"Bah, come off it." Varon waved the thought away. "Not like it's killed me or anything. Got me some character, is what it did. Pops always told me what doesn't kill a man makes him stronger and I ain't done nothing to deserve no one's pity. Got that?"

He didn't mean to come off as harsh as he had but it did give some irritation when people gave him handouts. "I'm only here because it's expected of me." He wouldn't admit it, but he did need the education and he needed the place to stay.