EEP ZEKE X F!BUILDER part 1!
This was a request (female by request, I swear I'll make more gender neutral in the future!) but I got carried away and I wanna make more for the sweet garden gnome man so yeah! Enjoy, part 2 will come soon!
Zeke had lived in sandrock for the vast majority of his life, and it had changed quite a bit in that time. With the disappearance of his adoptive mother and his adoptive father’s failing mental acuity, not to mention the untimely deaths of so many of the townspeople he’d grown up with, he had closed himself off in many respects.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care for the people of sandrock, on the contrary, he cared about them all greatly. But people were weak, and the desert was merciless, and Zeke had grown tired of loss. That was part of the reason he enjoyed his time in the moisture farm, alone and at peace- even when a plant was lost it could be regrown.
And that was how Zeke liked it. Alone, tending to his plants, and serving the people of sandrock from afar. At least that's how it was until the new builder moved to town.
She was a force to be reckoned with, an unstoppable train constantly barreling forward and making way for progress in a way that Zeke had thought was long gone in sandrock, and much in the same way she bust through the doors of the moisture farm during the googler’s attack she had bust through the gates he had placed in front of his heart.
She reminded him of Martyl in a way, determined and intelligent and caring. Maybe that was why he found himself wondering what kind of flower would make her happiest, or if she wanted to hear about the new data on the biocrust he’d discovered, or if she had enough water to drink, or if she…if she cared that he was a reclusive old man.
He paused, looking at the desert rose he’d been tending during his musings. Why did he always think of her when he tended the flowers?
He wouldn’t get the chance to dive deeper into this thought before the sound of the heavy metal doors of the moisture farm opening once again caught his attention. the builder came bounding in, carrying her heavy bag on her shoulders. He vaguely wondered how she always managed to lug that thing around…
“Zeke!! I have a need for seed!” she sang out as she looked for him, poking her head around the hydrogel. He quietly chuckled and turned to greet her.
“Good morning to you too.”
“Isn’t it? Its also a super hot morning! Which is why I brought you this.” she hummed, digging in her bag before pulling out a bottle of Heat Stroke medicine. Zeke’s smile faltered slightly but he accepted it gratefully. She was always bringing him medicine, always things that were precautionary for the weaker of residents.
A reclusive old man, indeed.
“Thanks, I’ve been feeling a little rough lately. This’ll hopefully help me feel a bit better.” he said, putting it on the shelf behind him, “what kind of seeds are you looking for?”
“Cantalope jute shoots! I love dan-bi but with all the time she devotes to the flowers in town you’d think she could take a moment to grow these for herself. She’s always looking for one or the other.” she said back, smiling warmly at the mention of their mutual friend. As if what he’d said had only just hit her the smile faded, “Wait, you aren’t feeling well? Have you gone to see Fang? I know he doesn’t talk much but he’s really good with medicine…” she began fussing slightly, a somewhat pout-ish frown taking over her mouth.
Darn, he hadn’t meant to make her worry. Shit. he quickly redirected her attention.
“Nah nah, just haven’t been sleeping great, but hey! Look what I’ve been trying my hand at!” He quickly snips a desert rose off the plant he’d been tending moments before and holds it out to her. Her eyebrows are still knit but she goes with his subject change and takes the rose. Her eyes widen slightly as she inspects the water drops on the petals where he’d been spraying them moments before her entry.
“Wow…this is so pretty…” she whispered as if afraid her voice would somehow disturb the bud.
“I’ve been trying my hand at a few more flowers lately…I usually grow foods here since its what the moisture farm is for but I…thought people might like these.” I thought you might like these.
“I’m sure they will! You’ve got such a green thumb I'm convinced you could grow water lilies in the desert!” she chuckled, gently caressing the petals. She tucked it behind her ear and grabbed the seeds he’d placed on the counter for her. “I’ve got a lot to do today, so I have to run but take care today, okay? Maybe I’ll bring you some coffee beans when my tree is next ripe.”
He smiled at her. “I’d really like that.”
She nodded once more and stuffed the seeds in her bag. She took off towards the moisture farm door once more, pausing to wave goodbye once more before she made her escape. Zeke watched her go with a small smile, a light blush dusting his cheeks. He turned to the freshly cut rose plant and his smile grew. He’d have to grow more.
