted at Marcus before standing. "Yeah, I'm okay though," he said, answered by "Come on, let's get you cleaned and patched up. Wife made some pan for your granny."

Nodding his head, he grew excited to smell the goodness of Elena's baked goods. Picking at his elbow, he turned to the young man, wondering on inviting him to the party. It was a newly abandoned building at the edge of town that was in excellent conditions. No signs of unpleasant people seen as of yet.

The party itself would be a cookout as well as a dance. Full of food, music, and good times. He assumed it would be a great hangout place, as it was a public area to make it seem less intimidating.

As well as him being a designated driver, he would be a lookout, making sure things ran smoothly. Of course, there would be others that would stay sober to ensure everyone got home safely. So he was comfortable with inviting a stranger to the party, as he knew everyone would be civil, more or less. And of course, Martin had thought about the noise complaints and police visiting to investigate and break the party; so he and Roberto had paid the working patrols for the night to let them have fun.

Giving the directions to the party and the layout of the building, Vessie patted his legs as he took a few steps back. "You don't have to bring anything but your handsome self." He winked before awkwardly waddling away with a wave. Briskly making his way to the waiting man; Eloy and Michelle running around with a couple of his kids, Salvador and Samantha.