(no subject)

[hadeir]

I have been reminded by a boy speaking only who spoke MOSTLY* in capslock that Christmas is coming. So in the spirit of giving, I'm willing to do odd jobs for the month. For a price, of course.

I'm a twenty-year-old med student and I'm good at both science and numbers. I part-time for the Confectionary as their cashier.

*edited as of this comment

Comments

[compendiem]

Is it in the spirit of giving if you're requesting pay?

[hadeir]

In the spirit of giving a special someone the perfect Christmas gift, yes.

[compendiem]

Is the perfect Christmas gift that expensive that you can't just use some of your savings?

[hadeir]

My little brother really wants this robot.

[compendiem]

Pretty cool. Looks expensive, too...

[hadeir]

It isn't that expensive. But I also have to get it early and ship it. [ It would be crazy expensive for most people. ]

[compendiem]

Credit cards are paid off once a month. You have time. ...I'm trying to think of odd jobs I can both offer and afford, but I can't think of any.

[hadeir]

A teacher is paying me to walk his dogs. Maybe I can do something like that?

[compendiem]

Don't own a dog. Are you okay with heights?

[hadeir]

Yes. Why?

[compendiem]

Might hang bird feeders out on the trees around the apartment complex. Could use your help with that.

[hadeir]

I could do that.

[compendiem]

Okay. Shouldn't take more than an hour. When are you free over the weekend, and how much would it cost me?

[hadeir]

Mornings, and name your price.

[compendiem]

Next Satuday at eight, for however many hours $50 will buy. I'll text you the address.

[hadeir]

[ too early, but okay! ]

Deal.

text --> action

[compendiem]

[ It's already two hours earlier than when he normally wakes up, so this is already generous.

Fast forward to Saturday, he's outside the specified apartment, filling bird feeders and making sure the strings are knotted tightly. There's a ladder behind him that he's leaning on, half nodding off and spilling some of the seeds everywhere while a murder of crows start to gather... Okay, maybe it is sort of early. ]

[hadeir]

Good morning!

[ She greets loudly and cheerily from solid ground despite it not being a very good morning. It's a weekend. Why are they awake at eight?

Is he rattled? She hopes he is, because she's petty that way. ]

[compendiem]

[ He doesn't overreact by crashing backwards into the ladder or anything, but his displeasure at her loud, cheery greeting is apparent on his face for the fraction of a second that his brows pull together. ]

'morn...

[ She gets half a good morning greeting, while he pulls himself up to his feet, checks the watch on his wrist, and starts passing to her the completed bird feeders. Time is money and he really can't spare more than the $50 he had promised, so he gets right to work, heaving the ladder over his shoulder once her arms are full. ]

[hadeir]

[ Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. She gathers the feeders in her arms and she'll be taking a selfie with one of them once she has an arm free. This is going on her Instagram. Smile! Look at her, being a nice and helpful person! ]

How many of these are we putting up?

[compendiem]

[ All sides of the bed are the wrong side; the mistake is waking up in the first place. A little frown grows on his face at the selfie, but he doesn't say anything until she's done. ]

Only made half a dozen. I'll refill them every once in a while as long as the birds are out.

[ He sets the ladder against the closest tree right outside the apartment, giving it a little shake to make sure it doesn't slip easily. ]

You'll want to find a branch that's fairly isolated. So squirrels can't get to it.

[hadeir]

[ She looks absolutely pretty under the morning sunlight. ]

Climb tree, set up feeder, squirrels are evil. Got it.

[ She'll start climbing as soon as the ladder is set and she's put down most of her feeders. She'll hold her hand out for him to hand her the tools once she's at a decent height. ]

[compendiem]

[ "Squirrels aren't evil," Minato mumbles under his breath; that isn't what he wants her to take away from all of this. They're just very opportunistic feeders, but the same comes with birds, and he's sure they'll figure it out amongst themselves, him only providing the food they can divvy up between themselves. He keeps one hand on the ladder to steady it, the other to pass up what Celine needs to secure the feeder. ]

[hadeir]

Did you say something?

[ It probably wasn't important. Anyway, squirrels. They are evil. Celine pushes herself up on the branch and straddles the branch, her legs dangling high above the ground. She stretches like a cat so she can secure the feeder on the tip of this very sturdy tree branch so the squirrels will at least have to make an effort to feed, and so will Minato when he has to refill it. ]

[compendiem]

No.

[ It wasn't important. Moreover, the important thing is Celine trying to make more work for him by putting the bird feeder so far away?! She'd better not be hoping he'd have no choice but to call her back when the seeds run out and pay her for another day's work. ]

Hey. [ He places his foot on the tree trunk and gives it a little kick; the branches barely quiver under the weak shake. ] Doesn't have to be that far...