A/N: Hello, Harvest Moon fans! I'm Julia, and I only just recently got into the Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons franchises. But I do love what I have played so far! I'll admit, this is my first foray into the fandom, and I only wrote this silly, cheesy one-shot on a bout of inspiration. I don't even know if its any good. But I do hope you'll enjoy it regardless, as so far, Lillie and Raeger are my favorite SoS characters, even if I haven't even played much of SoS to have courted anyone yet (Trying to court Raeger). I tried to keep them in character as much as possible despite my limited knowledge on them. I even looked up their bios on the Harvest Moon wiki and fan forum. Please let me know if I accidentally did something wrong. Concrit is always appreciated!

Anyway, here's my stupid little oneshot, Red Velvet Valentine! Enjoy!

If there was a way to describe Oak Tree Town's local weather girl and celebrity, Lillie, it would be this: she was basically a sweet, chocolate tart framed with a golden summer sun.

To Raeger, there was nothing more beautiful than the bright, gentle warmth of summer, with the air tanged with the sun's heat caressing everything and everyone it touched. Flowers would spring up from the ground, longing for sunlight, the spotlight in which they would stand, and the sun would gladly shine it down upon them without a second thought. A little dash of sweet sunshine that would come forth to brighten up everyone's day, even a completely lousy one. A vibrant soul, but not pushy, persistent, or even oppressive, like the heat waves that would make everyone sweat ponds and want to go inside to bask in the cool air conditioning.

Lillie was a rare soul that hardly ever came around very often, but when she would, people had all sorts of praises to sing about her, mostly right in front of her. After all, who would take time out of their busy schedules to give company to the elderly or sing lovely little lullabies to the local children through the program she starred in?

"Oh, Lillie. You're a sweet, kindly girl."

"Thanks so much for everything you do."

"Hey, Lillie! Play with us! Pleeeeease?"

"I wish my children were more like you."

"Do come again! We always enjoy your company!"

What everyone remembered the most about her was her soft, bright, feathery smile and sweet, rich kindness. On one day, Raeger had seen her care for an injured bird, carrying it in a shoe box and taking it to the vet. On another occasion, Raeger grimaced as Lillie cried for the sickly, aging cow that Giorgio had to put down. The tears she shed that day were too much for Raeger to witness, but they were genuine. On another occasion, Lillie had stopped by his restaurant, in her usual cheery mood, ordering her favorite treat: chocolate ice cream. But when she left, Raeger noticed there was a box on the counter.

At first, he assumed maybe she had left it here by accident. Then he noticed the card on top.

To Raeger,

You are a kind person, and thank you for everything you've done for me. I made this for you. But I don't know if it's any good or not. Do give it a taste!

Love,

Lillie

It was a gift. Raeger opened the box and to his surprise, it was a sea urchin bowl, his very favorite. Even he couldn't prevent the ungraceful dropping of his jaw. How did she know he loved this so much? Perhaps she asked people who knew him and received the recipe from someone. His heart warmed with gratitude as he took a taste of the sea urchin bowl she prepared just for him. It was just sweet enough to calm his nerves after a day of work, but the urchins seemed slightly undercooked. But the flavor was still tangy and drawn out, and it was edible, so it wasn't bad.

Color began to tint his cheeks at the thought of Lillie. Everything about her made his heart grow warm. Her chocolate brown hair, her vibrant eyes, her lively, bright yellow dress that shined like the sun...what was it he was feeling? He thought he had an idea, but he couldn't put a name to it. All he knew for sure was that he had never felt this way about anyone before. The sight of her yellow dress and the sound of her pretty voice made a swarm of butterflies flutter.

Whether working in the restaurant, cooking, going for a walk, or even talking with the others, thoughts of the bright summery girl filled his thoughts and daydreams. When his eyes would meet her, they would exchange hellos, but a red blush would spread across his cheeks.

One day, he had found his answer. It was love. He was in love with Lillie. How else could he feel so much joy just from seeing her, being with her, talking with her, or receiving things from her? But...did Lillie feel the same way about him?

There was only one way to find out.

When winter's frigid winds came roaring into Oak Tree Town, Raeger had finished his shift and ambled toward Maurice's inn. The first thing he saw was Maurice at the front desk, looking over some papers.

"Good evening, Maurice," Raeger greeted him kindly.

"Oh! Hey there, Raeger! Haven't seen you around here in a while!" Maurice welcomed him with a booming voice and open arms.

"I do apologize. Things get busy in the restaurant this time of year."

"I can relate."

Sitting in the corner of the lobby was little Melanie, holding a pretty little doll in her arms as she combed through its yellow yarn hair with a tiny plastic comb. Her blue eyes sparkled as she hummed a little tune she made up. Her yellow dress and hair were the exact same hue as her sister's, only just slightly darker. Raeger smiled at the sight. Someday, Melanie would grow up to be a fine lady.

"Pardon me for asking, but is Lillie here per chance?" Raeger finally asked.

"She's upstairs. I'll call her for you," Maurice walked to the bottom of the steps before yelling, "Hey, Lillie! Raeger's here to see you!"

"Coming!" Even hearing her sweet, lofty voice made his heart melt and his smile stretch farther than usual. Lillie came bounding down the stairs, her bright yellow dress coming alive with every step. "Oh, hello Raeger! What brings you here?"

Raeger knew he had to keep himself composed. If he lost himself, there was no way he'd be able to ask Lillie out. Plus, Melanie and Maurice were watching. No matter. He had to do this, whether in front of them or not. This was not the time to be indecisive. It was time to be bold and ask her out. His heart kept screaming, "Go for it! Better to do it now than later!" Inhaling a deep breath, Raeger kept his warm expression.

"Lillie...thank you for your sea urchin bowl the other day," Raeger told her. "It was very good, if a little undercooked."

"Oh, goodness!" Lillie playfully bonked herself on the head with her fist. "I knew I had messed up cooking it somehow. But...thank you for being honest, and you're welcome."

"Wow," Melanie exclaimed. "You don't hold back, do you, Raeger?"

She was right. Raeger hardly ever minced words when it came to anything. Sure, he was nice, and he wasn't popular with the ladies for nothing. But sometimes his bluntness could be construed the wrong way by others, not that he minded much. But he had to get back on topic.

"Lillie...I'm here because…" Lillie stopped to meet his eyes. No turning back now. "I...I was wondering if maybe...we could go out sometime. You know, on a...date."

Lillie's face turned red as Raeger's waiter outfit. Both Maurice and Melanie's mouths fell right open. All three of them sell eerily silent. "I...I-I-I-I-I...I don't know what to say I...I had no idea you felt that way about me oh gosh what do I say what do I do oh my goodness this has never happened to me before-"

"Calm, Lillie," Maurice put both hands on his daughter's shoulders, immediately calming her.

"I-I-I...I would...love t-t-t-t-to...g-g-g-go on a d-d-d-date with you...Raeger…"

He was so happy he wanted to jump for joy. But that was not proper behavior, so he simply thanked her. Even Lillie herself was happy, only she found herself so jumbled up that she found herself either talking too much or stuttering like crazy. Raeger couldn't help but find that cute. It wasn't every day that people got to see the more flawed sides of their local celebrity.

The date itself, while romantic, was also incredibly awkward. Raeger and Lillie went to the local theater to watch a new movie that had just come out...but said movie turned out to be a really bad comedy. Lillie was laughing until her stomach burst, her face red from too much laughing, but Raeger's face was red with embarrassment. He wished he had chosen a different movie, one that was actually good and not ridiculously over-the-top, silly, and stupid.

Thankfully, the walk through town proved to be somewhat better. Summer's embrace was swift, not in any way gradual whatsoever. The air was tinged with warmth, and they made sure to wear their best summer clothes so as to not get heat exhaustion. Butterflies would flap their delicate wings and flutter about, wandering to wherever there were fresh flowers. At one point, a tiny locust got caught in Lillie's hair. Being the gentleman that he was, Raeger brushed the locust out of her hair.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Lillie," Raeger was always popular with women, and his manners were one of many reasons why. "I hope it didn't scare you."

"I didn't even notice it."

Finally, they stopped at the park to eat some lunch they had brought with them. Raeger prepared his own lunch like he always had. Lillie's father prepared one for her specifically for the date, with all her favorites. Rice balls, honey flavored candy, chocolate pudding, broccoli, and tamagoyaki. Raeger could see that the lunch was prepared quite meticulously, with everything sorted out and separated by small compartments to make sure nothing mixed into each other.

"Oh!" Before Lillie could put a spoon in her chocolate pudding, the hand holding it slipped, and the carton fell out of her hands.

...or it would have, had Raeger not grabbed it in the nick of time. All traces of the chocolate pudding were still in the carton, with not so much as a drop falling out. With a humble smile, Raeger handed the pudding back to Lillie.

"Here you are. Safe and sound."

Lillie's blue eyes sparkled, and she clasped her hands together. "Wow. You really saved me there! Thanks!" She gratefully took the pudding back. But then her smile morphed into a frown. "...Uhh...I think you spilled your lunch."

Spilled his lunch? Raeger snapped back toward his side of the bench. All traces of pride he had were cut to ribbons like a sickle cutting grass into fodder. His lunch box had completely spilled onto the ground, with his carefully prepared food now mixing with the dirt, becoming permanently contaminated and inedible.

"Awww...and I worked so hard to prepare it, too…" Raeger hated the blatant whine that his voice suddenly developed. But the fact that his food was no longer edible wounded his heart. He exhaled a despondent sigh. "Oh well. It was my fault for not being careful."

"Raeger?" Lillie's sweet voice pulled him out of his reverie. "If you want, we can split my lunch," She offered, flashing her bright, sunny smile. "There's more than enough for the both of us."

"You would do that?" Raeger's sorrow immediately turned to gratitude. "I couldn't-"

"No worries!" Lillie insisted. "Consider this thanks for helping save my pudding. Besides, it's just food. You can always make more later."

How could he possibly turn down her offer? With no other option, he accepted her kindness and they shared Lillie's lunch together. In the back of his mind, he wished he could eat something that Lillie made, should she ever decide to take up cooking again. He silenced himself to cherish the moment. Never before had he been so happy about anything, especially hanging out with a girl. No one had ever made him as happy as Lillie did.

The moon took the sun's place, crowning the black sky, with her twinkling stars circling this part of the world, kneeling at her feet. Raeger and Lillie made it back to the inn safely. Oak Tree Town was always a safe place, even at night, but her father didn't want his daughter running around town at night. Even the safest, most idyllic places could potentially hide danger.

"Raeger...I had a wonderful time," Lillie told him, her cheeks turning a rosy pink.

"Me too. I'm glad you had fun," Raeger couldn't hold back a chuckle that escaped his lips. The date had gotten off to a rocky start, but he was glad everything worked out in the end, even if there were some bumps along the way.

"You really are a nice person. Do you...really like me? As in...like like me?" Lillie finally asked.

Raeger couldn't deny it. Just being with Lillie made him as happy as an angel with wings ascending to heaven. There was no turning back. "...Yes, I do. Is...that bad?"

Lillie shook her head side to side. "No. You're the first person I ever dated."

"You actually aren't my first girlfriend," Raeger confessed. "I had a few others, but things didn't work out. One of them...wasn't treating me right...or like a human being, for that matter."

"Well, I'm sure she doesn't see what a wonderful person you are," Lillie complimented. "I...I would love to do this again some time."

Do this again? For a moment, he was sure his ears were playing tricks on him. Surely, Lillie didn't feel the same way about him, did she? Why would she even want to date someone who spent most of his days in a restaurant, smelling like rice and sea urchins? Doubts swirled around in his heart, gnawing at him like piranhas. Could they take this further? Would things even be able to work between them? They were so different, and going down different career paths.

The other half of his heart begged to differ. He had to take this chance. Lillie was different from other girls. He had never felt this comfortable, this secure, this...loved by someone before, let alone a girl whom he only knew for a while. Lillie was nice, kind, sweet, and didn't seem to be the type who would ever take advantage of him. He had trained himself to see deceit in people, see through people's facades. No way was he going to go through that awful experience again, being used for someone else's amusement and convenience. He had to take this chance, even if it meant risking getting hurt.

It didn't hurt to try, right?

"...I feel the same way."

"So...I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"That would be lovely. Goodnight, Lillie."

"Goodnight, Raeger."

To say Raeger and Lillie were bursting with joy would be the understatement of the millennium. Lillie went to bed with Raeger completely dominating the majority of her dreams. Raeger barely got any sleep that night, wondering if Lillie truly liked him or not. If there was one thing the two of them had in common, it was that the thought of romance was both exciting and frightening to them. Exciting possibilities for the future. Frightening thoughts of how something could easily go wrong and confirm their worst fears: that any relationship they could cultivate might not work after all.

That was a month ago. Raeger and Lillie had dated on and off since then. After three weeks, news of their romantic dates had spread all over town. Surprisingly enough, almost everyone in town supported their being together. Once the winter winds began to become more frigid, adopting a more biting taste to its caress, Valentine's Day had come marching in like a lion. Romance was in the air, giving the freezing air a new kind of warmth to it, and couples of all ages and sizes were swarming all over Oak Tree Town.

Raeger found himself in his restaurant, cleaning the dishes, lost in thought. "I wonder what I should get Lillie for Valentine's Day?" He had agonized over this thought since yesterday, and still, nothing of note came to him. "Goodness, I had no idea coming up with a gift for Valentine's Day was so difficult."

Should he get her some flowers? No, they'd wither away after a few days. Should he cook her something? Hmmm...she'd appreciate the thought, but food doesn't last very long. He thought maybe she would like something useful, something she could use all the time. He knew that she absolutely loved anything chocolate, like chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake. Maybe he could make something like that. Februarys were cold, so they could last a long time.

"Hmmm...I'm not coming up with anything," Raeger wished he could think of something to give to Lillie. "Maybe I can ask around."

He hadn't known Lillie for very long, so he didn't know much of what she liked. Perhaps talking to the other townsfolk would help. He spent all morning speaking with the townspeople, asking them if they knew what Lillie liked, Melanie and Maurice included. It proved to be the best decision she ever made.

"I know my sister really likes red stones and amethysts!"

"Lillie once told me her favorite animal is an alpaca."

"Last I checked, she likes flowers and butterflies."

"Doesn't Lillie like berets and flower pins? She always has that white ribbon in her hair."

"She's a sucker for anything chocolate, so I'm pretty sure that'll be a winner."

"This past Wednesday, she tried out my red velvet cake and really liked it. Maybe that'll work."

"Her favorite colors are red, orange, and yellow."

Everything he heard was helpful. A little too helpful. Sometimes that can be a good thing. As Raeger passed by a small toy shop, something stuck out to him: an alpaca doll with a white face and chocolate brown wool, matching Lillie's hair, with a red and yellow bandana wrapped around its neck. Raeger checked the price tag: ten dollars. There it was! Chocolate, alpaca, red and yellow...it would be perfect! Many girls he knew loved stuffed animals. They weren't particularly useful, but Lillie could love it with all her heart. Raeger went inside and paid for it dutifully.

Another flash of inspiration jolted his mind and body into action. He could make a small red cake with white and chocolate frosting on it. A combination of chocolate and red velvet! Already, his body was at work, mixing the batter, putting it in the oven, putting the frosting on the final product, etc. Not once did he stop to take a break, as he kept his eyes solely on the cake he was cultivating. Finally, after his hands began to hurt from holding so many things for a long period of time, he finished. The result was a small cake the size of his hand, with chocolate frosting all over it, topped with little white and red flower frosting decorations.

He could picture it now. Raeger giving Lillie the gifts. Lillie smiling so bright that her whole being sparkled. Lillie thanking him for being so nice and considerate. His heart began to race a mile a minute. He couldn't wait to give them to Lillie and see the look on her face! With intent to win her over, Raeger raced to the inn, taking care not to mess up the gifts he both bought and made.

Knocking on the door, he expected Lillie to come right out and greet him. Alas, his prayers weren't answered, as Maurice answered the door. "Oh. Hi, Raeger. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you, too, sir," Raeger told him. "May I ask if Lillie is here?"

Maurice's eyebrows furrowed, and he kept a very strange frown on his face. He had never seen Maurice like this. What was wrong? Was he...sad? "Sorry, Raeger. Lillie's at the clinic."

The clinic? He made sure to keep his cool, taking care not to drop his belongings. What would Lillie be doing at the clinic? Did something happen to her? "...Why? What happened?"

"She's been busy a lot lately, and hasn't been getting much sleep," Maurice explained, his voice adopting a somber but subtle calmness to it. Raeger could tell it was forced. "Earlier today, she didn't sleep at all and passed out in Piedmont. We took her to the clinic as fast as we could."

Oh, so it was lack of sleep. Raeger exhaled a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. For a moment, he thought something seriously terrible happened. "Is she still there?" He asked.

"Last I checked, yes," Maurice answered. "You might be able to find her there."

Without a moment's hesitation, he bid goodbye to Maurice and headed to the clinic. Thankfully, said clinic was next door, right inside the guild, so he didn't need to rush. He walked right inside, bidding hello to Doctor Marian and her nurse, Angela, before being escorted to Lillie's bed. There was Lillie, lying down on the bed, with thick blankets white as snow caressing her body, keeping it safe from the cold. One of her hands stuck out from the corner of the blanket, and Raeger could see that she still had her clothes on. Her white boots and brown socks laid at the corner of the bed.

Adjusting her glasses, Angela said, "This isn't the first time she's had sleep problems."

"Is that so? How come?" Raeger asked.

"She gets too excited about things, and works herself into a mess," Angela explained further. "I've been her friend since I was a kid, so that I know for sure. She kept agonizing over what she should do for Valentine's Day...and with you, no less."

Raeger whipped his head in her direction. "With me?"

"Although...that's not the reason she collapsed. This time, she was mostly anxious about an interview with an agency she had earlier this morning. I'll let you two talk things out," Angela noticed the gifts in his hands. "I think she'll love whatever you give her," With that, she was back in the guild lobby.

"Urgh…" Lillie stirred from underneath the blankets, her blue eyes finally peeling open. She sat upright, her brown hair now a frizzy mess, likely from the static the pillows generated. "What…?"

"Hello, Lillie."

"Kyaaa!" Lillie yelped before calming down, taking in who was there. "Oh, goodness...it's you…" Her face turned red. Raeger could see purplish bags pulling on her eyes, making them look heavy and puffy.

"Angela told me everything. Are you alright?" Raeger asked.

Instead of answering right off, Lillie pursed her lips together to make a mad face before pulling the blankets over herself. "...I really wish you didn't come and see me like this…this is so embarrassing…"

"It's alright. I don't mind," Raeger told her reassuringly.

"I...I'm sorry…" Lillie confessed ruefully, pulling the blankets down. "There's been a lot going on. See...the thing is...you're the first person I ever dated."

"Am I really?"

Lillie nodded. "Ever since I was young, I went to all-girls' schools, so I don't have much experience with boys."

Raeger smiled. "That's quite alright. Oh! Umm…" He handed Lillie the boxes. "Happy Valentine's Day."

To say Lillie was surprised would be an understatement. At first, she thought her sleep deprived mind was pulling tricks on her. But the red and yellow wrapping paper crinkled in her hands. "Are these...for me?"

"Yes. Open them."

Accepting his gifts, Lillie carefully unwrapped the wrapping paper. The more she unwrapped, the more the sparkle in her face and eyes returned. The moment she pulled out the alpaca plush and the cake, she was back to her radiant self. "Ohhhh! These are...absolutely lovely!" Lillie exclaimed.

Raeger's heart warmed. It was exactly as he dreamt this scenario would go. "I'm glad you love them."

In fact, Lillie immediately began consuming the cake that he made, determined not to let it go to waste. Raeger could only smile as the girl of his dreams cherished every single bite she took. The sun was beginning to set, and the sunbeams came through the glass window she sat next to, framing her in a perfectly orange light. As soon as she finished, however, her smile morphed back into a frown.

"Is something wrong?" Raeger asked.

"...I'm sorry, Raeger...for being a burden."

Raeger's jaw dropped. How could she think such a thing? "You're most certainly not a burden. What makes you think that?"

Lillie's small hands clutched the alpaca plush's wool tightly. "...This is the first time any man has ever been so nice to me, except for my father. Just knowing that you care enough to do all this for me, even to come visit me at the clinic, really means a lot to me," Every word she said was genuine. She kept looking at the alpaca plush he bought for her with a sad, wistful look. "I was afraid that I...I didn't matter to you."

Didn't matter? Raeger fell silent. Of course she mattered, especially to him. To everyone else, to Maurice, to Melanie. "You matter to me! In fact…" He blurted it out before he had a chance to stop himself. "I've never loved anyone as much as you!"

Now it was Lillie's turn to fall silent. "I've always loved you. I've loved you since we first met. Oh goodness, I hope I don't sound creepy or weird…" That was odd. It wasn't like Raeger to think himself to be weird or creepy. Nobody else did, but...what would Lillie think after this? "I know this is a strange time to tell you, but...I can't keep it in any longer."

Silence fell on the both of them. For a moment, at least. "I...I like you, too," Lillie confessed.

"Really?"

"Yes. I do. A lot," Raeger could hear that Lillie's voice was bordering on sad, and tears crept out from the corners of her eyes.

"Then...why do you sound so sad?"

"I…" Lillie finally mustered the courage to continue on. "I'm amazed and flattered that you feel that way about me. But...there's so much that's wrong with me. I look and act perfect and sweet, but...I don't know what I am, to be honest. I'm always so afraid to let people down. I'm always afraid that nothing I do will ever amount to anything or matter to anyone in the grand scheme of things. I can barely communicate with the people I love, because they have their own problems and I always fear that I'm being a burden just by being around them!"

Lillie went on and on about her insecurities. Raeger just sat there and listened to every detail. Even though Lillie always went out of her way to help people, she always wondered if people were secretly resentful of her. She suspected that maybe people thought she wasn't truly being kind, just doing so either out of boredom or some kind of ulterior motive, like a material reward or getting connections with others or to make herself look good. She also knew people who thought she was flaunting her status as an innkeeper's daughter, the weather girl, the singer on that children's program, all the privileges she worked so hard to gain ever since she was young. Plus, what man would want to date Lillie and love her for being her, and not just for the sake of dating a famous celebrity, taking liberties with her, among other things. Plus, with Raeger dating her, other girls who liked him would especially be jealous of her.

"I know how popular you are with girls," Lillie continued. "I don't want anyone giving you a hard time, especially not because of me. I like you, Raeger. I really do. Maybe more than like, even. But the more I think about this, the more problems come up. I…" The tears began to flow this time. "I really want this, but I'm worried that getting together might be a really bad idea, and we can't make this work! I don't want to be a burden on you."

Another silence. Then Raeger broke it. "I understand."

"Huh?"

"You're not a burden," Raeger took Lillie's hands into his own. He was surprised at how soft and tender they were. Lillie thought the same way. "I wouldn't be feeling like this about you if I really thought that."

"Raeger...even after all that I just said, you still like me? Can you really accept all that I am? Can you...really be so patient with me?"

He didn't hesitate. "Of course. You accept me and all that I am. You take as much time as you need. I don't expect you to be anything or anyone but you, Lillie."

The two of them locked eyes onto each other. "I...I really do love you, Raeger. I want so much to be proven wrong. I really want to believe that make this work somehow."

They wished they had the answers. Could they accept each other's burdens? Could they make this work? Neither of them had the answers, if there were answers to be had. But...somehow, both of them knew that this just felt so right.

"Thank you for the gifts."

"You're welcome. Don't hesitate to tell me anything, and on your own terms."

For the first time in a while, Lillie smiled. "Now I see why people like you so much. I'll...cherish this alpaca plush forever."

"I'm sure you will."

"Raeger...we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, right?"

"If that's what you want. It's what I want, but your feelings about this are just as important."

"I...I want to be with you."

"Me too."

After a while, Lillie was discharged from the clinic. The two of them ambled out from the clinic together, their hands intertwined, connecting them together. Early flowers began to unfurl in the winter landscape. Rivers and meadows were buried under snow and memories. The Milky Way made its way across the sky, resembling a sparkling river of stars that stretched far into the cosmos.

Crowning the night sky was an amber harvest moon, heralding a new future to come.