hadriel | Chapter 3

[Delmar looks notably un-Delmar-esque as he waves into the camera. He's set it up a few paces away from himself, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and dark trousers, the whole of him covered in dust and smudges of dirt. Even his normally perfectly groomed hair is going every which way in short tufts. But despite the fact that he looks like he just climbed out of a dumpster on a construction site, he's smiling]

Hello, everyone. I'm sorry to trouble you but, well, um, I was hoping maybe some of you might be able to help. I need anyone who knows how to build and fix things. There's certainly a lot that needs to be fixed

[He casts an anxious glance around at the ruined building he's standing in before straightening with a thoughtful hum]

Perhaps I should explain myself a bit better.

[Or at all]

You see I have spoken to Hope and Hope has very kindly agreed to help me start up a bakery! [His grin returns as quickly as it had left and he clasps his hands together in his excitement]

But in order to get it going, I need to fix up one of the abandoned buildings here in town. [He pats a nearby wall as he would a good dog] I've picked one but it's far more than I can fix by myself. So if maybe its not too much trouble I would very much appreciate any help.

[A hesitation as he tries to remember if there's anything else]

Thank you very much for your time. Good day!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, but here's a question:

[straight from hadriel's favorite lich to you]

Can you even bake?

[Delmar is confused by that question]

Of course I can bake! Why else would I start a bakery?

[Seel appears positively pristine in comparison. His chestnut brown hair is neatly brushed, laying flat down his shoulders, the dress he found in some shop isn't perfect, but adequate. He even put a little effort and colored his lips, an attempt to feel normal in this wretched place.]

I can help. If you give me an idea of what you want I can come up with some drawings of what's possible with the space. Will Hope be providing materials to work with?

[Seel pauses, noting the man.]

Do you have any experience with construction?

[.....he was going to be doing this by himself, wasn't he?]

Oh! Thank you very much

[What a nice person!]

With construction? No, I'm afraid I've never done anything like that. I know how to fix things around the house and I worked in my father's repair shop for many years so I know my way around a wrench and a hammer but I've never built anything.

Alright then. I'll walk you through some of the simple things then. I'm not doing this for you, if you want that bakery, you're going to have to put in some effort too.

[Sorry Delmar, Seel was probably a dictator in a previous life. When he ran Saltrock, you didn't work, you didn't eat.]

We'll start with the drawings, make sure everything's planned out.

Well of course I was planning to work too

[Delmar pouts a bit, a bit insulted by the implication that he had intended to pawn off the work on someone else]

I'll help you fix it up. What do you think needs doing?

You've never worked construction or built anything before but you kind of know your way around a hammer. And you intended to work.

[Seel was looking at him like he was an idiot. He believed that people had to start somewhere, and most had no skills when they started but they also usually didn't have delusions of grandeur. Work. Right.]

That's very kind of you [He smiles shyly]

There's a lot that needs to be worked on, but I think maybe the first thing should be patching up the holes in the ceiling and the walls.

Did you make a deal with Hope for supplies? There's not much left to scavenge right now, trust me.

[Delmar feels an unpleasant feeling in his stomach, throat tightening]

W-well...I thought I should try....

I'm afraid the deal was not for building supplies, it was already quite a lot to ask of him for the bakery supplies. But there's a lot here inside the building that we could use. if we take some things apart and move some other things!

Trying is one thing. Being a safety hazard is quite another. Good thing you asked for assistance.

Let me come down and take a look... where are you set up?

[Delmar wrings his hands anxiously, not sure what to make of that. But he ends up timidly nodding his head in the same manner he always did when James would tell him he's stupid and doesn't know what he's talking about]

Y-yes...I knew I couldn't do it by myself.

[His voice is quiet and his lips press together tightly after he speaks]

Just across the river. You should see it if you walk in the direction of those little motorbikes.

[It was easy to slip back into the role, something he'd thought he'd worked on, sought to control. No, it was all to easy to find his way back there, to that horrible har he once was. The one who Flick walked out on, the one who locked others up in an attempt to control or get back at.]

No, you couldn't. You probably didn't even think to get supplies for your project, did you? How are we supposed to build something without supplies?

[Seel was adept at scavenging. But Delmar didn't need to know that. It was easier to get under his skin that way.]

I, um, I was already asking Hope for so much....

[Delmar doesn't realize it but he's squeezing his own fingers so tightly the tips are turning white]

「Hi dude, sup?」

SO... you gonna help or bitch all day long?

[It took Michael a long while to work up the nerve to contact Seel the first time. It takes a lot less this time.]

Hey, could you maybe lay off? He's not doing anything wrong, and it's not like this is some dire emergency. It's just fixing up a bakery, don't offer to help if you don't want to.

[Wow so Seel is now at the top of Harlan's shitlist. He responds to Delmar instead, though. If this jackass has any sense, he'll get the point.]

A bakery's an awesome idea. Don't let this asshole convince you otherwise. It's not like you're building a nuclear reactor. Can't be that hard.

[It's not like Harlan knows what he's doing either, but why would he let that stop him???]

[This is Harlan's friend, right? That means Kyna is contractually obligated to help.]

Uh, sure. I mean, I don't know shit about building things, but whatever, right?

[Delmar feels the growing knot in his stomach ebb away a little when he hears from Harlan.]

D-do you think so?

[He had been excited about it but now he feels like he's been very stupid. Again]

Um, t-that's not a very nice word...to use...they were um...going to help...

[Right? Seel had just been telling the truth, after all]

I can't do it by myself.

Atem?

[Delmar blinks rapidly, both out of surprise and in an attempt to keep back the dampness that had been threatening to spill over.]

Really? [He perks up hopefully] Are you sure? It's not too much trouble?

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