[PQ] Snowcloak Shipping Center

Soleil

just because you're screaming for my attention
Does not mean I will waste my time

Unaware of the good cheer she leaves in her wake, Soleil dusts off her hands and puts away the cleaning supplies where they’ll be better found next time around. Tal’s cheer is a subtler thing than her own, but it makes Soleil grin all the same, rocking on her heels with her thumbs in her pockets as the last few tasks are doled out.

Wincing slightly at the prospect of doors once Alys has chosen, Soleil eyes the walls and tries to determine which task she’s less likely to monumentally screw up. “Given my luck with doors I’ll leave those to you, but if the paint sucks I’ll redo it.” She wouldn’t mind coming back for detail work and repairs either if the amount of hours in the day were lost.

Taking up the paint can, she tries to be diligent with taping off and tarping where she can, Soleil ties up her hair and sets about laying down the first coat - humming already returning, little snippets of words appearing between her teeth as they come to her, encouraged by how close they are to the end.

- - -

Soleil paints!

We're only dreaming, what's your problem baby?
I don't mean to break your heart

It turned out that the three of them made a pretty good team! Alys was careful, with a gentle touch and enough patience to transfer the panes of glass into place without cracks or stress on the fragile material. She slipped them into their frames, one by one, until the cold Halo air could no longer sneak through the cracks. The exterior of the building was looking significantly better after she finished, especially when combined with Tal's endeavors.

Unsurprisingly, Tal took the doors. He was pleased to find that the measurements he'd taken before when he'd ordered the new portals had been correct. He removed the hinge pins from the old doors and set them outside, then carefully hung the new ones with a little grunting and swearing under his breath as he maneuvered them into their snug new homes with Boreal's help. Tapping the pins back into their new slots, he couldn't help but hum along again with Soleil, feeling the unaccustomed heat and brightness of optimism blossoming in his chest as the last of the wind was blocked out of his new shop.

Soleil would feel the inside of the shop already beginning to warm up now that Deepfrost's fingers weren't sneaking in through so many openings. The paint started out a little thick, but as the temperature rose it began to go on more smoothly. Tal hadn't asked for anything particularly finicky in regards to the painting, so the warm reddish-orange just needed to be evenly applied over the repairs and old, bland paint. By the time the others had finished their tasks she had gotten the last few edges near the ceiling done, and had managed to keep the paint from splattering on the floor!

Tal looked around and drew a deep breath--

And then coughed from the paint fumes, which were definitely the reason his eyes looked a little wet as he was caught between rubbing the back of his neck and trying to get his breath back. That didn't explain why the tips of his ears were so pink, but details, details. He finally managed to clear his throat and grin at the ladies (yes, including Boreal) with an awkward bob of his head. "So, uh, this looks fuckin' great, guys. I can't thank you enough. But uh... maybe I can start by buyin' you both dinner while th'paint dries?"

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That concludes the PQ! \o/ Tal will happily buy Alys and Soleil dinner as thanks for their help. Feel free to put a closing post on it and/or I'll archive it in 48 hours!

~Fin~