Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon, or any of it's characters (though if they're ever for sale can I buy Toby? kthx).

Luke.

Sure, I met him when I first arrived on the island. He gave me his old axe as a 'welcome-to-the-island-now-get-to-work' gift. However, I never had the chance to get to know him even though I visited the carpenters shop he works in often enough. I was too busy making a fresh start, making sure everything was done right, hoping that the work I did this season would benefit myself and the rest of the island in the next. I had been on the island for over a year and love was the least of my priorities.

Looking back ...

I realize how much I feared to disappoint everyone.

and by 'how much I feared to disappoint everyone' I mean 'how much of an idiot he was.'

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The knocks at the door rattled through the small, single-room cabin. In my groggy, narcotic state I wondered if another typhoon was blowing through the island. If so the animals would be fine, I secure the barn and coop religiously. I learned that lesson from the last storm that blew through, but I should still probably check on them. Another ten minutes or so of sleep and then I'll go...

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Ok, five more minutes... I had stayed out far too late after the harvest festival the night before. Apparently the reward for winning a cook-off against the islands star chef was free cocktails at his bar as he attempted to figure out my 'secret.' 'I just got lucky' was not a sufficient strategy and led to even more drinks. This behavior was ultimately encouraged by the lead bartender (by allowing it) and his daughter (by insisting there really was a 'secret'). I'll kill her when I wake up. Five more minutes and I'd check out the storm...

Bang! Bang!

"Hey!"

"Akariiiiiii!"

I grumbled, finally realizing that this was merely a storm of human stupidity. My eyes opened and gradually adjusted to the dim morning light. I stared at the red clock hanging on the wall until it came into focus.. 6 am. I rubbed my eyes, hoping I misread it... nope, still 6 a.m. "Who in their right mind comes to visit post-festival at six in the morning?" I complained as I attempted to wriggle out of the sheet cocoon. The banging continued, escalating in frequency.

"Akari! Come on! Wake up!"

That voice was irritatingly familiar, but it definitely wasn't one of my closer companions.

I fetched a robe, shrugged it on and shuffled to the door, dreading the headache I knew was coming. Good thing the real prize for yesterdays contest was a ten-pack of herbal energy drinks. I groaned as I connected the two events. They're all in on it! I put the Mayor's name next on my mental hit-list. The barn better have collapsed or else this guy gets moved to the top.

"What!" I demanded as I yanked the door open. My reaction to this method of waking was cheerfully ignored.

"I brought honey!" the carpenters' apprentice announced, as if this was a perfectly reasonable explanation. I stared, dumbfounded. Luke, of all people, at my door at the crack of dawn with a self-satisfied grin and a crock of honey. It took a few moments for the shock of absurdity to wear off.

"What?"

"Honey! To go with breakfast!" He breezed by me, setting the little pot of honey on the counter of the kitchen island, before vigorously rummaging through my cabinets.

"You can make pancakes right? They're so AWESOME with honey!" Emphasizing the word 'awesome' with a shake of his fist.

I stared at him, mouth agape.

"Luke, what the heck are you doing here?" Technically a question, but to anyone with half a brain it was an obvious 'get out now' statement.

"Bringing honey!" he said, his head popping up from behind the counter. His expression changed slightly, as if he just now noticed that I looked like a sleep-deprived, hungover wreck.

"You do like honey, right?" A pout spread over his lips as he stood up, a mixing bowl dangling from one hand and a spoon clenched in the other. His confusion and dismay over the possibilty of anyone not liking the honey he so thoughtfully bestowed made me feel like I had just kicked a puppy. His bottom lip quivered. Make that a three-legged puppy. His gazed moved slowly to the floor. God! He's doing that on purpose! I rolled my eyes and shut the front door.

"Sure, it's great..."

"That's what I'm talking about!"

I grabbed the bowl and spoon and used them both to shove him out of the tiny kitchen before he broke something. While I attempted to prepare breakfast he went on to divulge his morning exploits which consisted of chopping trees, getting chased by bees, and wrestling over honeycomb. Each event was accompanied by a charade of fanatical motions which he performed with an incredible amount of enthusiasm. His energy made me neauseous.

"Don't you ever just wake up and think 'Man, I gotta chop something!'"

"can't say that I have..." I mumbled as I placed two plates of steaming, deformed pancakes, oozing with honey, on the table. They looked almost as bad as I did. Luke, still standing, dug into his portion with the unrequited fervor of starving man at a full-course buffet. Guess that meant they were edible.

"So what do you think of?" he asked with his mouth full, making it sound more like "Ooo, waduoothinoh"

I thought for a moment, stabbing the pile of fluffy flapjacks with my fork. This was not the sort of conversation I wanted to be having right now. Just make something up, Akari...

I shrugged. "Just what I want to accomplish that day"

"Hey!" he exclaimed "Like me, right? My axe n I gotta accomplish stuff, you know? Chop trees, build things! It's great to finally have a friend who gets it!"

I nearly choked. Friends? Since when were we friends? I was still trying to figure out why on earth he was sitting at my table eating the breakfast that he had guilted me into making.

His eyes brightened and he slammed his fist down on the table

"Friends, yeah? So come to me if you need anything, kay?" He reached over and patted my head, his face barely withholding a grin. I could smell the layer of sawdust that still lingered on his arm. "I'll see what I can do" he whispered mischeviously.

"Hope you enjoy the honey, those bees didn't give it up easily!" He ruffled my hair. I smacked his hand.

"Hey, I gotta run. Pops'll have my head if I don't show!"

He bounded out the door with a "See-ya!" slamming it behind him.

Silence...

My head throbbed...

I gazed blindly at the room, which now seemed significantly dull, and sighed.

"I'm going back to bed..."

**Thanks for reading. Please review, feedback helps when continuing ^_^)b