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

[do_what_thou_wilt]

Auryn raises an eyebrow and says, "I'm not immune, but I can usually find a way to warm myself up." He lets a flicker of fire play at his fingertips, flare up and disappear.

"You're welcome," he says, with a nod back. "You've got quite a command over the wind." He extends a hand. "Auryn Connor."

[aoife_coombs]

"Oh, that would make us impossible to get along", Aoife sees when she sees the flame flicker between his fingers and right away wants to take it and give it to the wind. It's a mistake to say so, it feels too flirty and Aoife doesn't flirt.

The coolness around her is getting to her now, and she pulls the jacket closer, possibly ruining it with sea water. "I do, now. Honestly, it was just the sea and I, playing, but some things you shouldn't allow to follow you around wherever you go."

She takes his hand. "Aoife Coombs. No-one lived here for a very long time, Auryn."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"I don't know," he says with a smile. "Wind and fire can be quite an effective combination. With the right kindling." Auryn isn't looking for anything, but a little flirtation never hurt anyone. Besides, he's only speaking the truth.

"That's the truth," he nods. In more than one way. "Aoife. That's a lovely name." Radiance, he thinks, if he's remembering right. "Coombs -" He gestures to the whole area in general. "A descendant of the famous Viviana?"

[aoife_coombs]

"Yes, and yes. I stand corrected." Aoife wanted to warm himself on him. "But the wrong kindling and you have chaotic destruction."

"We are the Coombs of Siren Cove, yes. And although Viviana is an ancestor, I always felt more similarities with Cassandra, even though she left less of a legacy. Family is very important to me."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

She's shivering a little, still, and he moves closer; he's rarely cold if he puts any effort into warming himself at all. "It's true," he says thoughtfully. "Depends on what you're looking to do, I suppose."

Aoife has a dignity to her as she talks about her family. He nods. "I don't know much about Cassandra, I have to admit. You'll have to tell me about her."

"Would you like to come inside while you dry off?" He gestures toward the house, a little ways further into the woods.

[aoife_coombs]

"Are you inviting me in while I'm barely dressed? Should I arm myself?"

What was she doing? Aoife feels her warded ear rings, still in their place, but they're for sirens, not people. Not other people, not anyone outside Isaiah.

"I've been named after her. It's a good thing my father chose her real name and not her nickname, because I wouldn't have liked Windvane as much as a first name." She steps past him, into the direction of the little house. "There used to be no house here."

[do_what_thou_wilt]

"I think you're properly armed, from what I saw, but my intentions are all --" Pure is rarely a good description for Auryn's mind. "Respectful."

"Windvane," he laughs. "I don't think there's a good nickname there, no." He follows and runs a hand over the railing of the porch steps. "No, there wasn't one. I built this one from the ground up. Much better than a motel and harder to find."

[OOC: Dammit, Grantaire, not your conversation.]

[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]

"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."

[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]

"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?"