A village gift (Text post AND log) OTA

[clouded_heart]

WHO: Foggy Nelson
WHERE: South Village Inn
WHEN: Jan 10th ish
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: None at present

---

Text post
UN: haventthe

Hey people, Foggy here. I got a couple of those boxes that seem to happen to people and while it's addressed to me, I get the feeling that it's meant for the collective. I've got a bunch of woodworking tools here, including chisels, files, a saw and a hand drill with drill bits.

I'm taking this a hint that they approved of my amateur forays into carpentry and want that to continue, but I want to make sure everyone knows they're welcome to use them. For now, I'm keeping everything at the South Inn, but maybe we can set up one of the houses, or the mill as a workshop at some point.

Even had an idea for making paper from the sawdust and shavings. That's probably going to need experimentation though.

South Village Inn

True to his word, Foggy has set up in the large front room. He's moved a table to a far corner and he's set out the tools, checking them over to see if they're all fine. He does know all these tools, he did high school wood working, but it's been a while.

A long while.

But the main reason for sitting here is so that it's apparent he is here, and the tools are here, and they can work something out for making useful things and teaching people to make useful things.

Comments

[nobroth]

"Just don't end up there for... I dunno, more than a night or two every few months? Voice of experience." But then he was putting down all the warm things he'd found upstairs so he could have his hands empty to button his shirt. It was a nice shirt. ...Weird, but nice. It felt good, thick, warm - better quality than most he'd ever worn. And with pockets on the chest. That was new.

"The tools, though - you're not practiced in them very much? Huh. Wonder why you got them, then," he mused. "...And who gave them to you."

[clouded_heart]

"There's no real alcohol here, which was why I took the chance to indulge and forget."

He watches Alistair, not with any particular lecherous intention, just absent attention. "Hm? No, not at all. I don't really think they're for me, as much as... directed to me to distribute to the community, you know? And who left them..."

He makes a noise and throws up his hands. "No idea."

[nobroth]

Finally. The weird shirt was buttoned - and was thankfully big enough to not stick to him like the one beneath. Instead of buttoning the cuffs, though, he started to roll them up. "Well, the good news is that I've been talked into using some of what I learned in the Free Marches and I'm planning on getting us all some lumber. I'll be able to teach you how to use some of these things, or at least get us in a position to use them. Reeve said something about building a barn - we'll need everything we can get our hands on for that."

[clouded_heart]

"Those sleeves won't do you a lot of good for staying warm if you roll them up," Foggy points out mildly. "I want to be super clear... I know very little about carpentry. I know even less about harvesting wood and prepping it. These tools being given to me make as good as no sense. I am basically just keeping them so we know where they are and someone's keeping track of them."

[nobroth]

"I'm not outside right now, either, am I?" he teased back, a brow raising in Foggy's direction. But then he was settled in, leaning back against the back of his chair. "So long as you don't mind me using them when the time comes, I'm not going to make you give me lessons or anything. I actually do generally know what I'm doing. You learn a lot of things when you're traveling alone and want to trade labor for room and board. Besides."

He lifted one arm up, not really thinking, and gave it a flex - which managed to take up the entire sleeve of his shirt. Which made him wince a little. "...Better not do that too much. But anyway, it's good for your arm strength."

[clouded_heart]

"Well, no, you're not." He shakes his head. "I don't mind, at all, I just feel like since they were given into my custody, I should look after them, you know? Keep them in good condition, know where they are so nothing goes missing... You can keep doing that if you like. Without the shirt, obviously, don't want to rip it."

His grin suggests teasing, though he really wouldn't mind ongoing perving.

[nobroth]

"I'm going to have to do something about this so I can--"

He'd been examining the seam of the shirt. He wasn't bad at field repairs, not anymore, but the idea of altering an entire shirt was more than he thought he was up to. And then Foggy's words filtered through ahd ...

And he blinked looking across at him - far from accusatory but trying to understand what he'd heard.

"...Wait. You. Uh."

Was he going to have to ask Zev about this, too?

"Was that flirting?"

Or he could just. Ask.

[clouded_heart]

Foggy laughs. At Alistair, but not mocking. "Yes, I was flirting with you, but it's just flirting. I'm just a friendly, flirty person. I can knock it off if you want."

He flirts, but he doesn't want to make Alistair uncomfortable. He's very fond of him.

[nobroth]

"I... just never know how to react. It's not something that happens," he halfway explained, still sounding utterly befuddled. "Were you being serious? I mean, about the-- You probably weren't, were you. I can't tell."

And though he's not really flustered, it looks like he could be. Very easily.

[clouded_heart]

"It probably happens more than you realise," Foggy promises. "You just miss it because you're expecting to never have it happen."

He tilts his head. "Define serious? I'm flirting with you because I'm a bit flirty and I like you. I'm not hitting on you."

[nobroth]

It took him a moment. He had to think about the context of 'hitting on' because... Obviously, Foggy wasn't hitting him, but he was pretty sure he wasn't talking about that. It had to be a colloquialism - and after he thought about it, he understood. "Okay - okay, I think I understand," he said. "I just. I like you, but I don't know you that well quite yet. It takes longer than carrying someone back to an inn and all."

And he felt a little more confident in his dealings now. Amazing what a little explanation could do.

[clouded_heart]

"Flirting, not actually trying to get in your pants," Foggy clarifies. "I'm still... sorting out how I feel about this with my girlfriend back in the real world and me here for an undetermined amount of time and all."

And maybe being a clone.

Foggy laughs. "Yeah, takes a bit more than being carried in muscled arms for me as well."

[nobroth]

Alistair half-smirked. "At least that whole 'real world' thing is a little easier for me. If all this turns out to not be demons, it doesn't matter much because I'm pretty much guaranteed to be dead at this point, and-- well. Being on the run doesn't really lend itself to... romance and all."

Or at least it didn't this time. No Sereda. No entire group of people with him. Just him, hiding in caves and barns to stay away from the other Wardens.

"So now that I get it, no problem."

[clouded_heart]

"It's a double edged sword for me. My oldest friend... I thought he was dead. For months. But here, he's alive and healthy. But Marci is back there and I miss her. A lot. I miss a lot of things about her, as well. But being on the run... sounds less than fun, frankly."

To be honest.

[nobroth]

With a little, sad smile, Alistair reached out to pat Foggy's arm. "If you like her, Marci must be a good person. I hope you see her again - sooner than later. I mean. I don't hope she comes here. I've seen and heard enough of what happens here not to wish that on anyone, but..." Alistair shrugged. "I also know what happened to me isn't what happened to everyone, so... I hope you see her again."

[clouded_heart]

"This place would be her idea of a living hell," Foggy agrees. "She might actually spontaneously combust from rage. Marci is a high living, city girl." And then she'd get into it with Matt and the Elektra would defend him and he and Matt would have to stop their girlfriends from murdering each other and it would be awkward all around.

"Thanks, Alistair." He lays his hand on top of Alistair's and squeezes briefly. "I appreciate it."

[nobroth]

"Anytime," he assured with a little smile. "So, are you interested in helping with woodwork? I'm going to start making lumber for the barn project that Reeve brought--"

He broke off, looking suddenly thoughtful. "...Huh. Wonder if he was flirting for the sake of friendliness too..."

[clouded_heart]

"I am definitely interested in helping and getting help." He nods firmly. "And I don't know, but possibly not. I only met him once and that was New Year's Eve..."

Alistair knows what state Foggy was in then.

[nobroth]

And that.

Flirting... for real?

......

"...Huh."

It looked like the barn thing was, for the moment, forgotten in favour of complete dumbfoundedness.

[clouded_heart]

"... have I broken you?"

[nobroth]

"I, uh. ...Little bit. Maybe."

[clouded_heart]

"You'll get over it." Foggy is still relentlessly cheerful, patting Alistair's arm.

[nobroth]

"...That makes working on a barn with him a little weird," he mumbled, looking studiously at his cuffs.

[clouded_heart]

"No, it doesn't," Foggy promises. "Would it be weird to work with a girl you thought was cute? Flirting doesn't mean a grand love or anything. It's flirting. It can be friendly, it can be open to more, but a polite rebuff, or missing it entirely, or just a harmless flirt back are all fine."

[nobroth]

But Alistair motioned to himself. "You're talking to me here. There's nothing I've ever done that I didn't get rejected at. ...From. Whichever. Flirtation is just. Something I can't do."