“Hi, F-Foxglove!” Techie looked up from the greenhouse’s rows of crops, stopping to wipe at his nose and managing to get dirt on his face. Months of working amongst nature with his new gang had given his cheeks a rosy glow, and he’d even managed to put on enough weight to form a little pouch over his tummy, no longer skin and bones.
“I’m d-doing a lot better. I owe you my l-life,” he smiled.This kind of situation hardly ever ended “fine” but he’d take a deep breath, relax. Leave this in Foxglove’s capable hands and hope for the best. Take another deep breath, just in case.
“Thank y-you, Foxglove. You’ve b-been nothing but nice to me since I got here, and I… I don’t underst-tand why. I’m just a grunt.” He shifted his face towards the ground, staring at his own shoes. They weren’t the same ratty old sneakers he’d come in with; Foxglove had provided newer ones (with no holes!)
“I want to help you,” Techie says, determined. “Do s-something big!”
“Of course! I am glad to be able to help. Every little bit of kindness in this hell hole of a city, is a gift. Those in the position to be able to provide that, should.”, she told him sincerely. “Some, need it more than others.”
She looked pointedly at him, then out to where some children were running up and down the rows between plants.
“If you want to do more than you already do, you can. Just don’t feel obligated.”
She smiled warmly.
His gaze drifts over to where Foxglove is looking, at the smiling children. A thoughtful, relaxed silence falls over them. It’s pleasant like this, sitting side by side with a friend.
“I’d want to… W-with the kids. Um. Work with them, if th-that’s alright.” Ever since he was a little boy, Techie had known he wanted to grow up and become a father. Not just any type of father: a good one.
Maybe helping these children would be as close as he’d ever get, now that his life had gotten so screwed up.
TechieHux 