Crow's eyes ducked, a look crossing them like a dog gets when it chews patches of itself raw. He rubbed his elbow, a surly expression crossing his face once again, but it was just shyness. He'd born the pain of every sin his mother ever committed, and then the sins of his father. For the last four years, he'd worked to keep Hana safe and no day had been easy, nothing had come out of leisure. Even sitting down in this chair was an unknown luxury. How many patches were sewn into his clothes? They were tight around his broad shoulders, ripping at the seams.<br/><br/>The vampire nodded him to the seamster.<br/><br/>"Take your shirt off, lad, it will make the measurements easier.<br/><br/>Crow hesitated. Finally, he stood and pulled his shirt over his head to let the man measure his body.<br/><br/>He was beautiful, which was true of all fae, with lean lines that looked healthy until you noticed his bones and realized he should be taller than he was.<br/><br/>It was his back that drew instant attention, though.<br/><br/>Fae could heal from the day they were born, but as a child, they could not heal well.<br/><br/>He bore the marks of that.<br/><br/>His back was a latticework of ancient rifts where somebody had taken a bullwhip to his skin and lacerated it cruelly. If he were a human, he would have been permanently crippled by a beating like that. The worst part was it was obviously a boy's scars—the flesh had grown to manhood around them.<br/><br/>Crow extended his arms out, lean muscle visible. He was a teenager, for all he had a beard already. He was younger under scrutiny than you'd think.<br/><br/>The seamster saw the scars and didn't mutter like he did with Hana. He was quiet as he took the measurements.<br/><br/>"I'll have clothes for you soon," he said.<br/><br/>"Thank you," Crow said tersely. His cheeks were red with embarrassment.<br/><br/>He stepped behind the screen to follow Hana.<br/><br/>"Big brother, big brother! Come swim with me! Look at the bubbles!" Hana cried out. The unmistakable sound of her blowing bubbles at him echoed.<br/><br/>"Don't make a mess, little flower. Are you washing behind your ears?"<br/><br/>There was a belated splash as Crow stepped into his bath.