Disclaimers: I don't own Harvest Moon; I'm simply using the characters for my and my muse's entertainment.

Notes: Sorry again about taking forever and half to update! My muse decided that she's rather cooperate today instead of actually working and getting the rest of prep done for tomorrow's meals…not like I have that much prep left to do anyway!

This is What Summer's All About by Yaoi Girl

Who knows how long it had been, but sometime during the storm, I had drifted off into a very nice, deep sleep. Probably one of the best sleeps I've had in a while…But the reason for me being so comfortable and warm and cozy is the fact that the arm draped over me is keeping me that way…

Don't get me wrong, I love the way it feels, this fuzzy feeling and all…but I'm scared out of my mind. Maya has no idea that he's doing this! If he wakes up now…oh, Goddess!

I'm so still and rigid that I'm actually shaking. And I think it just caused Maya's sleeping form to mumble something very incoherent. And thank you Goddess for him rolling over and off of me!

Sitting up, I slowly ease off the bed and pad across the room to crack open the door, breathing in the nice, morning air. I used to do such things often, but I've just had no reason to get up so early…breathing is a routine, and you simply ignore it while it continues on, so you forget about it completely and don't stop to enjoy it…

And apparently Tobi's ready to be fed since he won't shut up!

"Tobi!" I hiss at him while he spins around in a circle a couple times just outside the door, his hair wagging frantically and his tongue hanging out in between barks.

And it's then that I hear a groan and the shifting of blankets before a mumbled, "What time is it?"

I glare at the dog and turn to face Maya as the fuzz ball comes barreling in and onto the bed with his master.

"Almost," I begin as I squint at the clock. "5:40."

"Good, I didn't oversleep!" he breathes as he stretches. And it was then that he realized that either A) I was still there or B) I was up and moving before him. "Is it still raining?"

"No," I reply as I close the door behind me, walking back across the room to sit on the bed, Tobi running back and forth across my lap then behind me and around me…Crazy dog.

And seconds before I was suddenly being pulled downward, Tobi had jumped off the bed and sat there, watching with his tail dusting the floor beneath him.

"Come back to bed."

I don't know what to do…Am I in my wildest dream or my worst nightmare right now? Reality sucks sometimes…

"Maya?"

"Yeah?" he mumbles as he snuggles up against me.

"Are you really awake?" I manage around my fear and excitement.

"I'm trying not to be. I have a little less than 20 minutes before I have to start work, so shut up and keep me warm!"

What in the world is going on here? Did I say something in my sleep last night or is he just naturally this way in the morning? Oh, Goddess! Please help me!

Wait! The Goddess!

I asked of her to help my wretched soul if Maya didn't feel the same…so maybe she did the opposite and had Maya open up to me? So confused…and scared…

I sigh in defeat. This may be the only chance I have of ever being with him like this, so I may as well enjoy it and see what his embrace has to offer…And my Goddess, I never want to leave him or this bed ever again!

I've been lonely for so long that maybe it's just anyone's embrace makes me feel welcomed and loved…or maybe I do really have true feelings for Maya buried somewhere within my tangled, never ending web of emotions.

Twenty minutes goes by way to fast when you're trying to truly enjoy something…let me tell you! But even so, Maya still doesn't want to actually get out of bed yet…

"Rock?"

"I'm sorry about last night…and this morning," he mumbles as he pulls his arms back to himself, slowly sitting up and wincing against the sunlight filtering in.

"It's no big deal, Maya! You said it yourself that you shouldn't keep things bottled up like that. So what if I seen you cry? Everyone cries…"

"I'm still sorry," he said as he pulled on his boots some seconds later.

"Fine, fine," I smile as I too pull on my shoes and tame my hair the best I can with my fingers. Maya and his natural bed-headedness…

"Are you coming with?" he asks over his shoulder as he stands in his open front door. "I don't mind at all if you want to go back to sleep, since I'm assuming that you were awake for quite a while this morning with me holding…" and with that he closed his mouth and turned his head away from me, hesitating before walking outside and closing the door.

I sigh again. I'll let him figure things out on his own for now…because I promised him breakfast!

Lesse…eggs, bacon from the market, milk…anything else? No bread? Scrambled eggs it is then…It feels awkward to raid someone else's fridge…

It's amazing, what with me always being either in the house asleep or outside being lazy, that I know how to actually cook a decent meal. At least certain meals…And breakfast happens to be one of them thankfully!

As I'm cooking, Maya comes back in, truly shocked that I'm actually cooking him breakfast.

"I hope you like scrambled," I call to him with a quick smile before focusing back on the pan.

"Thanks, Rock!" he smiled, still somewhat embarrassed about this morning. But that could be a bad thing, right?

As I put everything onto plates, I set them on the table and sit down, watching as Maya does so too. And I just can't help but say something…

"Maya, I don't mind that you were holding me this morning. It actually felt very nice…and I slept very well for your information."

He smiles somewhat around his bite of food.

"I'm glad you're not upset. I don't know how I would've begun to fix things between us, with us being guys and all…"

"Yeah, and?"

At this, his eyes grow wide and confused as he looks up at me. Oh, no…

"Rock, are you…"

"No, no, no!" I say waving my arms around wildly in front of me. I'm panicking, and horribly.

"So, I can have your last slice of bacon?"

What the hell!

He chuckles somewhat, shaking his head.

"I was kidding, Rock. And it's perfectly fine if you are bi."

I can't help but tense up at hearing this. He knows…

"Thank you for breakfast, but I have to throw the chickens and run into town today, so if you want to join me, get ready while I'm in the hen house," he says as he stands and places in the plate in the sink before heading back out.

Did he really mean that he doesn't mind the fact that I'm quite possibly bi? If not, he's a really good friend, or he's just afraid of hurting someone or making enemies…

With randomness flowing through my thought channel, I was up the dishes and make the bed before Maya comes back in looking somewhat miffed.

"What?" I ask looking around the room with confused eyes, because I'm pretty sure it's not me that he's upset with because he's not looking at me…

"Miyu ran off again…"

I can't help but laugh, drawing his anger a little more. But that cow…

After an hour search, we found her…in the barn. Maya didn't even think to check there since all the other animals were outside.

So we decided to go for a walk which ended with us standing on the rock formation just south of Celia's place. The view's still the same from the biggest rock though, just a slightly different angle.

"Ne, Rock?"

"Yeah?" I ask as we watch the sun setting on the horizon of water.

"I, um…kinda wanted to try something new."

"Like what?"

"Like…seeing what it's like to, um…to…" and it was then that I turned to look at him, his face downward with a horrible blush and his fingers meshing together as if he were nervous.

"To?"

He whispered something, but it floated away with the breeze that swept through. And he could tell by my expression that I didn't hear what he had said, so he stepped closer to me and breathed in my ear.

"To be with you…"

My eyes widen as I taken in the most definite possibility of that phrase. Now he's the one acting more like a girl…

"But we've only been hanging out together, as in closely, for a couple days now. Are you sure…?"

His eyes welled up a bit. I know it had taken him a lot of courage to admit what he just did, but now I'm not even so sure that now is the right time to be dating anyone. If we just jump into it like this…who knows how horrible it would end!

"Do you have any idea of how long I've wanted to say that to you, Rock? Not just a couple days, but since the day I laid eyes on you," he admitted with his back to me.

"It's me that it's only been a couple of days." I feel so bad now, knowing that it was me he was crying about last night and he'd been keeping it in for who knows how long, and I've just a had crush on him for a few measly days…

And apparently Celia knew about his crush on me too, because she stood just inside the fence on her farm, watching us atop the rock with a sympathetic face.

"Look, Maya…Just because I don't actually want to official start dating, doesn't mean that we can't do 'more that friendly' things. We'll just play things as they come along. Can you accept that answer?"

He sighed and wiped his eyes, nodding before turning to me with a small smile. "I can."

"Then let your housewife get back to work. You weren't lying when you said your house needed dusting and mopping!"

"Thanks, Rock," he grinned as he gently jumped down from our perch and raced back to the house.

And it was no sooner than we had reached the front door, me being a few seconds ahead of him, that he caught me in his nearly full momentum and shoved me against the house, pinning me there with a kiss…

TBC

At least one more chapter…Can you tell that it's been too long since I've updated? I've ended up turning Maya into the uke! XD

Ah, brain farts at work…gotta love them…