for mayfield

[treefetish]

1 [Drone school is boring, which is why Audrey has decided to play hooky and spend the day playing in her favorite place in the whole wide Mayfield: The park!

Hanging off a tree branch by her legs, she gives an upside-down smile and waves at you, whoever you are.] Hey!

2 [Obviously, one of Audrey's regains would be some big cans of O'Hare brand paint, which she will use in the most constructive way possible: Brightening up that dreary old house she lives in!

She's almost finished with the first part of her sunny sky, leaning rather precariously on the edge of her ladder. Just need to paint that one little corner and not fall off and die...]

Comments

[truffulacide]

I can, but I like sketching more. [he shrugs his shoulders a little sheepishly.] I have more control over a pencil than a brush.

[just admitting that makes him feel inadequate, like he's making an idiot out of himself lecturing her, so he hands her the brush back and takes a few steps back to admire the rest of the "sky".]

Are you going to make the rest of the house like this?

[subject change, go.]

[treefetish]

I'd like to; I used to paint my house back home like this, too. I just don't know what to paint next. [She'd like to paint some trees, but... well. She feels like it'd probably be rude.]

[truffulacide]

It could use some color. Ugh...! [he heaves a great big sigh and plops down on the grass, an entire day's worth of exhaustion and frustration catching up with him.] Anything to make it stand out from the rest of the houses. This whole neighborhood is so boring.

[treefetish]

At least now we won't walk into the wrong houses by accident. [she says "we" as if it's not something that she just does

... Well, she might as well try.] I could paint... some trees? Maybe?

[truffulacide]

[he drapes a hand across his face.] Pretty sure you're the only one with that problem.

[- but it doesn't last. his shoulders visibly tense up when he hears what she has to say next, and he spreads his fingers so that one lone blue eye can peek out between them at her.]

Trees? Like...tree-trees? [as if there's any other kind. he drops his hand off his face and turns his head towards her with a thin, perplexed frown.] Why?

[treefetish]

They're my favorite things to paint. [She gives him a nervous smile, a little worried about his reaction.]

[truffulacide]

[oh. that's a general enough statement. really, she could just be talking about the generic oak trees around town. everyone thinks of those kinds of trees when they hear the word, right? that's a simple enough assumption.

too bad he knows better.]

Whatever you want. [the reply is short and simple but dull. worn.] If it makes you happy.

[and then he starts climbing to his feet. time to go inside.]

[treefetish]

I won't paint them if you don't want to see them.

[She sighs, looking at the little clouds on her hand again.] ... It was stupid of me to ask, sorry.

[truffulacide]

I never said that. You think I would've given you the go-ahead if I thought that?

[he pauses right as his hand hovers above the doorknob, forcing an eye-roll.]

Just...maybe one or two. Small ones. [he measures one such example with his thumb and index finger.] About this big.

[treefetish]

... [She measures a similar distance with her own fingers.] This big. Got it.

[truffulacide]

Exactly. [a beat.] ...And make sure to make the tufts extra fluffy-looking, too. Use lots of pinks and yellows. I won't support graffiti if it doesn't look at least 90% accurate.

[treefetish]

I'll try to shoot for 95% accuracy. [She can't help but smile.] They'll look great. Trust me.

[truffulacide]

[psssh. he gives her a flippant wave with the back of his hand.] Who said I didn't? I'm just giving Miss Space Cadet a friendly reminder, that's all. Maybe you'll learn to be grounded if you get more of those.

[treefetish]

Not likely. [She puts her brush in her other hand for now, not wanting to smudge the still-drying clouds.] I'll be in the backyard, if you need me!

[truffulacide]

Yeah, yeah. [he opens the door and starts walking inside.] Dinner'll be ready soon. It'll be first come, first serve, so don't get too comfy out here.

[treefetish]

I won't! [just getting her paints and heading towards the backyard]