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

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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

[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."

[clouded_heart]

"You're my friend," Foggy promises. "So there's something you haven't failed or been rejected at."

[nobroth]

He started to open his mouth, but then he closed it. What was he going to do, deny it? That'd be an ass thing to do - and a lie. "Well. Point made."

[clouded_heart]

Foggy smiled. "Good man. Don't argue when someone's being nice."

[nobroth]

"Two friends. It's a start," he said, and though it was easy enough to say, it was harder to figure out why that made him feel a little more... solid. Two friends. Two... anchors, maybe. Two reasons not to just wander off into the woods.

He almost felt like he should resent that, but no, he knew better. That was just the exile talking. An old wound.

Two friends.

"A pretty good start, really."

[clouded_heart]

"It's a very solid start. I'm sure there's more people would call you a friend than you realise."

[nobroth]

But he exhaled, even if the smile remained, and looked up from his cuffs. "The question is if I'm ready for it yet. And I'm not sure on that count."

[clouded_heart]

"Then you don't have to do anything about it, and just appreciate that someone's being nice because they like you. Even as a friend, they like you."