[He follows, the information registering in his mind with a lowkey kind of interest, though he never was--and never will be, let's be real--the kind of man who possesses a mind for healing. Only violence, and anger, and finding an outlet for it when the moment is right.
But for now, bees!]
I like honey well enough.
[Non-committal, but true.]
Mostly, I'm interested in seeing how their hive works. It's all very efficient, from what I hear.
[ Claire's such a nerd for these things, and she explains as the walk, launching into how the bees keep the hive cool with their wings, how they kill intruders the same way: by surrounding them and overheating them with all of their collective wing power, the flip side of their good use of power. When she's finished they've made it to four bee houses fenched in only to keep animals and small children from getting too close.
The droning sound is faint, the bees seeming to move at a near constant pace, back and forth from bright wildflowers to the hives. ]
I have four small colonies for now, but new queens will hatch and in theory if I wanted, I could keep building houses.
[ She's rather proud of herself, because she wasn't even sure if she could make the houses at all. ]
[Bees aren't spiders, but Henry is, in fact, a bit of a nerd, too. If his life had not turned out the way it had, one might say that his hobbies would have been peak nerd -- so naturally, he listens with interest.
When they approach, the droning is a low background noise, but he tracks a few bees with his eyes as they move to and fro, collecting pollen from the bright faces of wildflowers nearby.]
That's impressive. Who taught you how to do all of this? Or did you learn on your own when you arrived in Solvunn?
I've always had a keen interest in botany, so that part came easily. The bee house making was trial and error. You should see all the scrap wood that sacrificed its life for this project.
[ She smiles with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. ]
I knew the basics from learning a long, long time ago. When I was around your age, maybe. The first few houses I built didn't take, I made the space between the combs too wide, but now we're in business.
[ She doesn't have any smoke with her, so she can't calm the bees and get closer to sample the honey, but she finds that it's peaceful just to watch and listen. ]
I think I needed this project to keep my mind busy. I get lost in my head when there isn't enough to do, and this kept me occupied for a good long while.
[Getting lost in one's mind when there isn't something to do; he holds back a remark about having to find distraction in tasks so rote, because perhaps this one instance doesn't quite count. Keeping bees, building their houses, is at least of middling more interest than tending to the local goat population. (He hates doing that, by the way.)
So maybe that alone is enough to prompt:]
Do you never need help with them? Their upkeep, I mean.
There is quite a lot of regular maintenance that needs to be done. Wax has to be replaced, so when the honey is scraped off the combs, the wax goes into a different bucket to fix any damage done from harvesting. The houses wear out because they're exposed to weather, and of course, there's harvesting the honey itself. Always easier with another person.
[ More work comes in the fall, when the houses need to be moved, but that's for later. ]
[He actually pauses before he replies, uncertain how to reply. Henry seems to realize that this is one more "chore" he is willingly signing himself up for, going against the grain of what he hates the most in life: dull, dull routine.
...But this? This does sound actually vaguely interesting, and so-]
I guess I am offering. If you'll have me.
[Easier with another person, though he knows next to nothing about keeping bees, but Claire is well-aware of that given his questions.]
Of course I'll have you, Henry, I appreciate it. It isn't that I mind the work, but I can do other things too, with your help. The bees don't take all that much. The basic rules are simply wear long-sleeved everything, gloves, and the veiled hat. I keep everything in one of the common storage sheds.
[ Something else she's hoping to change with the building of a house. Her own home, surgery, garden shed...the dream. ]
I don't doubt you're a fast learner. If you wanted, I could even show you a few things today.
[ Either way it doesn't bother her; the bees are technically cared for the day, anything else would simply be showing him how things are done. ]
Or any day you'd like, but the work typically begins as near sunrise as you can manage. Then again in the evenings after the sun has gone down. We can work something out between us, a schedule of sorts if you like the work?
[ Honestly, she's just elated that anyone wants to learn about this in depth from her. It's likely made her day. ]
[Henry already wears long sleeves all the time, if just for the sake of covering the small tattoo on his wrist. Though... Claire is going to make the rest of Solvunn be privvy to the image of Henry Creel in a veiled hat. This is either going to be beautiful or terrible.]
I don't see an issue with any of that.
[His pride hinges on other things, and definitely not an outward appearance, Solvunnite!beekeeper vibes or otherwise.]
I don't have much of a schedule. The family I'm staying with expects me to get a few chores done in the morning, but I'm an early riser. [Old lab habits.] I can make any time work.
[She'll find that Henry rarely shies away from what most people balk at. This includes bugs and chores that, while he does not like getting his hands dirty doing them, are messier than most.
(And also monsters and violence and all the nasty things in-between.)
He shrugs his shoulders a little, pleasant.]
I'm sure I can slot it into my busy schedule. [A joke.] I'll meet you here, then, Claire.
[ Already, she's thinking she might get Henry his own gloves and hat, so that if they ever need to work at the same time, neither of them will be caught out unprotected.
With that same easy smile, Claire nods. ]
Until the morning, then. And if things do get overwhelming, be sure to let me know.
[ She's in on the joke, giving him a little wink before deciding to get back to her gardening. ]
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slow crawls back in here from my hiatus
But for now, bees!]
I like honey well enough.
[Non-committal, but true.]
Mostly, I'm interested in seeing how their hive works. It's all very efficient, from what I hear.
i was also on hiatus! <3
[ Claire's such a nerd for these things, and she explains as the walk, launching into how the bees keep the hive cool with their wings, how they kill intruders the same way: by surrounding them and overheating them with all of their collective wing power, the flip side of their good use of power. When she's finished they've made it to four bee houses fenched in only to keep animals and small children from getting too close.
The droning sound is faint, the bees seeming to move at a near constant pace, back and forth from bright wildflowers to the hives. ]
I have four small colonies for now, but new queens will hatch and in theory if I wanted, I could keep building houses.
[ She's rather proud of herself, because she wasn't even sure if she could make the houses at all. ]
hi5!!
When they approach, the droning is a low background noise, but he tracks a few bees with his eyes as they move to and fro, collecting pollen from the bright faces of wildflowers nearby.]
That's impressive. Who taught you how to do all of this? Or did you learn on your own when you arrived in Solvunn?
no subject
[ She smiles with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. ]
I knew the basics from learning a long, long time ago. When I was around your age, maybe. The first few houses I built didn't take, I made the space between the combs too wide, but now we're in business.
[ She doesn't have any smoke with her, so she can't calm the bees and get closer to sample the honey, but she finds that it's peaceful just to watch and listen. ]
I think I needed this project to keep my mind busy. I get lost in my head when there isn't enough to do, and this kept me occupied for a good long while.
no subject
So maybe that alone is enough to prompt:]
Do you never need help with them? Their upkeep, I mean.
no subject
[ Claire looks at him with a half-smile. ]
There is quite a lot of regular maintenance that needs to be done. Wax has to be replaced, so when the honey is scraped off the combs, the wax goes into a different bucket to fix any damage done from harvesting. The houses wear out because they're exposed to weather, and of course, there's harvesting the honey itself. Always easier with another person.
[ More work comes in the fall, when the houses need to be moved, but that's for later. ]
no subject
...But this? This does sound actually vaguely interesting, and so-]
I guess I am offering. If you'll have me.
[Easier with another person, though he knows next to nothing about keeping bees, but Claire is well-aware of that given his questions.]
I'm a fast learner, at least.
my targeted ads now think i'm a beekeeper lmao
[ Something else she's hoping to change with the building of a house. Her own home, surgery, garden shed...the dream. ]
I don't doubt you're a fast learner. If you wanted, I could even show you a few things today.
[ Either way it doesn't bother her; the bees are technically cared for the day, anything else would simply be showing him how things are done. ]
Or any day you'd like, but the work typically begins as near sunrise as you can manage. Then again in the evenings after the sun has gone down. We can work something out between us, a schedule of sorts if you like the work?
[ Honestly, she's just elated that anyone wants to learn about this in depth from her. It's likely made her day. ]
HAHA that's very funny
I don't see an issue with any of that.
[His pride hinges on other things, and definitely not an outward appearance, Solvunnite!beekeeper vibes or otherwise.]
I don't have much of a schedule. The family I'm staying with expects me to get a few chores done in the morning, but I'm an early riser. [Old lab habits.] I can make any time work.
no subject
Thank you, Henry. Why don't you meet me here tomorrow morning, and I can show you how to start and end the day. Would that be alright?
[ So far, no one's actually wanted to be near the bee houses, which she understands and didn't mind. But it's nice to know Henry is willing. ]
no subject
(And also monsters and violence and all the nasty things in-between.)
He shrugs his shoulders a little, pleasant.]
I'm sure I can slot it into my busy schedule. [A joke.] I'll meet you here, then, Claire.
no subject
With that same easy smile, Claire nods. ]
Until the morning, then. And if things do get overwhelming, be sure to let me know.
[ She's in on the joke, giving him a little wink before deciding to get back to her gardening. ]