Tal was many things. A courier. A devoted partner. A hunter, when the occasion called for it. A bad influence when he probably shouldn't be. But despite growing up in Halo's frozen climate, he was also a somewhat decent gardener. After Loren had, er, left, a family friend had roped Tal into helping out with the Citadel's greenhouse and the Messenger had discovered that while his thumb wasn't wildly green, he did alright with plants. So when Alys had suggested a community garden in King's End, Tal had agreed without even pretending to be grumpy about the extra work.
She just had that effect on him.
Which is why he was out with his hair tied back and an equally ratty sweatshirt with several holes in it and his oldest pair of trousers in addition to the thick gloves they'd both brought. He had borrowed a hoe, a bow rake, and a couple of shovels and trowels for the day, and he held a shovel at the ready until Alys had finished laying out the space. "Wish we'd thought o' this afore th'ground froze solid," he admitted ruefully. "But I'll try an' get it turned over, if y'want t'come behind with th'rake or hoe an' break up th'chunks?"
And with that, he got to work!
She just had that effect on him.
Which is why he was out with his hair tied back and an equally ratty sweatshirt with several holes in it and his oldest pair of trousers in addition to the thick gloves they'd both brought. He had borrowed a hoe, a bow rake, and a couple of shovels and trowels for the day, and he held a shovel at the ready until Alys had finished laying out the space. "Wish we'd thought o' this afore th'ground froze solid," he admitted ruefully. "But I'll try an' get it turned over, if y'want t'come behind with th'rake or hoe an' break up th'chunks?"
And with that, he got to work!






