Soma Peries ~*~ Ninth

[glasscaseflower]

Who: Sergei, Allelujah, and Soma
Where: Sergei's cottage, Espoir
Style: Either
Status: Closed for slavery

Some cutting noises could be heard from the cottage's kitchen, where lemons were being halved neatly in preparation for squeezing. It's almost a relaxing task, unlike the grim prospects of the young man outside in the yard, awaiting hard work.

Comments

[bamboonhoney]

Sergei rubbed his fingers together. Despite washing his hands, he could feel the acid of the lemons in the cracks on his palms, in the creases of his finger joints when he curled his hands.

"The ladder is by the side of the house," he said, pointing.

Sergei was feeling... helpful.

[ofgratitude]

He tilted his head back, looking up at the gutter lining the cottage roof. Bits of foliage poked out over the metal rim here and there, indicating that it was indeed in need of a thorough cleaning.

Somehow, knowing that the Colonel was in fact serious about this task was not particularly reassuring.

Allelujah nodded his acknowledgement all the same, wandering around to wear the ladder lay tucked again the side wall, a battered metal construction of chipped blue paint and slightly uneven legs. "This one, sir?"

[bamboonhoney]

The boy-- young man, because Soma was a young woman, now-- was always careful to call him "sir", despite having clearly never served in the military. His mind tried to wander toward the way the super soldiers had been raised-- strict, away from comfort, all but abandoned-- but he reigned it in sharply. There was time for reminiscing about the past, but it was not now.

"Yes," Sergei acknowledged, giving a slight nod. He stepped out of the way so that the-- Allelujah could pass, and made his way to the side of the house, tracing the eaves with a critical eye before nodding to himself. "You may begin here," he said, when Allelujah came back from the side of the house.

[ofgratitude]

"Yes sir." He settled the ladder carefully where the Colonel had indicated, suppressing the urge to glance over his shoulder and check if the action was being deemed satisfactory. Perhaps it was the simple fact the man was unmistakably military, but it was difficult not to feel somewhat like a soldier on inspection when under his gaze.

Allelujah curled his fingers around either side of the ladder and began to climb it, steadily ignoring its occasional wobble.