Handiwork Gone Wrong (Open)

[Hunter Armitage]

The sun beat down on the roof of the small house, a small reflection in the small window pane as it was lifted back into place. Hunter would break off the rest of the cracked glass as he continued to work on the second story of this small foster home. His home, it would seem to be for the time being. But today was different, the day was hot, as he continued to hammer away at broken bits of the sideing up there.. The house was relatively old.. But.. This neighborhood that Hunter currently hung around in, living right now..

Well..

It was home to a bunch of rotten mischief makers.

Broken bits of glass and stones littered around the house, where broken windows were slowly being replaced. And there Hunter was, slowly working away, but not in his large trenchcoat. No, that would be a stupid move to pull out here in the hot weather.

"Damn drekheads, I swear I'm gonna beat those kids to a pulp when I get my hands on 'em.."

He talked to himself, as a low volume of metal music resided in a small radio near the edge of the flat roof siding. The large metal ladder near it.

Hunter knew that these kids would make his list one day for the beatings that they deserved, especially for just randomly vandalizing some old woman's house who'd done nothing to them. So there he worked, especially since this was his house too.. For the time being, at least. He felt slightly bad for Mary, because the first time he came around the house, before he could actually do repairs for the old woman, it was battered, broken and among other things, looking like a cruddy old shack. But there was nothing she could do about it.

Hunter continued to swear as he sweat from the top of his brow, replacing another window with a cracked one. He was really high up, from where he was, almost using the extent of the ladder.

Just then, as he finished putting the last one in, before he'd move to the side windows on the ground. He heard a large crash! Like something falling! He turned around to hear laughing of teenagers as there was no sight of the ladder anymore.

Hunter became furious, as he stood up quickly. Only wearing a black wifebeater and a pair of his baggy black jeans, with his boots so he wouldn't lose his balance. He looked down from where he was to see a few teenagers book it down the street, and his ladder on the ground.

"God damn, drek! Get back here!" He yelled, as they flipped him the bird and ran away. Teenagers about a few years younger than him.

If he was superman, he'd jump down and chase after them, giving them the beating of his . But this was high up, even a highly trained stuntman would get hurt badly from this kind of fall. Especially since it was mostly cement that surrounded the area, and the tree was in the backyard.

Smooth.

Mary wouldn't be strong enough to pick the ladder up herself..

Hunter sat down on the roof.. He now had no choice but to wait.

"Damnit.."

[Casey]

Casey walked down one of the residential areas in complete awe. It was charming, with cute old houses lined in a row. There were gardens of all kinds. Some with untamed lawns, others with evenly cut grass topped with little garden gnomes. The sun was a cleat blue with sunrays beating down on Casey.

"Damn drekheads, I swear I'm gonna beat those kids to a pulp when I get my hands on 'em.."
Casey turned her direction to a house two houses away from her.
Someone was on the roof to be, what it appeared, replacing a window. Below them, a bunch of rowdy teenagers came and ran to the side of the house. They went straight to the ladder the person was using and pushed it, letting it crash to the ground.
The person came around and Casey realized it was a guy.
A really pissed off guy.

"God damn, drek! Get back here!"
The teenagers ran down the street, laughing, and flipping him off. Casey took still as they ran past her and kept her eyes on the guy.
He looked down at the fallen ladder. He looked at the ground.
Was he thinking of jumping it?
Casey bolted over towards him and picked the ladder up. She leaned it against the house and said,
“Here.”
The expression of his pissed off face, made her a little on edge. Hopefully a little hospitality would help him cool off.

[Hunter Armitage]

Yeah, Hunter was kinda ticked. I mean, who wouldn't be after his ladder was just knocked down by some reckless teenagers who obviously didn't care anything for anyone. But the point was that he was stuck up there, as he turned away for the time being, as he thought of ways to get down.. He could use his clothes, but then he'd have ripped clothes and a stripping experience, not to mention there would be no padding for him in case he fell.

There was ideas just.. Not coming to fruition.

Great.

So was Hunter to be stuck up here, thanks to those snot nosed brats? Probably not, but if Hunter ever got his hands on their necks, he'd be sure to teach them a thing or two.

But just then.. He heard the sudden clanging of what seemed to be two metal rods. Hunter looked over to see that the ladder was put up again.

“Here.”

Said a small voice, making it known, as Hunter peered over the edge to look down and see that there was someone there that was kind enough to raise the ladder for him.. But was this out of pure hospitatlity? Or perhaps something more?

.. He'd think on it later. Right now, the job was done up here, and he had access to get back to the ground level.. Why not? Hunter packed up his things, and slowly stepped down the ladder before reaching ground level once more.

And there was the good samaritan.

He eyed her up and down, but not with that same irritated face earlier, he was at least thankful for her presence, but wouldn't show it facially.

".. Cheers, chummer for comin' around." He spoke in his slang. It was one of his ways of saying thanks. Considering he was never used to saying it.. But it was a start.

".. So what'll it be in return for the service? Cash?.. Or something?"

He was already assuming otherwise.. His wallet whipped out and everything. And not even 10 seconds in.

Way to go, Hunter.

[Casey]

Casey waited to see what this boy would do.
He seemed to be a little reserved, but took the opportunity. He left the ledge, and Casey could here some metal clinking as he put some tools away. Then slowly he came down the ladder. Casey watched as he came down, and once he reached the ground level, Casey gave a small smile.
She expected him to say thank you, or even smile and nod, but he didn’t. Instead he looked her up and down with a sort of blank expression.
He certainly wasn’t used to nice people.
Finally he said thank you. Or at least Casey thought it was a thank you. Was it? Maybe…
Casey opened her mouth to say something, but he blurted out,

".. So what'll it be in return for the service? Cash?.. Or something?"

He yanked his wallet out and seemed to be looking for some money to give. Casey’s eyes widened. Was this guy really for real?
Casey put her hand out to his and ever so lightly pushed his wallet down.

“You’re not too used to a little friendly hospitality, are you?”

Realizing what she just did, Casey quickly pulled her hand back. A little too quick.
Shit.

“Um sorry.”

Smooth move…

[Hunter Armitage]

Now.. Hunter wasn’t really good at giving out thank you’s, it would show that through his pulling out his wallet and offering cash. He really didn’t want to keep her for any much longer that she wanted to be there, which, in Hunter’s mind that he wouldn’t know about. He only figured that she was only there for a short time just to take her payment in stride and walk away.

But, it looked like she just put out her hand and pushed his wallet back into his hand, but Hunter was under the impression that she was just going to take what she wanted. Hunter didn’t have much money anyway, but the invasion of space was a bit.. Unnerving. Especially from his angle. He flinched a bit as she pushed his wallet down.

“You’re not too used to a little friendly hospitality, are you?”

No, he wasn’t but the sudden movement had caught Hunter off guard. He expected her to be just a bit of a common thief or in works with those teenagers that had knocked down his ladder earlier. He eyed her closely in case she pulled anything more. But.. It was rather unexpected.

“Um sorry.”

Sorry..? What was she sorry for? This was unexpected, but Hunter put his wallet away with that motion. So what did she really want? Obviously, if she told him to put his wallet down, there was going to be some sort of issue.. maybe she wanted something more..?

He closed his wallet slowly..

“ .. Don’t.. Don’t worry about it.”

He continued to watch her though, but he wanted to say thanks.

“Um..”

But instead..

“Chee- er.. Uh.. Th.. anks.. I guess, chummer.”

Yeah, he wasn’t too good with all the whole thanks routine. However.. At that last moment, a voice came out from behind his head.

“Hunter! I heard a loud crash out here! Are you okay?”

An old lady stood on the porch, she looked particularly small. You know, like old ladies do. She had curly grey hair, and wore a flowery small dress. It was Mary, Hunter’s guardian. Hunter leaned his head down in embarrassment.

“Yeah, yeah.. I’m fine Mary, whaddya take me for, a weakling?!”

Mary then proceeded to look over his shoulder at the girl she then offered a smile at her.

“Oooh! What’s this?! Have you finally made a friend?! I’m so happy for you, Hunter!”

Hunter looked up in surprise, even though his back was turned to Mary, he’d still be facing the girl.

“Er.. Mary! She’s.. Uh.. We’ve only just--”

“Ohh! Why don’t you come in for cookies, dear? I’ve just baked some fresh ones! Come on in now, don’t be shy!” She asked the young lady.

Hunter sighed, Mary was always like this.. She was nice, even to a fault. And was one of those people that was always being taken advantage of. But Hunter had taken a liking to her. She was his guardian after all..

“Hunter you can take a break from repairing the house, and spend some time with your new friend!” She exclaimed with a smile.

He shook his head.

“Gah..”

Before looking up at her again.

“.. Sorry, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

[Casey]

Ok so he was a bit awkward.Even with her saying sorry, this guy seemed to either take it the wrong way or over think it. He began to close his wallet, but kept his eyes on her.

“ .. Don’t.. Don’t worry about it.”

Maybe he just wasn’t used to people.

“Chee- er.. Uh.. Th.. anks.. I guess, chummer.”

Ok, he really wasn’t used to people.
But Casey didn’t mind it. She was never one to judge someone with his or her own social ways. She chuckled a bit. Whatever he just said must have meant, thanks. Well she thought it did.

Suddenly a shrill voice ended the silence. An aging woman, about in her late sixties or early seventies, came rushing out to see the late commotion. She ran to the boy, who’s name must have been Hunter, because she kept calling him that, and tried to see if he was ok. The poor guy seemed not to even notice it though, because he kept looking at Casey.
The attention made Casey blush.

“Oooh! What’s this?! Have you finally made a friend?! I’m so happy for you, Hunter!”

Casey snapped back in reality. She opened her mouth to speak, but Hunter spoke for her.

“Er.. Mary! She’s.. Uh.. We’ve only just--”

He never got a chance to finish because the sweet woman jumped on an opportunity to invite Casey for cookies.

Hunter looked over at Casey, embarrassment written all over his face and said,

“.. Sorry, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Casey looked over to the woman, but saw her already rushing inside the house. Ok… I guess she was staying.

She again smiled at Hunter and said,

“I don’t think she’ll give me a choice. And my names Casey. Nice to meet you Hunter.”

She walked a little bit towards the house, and then turned her head to Hunter.

“Well, are you coming?”

[Hunter Armitage]

And just like that, the deal was sealed.

“I don’t think she’ll give me a choice. And my names Casey. Nice to meet you Hunter.”

He sighed in agreement, this much was true, Mary wasn't exactly one person to just simply take no for an answer unless she was there. As she stated her name she began heading towards the house where Hunter resided. This was going to be.. fun?

No..

More like awkward.

“Well, are you coming?”

"Yeah, yeah.."

Hunter sauntered over to the front of the porch door, opening it briskly and making it inside, reaching over to his right and grabbing the dark overcoat that he always wore, with the exception of wearing it today because of the hot sun. It was dark green due to usage, as it looked very tattered.

"Nice to meet you too."

Hunter would then lead Casey into the kitchen, where Mary was already busy at work. Getting her goodies together for thier guest. A small table sat in the middle of the room as everything else looked unnaturally clean, sparkling white. This would prove to be most.. odd. Hunter would just simply pull his chair out and slammed both his raddy shoes on the table as he leaned back.

"Take a seat."

He offered, not ordered.

However, Mary would wait until she had her seat before bringing over a nice batch of chocolate chip cookies. It's scent was simply amazing as it wafted over the table. Mary would then announce;

"It's so nice to finally meet a friend of Hunter's!.. He's such a good little boy you know!"

Hunter scoffed, before reaching out to grab a cookie, briefly taking a bite out of it.

"He can be a bit rowdy at times, but he's a good boy!"

How could this embarrassment get any worse?

"So you two must go to the same school? Moral Crest, I think it was called?" She questioned her.