Fred and Yvette - Spring Cleaning log

[x-penance.livejournal.com]

Things are awkward while Fred and Yvette work together to clear deadwood from the paths. Well, it's awkward for Fred, any way.



Fred stashed the turpentine and gasoline safely away before he closed the door to the toolshed, lighting a cigarette now that he was out of the confined space full of the hazardous chemicals. He looked over the small map where Kyle and Doreen had marked where a bunch of fallen trees needed to be collected. Seemed like pretty easy work, but given that he hadn't really interacted much with his partner in the endeavor since the...incident. With the hotness talking. And the foot in the mouth. And the Yvette that thought he was weird and not hot and didn't think of him like anything and he didn't even know what he thought about her to begin with really and-

*No. Suck it up and shut up, brain.* Fred hefted the bag full of superstrength designed axes and ropes and harnesses, looking around for his tiny red cohort before making his way through the grounds...

"Over here, Fred," came her voice, and there she was, inspecting a small apple sapling that was growing not far from the shed. She looked and smiled at him, eyes glowing softly. "I was just checking up on my tree. It seems to be doing well. Are you ready?"

Fred held up the utility bag, shaking its contents, "Ready, willin, an able. Strong lookin tree ya got there, Copper Top. Glad it ain't on our list of things ta do..."

She laughed at that. "Me too." With one finger, she delicately brushed a budding blossom. "Kyle helped me plant it, back after my accident. Do you remember?" She looked at him again. "Back when I had the inhibitor and I was ordinary looking?"

"Ah remember." Fred tried to bite his lip; as usual, he failed pretty miserable, "But ordinary lookin ain't such a great thing...Ah mean it ain't wrong, but...uh, Ah mean..."

She giggled then as they started walking into the woods, remembering the last time they'd talked about her appearance. "But not 'hot', yes?" she teased, just a little. It wasn't often boys were actually awkward around her. Usually they were treating her like a kid sister. "It is all right, Fred, I do not mind that you said that. I was just surprised, that is all."

Fred coughed into his free hand, "Ah, uh, yeah...it ain't that it aint hot. It just ain't...you, yah know...?" Fred was actually proud of his ability to almost coherently stumble through that sentence. He spotted the first downed tree and set the utility bag down next to it, "Ah am, uh...glad yah didn't mind...?"

"It is always nice to have the compliment," Yvette said, taking off her gloves and sizing up the tree with an expert eye. "Especially from the friend, yes?" She moved to where the branches of the tree began to leave from the trunk. "I think if I start cutting here, it will make things more stable for you to cut up the trunk, yes?"

Friend. They were friends, no harm done, water under the bridge. So why did the word 'Friend' make him wanna chuck the felled tree into low orbit? "Uh, yeah...that, uh, should be fine..." It took Fred a few moments, but he shook his head a little before holding up the trunk so Yvette could more easily cut where she needed to, "Thanks, uh...for the help."

"It is my pleasure. I like having your company," she replied, oblivious to anything else as she focussed on her hands, willing them to grow longer and sharper. "And this is the good teamwork, yes?"