[ jayce gives no reason to doubt his responsibility when he manages to do everything on time. it's hard to really imagine it's only been a few days— he's made the place his home, with his personal touch, despite none of it being his. frequent places to sit in the form of logs, old hay bales or chairs are scattered at nearly every corner. around the stables, there's always somewhere to sit, to viktor's luck. even when jayce works the horse's feet, there's a support that holds the leg for him— he despises that thing, any uncooperative beasts wouldn't take kindly to it. he'd always use his legs, but that's not as easily possible nowadays. he's begrudgingly carries it about.
most of the stables are getting dark at this point of the day, with all horses tucked in and feeding on supper. the sweltering forge is just behind the barn, where the clanking of metals and burning white embers make their own dancing sunset. applying the finishing touches on one last shoe, jayce hammers iridescent iron between tongs before placing them in water to sizzle and cool. that should do it. with his shirt off in this terrible heat, he pulls his handiwork out of the pool and scrutinizes it. when it's finally approved, he takes a deep, preparatory breath in— collects all four and moves his tool box, along with a tattered towel over his shoulders right outside. it's where he runs into viktor, dropping the clench in his teeth from his complaining leg.
he manages to look even dirtier, somehow. ]
Oh— [ an incline, a brief look up and down— he catches sight of the cane and wonders: that's all the support he has? jayce must be careful. he'll get ideas on top of ideas and that's never good for his actual progress. he shakes his head, only to himself. ] You made it.
[ he decides that's the better greeting, in an attempt to quell his anxious vibrating within. ] This way.
[ he's not about to walk ahead of him; his legs are a bit too fatigued for that, his limp a touch more prominent. if anything, he'll walk with viktor. a short walk, thankfully. the hay bales await like a soft bed in the night. ]
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most of the stables are getting dark at this point of the day, with all horses tucked in and feeding on supper. the sweltering forge is just behind the barn, where the clanking of metals and burning white embers
make their own dancing sunset. applying the finishing touches on one last shoe, jayce hammers iridescent iron between tongs before placing them in water to sizzle and cool. that should do it. with his shirt off in this terrible heat, he pulls his handiwork out of the pool and scrutinizes it. when it's finally approved, he takes a deep, preparatory breath in— collects all four and moves his tool box, along with a tattered towel over his shoulders right outside. it's where he runs into viktor, dropping the clench in his teeth from his complaining leg.
he manages to look even dirtier, somehow. ]
Oh— [ an incline, a brief look up and down— he catches sight of the cane and wonders: that's all the support he has? jayce must be careful. he'll get ideas on top of ideas and that's never good for his actual progress. he shakes his head, only to himself. ] You made it.
[ he decides that's the better greeting, in an attempt to quell his anxious vibrating within. ] This way.
[ he's not about to walk ahead of him; his legs are a bit too fatigued for that, his limp a touch more prominent. if anything, he'll walk with viktor. a short walk, thankfully. the hay bales await like a soft bed in the night. ]