Chapter Text
Martin wasn't really the most passionate nor the patient man when it came to a lot of things. Ey couldnt stick to a hobby for long and ey didnt even like waiting for eir food to cook on stove or to sleep to come to eir eyes and pull em into the world of unreality.
But right now? Ey was making an umbrella. trying to make one. Ey had been, for the past few days, trying to get a good umbrella and it was the sixth umbrella today. Sticks, cropped pieces of paper, glue and wax covered the floor around co like a weird nest.
Co was hopeful of the new paper umbrella co was making. It was light weight, it was black, it looked and felt strong like it could take long journeys and it was covered with wax to be waterproof.
It was what a phantom would need to travel safely. It was important.
Martin worked very carefully on the umbrella under the light of her lantern for a few more hours to make sure it was good until her eyes became weary. Thinking she would probably make a few more umbrellas to get a really good one, she carefully opened and closed the umbrella to try it and then slowly stood up on eir claws to stretch her body. It had been a lot of sitting in one day for a bird and ey needed that wing stretch. Right. Now.
Co's one room house was barely enough for cos to stretch one wing at a time without knocking anything to the floor. It wasn't that the house co's parents left cos was a small one. In fact, it was a big room the size of a normal sized house's floor space. It was just that eir wings were big. And perhaps that eir house was full of tiny trinkets and books and plants and materials for eir many hobbies. It was a home.
Martin ruffled her feathers and shook her head and arms as she crowed lazily before rubbing eir eyes and starting to get ready for perch. Preening would have to wait for tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning was when ey realised ey hadnt eaten in the last one and half day because ey was too busy with the umbrella and didn't want to stop working on it.
Hunger hit em like a drill in eir stomach, ey grabbed the bag of grains and started stuffing eir face like ey hadnt eaten in ages. Another perk of being an avian was the quick methabolism and ey really really needed that food. "Umbrella." ey thought as ey ate, "Umbrella umbrella umbrella. I want to work on the umbrella."
Ey needed to work on the umbrella too.
And ey did.
There wouldnt be anything so interesting about making umbrellas, if you were to ask Martin about that in any other part of eir life but right now, it was the most interesting and important thing in the world. A good umbrella meant freedom as much as well-kept wings did, it was what could block the things that can hurt a phantom -a best friend, for Martin.
Martin worked on several more umbrellas the half of the day before co finally decided co had a good, lightweight, waterproof umbrella that a person could fold and carry on their back. Co was finally satisfied with cos work.
Then she started to pack and cook at the same time
She packed a few pairs of clean clothes, she grabbed some grains; she placed the simple sewing set into the bag and some onions; she folded a blanket around her portable perch and sealed a bottle of oil. She packed a tiny cooking pot, two spoons and cups. She dressed herself in her most comfortable attire and placed her knives all around her body and bagpack.
It was getting darker and darker outside. Martin made sure to pack lantern oil as well.
Ey double checked everything two times before locking the door and placing the keys under the pot next to the door. A friend would come over and take care of cos plants.
Ey lit the lantern, Hung it at the end of a lantern stick and made their way to the house a few buildings away. Another home. House of a friend.
Martin hopped cos steps on the way to Ivi's house more than for it to be considered a 'walk'.
"Knock knock!" Cawed Martin, "You have a guest at your door!"
Co heard the tired footsteps of a sleepy man. "Welcome," Ivi said sleepily, "I've packed, just let me grab my backpack."
Martin waited easily. Ey would wait for a friend like Ivi for an eternity if vamp asked for. Still, it was lovely that vamp didn't take an eternity. Vamp soon appeared on the doorway with a bag on vamps shoulder, a washed face and outside clothes.
"Lets gooo!" Ivi exclaimed as they locked their door and Martin could barely hold herself back from visibly jumping where ey stood.