Eddy listened with patience, and Luke had to remind himself not to take advantage and just vent all his frustrations on a stranger.  That wasn't fair, to either of them, really... Even if Eddy seemed sweet and like he actually wanted to hear what Luke had to say.  That wasn't something the young man was used to.  He gave him yet another nonchalant shrug, the movement loosened by alcohol, and he slumped a little more into the counter, resting his chin on his palm and his elbow nestled into a dent on the wooden boards.<br/><br/>"I have an aunt, but she hates me.  I upset her 'Christian Values'," remarked Luke, making little air quotes to further his point.  He didn't sound exactly bitter about it, just tired, and he didn't elaborate on why the two of them didn't get along.  The woman was horrid, Luke wouldn't go back even if he was desperate-- more desperate than he was now.  There was too much to unpack, and he didn't want to make Eddy uncomfortable by letting it slip that he was gay.  The guy was attractive, in that grizzled, greying way Luke liked, and he was being friendly, but the boy didn't want to risk changing the atmosphere into something more hostile.  So he left it at that.<br/><br/>"So it's just me.  And that's fine.  I've done ok so far."  'Ok' might have been a bit of a stretch, but he wasn't quite homeless yet, and he still had a meager (very meager) bit of cash stuffed away just in case things somehow got even worse.  Which he might need, sooner than he'd like.<br/><br/>He took the drink, grateful for the extra boost into oblivion; after swallowing some down, Luke licked his lips to catch any drops and gave Eddy another small, crooked grin.  He motioned at the tumblr, fingers a little shaky and disorganized.  "You're right... Think it's working."<br/><br/>He paused, the little grin slowly fading into a more thoughtful look, and his eyes caught on the tiny triangle on the back of Eddy's hand.  He resisted the urge to touch it; Luke was still sober enough to know that was inappropriate.  But still...  "If I could go back to school, I, um... I think I'd do something with art.  I like art.  Like making things...  Used to, anyways."  He stopped, blinked, looked away into his glass and took another drink.  "But then again, artists starve.  Most of them.  So maybe not a good idea."<br/><br/>Feeling like he was one step away from a very dangerous edge, Luke pointed around at the various pieces of ink he could see on Eddy's skin, trying to change the subject.  "So I know what the sword's for, but what about the rest?  They all got stories...?"