Disclaimers: I don't own Natsume and had nothing to do with the creation or development of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. I'm simply using the characters for my and my muse's entertainment.
This is What Summer's All About by Yaoi Girl
.: Rock's POV :.
It was only a few moments after Maya took off down the path that I realized that he had left his horse behind, which was actually awake and looked rather confused.
I get up and walk over to the forgotten animal and pet his nose.
"They call me dumb because I'm a blonde, so what's your owner's excuse?" I laugh as I lead him home, finding Maya scowling at Miyu, the escapee inside the now patched up fence. "Forget something?"
Apparently I scared him, because he jumped about a foot in the air before turning to me with wide eyes. He then smiled sheepishly as he seen me with Ryo.
Within seconds, Maya was by my side thanking me before he jumped onto Ryo's back.
I started to walk, deciding to go to the beach for a while. However, that idea didn't last long.
No sooner than I was next to Gustafa's house, Maya came racing towards me on Ryo and then he came to a halt next to me.
"Wanna go for a ride?" he smiles at me while reaching down a hand to help me up.
I shrug and climb up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist to keep from falling off, reveling in the closeness.
I don't know how long we had been riding, but it's now around nine or so and we're at the beach, watching the fireworks being set off from Mineral Town, Ryo off somewhere behind us, probably napping.
The last firework goes up and explodes and I find myself yawning, all the while having been leaning unconsciously against Maya's shoulder as we're sitting on the edge of the forgotten boat on the beach.
"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight," I said as I stand up and stretch a few moments later.
I turn back to face Maya and he's smiling up at me and I can't help but get caught up in his chocolate colored eyes.
"We should hang out more often," he suggests while he looks away, standing a few moments later and poking his horse in the side to wake him up. "You want a ride home?"
He turns to face me again and we're gazing into each other's eyes, and it's then that I realize he could think I'm acting like a freak or something, which is the last thing I want, so I look away and try to fight off the blush that's rising.
"No; I'm gonna hang out here for a little while longer before I go home."
I could've sworn that he just frowned, but I can't really tell since I'm facing the water for the most part.
"Suit yourself. See ya," he says as he turns to head home, already having jumped onto Ryo's back.
"Wait!"
Why did I say that? I don't have anything to say to him, other than 'I want you to touch me again' but then he really would think I was a freak.
He looks over his shoulder at me, smiling. "Yeah?"
"I, uh…" C'mon Rock, think! "I was wondering if you mind some extra help around the farm tomorrow?"
He simply shrugs. "Sure. You don't have to though."
"Mom's been wanting me to keep you company since you're usually alone. And I said I needed something to do to spend time…"
Maya nods to me in understanding. "So, I'll see you around 1:30?" he laughs. Just because I like to sleep in…
"10:30. I'm going to make myself get up early tomorrow."
"I wish I could sleep in, but I have things to do," he teases. "Alright, tomorrow around 10:30 it is. See ya then!"
I wave at him and watch him disappear around the inn before I begin to aimlessly wander.
~*~
"Hey, mom, guess what!" I say proudly as I enter the house, scaring both of my parents because I'm actually home before midnight. "I'm gonna start helping Maya around the farm."
"That's great, dear," she smiles at me. "It's nice of you to give him some company; I'm sure he appreciates it."
I nod and smile while heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to bed. I told him I'd be there around 10:30, so if I'm not up by then, soak me with water if you want, so long as I get up."
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see my parents' eyes go wide in shock of me going to bed -and- getting up early, then they look at each other as though they have the answer to my sudden pattern change.
~*~
"Ugh…too early!" I groan while my mother prods me awake, causing me to bury myself deep into my blankets and pillow.
"You said to get you up so you could help…"
"Maya!" I practically yell as I shoot straight up, throwing the covers off of my body.
My mother laughs and leaves the room while I'm fighting to get my arm through my shirt and put my pants on at the same time. If I don't hurry, I'll be late and he'll tease me about sleeping in again. Not that I really mind, but still…
After properly getting my clothes on and the like, I head downstairs for a quick breakfast then out the front door.
"None for me?" Maya pouts as he sees me finishing off the last of my toast a few minutes later.
"I'm not your cook. And when's the last time you shared anything with me?"
"What about the romantic fireworks display last night? Didn't I share that with you?" he teases as he brushes Miyu, leaving me to blush horribly. "And I shared my shoulder…"
Okay…so he got me there.
"Fine then; I'll bring you something tomorrow morning," I say as I jump the fence and walk up to him, the blush mostly gone though I can still feel light warmth in my cheeks.
"Tomorrow morning?" he turns to me, confused. I did only say for today…
"Yeah; if you don't mind that is and if I actually like farm work, then could I help you for a while?"
"I don't see why not," he shrugs as he then brushes Yeti, his goat. (A/N: I had to name her that after I seen Mukumuku because my neighbor boy kept calling him a Yeti.)
I smile and then laugh as Woolie, his only sheep, comes barreling towards me, wanting attention.
"So, what's the game plan?" I ask as I lazily pet the 'attention deprived' animal before me.
"Lets see…I have three more cows to brush and I'm done with them until later today, then we can throw the chickens around and collect their eggs, then watering and picking, maybe some planting; that depends on if my seeds are done yet. But while I'm finishing them up, can you go get the milk from the milking room and take it to the storage shed?"
"Where do I put it then?"
"There's a cooler in the middle of the room; just put them in there and make sure you put the lid back on tight."
With my mission acquired, I head for the main objective: the milk. The one small problem that I have with this mission is that I can only carry four at a time, and there's a good seven or eight more cans waiting on me. But I managed, except…
"Maya's gonna kill me!" I grimaced as two of the last containers slipped from my arm and fell to the floor, spilling everywhere. "I better make him a good breakfast tomorrow to pay for this."
And as fate would have it, I'd get caught because he entered the room just as I put the two full cans into the cooler.
"Hey, Rock, are you ready to…" he started excitedly trailing off as his eyes caught sight of the white mess on the floor, his confused chocolate eyes then traveling up my body to my face.
"They slipped?" I winced and grinned at the same time. It was the truth after all.
I sigh inwardly as his face breaks out into a smile. "You own me."
"Will a decent breakfast tomorrow due?" I ask hopefully, seeing as I'm flat broke.
"Bacon, two sunny-side up eggs, toast, and a glass of orange juice," he states with a smirk.
"If I cooked all that, then I'd have to be here super early, and I can't carry that here! I'll break mom's plates with as clumsy as I am and then I'll owe her!"
He turned and opened the door to go outside. "Then I guess that you'll just have to stay the night here and get up at the crack of dawn with me. That way you can use my plates and kitchen while I start chores."
"You want me to be your house-wife tomorrow, is that it?" I mock while laughing, Maya shoving me into the chicken coop a moment later. At least mom will be proud about me doing something useful.
"If you want to think of it that way, then yeah. While you're at it, you can dust and mop; the house needs it," he smiles evilly, daring me to do something to him but I can't think of a thing for revenge, seeing as I'm transfixed by his eyes again. I wouldn't be surprised if I was openly gaping and drooling at the moment.
"You're lucky you're in a place with live creatures, otherwise I'd have you face down in the dirt," I manage as he turns and picks up a hen, causing me to step back in momentary fear as she flaps around wildly and squawks. I've never been near a live chicken…
"They won't hurt you; she's just trying to protect her egg is all," he says, having seen me back away, while he scoops up her egg, frowning at it. "Not fertilized. Oh, well. How about a gold one tomorrow?"
"Are you talking to a chicken?" Now who's the freak?
"The nicer you are to them, the better the egg they give you," he states simply with a shrug of his shoulders before scooping up the next hen. "You egg-monger!"
I noticed that she didn't act as the other one did, but then after the insult to her, I seen no egg. "Oh, yes, that was so nice. She'll lay you something real nice tomorrow."
"Lets see you do better," he again shrugs, setting her down.
~*~
By the time we were finished in the chicken coop, we came out two eggs short and I knew all of them by name, not to mention that I now know how to tell the difference between a non-fertilized and a fertilized egg.
"Here's this," Maya says as he hands me a watering can after we came back out into the bright sunlight.
I filled it and we walked to the far field, me watering while he fertilized his crops and inspected the ones that were nearly ready to be picked. We didn't talk much while we watered, which took just under an hour; apparently summer isn't his favorite time to plant things, and I don't blame him with as hot as it is.
As we head back towards his house, my stomach rumbles, gaining Maya's attention which caused me to blush since he was staring at my stomach, so I rubbed it in a 'I'm a little hungry' gesture and grinned sheepishly at him.
"You want me to cook lunch too?"
"Any other time, I'd love to, but I already prepared lunch this morning, so all we have to do is heat it up and enjoy!"
So we enter his house, which I'm thankful is much cooler that outside at the moment, and I take a seat on his bed, carelessly flopping back on it as if it were my own as he warmed our lunch.
Several minutes later, I hear the plates being set down on the table, but I'm so close to nodding it I can't make myself move, though I do open my eyes slightly as I feel Maya's weight settle on the edge next to me.
He places a hand on my forehead and frowns slightly. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just a little tired," I yawn, my eyes instantly drooping back shut. "Being in that sun drains me."
"You wanna rest for a while? We don't have anything else to do for a couple hours, so if you want to take a nap, go ahead."
"But what about lunch? You went through all the *yawn* trouble of making it for me…"
"I can always reheat it later. Just rest."
I make a slight noise in the back of my throat, the sound that lets someone know you heard them and you're too tired to care. And within a minute's time, I'm sound asleep.
I hope I don't annoy him if I start sleep talking…
TBC
Meh, not so fluffy in this one, but, oh, will the next one! ^_______^ And then the rains cometh and drencheth the…You'll see…
Hope you enjoyed! Pssst…review please. ^_^
