[ Against his will, Balthus finds his eyes glued to the small of Yuri's back as he changes. It's nothing he hasn't seen before. There is only so much time you can spend fighting and living together before you've seen most of one another. And yet... it's captivating in its own way. It's something Balthus notices more and more frequently lately and he doesn't quite know what to do with it, Yuri's long hair, longer now, the way it falls over his shoulders... the slenderness of his waist... When it comes to beauty, Yuri can compete against any woman, easily. Balthus has always known this, but it rings truer and truer every day. It's just like that little trickster to make a man confused, Balthus tells himself, and tries to leave it at that. It's a relief when Yuri's putting a shirt back on.

There's still the soft white skin of his arms and legs, of course, but that's a lot easier to... not stare at. Yeah. ]

Now there's a good motivator! I'll keep myself afloat no problem with some positive reinforcement and something to look forward to.

[ Though his cheer may come on a bit too strong, he certainly means it. The thought of sitting around a table together merrily once more is a warm one. This kind of simple and joyful reality is a goal Balthus can really get behind - no complicated politics, nothing abstract. Simply fighting for a future where they can eat together with ease. ]

But seriously. I'll find money. Let the debt collectors be my concern. Dealt with them for years, can deal with some more. The debt collector who can dethrone the mighty King of Grappling hasn't been born yet. 'Sides if it's for a good cause for once, I'm raising my cred with the Goddess, I'm sure.