Admittedly this is really hard, but I only got a month left of the prompt so I gotta step it up

Time from that point on felt like it was sucked into a blackhole, moving frighteningly fast. In the blink of an eye I had found myself months later and fully integrated into the town.

It was a little frightening to be honest, I was used to time dragging- everyday lingering just a little longer than it was supposed to like the last guest at a painful failure of a house party. Each day repeating itself to form a life of meaningless monotony.

I was with great shock I realized on the day that consolidated my fourth month that I had now lived in that tiny farmhouse longer than a great deal of my childhood 'homes'.

Yet to me at least, the village felt as new as the day I moved in.

I didn't expect to have stayed this long, I'd heard 'this will be your new home' too many times to fall for it. Yet I also never exactly thought I'd leave, I didn't think anything, feeling a little like how an animal must feel being released into the woods after a lifetime of captivity: confused and small.

I leaned on the old wooden fencing idly, watching my cows graze as they speckled the sweeping fields of grass.

So much had been done since that first week, I moved to my property having fixed up the abandoned house with the help of the carpenter, started up my barn and coop, and completed two entire harvests.

My wallet sat unusually heavy in my rucksack, finally fat after years of starvation.

A cow had wandered up to me while I was thinking and nudged my face urgently and I stumbled backwards with a laugh. Finding a treat in my pocket to feed her.

"How ya doin' Bessie?" I asked her.

She mooed again as if responding and I chuckled.

"Annie!" A voice called from behind.

I turned to watch Fritz dash over, "I just made a killing at the trade depot, it was harvest day yesterday! Finally some cash in the pocket eh?"

"Same," I said, absentmindedly still stroking Bessie. "I harvested two days ago, I'm not sure I'd ever seen that much money before."

"I'm itching to spend now! Let's go the restaurant!" He grinned.

"I could eat." I agreed and he laughed.

"You always can eat." He pointed out.

I shrugged, "Gotta satisfy that third stomach."

He doubled over at my joke and I grimaced. It really wasn't that funny, I'm starting to think people are just humouring me.

He grabbed my arm, "Let's go!"

Gunther glanced up from his paper as we walked in (as Fritz barreled in, pulling me along) "Hey Raeger, your pets are here." He said with gruff amusement.

Klaus sitting at a nearby table smiled into the lip of his teacup, "Ah yes, your dog and cat I believe people call them."

Raeger gave them both a troubled smile, "So I've heard."

He turned to me in excitement, "By the way, Annie come here and taste this!" he lifted up what appeared to be a type of meat skewered on a toothpick.

I did not need a second invitation, and rushed to the counter as fast as I could without actually rushing, biting the morsel off the toothpick, not even bothering to ask what it was. I melted blissfully.

"I tried a new spice to marinate salmon with." He explained excitedly. "Got it from the Silk Country."

Oh Goddess was it Angel tears?

Gunther laughed, "Careful Raeger, you shouldn't feed her too much or your kitty's going to get fat."

"You have been getting bigger Annie." Fritz boldly agreed.

The other men froze and stared at Fritz in shock.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

Raeger sighed, "Fritz." He said slowly, "You never say that to a woman."

"Why- But its true right?" He as in bewilderment.

Raeger gave me a sympathetic smile, "Annie, ignore him. You have grown into a healthy and beautiful woman."

Fritz stared at his in comedic disgust, "Such a womanizer."

Gunther grunted in disagreement, "Such a businessman. The missy here is his best customer- imagine if she went on a diet!"

I don't care if I grow as round as the blueberry girl in Willy Wonka, I would rather die than go on a diet.

The carpenter laughed, "Well by the look on her face at that thought we can all agree that won't be a problem."

"But putting aside the jests, Annie you have been glowing a little more everyday." Klaus commented.

"We were worried how you'd do on the farm, you were such a scrappy little thing." Gunther confessed, "It's a good thing Raeger adopted you."

I resisted cringing at the phrase 'adopted', after all, Gunther didn't know- he was just building off his stray cat theme.

"I don't really know what you're all taking about to be honest." I admitted, "I look different?"

"Night and day." Fritz said.

"I guess I don't actually own a mirror." I realized, and laughed despite my circumstances, "I don't own a lot of things right now though I think my first priority would be a kitchen."

Gunther laughed loudly, "I'm sure it would be."

"I'll admit I'd be lonely if you stopped visiting though." Raeger said with his dazzling customer-service smile.

I just shook my head knowing that the restaurant was one of the most busy businesses in the town and I was starting to get the feeling based off the most common demographic of his customers that it wasn't because of his cooking.

"Oh Raeger!" A table of girls called over, "Could you tell us the dessert menu?" The boldest girl asked.

Raeger flashed her a teasing smile, "Why of course! Though I'd have expected you ladies to have it memorized by now."

She giggled, "Oh well, we're just sooooo forgetful sometimes."

"I'll be right over!" He promised.

As he moved around the kitchen to talk to them, Fritz scowled, "That Raeger! It's not fair he has so many girls after him- and he brags about it all the time!"

"-I somehow doubt that," I cut in.

"He didn't even take our order!" He said in indignation.

Klaus gave him a knowing smile, "I doubt that's what is truly upsetting you."

It's what was upsetting me. MeWantFood.

"Fine, I just wanna girlfriend too!" Fritz whined, "It's not fair! I mean, he's my best friend- but I hate him, but he's also my best friend."

He turned to me, "Annie, as a girl what do you think about Raeger's flirting?"

I shrugged, "I don't care about his personal life or personality as long as I'm being fed."

"Ouch." Raeger laughed, having returned from the table. "The villagers warned me that I was just a walking food can to you but I guess it's true."

"No," I said blandly, "You're such a cool person. I like that… uh- You're a nice person, who cooks."

Raeger shrugged, if that was the best he was going to get, he'd take it. "Alright you two, sorry for the wait, what will you have?"