Edmund blinked at the expression Al was staring at him with. Was what he'd found that alarming? But - nothing, eh? Well, completely healthy was good, wasn't it? And he was a fairly good specimen of British young men, with a clean bill of health and well enough to have enlisted if the war hadn't ended before he'd come of age.

Was Al - disappointed somehow? He certainly looked a bit like that. Edmund cocked a curious glance at him. "All right? I don't mind, if that's what you think best. But maybe we should have a bite to eat first."

And sure enough, a few seconds later there was a knock at the door with room service, or at least that's what Edmund called it, and he blushed again at Al having to be the one to pay any possible expense there. "I'm sorry to impose upon you so," he said, reaching out his free hand to squeeze Al around the elbow as they carried their plates in. "I'll be looking for a way home, but in the meantime I'd like to look for work here if I'm to stay for a while. Is there - anything I can do in the meantime? Anything I can help with?"

(That food sure did smell good...)