AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey, guys! This was one of the very first fics I wrote years ago. After some time practicing writing and getting the hang of things, I've decided to revisit my old fics and edit them.
That being said, I've decided to take this fic and start it off differently and build it up from there. Going back to chapter one, y'all! After writing "Angie, Baby" (My Owen/Angela, Luke/Angela fic), I thought giving Joe/Tina some justice was really due. They're one of my favorite Magical Melody pairings.
I'll be adding things, taking away some things, moving stuff around etc. So, if down the line you see some scenes from the first fic, you know why. I'll be recycling some of the old fic in to the new version. (I have the old fic on file).
Hopefully, it comes out better this time. Thank you for reading!
Also, the smut will be back, don't worry! Give me a bit to work it in :)
Xxxxx
"What did I get myself in to? Where the hell am I...?"
Up in the mountain area, I leaned up against a tree. The foliage around me was dense... and, being the ever-adventurous person, I'd strayed off the main path to forge for berries, herbs and whatever I could get my hands on. Now, not only was I lost. I was exhausted.
After taking a few breathes to gather myself, I shut my rucksack up tight and slung it back over my shoulder. The Spring breeze blew through the trees, rustling the leaves. It was notably getting colder. A few hours and nightfall would take over Flowerbud Village-my home of only a couple of days.
"Town has to be this way... Right?"
Intent on finding my way back to town, I carried on with hope. Thinking the day couldn't possibly derail any further, I proved myself wrong. The sole of my shoe slipped on some gravel, knocking my legs out from underneath me. Excellent.
"Ah!"
To make matters worse, when I fell, I tumbled down a nearby slope and landed in a bit of ditch. Luckily for me I guess, my voice carried through the mountain forest. I could hear footsteps in the distance. There were two voices.
"...that scream had to come from this direction." One deep, sullen voice piped up, first.
"You sure, Bro? No one comes this deep in to the forest except us...Who would be out here?" A second voice chimed in, notably less abrasive than the first. "Hello? Anyone out here?"
Embarrassed, but grateful that someone had come to my rescue, I announced my presence from within the ditch.
"O-Over here..." Meekly, I called out to whoever was up there.
Goddess leave it to me to make a clumsy mess of myself two days in to my new home.
Leaning over the ditch, two men peered down. Both were fairly tall, brunette, and struck puzzled at the sight before them. The slightly taller of the two wore green, camo pants and black muscle shirt. His sharp hazel eyes rested bellow furrowed brows.
"Who the hell is that?" He said more to himself than to the man next to him.
"My name's Tina..." I introduced myself, clearing my throat and waving a hand shyly. "I'm new here."
The second man hadn't said anything, yet. With a star-spangled bandana tied over his chin-length shaggy hair, and kinder brown eyes than the man next to him, he looked far less intimidating. Seemingly stunned at the sight before him, he shook himself out of it.
"Woah, hey!" He came back to life. "What are you doing down there?"
"I fell..."
"I'll say."
Laughing to himself a bit as he took in the sight of me sprawled out in the dusty ditch, the man's brown eyes twinkled in amusement. I blushed, immediately. He was cute. Why did he of all people have to be the one to see me down in ditch like an idiot?
"Could you two help me out? I don't know if I can climb out of here on my own."
"Sure, we'll get you out." He promised. "Kurt, grab her left hand. I'll grab her right. We'll pull her out."
Both men reached their hands down in to the ditch for me to grab. I expected to have to help pull myself up but these two guys hoisted me out like nothing.
"Phew." I sighed in relief, being placed on my feet. "Thank you so much, seriously."
"Don't mention it...you said your name's Tina, right?"
"Yeah, my name's Tina. I'm the new rancher here. Nice to meet you...um-"
"Joe." he offered.
Extending a hand out, Joe grinned at me. Mostly to keep my cheeks from turning pink, I diverted my eyes to the other guy. He was handsome, but that scowl wasn't doing it for me...
"I take it his name's Kurt?"
"Yup! That's my brother. We're the carpenters."
One brother couldn't stop smiling, while the other couldn't be bothered to at all. It almost made them look unrelated despite the fact they did share facial features, hair color and were about the same body build and height. Kurt turned his back on us, picking an axe up off the ground. He slung it over his shoulder with ease and began walking away.
"We're also on a tight schedule. Our boss needs lumber." he deadpanned, urging Joe to follow him. "Joe, let's go."
"...You going to make it back on your own, alright?" Joe then asked me, hesitating to follow his brother. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
Dusting off my jean shorts, I looked myself over. There was dirt all over me, and my ass was little sore from the fall...but, otherwise, I was in one piece. I managed to earn myself some nicks and scrapes along the knee, but no injuries.
"Nope, I'm good. Just kind of lost." I confessed, scanning my surrounds wearily. "Could you point me towards town? I'd appreciate it."
"Sure, it's that way-" Joe began to point, but stopped. "Actually, I'd feel better if I walked you out of these woods."
Feeling his brother's eyes on him, Joe assured Kurt that he'd be back in a few minutes. Kurt sighed, going back to where ever the two had been before they heard me scream.
"Make it quick. Woody's going to rip us new ones if we don't make the quota."
With Joe leading the way, we made it to the outskirts of the woods. I didn't know what to say to this newly met acquaintance, so I was quiet. Honestly, I was worried I'd get tongue-tied and blabber incoherently like an idiot. Just as I worried maybe he preferred me not to talk, Joe glanced over his shoulder at me.
"New Rancher, huh?" he broke the silence. "Didn't realize anyone had moved in to that old farm land by the beach."
"Oh...yeah. I moved in a couple of days ago."
"Wow, you really are new."
The path to town came back in to view, giving me an immediate sense of relief. When I fell in that ditch, I wasn't positive I'd see Town that night. Lucky for me, Joe and his brother had come to my rescue.
"Maybe a little too new..." Fiddling with the sleeve of my shirt I cringed at myself. "I feel stupid getting lost in the forest like that."
"Don't go alone next time." Joe advised me, winking. "I got to get back to work, but I'll see you around, Tina."
There was that tongue-tied feeling. I couldn't force myself to bid him goodbye. He was out of sight quickly, though. Most assuredly because Kurt was waiting for him. I hurried off in the opposite direction with butterflies in my stomach. That face was easy on the eyes.
Xxxxx
The next day, the woods were not at the top of my task list. Instead, I tended to the small patch of turnip seeds behind my farmhous. I doused them with a watering can early that sunny morning. With the task being so redundant, my mind drifted to the day prior. And, just as I did so, someone knocked at my door. Pausing my chore, I peered around the house to see who was there.
"Yo, Tina! There you are."
"H-Hey, Joe..." I greeted him back, a bit startled to see him.
Holding the watering can down in front of myself with both hands, I scuffed the dirt with my shoe.
"What are you doing here?"
"I live right across the way over there. It's a nice day out so, thought I'd drop by to say hey."
Joe's easy-going tone faltered just faintly at my apparent discomfort.
"...is that okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah! T-That's fine."
Why did I have to be awkward, damn it!
"Cool." Joe grinned, visibly relieved.
Joe walked over to get a look at what I'd been doing behind the house. I had two patches of seeds sown in the soil. The last rancher had left a barn and coop, both of which were weathered and empty. The land was lackluster, clearly unattended for years. The seeds may have looked measly to anyone else, but to Joe, it was a promising sight.
"What are you growing back here?"
"Turnips. The women down at Spring Farm gifted me two bags of seeds. They said they're easy for beginners." I explained to him modestly, going back to finish watering. "If these go well then I'll grow more next time."
"You're going to do great. Don't even sweat it."
With my back to Joe, I flushed. He gave off such a friendly aura. This stranger I barely even knew had me convinced for a second everything that would be smooth sailing. Reality hit me in the face in the form of a shingle falling off the chicken coop.
"That's not good." Going over to get a look at the old, worn down building, Joe scratched the back of his head. "Damn, this has seen better days."
"I won't be keeping any animals soon, not in those."
Crestfallen at the crumbling buildings, my brown eyes threatened to puddle. The situation I was in was so discouraging. I tried playing it off with a small smile not wanting to be a bummer or cry baby.
"That's bad luck, but what can you do?"
"Hey, you focus on those seeds and I'll let my boss know what's going on over here."
Not understanding what that implied, I assumed Joe simply meant he'd be telling his boss how shitty the old farm was. I figured everyone in town already knew. The land was abandoned for years, everyone walked by it all the time.
"Doesn't everyone here know this place was falling apart?"
"Well, yeah! But, my boss doesn't know someone's actually here. He hasn't had a reason to come look at any of this." The cheerful carpenter clarified. "If Woody takes a look around, he'll be able to tell you how salvageable this stuff is."
Another shingle fell off the chicken coop, the whole row behind it sliding off with it. Some cracked upon hitting the ground, brittle bits and pieces turning to dust. I grimaced, this time almost crying. Those buildings were about as stable as a house of cards.
"I'll be right back." Joe gave me a pat on the shoulder in passing, trying to be comforting. "Hang tight, Tina."
While I finished up with my seeds, Joe returned. I turned around, surprised when they were suddenly all there, only expecting Joe to come back with Woody. Between Kurt and Joe was an aged old man with white hair and a beard. He scratched at it, thoughtfully.
"Ain't that a sad sight?" The elder drawled.
Discouraged, I put her watering can down. It was a sad sight. Tragic.
"Do you have to knock them down and start over?" I asked, already dreading the financial burden down the line of building additions from the bottom up.
"Nope." Woody grunted, short and sweet. "These can be saved."
"...They can?"
Having expected the worst, I did a double take at Woody. Nodding once, Woody scanned the buildings over with interest. The buildings in front of him didn't intimidate him at all.
"Nothin' old Woody can't handle. Been doing this my whole life." The old man boasted, dryly. "Just some fixer-uppers you've got here. Some rough fixer-uppers, but that's the luck of the draw. No need to rip 'em down."
"That's reassuring. I'll save up some money to get them fixed...eh, eventually."
Everyone looked where my gaze had gone. I was eyeing my tiny farmhouse and turnip patch with discouragement. It was going to take a while before I'd be proficient enough to growing crops to come anywhere near affording renovations. Shaking his head, Woody chuckled. Both Joe and Kurt quirked a brow.
"Keep your money. These two are apprentices, you know." Woody suddenly revealed, inferring to Joe and Kurt. "Skilled apprentices, but only apprentices. I haven't tested their training...I'm thinking this is a better time than ever."
"You're putting us in charge of fixing these?" Kurt asked his boss, bewildered in his dry tone of voice.
"I am. You two start tomorrow. This young lady's going to need some animals to call this a ranch."
In a grandfatherly fashion, Woody smiled towards me.
"My boys will take care of this." He promised me. "You have my word."
Leaving to go back to the Carpentry shop, he dismissed his apprentices. Apparently, it was their day off, hence why Woody had scheduled the building repairs to start the next day. Kurt went off in the same direction his boss had done, leaving Joe with me.
"That went better than I thought it would." In a daze, I admitted. "You guys are really going to fix all this?"
"Sure will. And, we'll do a spectacular job."
Xxxxxx
Just as they were assigned to do, Joe and Kurt showed up bright and early. Peering out my window as secretively as I could muster, I took a peek when hearing their voices outside. Joe and Kurt arrived on site with tool boxes, ladders, and stacks of lumber. It took them multiple trips to get it all there.
With the intent not to be seen, I scurried away as the carpenters poked their heads in the chicken coop to get a look at what they'd be starting with. The turnip seeds could be watered later on. Having skipped out on foraging the day before, I needed to find something to ship.
Intimidated by the mountain forest, I turned my attention that afternoon to foraging around town. Gradually that led me back to the beach by my home.
"There's a lot of stuff out here..." I commented to myself, picking pieces of coral from the sand, storing them away to ship later. "These have to be worth something."
"Tina!"
Off in the distance, one of the seed shop's employees called out to me from their fields. Happy when she got my attention, she swayed contently.
"Hi, Tina!" The young woman with pink hair chimed, gardening gloves donned as she tended to some sprouted seeds. "Did you plant those seeds, yet?"
"Yeah, Nina! I did!" I called back. "I hope they come out okay, this is still all new to me."
"Mom already told you! Turnips are hard to mess up. Don't be silly."
Beckoning me over to get a look at the fields, Nina showed me some tips and pointers to soothe my worries regarding my own field. Nina's mother, Liz, came out to call her daughter in for Lunch, pleasantly surprised to see the town's newcomer.
"Oh, if it isn't Tina. How are you?"
"Can't complain too much."
Getting up from the soil, Nina brushed off her skirt and asked her mother if it would be alright to invite me in to eat.
"Of course. Oh, what a good idea."
Having limited funds to burn through, I brightened at the offer to eat. I accepted the invitation with much thanks and went inside with the two women. When I left with a full stomach about an hour later, I caught sight of my farm across the way. The old shingles were ripped off the coop, old rotted wood also torn down. Fresh material laid around to replace it all.
"Might have a chance here." I mused to myself. "Just maybe."
xxxxx