Danny laughs softly and shakes his head. "It's easy to think it's like that, and I'd be a liar if I said I hadn't done it a few times in my life, especially when I was young and stupid. Now I'm just old and a little less stupid, but life was good for helping on both of those." All humor aside, he reaches over and claps a hand on Martin's shoulder. "You *are* a good man, Martin, and you *are* making a difference. Impulsiveness of that sort isn't a bad thing if you can follow through." He smiles, and slides out of the chair with a nod down towards the yard. "I promised some of the kids I'd given them rides, so I should get to that."

Martin looks up at Danny as he rises, and the trader's expression grows, if possible, more warm. He clasps Danny's arm briefly, chuckling as he says, "Be careful, Daniel. They'll run you ragged given half a chance. I don't think many of them have met a real Perunka before." He says it now like he's an expert, when it wasn't so very long ago he was gawking and stammering over the concept himself. "Take care, my friend. I'll see you at dinner for sure if not before."

"I don't mind kids running me ragged. Hopefully I'll have my own to do it, some day, so I have to practice. You take care too, and see you at dinner." Danny grins, gripping Martin's shoulder in thanks, and then he goes back into the house, taking his empty tea mug with him.

The door to the balcony opens, and Serendipity's head pokes out, breaking into a grin before he follows it through. "Found you," he remarks, as if there had been a game of hide and seek. "Mornin', love. I miss anything interesting?" He wanders over behind Martin's chair, and drapes his arms loosely around the blond's neck from behind, giving him a little kiss on the cheek. "...did I scare Danny off?"

Martin glances up and smiles broadly, holding out an arm to Ren, the one not attached to a hand holding a tea mug. Though there are plenty of empty rockers, he offers a lap. "Thankfully, you've slept through a gorgeously dull morning with no mishaps. Did Sarah find you for breakfast? She told me she'd leave a tray by the door for the sleepyhead." He tilts his head for the kiss, then returns one of his own as he murmurs, "The children have talked Danny into giving them rides today, the poor fool. If he thought the trip down was exhausting..."

Serendipity accepts the lap, curling into it with a laugh. "Maaaartin," he entreats teasingly in his best child voice, "I wanna ride your pony..." He grins and claims a somewhat more intimate kiss before finishing getting comfortable. "Breakfast was there. It was good, too. How come you didn't wake me?"

Martin's cheeks flush, and he growls, "Quiet, you. It's that kind of talk that causes a man to sleep til noon when there's work to be done." Not that Martin is busy doing anything, himself, save snaking an arm around Ren and rocking the chair gently. And returning kisses wholeheartedly. "You looked so sweet sleeping," he replies. "I couldn't bear to."

Serendipity grins wider, and wriggles a little, still teasing. He leans his head against Martin's shoulder, then, and tries to steal his mug of tea. "Do I look like a little angel when I'm sleepin'?" he inquires, archly.

Martin offers over the tea without even a smidgeon of a qualm. This frees his other hand to slip his second arm around Ren. "Mm, maybe not an angel," he replies indecisively. "Sweet, though. Your hair hides the horns well."

Serendipity wraps his hands around the mug and takes a long sip, coming up with a little smile. "So I look like a li'l fallen angel when I'm sleeping," he returns, sounding somewhat amused. At least he's apparently been paying attention to some of that book of Martin's. "...mm. What's on the agenda for t'day? Are the new kids settlin' in okay?"

Martin leans back, the chair creaking under his weight, and he settles in to cuddling Ren with the casual air of one who intends to do so for quite some time. "They're still a bit shaken," he replies, "but I think they're coming around to the idea that the worst is over. Today, we take it easy from our travels. Tomorrow there will be plenty of tasks that need a hand, and the day after that we observe the sabbath."

"Sounds like a plan. Mostly. How do we observe a sabbath?" Ren inquires, sipping at the tea again and showing no inclination to escape this cuddling. He grins a little again. "I mean, a lotta people get upset if you observe baths, for some reason."

Martin says dryly, "This isn't like a bath, rascal. The way we observe it here, we start with a late breakfast so folks can sleep in an hour or two. Then we gather in the chapel room if the weather's bad, or outside if it's good, and we have a fellowship meeting. After that, it's an early supper and we relax, either sitting around talking or for those with more energy playing games and what-not. It's a day of rest. We don't work. We don't even cook. Everything's made the night before and kept in a cold box."

Serendipity nods, considering this, and then grins again. "Can we what-not?" he asks, and nips his boyfriend's neck playfully. "...Sounds like a nice enough day. What d'you do at the fellowship meeting?"

Martin threatens in a low tone, "I'll what-not you." Okay, maybe threaten isn't the right word. He gives Ren's backside a good-natured squeeze, then cuddles him close, all warm. "At the fellowship meeting, we talk about what has happened in the past week, and we bring up any issues that need brought up. If there's any unfinished business, or something that needs arbitrated, we do it there. Then we talk about the Word of God, and what that means, what people think about it. We sing songs, sometimes there's a lesson from the book. Then we share a communion."

Serendipity responds to the cuddling by cuddling back, and sighs contentedly. "Sounds a'ight t' me. Sometime soon I oughta go see the exlandlord guy again... you know if he's still been tryin' to get people here t' do his bidding?"

Martin says ruefully, "He comes out about once every other week, so Sarah says, trying to get people to sell him shares they don't even have." He sighs, closing his eyes as he rest his head against Ren's. "It's like some people just can't let folks live their lives without trying to profit from it."

Serendipity shakes his head -- but just a little, so as not to dislodge Martin's. "Some people, yeah. Don't get 'em, y'know? There's always other ways t' get money if you need it." He's quiet a minute before grinning and acknowledging, "Then again, I s'pose they might object to some of mine, too, but all the same."

Martin utters a quiet laugh, then sighs softly, rocking the chair in a soothing motion as he holds Ren. "It's not about the money," he replies. "Not only the money. It's about power. About controlling those you perceive to be weaker than you are. About the fear of losing the upper hand. The book says a rich man has about as much a chance of salvation as a camel does passing through the eye of a needle, and I don't think it has to do with the money so much as the kind of people who get money and hold on to it like they do."

"Never =have= gotten on well with rich people much," Ren reflects thoughtfully. "Guess that makes sense. Things'd just be better all 'round if people cared less about... winning. So, okay, what if a rich guy gets a camel and builds a really big needle for it to pass through? Can he get points for creativity?"

Martin considers this, eyes fluttering open as he studies the drizzly sky beyond the cover of the roofed porch. "Probably points for creativity, yes. I suppose also points for valuing humor over riches. I mean it's not up to me, but if it was, I'd give him points for creativity. That might not save him, but it would possibly earn him a more comfortable hell."

Serendipity grins a bit. "I figured it was a better solution than grinding up the camel real fine and pouring it through," he comments, and stifles a yawn. "Mrm." He drains the rest of the tea but for one sip, which he offers back to Martin.

Martin takes the cup to finish off the tea, then sets the mug aside lazily. "Are you still sleepy?" he asks, adding, "You didn't get to sleep til pretty late." The way he can say such a thing with blithe innocence is testament to his acting skill.

"...yeah," Ren agrees, packing a remarkable amount of pleased satisfaction into the single word. Blithely innocent it is not. "Neither did you, though, an' here you are all bright-eyed an' bushy-tailed. Nah, I'm fine. Just finishing wakin' up, I think."

Martin admits, "I don't sleep late so well anymore." He does look tired though, and his day doesn't appear to have been terribly strenuous thus far. "I'll sleep well tonight," he decides. "Besides, I always like to see what's going on when I'm here. The kids usually have something cooked up, and an extra set of eyes on them couldn't hurt. I keep hoping a teacher will come join us so that they'll have school to keep them out of trouble."

Serendipity shrugs a little. "Hey, I never had school, an'..." He trails off. "....a'ight, I see your point maybe. You could see if Kal wan'ed t' come down an' teach things sometimes, maybe? I dunno if he'd want to, but he knows that kinda school stuff. He was tellin' me about pre-Dark history before, with the World Wars and the Great Depression and stuff. Suit him better'n the gardening, I bet."

Martin perks up a bit, looking intrigued. "I don't know who that is," he replies, "but if he's interested, I'm sure the children could benefit from someone who is knowledgeable. I was just talking to Danny about how we could perhaps set up a way of teaching trades as well, so that the people looking to move on to other things have a chance to make their way in the world honestly."

"You've prolly seen him around," Ren replies with a vague gesture, "He's the distressingly hot guy with th' way-city clothes, though he's not wearin' 'em so much lately. ...the one I borrowed that outfit with the shorts from," he adds, grinning wickedly. "He might be into it. 's hard t' tell sometimes. Trades is a good idea too. Though, they all get farming, right? That's a good start."

Martin's brows lift as he murmurs, "He lent you those clothes? Er... not exactly the kind of scholar I had in mind, but very well, very well. Judge not. No, I haven't met any distressingly hot men I'm not already holding in my arms as I speak, so we haven't been introduced." The memory of the outfit seems to distract the trader a bit, but he carries on. "They're learning farming, yes. And sewing, some carpentry, skills the men and women here already have or have managed to pick up."

Serendipity gives Martin a decidedly lingering kiss for that comment, and then murmurs, "...got other stuff he lent me, too. Might show you sometime soon if you're good..." Another kiss, lighter, and he rests his head on the blond's shoulder again. "Don't forget cooking an' baking, those sell too."

Martin investigates this kissing situation further, curling his fingers through Ren's hair and causing the kisses to linger just a bit longer. His shoulder makes a nice pillow, and he combs his fingers through Ren's hair fondly as he rocks the chair again. "Aye, they do. Bakers made decent money, and food is important work. We'll also have to set up a milling stone and teach people how to grind flour."

"Yeah... milling's good," Ren agrees absently, and goes back to that kissing portion of the conversation for a while. He seems to have a lot to say along that vein. Eventually he relents, and pulls back a touch. "...Martin?"

Martin for some reason doesn't complain at all about the kissing, even if it does get a wolf-whistle and a chuckle from one of the farming hands passing by on the grounds below. Martin laughs softly, closing his eyes and nuzzling Ren as the amused hand continues on his way. "Yes, Serendipity?" he replies.

Serendipity grins a little at the audience reaction and actually ducks his head a touch for a moment before he goes more serious. "'f I hafta go away t' keep looking, an' I don't know where or how long... would you go with me? I mean, I'm not sayin' that's gonna happen, but if it did..."

Martin's brow furrows, and he leans back so that he can regard Ren face to face. His fingers tease absently at the kin's hair, as they're wont to do. "I'd like to," he says quietly. "I mean I would. If I had some time to arrange things so that my friends and this fellowship are taken care of. I would feel bad if I left them stranded, but... well, I would want to. I would try."

Serendipity smiles slightly, and leans in to give Martin another kiss, quicker and lighter than before. He curls in close again, then. "'kay." He's silent a bit before he remarks, "I was thinkin' the other day how prolly most people I've met'd say I don't deserve you. Might be true."

Martin settles Ren's head against his shoulder again, stroking the kin's beloved hair. "Nonsense," he says quietly. "Deserving has nothing to do with it. Besides, I'd say that's my call to make, not theirs."

Serendipity releases the tie from his hair without comment, while he considers that. "S'pose so," he agrees slowly, remaining thoughtful. "...been thinking."

Martin smiles faintly and curls his fingers through the newly freed locks. There is no doubt, the man enjoys long hair. "Yeah?" he prompts, nuzzling a few strands and inhaling the scent of them. "About what?"

"You," Ren replies somewhat bluntly. After a beat, he adds, "...an' me, an' life, an' stuff. Y'know, gen'rally thinking. I was thinkin'... I shouldn't start deciding what I'm gonna do based on fear and stuff. 's not any less dumb a reason now than ever, right?"

Martin considers this for a time, just rocking the chair slowly and cuddling the smaller man on his lap. It's one of those lazy days, with the rain coming down softly, and mist rising from the trees on the surrounding hillsides like a blanket of cotton tucked amongst the needled branches. It's a good day for cuddling. "Fear isn't a good motivator," he says after awhile. "Fear is useful, and it's there for a reason, but it's a poor substitute for wisdom."

Serendipity nods a little. "Yeah, wisdom's maybe not my best thing, but. There was that one thing that guy said, there's nothin' to fear but fear itself, right? ...is that onea the ones from your book? Also there's that thing about horses. Anyway. So I was thinkin'. I'm still... it still hurts. 'bout Aurelia. An' I'm still in love with her an' all. An'... but even if that'd worked out, it wouldn't've meant I couldn't also... look, it's confusing," he finally gives up with a sigh, and kisses Martin again instead, rather more eloquently. It could hardly not be.

Martin gets such a befuddled look as he listens to Ren, painfully vulnerable and uncomprehending. The kiss comes as a relief. That's a language he can understand without guessing, and he returns the kiss, sweetly and lingering, with the kind of passion one can't give words to. Whatever he might've had to say, it's lost in lieu of another kiss.

Serendipity's half of the kiss is decidely passionate, which isn't unusual, but with an edge of frustration, which is. "...what I wanted t' say is," he finally tries quietly, when he's in a position to use his mouth for speech again, "I guess... I'm still kinda uneasy 'bout it 'causea before, but. Y'know. ...Love you."

Martin studies Ren intently as he draws away to speak, and even after the words are uttered, Martin makes no immediate reply. Instead, he gazes into the kin's eyes, cupping his cheek with the palm of a large, calloused hand, and he smiles, a faint thing upon his lips but bright and radiant in his eyes. Carefully, he draws Ren to him, stealing a kiss before he whispers, "I love you, too."

Serendipity smiles back, almost shyly -- definitely still a little vulnerable there. "I just, y'know. Thought you oughta know." He slides a hand into his pocket, and comes out with a tiny little soft leather pouch, not more than an inch and a half in any direction, which he offers over.

Martin takes the pouch with an air of solemnity, carefully freeing a hand from Ren's hair to open it with a curious peek. "I'm glad you've told me," he replies. "Because you've made me a very happy man today."

Inside the little pouch, there is a bronze necklace; a chain with a pendant of a stylized fish outline with, in the center of it, an equally stylized piece of bread. One could, possibly, mistake the bread for a heart, with the placement and all, but the bottom is more squared off. "I thought," Ren says tentatively, "that story you told me 'bout the Christ an' feeding everyone was kinda more you than the whole torture and death thing."

Martin blinks a bit, and he studies the pendant, turning it over in his fingers, and he grins despite himself. "How thoughtful," he says, and where some may toss the words off glibly, in his voice they are so sincere. One arm slips around Ren as he invites, "Will you put it on me? If I should follow in the footsteps of my savior, this is the part I'd much rather relive."

Serendipity smiles back at the grin, and nods. "Sure," he agrees, and takes the necklace back to undo the simple clasp and move it gently into place. "'m glad- I'm glad it's good."

Martin tucks the cross within his linen shirt, giving the fish and bread pendant a place of visibility upon his chest. "It's important to remember his life," Martin replies quietly. "To certainly remember his sacrifice and what it means, but also to remember that the very things he died for are the very things he lived for as well."

Serendipity gives Martin another kiss, this one soft and brief. "I dunno for sure how mucha your book I personally believe in yet," he admits, "....but I know I believe in you. 'zat good enough?"

Martin considers, admitting ruefully, "There are parts of it I have trouble with as well." He gathers Ren to him, rocking gently, holding him. "Believe that I am a man who loves you dearly," he says. "Who strives to be a righteous man, but I don't profess to be God's voice on this Earth. I just... love me. That's good enough."

Serendipity gives Martin a gentle kiss on the side of the neck, and rests his head on the man's shoulder again, closing his eyes and relaxing. "I think I c'n manage that."

Martin murmurs, "That's all anyone could ask." And he holds Ren, quiet, comfortable in the silence as he watches the grounds below, the various people coming and going. Occasionally he shifts a bit to raise a hand in greeting to a familiar passerby. "This is a nice place," he decides, breaking the quiet after a time.

Serendipity grins without opening his eyes. "'course it is," he replies. "You're kinda in charge of it, right? So it'd hafta be." He seems comfortable, content to spend most of the day like this if that happens to be how things go.

So far, so good. Others are working, but Danny is giving rides to the children, and no one is coming to Ren or Martin to take a hand at chores. After all, they're resting up from a long journey. Martin huffs a laugh as he says, "I don't know about that. I hardly lift a finger around here. It's Sarah who keeps us all on the straight and narrow. It's good, though. We've done well."

"More on the narrow," Ren teases, and shifts, stretching a little. "...hey, Martin? What d'you think 'bout Rahne?"

Martin blinks a bit, taken by some surprise. "Rahne? I'm assuming you mean the woman as opposed to the weather. She's... well, she's beautiful. And sweet, and lovely to hold. I'd like to get to know her better, because truth be told there is very little I know of her, save that she's of the wolves, and that her heart seems good. Why do you ask?"

Serendipity laughs once. "Yeah, I mean the woman, not th' weather. Or the guy I grew up with. An'- huh," he continues as some more of the reply sinks in, more to himself than Martin, "that makes sense." He shakes his head. "Anyway! Just wondered. Seein' as we all get along," he explains innocently.

Martin watches Ren quizzically, but he doesn't press. There's a sense of ease to him, of serene acceptance that doesn't need to pry. The bit about all getting along gets a grin from him, and his cheeks color a touch. "That we do. Another reason I would like to know her more. It seems... well, I don't feel right sharing so much with her, but knowing so little."

Serendipity mmms, and nods. "We'll hafta do somethin' 'bout that, then. ...a'ight, I got a plan. When we get back, we'll just hafta spend a day or two in an' wear each other out completely, then go find her an' have a good long conversation," he declares, with a decisive nod. "...or alternatively we c'n invite her for the first part an' continue the same way from there."

Martin laughs and hugs Ren to him, nice and snug before letting him go. "Your plans always have these little catches I find hard to resist," he accuses fondly. "Alternately, we could make love for the sheer joy of pleasuring one another, and speak with Rahne when we get the chance, regardless."

Serendipity hugs back and grins widely. "Well, I'm up for alla the above," he replies cheerfully, and glances up at the clouds in the sky appreciatively. "'s a nice world."

Martin glances up as well, musing, "Not bad for six days' work." The chair begins to rock again, and he holds Ren lovingly, utterly at ease. Even when people walk by below and wave up to him, he doesn't seem to mind at all being seen with the kin on his lap. He merely waves back, flashing them a smile. "It's a beautiful world. I wouldn't mind seeing more of it when the time is right."

Serendipity waves at most of them too -- the ones he notices, at least. "There's a lotta it t' see. Still a lot I haven't either, an' there's places I'd like t' check on. Well. People, but they're in places."

Martin suggests, "We should take some trips this coming year. Maybe broaden our trade route, see some people and places we haven't in awhile." In the distance, the laughter of children can be heard, where clearly a Perunka's good nature is being exploited. "I've got tons of friends I haven't met yet, so we'd better fix that, huh."

Serendipity glances off toward the sounds of horsey rides and grins again. "Me too! I'll introduce you t' mine if I get t' meet yours..." Another glance in the vague direction of the laughter, and he adds, "...be nice t' see my kids, maybe. The ones where I c'n get away with it, anyway."

Martin nods emphatically. "I want to meet your children. I still think it's so incredible. I mean that you have them. Incredible as in good. As in I sort of regret not having had any back in the day."

Serendipity laughs, giving Martin a fondly amused look. "It's not exactly like you're too old an' decrepit an' past your prime t' have any more chances," he points out, running a hand down the blond's chest. "I'm pretty sure you got at least a few more chances in ya."

Martin clasps Ren's hand, bringing it to his lips. "Sure in theory," he replies gravely, "But in practice, I have this man in my life who has consumed my affection, and though there is a certain young lady with whom I'm amiable, I can't imagine myself engaged further."

Serendipity tilts his head to give Martin a little kiss on the tip of the nose, and grins. "I think we should get a girlfriend. For the family sorta thing. Sometime. We c'n see."

Martin wrinkles his nose, eyes crossing briefly, and he laughs again. "A girlfriend? Good lord, Ren. What woman would put up with both of us? Aside from Rahne, and bless her heart she only has to sometimes."

"Hey, we're a catch," Ren protests, grinning. "...well. We c'n just see what happens. Could start a caravan, someday. Or find mine an' join it. Never know, right?"

Martin says dubiously, "I don't know if I'd call me a catch, love. I come with an awful lot of..." He gestures around a the property, the laughing children, the workers in the fields. "I come with a lot of stuff."

"=Good= stuff!" Ren insists. "People like that kinda stuff. Now, if you came with a long lista people out for your blood an' a nasty habit of eatin' live bunnies or somethin', THAT I c'n see makin' folks think twice. This? This is good stuff."

Martin shakes his head and says, "Oh, I couldn't eat live bunnies. They'd wiggle around too much." He kisses Ren atop his head, then murmurs, "It's just that she'd have to be someone remarkable for me to see past you to her."

Serendipity grins a little at the words and cuddles in closer. "Well. Not =too= remarkable. Don't wanna find someone so good I'd be redundant or anything," he teases. "...an' I figure you could stun th' bunnies if you had to. Pers'nally I think the fur'd be a bit much."

Martin trails his fingertips down Ren's chest and stomach, then they hover dangerously just a little lower as he says softly against the kin's ear, "I have a feeling you'll never be redundant. There are certain qualities even the most beautiful and charming woman just can't emulate."

"Y'know, they always take that wrong if you tell 'em that," Ren muses, grinning wickedly, and extracts himself from Martin's lap to stand on the balcony and pull on his lover's hands. "C'mere."

Martin rises dutifully, though with a shameful laziness. He's clearly enjoying his day of rest thus far, particularly the part where he's not hauling stuff in the rain and mud. "Mmn?" he asks innocently. "Where are we going?"

"Inside," Ren replies, though apparently they're not going there in any particular hurry, since he seems to be more involved in the pressing-up-against than the dragging-along at the moment. "I mean, we =could= stay out here, but I was figurin' you might not want so many people comin' by and wavin' when I get unemulatable."

Martin arches a brow, gazing down at Ren with an angel's own innocence. "Serendipity Jones," he says with a cluck of his tongue, "I can't take you anywhere." With a sigh, he slips an arm around the kin and lifts him up, draping him over on shoulder sack-of-potatoes-style. "As a good Christian man, it's my duty to be discreet -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Also, I should love my neighbor." So righteous he is, as he heads inside, his lover slung over one shoulder.