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[e_delmar]

Ennis ain't never been one for reading, like Kaylee does. And even if his hands weren't a mess, knitting still wouldn't be his thing. But he's got some wood, and he's got a knife. And even if the damn thing'll end up looking like a shaved log, carving gives him something to do, and the lounge is at least a small change of view from the bunks.

Comments

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She looks at him with an eyebrow raised. "Are you sure? I don't mind."


"And I'd like to help you if I can."

[e_delmar]

The cough is a throat clearing this time, nothin' more, and his cheeks are tinged.


"Later."


It's almost more of a question.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"Of course. I don't have any pressing engagements today." There is a slight note of bitterness in her voice, but it's much less than it might have been.


"Would you mind some company for a bit? It's a little too quiet in my shuttle right now."

[e_delmar]

"Ain't much company."

It's said like an apology, but it don't mean she can't stay if she don't want to.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"Nonsense. You are wonderful company. Unless you don't want me sitting here talking at you," said with a smile.

[e_delmar]

Ennis just looks at her.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She laughs. "Okay, I'll stay."

She sits quietly for a bit, watching him shape the wood.

[e_delmar]

He works, but it's slow going. He manages, mostly, to keep his frustration to his face, if he shows it at all. It's got a back, now, and some things that might be legs, though they ain't nearly so detailed as he'd like.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She sees the frustration and understands it. A body's betrayal is the worst to overcome.


"Do you prefer to carving something from memory or do you just let your imagination guide your knife?"

[e_delmar]

The question surprises him a little, and it seems embarrassment's to be expected.




"The wood," is what he says, but it's muttered a little, under his breath.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She nods. "It's been said that the sculptor Michaelangelo on Earth-That-Was used to say that he could see the shape of his sculpture in the marble and all he did was bring it out."

[e_delmar]

"Dunno if it's quite like that."

He turns the wood around in his hands.



"Just get a feel for it."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"What's the most difficult thing you've ever carved?" she asks, tucking her feet up under her.

[e_delmar]

"People."

People are hardest. Can't hardly never get 'em to look like people.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She nods. "I can just imagine. The faces, folds of clothing...it must be very difficult."

[e_delmar]

"Can't never get the faces right."

And Ennis is frowning, now, at the face of the horse.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"I'm hopeless at drawing people. Stick figures are usually the best I can accomplish."

She gestures toward the horse. "And I certainly can't do anything like that - my calligraphy is the closest I come to art."

[e_delmar]

Ennis blinks at her, a little confused.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"Calligraphy? You know, the Chinese writing we do?"

She hides her grin at the continuing blank look and runs quickly up to her shuttle, grabs a couple of things and brings them back down.

She smoothes out the poem she's been working on.

[e_delmar]

Ennis narrows his eyes and looks at it, and looks up at her, and looks back at it.







"That says something?"

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She struggles to keep from laughing, managing to hide a bit of it behind a cough, grinning at him.

"I know it's hard to believe, but this is actually a poem. The art is forming the figures - there are many different styles and well-made pieces are considered art. This is going to be a hanging for my wall, if I ever finish it."

[e_delmar]

"Just looks like pictures t'me."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

"Each picture represents a word or idea."

She points to a particular symbol.


"This one is the symbol for the moon, but just the moon in general, not in a specific shape or time of the month."

[e_delmar]

Ennis looks a little skeptical.


"Looks more like a ladder to me."

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

She grins. "That's what makes it interesting."

She points out another farther down the page.


"And this is the symbol for 'shadow'".