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Gaius waited back as Richard measured, scowling a bit at the grandmother comment. So maybe he was a bit over-helpful...

"I imagine they can get some shipped in if you ask the labs... A foot each in diameter?" He raised his eyebrows. "That some thick stuff there. But the pressure would be a good idea with all the moisture around here and the way wood'll probably rot... Got a major outdoor project in mind?"

Richard was indeed doing a good job of stringing the poor boy along. He stooped to help Richard haul lumber out of the pile, asking at the same time, "Permanent? Well, pressed wood is definitely good for something like that, though maybe the labs would even let us have a little cement mix and tools... Good for foundations, you know?"

He piled the wood over against the doorway and whiped his brow, glancing back over his shoulder at the elderly businessman. "What do you have in mind that needs to be so sturdy anyways?"

"Second heart attack?!" Gaius sounded positively scandalized and quickly gathered up the wood left in his arms, a couple pieces sticking out awkwardly over his shoulders. "I knew I should've helped you more with those stairs! If it's help you need, I've got the spare time. It's not like I'm going to let you haul all this around on your own, especially in this heat!"

Starting to haul the wood back to the work area, Gaius didn't wait for Richard, instead taking everything he held. The sun was getting high and beat down on their backs, tanning Gaius's already sun-darkened skin. At least the hair along the back of his neck kept it from burning too badly. He wondered if perhaps he should have taken Richard's load as well...

"Hmm..." Gaius gave him a disbelieving look, but shrugged and broke into a grin. "Just take it easy, okay?"

He turned his head to look at the wood beams piled half-hazardly on top of each other. Seemed like quite some work. Though he supposed a bulletin board could be handy, instead of relying on the cafeteria doors. "You know, maybe if you put it near the caf... Lots of people go around there often since food is pretty important!"

"So.." He looked back at Richard, ears perked and a ready smile on his face. "What do we need to do to start?"

Gaius nodded. Simple enough. He propped himself on an arm to look over Richard's notes. It was strange, he almost felt like he was back on the work force in America, looking over plans for their latest project. If only it wasn't for the tail or the two lumps present beneath the fabric of his shirt.

His eyes caught the letters, as quickly vanishing as they'd appeared. He read them, but it took longer for his brain to process them, by then Richard had flipped back to innocent measurements. However, long-buried memories began to resurface in Gaius's mind. It was from when he was still a human. The thought struck him speechless. That seemed so long ago...

"What..." Gaius croaked and cleared his throat before continuining, "What are you doing with... that name in there...?"

Gaius stared for a long while at the design and words, his usually expressive face empty. Whatever he was feeling was too deep to surface there.

When he finally did find his voice, it was raspy and thick, the words coming with difficulty. "Did you... Did you know her?" he turned his searching blue eyes on the older man as he asked. "In person, I mean?"

Gaius flinched visibly and looked away, his face drawn with guilt. Forgetting was all he'd wanted to do, and Richard's words hurt. What kind of honorable man was he to abandon the memory of a girl... "I didn't even try to stop her..." he whispered, hunching over the workbench until the tensed muscles of his back showed through even the fabric. "I'm a coward..."

He missed Richard's tears, but took in every word he spoke. Yes, the man was right. It would be what she wanted, wouldn't it? But still, conflicting thoughts tugged at him. Was this right?

Finally, with a sigh Gaius straightened from his bent position, though his shoulders remained slumped. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, still avoiding Richard's gaze. "Alright... get the materials ordered... I'll help. I just... need some time to think about it before we start..."

Gaius nodded slowly and took a deep breath before pulling himself back together. "Right. The frame." He looked back at Richard, then down at the plans, setting aside his turmoil to focus on the task at hand.

"If I do the sawing, then you can place the beams flush and hammer them together, I think. It's a pretty simple project, shouldn't take too long..."

As the two began to work, Gaius lapsed into silence, aside from the odd instruction. His mind was on the work, and nothing else. He feared what would happen if he let it go beyond that.

So he worked.

[FIN]