"It's a beautiful thing, isn't it?" Rick's hands were placed firmly on his hips as he and Claire stared at the tomatoes rolling down the tube and landing softly in the shipping bin.
"It really is."
The fields of red that had once consumed Mystic Acres were now practically gone, Claire realized with a sigh of relief. She stood up straight and stretched her arms over her head, her vertebrae popping and crackling as she moved.
Cliff finished his lunch a little more slowly, his eyes were drawn to his friend. He was silent as he looked out at the fields. His lips curled up into a bittersweet smile.
I've got to go into full hunting mode now that summer's ending.
Fewer, or no shared meals – just drop-offs here and there.
All good things must come to an end, after all.
"Well, it looks like tonight the tomatoes will finally all be taken care of. Congratulations, Claire. You've worked so hard."
"This wouldn't have been possible without Rick's invention for sure." She walked over to him and gave him a hug.
Rick patted her on the back. "Hey, it's like I said before, we look out for each other."
Claire felt a lump form in her throat. "Yeah…" She stepped over toward Cliff, giving his hand a friendly squeeze. "And I can't thank you enough… I didn't realize how low my energy levels were back in spring from malnutrition." She knelt in the grass beside him threw her arms around him.
Cliff's cheeks blazed. "That's not necessary… It's like Rick said – we're looking out for each other." He stole a glance at her and shyly looked away; her thanks made his heart swell and he drank it in. There was truly nothing that felt better, and seeing the relief in her eyes and knowing he had helped contribute in some way was the most rewarding thing he had done in recent memory.
"Hey, we can be happy about it," Claire replied with a grin, looking out at the fields and back at him, tucking her thumbs behind her overall straps.
"I know I am!" Rick admired his invention, shading his eyes from the sun with his hand. "You don't know how much I've been itching to try a new project and see it come to life."
"How have you managed to handle the poultry farm work during all of this, though?" Claire asked guiltily.
"I just push through, you know. I've got to take care of my family, so it's not really anything I have to question."
She felt they were on friendly enough terms for her to bring up the subject. "I know that Popuri's always trying to ask to help," Claire suggested.
"Training is a whole process, though. I don't have time to teach her."
"You could just have her shadow you for a day and start there."
Rick groaned. "She'd just get in the way. I'm always on the move, and it would slow me down too much to explain every detail of what I'm doing."
"Then just let her observe you. It can be fun get to work with your family sometimes," Cliff said quietly, fidgeting with his leather gloves with a nod. "And you never know what they might have a knack for. My sister was really good at gathering wild honey. I'd help her start the fire to smoke out the bees, but she'd run in there with a hatchet to get a chunk of the comb. We'd bring the pieces back home and all chow down on them together." He let out a soft chuckle at the memory; sometimes they ended up using some of the honey to dress their bee stings on less successful ventures. Ivy often swore in pain and she got swatted by their mother in response as she scolded her, telling her to speak more politely like her brother.
Claire's gaze wandered to the large beehive high in the tree near she was sitting under and wondered if he would have some tips for getting some honey out of it. She had attempted a few times when she first moved in, but the stings weren't worth it.
Rick's voice startled her out of her thoughts. "Alright, maybe I'll let her collect the eggs today." His voice sounded apathetic. "Maybe let her follow me around for a little bit in the morning or something."
"No one can do everything," Cliff replied=. "I'm sure she sees that and just wants to make things easier for you."
"I know. And… I'm aware I can be stubborn about trying to do everything myself. I'm trying to get better about it," Rick insisted.
"Just take little steps," Cliff suggested with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, I think it's something I'm going to have to figure out how I want to implement. I know she's going to be raring to go right away, but delegating work… well, that's a job, too."
They both nodded in response.
Claire turned toward Cliff. "Hey… I want to give the rest of this corn another week... If you're interested… W-well, I know you're probably going to be pretty busy… But… I was thinking…"
"I'd love to help."
Claire smiled. "It shouldn't be too much – I'm going to save a lot to make into feed and let it dry on the stalks. I'm planning to keep on top of the harvesting as the season changes, but one full day ought to do it. After that, I'm going to start investing."
He looked at her curiously. "Investing?"
"Hopefully not completely in seeds!" Karen's firm voice behind them caused the pair to jump. "So this is where you were, Rick!
Speak of the devil…
Karen looked up at the contraption with a combination of awe and bafflement. "This famed Tomato Tube… if it were larger, it looks like it'd be fun to ride!"
Rick went pale. "Please don't try that!"
Karen laughed. "We could make it into a water slide!"
"Now you know she's just teasing you," Cliff pointed out with a smile. He turned toward Claire. "You were talking about investing?"
"Oh, right! I'm looking to invest in my property. I'm going to ask Gotz for some quotes on installing a kitchen after I submit my taxes."
Karen pumped her fist. "Alright! Then we can have our pizza party, too!"
"It's really more of a cooking lesson," Claire laughed, "but I guess we can call it a party."
"Of course! Any time we get to hang out is a party!" Her playful giggling died down and her eyes softened. "I'm looking forward to it, really." She looked over at Cliff, giving him an apologetic smile for her behavior making Claire a bit shyer around him. "You still gonna have meals with her, Cliff?"
He gave her a sad smile. "I've got to go into full hunting mode if I want to keep a cushion of money. I'll have stuff to share and drop off, but we probably won't see each other as much."
She wasn't oblivious to his expression. "Well, we all can see how dependable you are. I've been telling Dad how hard you two have been working, if you catch my drift."
Claire curiously looked back and forth between her friends.
Cliff's eyes lit up. "Ah, did he mention anything about needing any extra help around the shop?"
Karen twisted a lock of hair around her finger and frowned. "Unfortunately, no. Things usually slow down a bit as the weather cools. We don't get as many orders from the farms around here in fall and especially winter, and that's our main income."
Cliff's face fell, and Karen was a bit surprised to see him so emotionally open in front of her. She considered him a good friend, but he had never been so easy to read.
"Hey, I'll keep trying, okay? I might be able to convince Dad yet." She gave him a playful punch on the arm. "Besides, Won left you with a pretty hefty chunk of change at the festival, right?"
"That's true!" Rick pointed out. "And if your aim is like it was during that tomato game, you're sure to bag some good game!"
His expression perked back up as he nodded. "I sure hope so."
"Well, I've got to head back to the farm – I can't believe I forgot to prep that order for Pete! See you all around." Rick waved goodbye to them and started to hurry off before Karen caught him in a weak side hug, releasing him with a slight smile. She turned back toward the other two with her expression brightened.
"Aren't you going to ask why I came over today?" At Claire's bewildered glance, Karen let out a good-natured laugh. "If the three of us are going to get snow cones this summer, now is the time! I didn't want to mention it to Rick because you know how he gets." She already started heading toward the entrance to town. "Come on, you goofs! My treat!"
With the late summer heat and the blazing sun overhead, it was hard to refuse. Claire hurried after her friend, listening to Karen softly hum a melody as she walked along the cobblestones, a bounce in her step. She incorporated a spin into her walk and continued along, breaking into song.
"Tonight there are diamonds in the sky/
And I've never really questioned why/
Your smile maaaakes me want to swoon~…"
Claire jumped a little when Cliff appeared by her side and harmonized his voice with Karen's.
"Tonight let's dance under the moooooon~."
Karen's green eyes lit up. "How did you know that song? Most people our age don't; it's a really old one."
Cliff's face had a faraway look on it as he continued along. "Ma used to sing it to me and my sister to help us sleep."
Claire imagined a young Cliff and Ivy bundled up in their sleeping furs and her knees went weak at the endearing image. She suddenly wished she was familiar with the song as well.
"Huh… It's a small world, I suppose," Karen mused. "My grandmother used to sing that to my mom and her siblings when they were little. I have a couple records with that same song on it."
Claire was quietly relishing in how nice her two friends had sounded singing together, contemplating the similar warm quality both of their voices had despite their differing accents. She continued along the cobblestones as a cozy feeling spread to her heart. "I wish I could sing nice like you two," she admitted shyly, playing with the ends of her hair.
"You want to sing along with me at the Music Festival coming up? Ah, that would be so much fun! We could do a duet! Or a trio!" She gave Cliff a nod as they descended the stone steps to Mineral Beach.
Claire immediately shrank back. "I'm not much of a singer," she confessed. "I'll sing to Koro or Tucker sometimes, but that's about it. Maybe I'll watch."
"Oh, I'm sure Carter will find something for you to do," Karen chuckled. "He's always trying to get more people to participate. I'm looking forward to it~," she sang, giving another twirl in the damp sand.
"So, something good must have happened, judging from the way you're acting." Cliff's voice caused both women to jump a little bit in surprise.
Karen stuck out her tongue. "Is it that obvious? Get this—Dad actually went to the winery today and demanded Duke to pay up his tab!" Karen exclaimed. "Mom didn't even have to get on his case about it like she usually does, either!"
Claire remembered the perky mood Jeff was in the other day. It had been more than him just being energetic; he looked much more relaxed, and she had never seen him that way before. "I wonder if that time off has him feeling better?"
"Actually… yeah. His stomach is feeling better and he has been much more active," Karen explained. "He hasn't been taking as much medicine, either. I'm not quite sure what it's all about, but I'm not going to complain about it!" She flung the door open to Kai's shop and the cowbell clanked as he turned around from behind the counter.
"Hey, guys! You coming in for food, or are you going to try to make me feel bad about leaving, too?" Kai's face had a sad smile on it despite his friendly laugh.
Karen frowned and walked behind the counter with her arms open for a hug. Claire watched the two friends share an embrace and wistfully realized how little she actually knew about him despite getting to know him better throughout the last few months.
"You know I'd never pester you," Karen replied with a grin. "Although I do wonder if you've made up your mind yet. I bet you'd get customers here year round if you stayed."
A snort came from Kai. "There's nothing to debate. It's never been about the money, and I could never get my father to see that. He'll never understand how sometimes you just have let your happiness guide you. I'm cool with where I am right now in life, and I don't plan on changing that any time soon. Traveling's my passion. You just gotta do what you love, y'know?"
Claire gave him a small nod as Karen ordered three rainbow snow cones and a couple orders of takoyaki at the not-so-subtle suggestions and steep discounts from Kai.
"Doug won't pay much for my leftover octopus if anything at all; I don't think he cooks with it. Ann will grill it and eat it herself, but apparently it's not a very popular item on the menu at his place."
The friends took seats at the counter and Claire curiously looked at the boxes of shelf stable edibles. "Do you sell the stuff you can't bring with you to Doug?"
Kai poured the batter into the griddle and spoke over the sizzling. "Bingo! If it's a good season, I always just tell him to put it toward my rent for next year. That's probably what I'm going to do this season." His brown eyes shifted to his roommate, as if silently asking him for permission for something. "So… I hear that you've had a busy summer yourself. Cliff says you have been busy growing and harvesting the mother lode of all tomatoes."
Now that the harvest was nearly gone, Claire was finding it easier to talk about it in a more lighthearted manner. "I think I'll be able to provide ketchup to the entire world," she replied with a slight smirk. A more genuine smile spread across her lips as Kai turned back around and slid a couple of paper baskets of takoyaki toward the seated friends, adding an extra pinch of dried bonito flakes to the top. "I wasn't expecting everyone to be so supportive of me, especially despite my obvious mistakes…"
"No one starts out perfect," Karen reminded her with a kind grin. "You did better than any of us could."
Claire shook her head. "You and Cliff pretty much ran my farm for a week right after I planted all of those seeds…"
"And you managed the rest when you were healthy again," Cliff pointed out.
"Well, with the food you brought," she added, giving him a fond gaze. She owed him so much… Their eyes locked and a shy smile played at his lips. The pair's cheeks began to glow. Karen and Kai exchanged knowing glances.
"Either way, that piece of property looks nicer than I've ever seen it." Kai began scooping ice into his snow cone machine, the clanking drawing Claire out of her dreamy state.
"You can say that again. That used to just be a patch of overgrown weeds," Karen said over the volume of the machine's whirring.
Mystic Acres still had a bit of work that needed to be finished; although she had toiled hard in the fields, the chicken coop and barn had some rotting wood and she hadn't done a single thing to improve her own dwelling yet. "Well, I do plan on getting some repairs done around the house. I want to fix it up before it gets cold out."
"Right! Pizza party!" Karen popped a takoyaki in her mouth with a grin.
"A cooking lesson," Claire reminded her with a giggle. She used a toothpick to spear a takoyaki for herself. Kai had definitely loaded up on the sauces and toppings – she half-wished he would give her some cooking tips.
Claire bit into the treat and was immediately taken back to the busy subway station back in the city. She had been there so many times before, fumbling with her messenger bag of documents, and her feelings of exhaustion and hunger were quickly brewing into the perfect recipe for disaster. There were always a few minutes to wait before the train took off, and the familiar scent of fried octopus balls and the sounds of sizzling made her stress melt away.
Just this once, she'd always tell herself. Tomorrow I'll have dinner prepared, or I'll be disciplined to make something when I get home… Maybe I should do that today…
But the gingham-printed paper tray was always in her hands by then and she couldn't fight the grin spreading across her face as she dragged her things to a bench, let out a tired sigh, and indulged in a quick meal, allowing her worries to be forgotten for the moment.
"I'm just going to take your expression as a compliment." Kai's good-natured laugh pulled Claire back into reality and she saw a trio of colorful rainbow snow cones sitting in front of them.
"These are really good. I was just thinking about life back in the city. It was so different from Mineral Town," Claire admitted, rolling the toothpick between her fingers. "I was practically a regular at the takoyaki stand by the subway station I took every day to get to and from work."
"I guess even a place like that can have similar comforts to here," Karen replied, spearing another piece.
"I've never ridden a train in my life," Cliff confessed with a slight smile that had a hint of sadness to it. "Sometimes I think about how different the two of us are from each other and wonder how we get along the way we do. I mean, we came from almost opposite places…"
Kai leaned against the counter and flashed his roommate a grin. "Actually, I think you two have a lot in common." He pulled a stool to the other side of the counter and perched on top of it. "Your home doesn't have to define who you are," Kai shrugged. "I am proof of that."
Claire swung her feet from her stool; having others notice her bond with Cliff tickled her a bit. Still, she was curious of Kai's situation. "What do you mean?" she asked, taking a bite of her snow cone.
"I didn't get along with my family, so I moved out and decided to do what makes me happy," Kai explained.
Karen nodded as he spoke; it was likely she had heard the story before. She probably knew quite a bit about Kai since they dated for a summer. She watched Karen's warm gaze on him and was glad that they were still were able to remain friends. Claire's eyes flicked to Cliff and she was surprised to see the color had drained from his face and he stared at the floor.
"Five brothers and a father who didn't know the meaning of the words rest or recharge… Now I travel around where it's always warm out," Kai continued, "and I get to serve people my favorite foods. I work my own hours and pace myself so I don't burn out."
Claire could definitely relate to the benefits of choosing her own schedule. "You don't mind not having a permanent home?" she asked. Because he always worked in the busy season, Kai likely didn't have much down time; it wasn't a year-round vacation like Rick had implied in the past.
The young man's eyes lit up. "Well, I see Mineral Town as my home in summer. I'm pretty free everywhere else. I think it's exciting. I've got my standard stops for each season, but in between my travels, I enjoy working at random festivals or stopping at some towns just to get a feel for them. Cliff probably knows what I'm talking about, right, buddy?"
His roommate frowned and looked up from the floor. "Actually… I'm looking for something more permanent." He started on his snow cone; it was beginning to melt.
"Fair enough," Kai replied. "You're getting ready to settle down, eh?" He gave him a wink.
"In a sense, I suppose," Cliff chose his words carefully. "I'd like a place that I can safely call home."
Kai looked at the two friends. While he was a seasonal resident, he felt a sense of belonging to Mineral Town. He noticed Cliff had never referred to their room as home. "This is the first summer I've spent with either of you, but you both seem to fit into town just fine. I'm sure Karen agrees, too."
She covered her mouth with a napkin and nodded, snorting at the fact that he had mentioned her the moment she took a takoyaki in a single bite.
"And I'm sure I'll see you both again next summer," he continued warmly. He turned toward Cliff and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Things will work out, man; you'll get a good season in this fall." He stood up and pushed his stool back before turning back towards the kitchen. "You gonna be home early tonight? I might have some leftovers if Gray doesn't eat them all first."
A silence hung in the air as Kai awaited his response. He noticed that Cliff never referred to their inn as a home for him, but Kai had never brought up the subject.
Cliff chose his words carefully as his eyes darted toward Claire. "Claire and I… uh… well, she invited me over for a special dinner in celebration."
"It's alright – go spend time with them!" Claire encouraged him with a blush.
Kai shook his head. "It's all good. I'm going to hit the sack early so I can have everything ready for the ferry.." He flashed them a grin. "You can even help me pack tomorrow morning!"
Claire peeked outside at the heaping shipping bin and turned back to her dinner with a grin.
"Have some more curry," she encouraged her her friend, holding out another spoonful of food to him.
"I'm getting pretty full," Cliff admitted with a soft chuckle, shaking his head to decline the offer. "Thank you for dinner; it was really delicious."
She put the spoon in her own mouth and wiped her lips with her napkin; food just tasted better with good company. "I'm glad you liked it. Please, take some home with you. You can have it as a midnight snack." She quickly began to scoop some of the leftovers into a container for him and gathered the dishes to clean out in the river.
Disappointed that the tidying up was signaling the end of the evening, Cliff fought to keep a frown off of his face. Sharing meals at her side had been more than satisfying and he wished he could come up with an excuse to spend more time with her. He gave a small shake of the head as he helped her carry the dishes outside to clean. Why did he feel like he needed an excuse? Still, he felt his cheeks burn as he knelt by the river beside her.
"I had a good time with you today."
He was met with an excited giggle in response. "Well, I'm glad you liked our meals, too." She set down her clean plate and turned to him with rosy cheeks. "I-I had a great time today, too. I know once hunting starts, I'm not going to see you around as much. I'll keep extra produce for you in the barn, okay?"
"Thanks. And I'll leave you some catches in the shipping bin with your name written on it." He paused with a frown. "I'm sorry I'm not going to be able to help you as much. I'm typically out for a few days at a time at the height of the season…"
"I'm going to miss this." The words slipped out.
"Yeah, me, too..."
Claire shyly looked over at him and slowed down her breath, her heart hammering noisily in her rib cage. She let out a nervous chuckle, a little embarrassed that she felt so high strung. This was her best friend, after all, and she scolded herself for being so shy about asking if he wanted to spend more time together. "If you want… w-well… that is to say… I mean, you're probably tired after all we did today, and you probably want to go to bed early to catch some more time with Kai before he goes…"
Their eyes locked and they both fell silent. The sounds of the water flowing through the river beside them along with the songs of the frogs and cicadas made enough music to fill the quiet summer night. The sun was on its way down and the sky was painted with a warm combination of gold and bright orange, the heavens above them turning to a rich indigo.
"I am pretty tired," Cliff admitted quietly, "b-but… I don't mind spending a little more time here before I head over there." A smile spread across his lips and only grew when he saw that she was mirroring his expression. There were light streaks of dirt on her face and her hair was tousled, her bangs clinging together from the sweat on her forehead. Her cheeks were ruddy from the exertion and hard work that the toil brought – she was a farmer, and she looked more and more like one every day. He had never seen a more beautiful, breathtaking person in his entire life.
"Oh. Good!" Claire's face lit up.
She quickly changed into her pajamas as Cliff excused himself to the outhouse, tossing her sweaty work clothes in a heap behind her bed. She swiftly ran a brush through her hair and checked her appearance in the mirror. She could see his reflection behind her as he closed the door.
"Ah, you l-look comfy," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. "I-I'm sorry. I wouldn't have barged in if I knew you were freshening up…" The snug pink tank top and cutesy sheep-printed shorts suited her and he couldn't help but imagine crawling into bed with her and cuddling, peppering her face with kisses until she giggled with delight.
"It's fine. I changed real fast." She set down her hair brush and twisted her hair around her fingers nervously. They had spent Ann's birthday party in pajamas, but had she crossed the line and made this too intimate of a setting? She had purposely worn this sleepwear because she thought it was cute. She suddenly wondered if the shorts were too short… "W-well, my work clothes were feeling too bulky and hot and taking them off makes it feel like the official end of the tomato harvest!"
Cliff's eyes glowed. "That's right! You got through it!"
She hurried over to him and threw her arms around his neck. All of her concerns about her attire were immediately gone. "I really do owe you so much. People here have been nicer than I ever could have dreamed of."
He wrapped his arms around her to return the embrace with a sigh. "I know what you mean." Something about that concept was exciting and terribly frightening to him at the same time.
The young woman broke off the hug and gave his hands a perky squeeze. "Hey! There's something I want to give to you! Close your eyes and hold out your hands!" When he complied, she stood on her tiptoes and waved her hand in front of his face. "No peeking, now!"
He bit his lip as he wrung his hands before nervously holding them out. It better not be money… The last thing I need is her pitying me… "A-alright…"
The thank-you gift had been in plain sight; in her eyes, it really wasn't much of a surprise at all. Still, she found herself letting out a delighted giggle as she removed it from the top of the television. "Don't look so worried!" she playfully chided, taking his hands and gently placing the tanuki figurine in them.
His eyes fluttered open and he looked down at the figurine he now held. "Ah, I remember this little guy!" He let out a delighted laugh, but it died down quickly as he shyly met her eyes with his. "Are you sure you want me to have it?"
"Of course! You picked it out, silly!" She placed a hand on his arm. "I wanted to thank you for all the great times we shared…" The sudden mistiness in her eyes wasn't anticipated and she quickly ducked her head. She snatched her hand back and brushed away the beginnings of a tear. "Thanks… for believing in me. I really feel at home here, you know?"
Cliff gave her a hesitant smile that still managed to look sad and her own faded. He seemed to have something on his mind that was bothering him.
"Hey… can I ask you something?" Her voice became soft as she pushed her floor cushions together so they could sit side-by-side.
Cliff wasn't sure why his throat closed at the notion. Despite her gentle tone of voice, there was a sense of warning in it, as if she was going to say something that could potentially hurt. He nodded his head, unsure of what to expect. When someone asked a question like that, was there really any other way to respond?
They both sat down and he placed the tanuki on the table. She took the opportunity to hold his hands in hers once more. He had a slight curious smile on his face, but it was a poor mask for the same sadness he displayed briefly at the beach shack.
"I've noticed it for a while, but I thought about it again when we were at Kai's…" Claire wasn't sure how to ask without being blunt. She took a deep breath and looked up at him, playing with her fingers. "Y-you never refer to your room at the inn as home…"
His posture stiffened as he quickly looked down at the floor. "That's not really a question…" His voice was hardly audible.
They both could feel the tension in the room. Claire swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn't want to pressure him, but he wasn't really cooperating with her. "Well, then… Why don't you call it home, then?"
She wondered if she was pushing too hard when he looked up at her and his face was pale. Isn't the answer obvious? "Because I don't see it that way."
"I thought you wanted to settle down here…" He had seemed so excited after the Fireworks Festival…
"More than anything!" he replied. His enthusiasm quickly faded. "I-I… I just don't want to let myself get too excited, is all…" When he saw the worried look on her face, his own expressions softened. He hadn't meant to make her upset, after all. "I think that someday I might feel more confident in it all. I haven't had a home in a long time, and this is the longest I've stayed anywhere since… I left." He ran a hand through his bangs and let out a sigh. "I feel like I'm just faking my way through this… I mean, I have no clue what I'm doing. How do I even begin to call somewhere home again?" He gulped and looked down at the floor. "I mean, it takes more than just wanting it…"
The gods surely know how badly I want it…
Claire watched her friend's ears turn red as he didn't look up from the wooden planks. "It does take more than that," she whispered.
He looked up at her curiously, and some loose wisps of brown hair fell into his face. His lips were slightly parted as he awaited her response.
"It takes faith, Cliff," she murmured. She gave his hands a warm squeeze. "I still believe something wonderful is waiting for us." Her cheeks flashed pink and her heart gave a joyful leap. "Remember?"
He gave her a slight nod as he held her hands tightly. "S-something wonderful…" He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Perhaps the wonderful thing was right here in front of them.
A news program started, detailing a bazaar in a town a few hours away. Claire closed her eyes, gently looping her arm around Cliff's and resting her head on his shoulder. She let out an exhausted sigh as she got more comfortable.
Enthralled with the idea that Claire enjoyed this kind of closeness, Cliff allowed a warm smile to spread across his entire face as he shyly rested his head against hers. He debated over whether he should tell her that he wished they could spend time together like this every day, but decided against it – it simply wasn't practical.
He pushed the thoughts from his head; it was time to relax. An overwhelming sense of peace filled the two friends' hearts. Spending time like this felt so calming, so natural. They were soothing presences to one another, just as they had always been. Neither of them was listening to the program on the television – they were soaking in the healing rest that the moment had provided. It had been a tough and long day. They unknowingly synchronized their breathing and it gradually slowed as they drifted asleep, letting the busy day wash away.
Claire woke up to the yawns of her friend and stirred slightly, letting out an irritated moan that the lights were so bright. A sleepy Cliff stumbled toward the light switch and turned it off, earning a mumbled "thank you" in reply. The television cast a blue glow over the room as a fishing program droned on in the background. He tiredly sat back down and she leaned back into him, closing her sleepy eyes.
"It's half past one. I better head back to the inn to go to sleep."
"Stay here," she slurred, hugging his arm. Anna's comments were far from her mind. "We can sleep just like this." Her blonde hair tumbled across his shoulder and he couldn't help but go weak at her cuddling.
He was a little startled she had suggested it, but he couldn't say that he didn't like the idea. After all, he had been thinking of a sleepover ever since the subject was briefly mentioned after the Fireworks Festival as a joke. He knew he should politely refuse, but he couldn't help himself. "That… does sound nice. I'll get up early to spend more time with Kai." He allowed a pleased grin to spread across his face, too exhausted to put up much of a fight in going back to the inn. His heart pounded in his throat. "You sure you don't mind?"
She gave a shy nod. "Not at all," she murmured into his shoulder. "I already have the alarm set."
The television was still rambling about fishing and the two friends blinked tiredly.
"And today we have a very special guest. A traveling fisherman who has made himself at home in Flowerbud Vil-"
She flicked off the television with her remote, making the entire room go dark. She let out a sigh and leaned into him.
Cliff's cheeks only felt hotter, feeling a little guilty that his eyes traveled toward the form of the mattress behind them. He quickly decided that he would be much more comfortable lying down, even if it was on the hard floor; it wasn't as if he hadn't slept on firm surfaces before. As much as he loved having Claire so close, she was likely going to wake up with a stiff back. "B-but what if your back gets sore? It's not really good to sleep slouched like this, you know…" Would she think he was trying to invite himself into her bed with her? He immediately cursed himself for his suggestion, unsure if what he said had sounded inappropriate.
She didn't open her eyes. Her fatigue left her feeling a bit drunk. She left the remote on the floor and stood up and crawled into bed. He watched her curiously as she pulled herself to the far side of the cotton mattress. His eyes widened as she patted the empty spot beside her.
She was asking him to come into bed with her. As nice as it sounded, that wasn't really what he had meant at all; he had intended on sleeping on the floor beside the bed. His head began to spin and he was so dizzy he wondered if he was going to be able to stand. He found himself unable to resist, however. "Ah, o-okay…" On shaky legs, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently lowered himself onto the mattress, stifling a delighted cry that the sheets and pillow smelled of lavender, the scent he associated with Claire. Stop being creepy, he chastised himself. She's just letting you rest here; don't make it into something weird. He attempted to will himself into calming down, grateful that it was too dark for Claire to notice the obvious excitement his body had decided to react with.
Her lips went into a satisfied smile as she rested her eyes, her heart fluttering. This is nice; it just feels right… "Sleep well, Cliff," she whispered into the dark, curling up under the sheets and turning away from him.
"Ah, you, too…" He shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable. It was a small mattress, and brushing against her was inevitable. His heart continued to pound and his mouth went dry as her hair grazed his shoulder. This isn't much different than how we were just sleeping, he tried to convince himself. He slowed down his breathing as he let down his own hair, silently exhaling. He stared up at the ceiling, still trying to relax. The problem was that he was more awake than ever. While his entire family shared sleeping furs, he knew the implication of a man and a woman sharing a bed. Most people would read into this wrong. His own bed at the inn was empty tonight; he wondered if Gray and Kai were guessing about where he was. What if word got around the entire inn that he spent the night here? He heard her soft, rhythmic breathing beside him and his heart melted. Claire was sleeping beside him in her bed. His body gave a jolt of excitement at how cute the notion was and he had half a mind to verbally scold himself.
This was simple resting and recharging, nothing more. They were both tired and Claire had simply offered to share her sleeping space. There was nothing beyond that happening, and even if there was, it was really no one's business but their own.
He rolled toward her and stared at the back of her head, admiring the way the moonlight highlighted her tresses. His eyes traveled down her body and lingered on the way her waist dipped in and curved back out at her hips. She was truly a beautiful woman in the simplest of his terms – healthy and strong with pretty features. Claire was attractive, and he'd be a fool if he thought others hadn't realized that as well. If word got around that he had stayed the night, a lot more could easily be implied. What if it didn't remain only their business? This was Mineral Town, after all. What if Rick saw him coming out of the house with her in the morning wearing the same clothes as the day before? What about Thomas? Or what if Anna was going to the mountains with her husband? Word would spread fast and Claire's reputation could easily be tarnished. After the young woman had worked so hard to become a reliable member of this town, he couldn't stand the thought of people speaking ill of her…
Claire murmured in her sleep as she rolled to face him, nuzzling the pillow with a quiet moan. His eyes popped open in surprise as he realized a very soft part of her body had rolled over and filled his open hand. His immediate instinct was to pull away before she slapped him. After all, the last thing he wanted was her to think he had set this up on purpose. Despite this, a tiny voice inside of his head was pleading for him to simply enjoy the moment and his closeness with Claire, coaxing him to etch the feeling of her body into his memory. She was beautiful… and she was incredibly alluring to him, he admitted, swallowing the lump in his throat. Why should he be so afraid? She is unconscious and doesn't realize what she did; this is incredibly wrong, he scolded himself, disgusted with his inner thoughts. His blood ran cold with shame at the fact that there had been any debate as to what to do at all as he slipped his hand out from underneath her breast, clumsily stumbling out of bed and tripping over the television remote, flustered.
Claire was awakened by the creaking floorboards. Her heart dropped a little bit at his presence leaving her. "Cliff?" Her voice was soft and groggy.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered, pulling on his shoes in the dark.
"Where are you going?" Her question came out as a soft whine.
"Back to the inn." The silence between them felt deafening to Cliff, unaware of the fact that Claire simply wasn't speaking much out of fatigue. "Ah, I remembered something I have to check on back at the inn, and I think it'll probably be best if I just sleep there, okay?"
"Uh-uh, good night," she slurred, closing her tired eyes and stretching out on the bed. He bit back a cry at how luxuriously she had stretched; he would give anything to be lying beside her once more and he immediately regretted getting back up. "Don't come until after nine."
Their summer routine was changing. Did she intend on having a serious conversation with him the next morning? "You sure?" was all he could manage to choke out as he slung his bag over his shoulder. He wondered if he had hurt her feelings in some way; she was awfully quiet, after all. Was she angry he had referred to it as the inn and not home?
"I'll stop by after seeing Kai off."
He waited for an answer, but he heard her deep breathing and realized she had fallen back asleep. He quietly pulled the door behind him and hurried back to the inn, a muddle of emotions and thoughts running through his head. I lied to her, he shook his head in shame, adding another worry to his heap. It doesn't matter if it was a little lie, I still didn't tell her the truth; I don't have to check on anything back at the inn… His throat tightened as he walked home. He hated how badly he had wanted to stay with her. How hard would it have been to lean in a bit and touch her lips with his own? His imagination ran rampant as he pictured them wrapping their limbs around each other, savoring their kisses and whispering sweet "I love you"s and letting their activity inevitably escalate into something more sensual, their kisses becoming passionate as she slowly pulled up her shirt while looking up at him with hooded eyes, wordlessly inviting him to lift the rest…
Cliff snorted at his own thoughts. He needed to go back to the inn and get some sleep. He shook his head; he needed to take a cold shower and then he needed to go to bed.
Author's Note: A couple of announcements!
The Shy Newcomer will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary this August 2018!
I can't believe I started writing this so long ago! Admittedly, I did neglect it for quite a few of those years (but I did think about it off and on again for whatever that's worth!). Either way, I'm very grateful to everyone who has been following along to watch this story unfold. Whether simply reading along, providing feedback, bouncing around ideas with me, encouraging me, or drawing fan art, I'm truly grateful for it all! This story is about so much more than Claire, Cliff, and their friends to me – it's about be gathering the strength to pick myself up from one of the lowest points in my life and find an outlet to express myself when I felt like I had no voice. My life is by no means perfect now, but I do feel that it has been enriched by sharing this story with others and talking to and hearing from the amazing people who have been following along. Thank you all so very much! I am truly grateful!
Thank you all again! :D