study-in-orchid:

study-in-orchid:

iamthefirechild:

study-in-orchid:

“Oh,” Orchid was fairly satisfied by the answer. After a moment of silence, she noticed the other girl staring at her. “Oh! Sorry, I’m Orchid. I’m new and was walking around when I heard you.” She held out a hand awkwardly, “And…

She shrugged again. Talking about her dad was a sore spot for her. “He is never happy with me anyway. I can manage myself.” Orchid looked at the pile of cans, “I’m not bothering you, am I?”

“No, of course not.” Summer set up another can, contemplating it. The other girl was providing a good distraction from her frustration, but once she’d started a task, she might as well finish it. So she whacked the can smartly. “I don’t promise to be terribly entertaining, though, if you’re looking for amusement.”

study-in-orchid:

iamthefirechild:

study-in-orchid:

“Oh,” Orchid was fairly satisfied by the answer. After a moment of silence, she noticed the other girl staring at her. “Oh! Sorry, I’m Orchid. I’m new and was walking around when I heard you.” She held out a hand awkwardly, “And you are?”

Setting down the mallet, Summer briefly clasped hands. “I’m Summer.” She lifted her eyebrows. “Do you usually follow that kind of sound into places you don’t know?” She recaptured the errant, half-crushed can and positioned it precisely.

With a shrug, Orchid replied, “I dunno. I figured it couldn’t hurt me too bad. I tend to be overly curious, my dad says it’s a problem, but my uncle says it’s genetic.”

One hand on the mallet, Summer gaped at Orchid. After a moment, she found her voice. “That kind of curiosity can get you killed. You’re lucky it’s only me here.” She lifted the mallet and crushed the can, nudging it to the side. “And your dad is okay with that?”

study-in-orchid:

study-in-orchid:

iamthefirechild:

Summer weighed the rubber mallet in one hand, eyeing the box of aluminium cans. She got down on her knees, planting one empty can upright on a scrap piece of board outside, and hefted the mallet again.

It wasn’t even that it had been a particularly…

“Oh,” Orchid was fairly satisfied by the answer. After a moment of silence, she noticed the other girl staring at her. “Oh! Sorry, I’m Orchid. I’m new and was walking around when I heard you.” She held out a hand awkwardly, “And you are?”

Setting down the mallet, Summer briefly clasped hands. “I’m Summer.” She lifted her eyebrows. “Do you usually follow that kind of sound into places you don’t know?” She recaptured the errant, half-crushed can and positioned it precisely.

study-in-orchid:

iamthefirechild:

Summer weighed the rubber mallet in one hand, eyeing the box of aluminium cans. She got down on her knees, planting one empty can upright on a scrap piece of board outside, and hefted the mallet again.

It wasn’t even that it had been a particularly bad day. She just felt — off. Angry, for no reason.

Smashy.

Hence, the empty cans. Lifting the mallet high, she brought it down squarely on the top of the can. It kinda … bounced. The rim crushed a little, sideways.

“Well /that’s/ interesting.” She smacked it again, a little off-centre. That strike produced a satisfying crunch and a flatter can. Tossing it back in the box, she set up another can.

Orchid Holmes heard the soft crunch of metal behind one of the buildings in town. Curiously, she followed the sound and was surprised to see a girl smashing cans with a hammer. The girl seemed focused on the task at hand, so Orchid watched in silence until the need to know grew overwhelming. “What are you doing?”

“Making room in my recycle bin,” she said, tapping the top of the can with the hammer. “And,” lifting the hammer, “being,” bringing it down, “frustrated!” BANG. The can crumpled slightly sideways and skittered away. Summer glanced up at the other girl.