When morning came the Centaurian awoke to the face of the other man still asleep above him and the coals long since put out by the cool night air. He got up, skirting under the hammock to do so, and looked over at the merman.
Leaving him for a bit won't hurt, right? Reasoned the Centaurian with himself and stepped out of the hut, walking over to his ship.
His sleep wasn't easy- not like it was in the water anyway, but he still didn't wake up when Yondu moved beneath him. And didn't stir for an addition five minutes. When he did it was with a lazy smile that was quickly replaced with fear and a tinge of anger when he discovered Yondu gone. Racing back towards the shore- and never you mind clothes- he went in search of him.
Meanwhile, the man was inside his ship, fishing out the more of the useful things he could implement in the hut. He had a blanket, because why the hell not, some more knives, a sawing kit, and a scrapper from the kitchenette to use on the hare skins.
Climbing out of the hatch, the Centaurian was just about to jump into the water from the ship's wing when he spotted the angry looking Steve.
When he saw him he sprinted full tilt and leapt onto the side of the ship with powerful legs. Skittering up and hugging him hard.
"You're okay." He said like he'd been expecting something else entirely. "Thank the currants."
Yondu stumbled back a bit, not at all expecting said greeting and almost dropped the blanket in which he had wrapped the other items.
With his nose pressed just about into the merman's upper shoulder, the man tried to look up and scoffed, wriggling out.
"What in the stars' name you talkin' about? Course I'm alright, ain't like there's anything on this island that can hurt me" he pointed out.
"Ya were out of it and I wanted to get more things for the hut, what could have possibly happened?" he asked.
Steve growled softly, not having the right words to express what he'd actually been afraid of and held out his arms.
"I will help carry." He said blushing lightly.
He hadn't wanted to have to chase him down, to be so thoroughly rejected. He'd feared that the man was going to lock himself away and that his chance to gain him as a mate would be lost. Instead he made grabby hands and looked at him.
"What did you get?"
Yondu heaved a sigh of exasperation at the merman, shaking his head. Personally, he didn't think his quick journey to the ship was worth that much apparent worry, but then again he wasn't Steve and didn't know his mind. Hiking the almost fallen blanket, Yondu answered with a shake of his head holding onto the bundle.
" 's just a blanket with some knives and a scraper. Might wanna grab some spices from the kitchenette later as well though" he mused, jumping back into the water and looking up at Steve
"What is a scraper?" He asked and followed along, easily falling into step alongside him. He had work to do today now that he knew the man was safe but he wanted to hear the explanation first.
"Sharp bit of metal to help clean up the skins I stretched yesterday. I don't want them to go to waste or rot, so the scraper is rather useful. We get enough of those hares I can fashion some proper covers for the hut, maybe some clothes." theorized the Centaurian as he remembered his way he used to dress as a child, and the tan leathered trousers of their trousers and decorations.
If this was a vacation, he wanted to spend it the way he wanted. That meant relax, settle back into his half-forgotten instincts, and wear some goddamn real leathers, instead of the synthesized ones he usually did.
Steve blinked and then smiled.
"So clever my mate." He said grinning brilliantly. "I have never used them for anything- can all things be worn like that?" He asked planning on getting him larger animals of he so desired.
"If you got anything larger, I'd have to make a bigger frame for it and the curing would take longer. But yeah, most of animal skins can be treated right into a needed shape. I got just about everything needed for that. Don't remember the exact process perfectly, but I'm sure it'll come back to me" mused the Centaurian as he tried to recall the method his elders used to employ in such situations.
Steve smiled and gave him a kiss to the cheek.
"Do you want larger hides?" He asked. "There are thicker skinned animals." His mind already going to the great creatures of the north.
Glaring at the merman for the kiss, having never the less not rejected it, Yondu nodded.
"If you've got a way of bringing something bigger then it would make things easier. Should take me about two weeks or so to tan something of roughly my own size, less for smaller animals. Whatever you brings will serve well though" he agreed, easily stepping over leaves and twigs, fox-stepping silently.
"Do you often bring land animals over to feed on?" added the Centaurian, raising a curious brow
"In the north." He said with a nod. "Most northern ones are land and water creatures."
"Around here just the hares, and some birds." Admitted Steve. "But even with some of the larger islands there are not many large creatures that are solely land anymore." He added
"Is thicker skin better?" He knew a few animals softer than the hares that he wanted to bring him to start the wooing process.
"Something my size, I don't think I can tan anything bigger until I remember the process all the way through" thought Yondu, as they finally approached the hut.
Nothing had changed overnight, but he could still smell the delicious remnants of last night's dinner.
"Not sure how many I would need to make us both pants though if you want them" he added as an after thought
"Are pants needed?" He asked and stroked across his legs. "I know things. I will bring them. There are plants for smoking meat, I will fetch them too." Smiling he chuckled. "Let me get clay and then I will meet you at the hut."
Nodding, the Centaurian continued on his way and soon, the daily routine took place, or at least the beginning of one. He made sure that the hut was still standing properly, and that clay hadn't chipped anywhere, discovering a hare eating some of the greens around. It was quick work on snagging the little beast, and the satisfied man wasted no time in skinning and gutting him, adding the meat into the pot.
Steve came back carrying the clay across his shoulders, the reddish liquid draining down across his skin leaving him marked, but all in all he carried a solid seventy pounds of it.
Setting it down he set everything up and began to get what would be the kiln going and began to make pots of all shapes and sizes. Ones to eat from and drink from and all kinds to store things in. Firing them each carefully. The largest one up to his waist and as wide around as himself with a lid with which to store water.
Taking a look at some of the finished pots, Yondu situated himself next to the other man with one of his knives and a thin stick from the fire pit. He took one of the still wet pots and with small sure strokes, lined it with a pattern, twisting concentric circles and wines connecting them, akin to ripples in the water
Steve smiled as they worked, pleased that his mate was industrious. When the last one was done he set them aside.
"The pots in the kilns will not be done for several hours." He said. "I will be back once I have retrieved the honey I promised yesterday and more meat for tonight."
Yondu looked up from his seat, still busy carving the largest of the pots. He decided to be creative and drew Steve's exaggeratingly large merman form wrapping around the entirety of the sides, kelp and sea creatures flittering all around him. His own Centaurian body was scratched into the lid, in the same shape that Steven first saw him in. With one hand on his stomach and another under his head.
"See if you can get some more hares on your way. I suspect that your body needs a hell of a lot more food than I do" added he
"I shall." He laughed and vanished with a wide hand deep pot into the woods. Finding the grasses he wanted he lit them and hiked off to the bee's nest he knew of. He was careful in his extraction. Blowing the hive full of calming smoke -of which he got several deep lungful himself- before pulling out large sections of comb and fitting them into the pot before setting the top on. Leaving the hive behind he got more bark- this one would produce a lemon like scent and taste, and was a wonderful antiseptic. Along with that he packed up several deep bowls of grubs and set off. Catching five hares and bringing them back just as he said he would.
Long since finished with the pots and having stacked them around the outside kiln to start drying, Yondu was in the process of weaving some grass covers for the floor. Much as he loved walking around barefoot, it was just bad manners to step into the house with dirty paws.
He gathered up the long pliant fivers of the grass that grew in spades next to the beach gently swaying in the wind and possessing a rather unconventionally bright yellow color. It was a simple if tedious process, and the blue hands, now more used to a gun and holster rather than labor like that, were feeling a bit cramped.
Yondu hissed and gyrated his wrist, rotating it in hopes of easing the discomfort
