All Work and No Play

[Graham Aldridge]

The sun beat down on the backs of the men as if it had forgotten that it was hardly even Spring. The air may still be crisp, but after a long day replacing the roof on the cavalry's stables, the chill in the air was hardly enough to combat the sun and exertion. He knew sweat was soaking through his shirt in places, and hair stuck to his forehead in patches as well. His mother would have a coronary if she saw him. He was a grown man who could take care of himself, but you'd never know it from talking to Lady Aldridge.

Graham sighed heavily and wiped the sweat from his brow on the rolled sleeve of his shirt. Looking over the roof now, you'd hardly know that when they started it had been a patchwork mess of emergency repairs. Finally the place had a decent roof! It was a relief to know the job had been done well, this time. The old repairs had let them put off an overhaul for quite a while, but once a section had collapsed in the last good rain and nearly killed one of the new foals, he'd finally won the argument with the others that it was time to do the job right and quit procrastinating.

He looked to his friend, Caleb Shaw , who was knocking the last nail into place.

"I know it's not exactly the work you were looking for, but I appreciate your help with this. I actually had to stop the privates who were working on it yesterday and have them undo everything they'd done, it was so bad. I was beginning to think we'd never get the thing finished." He paused as an idea occurred to him, then grinned. "What say we get ourselves some cleaner clothes, then I'll buy you a drink over at the Sparrow? It's the least I can do since you put up with all this at the last minute."

[Caleb Shaw]

Caleb was used to strenuous work in various weather conditions, so the contrast of the cold air and the warm sun beating down on them hardly fazed him. However, that didn’t make him immune to sweating, causing his own shirt to cling to his broad and muscular form.

He hadn’t been in Aralore for too long- he wasn’t around during the war, but he could still see the damage of it and was willing to help out however he could. It was honestly the least he could do for being allowed to settle here in the kingdom and for the Aldridge family for taking him and Vera in. He’d do just about anything for them at this point.

He knocked the last nail into place and lifted his gaze to Graham as he spoke. Caleb shook his head as if to dismiss his friend. Regardless if it was the work he was looking for, he was happy to help and keep busy. He grinned and let out a small laugh as Graham explained that the work done by the privates was badly done. “I can only imagine.” He stood and set his hands on his hips as he scanned their work and nodded approvingly. “I’m happy to help. Truly.” He combed a hand through his wet hair and began picking up his tools. “A drink sounds great though.” Caleb smirked. He wasn’t one for many words, but he could be friendly enough. He could be the type of man who would give you the shirt off his back- he just didn’t let others know that about him often. At least Graham liked him enough to want to spend time with him even if he didn’t have to.

[Graham Aldridge]

Graham's grin widened at his friend's agreement. "Good! It's exactly what we need after all this." He snagged his tools and threaded them through his belt to free up his hands so he could grab the top of the ladder and swing his legs over. A brief look of mischief flitted across his face before he jumped a little and moved to press the toes of his boots against either side of the ladder instead of the rungs and slid neatly all the way down. Reaching the bottom, he tossed his tools into the box, then scooped that up.

"C'mon, I've got some things stashed here already, since I'm here just as much as I am home. We'll find something to fit you for now too."

He led the way inside, to a small locker-room near the barracks. The cubbies weren't locked; few were stupid enough to steal from the army, and those that were quickly regretted it. In the ranks, men passed things around easily enough to those who needed it, and those that weren't willing to help out their comrades didn't earn the best reputations.

From his own spot, he pulled out a pair of clean shirts, looked them over briefly, and tossed the wider one to Caleb. His friend had a different build than him, but he hoped it would do for the moment. Better than being soaked in sweat, at least.

As he took off his own shirt, grimacing at the way it peeled away from his skin, a thought occurred to him.

"I meant to ask; how's your sister doing with the move? Should we invite her, too, get her out a bit?"

[Caleb Shaw]

Caleb flashed the faintest of a smile briefly at his friend’s excitement over going out for a drink and that it was what they needed. He wasn’t wrong. It had been a while since he had gone out to relax and enjoy a drink with a friend. And he didn’t exactly know too many people in Aralore, so he was happy to at least have a friend in Graham.

After he finished picking his tools up, he walked to the edge of the room just after Graham began climbing down...Or rather, slid down. He’d wait for him to get to the bottom before he’d climb down himself. Laughing, he shook his head at him. “One of these days… you’re going to mess that up and fall and crack your skull open.” He motioned to the ladder, teasing him for his smooth little stunt before he turned around and climbed down the ladder as a normal person would.

He quietly followed alongside Graham into the building. As they walked, he found himself feeling somewhat guilty that he hadn’t enlisted into Aralore’s army. While he certainly could fight and help out should a war ever come to the land, he figured he might be too busy, with making weaponry and armor, to be able to train with the others. Still, he felt he should try to be part of something if at all possible. Maybe it would be a good conversation over drinks with Graham later on.

As he threw him the shirt, Caleb caught it and nodded a silent thank you before he worked on peeling his shirt from his torso before replacing it with the cleaner, dry shirt.

The silence was broken with Graham’s question and Caleb turned to look at him. His shoulders quickly lifted and fell in a slight shrug. “I suppose she is doing well enough… Just trying to adjust.” He thought for a moment at his next question. Should they invite Vera out with them? He raised a brow and looked at Graham in a curious suspicion. “We could. I’m not sure if she will, but no harm in asking.” He smiled slightly and nodded, a silent affirmation for his words.

[Graham Aldridge]

Graham raised his hands in mock surrender when he saw the suspicion on his friend's face. "I meant nothing by it, I swear. I only wish to make the both of you feel welcome. I know she's not particularly social--though to be fair neither am I--but I don't want to leave her out, either." He shrugged. "She's difficult to read, your sister."

It was a tricky situation, being a benefactor to one's friends. He didn't want either Shaw sibling to feel obligated to him, or smothered by a watchful eye, but neither did he want them to feel neglected. He'd like them to be comfortable on his family's land, and comfortable in his presence. If only he were a bit more social, like his younger brothers, perhaps it would be easier. He'd never had the gift for easy conversation and laughter.

He mopped his face off with a dry part of his old shirt before tossing it into the laundry hamper that sat near the door.

"We'll leave her be for today, hm? But perhaps we can convince the whole household to have dinner some night. My brothers aren't often at home, and lord knows we don't do family meals as a regular occurrence, but…" He grimaced. "On second thought, perhaps I should just let things be as they are. You'd tell me if you needed something, wouldn't you? Or if you felt unwelcome?"

[Caleb Shaw]

Caleb smirked at his friend’s surrender and shook his head as he gave him a feigned doubting look. He wasn’t much of a social person himself, but he imagined he could be if he really wanted to. He nodded, appreciative of Graham’s thoughtfulness regarding his desire to make him and his sister feel welcome, “We can certainly ask her,” he repeated. “But how is she difficult to read?” He asked curiously. Though she was his sister and he could read her easily, he found himself wondering how she conducted herself around others that made her harder to read.

He sighed quietly and tossed his own shirt into the hamper Graham had, uncertain if he’d ever get it back, but he didn’t really care all that much--he didn’t really want to carry around a soaked, sweaty shirt.

A family dinner actually sounded nice. The Aldridge family seemed kind and welcoming, and though it would most likely cause him and Vera to miss their own family, it would still be nice to be in the company of another one that was kind enough to take them in. “Dinner would be great, and we would look forward to it.” He smiled slightly and then gave him a curious glance at his question. “If I needed something? What else would I need? You’ve already done enough for us…” He clapped his hand on the other man’s shoulder and chuckled quietly. “Have I not shown enough appreciation, is that it?” His brows furrowed and he shook his head again. “We are fine. And I don’t think you could make us feel unwelcome if you tried. Stop worrying,” he playfully shoved the man. “Let’s go get a drink now.”

[Graham Aldridge]

But how is she difficult to read?” He asked curiously.

Graham just shook his head. He should really stop talking--every time he opened his mouth he put his foot directly into it. He wasn't trying to be stupid, he apparently just lacked grace when it came to speaking...and perhaps when it came to thinking about anything other than military tactics, too.

“We are fine. And I don’t think you could make us feel unwelcome if you tried. Stop worrying,” he playfully shoved the man. “Let’s go get a drink now.”

Graham fake stumbled much farther than his friend's push would have actually shoved him. "Oi, careful there, Hercules, you'll knock me into next week," he joked, grinning as he moved ahead of Caleb, out of the room and soon out of the building into the orange light of the setting sun.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, turning his face to the sun for a moment. Their home was a beautiful one, even under construction. He felt oddly content with the simple work of roof repairs, and the simple reward of a drink out with a friend. It was peaceful, in its way.

It was good, too, to know that his friend had a safe place to be, a home to be welcomed into. So many of the people here in Aralore came here seeking refuge, and it was one of the things he loved about it. It was a safe haven.

He glanced back at Caleb as the man came up behind him and they began the walk to the tavern. "I am glad you're not feeling unwelcome. Forgive me if I worry overmuch, I just...I want Aralore to be a home to you as much as it is to me. You deserve it."

[Caleb Shaw]

In all honesty, with the way his and Vera’s life and what they had dealt with previous to coming to Aralore, if they were living in the woods under the canopy of trees, he might still feel safer than he had. Luckily, because of Graham and his family, they had the added security with a roof over their head, and although Caleb was a man of few words, he appreciated everything. Even though he jokingly asked if he hadn’t shown enough appreciation, Caleb wondered in all seriousness, if his friend felt underappreciated. It was something he’d have to work on in any case.

As they walked into the tavern, and Graham spoke again, Caleb couldn’t help but breathe a small huff of a laugh and shook his head. “There is nothing that needs to be forgiven. We all worry about something… But you needn’t ever worry about me or my sister.” He gave him a reassuring smile and nodded as if to affirm his own words.

“I want Aralore to be a home to you as much as it is to me. You deserve it.”

His friend’s words took him back slightly, and he silently walked alongside him until they found a table. He groaned at the relief of sitting in a comfortable seat and being off of his feet. Aralore wasn’t home. At least not yet. Then again, Teronna was no longer home either. They didn’t belong anywhere, but eventually, he knew Aralore would grow on him, and he would come to find that this place was his new home. “Do I?” He quietly questioned Graham on whether or not he deserved it. Though Caleb hadn’t really done anything wrong, nor was he a bad person, he wondered what he had done in his life that would warrant him deserving of a good home. Things hadn’t exactly worked out for him as of late.

[Graham Aldridge]

All Graham's awkward shyness vanished in a moment, turning deadly serious instead. Gone was the casual laborer; the soldier in him was showing. Whether he had intended to or not, Caleb had touched on a sensitive point for his friend. After the way that people had been treated by the servants of Saelis, Graham was even more a proponent of equity and human kindness than he might have been without witnessing such horrors. Teronna had been just as bad, with people living in fear of their own king and his men hunting them in the night because they were different. He'd done his job, followed orders as much as he could, but he still did everything he could to protect the innocent.

"There's no question there, my friend. You live, you breathe, you don't harm others for your own gain? You deserve a home and a family. Simple as that."

His face was still stony as he raised a hand to flag the bartender, and signaled for two ales. The bartender, to her credit, didn't flinch, she just nodded as she met his eye.

Graham turned back to his friend, resting his forearms on the table as he gave the man his full attention. "Perhaps I'm an idealist, but it seems to me that you'd have to do a good deal of evil to lose the right to something as basic as a home."