Cliff opened his eyes to the sight of Gray staring at the ceiling above them. The lights were low. Gray was lying in Kai's usual bed and his expression was unreadable. At the sound of Cliff's stirring, Gray's features warmed as he turned over to face him.

"You were out for quite a while." Gray wasn't sure what he meant by saying that; his friend had only just returned from the hospital. "I heard you weren't sleeping all that well over there," he added awkwardly.

A sleepy Cliff shook his head. "I'd like to hope that it won't be as much of a problem anymore."

The evenings from the previous winter and spring riddled with Cliff having nightmares and crying in his sleep weren't easily forgotten by Gray. He averted his pale blue eyes. "Just... let me know if you need anything, alright?"

Gray's mouth was set into a small frown and his brows were furrowed. It was clear to see that something was on his mind.

"How about you? You haven't slept yet, have you?" Cliff was surprised how groggy his own voice sounded as he stifled a yawn.

The young man bit back a bitter chuckle in response.

I've got more than enough on my mind...

He stopped himself, and Cliff watched him curiously.

"Is that why you switched beds? Is yours giving you back trouble?"

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I... I moved over here so I could be closer to you and keep an eye on you, Stupid."

Gray's eyes widened at the way Cliff flinched ever so slightly at the nickname he had been given. He let out a heavy sigh, attempting to pull his hat over his entire face when he realized he had left it on the other bed. His brow furrowed in frustration as he clenched his jaw.

"Goddess, I'm so sick of saying things I don't mean. You're not stupid, Cliff. I am. I'm as stupid as they come."

Cliff struggled to sit up, his freshly cut locks tousled and sticking in a few directions. Gray couldn't help but bite back a wry smile as his stress faded away a bit; it seemed no matter the length of Cliff's hair, he was prone to obtaining bedhead.

"What is this all about?"

Gray felt his teeth grinding once more. Ever since Cliff decided he was permanently staying in Mineral Town, he had been much more direct with his speech, offering conversation on more emotional subjects.

He was given a shake of the head in reply, and Gray felt his heart sink when he saw Cliff's features visibly droop. He pulled himself up from Kai's mattress and took a seat beside Cliff on his own bed. Despite their closeness, he still couldn't meet him in the eye.

"I'm a shitty friend, and that's all there is to it."

His words took a moment to process.

Cliff's voice was gentle, albeit still groggy. "Well, I don't really agree with that."

Cliff's glazed-over eyes had been hard to forget – they had haunted him during his hospital stay and left Gray awake late at night, riddled with guilt.

"I can't believe I left you in that state! You were hardly mumbling that morning, and I was in such a hurry that I didn't even care. I do this shit all the time! I get so wrapped up in myself..." Gray's voice died down as he felt a lump form in his throat. He balled his hands into fists and attempted to steady his breathing. "I get so selfish and have such a hard time looking beyond anything else..."

Gray felt Cliff's hand rest on his forearm.

"Gray, I don't blame you..." His words were earnest as their eyes met.

"I don't blame you Gray... I can't."

Gray could still hear Mary's voice. Her tone had been soft, but he was not deaf to the way it quavered. Worry lines had adorned her forehead, and as his eyes traced Cliff's face, he saw that he was making a similar expression.

Goddess, he hated it.

He pulled away with a grunt, burying his face into his hands. A few tears fell, and he wiped them away impatiently with his forearm.

He hated the tenderness in Cliff's voice.

"Gray, talk to me."

"Starry Night Festival?" Claire asked, setting down her tea.

The old blacksmith nodded his head as he finished chewing. "It's the busiest time of year for these kinds of things. It's custom for couples to exchange jewelry during this holiday. The traditional gift is a ring, but it's branched out from that as the years have gone on."

Claire's cheeks warmed as she wondered if Cliff would be interested in celebrating. Fancy jewelry wouldn't be required, of course…

I don't want to miss out on the chance to spend a holiday together again.

"The main event is a home-cooked meal shared with loved ones," Saibara explained. "It can either be celebrated with families or it can be a romantic night with your special person." His bushy eyebrows rose as he watched Claire's flushed face – her expressions were always so easy to read.

The front door to the forge closed. "Yeah, and batches of babies are born nine months later. People call 'em 'starry babies' because a lot of couples skip the meal and go straight to dessert."

"Don't be crass, boy." Saibara's eyes flicked to the clock as Gray shuffled in. "You're late." There wasn't the particular bite in his voice Claire had expected.

Gray hung his coat on a hook and took a seat at the table, looking at his grandfather, his icy blue eyes silently asking and what of it? He let out a sigh and looked over a Claire, giving her a small nod in greeting. "Morning..."

Gray's dark circles under his eyes became more apparent to his grandfather. "You make sure Cliff was settled in before you came over?" Saibara's gaze softened, and he poured another cup of tea for his grandson.

Gray gave a nod, his mood perking up a bit as took a sip.

"Thank you," Claire's voice was sincere as she gave him a small smile and wrapped her hands around her mug.

Gray's eyes drifted toward the pendant hanging around her neck. The jewelry they were working on at the forge was quite different than what she was wearing. Still, he could recall all of the hours Cliff came back from working a full day to pour himself into his project with etching the stone. It was clear to see that it was a meaningful piece. His eye lingered on the rosette. It was an amateur's work for sure, but he couldn't blame Claire for being thrilled about receiving it.

He's always loved her, even if he's terrified to use that word… I guess we both have that same issue...

The sound of Saibara clearing his throat shook him from his reverie. Gray snapped to attention and pulled his eyes away from Claire, embarrassed he had been caught staring.

"Ah, no problem."

"So, this morning, we're talking precious stones." Saibara placed a wooden tray in the middle of the table. It rattled as the rough stones in it clattered together. "Go ahead, you can touch and handle them. It's what you two are going to be looking for in the mines."

Claire picked up a chunky piece of green stone. It reminded her of homemade rock candy she made with her mother during the winter holidays, jagged and uneven. The pigment varied throughout the fragment, and it almost had a cloudy appearance.

"That there's an emerald," Saibara explained.

She blinked in surprise as she ran her fingertips over the rugged grooves in the stone. While pretty, it looked quite different than what she had seen in jewelry cases.

"Cutting and polishing is where the magic happens." Saibara picked up a rough, pale pink gem. "Princess, oval, square cut... they completely transform the finished piece."

Claire's curious fingers traveled over all of the specimens, her eyes lighting up as she held a geode in one hand. The jagged facets of the crystal caught the light and glittered. Her lips curled into a smile. "Amethyst... this pale purple is one of my favorite colors."

Gray's eyes were drawn to the way her hands gently cupped the gem, admiring the shine and hue. He couldn't help from keeping a small conspiratorial smile from crossing his own lips.

Noted.

"It's important to keep in mind that there are no guarantees with mining. An old hand can spend all day turning up nothing but junk ore while a beginner might find a few nice pieces during their first haul. Don't get discouraged if it feels fruitless at first... but remember, fortune smiles upon the optimist."

Claire straightened her posture, giving an enthused nod. With bills and taxes to pay, she was determined to find something of use.

The old man paused, taking a long sip of his tea. "That being said, I'm counting on both of you to help meet our quota. I've been getting a lot more commissions from out of town this season."

Gray did have to admit that the trophies commissioned for the livestock festivals that year were especially intricate this time around and when he was helping balance the books, he saw that his grandfather had made quite a large profit on them.

"I'm going to start making my trips out to Zephyr Town's bazaar again soon. That's when we make most of our money for the year – the demand for jewelry is higher out there, and materials are hard to come by." Saibara's mouth turned into a frown as he remembered how he threw out his back the previous winter, causing him to rely on the peddler in Zephyr Town.

Gray could read the look on her grandfather's face. "I don't want to have to deal with that asshole ore dealer again." He looked into his cup with a sigh. "Ann showed me a charm she got from Harris last summer. Picked it up at that guy's stall when he was visiting. Guess he's dabbling in jewelry making now."

Claire was surprised he wasn't reprimanded for his harsh remarks. Instead a smirk played at Saibara's lips as he wrapped his fingers around his teacup. "Looks like Lloyd's keeping himself busy. Competition is the whetstone of talent."

Claire couldn't help but think of Pete's farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley. She found that she was burning with determination. "Between your jewelry designs and all the gems me and Gray are going to find, Lloyd's going to find his wares untouched at the bazaar!"

Gray choked on his tea, and Saibara let out a gravelly laugh, shooing them out the door.

"What the hell was that all about?" Gray asked Claire bluntly as they made their way up the mountain trail.

Claire tightened her grip on their sleigh, pulling it alongside them. "What do you mean?"

Gray stumbled and cursed under his breath, his cleats noisily scraping the ice beneath them. "Only idiots make promises they know they can't keep."

And I'm the biggest idiot of them all, he reminded himself with an inward sigh.

She picked up her pace. "Well, I can promise right now that I'm going to work as hard as I can. I'm going to show you and your grandfather that you made the right choice by asking me to help."

Gray couldn't help but roll his eyes at her.

Way too overeager...

"You must've really taken a hard hit last season. I saw all those unsold sweet potatoes."

Claire nearly tripped over her own feet. She said nothing, but gave a single nod as she continued, biting her lip.

Gray tugged on the bill of his cap as he lengthened his strides to keep up with her.

Why do I keep doing this?

He awkwardly cleared his throat as they stepped onto the frozen lake. "So, uh... keep your eyes and ears open when you're on this ice. It should be frozen pretty solid, but we have to be careful if we get any sign that it's anything but rock-steady."

Claire was grateful for the cleats Saibara had lent her for trekking across the ice. The sleigh behind them moved smoother, and she found that they didn't need to tug as hard. It wasn't long until they made their way inside the cave that stood in the middle of the lake.

"We're not going to venture too far. Just wanted to get stuff set up for the most part." Gray set a lantern on a flat rock and began shuffling through the contents of the sleigh that they had pulled up to the entrance.

Claire helped bring them inside the cave – buckets, shovels, hammers, and pick axes. A couple of folding chairs were also set up so they could have a place to rest.

"You're going to want to bring something to keep from inhaling the dust particles down here."

The young woman gave him a nod as he led the way ahead, lantern in front of him.

"Your eyes will adjust to the darkness with time. I brought extra lamp oil, though. Flashlights, too. I don't want you wandering too far off and getting hurt."

"Right." There was little emotion in her voice.

There was an awkward silence as they continued to unpack.

He knew something needed to be said.

"I... don't see you as a liability, y'know," he tried as they set up their base. "I've seen what you've done with that land out there."

The silent anger Claire had been holding melted; she found she was no longer clenching the buckets with a white-knuckle grip. "I know this is dangerous work. I signed up knowing that."

He gave a relieved nod. "I'd like to show you proper form for some of these tools so you don't wind up pulling a muscle. We'll start tomorrow."

The equipment was heavy; they both sat down with a shared deep sigh. Gray rummaged through their belongings and retrieved a lunch box. A couple of sandwiches sat inside that he had ordered from Ann that morning. He stopped himself from instinctively grabbing one and held it out to offer some to Claire first.

She took one with a quiet thanks and bit into it hungrily. Classic lettuce, bologna, and mayonnaise on white bread – it reminded her of childhood.

Gray's voice broke the silence. "I shouldn't have said that." His mouth was full. The young man swallowed, using his free hand to remove his hat and wipe the sweat from his brow on his forehead. "Your financial situation, I mean. That was rude."

Claire found herself unsure of what to say.

"I'm always saying things I shouldn't. I mean, you're doing way better at that farm than I ever could."

I would've gotten frustrated and given up. Just like I do with everything...

He popped the rest of his sandwich in his mouth, silently fuming at himself. "Just... don't let the stupid things I say take away from your enthusiasm, okay?" He paused. "Th-That's not to say I shouldn't think before I speak!"

Claire looked up at him, a slight smile playing at her lips.

Mary's sure helped him change a lot for the better...

But for some reason, she felt that saying so aloud wouldn't cheer him up.

"This is plenty." Cliff's eyes were tired, but held a light in them Ann hadn't seen in the hospital. "I promise."

Ann bit her lip as she looked at the lunch tray she had brought up for him. A small cup of chili, a bit of coleslaw, and a crusty chunk of baguette along with a glass of water.

I should've brought him a dessert – he loves sweets...

She frowned; she could see it already – the chili would only be partially eaten and the rest of the food would remain practically untouched. Cliff didn't seem to have much of an appetite since he returned from the hospital. Her father told her to give it some time, but food always made her feel better...

A change had come over her friend since he had come back. Cliff's quiet pensiveness was different from the sad aura of despair he carried with him when he first booked a room at the inn. Ann was determined to keep that positive change in motion.

"Gray let me know that the doctor wanted to make sure you stay hydrated. I can bring up some cider, or some hot tea, or maybe some hot milk if you prefer. I think we might have some-"

His soft voice caused her to fall silent. "This is good, really." Cliff gave her an apologetic look for interrupting her. "I appreciate it."

She took a seat on the edge of the bed as she gave him the tray, determined to watch him take at least one bite of each dish. "You'll be back working at the winery before you know it. Make sure you gather your strength until then."

Cliff gave a nod, taking a sip of the water. Between Ann and Gray, his sleep and food intake were monitored as closely as they were when he was hospitalized. "Sweet potato wine. We were supposed to start another new batch..."

A few days ago? A week ago? What day is it anymore?

She watched him stir his chili, eager for a bite of her own. "Well, I'm sure they left you some potatoes to peel. Duke will be excited to see you again, and Manna will have plenty of time to fuss over you."

Cliff's eyes glinted at her mischievously. "That seems to be a popular hobby lately."

She was grateful that he was feeling well enough to joke with her. Ann stuck her tongue out at him and ruffled his hair. "With good reason."

His smile became apologetic. "I'm sorry I made everyone worry. It will be nice to see them again."

"And I know they'll be happy to see you, too." She looked down at the food tray, realizing he was likely refraining from eating because she was right there. "Well, eat your lunch and get some rest."

"Thank you, Ann."

As she closed the door, she turned to see him taking a bite of the chili and felt a wave of relief.

Ann headed down the stairs and her adrenaline kicked in as she realized there was someone waiting at the bar, her father nowhere in sight. She jogged over behind the counter, her sneakers squeaking across the floor.

"I'm so sorry! Hope you weren't waiting too long!"

The young man shook his head, removing his coat and placing it on the stool beside him, revealing a pair of denim overalls.

"Not at all. I got a chance to look over the menu." Pete looked up at Ann, his chocolate eyes meeting her bright blue ones. A good-natured grin spread across his lips as he held out his hand for a shake. "A new face! When did Doug hire you?"

Ann blinked, ignoring his outstretched hand. "I live here."

He let out a laugh as he playfully tapped the menu on the bar counter. "Ah, do I know what that's like! Double-shifts and the boss-man overworking you..."

It was Ann's turn to laugh. "No, I mean Doug is my dad. I am his daughter, Ann," she explained with a smirk.

Pete's cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment. "Of course! It's pretty obvious now that you say it. You look just like him, y'know." His eyes widened in horror as he waved his hands at her. "Not saying that you look like an old man or anything!" His blinked at his own words as his face darkened to crimson. "Doug's not old!" he practically screamed at her. "He's a respectable age for a man of his- ah-"

Ann cut him off with a laugh. "He's older than you or me." Her brows furrowed as she considered her choice of words. "Well, I mean, he'd have to be older than me if he's my father. I mean, that wouldn't make any sense otherwise."

There was an awkward pause.

"Ah, your order?" Ann tried, biting her lip in embarrassment.

His eyes lit up, grateful that she had cast him a line. "Right! Okay, Ann. I'm a little concerned because I see you don't have anything to write with…"

She cocked an eyebrow at him, placing a hand on her hip. "Try me."

Pete let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm just saying I like to eat."

Her smirk grew. "Try me," she repeated.

The young man's eyes flicked to the menu and he drummed his fingers on the counter top. "Ah, okay... I'll have some rice gruel, grilled salmon, an order of onigiri, french fries, and some vanilla ice cream for dessert… You got all that, little lady?" He winked up at her.

Her heart gave an unexpected thud at the cheeky expression on his face. She masked her gulp with a confident laugh. "Rice slop, charred special, stuffed rice nuggets, frog sticks, frozen cow juice—our best seller with milk straight from the diary farm in town, I'm assuming…" She returned his smug expression. "Anything else, big guy?"

"I-I guess I shouldn't have doubted you." Pete's face blazed as he averted his eyes.

Ann felt a strange pang at the loss of eye contact. She grabbed a serving tray and spun on her heel, slipping into the kitchen.

Pete buried his face in the counter top, his voice muffled as he berated himself. "Stupid..."

Ann let the door swing behind her, leaning against the kitchen wall as she hugged the serving tray to her chest. Her bare arms were covered in goosebumps, but she felt unnaturally hot from the whirlwind she just experienced. "Wh-What the h-hell?" she breathed.

A flip in the pan and chorus of sizzling food snapped her to attention.

"Language, young lady." Doug didn't remove his eyes from the stove.

"R-Right." She distractedly set down the tray, shaking her head. "I've got an order."

He let go of the handle of the skillet, turning around to face her with spatula in hand. "Everything okay?" Concern was written on his face.

"Everything's fine. The guy out there... he's an interesting one. Looks vaguely familiar, but he's from out of town."

Doug grinned. "I could hear you out there laughing. He got a name?"

Ann vaguely remembered her shirking off his handshake and felt her face burn. "Ah, I missed it."

Doug walked over to the kitchen door and cracked it open, peeking through. Pete's eyes were already focused in that direction and he gave Doug an embarrassed salute, his cheeks rosy. Relief came over Doug's features. "Oh, I know him, that's-"

"I want to ask him myself!" Ann blinked in surprise at her loud interruption. She rubbed her arm. "I-I'm sorry, I just..." Her pulse was throbbing in her ears and left her a little disoriented. She turned back to the door, pushing it open with one hand.

"Ann!"

Her father's voice froze her in place. She knew she had been rude, but...

"I need his order if I'm going to cook it," Doug explained with a gentle smile.

Cliff pulled open the door that evening and his eyes lit up when they landed on the young woman standing in the doorway. "Claire… h-hello!"

She smiled at the way his expression brightened. "Hi, I thought I'd stop by to see how you're doing."

"You're too kind," he murmured with a blush, opening the door to allow her inside. "Come on in."

As she began to remove her coat and set down her bag, he leaned closer toward her, his interested eyes admiring the pair of buns in her hair before lingering on her lips. When she noticed, he straightened his posture, turning even redder.

"Ah, I'm sorry! You're still getting comfortable, a-and I'm a little overeager to greet you…"

She promptly dropped her things at the table and snaked her arms around his neck. She could feel the heat rising into her own face. "I-I'm ready for a proper greeting."

With one hand on her waist, and the other cupping her cheek, he leaned in with a smile. "H-hello…"

"Hello, Cliff," she murmured softly, her breath catching in her throat at his closeness.

Her eyes closed as their lips met. She took in his scent, his soft breath, his taste. He deepened the kiss and she was unaware of the soft moan that escaped from her. She clung to him, missing this emotional intimacy that they shared with one another. One kiss quickly turned to two, then three… She lost count as their pounding hearts beat together.

His arms around her were stronger, steadier. He was no longer incapacitated and out of touch with reality. Cliff was here and he was present. He pulled her closer and her heart throbbed; there was a spark of passion in his actions that electrified her and gave her a thrill.

Gray's bed was the closest to the door. Still kissing, they stumbled to it and tumbled onto it sideways, holding each other. His hands ran up and down her arms as they continued, and she ran her fingers through his hair. Cliff broke off the kiss suddenly, pulling back a bit to catch his breath. Claire rested her forehead against his as they panted slightly.

"Sorry… got carried away," he mumbled, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

She responded by placing a kiss on his deeply-flushed cheek.

"I was just so happy to see you…" His breathing began to slow down. "But… Elli and Trent made me promise not to get too… ah… overexcited… Something about putting strain on my heart…"

Claire rested a hand over his heart and he looked down at her with wide eyes.

"That was… quite a greeting, though…" he admitted with a tired chuckle. A few strands of golden hair had come loose from her buns and she looked absolutely gorgeous.

"It's good to have you back," she whispered, nuzzling against him. She still could feel her heart pounding in her throat. Something between them had changed and grown – the connection she felt with him was unique and hard to explain.

"I know I've said it before, but…" Cliff paused, letting out a soft sigh into her hair. Goosebumps crept up her arms and electricity ran up her spine. "I… I'm really glad you don't hate me. Thank you for not giving up on me."

She buried her face into his chest, listening to his hammering heart. "Cliff… I can't imagine a world where I could possibly hate you."

His gently rubbed her back, his movements hesitant. She emitted a contented hum; emboldened, he held her closer. "But you've only known me since I've tried improving myself. You've never seen me bitter about the role I had been given. I was really selfish." He couldn't help but wonder if it sounded like he was giving her reasons to dislike him – he held his breath.

She pulled her face away from his shirt and met his eyes. "I think… I think we were meant to meet each other when we did."

How would he even describe how he was the day they met? He could still remember his hesitant stutter, the way his palms got sweaty as she took a seat beside him in the church pew after introducing herself. She had carried herself so much more confidently than him. What could have possibly encouraged her to give him a second glance?

Cliff had to struggle to stop from rolling his eyes.

Carter, of course.

He paused.

Was it really just him, though?

Cliff had witnessed the aftermath of Claire's panic attack later that day. Perhaps she was just better at feigning confidence. Seeing her shaking as she attempted to stabilize herself against that lamp post... He knew that he couldn't turn around and pretend he hadn't seen – he had fought with the same struggles over the years in the woods, in the various caves he sought for shelter, in his room at the inn last spring...

He had been observing her from a careful distance since he had first heard about her arrival. Quick glances over his field guides as she visited Gray in their room, curious eyes following her as he shyly took the long way back to the church to avoid an awkward introduction. Despite his distance from her, a warmth exuded her, and he found himself curious to know more about her.

He knew their meeting was bound to happen in such a small town, but he was convinced he would swiftly ruin that first meeting and she'd want nothing to do with him.

Carter may have helped set things into motion, but Cliff had attempted to reach out to her in his own ways after that. He was delighted when he discovered she was doing the same, even if he had denied it at the time. Foraging lessons, shared bars of chocolate, silent prayers in the church...

He could still remember Claire's apologetic and sympathetic look as she helped him clean up the materials from his grief counseling with Carter, her eyes accidentally scanning the covers of the books. She had sat with him on the pier during the evening of Ivy's birthday. He had spilled his heart out to her about the past with his family, and not only listened, but she still accepted him.

It's so much more than I deserve, but...

The young woman was surprised to see the mistiness in his eyes. "Claire... I've been doing a lot of thinking."

That much was an understatement – opening up about his past had left him pensive. She could see that his heart was still raw after leaving it exposed to all of the emotional turmoil that had built up and surrounded him.

"Yeah." Claire gave a nod, resting her hand over her heart.

"I... through all this... well... I've been given a reason to believe that those who... care about me..." Cliff averted his eyes, wondering if he was hoping for too much. "I want to believe that despite everything I've done, they'll continue to care. That they really do want to see me again." His voice unexpectedly cracked.

"They do, Cliff," Claire murmured. "I know that can feel like a lot to take in, but it's true. Ray misses you. Maria wants you to be part of her life. Ivy... she's been actively looking for you."

He gave her hand a squeeze and she could feel it trembling. "I've been looking for her for years, terrified of what I would do when we finally did meet. I had been trying to think of the right things to say to not scare her off, to prove to her that I was still worth talking to... Knowing that she wants to see me, well..." A slight chuckle escaped his lips as he blinked the mistiness out of the corners of his eyes. "I'm not going to let a chance like that pass me by."

Claire nodded.

"Come with me."

She found that she was pointing to herself in surprise. "T-To see your family?"

He gave a nod as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah. I want them to meet you."

Her heart burst with joy. "I'd love to!" She nearly gasped audibly as her mood violently sank. "B-But..." Claire's pulse hammered loudly. "I-I don't want to take away from your reunion with them."

"You've been my support through all of this," Cliff explained. "It's important to me that you meet them, and I want to show them the person who helped turn my life around." Cliff paused. His eyes met hers and a sincere affectionate smile formed on his face as he tilted her chin upwards to meet her gaze. "You're… precious to me."

Claire's cheeks felt warm as she began to assure him that the sentiment was mutual, but she was taken by surprise when he pulled her closer, their lips meeting once again. She melted in his arms as he cupped her cheek with his hand, offering her a sweet kiss. He was so doting, so gentle; no one had ever touched her as lovingly as the way he did…

They broke off the kiss, hearts pounding and eyes dilated.

He wasn't lying – I am precious to him.

"W-Wow, I…" Claire struggled to put her feelings into words. A pleasurable feeling rose into her chest.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

"Of course I'll go with you." Her voice quavered as their eyes locked. "Cliff, I-I-"

A creak in a floorboard caught the couple's attention. Their gaze flicked to the partially opened door, revealing a wide-eyed, pale-faced Gray. He went ghostly white as he tugged down the brim of his hat, silently closing the door and hurrying down the hallway in his uneven gait.

There was an uncomfortable silence that Cliff quickly broke. "We... weren't doing anything wrong." His voice was soothing and gentle, catching her attention.

They looked at each other with rosy cheeks as she gave him a nod and took his hands in hers.

"I'll have to think of how I want to talk to them – Maria and Ray, I mean." The excitement was becoming clear on Cliff's face despite his anxiety.

"I'm looking forward to it." Claire gave him a grin. "I know they will be, too."

The smile on Cliff's face twitched. The angry words Ivy had written him were not easily forgotten. "I really hope so..."

He thought of the girl that climbed trees with him, that danced as he played his musical instruments. He could still see the way her braids twirled around her as she moved. Her voice was always a little too loud than the situation warranted. Her laugh was genuine and contagious, much like their father's. Her grip was strong as she often caught him by the wrist, dragging him along. It was easy to forget who was the older sibling...

"Ivy..." Cliff muttered her name aloud, lost in daydreams.

"I can't wait to meet her." Claire whispered as she admired his nostalgic expression.

"Me, too," he returned.

Author's Note: Sorry for the hiatus! I've been going through a lot of personal stuff/laptop dying/stress/overworked and needed to take a little break from writing so it didn't feel like a chore. I think a big part of it is me psyching myself out. I've been absolutely DYING to have Ann and Pete finally meet for years now, and while their meeting scene is a little different from my original draft, I still got to add the silly diner lingo. I had so much fun writing that scene in particular and it gave me such a rush. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm excited to delve more the Saibara/Gray/Claire dynamic as they work together to help prep for the holiday season. In the games, depending on who you spend Starry Night with, you can obtain a ring from them. I decided to implement that into making this a holiday where people traditionally give out jewelry.

I can't thank y'all enough for all of your support and enthusiasm for my work. Knowing that my writing has made someone smile really gives me so much joy! Take care and stay safe! :)