Hey! It's Lexi here for my new fanfiction Brotherly Love. It's rated T to be safe. Hope you enjoy :)
I don't own Harvest Moon. Obviously.
Claire raised her small, snub nose to the air, and inhaled.
"Perfect," she muttered.
She reached for the red, white, and blue dishcloth on the kitchen counter, and opened the oven door. More of the 'heavenly' fumes she had just inhaled before wafted out of the open oven. Claire used her patriotic dish cloth to grab the small tray with a large black object on it from inside the oven. She put the tray on the counter, and put the now crumbling black object on a piece of aluminum foil, then poured a small cup of burnt butter on it. Claire stepped back to admire her handy work.
"Perfect! Gray is going to LO-OVE this!" she said to herself.
Claire glanced at the small yellow watch on her wrist. It read 2:14 Claire gave a small gasp. Jack would be here in half an hour. Quickly Claire wrapped the black object up in the aluminum foil. Tucked it under her arm, football style, and ran out the door, into the humid summer air . Claire ran across her farm, down the scorching cobble stone road, and to the clinic. When Claire entered, the first thing she felt was the chilly breeze from the air conditioner. The clinic was the only building that was equipped with an air conditioner, so Claire heavily enjoyed going to the clinic, especially in summertime. She also liked the clinic for two more reasons.
Reason one was the yummy medicine smell that always hit her. A mixture of sanitizer, and air freshener. It wasn't over powering, like the smell of the hospitals in the city. But it was just enough of the smell that made the clinic have a clean aroma.
The second reason were the people who worked there . Doctor and Elli were the first people Claire ever made friends with. Although she had more than two friends now, Elli, Doctor, and Claire never ceased to be best friends.
Claire stepped across the room and up to the counter where Elli sat toying with a load of papers.
"Hey Elli!' Claire said with a wide smile.
"Hey Claire!" Elli said, looking up from her paperwork, and smiling "Are you sick?"
"Nope." said Claire "Just came to give you this."
Elli's smile disappeared when she saw the aluminum foil covered object in Claire's hand. Poor Elli had been Claire's guinea pig for the last 5 recipes Claire had tried. However, to the young nurse's joy, Claire's food free hand dove into the rucksack she carried around her waist, and reappeared with a handful of bright, purple grass. Elli's smile reappeared, and she gratefully took the grass from Claire's hand.
"Thanks Claire!" Elli said as she stuffed the grass into the pocket of her apron.
"No problem!" Claire chirped. The farmer turned on heels of her boots, and walked towards Doctor's office. When she reached the office Doctor was just coming out.
"Hey Claire." Doctor said "Are you sick?"
"No, just came to give you this." the blonde said, as she dove her hand into her rucksack to retrieve a glass of milk. The Docter took the glass of milk from Claire.
"Cool, thanks Claire." the Doctor said, as he passed his milk-free hand through his jet black hair.
"Well, I gotta get going!" Claire said to Doctor. "Bye, Elli, bye Doc."
And, with that, she raced out of the clinic. Claire scrambled down the road leading to the square, her blonde ponytail bouncing merrily behind her. She glanced down at her watch again. It read 2:21. Claire rounded the corner and skidded to a halt just in front of the blacksmiths'. She did a hasty examination of her hair in the window, brushing back a strand. Satisfied, she flung open the door, and walked in.
When Claire entered, she was greeted with the familiar sound of metal pounding on metal. She looked around for Saibara, and was thankful to see that Gray was the only one there. Saibara heartily disapproved of Claire visiting Gray during work hours. Claire ran over to Gray.
"HEY GRAY!" Claire yelled over the clash of the hammers, waving her arms so that Gray would notice her. Gray did and stopped hammering away at the piece of copper that was beginning to resemble a broach.
"Claire!" Gray said, with a soft smile. He set his hammer down and warmly embraced Claire. The two broke apart. "Claire, you'd better leave before Grampa sees you! You know how he hates you visiting me during my work hours. And, plus we're going to dinner tonight at 5:00, with your brother, remember?"
"Yeah, but I just came to give you this." Claire said with a smile, as she held up her aluminum foil wrapped present "Baked corn. YOUR FAVORITE!" Gray's smile faded.
"Erm , yeah. About that Claire...." He pulled his signature UMA hat down bellow his eye before continuing. " I don't REALLY think cooking is your future. I think you're just great at raising animals and farming..." He trailed off when he saw the angry look in Claire's eyes.
"Sorry Gray, but I'm just going to raise money by doing farming. THEN I'm going to move to the city, start my own restaurant. THEN some food critics will taste my food. THEN they'll think I'm so great they'll give ME a show on FOOD NETWORK!" Claire said excitedly. Gray looked at Claire's gleaming face, and reluctantly took the aluminum foil wrapped object from Claire's hands, unwrapped the object, closed his eyes, and forced down two bites of the of the 'baked corn'. Claire grinned.
"Thats why I love you Gray!" Claire said, and she reached up, on her tip-toes to give Gray a small peck.
"I love you too Claire." Gray said softly, returning Claire's peck with a bear hug of his own. "Thats why we're getting married," he said more matter-of-factly.
Claire nodded and looked up into Gray's eyes. When she had first met Gray his eyes had been a piercing, ice cold blue. But now Gray's eyes, although they were the same color and shape, seemed warm and gentle.
"Two seasons..." Claire whispered. "Until we're getting married, just two. Can you believe it?"
Gray didn't answer, just smiled. The two stood in silence for a minute before Gray said, "You better get going Claire, Grampa will be home any minute now, and he'll kill both of us if he sees you here."
"Okay." Claire walked to the door, then turned back and said, "Remember: 5: 00 p.m. at the inn!"
Then she walked out the door, and Gray returned to his work. Claire glanced at her watch: 2: 34. She still had a few more minutes until Jack came. Claire walked down to the beach, and sat in the sand, watching the small, black ferry inch across the sea, and closer to her.
After about five minutes the ferry came to a halt at the dock . Claire stood up, her heart beating faster, she was finally going to see Jack, after SO long. Zach jumped out, and tied a thick rope, from the boat, around a rock. Afer Zach was sure the rope was secure, he returned to the boat, and helped another man out.
"JACK!!!" yelled Claire. She sprinted across the sand and onto the dock to hug her brother.
"You haven't changed a bit." Claire stepped back to admire her brother. He was tall, a good head larger than Claire, and rather thin. He wasn't muscular, in fact quite the opposite. He looked almost delicate. His dark, brown hair he had inherited from his mother, was messily shoved under a backwards blue cap. Jack's eyes, also like his mother's, were a rich chocolate brown. On his body, he wore a thin, red shirt and blue pants. He carried a small, brown suitcase in one hand.
"Nor have you. " Jack replied, giving Claire a big, one handed hug. "Gosh, Claire! It's so nice to see you, after so long"
"Aw, you too! Jack, we have some catching up to do!" Claire slung an arm around Jack, and the two started walking across the beach. Claire was furiously chatting away about Mineral Town, and Jack was listening intently.
"Oh Jack, I'm so happy you could come to my marriage!" Claire was saying as they reached the top of the steps to, and from, the beach. "I mean who better to come to my marriage then my favorite brother?" Claire asked.
"I'm happy too Claire, but who is this guy?"
Claire looked confused "Didn't I tell you, in my letter?"
"Maybe, but refresh my memory."
"Well his name is Gray."
"Okay."
"And he's a blacksmith."
"A blacksmith?"
"Yeah."
Jack pursed his lips, and Claire drew back. She knew this was a bad sign.
"Blacksmiths don't really make that much money do they?" said Jack.
"Well... No, not really, but I think he could support me well enough. Don't you?" replied Claire.
"I don't know, you tell me," said Jack.
"Erm... Yeah, his house his coming up right around here we can look through the window at him!" Claire said, as they turned the corner from Rose Square to the road with the blacksmiths' shop on it.
"Why can't we go in?"
"Because of his Grandpa!" Claire said. Jack raised his eyebrows. This was an even worse sign. "Yeah, his Grandpa highly disapproves of me visiting Gray during working hours."
"His...Grandpa?" said Jack He was obviously not convinced.
"Yeah," affirmed Claire, nodding furiously. By this time the pair had reached the window of Blacksmith Saibara. "There we go! That's him inside."
Jack leaned closer to the window, and squinted to see. Claire did the same the minute she did she knew it was a mistake. Inside a angry looking Gray stood. His tan trench coat covered with a layer of ore grind. He was yelling at a small, plump man, with a mass of snow white hair, and a long beard of the same color. Gray threw his cap down to the ground, with a great amount of force, and his fiery red hair just added to the intimidation he was already causing Jack. Who was looking through the window with a socked expression on his face. Saibara opened his mouth and yelled something at Gray, and pointed to his station across the store. Gray gave Saibara a rude hand gesture, picked up his hat, and retreated to his station.
Claire gulped, and grabbed Jack's arm. Claire led Jack away.
"Erm... Yeah, his Grampa must of disliked one of his works. He really is an old fart. His grandpa that is, not Gray, Gray is very nice."
Claire gave a side glance to her brother, who had both his eyebrows raised, and his lips pursed. "Oh, come on Jack, everybody has a mental breakdown SOMETIME during work, just let him come to dinner with us."
Jack came to a stop and looked at Claire.
"Okay," Jack said. "But Claire, y'know, I've been thinking and Gray doesn't sound like-"
"JACK! You haven't even met him," Claire groaned. "Just give him a chance. He's a small bit rough on the exterior, but I promise! He's really nice to me."
"Only nice to you?"
"JACK!" yelled Claire.
Jack gave a laugh. "Claire, Claire. I'm kidding." Then he continued in a more serious voice. "I just don't want it to be you in poor Siberia-"
"Saibara."
"Whatever. You know what I mean. I just don't want it to be you who Gray is yelling and cursing at." Jack said, giving Claire another hug.
"I honestly don't think it was Gray who started it..." Claire said. Jack gave a shrug.
" You never know."
"So..." Claire said after the two broke apart. "You comin' to dinner?"
Jack looked at Claire. " Sure."
Claire nodded "Ye-ah. You'll get to see the good side of Gray, and plus, it'll be fun"
The two resumed there walking towards Claire's farm. Claire couldn't help but say in a voice barley audible.
"Don't worry. I promise it'll be fun."
Yep, thats it. Next chapter will probably be shorter, but I hope you liked it. Please give me a review, short or long, I'd like to know if I should continue, so clicky the button, and write an review.
In the next chapter of Brotherly Love Jack, Claire and Gray go out to diner. Chaos ensues.