02 thieves (action)

[guidethesun]

[For the record, Eugene really doesn't like sewing. It is quite possibly the most irritating form of art there is for him. His nimble fingers are for snatching things like prized rubies, or maneuvering the locks of chains around wrists. He's adept with a lock pick and can make escape rope faster than any other thief he's ever come to meet.

But sewing as in embroidery?

The things he does for love...]

It can't be that ha--yeow!

[Another pricked finger. Greeeeaaat. He sucks on the pricked forefinger to stop the bit of blood, then assess his assignment. A fabric, red heart with the starting of the words "I LOVE" embroidered at the top center. It's going to be sewn to a purple pillow he's still piecing together. He usually doesn't do something so...fancy for anyone, but Rapunzel isn't anyone. And since this is apparently her first Valentines Day, he wants it to stand out in her memories.

And if that means some aching fingers...]

Yeow! Son of a--

[He begins to curse every single needle in the world in a colorful, angry tirade. Any students passing below may hear Eugene if they are passing by the quad during their classes. He sits high up on a ledge up by the ceiling, the perfect thief's spot (albeit, no thieving to be done), out of sight to the naked eye. Perhaps if someone sees him, they will wonder why Eugene is hiding. Could it be because he's trying to keep his work secret? Is it because he stole four apples from the kitchen and there they sit in a sack beside him, half-eaten? Or could it be that he's not gotten into classes yet, and has been whiling away his days ambling about Garden, trying to pass the time?]

Comments

[vestigiaflammae]

[Wow, somebody's got a mouth their mom ought to have washed out with soap. Lea's pausing under Eugene's ledge, shading his eyes with a hand and staring upward.]

Somebody up there?

[guidethesun]

[Eugene stops his cursing from bordering on the Spanish territory, he glances over the lip of the ledge. Not Blondie, so that's good. But still, someone who found out his hiding place. He really needs to bump up his thieving skills in the methods of stealth. While he doubts (no, he's confident in that) he will ever steal again, he knows that stealth is a skill set one should never let dull.

And now he's rambling off in his thoughts. The royal tutor is getting to him...]

Up here!

[He peeks over, and waves to the young boy.] If you see a first aid kit, mind bringing it here?

[vestigiaflammae]

I can probably get something from the infirmary. Are you okay? What happened?

[He squints up.]

...and I don't think I've met you yet! Right? Hi, I'm Lea!

[guidethesun]

[Eugene fixes a missed thread, looking over his work.] Just some craft hazards. No real big deal...unless it gets on the fabric.

[He peeks over, giving a wave.] Nice name. Goes with the red hair, huh?

[vestigiaflammae]

Right! I'll go get something.

[If there'd been enough dust on the paving stones, he would've raised a dust cloud. It's always nice to have a good excuse for running at full speed through the Garden! -- Or, okay, for running anywhere at all. But he's more likely to have to defend it when he's inside.

It's only a few minutes before (miraculously not having gotten yelled at or accidentally bowled into any unsuspecting students) he's back with a box of bandaids in one hand.]

Here you -- [just a minute, let him get his breath back--] -- here you go, uh... What's your name, anyway?

[Pause. Think. Mild confusion.] And what was that about my name going with my hair?

[guidethesun]

Eugene Fitzherbert. [He is slightly amazed at the kid's quick burst of speed.] And it's nothing, really. Can you climb up?

[vestigiaflammae]

Sure I can!

Eugene... Hey, are you Rapunzel's friend?

[He manages to wedge his foot into the corner and lunges to catch the edge of Eugene's ledge with his free hand. Okay! He can climb up. It might not be the most graceful thing, but a few seconds later (still breathing hard) he flops belly-first over it. More or less talking to the ledge:] She keeps telling me I ought to meet you.

[consorts]

[ Perhaps the look of Gwen standing in the quad and staring up was as strange as the sounds coming from above. This place ceases to confuse and scare amaze her on a daily basis, though right now the exclamations, despite their lofty source, were a bit familiar. Frustration is universal, it seems. ]

Uhm... Are you alright?

[guidethesun]

['nother kid?. Eugene sees the girl down below and sighs.]

Nothing some bandages won't temporarily fix, milady.

[consorts]

Must be a frustrating task if it's causing you to bleed as well.

[ A bit of a joke. Gwen's pretty set on being nosy since he seems to be having difficulties with something. ]

[guidethesun]

You have no idea.

[consorts]

What exactly are you doing?

[guidethesun]

[Eugene looks at his aching fingers, then his not-even-half-done embroidery piece. He sighs.] Making my girl a present for Valentines Day. [A minute.] Well, I'm trying. Uh, any bandages with you?

[f8tal]

[Somehow she appears on the ledge with him (sneaking up there while he was nursing fingers), an apple already in her mouth as she watches him in a crouched position. Her SeeD uniform doesn't seem to suit someone like her, but here she is, wearing it.]

Having a tough time there I see.

[guidethesun]

[Eugene doesn't really act surprised. He just reaches over, takes the apple from her, then turns his head and gives her a pointed look.] There needs to be a knocking privilege instated. [He puts the apple back to her mouth.] You got any bandages with you?

[f8tal]

[She snorts at him, holding the apple in her hand.] Nope. I don't make it a habit to stab my fingers off to need them.

What are you making?

[guidethesun]

A Valentine. [He doesn't elaborate. He figures that the fabric heart in his hands is enough to say it for him.]

[f8tal]

No shit, but why are you sewing it? I thought you humans were supposed to write on paper cards and send flowers to express your oh-so flushed feelings.

[guidethesun]

It's for a special girl. [He ignores the course language, actually preferring to finally hear some gruffness after all the polite and well-structured grammar to which he'd been listening within the royal castle of Rapunzel's parents.]

Me human [he uses a wry, slightly high-pitched tone] make special gift.

[nevergetscredit]

[Being a bit of a habitual sneak, Merlin had developed a talent for finding hiding places while working in Camelot. Now he was coming to the ledge with the intention of keeping out of sight himself, since Arthur was under the rather mistaken impression that Merlin was cooking his lunch as opposed to letting the kitchens do it for him. And as long as Arthur couldn't see Merlin, then he couldn't tell that Merlin wasn't actually spending his every moment doing Arthur's chores, could he?

Someone else seemed to have snagged this spot already, though]

Not too good at that, are you? [Merlin grins, chuckling]

[guidethesun]

[Eugene doesn't say anything, just drops the ladder he'd fixed over the ledge, making sure it stuck tight at the top.] I'm kinda focused on this right now, but if you wanna talk, just climb up.

[He is about a quarter finished with the embroidered heart.]

To answer your question, no, no I'm not very good at this.

[nevergetscredit]

[Merlin shrugs, and climbs up. He might as well, and up on the ledge will be a good place to keep away from Arthur's eyes]

I'd offer to help, but I don't really know much about embroidery. That's one of the few things I haven't had to do while working for Arthur. [he grins, and settles down next to Eugene] So it this for anything special, or did you just want to make your fingers bleed for fun?

[guidethesun]

Arthur sounds like a fun guy. [Take it as sarcasm or wry humor.] Embroidery is an important skill to know. You never know when you might need to fix a stitch in your shirt or sew someone by their shirt to a wall. [At least, that's what he remembered from bits and pieces of advice made by fellow thieves.]

It's for Valentines Day. And the blood only proves that I'm crazy about the girl to whom I'm going to give this.

[nevergetscredit]

Hmm, fun isn't usually the first word that comes to mind when I think of Arthur, no. Although you do know that you can't really use embroidery to fix a torn shirt? Sewing, yes, embroidery...not so much. Although they are similar, I suppose.

[Merlin goes quiet, and smiles in a way that's just a little sad - not enough to really be noticeably, but it's there] You're lucky to have someone special.

[guidethesun]

[Eugene gives the kid a sympathetic smile.] Gotta treat her right.