Claire was watching the smoke rising from the chimney of the smithy as she walked along the path to the farm. The gray puffs faded into the clouds in the sky. She was staring at one in particular that resembled a whale wearing a tutu when she heard her friend's sudden voice behind her.
"Ah, Cl-Claire. Hi!" Cliff looked a little winded, but none the worse for the wear.
She jumped; she hadn't heard him approach her at all. "Hi! I thought you were back at the inn, cleaning and taking care of Ann."
"Oh, she's fine," he let out a laugh as he caught his breath, dismissing this with the wave of a hand. "She's probably taking a nap already."
"So, you ran to catch up with me, huh?" Claire bit her lip as she stared down at the cobblestones. He must have finished cleaning and ran his way here. They were good friends and the notion of him going out of his way to be with her made her heart feel warm. Today, however, that pleasant glow was accompanied by a throbbing heartbeat. She quickly thought of a reason for his decision to be so adamant about their plans – why he wanted to be with her... "You, uh… you must really want to see Koro!" She shook her head at her own strange behavior, her cheeks flushing brightly as her slightly damp hair slapped against her warm face, refreshing it a bit.
"Ah…" He wasn't quite sure what to say; she hadn't left him much to work with. His head began to swim with dizziness, and it wasn't from his sprint to catch up to her. Her responses were usually much more thought out and came from a few moments of deliberation. The way she had playfully pretended that her dog as the real reason he came to see her – it almost sounded like what he imagined flirting would be like… If this was the case, he felt like he should be elated. Instead, his heart pounded in his ribcage and he panicked. "I guess so. Koro's a… good dog," he finished lamely, averting his eyes and staring up at the sky. His face felt as if it was on fire; why was it that he could never say what he really wanted? His eyes focused on a strangely shaped cloud in the sky. "Huh… that cloud almost looks like…"
"A whale?" Claire finished for him with a bright smile. She nodded emphatically to herself as she felt her shoulders relax. "It was wearing a tutu earlier, but the wind blew it off. Now it's a naked whale."
He raised his eyebrows and let out a hearty laugh, and part of him wondered if she was still drunk. "What are you going on about? I don't think we're looking at the same thing."
"That cloud!" She jutted her finger up to the sky.
She looked so intense about what she was doing that he couldn't help but bite back a chuckle. "What cloud?" he teased, a smirk playing at his lips.
She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him close, the spears on his back rattling loudly as she did so. "There, now we can see the same thing," she giggled playfully as she pointed back up into the blue, focusing her gaze as she closed one eye. "Right… there!"
Cliff wasn't looking at the sky. He was struggling to catch his breath as he realized how close their faces were. She was leaning her head on his shoulder, her blonde hair tumbling across his bare upper arm. He wondered if this was how lovers felt when they were close together, and he contemplated with a twinge of hopefulness if he would ever be in a position in his life where he would be able to have that kind of relationship with another person, namely the one right beside him. Perhaps Carter hadn't been spouting off nonsense… Cliff leaned a little closer to her head. He knew the time probably wasn't right, but how difficult could it be to simply move in just a bit more and…?
Apparently excruciatingly so, he realized. Cliff swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared at the woman's beautiful face. His eyes focused on her soft pink lips. They were slightly parted as she lightly bit her top lip in concentration, her eyebrows furrowing. Her face was no longer red, but a hint of natural blush remained on her cheeks. She had tired bags under her eyes from their late night partying, but that single sapphire eye that was open – it was so full of wonder and looked like a precious jewel… He didn't think anything more beautiful existed on this planet.
"Can you see it?"
Her words jarred him back to reality. He was suddenly aware that they had stopped walking. He remembered that he was standing in the middle of a walkway next to Claire gazing up at clouds. He struggled for an answer, and her eyes moved to him before he could pretend to look up at the sky.
"Are you staring at me like I'm crazy?" There was a hint of amusement to her voice.
"Well, you did say there was a whale up there," he stammered, struggling to look at the cloud. "One more time: which one?"
Claire put a hand on the side of his face and pressed it against hers, forcing him to stoop down a little bit to accommodate for their difference in height. She found that she enjoyed the warm glow that came with the closeness. He let out a small gasp in surprise as she gave him a playful pat on the cheek. He was always very endearing to her, and today she realized she needed to add adorable to the list. The very thought made her mind buzz with slight disorientation as it tried to process this new feeling. Claire ignored it as she pointed once more at the clouds. "That one. The one shaped like a naked whale."
She could feel his cheeks moving into an impish grin. "Ah, you mean the tanuki?" He let out a soft chuckle, getting acquainted to the marvelous feeling of their close proximity and her hand gently cupping his cheek. His heart was so full he thought it would burst and he started feeling a little dizzy.
"How on earth…?"
"Well, how is it a whale? Uh, I mean a naked whale?" he quipped. "That's definitely a tanuki."
She gestured wildly with her hands, and Cliff briefly lamented that she removed the tender touch of her fingers from his face. He took comfort in the fact that their cheeks were still pressed together. "That big thing is the whale's main body, and the small bit over there is the tail."
She felt him shake his head. "No… That small part over there is the tanuki's body. The big part is his… er… assets."
Claire collapsed into laughter, leaning forward and holding her slightly unsettled stomach. "What's he doing, making a parachute out of them?"
He gave her a serious nod, but there was a lighthearted twinkle in his eye. "You better believe it."
She rolled her eyes and linked her arm around his. "Come on, you silly boy. Let's go to the farm before you decide what the other clouds look like."
He let out a mischievous snicker, but his cheeks burned as he walked along with her. The fact that she was making the first move made his head spin. She cast him a mock-offended look at his creative imagination, but a smile soon spread across her lips. Claire never thought that she would make a friend out here that would help her find so much enjoyment in uncomplicated, innocent things such as cloud watching, and it made her happier than she realized. Life was so different here in Mineral Town, but she found right away that she preferred the simple pleasures – they reminded her of what was important: friendship, a solid roof over her head and food to eat, and being part of a community. She returned her eyes back at Cliff, who flashed her a kind smile. She couldn't help but return the gesture, and she fought the urge to nuzzle his shoulder as they continued along. While spending time with him made her happy, she highly doubted he wanted another friend like Karen hanging all over him. It was tempting, though. After all, his open and kindhearted demeanor with her made it easy for her to have such desires. Cliff was soothing presence for her, and the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel uncomfortable. However, her cheek still retained the sensory memory of his skin on hers. It had actually felt really nice… Something about it had made her feel so loved and precious; her heart began to pound as she awkwardly moved her eyes to the cobblestones.
As they walked in silence, she looked up at him periodically, and Cliff couldn't help but notice that each time she gazed at him, her face looked a little more relaxed and playful. The final time she glanced at him, he wasn't sure if he was looking for something that wasn't there, but her cheeks appeared to be flushed. She's just happy and excited because she's having fun. You are reading into this far too much, he inwardly scolded himself as they arrived at Mystic Acres.
0o0o0o0
Feeding the animals had been simple enough. Claire poured some kibble into Koro's bowl and had carried her hens out to their pasture while Cliff volunteered to groom Tucker and bring him out of the stable to graze. The young man stroked the creature's neck as he leaned over to remove the brushes from the hooks on the wall.
This was the horse that Gray had been so adamant about training, the cause of so many misunderstandings between the apprentice and Claire. He bit his lip as he ran the brush over Tucker's coat.
"All this fuss over you," Cliff didn't dislike the horse, but he couldn't remove the bitter tone from his whisper. He softly brushed the forelocks out of the colt's large brown eyes and traced his fingers along his jaw line. "You are beautiful; I will give you that…"
Tucker swished his tail in response and stomped down with his hooves, his back twitching as a fly landed on him. Cliff shooed it away and used the pitchfork to remove the waste from the stall. He knew that Claire had a compost heap on the far side of the barn and went outside to add it to the pile. As he walked outside, his gaze moved to the farmer. She was leaning on her makeshift pen, conversing with the hens as if they could understand her. Cliff had no doubt in his mind that the animals on Mystic Acres were some of the happiest he had ever seen, and he was once again amazed at how someone who had no experience at all was able to turn this patch of overgrown weeds into a functioning farm. It was magic.
Cliff returned to the stable and the young horse looked up at him with wide eyes. The young man briefly wondered if the colt had understood everything he had said earlier. He grabbed the comb and worked on Tucker's mane. "I'm sorry, boy," he murmured. "I was just a bit frustrated earlier. It's not your fault that Gray acted the way he did… You're only a little kid after all, huh?"
The horse let out a snort and looked at him curiously.
Cliff let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, I'm sorry. Has Gray been telling you that you're a big, bad, macho horse?" he teased.
He was given another snort and a couple of hoof stomps in reply.
He ran his fingers along the horse's back and their eyes met. Cliff looked away guiltily and gently leaned against Tucker's body, draping his arm over the side. "I'm sorry, I've made this all about Gray, huh? It's just…" He wasn't sure why he was having such a hard time expressing his feelings to a young horse. He leaned forward and buried his face into Tucker's neck, breathing in the earthy, sweaty scent of the animal. "When you… l-love someone… it can be hard to see them make choices that you know will hurt them in the end. But… you have to let them make that choice themselves… Claire deserves that right, after all… All I can do is comfort her and be there for her when she needs me."
Cliff felt the body beneath him shift as another hoof clomped noisily on the stable floor. The young man stood up and patted the horse tenderly on the cheek. "I've never admitted to anyone that I'm in love with her before. Don't go blabbing my secret, now." He gave the colt a conspiratorial wink as he felt a heavy burden lift from his heart.
Tucker let out a snort as Cliff gently wrapped an arm around the horse's back and walked forward; the horse walked alongside him. The young man mimicked his snort. "I know, I know. So young and already being given so many responsibilities." He gave a melodramatic sigh. "Life's tough. That should be your first lesson."
Upon releasing the horse into the pasture, a yapping Koro approached Cliff, wagging his tail so hard that his entire body wriggled. He bounded up and down on his hind legs, giving a cheerful bark each time he jumped. After a few hops he planted his front paws and face into Cliff's leg, his tail moving violently.
"Ah, he missed you!" Claire giggled, looking up from her hens. "Koro, easy boy!" Her scolding wasn't very effective, as a grin was plastered across her face.
"Oh, he's fine; I don't mind." He scratched the top of the dog's head and his hand got covered in puppy kisses. "I doubt you actually miss me, huh, boy? I've got nothing in my pockets for you." The last time he had seen the dog, he had given him scraps from his grilled fish; the young man didn't think he was the thing that Koro was looking for.
"It's unlike you to be so cynical," Claire pouted as she removed her work gloves and stuffed them in her rucksack, tossing it off to the side next to Cliff's things.
His eyes widened in surprise at her comment as he continued to attempt to pet the jumping dog. "Oh, I don't mean it like that. He just knows that sometimes I might have a snack for him."
"Well, you know what I told you before," she shook her finger at him, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" Koro stopped yipping as he curiously looked at Claire's moving finger, mesmerized. He sat down properly on the ground and stared up at her with large dark eyes. She let out a small chuckle. "And Koro's just about as manly and burly as they come. Right, boy?"
The puppy's tail began to wag excitedly as he let out an emphatic bark, his voice cracking.
Claire laughed so hard that she almost fell over; she slumped down to the ground as tears threatened to spring forth. Koro ran to her side, yipping and sniffing her face. She let out small squeak as she slowly rocked back on her heels, falling backward into the tall grass. Her long, blonde cascades of hair fell around her in what seemed like slow motion as the puppy quickly moved in, kissing and investigating her face. She struggled to shield her mouth with her hands.
"Ah, help!" she squealed, her voice muffled by her hand guard.
Cliff's laughter faded when he wondered if he should try to move the dog or the girl. It would be simple enough to scoop Koro up under his arm, but he could also carry Claire away and the two of them could curl up together under the nearby apple tree, and he could give her some kisses of his own…
There were two reasons this was a foolish idea. The first and most obvious was that she was probably covered in dog slobber. The second was that he highly doubted Claire would willingly accept his kisses. Huh, that's strange, he thought to himself. Normally I would have switched those two reasons around… Snorting aloud at his idiocy, he walked over and picked up the puppy. Koro's body wriggled in Cliff's grasp; he was eager to check on Claire and this man was keeping him from doing his duty! Cliff tucked him under one arm and held out a hand to assist Claire back up.
"Well, you've got a protective partner, I'll give you that." He let out a chuckle as he looked at the squirming dog.
"Protective? He's just a nosy pet." Claire stood up and led the way to the apple tree's shade.
Cliff set down the dog and Koro circled around his feet, wagging his tail. "What about the wild dogs that tend to prowl around at night? Doesn't he help protect you by scaring them off?"
Claire's heart nearly stopped. "What are you talking about?"
"Surely others have told you about them – I've seen a few coyotes up in the mountains last winter." Her friend looked concerned. Cliff took a seat in the shade of the apple tree and absentmindedly pet Koro as he nuzzled his hand. "You bring your hens inside at night, right?" He raised his eyebrows with worry.
"Well, yeah… Rick suggested I do that. He didn't mention anything about wild dogs," Claire's heart began to pound. In Rick's defense, he had been excitedly spouting off so many other facts about caring for chickens that even if he had brought it up, she doubted she could recall it. Maybe he did tell her and she just couldn't remember. Claire had heard howling at night a few times, but she had just assumed that it was Barley's dog, Hannah, and thought nothing more of it.
Cliff let out a quiet sigh of relief and his eyes went back to the puppy who was struggling to climb into his lap. He picked up Koro, setting him on his crossed legs and the dog gave his hand a grateful nuzzle in exchange. "Well, with fall just around the corner, you should be really careful with your chickens. Predators get more desperate as winter comes around," he said gently, realizing he had frightened her. "You might be seeing more wildlife on your farm…" he paused, a frown crossing his lips. "But then again, maybe not… The mountain's been much quieter than I expected…"
She wasn't about to complain about fewer potential pests appearing in her fields, but Claire felt the worry lines appear on her forehead, regardless. "What do you mean?"
He shook his head. "Nothing for you to worry about… There just aren't as many animals in the woods to hunt as I had expected. I keep hoping that they'll come out in the fall… I'm sure everything will be fine," he added quickly with a nervous chuckle. He wasn't satisfied with camping outside of towns and villages anymore – he promised himself he wouldn't have to live like that again… Now that he had a taste of what it was like to look in on a community and almost be considered a part of it, he could never go back to the way he used to live: alone with Cain and next to no human contact. He wouldn't do it… He couldn't. His throat began to close up at the very thought and he pushed the fears to the back of his mind. "A-After all, there's still time."
She gave him an uneasy smile. "Yeah… And who knows? Maybe some of the shops will be hiring by then," she added hopefully.
"Maybe…" Cliff highly doubted this but he forced a cheerful grin on his face, stroking Koro's back.
Claire gently laced her arm through his. She could sense that his heart was hurting; it was almost like a sixth sense now. She knew now that things had turned out for the best for her in moving to Mineral Town. Life in the city had slowly been killing her inside, and that colorful real estate pamphlet that fell out of her newspaper that fateful night had turned her entire life around. Her talks with Carter had further cemented the idea that things didn't just happen randomly. "Don't you believe in fate?" she murmured, lightly stroking his arm as she looked up at him with wide eyes. How could he so easily dismiss all of the progress he had made so far?
How he wanted to believe that fate brought him to Mineral Town! He wished and he yearned that it was predestined that he had traveled this far so that he could make friends and start a new life here, regardless of whether he deserved it or not. He couldn't shake the fear that it would all be snatched away from him just as he got accustomed to it. I believe fate can be cruel and merciless… "I-I'm working on it," he admitted sheepishly as Koro climbed out of his lap and went to investigate the chicken pen.
"And I can help, remember?" Claire gave Cliff a friendly smile as she held onto his arm a little more tightly and softly leaned back into the long, cushiony grass, bringing her friend down beside her. He let out a small gasp in surprise and when they landed, she burst into laughter, hugging his arm. He turned toward her with a smile; his facial expressions suggested he had relaxed a bit, but she knew it was likely there was still a burden on his mind. "I want to help you believe…" she closed her eyes, her sincere words reaching for his heart, "that something even more amazing is waiting for us."
Cliff said nothing in reply, but he lay there in silence, letting her kind thoughts and love wash over him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the gentle summer breeze. Oh, Claire, I want to believe, but I don't know if I deserve to… The pain in his heart slowly loosened as he focused on the sensations of the soft grass, the comfortable air, and his friend's soft touch, enjoying what was going on around him right then. Maybe he could pretend to believe, if only for a moment…
0o0o0o0
Claire opened her eyes and stirred, her puppy letting out a small whimper beside her at being disturbed. The temperature was still warm under the apple tree, but the breeze was soothing – the perfect weather for taking a nap, she realized with a smile. She gazed over at her friend and watched as his chest slowly rose and fell rhythmically; Cliff was in a deep sleep. She looked over at his bag and fishing gear that had been discarded in the grass, and she realized that he hadn't gotten any of his planned work done today. Claire's eyes moved to the sky and she saw that the sun was far past its peak. She vaguely wondered what time it was as she carefully unwound her arm from his and rolled over onto her side toward him, rustling the grass. Koro readjusted his position, nuzzling back in with a yawn.
She could easily close her eyes again and snooze for a bit. Being hung over was a new experience, and one she didn't particularly care to repeat. Claire wondered how Cliff was feeling and if he had felt weak from the night before as well. Perhaps their conversation had worn him out a bit. She knew from first-hand experience that feeling despair was exhausting. A few wisps of brown hair that hadn't gotten tied back were gently blowing in the breeze. Her eyes moved back to his face. She studied his features once more, realizing she could get a chance to watch him for a while without him getting embarrassed. He looked very relaxed and Claire had a feeling that Cliff would wake in much better spirits; while he still had his moments of unhappiness, they didn't last for nearly as long. His thick eyebrows were set in a neutral position as he slowly breathed in and out of his nose. Cliff's mouth was also set in an expressionless state. Her gaze drifted to his cheeks. While he had gained a bit of a tan from the summer sun, his sleeping face didn't have the usual glow she had grown accustomed to seeing lately. A smile spread across Claire's lips. He was often rosy-cheeked and looked full of life anymore – it was so very different than when they first met. She couldn't help but wonder if and hope that she had helped contribute to that for him. She could remember a time when she had only seen his expressions filled with worry or discomfort, and she was grateful for the change. Her eyes traveled across his face once more and moved down toward his body. She was reminded once again that he was very handsome. Claire bit back the goofy grin that had appeared as her cheeks grew warm and her growling stomach kept her from lingering further.
She quietly stood up and stretched, watching as Koro gave her an indignant look before curling up against Cliff's hip and falling back asleep almost immediately. It seemed that the puppy had seen the two napping earlier and decided to join them. The young man didn't stir at all in his slumber despite Koro's movements and Claire gave the pair a smile as she headed back into the house, running her fingers through the back of her hair to untangle it.
Claire returned back outside a few minutes later with a packaged trio of rice balls and a canteen of water. It was hardly a gourmet spread, but Cliff didn't strike her as the type to be a picky eater. She felt guilty about waking him – after all, he looked so peaceful and it was likely he was exhausted. Claire wasn't particularly surprised about the lack of fishing he had gotten in today, but she had a feeling he might be upset about it.
Claire gave him a gentle squeeze on the hand to wake him. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Claire's upside down face was hovering over him, the tips of her hair tickling his cheeks. "Hey, we fell asleep," she announced, although it was painfully obvious to both of them at this point. She let out a small chuckle. "I got us something to eat."
He blinked slowly, his face quickly rushing with color. "I-I'm so sorry I fell asleep!" He sat up quickly as Claire grabbed a rice ball from the package and dug in. Koro shot Cliff an indignant look as he found a cozy spot a few steps away and plopped himself back down, getting back to his nap.
"Don't worry about it. I guess I was pretty tired, too," she held out the plastic container in offering.
He gave her a grateful smile. "Ah, you sure you don't mind?" he asked shyly.
"Not at all. I wouldn't bring out food and not share it," Claire giggled. "But… you probably want to wash the dried dog slobber off of your hands first, though."
He immediately retracted his hand and turned a bright shade of pink. "Yeah, of course." He had completely forgotten. The young man wasn't about to admit that there were more than a few times when he had eaten with dirtier hands back when he lived on the trail. Cliff pulled himself up and walked over to the stream, realizing he hadn't even attempted to catch a fish yet today. He let out a sigh in disappointment and his eyes moved back to the apple tree. Claire was chewing on an onigiri, playfully bopping her puppy with the toe of her boot. He could either be upset about today's loss, or he could enjoy the moment and start fishing again at dusk when the fish were more active. She looked up and gave him a huge grin. He knew his decision had already been made, and he owed her an apology.
"You get lost in thought out there or what?" Claire gave him a playful giggle as she held out the plastic tray of food.
"A bit," he confessed, thanking her for the food. Cliff's mind was jumbled with thoughts as he chewed the rice ball. "Hey, Claire?"
She swallowed her bite and looked up at him with curious, large eyes.
"I'm really sorry about earlier… I came over to spend a little bit of time with you, and it turned it into me getting upset over something again. You really deserve better than that…" His mouth turned into a frown as he nervously looked down at the grass.
"Cliff…" He looked up when she said his name and he saw that she had a slight frown on her face. How could she make him see that he was worth other peoples' effort? "I want to spend my time with you." Her voice was soothing as she looked at the remains of her rice ball thoughtfully, as if studying a work of art. Claire's gaze moved back to her friend and a shy smile found its way on her lips. "I love our time together – the fun times and the rough times. Do you think I spend time with you to be entertained?"
His eyes moved to his lap as his cheeks burned. If that was the case, he certainly was doing a horrible job at it…
She shook her head; he really didn't get it, did he? "You can open up with me, and I know I can talk to you about anything. I've cherished the time we spent this afternoon together – all of it." Claire gave him a kind smile and nodded to herself. "Even the nap." She recalled watching him while he slept and her face felt warm.
A bright smile slowly worked at his mouth. "Even the nap?" he repeated in surprise.
She finished eating her rice ball and shot him a smirk. "Yeah! I was really tired," she giggled. "I might take another one right now!" She fell back down into the grass and her face was immediately invaded with an overly curious puppy. "Ack! Never mind!" she shrieked, batting away the excited Koro.
Cliff took another bite of his onigiri and grinned at the young woman. Maybe he'd finish his food before he volunteered to assist her… or until the moment she cried for help. He shook his head; he really was powerless…
0o0o0o0
Cultural Note: A tanuki is a real animal often confused with a raccoon or a dog, but it is neither. Cliff is referring to the Japanese mythological version that is a playful, trickster spirit that can shape shift its, er, moneybags into pretty much anything. They originally were depicted as pranksters, using their shape shifting to fool travelers, hunters, and monks, but more recent depictions have them representing wealth and prosperity. You may have seen traditional tanuki statues in video games and anime sitting outside of shops. They're a lot like the lucky cats – beckoning customers to come in and spend generously. And… now you probably know a lot more about them than you ever wanted to. Sorry, I have a fascination with mythological creatures, haha. Don't worry, more mentions of Japanese folklore will appear in the story. Lucky you!
Author's Note: Y'all have Accidentally the Whole Fanfic to thank for this chapter. I wasn't originally planning on writing in Cliff and Claire's walk at all, but after seeing his excitement about it, I didn't feel right leaving it out. I'm rather happy with the way it turned out, though, and besides the obvious fluff, I hope I was able to convey a few more solid things, such as Cliff's insecurity about his feelings and his fears about not being a permanent resident. Either way, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.
Fluffy clouds, fluffy grass, fluffy animals, and, well, fluff. Hope it didn't turn out TOO fluffy. Too much? Too sappy? Strangely enough, I'm writing a love story and I am a little insecure about writing romance. Go figure.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone that takes the time to read this story. It really warms my heart to know that others are enjoying this story. :)