Please Talk to Me
((Author's note: Hello! I interrupt my usual string of Kingdom Hearts fanfics in order to bring you this adorable Harvest Moon: Animal Parade one that has been flowing from my mind for the past week. So enjoy this fairly light hearted one called 'Please Talk to Me.'))
Chapter 1
He sat there, just yards away, at one of the tables in the bar. He was talking to Kathy as she tried to flirt with the oblivious idiot. Chase tried not to glare at the scene from the kitchen, turning back to his work of cooking food for the guests at the bar… not that anyone was ordering food at the moment. Or very often at all.
Regardless, it was unusual to see Luke down in Harmonica Town, and as such, Chase hadn't seen him in quite a while. These days, things were so much different between the two of them. People could hardly believe that they had once been best friends; the most cheerful person in the universe, who didn't know a stranger, and the grouchy and cold because he was actually really shy chef. Now, Luke had all sorts of other friends in Castanet, and Chase was all alone. And it was his fault, really; he could have answered the letters after they graduated; he could have opened the door when Luke had come to check in person; he could actually go out there and talk to him instead of hiding behind the counter.
Chase glanced out into the bar once more, seeing Luke smiling widely as he talked to Owen. He's just so happy. Chase sighed and stopped watching. He's better off without me. He felt terrible for being… so jealous. He missed the friendship they once had so much, and it was obvious to him that he wasn't missed at all. But you know what they say: if you love something, set it free; if it comes back, they it's yours… Though that probably only counted if you actually let the person back in.
He heard Kathy's laugh coming into the kitchen before she turned to him. "Hey Chase, I'm running out of excuses to tell Luke as to why you won't come out and talk to him."
Chase slowly turned to look at her, glancing out into the bar behind her to see that he was gone. He sighed and shook his head. "Thank you for doing this, Kathy."
"Are you ever going to tell me why?" she asked, both annoyed and concerned.
Chase bit his tongue, trying not to give a rude reply. "I… I don't want to talk about it." But he paused. "He asked if I was here again?"
She nodded, frowning. "He always does and it looks like he's been stabbed in the heart each time I say that 'you're busy' or 'you stayed home sick.' He may be dense; he may be happy-go-lucky; but even he can tell that you're avoiding him."
It was Chase's turn to frown. Maybe he was just being a jerk; maybe Luke was hurting as much as he was… No, that wasn't possible. But maybe he was upset at least.
"What happened between you guys?" Kathy prodded.
"It's complicated, and it's all on me, so drop it please, okay?" He was losing his thin patience.
"Fine, fine," she conceded. She sighed, turning around. "You should talk to him, okay?" With that, she turned and left.
Chase continued the night, walking the long way towards his home in Flute Fields, watching the stars as he walked. He smiled, remembering when he was little, how he and Luke would always make silly little wishes. But the thought caused him to frown. He was trying so hard to forget about how he felt about Luke, but after two years, it didn't seem to be helping. Pressing a hand over his heart, he swallowed to try to get rid of the heartache that constricted his throat. Being best friends just hadn't been enough for Chase anymore; no, he was in love with Luke, had been for a long time, and he had tried and failed to change that. Maybe next time I'll answer the door. But he knew he was lying to himself.
Or at least, that's what he thought until the next morning, shortly after getting up. Following his usual routine, he began to play his flute, finding himself relaxing and forgetting the previous night's depression, if only for a moment. A knock on the door made him miss a note, his heart skipping a beat in the knowledge that whoever might be out there had heard the music from the instrument. Sighing, he paused for a moment to regain his composure before opening the door to a brightly smiling face.
"Hey, you're actually here!" Luke greeted with a grin, larger than usual if at all possible. "How've you been?"
"Good morning, Luke," Chase said, feeling a smile on his face at the sight of his friend's infectious grin. His nervousness faded away quickly. "I've been… busy." He looked down to avoid Luke's golden eyes. "What about you?" He blinked before Luke could respond. "Oh, I guess I should invite you in! It's been a while since I've had a guest." Like not since I moved here.
"Thanks!" He came in. "I've been alright, I guess. I've missed hanging out with you thought." His smile dissolved into a frown. Chase felt sick.
"Yeah, sorry…" He gulped.
"So uh, are you done avoiding me, or what?" Chase opened his mouth to reply, but Luke continued. "Or are you going to insist that you weren't avoiding me in the first place?" No smile to be seen; not even a glimmer.
"Sorry," Chase began, but Luke shook his head, showing that it wasn't forgiven yet. "I just…"
Luke sighed. "You know me. I'm not dense enough to keep believing all of the excuses you make Kathy tell me." He shook his head. "You're my best friend; I can tell when something's wrong. Was it something I did?"
"No!" Chase quickly countered. "You didn't do anything! All of this was my fault!" He froze after the words were out.
Luke looked a bit shocked by the outburst but took a deep breath. Chase recognized the expression; anger and confusion. "Look, you don't have to tell me right now," he said slowly, "but will you promise to talk to me about it sometime? Or at least… at least talk to me at all?"
The expression on his face was defeated; Chase wanted to rush over and hug him, telling him that he was so sorry, that he would make up for everything. But he didn't. All he said was "Yeah." Looking up, he voiced his main worry at the moment. "We're still friends, right?" He gulped, knowing that he didn't deserve it.
"Of course!" Luke said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Best friends forever and all that." The smile had returned. He paused. "I wish I could stick around and catch up, but I honestly was heading to the forest for a bit. Dad's got some projects planned out."
"Oh. That's okay." Chase smiled softly.
"Can I stop in again later?" He looked hopeful.
"Of course!" Chase's smile grew. "I do work, but I promise I won't ignore you anymore."
"Really?" the grin that Chase loved and had missed so much reappeared. "Awesome! I was afraid that I was going to come over here and you tell me to leave you alone or something like that."
Chase rubbed the back of his head. It was extremely difficult not to blush when that smile was directed at him. "I, er," he laughed nervously. "I'll tell you about it sometime." That was vague enough, right?
Luke tilted his head. "You'd better," he said after a moment. "I'll stop in when I leave the forest, okay? Then we can talk more."
Chase nodded happily, waving at his friend as he went out the door and down the path away from the house. He sighed as he closed the door, smile still painted on his face. Maybe I can fix this after all.
Luke really wished he didn't have to go. Chase finally talked to him again! He couldn't know for sure if he'd keep his promise and not go away; he had broken that once before. He didn't know how much more he could take.
God, though, it was amazing to see his face again. He didn't realize how much he had missed him.
Well, that was a lie. Luke knew well just how miserable he had been if he had a free moment to let his mind wander; and he knew why too. Luke loved Chase more than he loved nature, which was really saying something! And he had been going to tell him, too: but then Chase stopped talking to him at all. He hadn't even been worried that would happen even if he had told him; Chase was a cool guy, and even if he seemed cold and rude, he would have laughed it off if he was offended.
Well, Luke knew he would be back, and he wasn't letting Chase get away this time… If only he didn't have to go and gather stupid wood today of all stupid days.
