As Seasons Change, So Do We

Violet's stomach was in knots as she helped load the last of Sebastian's things into the borrowed condo in the city.

"I think that's the last of it," Robin announced, dusting off her hands. She looked toward her son. "Are we missing anything, Sebby?"

Sebastian's shoulders rose in a nonchalant gesture. "If I forget anything, I'll be back soon enough anyway."

"Great!" Robin replied, doing her best to sound chipper. Violet could tell this was an emotional moment for the red head with the watery glint in her dark eyes. "Do you want us to stick around and help you unpack, sweetie?"

The young man declined the offer. "Thanks, but I think Maru's box labeling method was pretty spot-on. I'll take it from here," Sebastian assured his family, Violet, and Alex, who had tagged along at Maru's request. "Thanks for all your help."

Demetrius took his wife's hand. "In that case, we'll get out of here," he informed his stepson before he led Robin toward the elevator. He offered his free hand to Sebastian to shake, which the younger man accepted. "Best of luck, son."

Violet went with Sebastian to escort everyone back to the street-level, where Robin had parked her old truck. It had been full of Sebastian's belongings only a few hours ago and now nothing but rope coils, carabiner clips, and carpentry tools remained. Robin threw her arms around her son one last time and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Our door is always open if you need anything, Sebby. I'll make your favorites!" Sebastian bashfully consoled his mother and swore that things would be fine, and he would be back to visit again. This was not good-bye forever.

Maru joined in the hug, pinning Sebastian between her and their mother. "I hope you achieve all your academic aspirations and come back to tell us all about the new things you learned!" she shouted, being sure to squish her brother with all her might. Violet noticed Sebastian did not try to wriggle out of the embrace, despite the crushing force both his kin were exerting on his frame.

"Yeah, sure…" Sebastian seemed a bit embarrassed by the display of affection, but Violet thought it was cute. "Now get going or you'll get a parking ticket."

The meter guard was making rounds and had noticed the flashing red light to indicate an expired fare on their parking spot. Robin jumped to action, turning the engine. It hummed to life, and she put it into gear as the other passengers climbed inside. Robin blew a kiss to her son prior to merging into traffic and beginning the journey home to Pelican Town.

Once the truck disappeared from view, Sebastian glanced at Violet side-on. "Let's head back up…" he decided. Violet felt her heart ache as they took the elevator up to the condo, a heavy air of awkward silence between them. When they reached the door, Sebastian slid to one side to allow her entry first.

She took a seat on the couch opposite Sebastian. His head hung down low as the words he had been holding back finally spilled out. "I guess since you didn't pack anything, that means you don't want to move in with me…" Violet could hear the disappointment in his voice. It stung.

Her heart sank as she gave him her explanation. "I really wanted to say 'yes,'" the pastel-haired woman confessed, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was going to fall into the same bad habits if I did."

Her boyfriend tilted his head, his bangs falling away from his face as he did so. "What do you mean?"

The farmer sighed heavily. "When Kyle moved into my apartment back in NuNu City," the paused, her ex's name caused a sour taste in her mouth, "I let all my other relationships fall to the wayside," Violet explained hesitantly. "And after things went south for us, I lost all those friends because they took his side."

Her sea-blue eyes stared up at Sebastian, hoping that he would not resent her for choosing to stay in Pelican Town. "It's not that I'm banking on our relationship failing, it's just…" Violet bit her lip, "I want to have my own friends, too." The young woman fidgeted in her seat, anxious and afraid that Sebastian would not understand how difficult the decision was for her. "I really messed up missing Leah's art show, and if I hadn't been here when Sam went missing the other day, I would have felt awful. I felt relieved that I was there to help when you weren't able to be there because of school."

Her body shrank as she held herself. "And if I move into this place with you, I'll have to start all over again." Violet's eyes flickered up toward his. "As much as I love you, I don't want to spend my days waiting around for you to come home after classes. I'm not ready to uproot myself again so soon after moving to Stardew Valley. I really like everyone in Pelican Town, and I want to give my life there a shot..."

Sebastian did not say anything, but his obsidian eyes watched her closely. "And, knowing you, you'd rush back home every day if we're sharing a place in ZuZu, rather than accepting an invitation to hang out with new people," Violet continued, wringing the hem of her t-shirt. "I want to believe that if… if we want our relationship to work, we'll get through this." The farmer shrugged, unsure of what else to say. "I'm sorry, Sebastian. It was never my intention to hurt you."

His face was shielded by the bangs on the right side of his face as he turned away. "I'm not enough, am I?" Sebastian proclaimed sadly, tensing the muscles in his hands as they gripped the material of his pant legs tightly. Violet fought the instinct to backpedal when her boyfriend closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"But even I can be man enough to admit I felt like shit for not being there for Sam when he needed me. I know he said it's okay, but I feel like I failed him, and it made me really question whether this move was a terrible mistake to begin with."

"You didn't-"

Sebastian stood abruptly and walked over to the window to stare out at the passers-by on the street below, breaking Violet's resolve to continue. "I guess part of me hoped I could get past the guilt if you were here with me. I could use our relationship as an excuse," he disclosed grudgingly, "so I wouldn't be the only one making a selfish decision." He tugged at the tapered end of his bangs in a nervous habit. "So, maybe it's best that one of us stays home to make sure we're not both so out of the loop."

Violet watched as Sebastian left the window and chose to take a seat on the couch beside her. Slowly, he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "I'll miss you, Violet."

Violet's lips pulled up in a fleeting smile, their faces still inches from one another. "We'll still see each, though. Right?" She prayed they could keep those promises. The farmer did not want their relationship to fail because of something so simple.

Sebastian's thumb gently caressed her cheek, and Violet could not tell if she wanted to cry or to make out with him from the way he regarded her with his dark, ink-black eyes.

"Yeah," Sebastian reassured her quietly. Violet was sure that this was the best decision to do right by herself this time around, but that did not make the parting any easier for either of them. She would take a bus home by herself tonight, leaving Sebastian here in the city to live his life. Their orbits were being pulled apart and Violet wondered if the gravity of other, more pressing aspects of life would eventually lead them to different destinations entirely. The idea frightened the farmer.

"Either way," the hoodie-clad man reached into his back pocket and produced a pair of keys. "I still want you to have these." He presented them to Violet shyly. "In case you ever want to swing by to surprise me..."

Violet's heart swelled at the gesture. The kind of trust Sebastian imparted by this gift meant the world to her. She accepted the keys and added them to her keychain.

"This one's for you," Violet responded in kind, removing the key to the farmhouse from her own metal ring and placing it into Sebastian's open palm. She could just use the spare she kept hidden on the property when she returned to the farm, after all. Violet blushed, "...In case you don't feel like hiking all the way up the mountain when you come home."

Sebastian's hands clasped shut around the key. Violet held his gaze, trying to convey her sincerity. She wanted him to know how much she would miss him and hoped their relationship would withstand this test, but she could not find the right words.

Leaning into Sebastian, she kissed him, as if he were going away on a much longer journey. Violet longed for him to come home with her, but she knew that this was for the best long-term, even if it might mean a bit of heartache for now. The pastel-haired woman could feel the hot tears falling down her cheek as they held each other tightly, whispering sweet, comforting words into each other's ear.

Elliott bore the palpitations of his heart as he anxiously awaited Miss Penelope on the docks of the western pier. With the help of his dear friend Willy, the author had taken on a personal project in the form of patching up the ancient rowboat that lay abandoned beside his humble abode.

Tomorrow, Winter would grace the valley with all its splendor, making it too late in the year to enjoy a leisurely float on the sea. If Miss Penelope did not decide to accept the invitation for a mid-day excursion, Elliott would be forced to await another chance until Spring. While the gentler of the two seasons would certainly provide a more agreeable atmosphere, he wished to enjoy the fruits of his labor in a timelier manner.

The hopeless romantic held his breath when he spied the form of his dearest Miss Penelope. She was well-dressed to keep the biting wind at bay, with a smart coat that both appreciated and protected her slight figure and a jaunty woolen scarf.

Her emerald orbs glittered with glee when she noticed the rowboat rocking in the soft waves of the oncoming tide. "You fixed that old boat!" Miss Penelope breathed in awe. "My goodness, that must have taken you ages, Elliott."

Elliott was not a man to refuse a compliment and found himself standing just a bit taller when the words reached his muffed ears. "Miss Penelope…" he enunciated, extending a welcoming hand toward his darling. "Would you do me the honor of joining me for her maiden voyage?"

Penelope shone in the most dazzling way as she took his hand and stepped onto the vessel. "I would be delighted!"

Once Elliott was pleased that both he and his precious passenger were well-balanced and their vessel was equipped properly according to safety protocols, the man removed the mooring line and pushed off the dock with his foot to venture out onto the open waters. Elliott did his best to focus on the form that Willy taught him. The sailor warned that improper movement was dangerous in that it wasted energy, ruined the intended trajectory of the voyage, and - most importantly - made the rower unnecessarily tired and sweaty. His mother raised him as nothing if not a gentleman and Elliott would not tolerate a slovenly appearance when declaring his deep admiration for Miss Penelope.

When the man was satisfied that the distance traveled would provide a suitable view of Pelican Town, Elliott lay the oars across his lap. Miss Penelope watched him expectantly. Squaring his shoulders, the poet decided it would be best to ease into his assertion of affection.

"My book has been out for a while now," Elliott stated, slowly easing into the topic of conversation he aimed to reach by the time he gathered up his courage. "It's not a best-seller or anything, but it has received good reviews from a few noteworthy critics." He nodded in Miss Penelope's direction, acknowledging her efforts. "And I really could not have finished it without your moral support."

After a moment of awkward silence, Elliott amended his statement. "Actually, that is untrue. I would have finished it either way," he grimaced. "I am sure I would have eventually completed the novel, though I cannot speak on the quality of an uninspired work without such a skilled editor and confidant."

The brunette appeared disappointed by his words, so Elliott articulated his gratitude from another angle. "But I am grateful that you believed in me… in my vision." His fingertips found a loose thread on his coat and began to tug at it restlessly. "And, well…"

Miss Penelope's curious contemplation fell upon him, unnerving the man further. "Um…" Elliott likened himself to an actor upon the stage for the first time, the lines of the play evaporated from his conscious mind. "Miss Penelope?" His resolve vaporized the instant the words left his lips. "How do I say this…"

Elliott could feel the heat rising in his face as his flustered thoughts permeated his countenance. "Well, we have been friends for a while now…" he began slowly to ensure he would not stutter. "But I'm… I'm not sure if I feel that way about you anymore."

The stunning schoolteacher joyful expression wilted in an instant. "That's a shame," Miss Penelope countered, her voice betraying that she was on the verge of tears. "I've enjoyed our time together."

The gentleman realized his error instantly and tried to rectify the misunderstanding. "No! I'm not saying I want to cut all ties with you!" But now his sweet Penelope appeared more confused than she had a moment prior. "In fact, quite the opposite."

"How do I put this…?" Elliott so wanted to convey his feelings, but he struggled to find a suitable phrase. "For once, I'm at a loss for words…" His eyes flickered back toward his beloved Miss Penelope to see her attention wholly fixed on his person, awaiting him to finally put her uneasy mind to rest. She must have assumed I was trying to end our suit… How can I prove to her that is not the case when I find my tongue so inexplicably tied?

Then, without further deliberation, Elliott stood, rocking the rowboat slightly as he flung the oars to either side. The motion startled Miss Penelope as the author swept her up into his arms and kissed her tenderly upon her soft, full lips. As they parted, he detected a shudder from Penelope, and feared he had taken things too far. Elliott had not intended to be such a cad, but he had let passion overtake him when all words failed. "Miss Penelope? You're trembling…"

"I'm happy," she asserted in a soft, yet confident tone. Something about her voice caused his face to tinge a bashful shade of red.

"So am I."

Miss Penelope's jewel-like eyes fixed upon Elliott, and he could not help but be captivated in the depths of their deep emerald green. She clung to him, as if worried she would lose her balance and be tossed overboard if she did not tangle her gloved hands into his overcoat. She kissed him of her own accord this time, and Elliott was once again intoxicated by her lovely lips.

Elliott was unsure whether it was their passionate exchange or the tide coming in, but he noticed the tiny rowboat behind to sway in a manner that most concerned him.

"The vibration from your body has caught the attention of a school of sardines," he explained with a tense chuckle. "We had better get out of here," Elliott announced, taking his seat, and taking up the oars.

Miss Penelope bobbed her head in reluctant accord as Elliott began to row back toward shore. He would be remiss to ruin the romantic atmosphere of their amorous exchange only moments prior. Perhaps he could restore it on some level?

"Look at the valley from here…" the poet indicated, pointing his cleft chin toward the shore so that he could row with proper form. "It finally looks like 'home.'"

His love smiled at the sight, and it gave Elliott hope that he had not entirely ruined their romantic getaway. Miss Penelope's spirits were uplifted as they took turns concocting details on which to form a new novel, or perhaps even a sequel to the first. It was a lively conversation, and Elliott adored the sparkle in Miss Penelope's eyes when they got into the creative process. Her cheeks were rosy from the chilly wind, but she practically glowed against the ocean blue.

As they approached the dock to lay anchor and end their outing, Elliott leaned to starboard side to grasp the mooring line and attach it to the boat and Miss Penelope did the same in an attempt to assist. Much to Elliott's horror, this caused their little rowboat to sway dangerously to one side, threatening to tip them both overboard. The man threw his weight to the opposite side to attempt to save them from certain catastrophe, but alas Elliott's efforts were in vain.

Miss Penelope lost her balance completely and tumbled into the cold seawater. She instantly resurfaced, sputtering, and crying out in alarm. Elliott held onto the dock with one hand and fished her out of the water with the other. She was sopping wet, and, in this weather, Miss Penelope was at greater risk of hypothermia each moment she remained exposed to the elements.

Wordlessly, Elliott scooped the brunette into his arms and made haste for his home. He felt Miss Penelope shiver violently and huddle close to his chest to warm herself as best she could. "I'm s-sorry, Elliott," the woman apologized. "I sh-should -"

"I will take care of you, my darling," Elliott assured her firmly, cutting off her unnecessary fretting. His only concern was to get her warm and dry.

Lewis strode into the house uninvited, and Shane was not amused by the intrusion into his personal space. "I would like to take out a business loan," the former mayor said, though really the old guy's tone more than suggested it was a demand rather than a request. The old man took a seat at Shane's kitchen table and took out a pen to sign the paperwork Lewis had prepared.

Shane's dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That'll be a 'no,' thanks," he retorted in no uncertain terms. The new mayor turned his back on the intruder and resumed making his part of the lunch he planned on taking to Emily's later this afternoon.

But Lewis was not going to back down that easily. "You didn't even ask me how much the loan was for!" the geezer complained loudly. "It's not even that much in the grand scheme of things. This is blatant abuse of power against a political rival!" the greying weasel accused.

Shane slapped the wall in aggravation and turned to face Lewis. "You burst into my house and have the gall to ask me to borrow money from public funds that you were proven to have stolen from for the last twenty years and you expect me to just say 'sure, man,' and sign whatever sketchy contract you've whipped up?" The poultry farmer could see the gears turning in Lewis' head as his words processed through the man's thick skill. Shane pointed toward the door. "If you want a loan, write up a proper business plan and pitch it to a town committee instead of waltzing into my home like you own the place."

Lewis scowled and muttered under his breath about Shane now owning the house either, but since the old guy did not know that legally speaking, he had technically bought this place from Violet for the hefty price of one gold, Shane decided to let the comment slide. He was not going to lose his temper any further over this.

Shane strode over to the door and opened it, motioning for Lewis to take his leave. "Now get out and come back when you have something to show me."

Adjusting his cap, Lewis glared defiantly at Shane. "You will regret this decision, young man," he spat with a venom in his voice, but the new mayor was not about to take this man's threats seriously. He had no sway in local politics and judging from the fact that Lewis had been embezzling money from the town and was now asking for additional funds, the mustached man had no capital to bribe a higher power to do his bidding.

Shane kept watch at the door to make sure Lewis left the property rather than close the door right away. The dark-haired man noticed that Lewis' shadow appeared unnaturally defined and elongated for a cloudy midday in autumn. It made the hairs on the back of Shane's neck stand on end.

Penny shivered as she stood in Elliott's cabin, still dripping wet from her tumble into the ocean. Elliott furiously rummaged through his chest of drawers for a change of dry clothes for each of them.

He tossed an older outfit that was a bit small on him and a dry towel onto the bed. Penny knew that they would not fit her, but it was far better than the alternative. "Please remove your current attire and wear these instead," he instructed. "I will step out for a moment to give you some privacy."

But Penny shook her head. "Y-your c-c-clothes got all wet, too," she reminded him, pointing to the front half of his body. "J-j-just t-turn around the other way and we'll m-ma-anage just fi-fine."

While Penny could tell Elliott was hesitant as a gentleman to undress in the same room as a lady, he was not about to argue this point in such dire circumstances. She was trembling like a leaf and Elliott would not bear to have her suffer due to an insistence of propriety. "Very well," he relented, turning to face his writing desk, and removing his damp outer layers and dress shirt.

Despite herself, Penny did not immediately face the other direction and saw Elliott remove his damp coat and begin unbuttoning his dress shirt. His back exhibited an appealing musculature that Penny had not expected to find on a man who spent most of his days sitting at a writing desk.

But when Elliott asked if she was decent, Penny blushed and requested he wait a few more moments. It was difficult to remove some of the layers that clung to her body, but she finally managed to wiggle out of them, even with her fingers practically vibrating from the shudders that ran through her body.

Once she was completely undressed, Penny wrapped herself in the towel to dab off the moisture from her body before slipping into one of Elliott's more casual tunics. It was ill-fitting: too large in the chest area and snug around her hips, but the shirt itself draped past her waist and down to her thighs. The pants, however, she could not attempt to wear even if she tried. Elliott's waistline was no match for a woman's curves. Penny reluctantly acknowledged defeat.

"The pants are too narrow for my hips…" she clarified, embarrassed by the whole debacle. If only she had been more careful, this never would have happened.

Elliott turned, and when his honey-hued eyes caught a glimpse of her wearing only his shirt, he spun around again straightaway and cleared his throat, "My apologies, Miss Penelope. I failed to consider your feminine form when I offered you my spare garments."

In a concentrated effort not to ogle her, Elliott retrieved a downy winter blanket from the cedar chest at the foot of his bed and invited Penny to warm herself under its weighty layers.

She obeyed and bundled herself against the cold, while Elliott lay out their damp clothes by the wood-burning stove. He was so lovely in the warm light of the fire, and he went through such lengths to make sure she would be well after her silly accident. She could tell that even as he arranged their clothing out to dry, Elliott was also shivering slightly from the exposure.

After a few moments, Penny glanced at him side-long and made a bold proposal. "I… I'm still shivering, Elliott… Would it be too much trouble to join me? I think we would both warm up faster if we shared our warmth. We could even move next to the fire under a blanket…"

"No need for you to trouble yourself, Miss Penelope!" Elliott responded, "I will join you momentarily." As promised, he wrung out the last of the water from her clothing into the wash basin and then crossed the room to join her. The silky-haired man lifted the blankets just enough so that he could slide in to lie beside her. The brunette did not hesitate to latch onto him for warmth and while Elliott recoiled from her cold fingers at first, he eventually relaxed and wrapped a protective arm around her, inviting her to lay her head on his chest.

Penny was suddenly highly aware of the fact that she was in her boyfriend's bed more than half-naked. She felt self-conscious, but strangely… free. If anyone had told her the story of what she was currently experiencing, Penny acknowledged she might have assumed the woman was loose with men. But there was an intimacy in this moment that Penny could not quite describe. Her body ached for more.

Elliott was a perfect gentleman. He simply laid beside her with his eyes closed, making no comment about her state of dress, or her recommendation that they share a bed while only half-clothed. It was clear that he was only concerned for her well-being and seemed to feel somewhat responsible for her falling out of the boat.

Penny nuzzled his chest and cuddled closer. Her body was slowly thawing, but her mind wandered to impure desires regarding other, more efficient, and pleasurable ways to warm their bodies together. Part of her despised that the fantasies came at all. It made Penny wonder if perhaps her mother had been right, in a way. Was she so eager to throw herself at the first man that beheld her with any ounce of affection? If so, was it so wrong of her to feel this way?

She had not meant to, but Penny began to understand what Pam meant when she preached that love could make a person blind and stupid. "Elliott?"

Penny's own voice sounded odd to her. "Yes, Miss Penelope?" her lover whispered in reply.

"May I kiss you?"

Elliott declined firmly. "I am afraid if we were to kiss at this moment, I may do something ungentlemanly."

She recoiled at Elliott's repulsion to the idea of kissing. "I didn't mean to offend you," she apologized, wilting from the rejection. "I just…"

But Elliott interjected to clarify the misunderstanding, using his free hand to tilt her face upward toward his own. "It is not that I find the fantasy unappealing, Miss Penelope," the man disclosed. His gaze was tender, but there was a gleam in his eyes that Penny did not recognize. It thrilled her. "But should I claim your lips with mine in this moment of vulnerability, I confess I would not be satisfied by a mere sample of your lovely body."

Penny flushed, and she noticed her body ceased its shivering. "… I see."

Elliott shifted slightly under her and released her delicate chin. "Please do not be offended by my crass words, Miss Penelope," he made sure his hands were kept in respectable regions as he pulled her closer. "Every man is capable of restraint. I shall await our wedding night, should we be so lucky to share it."

The brunette had initially been disappointed by his refusal, but Elliott's words made Penny feel treasured. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the notion "I hope we are that lucky," Penny articulated with a shy smile as she buried her face into his shirt. Spending the rest of her life with the man beside her would be like a dream come true. "I would love to be your bride someday."

Perched on the cold stone ledge of the fountain, Haley's lips froze a distinctive pout. How could Emily do this to me? the blonde thought to herself, bobbing her ankle up and down over the knee of her opposite leg in agitation.

Haley had been cleaning the couch cushions this morning and found a blue shell necklace wedged underneath the side where Emily usually sat on the couch. She had confronted her older sister, knowing what the mermaid pendant was supposed to mean. At first, the blonde had assumed that Shane proposed to Emily and the two had kept it a secret, but Haley soon learned that it was her sister who had bought the token of engagement for Shane. Emily begged her to keep it a secret.

They've only been dating for, like, a season! she objected, taking another slurp of her festive drink, and leaning back to rest her weight on her hand left. How could Emily get serious with a guy so quickly? Emily told her that it was because they have known each other so long prior to dating that she knew that Shane was the one. Something about his aura being nearly the right color and she did not want to risk missing some window of opportunity when some star aligned with planet such-and-such. Ugh.

Haley wanted to be happy for her sister, especially after all their talks over the summer about growing up together. The blonde never realized what a terrible sister she had been until Emily finally discussed all the emotional baggage she had kept from the family. It was not as if Haley wanted her sister to be unhappy, but between Emily spending time with Shane and Alex doing extra training and hanging out with Maru whenever possible, Haley felt abandoned.

At least there was Leah. Well, sort of. The artist was so clueless Haley was beginning to wonder if Leah was deliberately trying to brush off any advances to spare her feelings. Leah had been quick to cover Haley with the jacket Alex lent them at the Spirit's Eve festival last night. It was almost annoying that Leah did not gawk at her even a little. Even Kel mentioned that Haley was totally Leah's type, so what was she doing wrong?

Are all lesbians this dense or is Leah just a special case? Haley frowned, contemplating what she could do differently when she noticed someone climbing the stairs from the Square toward her. It was Alex.

"Hey, Haley!" Alex greeted her, plopping down to sit on the stone fountain's edge with her. "How'd flashing Leah work out last night?"

Haley groaned and buried her face in her scarf. "I swear, I fall for the most clueless people!" she whined. "I think Leah is worse than you. She didn't even try to sneak a peek."

"Don't girls usually hate it when guys try to peep, though?" Alex asked, genuinely confused.

The blonde glared at him. "Only when we don't want you to," Haley clarified. "But Leah was a perfect gentle-" she paused, realizing her word choice was inaccurate, "...lady." Haley cried out at the injustice, "She said I was pretty! So why won't Leah notice me?"

Alex let out a nervous snort. "Don't ask me, I'm no good at this either." He leaned back to support his weight on his hands. "If it makes you feel any better, Maru pretty much turned me down before I even got the chance to ask her out."

Haley was not sure why her heart fluttered when she finally processed his words. Was she relieved? Hopeful? Shocked? "What do you mean?" the blonde solicited curiously.

Her friend shrugged, "I told her I was thinking of asking someone out and she got kinda mad and scolded me for losing sight of my dream," the jock shared sheepishly. "And that if I broke my word and started dating, you'd probably be mad."

"Maru's social savvy is better than I expected," Haley commented, slightly disgusted by the nerd's sympathy. She crossed her legs and turned her body to better face Alex. "But I don't need her pity," she snapped. "It's annoying."

Alex frowned guiltily. "She's right, though," her friend admitted. "I need to focus on going pro and I feel like I'm already so close that waiting a few more seasons can't hurt." He grimaced. "'Sides, her dad still doesn't seem to like me much anyway."

Haley knew very little about the family up in the mountains north of town. "I'm sure it'll be easy to win him over once you're famous," the blonde half-teased.

"Do you think Leah will notice that you're into her by then or should I just bribe the camera guys to do a kiss cam on you two?" Alex shot back playfully. Haley rolled her eyes but smirked despite herself.

"I think even then she'd think it was a joke."

The sound of their laughter resonated with something in Haley, and it reminded her of all the good times she and Alex had together. This whole fight had been stupid, and she regretted not reaching out to her best friend to clear the air sooner.

Alex studied her face, his head cocked to one side. "So… I guess this make you a lesbian now or…?"

Haley set down her empty cup on the ground and lay back on the stone, resting her head in his lap. "Not to throw shade, but at this point I think I'm just drawn to pretty airheads," she informed her best friend. The blonde fiddled with the zipper on Alex's coat. Haley remembered she still had his letter jacket at home, but it was nice to see him in something different for a change.

"Maybe I'm bi or whatever," Haley declared, unsure of what vocabulary to use. Prior to learning that Alex was not into her the way she was into him, the ex-cheerleader had not looked at other people that way. "But I can't be seen with just anyone. I'm a whole meal and I can't be seen with just any snack."

Alex sniffed in amusement. "You could just… talk to Leah," he suggested as he twisted a finger through a ringlet of Haley's golden hair.

Haley heaved with exasperation. "I can't just finesse my way into a relationship when the other person is clearly blind to the fact that I'm even on the menu!"

"So just walk up, tell her you think she's hot, and ask her out!"

"Says the guy who chickened out!" Haley growled, sitting back up.

The jock shrugged, accepting defeat. "Fine, but don't come to me all salty when Leah still doesn't know that you're into her, like ten years from now, because you're too stubborn to make the first move."

"Ugh!" Haley huffed and stomped toward her house.

"Haley, where are you going?" Alex shouted after her.

"To get your stupid jock jacket so you'll quit dragging me and go bother your nerd friend!" the blonde hollered back at him. She heard Alex's footsteps behind her and smiled to herself.

"Eh, I already helped Maru move her brother into the city this morning," Alex reasoned, falling into step beside her. "And we have a lot of catching up to do."

Haley beamed involuntarily. No matter what had changed between them recently, Alex was still her best friend. It was good to have him back.

Morris reached out a hand to shake Lewis' own and flashed a phony grin. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mayor Lewis," the Joja Mart manager stated. "Someone at corporate should have the paperwork finalized by midnight this evening."

A tenseness in Lewis' body released now that the deed was done. "I appreciate your timeliness, Mr. Morris. I trust everything will be kept quiet until the sale is finalized."

The bespectacled manager's face was still stuck in with the accommodating customer service mask. "Why of course, mister Mayor. We understand the desire for discretion." Lewis could tell that now that he was no longer needed for the transaction, Morris considered his presence to be a nuisance.

Still, Lewis knew he had saved Pelican Town for now, even if it cost the villagers. He would have to find a way to explain his actions to his neighbors, especially the older generation who had fond memories of the old Community Center. The mustached man held the envelope containing the contract in his arms and hurried home. He could not let anyone know what he had done until Joja Corp. took possession. By then, it would be too late anyway.

It was past his normal bedtime, but Demetrius remained in the lab until late to give Robin the space to grieve. His poor wife had tears streaming down her face the whole drive home and immediately sequestered herself in their bedroom.

But Maru had already left home to go back to town and stay at the clinic for the week ahead of them and Robin did not come out when he brought a tray of food to the door or join him in watching the sunset this evening. Demetrius knew that he was not the best at reading social cues and began to wonder what to do.

For what it was worth, Demetrius was dealing with his own mixed emotions knowing that both of his children were now moved out of their family home. It was going to be too quiet around the house from now on. And while as a scientist, he could appreciate the ability to work without distractions, on a deeper level Demetrius knew he was going to miss their children, too.

But Robin had given birth to Sebastian, who had been a constant in her life well before he came along and Maru thereafter. At this point, Demetrius decided that the threshold for alone time had likely been met and he should go and soothe Robin. He put down his work and set for the bedroom, outside of which the tray of cold food remained untouched.

"Robin?" the man crooned gently as he rapped on the door. "I'm coming in now, okay?" When he opened the room, he found Robin slouched at the foot of the bed with only the lamp on their nightstand to light the room, her eyes as red as her hair. She did not acknowledge him as she sat next to her and instead stared blankly at a large envelope in her lap. The top side was sprinkled with dried tearstains.

"Robin, everything will be fine," Demetrius guaranteed his wife. "But this is the nature of parenthood. Our children are supposed to grow up and pursue their own goals."

Her voice was weak. "... I know, love."

Demetrius wrapped an arm around his wife and pulled her into his chest, a caring gesture that often brought her comfort in times like these. As expected, Robin began to weep again, and he slowly stroked her head. "There, there. Our kids will be fine, you'll see. All the books say we have to trust that we raised them well."

Robin shook her head. "I'm not crying about the kids," she gasped through her tears. "I-I'm so angry and hurt right now, but I don't know what else to do!"

This surprised Demetrius. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No." Robin pulled away and wiped her eyes. "It's Jesse, Sebastian's father," she answered with a shuddering breath as she tried to compose herself. "The one who gave Sebastian the condo we moved him into today."

Demetrius nodded in understanding, "Yes, that engineering professor going on sabbatical."

Robin's head oscillated back and forth in violent disagreement. "No, that was a lie he told the students," she informed him.

"He lied about being Sebastian's father?"

Again, he was mistaken. "No," Robin corrected him, her eyes producing fresh tears. "He's not going on sabbatical, Demetrius." He handed her a tissue and Robin cleared her sinuses and dapped the salty tears from her face.

"He invited me to go with him to see the oncologist after I confronted him at the office." Her eyes locked with his and the lacrimation began anew. "He's leaving on 'sabbatical' as a cover, but officially he's on a medical leave of absence with the university." She lifted the envelope in her hands. "He spent the last few days with a lawyer to re-write his will. He left everything to me and Sebastian."

"It's that serious?" Demetrius wanted to make sure he and Robin were on the same page.

Robin's head hung low. "According to the doctor, Jesse will likely be dead by the end of the year."

Violet's walk home from the bus stop that night was distinctly lonely. She had stayed at Sebastian's for as long as she could, helping him unpack and settled into his new home. But the moment they both dreaded eventually came. It was harder to leave by herself than she ever believed possible. Violet felt so childish - it was not as if he had moved particularly far - but in many ways this change drew a line in the sand between them.

"Let's see how this goes," was the unspoken truth of the atmosphere between them. Everything was so uncertain, fragile, and delicate like the stems of the leaves on the trees this time of year. Violet only hoped that tomorrow when she woke to find the trees bare of their autumn attire, she might find hope knowing that this separation would not last forever.

The frosty earth crunched beneath her feet, glittering in the bright light of the full moon, and making the ground sparkle like crushed diamond. It was beautiful, in its own way, and it brought a small smile to Violet's lips despite how low she felt.

In the distance, she saw the eerie firelight of the skull lantern that the zombie hands in the Spirit's Eve maze had given her. It hung from the hook on her front porch, swaying gently, despite the stillness of the night. At least it was a badass Halloween decoration. Violet supposed she would have to find a safe place to store it in the morning. The fire would not go out, even when she had tried to extinguish it this morning.

But as she drew closer to the farmhouse, the pastel-haired woman heard Bruno barking from inside the house. It was not his usual friendly greeting, it sounded feral, and she could tell now that the door shook as he leapt against it to escape. Someone had locked the dog door. Her heartbeat quickened as she noticed movement in the firelight illuminating on the porch. There was a figure standing there, waiting.

Violet cursed for not having a key to her own house at that moment and she did not want to retrieve the spare with a stranger at her door. She approached the house cautiously. "Who's there?" she called out from a safe distance, demanding to know who was trespassing on her property so late at night. Violet prayed it was just a neighbor she could not recognize right away in their heavy coat and a hat covering their head.

"Tch." Violet's heart sank into her core as she recognized that distinctive sound. "You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome, leaving your guests out in the cold while you disappear all day," the man's voice complained.

"How the hell did you find me?!" Violet challenged the intruder, discreetly reaching for her bag to find a weapon in case the need arose.

The man snickered, his perfect teeth glinting in the moonlight as he descended the stairs to stand in front of her. "Oh, c'mon, Lettie," Kyle cooed in a voice that made her skin crawl. "Is that any way to greet your boyfriend?"

Author Notes:

I know there are a few illegal cliffhangers. Don't hate me too much. :)

As I stated previously, this is the last chapter for Fall Year 1. I'll start posting Winter Year 1 sometime late January or early February 2022 to give myself a break and really nail down some details since my previous outlines are outdated with all the changes I made for Fall.

As my more seasoned readers already know, I've got a history of reliably returning from breaks, so don't fret! I'll be back in a few weeks.

I hope you've enjoyed "In Search of a Soul" so far. Thanks again for reading!