007 | Keeping busy

[stillshinigami]

He was at the common table after a meal, working out most of his leather bolt. He'd cut out plenty of the shapes for making the scabbards for the two swords and machetes he had Toph made. Toph, who had disappeared somewhere he was more than a little worried about. He's seen her consistently almost since they met, and now? Where the hell was she?

So caught up in his worry over Toph, his hammer slipped as he hit his hole puncher into the two layers of leather. Hit his thumb, not hard, but hard enough to smart. He cursed under his breath and let out an aggravated noise of frustration. He dropped the hammer and let his head fall onto his arms.

Maybe he needed a break. Clearly he needed one if he couldn't even keep his hand steady. He looked up briefly at his work, knowing how tedious all of it was. He just wanted it all done. Least he got the ones for the scythe blades done. Hell, he made plenty of progress over the last week gutting the tech and using the remaining power cell to fuse the metal. That was about all the juice it had left after all. He now had two scythes for him and his brother. He wanted to show em of, but no real motivation to go get up and go get him either.

He lay his head back down into his arms, yawning into them. Just take a short catnap instead. Let the guys come to him.

Comments

[sakedrinking]

A blanket gently draped over Duo's shoulders, a hand coming to rest on his shoulder. It didn't linger long, the person it belonged to trying to sneak away before he woke. She couldn't move him to a bed and he may be sore in the morning after sleeping in such an awkward position, but this was all she could do.

[stillshinigami]

Had he really been sleeping that long? Sure. After supper and he'd made a mess of the table he must of dozed off. He lifted his head, turning to look after the white haired songdroid.

Yaaawn. "Hey, Haku." He said, sitting up and stretching.

[sakedrinking]

"Oh... I didn't mean to wake you, Duo-kun..." Haku said as she turned back around. "You looked really tired..."

[stillshinigami]

"Eh. I'm alright." Duo stretched his arms over his head, leaning back on the chair lazily.

"Thanks though." He pulls the blanket around his shoulders.

"How about you come over here and make sure I'm doin' this right?"

[sakedrinking]

"Eto... are you sure you don't want to get more sleep?" Haku asked worriedly, looking at Duo closely. She moved towards the table, but her hesitation was still there. She didn't want him to ignore the need for rest and accidentally wind up hurting himself.

[stillshinigami]

Already went and did that, Haku. He was already wearing the belt he'd asked for around the waist over his tunic. Starting to look a little more like he belong here rather than some modern era, although his leather jacket and fingerless gloves just about ruined the illusion.

Didn't help that his hair had grown in the last three months to fall over the sides of his face.

"I'll sleep later, Haku. It's not like I've got any place to be in the morning."

[sakedrinking]

"Well, if you're sure..."

She joined him at the bench, pulling her skirt under her legs before sitting down. She looked over what he'd been working on, picking up some of the leather.

"It's not bad work... I can tell you were getting tired, though."

[stillshinigami]

"It's tiresome work. Punch, punch. Sew them up." He was just used to buying these at a store. While he was gaining a respect for those who made these things he was just not that great at it.

"So it shows? Yehthink that'll hold up?"

[sakedrinking]

"Hmn..." she mumbled, giving a section a bit of a tug, testing the strength of the leather around the holes. It seemed to hold up well.

"I think so. Did you get eyelets? That'll help reinforce any of the areas where there's going to be a lot of wear and tear. It's the same principle as corsets."

She put it down, fixing Duo with a smile.

"You're doing well."

[stillshinigami]

"Well..." Yawn. "I did get em with the kit, but I've got no idea how to use em." There was a small booklet with the kit that explained a few things. The rest Duo had felt was intuitive.

"Heh. Thanks. I dunno if we needed this much leather. When I'm done with this stuff you can have it." He said with a small nod.

Okay, so maybe he was tired, smiling back at his friend despite himself.

"If I'm doin' well, how're you? Fairing, I mean."

[sakedrinking]

"Oh, thank you. I can use it with the rest of my fabric. I know we're not the only ones who could use clothes..."

Picking up the rest of the kit, Haku looked over the directions briefly, taking out the eyelets and the post and the hammer that came with them. She started putting one in, testing it to see if she was still any good at placing them.

"How am I doing?" Haku echoed quietly, tapping on the post gently with the hammer.

"Alright, I suppose... worried about my sister... worried about everyone..." she admitted.

Worried about you...

That part, she didn't say out loud.

[stillshinigami]

He nodded, for all it was worth, the bolt of leather would come in handy, and he knew she'd put it to good use. He watched her work, pulling the blanket around hsi shoulders.

"I worry too, but y'know Haku? I think we can make it, once we actually figure out how to get outta here. And we will." Gotta keep that hope alive some how. Besides, Haku showed some serious guts, metaphorically. He figured that if someone taught her how to defend herself and others? He may not have to worry so much about her.

"Every little thing'll help, right?"

[sakedrinking]

"I think you're right," Haku agreed. She had given in to her depression once here, but he had managed to pull her back out with help from his double, and she had silently vowed to never let herself fall that hard again. They all had to stay positive if they were going to survive.

She held up the leather again, showing the eyelet. It was a bit more bent than it should have been, but it was a start to improving.

"Ah... see? Not that hard!"

[stoicperfection]

As a soldier himself, Heero knew better than to approach someone like him while they were sleeping. But he was a bit worried about Duo, just like he was worried about Quatre and his Duo and everyone else. Toph's disappearance had an effect on him, that was obvious enough. It was just a whole bunch of things that worried the older pilot and he was slipping just a bit. A smack of the hammer on his thumb and sleeping in the common room were enough to worry him.

He silently closed the distance between them and he placed his hand on Duo's shoulder to rouse him. He didn't say anything, leaving his hand there and watching Duo carefully, waiting for him to wake up.

[stillshinigami]

Heero saw that? Damn. He was losing his touch!

Duo stirred awake, lifing his head up with a grunt. He looked up and back to Heero. Well...

"Hm? Hey Heero." He stretches his arms back behind him, looking glossy eyed over his work. Oh, he grunted before. Now he just groans at the tedious memories of punching those holes.

[stoicperfection]

He took a seat beside Duo at the table and looked over the work Duo was doing. Making leather scabbards for the weapons Toph made. He didn't see why he was doing this all alone.

"You need to sleep in your room." That wasn't really what was bothering Duo, he knew. The older man seemed less enthusiastic lately than normal and he knew this place had to be getting to him. For now he wasn't going to bring it up. It'd only cause problems.

[stillshinigami]

"I'm just takin' a nap, pal." Duo yawned widely, but gave his friend a bright smile all the same. He reached behind him, pulling out the scythe he had made.

"You remember this thing? My little copter thing when I sprung ya' from the Alliance hospital? Makes a great handle, don't it?" A little bit of enthusiasm, but it faded.

"Just a little more on this one." One of the scabbards for his machetes.

[stoicperfection]

"I remember it." Not that he saw much of it at the time. After all, he had nearly plummeted to the ground with his eyes closed. Even so, seeing it made him smile slightly. It was short lived of course.

Looking back at the pieces of leather, he looked at the one Duo said was a machete scabbard. "Need help?"

[stillshinigami]

"Hm." Duo offered a smile, returning Heero's smile, turning his eyes down to his work.

"I don't think I can do any more tonight. Maybe tomorrow if you're still up to help me out." Just can't take any more of it.

[stoicperfection]

"I will be." He'd have no problem helping out with the leather working tomorrow. Right now what he needed to do was convince Duo to get back to his room and sleep some. He looked too drained.

"Heading back to the rooms?"

[stillshinigami]

Not necessarily. He raised a brow to Heero and snorted. Well, at least he was watching out for him.

"Maybe in a little while." He turned to his side, grabbing one of the swords Toph made and handed it over, handle first.

"You can have this."

[stoicperfection]

Heero took the sword from Duo and lifted it up so he could see it. It had a very nice weight and balance to it. Toph did very nice work. He would just need to train with it a bit.

"Thanks."

[stillshinigami]

It was good craftsman's ship. His own design, Toph's skills. Duo stretched out with a yawn. Time for bed, he guessed. He started to gather the stuff on the table and throw it into the box he'df ound it all in. He set it against the wall and picked up the two scythes.

"Have you seen Toph around?"

[stoicperfection]

Turning the sword over once more, he finished looking at it and set it down on the table. He then went back t watching Duo while he threw the rest of his things into his box.

"I haven't."

There had been more shadows lately, especially on the roof where he and Harth had been attacked. However, he hadn't found her in any of the sarcophagi yet, which was odd.

[stillshinigami]

"Where is she?" Duo said with some strain in his voice. Fatigue and worry was catching up to him. He even wobbled a little. Goddamn, he didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He'd been caught up in this project and tending to that dragon this last week, when he finally realized Toph wasn't around, he immediately went to the coffins himself to check. Finding nothing.

"...Christ. Y'think they mighta done something else with her?"