[Honey]

This thread will contain mature content.

The harsh sun could be felt bearing down on his back, shoulders blazing with the full extent of the sun's rays with nothing lying between them. A glance to the sky confirmed his assumption of no clouds in any direction of the sky's expanse, rain-filled or otherwise. He grunted a sound of disapproval as he looked down to the ground to see the meager beginnings of his crops, not even having been in the ground for a full month and were already beginning to wilt. The only thing that dared to grow in such harsh conditions were the thick weeds that grew through his clay filled soil as though it were as smooth as butter, and though every day he uprooted them they continued to return. He twist his rake between his hands, finding the well weathered to still be as worn as smooth as it had the day prior, and burying the dulled tines into the thick soil he began to pull the weeds from their temporary home.

[littl3chocobo]

the day was hot and his throat parched but he did not dare conjure here, even with no eyes to see there would always be the chance that a pipe would be too close to the surface or a small animal would be near and with no bodies of water nearby and no idea if there was anything underground the risk was too great. lifting his hand to shade his eyes he scanned the horizon for the tell-tell rise of a town. his gaze fell to a skinny outline of a farmhouse. from this distance he could not tell if it was abandoned or not but if it was it was shade, if not it was a chance at something to eat if the missus was the sort to need a strong back for something

[Honey]

Without the intention to, he accidentally uprooted one of his plants along the second row as the weeds had begun to strangle the roots with their own. Grumpily, he tossed both withered plants off to the side before wiping the building sweat off of his brow. It took him a moment to catch his breath in the stifling heat, and instead of sticking to his work he found himself leaning heavily against his rake while he surveyed his surroundings to see that the dingy shack he called his home had drawn a visitor. Acting as a visor, hands came to rest against how brow as he searched to see the shadowed silhouette. "Oi!" He called out as he slung the rake over his shoulder and started towards the figure, "What're you up to o'er there?"

[littl3chocobo]

he paused in his walking as a decidedly male voice called out to him. women he could handle, they rarely shot first and tended to be sympathetic due to a decidedly slender frame that gave him the look of a boy barely out of pubescence in the right light. it was a ploy he had used often despite his thirty years. without making any effort to come closer he lifted one arm in a wave, "tryin' to find some'ne in need of a helpin' hand, you know anyone?"

[Honey]

He came to a halt as the top of the hill that could hardly be described as steep, the rake still perched against his shoulder. From this light he as able to see more detail of the lad that stood not far away, and now it was clear he did not appear as intimidating as his shadow had. "I reckon I could off'r some help, dependin' on what what that may're be."

[littl3chocobo]

he could hardly suppress the sigh of relief at his good fourtune and straightening up he let his body show he was able while still being as nonthreatening as possible just in case the friendliness was a ruse, "day's labor fer a bit o' supper? i'm skinny but my back is good"

[Honey]

He pursed his lips in a silent thought as he looked over the seemingly scrawny stranger, and though he did not look strong he felt compelled to believe him. "If'n you're willin' to help for a bowl of cabbage soup you can knock y'er socks off. The crop o'er there need to have those damn weed pulled out. If you can help w'th that much you can join me for the evenin' sup."

[littl3chocobo]

keeping his mouth closed he nodded. following the pointing finger he moved to the edge of the field and pulling out his handkerchief started ripping out roots by hand. soon he noticed the farmer had gone back to his own hoeing instead of watching him and feeling assured this would not be another lesson in cruelty he put aside his thirst and threw in the back he offered up before

[Honey]

The work got finished at least a couple hours quicker than when he worked alone, and having only two hands to pull the weeds the stranger worked more efficiently than he ever would have guessed he could. He did not say much when they were done, and instead simply signaled to the boy to follow him to the house for his payment, though it was clear he was reluctant to follow. The pungent smell of cabbage soup would no doubt keep the boy away, but as he scooped it into two mismatching bowls and set one onto the table for the boy it did not seem to matter with how poorly it smelled, or possibly tasted, with how quickly the soup was quickly eaten. Taking another spoonful of his own, he looked across to the other, "What's yer name, stranger?"

[littl3chocobo]

he was already half done eating when the farmer thought to speak to him and the question half surprised him. "gabrial, like the angel. my mama was fond of angels." the lie slid off of his tongue like butter, the farmer looked like the sort to name his kid something old-fashioned like that and the almost pleased look showed his choice to be near enough if not exactly the right one, "most people don't ask it though, what's yours if i may'n ask it?" slower than before he went back to eating though he kept an eye up to reassure his host that he was listening still

[Honey]

He rolled his shoulders into a shrug as he dragged his spoon through the thin mixture, strips of the vegetable getting stuck on his spoon as he mixed it around. "The people 'round here call me Brady, but I reckon most anythin' will do the trick in a pinch." He left his spoon to sit in the half eaten soup as he leaned back in his chair, his long legs folded neatly beneath the table. "What brings a young'in like you to such a desolate place like'n this one?"

[littl3chocobo]

he returned the shrug and let the spoon rest in the nearly empty bowl. the way this was turning out there was a good chance he could even get a night's sleep out of this if he played for sympathy. "mama said i was old enough to find my own way and kicked me out. farm'us failing, no rain. i have nine brothers and sisters and as the oldest it was my time to go.... i figured if i went far enough west i could find work but there hasn't been much more than this. just hard work and sometimes if i am not run off after i am done i get fed or am allowed to sleep in the barn or shed or the like... better than nothing though, god provides for those who work hard"

[Honey]

He was tempted to offer another shrug, but it would only turn into a repetitive cycle. "Maybe so, but there are some'n who work hard and are not provided for by God," He lifted his arms to rest behind his head as he shifted to balance on merely two legs of the already rickety chair. "You, however, are a hard worker and I can't hardly seen'y reason why you'd be run off from where you mayhap offered your work."

[littl3chocobo]

now they were starting to get into sticky business, he had to be careful now or it will all have been for nothing. "i am a stranger, times is tough for everyone and there is not enough to go around. everyone can use the help and not everyone can spare the charity. they see me an' they see a free day of work or another empty mouth that'll just need filling. is is easier to just send me off"

[littl3chocobo]

.

[Honey]

It made sense to him, and he did know of his neighbors doing just as the man brought up. "I'd apologize for the neighbors stretchin' down the road, but I'm afraid they don't have much of a reason to send you o'ver this a'way." He lifted a hand to adjust his hat, when he remembered he did not decide to wear one that morning; instead he ran a hair through the locks. "They don't have an issue with their money, even with this damnable drought effectin' all the crops around. They should've been able to help ya. Still, if you aren't able to gather up any work, and you'd be able to work as well as you did today I couldn't see a reason why yew couldn't stay here."