castleinthemist | 007 | Keeping busy

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gundam wing: duo maxwell [au1]

007 | Keeping busy

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.

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"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.

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?"

"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!"

"Hm! Hey. Yeah. Looks about right t'me, Haku. So it holds up better this way, but does it have to be every single one?" He asked, looking over the leather piece carefully. It'll work.

"I'm gonna pack this stuff up, Haku. Work on it tomorrow morning." He said, scratching his cheek then began to gather the things he's been working on.

"Do you think you can do me a favor." He picked up a pair of scissors. "And cut my hair for me?"

"Ah... it depends on what you're using them for. For belts... eyelets are almost always required. They take a lot of strain, especially when you hang things off of them."

She had a feeling they were being made for weapon holsters.

Nodding to what he said about packing up, she started cleaning the rest of the table, glancing up at his question.

"Uhm... I think I can..."

Duo hooked a thumb into the one around his tunic. "This one and the ones I ordered came with them. I didn't really think about it though." The machete wasn't that heavy, he supposes he can always fix it tomorrow, this leather scabbard.

He handed her the scissors. "Do you know what I looked like a few months ago?"

This is just kinda awkward, asking her to do this.

"Not many people know how to make things like this. I only learned because some of our costuming required corsets for the girls," Haku explained while finishing packing the things away. She took the scissors hesitantly, pulling up a memory from a few months ago when they had first met.

"Yes. I do."

Corsets. Oi. The rock start life would not be for him, well. At least it wouldn't be if he were a girl but that's a different story altogether.

"Think you can replicate that?" Duo asked, wincing. It was so possible he'd end up with an awful haircut either way, but he couldn't do it himself.

Haku couldn't imagine him as a girl. Or in a corset. Or as a girl in corset. Sometimes she was glad her imagination only went so far.

"I should be able to."

She had her own worries about it, of course, but her accessible memory should make things easier. Unlike a human's memory, hers was practically like playing a video back.

Duo pushed himself to his feet and gestured for her to follow him to the fountain. Once there, he knelt down, getting his hair wet for her, ruffling it to get the water soaked through. From there he sat on the bench.

"Ah... I really am short..." she wound up muttering to herself thoughtfully, realizing that even sitting she was almost not high enough to see over the top of his head. Almost.

"It really did get long..." she said after taking up the scissors, running her hand through his hair. "Are you sure you don't want to just grow it out?"

"Maybe if I were at home." Duo sighs, leaning forward against his palm. Sure, he made it fine on the street, but he didn't want to deal with it for a while.

"C'mon, Haku. It'd take five years or more to get that long."

"Okay, okay... ! I get it..."

Well, she didn't really. It wasn't like she had this problem. Her hair would always be the same length unless it was cut, and then it would be... whatever length it was cut.

But she wanted to help, and she wasn't going to argue with that.

"I'll do my best..."

"'Ppreciate it, Haku. Thanks." Duo turned back to look at her, tipping his head forward to let her do her work.

"Mhm..."

It was a quiet mutter, mostly because she was trying to concentrate as she started working on it. She didn't talk much, only giving the occasional instruction for movement, going slow and careful to make sure she didn't cause any mistakes that couldn't be fixed.

It wasn't perfect in the end, but it was better than she expected it to be. That was something to be proud of at least.

"Okay..."

Once she was done, he cautiously leaned over the water, looking at his reflection. Well, it certainly wasn't perfect, but it wasn't an awful haircut like he would fear, even from his own barber.

That man was certainly capable of ruining his style for a month and a half. Well, this was okay. Livable.

"Thanks." He said, running a hand through his hair. "Looks just fine."

Haku let out a relieved laugh, carefully brushing loose bits of hair from his shoulders.

"Good. I'm glad I could help," she said with a nod.

"Well, see. Just be thankful I didn't go for the military buzz cut look." Duo said, turning to her.

"That's cosmetic hell right there, in'it?"

"I wouldn't even know how to do that with just scissors! ... can that be done? I can't imagine it would look any good," Haku mused a bit, flopping down next to him on the edge of the fountain. She looked at her own hair, pulling the very other Duo-like braid over her shoulder. She had been putting it back in that or a bun more often than not recently to keep it from getting dirty or in the way.

But there was a lot of it. And it wasn't always easy to take care of. But cutting it was permanent. There was no growing it back out for her or Miku.

"It would look awful. You should have seen some of the hair cuts the soldiers wore. Call the fashion police Haku. On my entire era. Even on me." Riding pants. What was he thinking?

Aw well. No problem really. It was just a self depressive joke, or a low blow against his world. But what of it? His world? His Earth? Was it worth going back to?

Partly. There was a big part of him that yearned for home, but the other part wanted the escape. He'd told Ratchet, that if it weren't for them being trapped and half starved? If this were a real castle with a real kingdom and real food? He'd have loved it here for a while.

But the home sickness, for him to return to the colonies. It would always be there.

"I kinda like yours that way. Taking a note from the ole Maxwell brothers, are we?" He laughed a bit, patting Haku on the shoulder before pushing himself to his feet and stretching.

To that Haku could only giggle, shaking her head. Really, Duo, Japanese costuming wasn't much better at times.

"Hm?" she blinked at his comment, looking down at her hair for a second before another, more sheepish laugh escaped.

"It seemed like a good idea to keep it out of the way. I think mine is longer than his, though..." she said, flicking the end tuft of the thoughtfully. She had been lacking hair ties when she arrived and only had the one that was on her at the time, and that one had gone missing. She had to resort to using some of the green fabric she had gotten and simply wrapping it around in a thick band until she could tie it in to a knot.

Still. She was being honest. It was a good way to keep hair back and clean in a place like that.

And then it dawned on her, what he had said at the start of that.

"... y-you really like it... ?"

Damn. Why was her face so hot all of a sudden?

"I share the sentiment." Duo said, gathering himself before starting around Haku and heading back towards the rooms, gesturing for her to come along with him.

"Like it? Sure. I've got a bias for the style, naturally." He wagged a finger at her, a brow raising at her blush. What? Did he embarrass her? Was she really that insecure?

Some how she managed to not squeak out loud, but she was definitely doing it in her head. The only indication of how flustered she was becoming was her hands tightening around her braid. She stood in spite of it, though, following him with a slightly shuffling pace.

"Th... thank you."

And Duo was just sleepy enough to miss that. He held his hand over his mouth for a big yawn, stretching his arms over his head as he lead back to his room. He stopped at the door.

"You wanna catch me in the morning, Haku? I'm bushed."

"O-oh. Of course," she smiled at him awkwardly, "You should get some rest. We can work on this tomorrow."

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