fandomhigh | Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

“Last week was TV and snacks,” Stark said. “Easy. Just something to sit back and enjoy without having to do anything at all besides maybe press a button. Or open snacks. So today we’ll do something that requires a little more effort. Or at least a little more engagement? I don’t know. A less passive hobby for today than the one last week, anyway.”

Was he babbling a little today? Maybe. Just a bit. These things happened, sometimes. Especially if you were Stark.

“So. Creating something. So there’s something to show for your time and something to keep your hands busy. But you don’t have to make it all up. Just follow the instructions. And if it doesn’t work you just take it apart and start again. So. This is…”

Stark paused and gestured to the bag in front of him and then started pulling things out of it. Hooks. Yarn. Instruction books. Kits for beginners that included everything.

“Crochet. Something new for us to try. Unless you’ve tried it before and then it isn’t new for you but it’s still new for me. So…Come get your supplies. And there is a video we can watch that might explain things and then there are plenty of instructions and different sorts of things to try. Hats are popular. Blankets, but that involves a lot more time than we have. Tiny scarves. Maybe a blanket for the squirrels when they’ve passed out? Or little characters and creatures. Lots of things to try but at first we’ll just try to put a few stitches together. And if you can’t…that’s fine. No risk. Just something to do. To keep us occupied.”

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Hooking!

Steven Grant

Luma Zarrin

Henry

See what happens! Maybe nothing good. Maybe you've an affinity for it! Maybe you just want to look at pretty yarn or flip through one of the books.

Steven got his glasses on and tried to make heads or tails of it all. He was able to make.... something? A worm, perhaps?

At first, Luma was having an absolutely horrible time with the needles and hooks, irritated by her lack of coordination with something like this and feeling a new appreciation (and a fresh pang of loss) for what Boc could do at the store.

But it was that thought that also lead her to wonder what she was doing bothering with hooks when she was far more clever and dexteros with her own claws.

So she quickly brought them out and gave them a try, and it still wasn't a great display of skill in what she was trying to crochet, but it was, at least, far less frustrating for her.

He's around. A little off today, maybe, but trying not to be.

Steven looked tired himself. But he still came by when the session was over. "You all right?"

"I'll be fine," Stark assured him. "Just thinking too much."

As usual.

"Anything you'd like to talk about?" Steven asked.

"Nothing new," Stark said. "Not really. Just thinking about things and changes and..." he shrugged.

"But I'm all right. Really. Just distracted. Goodbyes are difficult, sometimes, even if you know it's not forever."

"I can understand that," Steven said, thinking of more than a few goodbyes in his time. "Is teaching helping to distract you at all?"

"It is," Stark said, nodding. "Keeping me busy. I...was thinking of making something for tomorrow, to bring."

He looked down at his yarn. "Not like this. Baking something. Or will you have enough?"

Vegan recipes required a little more thought and that might keep him busier longer!

Steven brightened to know for sure Stark would be coming. "That's so kind of you! Not required of course, but that doesn't mean it won't be welcome. We're going to have sort of food stations set up? Nice and casual, hopefully."

Steven's worrying about the party being set up properly and going well was only going to increase until the start of said party. At least Stark was getting him fairly early on before it got too bad?

"I may need distractions later today," Stark said because he expected his evening to be very quiet indeed. "Baking is always a good one. And I like doing things for people. So."

"Then we'd love to have whatever you feel up to making," Steven said with a smile. "As well as the pleasure of your company."

"I'm glad you're having a party. It's important, celebrating the good things. Happy things."

Stark was also happy the party was outdoors. The house still intimidated him.

"And you're my friends."

"And we've two things to celebrate right there," Steven said. "Llewellyn's birthday and our marriage. It'll be nice to have friends around, share that joy. I had hoped to have a wedding with that but this is good too."

"You did what was right for you," Stark said. "And now there's a party. Two parties in one, really. Birthdays are a good thing as well. I like having one now."

"It's good that you feel it's something to celebrate," Steven said. Since he knew someone who did not feel that way about his own. "Signs things are going well, I think."

Whoever might Steven be referring to? A mystery.

"Being alive is something to celebrate," Stark said mildly. "Rather than the alternative. And birthdays are still new, for me."

"It'll be Llewellyn's first birthday party here on the island," Steven said. Since the last one that had been planned for him had gone pear shaped. "I'm hoping it goes well. No rain, people having fun, that sort of thing."

The island did have a habit of wrecking people's plans like that.

"I'm sure it will be enjoyable," Stark said. "No reason to think it won't be."

"There's always that concern," Steven said. "Will it go well? Will people like the food? Will anyone show up?"

Steven's anxiety was building with time, yes.

"I'm only one person but I'll be there. So that's three, already," Stark said. "And you've plenty of people living in your boarding house. Why wouldn't they come as well?"

And that was like a third of the island population right there!

"You have friends. Both of you. They'll come."

Big words from someone who would probably never host his own party because, well, what if nobody came?

"Here's hoping," Steven said. Of course, being Steven, that immediately made him go on to his next worry. "What if we don't have enough food?"

"Then someone will get more. And I'll bring something so you'll already have more than you planned on having."

Stark could catastrophize with the best of them but that also made him good at countering the what-ifs of others. Sometimes.

"Right. Right." Steven took a deep breath. "I'm borrowing trouble, aren't I?"

"Borrowing trouble?" Stark echoed. "I dont think I've ever heard anyone say that but... maybe? You're worrying. I do that too. Too much. I know what it sounds like."

"It's a phrase Llewellyn came up with," Steven said. "Means worrying about things that might not happen. Upsetting myself for no reason, really."

Blaaaaaah.

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Finding (More) New Hobbies, Thursday Period 2

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