[PQ] Not Yet House Nor Home

"Deal," she says immediately, amusement dancing like firelight in her eyes and pulling at her lips. He's a modest man, and she can definitely put furs to use in her new salon if nothing else. If it's what he needs in order to accept the gift, Hotaru will make do.

It's a good thing she's the one stop the frames, for they are already reluctant to remain steady beneath her weight, and she is the lightest of the trio. She doesn't let it daunt her however, and by the time dusk starts rolling in they have finally made a house. Perhaps not a home, just yet, but safety and warmth have now been secured if nothing else.

Though neither she nor Sam seem intent on leaving it so bare and unappealing. Hotaru is content to help finish the task, and though she's not normally a builder apparently that's changing with how much she has already done. "I'll leave you to the table, that way if it's lopsided I can claim to be innocent." Flashing a grin she takes up the extra wood to begin building shelves around the area.

Kel was impressed and gratified with how well they worked, even if his own task wasn't quite up to the mark. He was even more humbled when both of his helpers offered to stay late and make the place look a little less empty, eyes shining with thankfulness as Samuel joined them in the branches and gathered the scraps of sailcloth that the hunter had gathered from the dockside, imperfections in the weave making the sheets useless to the shipwrights. They were still stronger than regular cloth, thicker and sturdier and able to provide privacy and a bit of muffling between the 'rooms' that the Grounder divided the organic little treehouse into. A bedroom for sleeping, a kitchen for preparing and eating food, and a third room for projects or guests - mostly the former, Kel suspected, though he hoped that, maybe...

The task went quickly and easily, the Ascended once again having no problems. Kel grinned at Hotaru's quip, rubbing the back of his neck ruefully. "Fair enough. I could never have done this so fast - or at all - without you both, though, so... thank you for that," he said shyly, including Sam in his bashful nod.

Hotaru 's luck with the counters held if barely, and she had a little trouble anchoring them so that they wouldn't topple when the home swayed in the tree's natural movements. She finally found the trick of it though, and was able to set up counters in the kitchen for preparing and eating food, and shelves in the bedroom for knick knacks and books.

Kel's finally had an easy time of something, the table and chairs roughly made in a hurry, but sturdy and practical; they were good enough to use for now, until he had the time to spend (perhaps during LongNight?) on more polished pieces. Two stools for the kitchen, a simple table and two chairs for the living area, and then the light had faded dangerously low.

"I don't have much but... I can at least treat you both to dinner at the Hanged Man," he offered as they climbed back down the rope ladder to the forest floor. "I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me today. I really, really appreciate it. If I can ever... if there's something I can do for you in return, just let me know."

"And... can I meet Atlas now?" he asked Hotaru shyly, amber eyes shining with wonder as he looked around for the young unicorn.

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That concludes the PQ! Thank you both <3 feel free to leave wrap up posts if you want. I'll archive the thread in 2 days.