aterat | [Open] The Kindness of Others

Entry tags:

marvel comics (ou): lauri-ell

[Open] The Kindness of Others

Who; Lauri-Ell, Open
What; Charity Gift Sale, Materia Setting Services
Where; Around Town
When; December
Warnings; N/A

I. A Seasonal Shop | Open; Markets

There is more than one way to bring the season spirit into the world. Lauri-Ell was doing it in the form of charitable spirit. There was more than one booth set up to raise money for the local orphanages, and one of them was clearly labeled 'Bay Blades'. Under the sign of the booth was a display of small and pretty baubles, from custom worked eating utensils to small knives and scissors, to even little samples of some jewelry work.

Behind it all, seated in a comfortable chair and working a kitchen knife over a sharpening wheel for a waiting patron is Lauri-Ell herself, the massive journeywoman blacksmith smiling as she chatted with a waiting patron.

"Oh yes, they are really fine knives. They'll be sharp in no time. Just remember to give generously if you like the work. The children need it."

II. A Pretty Jewel For You | Open; Bay Blades

Not every day can be for charity of course. There is still work to be done, and in the moment it comes in the form of Lauri-Ell sitting near the fire at Bay Blades on her break, drinking copious amounts of lemon infused water as she sketches with her free hand.

"You really are a pretty thing," she says as she pauses in sketching to look at the pretty purple crystal she had found after a recent encounter in the streets. "I just wish I had Gili's skill for stone setting."

Somehow she was going to figure out how to set this thing into something pretty she could wear. But just what was a mystery.

The good news was there were always customers to distract her. Like the one approaching now. Lauri-Ell smiles and jumps to her feet. She finishes her water and moves forward.

"Welcome to Bay Blades. How might we help you?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Someone had indeed come in to distract her, as Llewellyn ducked into the forge and took off his hat to tuck under an arm with a smile at the welcome. “Mm, you can help me by giving me the opportunity to say hello to a good friend of mine, if uh- she has time for the interruption right now.” The detective responded with a small, light grin. He wasn’t fond of this time of year by any means for a myriad of reasons, but he did like to visit friends during the daylight hours when he had the chance.

The forge was a little out of his way, usually, but he’d been in the harbor district for a case and now that he was done… Well, it seemed like the perfect time to stop in and see how Lauri-Ell was doing.

"Ah! My friend!" she says brightly with a wide smile on her lips. "It is a joy to see you. I can always afford you time."

She wipes her hands on her smock and gestures for him to join her in the forge, moving immediately for another table where she has a kettle of clean, fresh water for drinking available.

“And for that I’m glad, it’s good to see you Lauri-Ell.” He responded with a grin, making his way over to join her at the table in the forge if he wasn’t interrupting anything important. “I was in the area and thought it might be nice to catch up.” He added, leaning on the table lightly and taking a look around the forge. It was always interesting, really, to see the place. He had very little use for weaponry himself, but the other things he’d seen Lauri make over the time as she practiced gave him an appreciation for the craft of things he hadn’t really considered being made here.

"I am on my break, so I can afford time to talk," she says with a smile. "Oh!"

That thought makes her smile and she bounces to her feet, rushing over to where her coat was safely out of that way. She produces from it a folded up piece of paper. Well, actually, it's several sheets.

"I have been working with the typer writer a lot. I have attempted to translate a traditional Kree war ballad, and used it to help practice my mastery of the machine. I would like to give it to you."

Llewellyn watched with a surprise as his friend bounced up and hurried over to her coat, curiosity crossing his face as he waited. She seemed rather excited, and he got a vague idea of why when he saw the folded papers being drawn from her coat pocket. Ah! So she had been practicing. That was something he’d rather been wondering about.

So he smiled a little as she explained, “What an excellent idea to practice. I’d mm… rather like to read what you’ve translated. I admit, I’ve done a lot of work with translations around the station-house back in my world. It is always an interesting experience.” He added with interest in his tone, tilting his head curiously at the papers. It was, in his opinion, one of the reasons he was kept around back in his world. It was a skill that found a lot of use and had helped with a lot of casework.

"I warn you," she says with a frown as she returns and offers him the papers, "Kree war ballads are... sometimes violent. In our society the military rank of the father is often inherited by the son. And so there is high value placed upon combat prowess. There is not enough poetry about plants."

Which sort of makes sense, given her people's history with the Cotati. With what they had done with the other species of their planet.

The comment gets a small dip of his head in acknowledgement, taking the papers from his friend to leaf through curiously. “I shall keep that in mind, though even in my world there are stories of old that can have a similar tone. Though I agree, myself. Something about plants and flowers would be pleasant.” After all, he was more of a pacifist at heart.

“But these are still good practice, of course.” He added with an encouraging tone, “And maybe one day you can, uh- try your hand at writing something new, hm?” Maybe draw inspiration from her gardening in the greenhouse and such.

Writing something new? Lauri-Ell looks confused.

"I am not a writer. I was made to be a warrior. Becoming a smith is almost an extension of that."

Why would she ever be capable of writing something creative?

Llewellyn could see the confusion on his friend’s face, and he could understand why it was there, based on her life experience. It still made him a little sad, though, and he couldn’t help but offer his thoughts. “No one need be only one thing. I’m not just a detective here. I also work with Aerith at her shop, putting together displays and bouquets. Pretty different work from detective work.” Hell, he isn’t sure what some of the people he worked with back in his world would say about that.

It’s only an example, of course, and he had more to say.

“And while I can’t deny that your smithing can be seen as an extension of that, making weapons and all… More can be made by smithing than just weaponry, right?” He imagined if she wanted, she could probably work on more than just weaponry as well. If he knew about the stone and her intention to wear it, he’d point that out, too.

Humming lightly, he gestured thoughtfully. “I’m a little off track, though, I uh- think. What I’m trying to say is if you desired to try, you always could. Whether it's writing or something else you find interesting. You shouldn’t limit yourself based on expectations set by the world around you, my friend.”

"A lot more can be made, yes," she confirms. "We don't make weapons all that often."

Sure there were requests, but a blacksmith's bread and butter was tools and repairs and farming implements.

"I was made of a warrior and a scientist, not an artist."

As if that is a valid argument.

Llewellyn raised a brow at the argument. That didn’t quite seem right to him. He could, however, understand why she might see it that way. Leaning on the counter, he considered how to better make the point. “What you were made of doesn’t dictate what you must be anymore than what other people’s expectations of you do, Lauri-El. There are plenty of people who come from those that had very specific careers or followed traditions for generations, who went entirely different directions themselves.”

He rubbed the side of his neck lightly. “I don’t know what either of my parents did for work, to be honest… But neither of them was a detective, I expect. That was my decision. I expect if you asked several people here, they’d say similar things… Even those who do end up doing the same things as those who came before them have their own hobbies, or… Well, here they even decide to try new things or pursue entirely different jobs.” Rhy was royalty, after all, and was enjoying his life as a tailor here. Not that Llewellyn would share that. He respected his husband’s privacy.

That is an interesting way to look at it she supposed. But he wasn't entirely sure about it.

"The Kree, they are not prone to allowing people to make their own decisions. It is very strange. Humans seem... mercurial to us. Perhaps it is because your species is young. But I like that about you. How you change."

Llewellyn had a feeling that was the way of things for Lauri-El based on what she’d said thus far… But it was still a bit sad for him to think of it that way. “I suppose we are rather prone to changing, especially over the years…” He was hardly the same person he was when he was younger. He wasn’t even the same person here that he was back in his world, at least in some ways.

“Though I can’t help but note, there’s no one here to tell you that you can’t do something or stop you if you decided to try something that seemed outside the norm. At least not that I’ve met, anyway.” He added, just as a little food for thought. That someone who enjoyed creation in her own way, and liked flowers and gardening as he did, couldn’t possibly only be capable of being a warrior.

Yes, that is true. There is no one here. No responsibilities such as she had to the Empire back home. But in a way, she did not mind the connections she maintained to it either.

"I do not believe anyone would be willing to forbid me things, yes," she agrees.

Capable? Well, maybe that Illyana lady.

Llewellyn offered a small smile to that, “Exactly.” So it was something to keep in mind if she ever did feel a strong desire to pursue something outside the norm that she’d known before.

Looking down at the papers again, he leafed through a few and read a line here and there to get an idea of how her attempts were fairing. It looked quite good to him, and he was glad for that for his friend. “So tell me, beyond your practice, what have you been up to?”

"This," she says, gesturing to her work. "Oh, and helping my new friend Yin."

She had grown fond of the doll. Perhaps because she enjoyed being able to be the one to help someone else for a change. It really was a change for her, to know things that other people may not.

Ah, Llewellyn supposed he should have expected that answer, though he tilted his head with some curiosity to hear about a new friend. He hadn’t met Yin himself, though to be fair, he kept a bit busy at this time of year. “Helping a new friend? That sounds like a nice way to pastime, and one they appreciate, I imagine.” He responded with a small smile. It wasn’t hard to imagine Lauri-El offering help to anyone new who needed it, but it was nice to hear there were those of particular note that she was enjoying her time with.

"She has," Lauri-Ell says with a smile. A stupidly wide one at that. She was so grateful that she could be the one teaching things to another for a change. "She grows important to me, as you are, friend llewellyn."

It was fulfilling in its own way, like gardening and blacksmithing.

It is a wonderful expression to see on his friend’s face, and he’s quite happy that she’s formed such a connection with someone. Llewellyn was always happiest when those who were important to him were happy, and to see Lauri-El not only doing well but enjoying teaching someone new things was great. “I’m glad to hear that you have. It’s mm… A wonderful thing to be able to form close bonds with the people we meet, and to enjoy sharing new things with those who haven’t seen them before.”

"I have not had so many people to learn with and to teach in my life, not outside of the military. Truly, I have come to be a civilian."

And that was something she hadn't expected, and the comfort was so very nice. To know she really is just another person now. Sure with some specific skills, who sometimes throws herself into danger, but this is still nice.

“This place has certainly given us opportunities to live a life different from the one we knew before.” He responded, musing thoughtfully over what a change it really must be for Lauri here. “I’m glad that you have, and that you’ve found happiness in the people you’ve met and the things you’ve enjoyed doing.” He added with a smile, the chance to grow and live outside the lives they had before was a wonderful thing. He had enjoyed getting to know Lauri of course, and to help her learn here and there, but there was something nice about hearing about her experience with sharing things with other people in turn.

"I do still wish I had my sister thought."

It was a simple concern, but one that moved her nonetheless. Carol had been good for her to meet. But perhaps making the steps forward on her own were even more important.

Llewellyn offered a sympathetic nod. “I can understand that… Missing our family is natural, regardless of why we’re apart or where we are and what we have to occupy our time.” He will always miss his brothers, although that was different… And he knows Rhy certainly missed his family. There’s no getting around that. “Maybe you’ll see her here at some point, though, one day.” But the detective would agree with the thought. It is also good for Lauri-El to take steps to move forward and explore on her own.

No. No, she does not think that is likely. There were few enough here who had someone from their own world, and less who had ones who they were close to. She did not assume that would happen to her.

"Our world needs her. She is a great hero."

The same could be said of others here, he thinks. At least based on the bits of knowledge he’s learned about them and their worlds… But he gets what Lauri-El means, and smiled a little. “A great hero, hm…? I suppose it’s best that she’s where she needs to be, even if it’s a shame that you’re a part like this. You’ll have to tell me more about her someday, if you like.”

[Open] The Kindness of Others

II. if this doesn't work let me know, I can edit

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Should we wrap this one soon?

I think so

Okay!

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