Sometimes patience simply leaves

[homeless_pard]

Who: Khemrys, Kernan, Any
When: Some day at the hideaway
What: Being good at most domestic tasks does not mean being able to do most things a home may require.

She hated the YWCA. Not in a personal way mind you, but in the necessity of hauling Sette with her to the showers to make sure the girl washed at least occasionally. Kernan was always kind enough to get them into the building proper without the need for a membership or to sign in, but any outside resources could throw up red flags and they knew people were watching.

Even more, Sette was getting a bit too big and wiggly to tuck under an arm properly (at least Khemrys's arms) and cart off before the girl got too interested in lockers that weren't hers. Regardless there'd be some small item or another the girl would get her hands on, she always did. It made excursions 'out' a bit of a headache, but cleanliness was worth it.

Usually.

Today had been something of a challenge with a school's swim class tromping through the locker room right when Sette was getting ready to dash out; the ensuing snatch and silent wrestling match had resulted in a sharp little elbow clipping her just under the eye and them both landing hard on the cold tile. She felt a little justified in letting a soft little groan slip out, but Silver, the faithful hound that was never far from her even in a place like this, whimpered at the sound.

That, of course, had Kernan showing up and sweeping like a shadow through the shower stalls until he could offer a hand up to both girls. She'd be embarrassed if her head wasn't ringing. As it was, well, "take her!" she asked quietly, lifting fingers to her eye, "I'll be ready in a moment." Yes, just a moment to still the aches and fade the bruises already rising, then a moment more to gather any items that would have given away their presence...

...all in all it was a rather standard morning. Their little den of a home had some plumbing, any place that once had workers had to, so toilets and a sink were not an issue, but showers? Not so much.

Yet.

They'd gotten some plumbing books during their last visit to the library and come hell or high water they were going to manage a shower somehow. Bypassing the water meter had been the easy part; it wouldn't do for an 'empty' warehouse to suddenly show water usage on the company grid. Some of their precious funds had gone to buying some pipe and joints, and there'd been an old clawfoot tub Kernan had found somehow during his hunts. They had everything they needed. In theory.

In practice it was almost as frustrating an endeavor as trying to get everyone to learn maths.

Kernan had assigned Sette the task of catching pigeons with a few of his pack, an activity that could let her burn energy and see a bit of the neighborhood without too much danger inherent, and that meant a bit of breathing space. She had the gloves on and the heavy wrench in her hand before too long, upper body leaning precariously through the wall facing as she looked the pipes behind the wall over.

For a place with such limited draw on the wold around it there were far too many pipes. How was anyone suppose to know which was which? They weren't labelled, some could have wires inside for all she could tell in the dim light and rusted outsides! Tapping, maybe?

Careful tapping with the wrench to check for the sound of water echoes?

There was water in at least one pipe, yes. She found that one out by the fact that her careful tap shivered up the metal and rang through the whole system before triggering the ancient fire sprinkler system. Muddy, rust filled water blasted fitfully from the ceiling, making her wince and scream at the sting before hurrying out to move books and paper goods to safe zones.

It was...that kind of day.

The iron rash was uncomfortable but something she couldn't heal, dinner would be late, and more? She was hand washing and hanging every scrap of bedding by the time noon rolled around.

Yes, just that kind of day.

Comments

[sly_one]

Sette, perhaps unsurprisingly, hadn't come back, although the lack of hounds as well meant she was likely just dallying and not actually hiding. For once, something like guilt might have actually managed to worm its way into her consciousness, if only barely.

The others had largely disappeared during the unexpected deluge, although at least one hadn't been present all day. Raistlin frowned even more severely than usual as he took in the state of the warehouse, backpack likely full of library books slung over one shoulder. He sat the pack down carefully, casting a quick drying charm to make sure none of the books would take damage.

Any of the others would have gotten nothing but a rude word before he left again, but Khemrys... well, she wasn't incompetent, at least, and that deserved cultivation. "I don't imagine this is Frost's work or you'd have him in here cleaning up instead of you. Dare I ask?"

[homeless_pard]

Khem lifted her rash covered face to glance him over for a moment; it was habitual, that look. She made sure everyone seemed well and whole when they came in, she couldn't help it. "Meal will be late, Raistlin, my apologies. Had I thought I would have sent someone to tell you that you need not cut your studies short." And she would have in truth not just word, but she was a bit...distracted...today.

"The fire suppression system is fit and able though," ah yes that was said a bit sourly.

[sly_one]

If nothing else could be said of Raistlin's more arcane studies, they had opened up a whole new and impressive world of swearing to him than most people would ever dream of. He bit off the end of a particularly foul one as he crouched to get a better look at her face. Most people would only see the anger, which was just how he liked it. Perish the thought that a powerful magic user had such useless feelings like protectiveness.

"And I suppose they just magically decided to turn themselves on? If not Frost, then the brat." Which wasn't uttered quite so affectionately as usual. "You've always been bad at holding on to her long enough to make her do her own cleaning."

[homeless_pard]

"The pipes are old and touchy, Raistlin," she offered softly, the smile more evident in her words than expression. Stretching her face right now would hurt after all, and the pipes were less reason to smile than that deep buried concern. "Old enough that the water was half iron by the feel." Rust was a terrible thing in her belief, yes.

"And no, she is about proper meat catching, or supposedly so, and Kernan near her. I thought to tap the pipes to see if I might hear water and even so soft a touch set the pipes shaking. Glad I am you learned to bypass the fire alarms some time ago." Out of necessity, but he'd found the answer in books he had rather than the pile she'd been working through!

[sly_one]

It took a moment or ten, but slowly his frown lessened from something promising dire consequences to his usual expression of mere disdain for the world at large. He looked away from her, eyeing first the washing, then the rest of the place. "You didn't think to wait? A dowsing spell is barely even true magic, and it certainly wouldn't have disturbed the pipes. What could you have needed water for so badly?"

[homeless_pard]

"There are many pipes, Raistlin, many with water. More, a tiny tap should not have triggered the fire sprinklers. They would have gone the next time someone jumped on a wall or if that Nerf gun shot a sprinkler head. Better they are drained." She could be grateful for that at least?

"And we will have a shower here in time, though I had not thought I could get it installed today, learning the piping was another in the long list of chores."

[sly_one]

One of the few things that upset Raistlin nearly as much as blatant stupidity was good logic that he didn't like but couldn't argue against. "Better someone else had drained them."

And he would be making sure they were all well-drained, but later, once he could speak to Kernan about making sure a certain someone was free of the fall out this time, just in case.

"Believing you can or should do everything yourself isn't doing anyone a service."

[homeless_pard]

"Mayhap," she agreed mirthlessly, "but it was not a thing we could have known ahead of time. I will not touch the pipes again without aid." She could learn after all!

"And you are well aware, Raistlin, that I do not do all on my own. Many things, yes, but we all do many things and I am no mother to enforce greater tasks to you all."

[sly_one]

"Not for lack of trying." Either to do as much or more than she could, or mothering. If his own mother had been anything like Khemrys, perhaps he'd still be at home and her not dead. Or perhaps she'd be twice as dead from overexertion, it was far too late to tell either way.

"Well, then, what else needs doing?" Because she'd as much said she would let him help now, and he would hold that against her. He wasn't a child, to run off and play and let her rehabilitate this place herself.

[homeless_pard]

"Lack of trying to be a mother or lack of trying to do it all?" she chuckled, oddly amused. "You may see, Raistlin. I have most washed, but this needs must be hung to dry, and some mopping, also a meal is overdue. Which would you prefer?"

[sly_one]

The unamused look he shot her said she knew very well that it was both. For a moment or two, he looked positively disgusted by the idea of manual labor. Never let it be said that Raistlin Majere was afraid of anything, though, not even... mopping. He reached to take the washing away from her. "If I bothered to cook, they'd likely think I did it to poison someone."

[homeless_pard]

"And you wonder," she noted dryly at that look, "why I find myself doing so much alone." She was not the type to force anyone, and most of the group had that same disgusted reaction to the idea of 'work'.

Children.

"No, despite what you may think Raistlin you are liked, and trusted beyond what you believe." No matter that he worked to hold himself apart. "Granted, they may all assume something for more drastic had happened to me to have you cooking." And that would have panicked questions being thrown at him, not something they would wish hmmm?

[sly_one]

His hands could work miracles, with the right preparation and hard work. Why would he enjoy sullying them with dish water? It didn't mean he wouldn't do it if asked. Wasn't he now? Sullenly, yes, but that was beside the point.

Considering how much he enjoyed any sort of questions even at the best of times, yes, perhaps panicked questioning would be something to avoid. He huffed, although it wasn't as offended as it could have been. "Why would I care if they trust me or not? Aside from you and Kernan, they're all children. Occasionally useful children, maybe, but children."

He'd given up on wanting to be liked more years ago than he'd admit, so he wouldn't even grace that part of her assertion with an answer.

[homeless_pard]

As could any hands in existence honestly, but was not one of the greatest miracles the ability to provide? Silly young man. Very silly indeed.

"Because they are your companions as you dwell with us," she noted simply, lifting a quilt to hang over strung wire for drying. "And even children oft need a sense of knowing and trusting those they live with. Kernan and I both would give our lives for yours, and true for any here, but it saddens me to think there is nothing beyond convenience in your presence with us."

[sly_one]

Obviously, their definitions of 'miracle' differed rather drastically.

And there was obviously something wrong with his head that he felt a little bad to have saddened her. He spoke nothing but the truth, of course, if only his truth, but... still. He didn't bother looking up, not because he had anything to hide, naturally, but only because he didn't feel like it. "You're a healer. It's natural for you to grow attached to people."

[homeless_pard]

"Yes, perhaps," she allowed easily enough. "But so too are most those here human to one degree or another and such are not solitary creatures. It does awful and strange things to both a head and a heart to dwell truly alone in the world. It leads to such poisonous things as that which we escaped from."

[sly_one]

"That was madness, not solitude. They aren't the same thing." He wrung the last sheet out more violently than necessary, although he hung it to dry next to her own work with the sort of care he'd usually reserve for his studies. "You make it sound as if humans can't live without companionship. Believe me, we can."

[homeless_pard]

"There are many paths to madness," she pointed out simply. Far too many. "And I do not see it so. Even you, the most reclusive of us, reach out and form bonds, even if quiet ones. You care, for your own reasons perhaps, but they are bonds none the less."

[sly_one]

The one thing about Khemrys that Raistlin truly disliked was how difficult it was to dislike her. Or grow truly angry with her. Temporary annoyances, yes, things that faded, but even this, this prying into his head where no one but him belonged... She acted so much like she actually cared that even he couldn't truly fault her for it.

Talk about maddening.

He finished smoothing the sheets, leaving them to dry as he fetched the mop. "Some day you will care about the wrong person, Khemrys."

That wrong person wasn't him, not now, but...

[homeless_pard]

"Mayhap," she agreed easily, "but rather to have trusted, and tried. I have some care, I do not trust as...easy as I may? But I aid, it is a calling from within my bones and one cannot...dislike others and aid as I must. It does not mesh," she chuckled softly.

[sly_one]

"I suppose somebody has to be around to dislike them all for you, then. And obviously the job is too big for Kernan alone." He sounded properly put out about the whole business, but predictably, she would read between lines that weren't even there to arrive at some depth of feeling he was sure he was incapable of, and yet still he couldn't manage more than mild, passing annoyance.

Perhaps that was her true power. The healing and the rest were incidental to being so disgustingly likeable.

[homeless_pard]

She chuckled softly at that, flashing him an amused look, "and I do appreciate the long hours of effort others put in to shouldering my allotment of dislike." Honest! How could she not?