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Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon Tale of Two Towns.
The Joys of Nonconformity- Chapter 6
Cam sighed as he walked down the bustling streets of the city. It was a Monday, which meant that he wasn't spending his time in the village, but rather out in the metropolitan area. Cam loved his weekly visits to the city. His parents used to take him when he was little; it had been their own little tradition to come every Monday to see what the city had to offer. After his parents died, Cam still visited the city every Monday. It just felt odd not to go, and though it had been hard at first to keep the tradition going, no soft laughter from his parents and no mother's hand holding his, Cam was glad that he did.
The memory of his parents was no longer painful, them having passed away a good ten years ago. His visits to the city would always put him in a slightly wistful mood and he would remember the times spent with his parents. They had died in a boating accident. The weather forecast said they would only be getting light showers, but those light showers had turned into a full-out typhoon, causing the water to become fierce and leaving their boat wrecked.
Cam had only been nine years old when he had heard the news of his parent's demise. It was a rough time for the little boy and all he had wanted to do was cry. But the townsfolk of Bluebell helped him as their own hearts were left to grieve over the news.
Ash had probably been the most helpful, Cam remembered. He was Cam's best friend and had made it his job to keep a smile on his friend's face. The little eight year old had been afraid that if Cam didn't start smiling again, he would forget how to. And the thought that he would never get to see the upturn of those lips had both saddened and panicked him. And so he did everything in his power to get that smile. He told all of Cam's favorite jokes, played all of Cam's favorite games when they were together, and had even attempted to cook Cam's favorite dish, Tom Yum Goong soup.
But all of Ash's efforts seemed to do nothing. Even as the little eight year old stared up at his desolate friend with big, pleading eyes and short, chubby arms holding out the lumpy soup, no upturn of lips happened. Cam had taken the offered dish with a mumbled thanks and then went back into Howard's Café, his new home, and continued his somber mood.
It wasn't until a time where Ash hadn't even been trying to make his friend smile when Cam finally did. They had been sitting by the little lake outside of Bluebell. Ash had his legs bent up to his chest and his chin rested on his knees as he watched, with slight distaste, the fish swimming in the water. He had been trying to make Cam smile all day, but the nine year old wouldn't budge. So he took his bad mood out on the creatures in the water, glaring at them as they happily swam around, going in continuous circles.
"Stupid fish," the strawberry blond muttered. "You just think you're so cool, don't you? Swimming around, being all… happy." A light chuckle came from his right. As soon as it reached his ears, his eyes quit glaring and went wide. He whipped his head up and over to the boy sitting next to him and saw what he was afraid he would never see again. There was Cam. Back resting against a thick bush, head facing Ash, the corners of his mouth turned up. He was smiling. It wasn't a big smile, but it was a smile, and it was enough to give Ash hope. The wonderful and dazzling sight filled the eight year old with happiness and he couldn't help the gigantic smile that practically took over his whole face.
He started to laugh and attacked his friend with a hug. Cam made an 'oof' sound as he fell over from the impact of his friend's sudden move. Ash didn't really know what to say, he was still too elated over the fact that Cam actually smiled, and so he said the only thing he could think of.
"Hi." Cam rolled his eyes at the word and raised an eyebrow at the boy on top of him.
"And you just had to practically jump me to say that?" Ash just continued to grin, nodding his head, and almost exploding from happiness as he saw another upturn of his friend's lips.
Soon after the events of that day, everything went back to the way it was before Cam had gone into his sullen mood. The boy in purple started smiling on a regular basis again and life went on.
Cam smiled at the memory as he continued his walk down the streets of the city. Ash was an amazing friend and Cam was extremely grateful to have someone so determined to make him happy. Cam found it slightly funny, though, that Ash had went out of his way, trying various things to get Cam to smile, when all he had to do was be himself. It amazed Cam, the time it took for him to finally realize his feelings towards the boy in red. It had probably been so obvious, his true feelings. The way Cam would find his thoughts wandering to his best friend on a daily basis, the fact that he had to hear Ash laugh and see him smile at least once before he could go to bed for the night. The way he practically melted at the slightest touch from the other boy. An accidental brush of arms from walking side by side, a hand on his shoulder to ask if he was feeling ok, a slap on the back as heads were thrown back in laughter.
Cam sighed and put his hands in his pockets. He honestly didn't know what to do. Yes, he wanted to be more than friends with Ash, but he valued their friendship way too much to try to upset it. He didn't want to risk saying something wrong, ruining what he and the young rancher had. He didn't know what he would do with himself, knowing that his selfishness had caused the atmosphere between the two of them to turn distant and awkward.
Cam hated the raging war that had recently begun in his head. It just seemed so wrong, these feelings. Ash was extraordinary person, so it was no wonder how these feelings came about. But Ash was his best friend and they were both guys! Cam knew there was nothing wrong with two people of the same gender to be together. He knew the people of Bluebell would most likely accept it, but it still wasn't something that happened very often.
Besides, Cam was positive that Ash was straight. The two of them had never really talked about girls together, but that didn't automatically mean the rancher was gay.
Cam shut his eyes tightly and let out a little cry of frustration. He really didn't want to lose Ash, but he knew that Laney would never let him get away with hiding his feelings. If Cam didn't pursue Ash soon, then Laney and Lillian would surely do it for him.
He stopped in front of a little antique shop and looked in the window. This had been his mother's favorite shop and they would always venture in it on their days in the city. His mother had liked to see all of the beautiful objects in the store. Each and every item was unique and very valuable because of its old age. Cam decided to go in and wander around the store, letting his thoughts focus on the various pieces shown on display. He stopped when he spotted an antique cow bell. It was old and rusted, with a slight dent in the side. It reminded him of a time he had visited Ash, who was taking care of his animals and explaining the importance of cow bells.
"This. This right here…" the young rancher had said as he shook the bronze bell in his friend's face. "…is one of the most important tools when it comes to ranching." Cam had made a gesture for his friend to continue, and so he did.
"If I didn't have this bell, my job would be a million times harder. I would have to herd the animals in one by one and do you have any idea how much effort it takes to get a cow moving?"
Cam smiled, amused, and asked his friend, "No, I don't. How hard it is?" Ash just scoffed and threw his hands up in the air.
"Very!" He turned to a light brown cow that was chewing on some grass, and glared. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, Lionel." The cow in question blinked at Ash and mooed.
"Well, it's a good thing you have one of those, then," Cam laughed. Ash nodded and then smiled somewhat slyly.
"Plus, it makes a cool sound!" He clanked the bell as he said this and began to twist his body to the noise. Cam laughed as Ash began to dance and act like a fool.
The young rancher smiled wide at his friend and threw his arms up to the sky. "Dance with meh!"
Cam burst out laughing and started swinging his hips with his friend. They continued to mess around until Cheryl came outside to ask Ash what he wanted for dinner. She laughed happily when she saw them, and then came over to join in on the fun. The three of them danced to the dings of the cow bell, laughing and acting silly.
Cam smiled as he got an idea and ran out of the antique shop.
!
"Ok, I got Georgia's bell like you asked." Cam smiled as Laney handed over an old, dinged up cow bell. "But I still don't understand why you need it in the first place."
Cam was quiet for a minute and then finally said, "I need it for an idea that I have." Laney just raised her eyebrows and gave Cam a face that said, 'And?'
Cam sighed and looked at the ground. "It has to do with letting Ash in on my feelings." The florist mumbled this and Laney strained her ears to hear him. When she finally deciphered what he said, she squealed and jumped up from excitement.
"No way! What idea do you have!" She was still squealing, hopping from foot to foot as she pleaded Cam to let her in on all of the details.
Cam turned pink and replied somewhat defiantly, "N-no! I'm not telling you just yet!" Laney scowled and then pouted, going for a different approach.
"Pweeease?" She was giving Cam a puppy-dog face while batting her lashes. Cam just smirked and practically laughed in her face.
"That look doesn't work on me, remember?" Laney put on a smirk of her own and replied easily.
"Oh I remember. I remember how that look actually does work on you. Maybe not when I do it, but when Ash does it you forget what you were saying no to in the first place. You remember, right? Ash had wanted you to watch over Cheryl's pet butterfly while they visited their aunt in the city. You, being the macho man that you are, freaked and said no. But then Ash gave you the puppy dog look and you agreed."
Cam flushed pink again and glowered at Laney. It was true. His heart had given a tug at the expression and he immediately complied with Ash's wish. It wasn't until the rancher had walked away that Cam realized what had happened, looking down at the cage in his hands and giving a very un-manly shriek.
Laney sighed and let the topic go. "Fine, I won't make you tell me. But I want to know how your idea goes." Cam nodded and gave Laney on last smile before turning on his heel and boldly making his way to Ash's house.
Cam hopped over the fence to where Ash's family let their livestock graze. He took a deep breath and then rang the cow bell Laney had borrowed from Georgia.
A rustling came from the barn and Ash's voice called out. "Cheryl, stop ringing the bell. It's not time for the animals to come in yet." The rancher appeared at the barn doorway, halting when he spotted Cam.
"Cam?" He was slightly surprised and curious to see the young florist but smiled as he was greeted.
"Hey," Cam said easily.
Ash walked up to his friend and raised his eyebrow at the cow bell. "What've you got that for?"
Cam was confused for a second, before he remembered why he had come here in the first place. "Oh! Um…" He cleared his throat and forced himself to act nonchalant. He rang the bell again and started to move his hips. "I was wondering if you wanted to dance." He kept ringing the bell and spun around, smiling at Ash as he stood in front of him again.
Ash's lips twitched upward and he asked with confusion, as if he wasn't sure he had heard right. "Dance?"
Cam smiled and replied, "Yeah, Laney's throwing a little party tomorrow just for fun. I don't know who's gonna come yet, but I wanted to know if you would like to go."
"Sure! Can't say no to fun!" Cam just laughed and agreed with his friend.
"So…" Ash started with a crafty smile "…there's gonna be dancing?"
Cam smirked and stepped closer to his friend. Their faces were close enough so that they could feel each other's breath, but far away enough so they wouldn't touch.
"Yeah," Cam breathed. "And I want you…" he reached down and took hold of Ash's hand. "…to save me a dance." He brought their clasped hands up and spun his friend around as he shook the bell.
Ash laughed and grinned wide. "Will do!"
Cam hesitated and then kissed Ash's cheek. He realized a second too late what he had just done. He started to panic in his head and ran away giving his friend a rushed 'see you later.' In his frenzy to leave, Cam had missed the way Ash's cheeks and ears burned a violent shade of red.
!
Shit, shit, shit! What had he just done? He just kissed his best friend, that's what he did! Ok, so it had only been on the cheek but that was still a pretty bold and stupid thing to do.
Oh, goddess, Cam groaned morosely, Ash is going to hate me! Cam continued to silently curse himself as he let his head fall back against the headboard of his bed rather harshly.
A light knock on the door resounded throughout the room and Cam just groaned out loud. The door opened and Laney poked her head in.
"Cam? Are you all right, what happened?" She walked into the room and sat down on the bed, waiting for her friend to talk.
"I kissed him on the cheek." He moaned and dropped his head in his hands, ashamed of himself.
Laney smiled and put her hands on both sides of Cam's head, forcing it back up. "Cam. You act like it's the end of the world. It was just a tiny kiss, not even on the mouth! So quit your 'woe is me' charade and tell me the whole story."
Cam sighed and did as he was told. When he finished telling the events from earlier, he gave Laney a pleading look.
"So can you throw a party tomorrow? I kind of already invited Ash and told him to save me a dance."
Laney just rolled her eyes and scoffed at the florist. "Yeah, like I'm going to say no to you." Cam smiled and thanked her profusely.
Laney smiled and joked. "Yes, I know I'm wonderful and amazing but your helping me out. There is no way I will be able to throw a party in one day by myself."
Cam continued to grin and agreed wholeheartedly. He was excited and nervous at the same time. And he really hoped Ash wasn't pissed off with him over the kiss, because he would probably have to kill himself if he had ruined everything between the two of them over having no self control.
Well, one thing was for sure. This was going to be an interesting party. It would either turn out wonderfully well or horribly bad. Cam let out a heavy breath and ran his hands through his champagne colored locks. He prayed to the Harvest Goddess that it was the former.