to live where one will

[do_what_thou_wilt]

It's raining, and that means it's muddy, and cold, and everything takes a little longer than it needs to. Auryn doesn't care. When he looks at the work in front of him, what he sees is freedom.

He knew, almost immediately, that he couldn't keep staying in the motel. It was good, in its way, for a while: motels and hostels have served him well in his travels, but he doesn't like paying what's basically overpriced rent to borrow something. There have been a lot of ways he's gotten himself from place to place, but the itchiness he'd been feeling to get out wasn't the same drive he usually felt to get out of a place.

He's not done with Siren Cove, yet, and that means finding a place to live. Making a home, not a camp or a place to crash.

His research had been meticulous. Someplace close enough to water to take advantage of the coast and the natural energies of the ocean, but far enough away that he isn't exposed. Away from town, easily hidden. He'd settled on a space a bit east of the Atwater place, undeveloped land but not so far off the road that it's hard to find again.

And then he'd started building, his tiny off the grid home. All told it's about 200 square feet with its upper half-story spiraling into the arms of a tree. He's done as much manual construction as magical lifting because it's his that way, his energy poured into the place, his blood in the wood when he gives power to the protections breathed into the place. But maybe he did a little suggesting to make the water collection work so well or to haul firewood.

No building permits, no permission, and the ward that makes people have a tendency to walk around it and forget it's there isn't, probably, legal either. The trees have accepted him, and no one's using the space, and that's all he's concerned with.
He's in a good mood then, heading back there, walking along the shoulder of the road with a knot of wood and a box that's equal parts hammer and nails and magical tokens.

[OOC: Open! Find Auryn and his tiny!house. Or get suspicious about what he's up to. But for the love of god, don't start googling tiny houses. Don't do as I have done.]

Comments

[davin]

"I'm safe out here," Davin assures him with a smile. "Who would wanna hurt Bambi?"

As they walk along the trail, Davin starts to feel a little strange. It's like the faintest buzzing under his skin, like his magic is going on alert. He doesn't feel threatened, just prepared. He follows along curiously and raises an eyebrow when Auryn points towards an empty clearing. "Please tell me you're not squattin' out in the woods like some hobo."

[aoife_coombs]

"You don't want to be easily found? If you wouldn't just have acknowledged that you see my talents, I would be worried. If we were talking nicknames, I could call you Bluebeard."

As soon as she was inside, she felt her body welcome the heat. "So you can create as well. It's very nicely done, Auryn. It feels like a home."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

The idea of Davin as Bambi makes him laugh. "Lord of the Forest, huh?"

"I have before," Auryn says, "but no. Come look." He walks confidently toward the stairs, gesturing for Davin to follow; the wards should fall away this close, with Davin in his presence. "I've been building myself a place to stay. Little, but more than enough for a person or two to sit and eat. Sleep. Something I can call mine."

[davin]

Davin raises an eyebrow and follows along curiously, shuddering a bit when he feels a burst of magic. He blinks and suddenly there's more than just a tree. There's a small house built around it and Davin's mouth falls open as he approaches the stairs. "That's a neat trick."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"The wards?" Auryn asks. "It keeps foot traffic low, that's for sure. It won't harm anyone but they won't think to stop by unless they know what's here. Sometimes it's good to have a little privacy." He looks up at Davin curiously. "I could show you. I don't think it'd be hard for someone like you to pick up." Someone with that much innate power. But also, Davin's clever.

He runs a hand over the wood of the railing. "The rest of this is put together the long way, though. All winter I've been planning and building. I think that helps the wards, to be honest, some sweat and tears put in."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"I just appreciate privacy when I want it," he counters. "No secret dead wives in here, I promise. You never want to get away from people?"

He smiles as she settles in. "Thank you, that's what I was hoping for. I've -- rarely had much to call home. Sometimes you have to build things up from the ground if you want them."

[aoife_coombs]

"All the time."

It used to be with exception for her family, but those might be the most tiring people around right now. If it wasn't for Isaiah, Aoife would have moved deep into the sea every day. She smiles at the thought of them living deep in the sea, Aoife living off his breathing. It's too soppy.

"I'm sorry this is the first time for you to have such an experience. Everyone should have a home, a place of comfort."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"Well, there you are, me too." He smiles. "Do you want a drink? There's not much in here yet, but I could make tea or coffee."

"Thank you," he says, though he doesn't want to be felt sorry for. "That's not everyone's opinion. In my experience," he answers, "when people find that you have something secret and all of your own, they want to take it away from you or have it for themselves. Especially if you're not like them." His face goes a little hard and he realizes how bitter he's coming off. "That's why I have the wards. Not to be some hermit. To protect myself."

[aoife_coombs]

"I don't drink coffee. Which means - I'd like some tea, thank you, Auryn. It would warm me up enough until I get back into the water again. I do still need to find my clothes."

She looks around, seeing if she can sit somewhere that won't leave stains. "Wards. Not very aggressive ones, if I'm allowed to walk in here without sensing a thing. Or was it the wind still clinging to me keeping me from hurting?"

[do_what_thou_wilt]

He fills a pot from the water filter and sets it to boiling on the wood stove; the chimney traces up along the wall. It's easy enough for him to light the fire in the bottom of it, and to keep it controlled, but he does chop wood for it nonetheless - it's easier to have a little kindling.

The kitchen's small and connected to a dining-living room, a table and chairs rescued from someone's tag sale and a wooden ledge to sit on built into the house itself. At some point he might upholster the chairs and bench but he hasn't gotten there yet. There are stairs up to the loft bedroom from there, and in the space below is a small study area filled with more esoteric materials and books.

"No, they're not aggressive," he agrees, glancing at her. He's not sure if she's curious or judging him. "They're meant to put people off the trail, not harm them. If there's a real threat to me, I'll deal with it in person." The kettle whistles, and he pours water into a cup. "But you were with me, I suspect that's why you didn't sense them. Do you have a tea preference?"

[aoife_coombs]

"It's soft and warm and comfortable, all around her. Aoife doesn't want it, who would feel so comfortable so fast at a stranger's place.

"Something with herbs, please. Nothing black, I'm a weak tea drinker. Thank you."

"Can I .." She gestures at the table. "Sit down, with my wet clothing, do you mind? Well, wet-like, I think you're poking enough heat in there to have me air dried in less than thirty minutes. Thank you, I always like it well-toasty."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"Hibiscus?" he suggests, feeling a little like his mother in what's probably a good way. His memories are a little biased, but not much of what he remembers about her is bad. It's good for calm, and he tends to keep it around along with a supply of other herbs that might not taste quite as nice.

"Yes, sit," he says with a bemused expression. "It'll dry. But that's another good thing about having such a small space - it's nice and warm in here quickly."

[aoife_coombs]

"Hibiscus", she agrees. "Thank you." The tea won't be necessary to help her heat up, but there's always comfort to be found in a cup. Amelie -

No need to think about her. Aoife pulls back a chair and sits down, locking her legs at the ankle. "I will have your jacket dry-cleaned, of course, if that's what you want. Sea water can be quite destructive to clothes."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

He strains the water over the hibiscus blend filling two cups and sitting down adjacent to her at the table. He passes her hers carefully, his in hand.

Auryn smiles, almost amused at the thought put into that. His clothing's minimal and practical, and no household he's lived in could afford very many clothes that couldn't just be thrown into the wash. "Thanks," he says, "that's not necessary. That jacket's been through a lot, I don't think it'll give out on me yet."

[davin]

"Well, I live above a bakery. Makin' it invisible would probably be bad for business," Davin says with a laugh. "I'd hate t'do that t'sweet ol' Maddy."

He approaches the stairs curiously, tilting his head back to study it all. "This is really cool, man. I'm seriously impressed."

With a lazy smile, he looks over at Auryn. "This means you're stickin' 'round, then?"

[aoife_coombs]

"Thank y- I am very used to saying thank you." She holds the cup against her throat, inhaling the flowery smell. "Hibiscus is odd enough to be noticeable, do you make your own blend of it? Are you a tea making witch?"

Aoife nods. "If you say so. I'll just leave it here before departing, then."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn laughs. "Yes, that seems impolite to your landlady." He regards Davin for a moment, with a curious smile. "You've got a lot of power, you know. If that's something you ever want to take out for a run, you know where I am."

His smile widens. "I appreciate that." He grins, leaning on the railing. "It does. For now at least." He glances back at Davin. "I should probably find myself some honest employment, if I intend to do that."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"No need." He's amused at that, taking a sip himself. It surprises him, a little; she's polite and formal, when he'd expect her as one of the 'Coombs of Siren Cove' to rather expect things given to her. He's never had a reputation to uphold though; he's not quite sure how it works.

"A tea making witch. Well, I'm a witch who makes tea." He smiles, taking a sip of his own. "It is my own blend, though it's cribbed from what I remember of my mother. She always kept herbs around." He gestures at his cabinets. "And now I have a place to keep them, so do I. Though some of them are better for spellwork than tea." His cabinets have everything from ginger root to belladonna right now.

"That's fine. Should I let you get back to your dog?"

[aoife_coombs]

"Th-" Yes, he found her and followed her here. She can feel his exhaustion, his guard, but there's the patience and trust she needs as well. "Thor needs some time to regain his breath. He prefers the land over the deep water, and I don't want him to hurt himself inhaling salt water. Don't worry, he won't leave a mark on your property. He's getting more and more intelligent about what should and shouldn't be done."

"Our family was never a herb family. Too hippie and all that. Like magic needs any flourish. That was my mother. Do you need me to leave?" She grins. "More people visiting from the water?"

[davin]

"Really? Ya can tell that, aye?" Davin knows that his powers are getting stronger. He's kept in touch with his grandmother about it, but she just tells him that he's coming into his own and not to worry about it too much. It doesn't feel dangerous, whatever is happening to him. It feels comforting. "Oh yeah? Ya got any marketable skills?"

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn inclines his head. "Just a little extra shine." He smiles before adding more seriously. "It's a gift, you should make sure to exercise it as you would any other part of you."

"In a fair world," he says, with a wry eyebrow raise, "Wards and spells would be marketable." He glances at the house and back to Davin. "I'm good with my hands, and I'm not afraid of a challenge or a day's hard work. Does that count?"

[davin]

"I use my magic every day," Davin replies easily. He uses it at the shop and around the house, but he gets the idea that's not exactly what Auryn means. "How would I exercise it, exactly?"

He is curious, of course. His magic is so important to him and if he can learn more about it, he will of course take the opportunity. "Counts in my eyes. Have ya ever worked on cars?"

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"Do you?" Auryn says, pleased to find another friend in this town that doesn't conceal their ability.

"Well, when you exercise your body, you have to push it a little," he likens the process. "The same's true of magic: sometimes it's a little uncomfortable, tiring, but you can't get stronger or more proficient without trying new things, giving in a little to that discomfort, learning the tools and the techniques you need. It depends on what you want to do."

Auryn makes a face. He hasn't had a car for a while, but he drove his aunt's boyfriend's hand-me-down pickup until it broke, an old stick shift thing that held a bunch of rowdy goth kids well enough. "From time to time," he admits. He knows the basics. "Oil changes, brake pads. Leaky hose. It's been a while, but I think I could pick it up."

[davin]

"Yeah, my particular abilities come in pretty handy at work." He laughs and then spots a toolbox off to the side, and with a small nudge of power the tools jump up into the air to twirl around each other. A wrench flies over to land gently in Davin's waiting palm, and the rest of the tools lower back into the box with the smallest of clinks. "But I know what ya mean. I can lift a car engine now with no trouble, but if I keep it up too long it gives me a headache."

He looks over at Auryn and nods. He's short staffed again, especially after Ryder left, so he could use the help. "Well, one o' my new guys just left t'go back home, so I have a space that needs fillin', if ya wanna give it a shot."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn grins as the tools fly up into the air. "Could have used you when I was making this place," he says, amused, and sits down on the stoop. "There's something to be said for hard work, but it's nice to have everything right where you need it. I've never had a touch for metal myself. Or --" He tilts his head. "I can ask things of elemental metal. And some kinds of metal objects know where they came from. But nothing formed like that, steel and copper." He smiles. "That's something I'd need to practice much more."

His eyes brighten at Davin's offer. People are kind infrequently, in his experience, they don't just give you things without wanting something back. "That's generous of you," he says with a small smile, and nods. "Thank you - you won't regret it."