Luke left Evie to Gill's company and headed towards Flute Fields, and after it, Fugue Forest. Knowing that he and with his newest best friend were back to their usual selves, remembering his early morning greeting with Owen and seeing him fresh-faced and chipper rather than hungover like he'd been more often than not just weeks ago, and all while enjoying the return of summer's sunshine and heat, had him feeling great. Awesome. There was a big job on the horizon again and his Pops hadn't managed to tease him over breakfast– mostly cuz Luke had gotten outta there before he'd had the chance, but that only showed Luke taking advantage of his good luck! Maybe he'd leave Fugue early tonight, then head over to Harmonica. He wasn't really in the mood for Brass Bar, but maybe he could return Candace's visit? She might get him to drink that gross tea with her again, but it'd be worth it for another one of her tasty dinners. Or cookies! She had told him he had an open invitation.
Grinning at the idea, Luke's stride lengthened and sped up. As if his goofy, love-fool day-dreaming had magicked her up, the familiar blue-clad figure of Candace appeared just up the road and walking the same direction. An empty tote was hanging from a shoulder and her pace was slow, but steady. While he watched, gaining on her quickly, she stopped and turned towards the little cove at the bottom of Clarinet. She lifted her face into the sunlight and smiled, eyes slipping closed. Wind, blowing salty and cool from over the sea's surface, played at the loose ends of their hair, plucked at the hems of their clothing, but she didn't seem to notice it on her. Or maybe she did, because she smiled wider as she stood there breathing in deeply.
If so, he understood. The wind felt nice today. There was something extra joyous about it that was infectious, like a particularly good laugh.
Not that he noticed it much, since his heart was thudding hard, before falling into the pit of his stomach. How had he passed her a thousand times, passed right by and never turned for another look, another thousand looks? Hadn't given her more than a 'hi', sometimes not even that? But now he couldn't tear his eyes away. Feeling dumb and tongue-tied and like some kinda Romeo-guy in a boring old play– yanno, like those plays where everyone dies or kills themselves off because love sucks so bad or something stupid like that– Luke raised a hand and forced out a loud,
"Hey, Candy-girl!"
Even though she was a good four years older, Candace had never told him to stop calling her that. Instead, when she heard him, she turned, hands up to hold her windswept hair out of the way, and smiled– wider, brighter, and happier than seeing him should make it.
"Luke!" she called out quietly. He was all but toe-to-toe to her moments later, and she had to shade her eyes to look up at him. "Good morning." She sounded welcoming and just as happy as she looked to see him there.
"Morning," Luke replied, unable to stop grinning.
"You're full of energy, as usual," Candace noted.
It sounded nice when she said it; unlike his dad who was always rolling his eyes at Luke, or Evie who would probably be laughing as she said it, just as energetic as him. It sounded like Candace liked how on-the-go he was, like it was some special skill he had and she didn't. He bounced a bit on the balls of his feet and shrugged, the axe lying across his shoulders rasping against his vest. He hoped he didn't look as goofily pleased as he felt.
"Eh, it's a good morning. Me n' Eves are on the up n' up again, the sun is shining, and I ran into you. Why not be rarin' to go?" he asked, half-laughing as his cheeks heated up.
Candace's eyes widened slightly, a dusting of pink blooming over her pale cheeks. She looked like a doll, but also not like a doll, 'cuz that would be weird. Luke didn't think dolls were, like, hot or something. Why do people compare people to dolls when they just wanna say someone is so pretty it hurts to look at them? They should just– oh, Candace was talking. He tuned back in, trying to stay attentive to every word.
"That's– I– What a kind thing to say. I w-wouldn't think I improve someone's day," she murmured, glancing down at her shuffling feet. "You and Evie are always too kind to me."
"Nah, we're just tellin' the truth. Whadd're you doing walking this far from Harmonica so early? Evie's up thattaway," Luke said, jabbing his thumb up towards Serenity Farm.
"Oh, um, I'm going to Horn Ranch," Candace explained quickly. "We're, uh, making more product to sell online, and also Luna believes that if the shelves look empty, they'll stay empty. She said since we've made a bit of profit since the end of spring, we should use it towards making new, interesting things to sell. She has a very good business mind, Luna. She has a degree, you know. She went to university, and studied abroad all over the world," Candace actually babbled, mouth finally running away with her, eyes lighting up with pride and love.
Luke couldn't help smiling dopily down at her. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen her like this. She seemed to notice his silence and turned beet-red, flinching slightly in embarrassment.
"Hey, keep on, I liked listenin'. I'm going the same way, so don't stop now when we got that whole walk ahead of us," Luke teased, nudging her into walking beside him. It was a little difficult to keep his stride in check, slow himself down to her pace, but he did his best. His steps might've had a bit more bounce and hop to them, but he kept next to her side and hopefully she wouldn't notice him looking like a dumb stork.
Candace shook her head, fluffy hair tossing around wildly. "Oh no, I couldn't! You don't have to slow down for me, either. I don't have anything very interesting to say."
"I think you do. Everything you say is interesting t'me," Luke said earnestly, ducking down a little to make sure their eyes caught and held as they walked.
Somehow her eyes looked bluer than ever when she was redder than a tomato, her mouth falling open in surprise. After a moment, she dropped her chin to hide behind a curtain of hair– jeez, she had a lot of hair, does she have to brush it all the time to keep it looking so nice like that!?–, but not before he caught the tiny, pleased smile on her face.
Feeling satisfied with himself, Luke straightened back up and hooked both wrists over the handle of the axe. He whistled and let Candace be as quiet as she wanted for now. He didn't really have much to say anyway. He guessed he could talk about Evie, but what was there to talk about there? And he didn't like the idea of talking about another dude to Candace, especially some pretty fancy-boy like Gill who was probably more worth Candace's notice than Luke. And quieter… and cleaner… and wore better clothes. And didn't they work together teaching the kiddos every year?
Luke rolled his eyes at himself. He was gonna seriously think himself into being jealous for no reason. This is why thinking too much was bad.
"So, why didn't you go?" Luke asked quickly. Candace glanced up at him with obvious puzzlement all over her face. "To college. Or university, I guess. Are they same thing?"
"It depends on where you come from, I think, or maybe what degrees they offer?" Candace replied a little puzzled herself. She took a small breath and glanced away, looking towards the ocean. "Gra'mama and my mother… they didn't put much by for me. Gra'mama just barely managed to buy the shop before my mother died, and then the funeral costs, after all the medical bills, and then business was getting so bad for everyone… There was enough to make ends meet and finish my high school courses, but nothing more than that."
"But… you and Luna got the same dad, right? Why didn't he offer?"
"I'd never take anything from him."
Luke stopped dead in the road, staring down at Candace's blue hair. He was definitely gaping and his axe rolled down his shoulders slightly before he re-shifted it into place. Candace tucked her hair behind her ear, but kept her eyes on the horizon.
"My mother died, and he didn't come to see her once. Not even for her funeral. I couldn't… I could never accept any gift from him. Not after… not after watching her die like that," Candace whispered, voice thick and low and shaking. Her hands were shaking just as hard as her words, and she quickly hid them in the hem of her cardigan, twisting and tugging at it.
"Oh. Uh, sorry, Candy, I shouldna asked," Luke said, clearing his throat and feeling like a heel.
"It's okay!" Candace startled in place and turned to face him. "You couldn't have known, Luke. It's fine. I know how unforgiving it is, I know it makes me a bad person, but I just couldn't–"
"No, Candy, no way," Luke interrupted hoarsely. He dropped his axe to lean it against his boot, and his now free hand gripped her shoulder tightly. "I definitely don't think it makes you bad. You couldn' ever… You couldn' ever be bad."
She shook her head, but smiled sadly up at him. "And you couldn't ever see the bad in your friends, could you?"
Luke blinked and grinned. "Well, that's a nice thing t'say, I think? But I ain't blind just cuz you're my friend, Candy-girl. Ask anyone in town, I bet they'd agree with me."
"If they knew me, I suppose. I don't think most people have much of an opinion of me at all," Candace said softly, quietly.
Luke scoffed. "Maybe a year ago, some of 'em might not've. But this year? I know a ton of 'em that'll agree in a second. I can list 'em for ya right now!"
Candace's expression somehow manage to crumple, kinda? Luke watched, increasingly bewildered, as her eyes filled with tears, her nose scrunched, her eyebrows pulled tautly together, and her mouth trembled tightly until it broke around a gasp. She buried her reddening face in her hands and her shoulders shook painfully.
"Candy! Candy, what'd I say? Oh shit, damn, don't cry! I'm an idiot, I didn' mean it, whatever I said, I only meant t'say you got lots of friends now! Not that you didn't have any friends afore! Candy, please, don't cry! I'm sorry!" Luke babbled frantically, discarding his axe without further thought to grip both her shoulders in his hands. She only cried louder and Luke rubbed up and down her arms and begged for forgiveness over and over again.
"Th-th-thank y-y-y-you!" Candace wailed from behind her hands. Luke stilled, wondering if he heard that correctly. "Th-thank y-you f-for s-saying s-s-something s-so nice! D-Do you r-r-really think that?" She stuttered so badly it took a minute to understand her.
"Ya mean… that you got a lotta friends?" Luke asked dumbly.
"Yes."
"Well, yeah. Definitely. Everyone likes ya, Candy. They just needed a chance to, yanno?" Luke said, half-laughing, more desperately relieved than amused.
One shaking hand reached out and gripped his shirt, knuckles white at her tight grip. He glanced down to his chest at her fist, then at her lowered head.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm just s-so happy," Candace gasped, laughing and crying and hiding her mess of a face behind her hand. "I'm s-so happy I have f-friends."
"Even me?" Luke asked, still grinning. He reached into his back pocket and found the spare bandana he kept there. There might've been a bloodstain somewhere from somewhen ago, but it was technically clean. He handed it to her, and she sniffled loudly and looked up at him. Even bloodshot and teary, the look she gave him, the exasperated fondness he'd seen on so many of his friends' and family's faces, had him grinning wider.
"Of c-c-course, you. Es… especially you," she whispered, so quietly and muffled behind his bandana he almost missed it.
There was something warm building in his chest, burning a path down to his toes, his fingertips, up to his ears. His insides felt too big to fit inside him anymore, like he was about to burst at the seams at those two very quiet words.
Especially you.
"I… I think so, too," he blurted.
She blinked questioningly up at him.
"Especially… especially you. I'm h-h-happy t-to have you, too," he stammered, mimicking her unconsciously and his whole face flushing with the words.
She exhaled softly and hid under the fringe of her bangs, fingers now wringing at his dirty bandana. Slowly, he pulled away, the hand still on her shoulder falling away reluctantly.
He didn't want to stop touch her at all. She was just so soft and small and smelled like flowers and tea all the time. She reminded him of his mother, sometimes, not like… as a person, cuz that'd be weird and his Ma had been nothing like Candy. But like when he'd been a kid all he'd wanted to do was follow her around and hold her hand and hug her all the time, and how pretty and perfect he thought she was; the most beautiful lady in the world who believed in fairies and talked to the Goddess at the Tree.. It used to make his parents laugh and tease him.
Candace wasn't his mom. But he wanted to be with her all the time just like way back then. He couldn't look at anyone else without comparing them somehow to Candy. Their blue eyes weren't the right kinda blue, or their smile wasn't the small, shy smile he'd started to covet. He wanted to reach out and hold her hand so badly he had to clench it into a fist and shove it into his pocket. He bent down to pick up his axe, bracing it on one shoulder and keeping his clenched hand safely in his pocket. Keeping his arm from going around her shoulder like he'd managed to get away with before.
Before he dreamed about her saying 'I love you', and before every day since he'd wished she'd say it when he was awake.
Slowly, awkwardly, they began to walk towards Flute Fields again. His footsteps actually shuffled in the sandy dirt, dragging out the walk and stealing a few more minutes of her time. Just when they reached the bridge, a gentle touch of fingers slipped into the crook of his elbow and it took all his willpower not to stop and snatch her up right there, but to keep on walking like nothing had changed. Like her timid little touch hadn't stolen his breath.
He glanced out the corner of his eye. Barely, the curve of her cheek showed past the waves of her braided hair. A cheek still slightly pink even though she hadn't let out a sniffle since they'd started walking.
Maybe… maybe, that especially you meant the same to her as it did for him?
His heart thumped double-time and he wondered if it were worth the risk. Because he wasn't sure he could keep it secret it much longer, anyway.
…
"I don't know how I'm supposed to make things right when that bull terrier of a sister chases me away every time!"
Toby rubbed at his damp hair with a towel and let Julius finish bemoaning his fate. Julius, whom had invited himself into Toby's house, after he'd been told 'I'm about to take a shower, Julius' very pointedly, and then proceeded to make tea and set out cups and saucers while waiting. Toby laid his towel over the back of the chair and dropped into it. Of course, Julius had managed to unearth one of Toby's 'pottery phase' mugs. It was lopsided and garishly painted in purple and pinks, made specifically for Julius. When they were ten. Even then, Julius had refused to take it home, declaring it 'unfit' for his cupboard, but he always used it when he visited.
Toby exhaled softly, trying not to be too nostalgic. Paolo had enough fun at his expense for being 'so old'. He was only twenty-six, for the Tree's sake.
"Apologizing and trying to fix a friendship that's been broken for eight years shouldn't be easy, Julius," Toby pointed out. He dragged his own mug forward, thankfully a plain blue one that had been probably bought in a pack knowing his uncle. Or himself. Did he buy this one?
"I know that, but that child is making it harder than it should be," Julius huffed indignantly.
Toby smirked from safely behind his mug. It wouldn't do to get Julius' back up. He had better things to do than cause a snit with the most melodramatic man in Castanet.
"Did you really burst into my house to complain about Luna? I do have better things to do than recreate our preteen years."
Julius snorted at that, then promptly looked horrified at himself. More because of the snort than the inherent insult, Toby knew. Julius took a sip of tea and lifted a brow curiously. "I was wondering why you were taking a shower in the middle of the day. Normally you don't mind that… sea-musk thing you have going for you."
He waved an elegant hand over Toby's everything. Toby groaned inwardly, but merely gazed steadily and blankly at Julius in response. It usually got the fastest response out of Julius, honestly. It worked again, and Toby, with the ease of practice, kept his triumph hidden.
"You're not going to just leave it at that like you're some debonair man of mystery, are you? That's really quite provoking." Julius' eyes sharpened. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain rancher with a penchant for getting herself in everyone's business, would it?"
"Mm. Astute."
"Ah, that wit. No one quite does sarcasm like you," Julius sighed.
Toby huffed quietly and set his mug back down. He glanced down at the single layer he wore, a simple white tee obviously meant to be worn under something else, and huffed again.
"Since you're already here, drinking my tea," he glanced at Julius' mug. The man took another sip. "I could…" Toby raised his face upwards and wondered why he was about to punish himself. "I could use some advice. About clothes."
"You? You, Toby Fisher, you are surrendering at last to my superior knowledgeability and asking for advice?" Julius exclaimed, a hand resting over his heart, his face a picture of shock. Toby sighed and got to his feet, already heading to his room. Julius sauntered after him, not even trying to hide his glee. "Perhaps today will not be a complete loss after all!"
"Happy to help soothe the ego," Toby muttered under his breath. He settled onto his bed and chuckled when Julius went immediately for the bureau and rustled through the drawers.
Julius hmmed and tsked over this blue shirt and that almost green, but mostly blue, one. After several long moments, he raised his eyes to Toby's. He gave him such a look of pitying despair that Toby almost felt ashamed. He raised an eyebrow wordlessly instead.
"Don't you own anything not blue?"
Toby burst into laughter, barely muffled by his hand. "My mom loved to dress me in blue, and I just kept it up. I'm not much judge of what looks good."
"But you buy Paolo clothes. He doesn't dress like a fish day in, day out!" Julius said in exasperation. He glanced through one of the drawers one more time, hands on his hips, then dug through a pile and yanked out one of the only dark-colored options in there.
Toby frowned. "I wore that to my parents' wedding anniversary three years ago," he said dubiously.
"Good, it's an unexpected look for you. Put it on and make sure it still fits."
The shirt smacked into his face and Toby grunted at the soft thwack!
"Why the change?" Julius asked, perching on the nearby desk hair. Toby focused on buttoning up his shirt. Julius inhaled sharply and held up a hand. "Wait, not your usual pants. Please tell me you have slacks of some kind for that shirt."
"…do khakis count?" Toby asked, frowning slightly. He was pretty sure he'd worn a pair of those as part of his outfit.
Julius pressed a hand to his forehead. "That lovely brown and khaki… if they must, then yes, that would work."
"I appreciate your patience, Julius." Toby snorted and went for the drawer those uncomfortable pants had been shoved into.
"Well?"
"It's a date."
"A date," Julius repeated, then he covered his mouth with his hand pensively. "With our newcomer, I suppose. If you haven't turned Don Juan on me in the past seven years since I've been gone?"
"I wouldn't have enough energy for that," Toby retorted dryly.
Julius tossed his head back to laugh. "Haven't you been dating Evelyn since the Circus was last in town? Why is today special? It's not her birthday, is it?" he asked when he'd calmed down.
"No… and no… I have no idea how it's going to be special, but I'm… workin' on it." Toby groaned and rubbed his hand on over his face. Julius opened his mouth and Toby quickly lifted his hand and squinted narrowly over at him. "Do not even try. You can't even apologize to Candace properly."
"Rude." Julius's mouth twitched despite himself. A moment later, Julius's eyes widened. "You're serious about her. In a way you weren't with that sweet Horn girl who started following you around last year."
"Julius," Toby sighed. "Please, leave Renee out of this." There was still a guilty pang rearing its ugly head whenever he remembered that talk of a few days past. He'd been avoiding going near Horn Ranch (mainly avoiding Hanna and Cain) for even longer. He'd never claimed to be very brave. Procrastination, however, he was very good at that.
"Well, just warn me before you go tramping up the mountain after a blue feather," Julius said casually as his eyes twinkled.
"No need to go that far," Toby said with a grimace. He really hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt.
"You're right. Evelyn would probably get up there before you ever did."
A pair of heavy winter pants were conveniently nearby his hand and quickly lobbed right into Julius's face. The annoyance masquerading as Toby's oldest friend just laughed, falling back onto the bed.
…
Candace came home with a tote bag so full of wool and silk yarn, it actually made her shoulder ache a little. She must've gotten too used to Evie or Luke doing all her carrying for her.
She blushed and pressed her fingers to her cheeks, just under her eyes. Hopefully, it'd been long enough that nothing was left of earlier that morning. It had been such a lovely couple of days, the impromptu meeting that morning, the pleasant dinner at the Carpentry before that, and the long walk through the rain and dark afterwards. Her face flushed a little darker at that particular memory. As a girl, she'd thought sharing an umbrella was so intimate and romantic. At twenty-four, she had finally had that moment. Surely it was just her childish imaginings that had influenced her feelings during the walk that night.
But… for long moments of time… even today in the bright morning sunshine…
Candace froze in the kitchen, letting her tote fall to the table, and pressed her knuckles to her trembling lips. Trembling now as they repressed a secretive smile.
There had been moments that had felt dreamlike. Surely she was reading into that bashful smile when their hands had brushed accidentally, or the awkward dithering at the door as if he'd wanted their time together to extend further, or the way he'd leaned down low to catch her eyes. She'd melted every time, tongue-tied and silent, until he'd somehow managed to break through it. Either with stream of conscious babbling, or flailing farewells before ducking into the rain, or had grinned and fallen into step next to her, bouncing and graceless.
She giggled and shook her head. Because Luke was just Luke, impulsive, reckless, and guilelessly kind.
The quick steps of her sister's low-heeled pumps clicked over the wooden floor. Candace pushed away her silly little daydreams and turned to see Luna walk in from the shop.
"I didn't make you wait too long for lunch, did I?" she asked with a worried smile. Luna huffed.
"Of course not. We need to wait for Gra'mama anyway. She said she'd be back to eat with us. You did miss one of your ridiculous friends, though."
Candace's eyes widened. "Oh no! What– Who–?" There was a little thrill of being unsure of whom Luna meant, more than just one name running through her panicked mind.
"Calm down, Candy. It wasn't anything important and I dealt with it." That only made Candace more anxious, her fingers wringing the hem of her cardigan. Luna lifted her eyes heavenward. "It was only Evelyn with that boy with her. Remember the blonde boy that never liked to play with me? He has much better manners now."
"Gill? Gill Goldstein is back? I thought I saw him the other day," Candace gasped under her breath. She frowned, rather perplexed. "And… he was with Evie?"
"Yup, pretty chummy. He helped me dress her up. She didn't want to admit it, but she liked that dress you made for her." Luna's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"She's wearing– She bought the pretty pink dress!?" Candace exclaimed.
"She did, and I got a pic," Luna said, holding up her cellphone teasingly.
"You did? I have to see it, p-please, Luna," Candace pleaded with her hands clasped over her heart.
"I guess." Luna passed it over with a smirk.
"Oh, thank you!" Candace sank into the closest dining chair and scrolled through the handful of pictures Luna had caught. In most of them, Evie was sheepish and not-quite-scowling, but a few had captured her lively humor mid-laugh.
"She looks so lovely! I should've chosen a brighter or darker shade, though. Magenta, or a nice rose pink, oh, or a fuchsia! She could wear that color well!" Candace mumbled, already designing something new in her mind. She looked up at Luna and smiled. "Thank you, really. They'll be perfect for a scrapbook. Her birthday is next season."
Luna chuckled behind her hand and rolled her eyes upward. She didn't actually say anything sharp or sarcastic about Evie or if she deserved a scrapbook, though, which really should have clued Candace in right then and there. But she was too focused on sending the pictures to her (admittedly underused) email. As the email sent, Luna dropped into chair beside Candace. At her own small jerk, she nearly lost her grip on the phone and blinked owlishly at her sister.
"So… took your time this morning," Luna noted casually. Her fingers tapped on the tabletop slowly. Candace felt the heat burning like a rash across her face. All too easily, she remembered lingering on the path to Flute Fields in the middle of the sunshine and sea breeze, looking up into Luke's grinning face from behind her fingers. "A lot like the other night. You were going to drop off a stew and come right back. Then, you didn't come home till four hours later, pot empty and washed, too," she added, fingers still trapping steadily, quietly.
"Are you… angry with me? Ab-bout something?" Candace asked, curious and anxious simultaneously.
Luna's strange composure broke as she got to her feet and stomped a few steps away, arms crossed over her chest. "Yes! Yes, I am! You aren't supposed to keep secrets from me! We… promised," Luna broke off and hiccupped.
Candace's eyes widened. She quickly got to her feet, too, as her hands fluttered towards Luna, then wrung at her cardigan.
"Luna, w-what's wrong? What are you t-talking about? What promise?"
"That we'd tell each other if we liked someone! That's what!" Luna exclaimed, stamping her foot. Candace jerked back as if slapped.
"N-no, I-I'm n-not– I d-don't…" she trailed off into stammering, horrified silence.
"Don't lie, Candace! You're not good enough at it," Luna said with a sniff. "I know you have feelings for him, I'm your sister. I told you every time I met someone, told you all about my dates and break ups, don't you trust me? Don't you want to tell me? Or is Evie the only best friend you can have now?" Luna demanded while her blue eyes began to shine, tears filming her thick lashes.
"Oh, Luna, no! D-don't think that, n-never that!" Candace gasped, her hands covering her mouth, aghast at Luna's reaction.
"Then, why won't you talk to me?"
"Th-there's nothing to tell. Really, he couldn't…" Candace glanced away, her own eyes and nose stinging. "He couldn't feel the same way. Not for s-someone like me. I honestly didn't want to say it, even to myself, b-because…" her voice got smaller, softer, her gaze on her clunky house shoes, "…nothing will come of my f-f-f-feelings."
"Candace," Luna breathed out. She rushed forward just as Candace covered her entire face with her hands and burst into tears. "Candace, please don't– Oh, I'm so sorry, but don't cry! Please not over that moron."
"N-not a m-moron," Candace stammered painfully through gulps of air.
"He is if he doesn't feel the same! You're wonderful, and I'll eat my favorite shoes if he doesn't think so, too!" Luna said fiercely. She blinked and scowled. "Actually I'll just chuck 'em at his head."
Candace burst into shocked, wet giggles. She couldn't help, while Luna rubbed her back and she reined in her sobs, but remember an earlier moment. Almost identical to this one, but with two large, callused hands warm and strong on her shoulders. She sighed wistfully.
"L-Luna, please, I l-like being his friend. I just like b-being around him. He's so…" she stopped and smiled fondly. "Bright. And l-lively. He's everything I admire in people and so… kind. I know he's clumsy and a little imp-pulsive, b-but…" Candace sniffled and covered her red face with her hands again, worried about the mess as much as she was embarrassed.
Luna sighed and reached for the tissue box set in the middle of the table. Candace gratefully pulled free a few and blew discreetly. Luna took another handful for herself. After a short while they took to collect themselves, Luna dusted off her hands briskly.
"Fine, so I'm the only one you've told?"
Candace nodded, fidgeting fretfully.
"I think it's a load of hogwash that he doesn't, or won't ever, return your feelings. Just leave it to me." Luna cocked one hip and braced a hand there.
"Oh… oh no, Luna, what–" Candace wheezed.
"I'll fix this. In fact, I've already started," she steamrolled right over Candace's breathless protest.
"You… you d-did what?"
"Never you mind." Luna put both her hands on Candace's upper arms and forced very serious eye contact. Candace felt her throat and mouth go instantly dry with dread. Nothing good would come of Luna's scheming face. Not for Candace in this instance. "You just be your sweet, oblivious self and I'll handle that axe-wielding monkey."
"L-Luna, w-wait, p-please, what–"
"I better get back to that website. Who knows how that Goldstein will muck it up, CompSci classes or not." Luna marched away briskly.
"Luna!"
…
Evie tugged at the not-quite frilly hem and rubbed her awkwardly moist palms on the smooth cotton of her dress. She felt so naked with bare hands and no shorts on under her dress. (Luna had actually hissed at the request and demanded to know if Evie were an adult or an 11-year-old tomboy.) She didn't even have her customary knapsack, claimed by Shelly when Evie had given her the latest shearing product from Clotho. Shelly had promised Evie could pick it up later that evening. Which would give Evie another chance to talk to Candace, hopefully.
Stopping outside the Fishery, she then took a deep, swift breath, pushed open the door, and stepped into the shop. At first, Evie was alone. Totally so, since Finn had flown up to the Spring with a soul-weary and put-upon sigh. She stared at the empty register counter, wondering if hell had frozen over. Ozzie not at the register?
The back door swung open and Ozzie walked through, paused mid-step, then grinned. Overly polite enough to have Evie scowling as she blushed, the older man tipped his straw hat and bowed his head, a genial wink flashing at her.
"Now here's a picture," Ozzie teased.
Evie ducked her head, hand rubbing at the back of her neck, feeling more and more hot and flustered. "Th-thanks. Luna got ahold of me. It's impossible to say no to her," Evie mumbled.
"She done right by you today. You look like a real city lady," Ozzie said, still smirking.
Evie snorted loudly and shook her head, which had him laughing out loud.
"Toby's coming in a bit. Pao is stayin' over at Taylor's, so we were checkin' he packed more'n snacks and whatever strange science experiment he wants t'make explode with that wild child," Ozzie explained, chuckling some more.
"Taylor is definitely that," Evie agree, grinning.
"I'm actually headin' out on a night-fishin' trip with Pas– that's Cap'n Pascal, I'm meaning. It's been a while since I been out. 'm lookin' forward to it," he added with none too little satisfaction. "Toby says you're a pretty good angler yourself. Maybe you'll come out with us some time?"
"That sounds fun, but Toby's being too nice. I'm not anything close to good," Evie protested.
The door banged open again and Paolo rushed out. A tiny ball of blue light bobbed at his shoulder. Evie grinned at the sight, grinning more when Ben popped into being and waved ecstatically at her. Oddly, Ben looked… a little bigger than the last time she saw him? Just that morning, wasn't it? She blinked, but kept smiling through her bemusement.
"Hiya, Miss Evie!"
"It's Evie!"
Their voices were all mixed up and on top of each other, both excited and shiny with it– Ben literally so.
"Whoa, where's the fire?" Evie asked with a wide smirk.
"You're not funny at all," Paolo groaned.
"Why do you think there's a fire?" Ben asked curiously, then glanced around. "Where's Finn?"
"He's–" Evie broke off, using every bit of will power not to look over at Ozzie, who surely only heard Paolo's part of the conversation. "Uh, I'll try harder next time. With the joking, I mean," she stuttered awkwardly.
"He's okay, right?" Ben asked. His wings drooped in relief at Evie's more discreet nod.
Paolo seemed to notice her clothes then, his mouth dropping open and his hazel eyes actually opening wide. "You're– is that a dress? That's why he's wearing those weird clothes, isn't it?"
"Who's what?" Evie asked, baffled.
"He means me. Because none of this is blue," Toby stated from the still open doorway.
Evie jerked upright and clasped her hands in front of her thighs, wringing and unclasping repeatedly and nervously, as she met Toby's gaze across the room. Like her, he didn't look like himself, wearing tan pants that actually showed off long legs and a button-up, dark brown shirt that fit his shoulders, almost too tightly (but maybe it just actually fit him). In his hands he held a fishing pole and a basket, and over one shoulder his usual tackle-box. He looked like a grown up, and it had Evie flushing bright red and trying not to fidget with her dress skirt again. She still felt six, not like someone old enough to be going on a real date, no matter what Gill or Luna had said (or Finn for that matter, he'd really liked the pink). Slowly, an eyebrow raised as Toby's mouth curved up into a smirk at her uncharacteristic silence and obvious nerves. Evie bit her lip and turned away to keep from pouting ridiculously, face getting hotter.
"Ooookay, well, Taylor's not a weird-o like you guys, so I'm going. Bye, Da! Have fun on the boat with your boyfriend!" Paolo said, completely unimpressed with their awkward and lingering silence. He grinned up at Ben and they took off running across the shop.
"Y'all better stay away from that beach in Clarinet, and no walkin' that bridge railin'! I tol' Craig t'tan your hide if he caught ya at it!" Ozzie called after his son.
"Yeah, yeah! Don't worry, I'm not the bad kid," Paolo laughed over his shoulder.
"I'm the Sprite of Water, you know. You don't have to worry about drowning with me, anyway. I'll protect you," Ben said, fluttering around Paolo's shoulders and head excitedly.
"Oh, really? Cool!" The door slammed shut and Evie exhaled roughly.
"You should probably tell Paolo that he's takin' this boyfriend idea too far, Uncle. He's going to really start believin' it," Toby noted. Ozzie just shrugged with a wide, amused grin before turning his attention to a big ledger lying open on the counter.
Toby made his way across the room and laid his hand on Evie's shoulder, thumb resting just above her collarbone. She tensed all over and stared up at him, grinning weakly and rubbing the back of her neck. After her first shock had ebbed, she noticed the cuffs of his nice shirt were left undone, and the bottom hem was left untucked. On his feet, he still wore his normal, wore-down flip-flops. For some stupid reason, those little details of him had her feeling more settled. She reached out and took the basket, grunting a little in surprise at the weight.
"I feel weird," she confessed, nose scrunching.
"Hm, same. But… it's a good look on you," Toby commented.
Evie rolled her eyes and socked him lightly on the arm. "Shut your face."
He laughed, covering his mouth with his hand as he turned slightly away.
"Y'all have a good time," Ozzie said. It made both of them jump and flush brighter red. Ozzie gamely kept his grin small and any teasings to himself.
Evie led the way out the Fishery, glancing over her shoulder to look at Toby on her heels. When they stepped onto the dock, heels of their shoes echoing over the boards, Evie had to stop in confusion. His hand touched her elbow, his bare hand on bare skin making goosebumps rise from head to toe with how on edge as she was.
"I thought maybe… Flute Fields again? Where the Firefly Festival was?" Toby said, his cheeks a little pink. "I thought you'd like the walk."
Evie grinned despite herself. "Yeah, I would. Just make sure I don't trip in this getup," she said wryly.
He chuckled under his breath and they kept walking in the right direction. When his hand fell away, she actually felt bereft. Evie bumped her hip against his and then slipped her arm into his. Definitely worth the embarrassment to see his slow grin spreading wider over his face and his shoulders unknot into their usual lax slump.
The walk was the usual kind of uneventful a walk with Toby tended to be. With lots of Evie talking and Toby nodding along. After a choked gulp on air, she even managed to blurt out the terrible thing she'd said to Luke and the money she'd given Dale as a her version of a 'big gesture' apology. He didn't try to make her feel bad, didn't try to psychoanalyze her bullshit, just frowned sympathetically.
"It's good you've made up. You would've been unhappy otherwise," he only said. It made her heart stutter and thud, realizing how well he knew her already. Though, it was very obvious how close she and Luke were…
They made it to the Waterwheel just in time for lunch. She stopped on the tiny dock in the shade of the Wheel and its building, watching as Toby sat neatly cross-legged and opened the basket. Even though they were nicer pants than he usual wore, khakis weren't exactly delicate or revealing by any stretch of the imagination. Her flimsy skirt, though… she couldn't just plop down and sit crisscross like usual. He glanced up at her, eyebrow rising. With a twist of her mouth, Evie smoothed her skirt against her thighs and slowly lowered to her knees, then, with a little bit of shuffling, got them curled to the side.
Toby ducked his head, shoulders shaking lightly.
"What!" Evie burst out, red-faced.
"I'm never seen a woman so uncomfortable with a skirt before," he admitted, voice laced with bitten back chuckles.
"Unlike the strangely gorgeous women walking around this town, I'm not used to it," Evie huffed, arms crossing. "I keep thinking someone's going to see my underwear or something."
The laughter fell out of him easy and loud, making Evie join him quickly. Before their chuckles had completely subsided, he began unpacking their lunch basket, revealing a surprisingly fishless lunch of egg salad sandwiches and vinegar-soaked cucumbers and a huge tupperware full of freshly cut up watermelon and honeydew, little toothpicks included to eat them more cleanly. Evie hummed thoughtfully at the first crunchy, acidic bite of cucumber.
"Interesting," she muttered to herself, reaching for another despite being unsure if she actually liked it or not. She ate about half the tupperware before forcing herself to stop. Toby was definitely trying not to laugh as she set it aside.
"So what's with the clothes?" Evie asked after a big swallow of egg salad.
"I'm not the only one outta my depth," he returned dryly. Evie socked his shoulder lightly and he sighed. "Julius barged in."
"Oh!" Evie burst out laughing. "Did he force you into this rig?"
"Force is a bit strong. I did ask him to be useful since he was already there," Toby said, making her laugh even more.
"I'm glad I missed him. I saw him at Sonata this morning and it was… well, a hectic mess," Evie told him, shaking her head.
"Mm, he mentioned that. You know…" Toby trailed off, frowning down at his sandwich half. "I think he's serious about makin' it right with Candace. 'Fore he messed up and ran off to college, we were all close. Between me movin' away and comin' back again, it was like they were all of a sudden different people. Candace just… disappeared and I was helpin' with Paolo, next thing I know, we're all adults and barely talkin'."
Evie frowned and reached over to squeeze his knee. "I'm sorry, Tobes." He looked up and smiled crookedly, shrugging a shoulder. "I think you're right, though, about Julius. I hope so, but I don't know if forcing when he's ready instead of when she's ready is any better. Plus, what if he has some… nefarious purposes or something?" She scowled at the thought, but Toby snickered.
"N-nefarious purposes? What?"
She scrunched up her nose and squinted at him. "Yeah! Like buttering her up just to ask her out when her guard's down!"
"Asking her out is nefarious?"
"If he's doing it? Yes!"
Toby burst into much louder laughter as Evie scowled at him. "So I shouldn't recruit your help then? I was hoping to get the newest town busybody to put the past to rest."
"The town what?" Evie retorted, trying to be offended even as Toby's laughter had her mouth twitching. "Ignoring that, I'll talk to Candy if you tell Julius to back off for a bit."
"Deal. How 'bout we don't talk about friend drama for a while?" he suggested, still chortling.
"Fishing time?"
"Sounds perfect."
Evie didn't quite stifle the giggles, but she did divest herself of shoes and socks to let her legs hang over the water, toes and heels skimming the surface. They finally got around to casting their fishing lines in the water minutes later. He asked about her crops and animals, she asked about fish and Paolo, and it was nice, like how it always was. But at the back of her mind, her conversation with the Harvest Goddess still echoed. And with it, the remembrance of Edge's lonely weeping. After a while, with a pretty decent amount of trout in the box, Toby cleared his throat.
"I… I wanted to make today special in some way," he admitted, shifting as if uncomfortable. Evie glanced over at him in surprise. "Not sure if I managed it, not if you compare it to whatever you go back in your city, but I was tryin'."
Evie scoffed. "Would wining and dining me in some fancy restaurant be more special? When we can barely pull off wearing clothes that pass muster just sitting and fishing? No thanks. This? Here? With no eyes or expectations, just you and me? That's loads better."
"Hm."
"Besides," Evie bumped their shoulders, "the clothes do make it nicer. For us, you know?"
Toby glanced at her, then gave her a slow up-and-down look. "Yes, I agree."
Evie made a noise similar to a teakettle boiling over.
"We should do somethin', though," Toby said with a small frown.
"To commemorate our 'real' date?" Evie asked, deadpan and staring him down, paying no attention to her own blushing face.
He only chuckled, seeing right through her. "Somethin' exciting for once."
"Skinny dipping?"
"What!" He yelped, finally blushing himself, redder than she'd ever seen him. "Not that kinda exciting!"
Evie almost fell off the dock, she was cackling like an idiot so hard. "Spoilsport!" She gasped and wheezed, pulling herself back together as he rubbed his face wearily. "How about…" She paused to gnaw on her bottom lip. "How about a wish?"
"A wish?" he repeated in confusion.
"Say you can walk right up to the Harvest Goddess right now and tell her a wish closest to your heart, what would it be?" Evie said, hand waving through the air expansively and heart beating too fast.
"… I guess, that every day would be great for fishing?"
"Toby!"
"No, wait, hear me out," Toby said quickly, holding up a hand and laughing a little. "This place is my home, the land and the water and everything in it. I just want it to be… good, healthy and whole. It's been so much better these past few months, shockingly so," Evie twitched, "but 'fore you came, since I was boy, really, this place has been dying. I… I just want it to keep on thrivin', with rivers and sea full of fish, and good days to fish in."
In her heart, something resounded. It felt like being struck with a hammer, and instead of bruising, she vibrated and rung. Evie blinked at him with her hands digging into the satiny cotton of her dress over her belly, as he rubbed at the back of his head and smiled awkwardly and lopsided, like a shy little boy. She tilted towards him, tilted right over until their sides were pressed together, her right side lined up close to his left. Inside her, that feeling rang on, warm and cozy and soft, and she knew he'd given her the real wish of his heart. Trusted her with it so easily.
"You're a good man, Toby," she whispered, eyes closed and heart pounding.
"Just a simple one."
She wanted to kiss this 'simple', good man senseless. She wanted to take his hand and press it to her heart, see if he could feel the magic in her as clearly as she did, filled with his heart's wish.
But also… for one horrifying, disgusting, painful moment, Evie was jealous. Jealous that Toby had so much more to give than she did. That his heart was braver than hers had ever been.
What could she give back to him? There wasn't anything equal inside her to wrap up and return as a gift to him. What she couldn't give, what she couldn't give Edge or the Goddess or long before all this to her family, it was drowning her now.
And Toby had already given his to her, easy as breathing. Head above the water and heart pure and good. She wanted to cry and she wanted to be better. To be more like him.
"I guess… there's another wish," Toby muttered. His shoulder moved slightly under her cheek, nudging them apart, only to wrap an arm around her shoulders. She made a small noise of curiosity, too full and empty to speak aloud yet. "Don't know if you wanna hear it, though. 'llI keep it to myself for now."
She blinked, twisting just enough to stare at his jaw and squint. "Huh?"
He glanced towards her, then away. The afternoon light was leaking through the boards of the Waterwheel house above them, painted glowing lines of gold over his face and chest, gilding his light hair in silver. A bar of light slanted over his mouth where a strange, wry, and wistful little smirk pulled up the side of his mouth.
Heat warred with ice in her veins, burning a cold and painful path through her limbs.
Toby just smiled, unknowing, or too knowing, she couldn't tell. "Should probably pack up soon. I'm sure you wanna stop by and check on your flock."
"O-one sheep, Fisher, I have one sheep," she stammered, relieved and disappointed. "I heard you want a flock of your own… only with a goat?"
"Does one would-be-goat make a flock, either? Would it be a flock of goats?" he asked, bemused.
Evie grimaced. "That does not sound right."
"No, it doesn't. A herd? Like cows?"
"A school! A pride! A phalanx!"
"A baand."
Evie recoiled away sharply with a disgusted gasp. "YOU DID NOT JUST!" she shrieked, socking his arm.
Toby was already guffawing, unrepentant and pleased with himself, his fishing pole on the dock and his hand clutching where she'd punched him.
"Puns! How dare you!"
He only laughed harder, actual tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
She got to her feet and huffed, shaking out her skirt and nose rising haughtily. "Let's go look at goats and think of exciting-but-not things to do with the rest of the day. But no more puns."
Toby wiped at his eyes, still chortling. "We could go back to my place after? Watch some of my movies for once?"
Evie's eyebrows popped up, expression dubious. "Are they gross dad movies to go with your gross dad humor?"
"What are dad movies? I have decent, normal movies," Toby protested, voice shaking with even more laughter threatening.
"Whoa there, dude. I might have a heart attack with all that excitement," she deadpanned.
Toby looked heavenward and sighed gustily. "I have more choices to cook with, too."
"SOLD!" Evie thrust her fists in the air. "Besides, Luna is holding my normal clothes hostage and Ms. Shelly's got my rucksack. I have to go back to Harmonica anyway. Goats first?"
There was a strange and awkward pause as Toby cleaned up their things and closed his tackle-box. "Y-yes, goats first." Evie cocked her head to the side, but shrugged and knelt down to pull on her socks and boots again. Only to look up a second later when Toby cleared his throat again. His cheeks looked sunburnt and he didn't quite meet her eyes. "You could… the whole night… stay. That's… that's what I was tryin' to say."
Evie gaped slightly, hands frozen in the midst of pulling up a sock. "Oh… um…"
Sleep in someone else's bed? Stay the whole night? Dinner and breakfast and all? She'd never done that before, never given up home turf before. Not even with the few and far between one-offs in college. It was always her dorm, or she got outta Dodge the first moment she possibly could if it was someone else's place. Staying the night in someone else's bed had always given her the heebie-jeebies, in fact, Toby had been the first guy she'd been romantically involved with that she'd slept with, in the rated-G sort of way. But… it was Toby. With his red face and nervous fidgeting and simple wishes, standing in front of her now and asking. Maybe the big things she couldn't give back, but this?
She couldn't say no to this.
"Y-Yeah, w-we can do that," she squeaked helplessly.
His answering smile told her she'd done the right thing for once.
A/N: Soooo I had WAY too much fun writing Luke. I hope you liked him, too. :") that pun though. kill me, I'm way too proud of myself. LOLOL
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Fortunately for you FFN readers the usual updating style won't change, but... The next several updates will be timestamps, using outsider POVs with Evie making cameos as she tries to become better friends and collect wishes. There will be a new Evie-POV chapter for the Ocean Festival, then back to timestamps to get us quickly through the rest of summer into fall. Then, the next Evie chapter will be the Moon Viewing Festival (yeah, I think even the Circus will be a timestamp, honestly). After that, we'll be back to the regular chapters of mostly Evie POV and the main plot, which should be ready to move again. I'm mainly doing this to get through the necessary filler quickly and set up/conclude some romantic subplots that have been bubbling. Updates should be every two weeks from now on, if not every week, since my beta had to take a break because life sucks y'all (wish her luck with me!) and the timestamps are generally shorter than true chapters. I'll try to keep up the quality control by myself ;)
