"Yeesh, you look tired today."
Although he did look very tired, he rolled his eyes, unamused. “Nice to see you too, Ahlu.” He poured a cup of tea for another Mudokon, before looking back at her expectantly.
Ahlu gave him a small smile, leaning against the nearest surface, “I know you’re busy this week, lots of traffic in and out…” She snorted, glancing back toward the door, then to him again, “I wanted to ask if you’ll actually be home for dinner tonight or not.”
He yawned, then rubbed his eyes. “Uhh… no. No, I won’t.” When he wasn’t working, he was busy spending time with Cecil and Ray, supporting them. But he couldn’t say that and he couldn’t say why. It wasn’t his place to say and he knew Cecil wanted him to keep quiet about it. “You two girls enjoy spending time together.”
Ahlu sighed but tried to keep her small smile up, “Well… Okay. Kirah’s actually been away, training I think, so…” She gave a slight shrug, but smiled again, her voice seeming to almost quiver for just a second, “I can help out around here if you need? You seem like you need it…” There was almost a desperation to her tone, and she tried to keep it hidden, but it didn’t seem to be working out so well. Something was making her think about things she often avoided, and she did not enjoy it one bit.
He picked up on the desperation, and help would have been great. Buddy wasn’t working that day and Alf felt very tired. “Alright, if ya want, you’re welcome to help.” He gave her a soft smile. He started making a pot of tea for a couple of Mudokons at a table. As he was making it, he looked at Ahlu for a few moments. She did seem off. “…So. You alright?”
Once given the go-ahead, Ahlu moved swiftly behind the counter to grab one of the black aprons she had stashed back there– since it wasn’t exactly the first time she helped since she moved in with Alf– along with grabbing a dust rag. She came back around and began tying the apron, only slowing when Alf asked her a question. She pondered on it for a moment before sighing, “Just… Some past stuff some kid brought up, made me start thinking too much. No distraction alone has been sufficient…”
“Sounds important. What kind of past stuff is it?” He leaned on the counter and looked at her, making the Mudokons wait a little bit longer for their tea. “You might feel better if you talk about it, and if La- uhh, Kirah is away then you’re gonna need someone to talk to, right?”
Ahlu wrung the dust rag in her calloused hands as he looked at her. She felt her lips purse, and forced herself to look away, toward the counter where she began wiping away crumbs and dots of tea, “Maybe I could talk about it when things aren’t so busy…” She grumbled, “It’s not gonna kill me if I don’t talk about it right away. I just need to stay distracted.”
“Alright…” He turned and finished the pot of tea. “Don’t think I’ll forget to ask again later, though.” He raised an eyebrow at her before walking away to give the Mudokons their tea. A few minutes later he returned after chatting with the others. “You thirsty?” He asked her.
Ahlu turned to him when she heard his voice, nearly losing her balance on the step stool she was on to dust the signs on the wall. She caught her balance with a huff and looked to him again, “Sorry, uh–” It seemed even while working her thoughts he continued to bombard her. She’d lost track of where she even was, “Fuck…” She mumbled with her head down, “Water. Water would be nice– I think. You asked if I was thirsty right?” Mentally she slapped herself. Couldn’t she just focus for a few minutes?
“Whoa!” He held his hands out to catch her, but luckily he didn’t need to. “Alright, if you’re all confused and wobbly I think you should get down from there. C’mon.” He went and fetched her some water. “Maybe sit down and take a breather for a minute.”
“I’m fine I’m fine I’m fine–” she mumbled rapidly, accepting the water but not the invitation to sit, “I just moved too fast. But really, I’m fine.” She glanced up, seeing others conversing and drinking tea around the rehab, “Did you take care of everyone?”
“Uhh, yeah, I did. I think you need to take a break or something, you’re getting worked up or something.” She clearly wasn’t okay, her denying it repeatedly wouldn’t convince him otherwise. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Come to the back room with me. We can talk.”
With a small sighs, Ahlu complied, setting the dust rag on down on the step stool. She allowed herself to be led to the back room, but the moment they were back there, she began to pace back and forth. It had been a while since she was so antsy, possibly years, in fact. Without Kirah being around all the time, and with Alf being busy with Odd knows what suddenly (she was afraid to ask) all she could do to cope was paint... And that only fared well enough right up until she ran out of canvas.
