More Than Meets the Eye

Violet peered inside hesitantly before stepping foot into the clinic. While typically there were no private appointments to interrupt in the waiting room, the farmer's record this week was a stunning reflection on her ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Luckily for her, the room was empty, save for Doctor Harvey. He stood at the counter, organizing a stack of file folders. The brunet man turned and smiled at Violet when he noticed her presence in the doorway. "Ah, Violet! I was just about to write you a letter."

"Of condemnation?" the young woman joked nervously. The cultivator hesitantly approached the clinician. "I wanted to swing by and apologize for yesterday. My reminder card got wet and I thought I could still read it well enough, but clearly I was way off-base…" Violet explained.

Harvey glanced at his notes, "Actually, you were only a week early." The mustache of his face twitched as he chuckled. "And I think your brief interruption actually took the edge off the awkwardness, so although I don't condone breaking doctor-patient confidentiality, I think your accidental interruption actually helped yesterday."

Violet blushed. "I don't see how in the world that's possible," the woman replied doubtfully, "but I'll take your word for it…" She made sure to avoid eye contact while she found herself picturing Sebastian's half-naked body in her head again. This was not a good time, she scolded her brain.

The bespectacled man tucked the manila folders back into their proper place. "You know, since you're here we may as well do your annual check-up now," he reasoned. "That way you don't have to come by the same morning as Luau."

Of course, now that she heard the word "luau" again, Violet remembered that the medic had mentioned it when they originally scheduled last season. If only she had just asked like a sensible person.

Doctor Harvey took her silence as hesitation. "Now, now… There's no need to worry. It'll be quick and painless. Please follow me." The man turned on his heels and led the way back to the exam room, though Violet already knew where it was located thanks to the events the day before.

As they entered the small room, the medical professional swapped his green suit jacket for his white lab coat and donned a pair of gloves for sanitary purposes. The man gestured to the table, "Hop on up, Violet," he instructed.

With a bit of effort due to her lack of height, Violet was able to perch herself on the edge of the exam table. The man approached the table and bent over slightly so they were face-to-face. "Say 'ahhh…' for me," he ordered quietly as he pressed the small wooden tongue depressor into her mouth for a better look. "Okay, you can stop now," he informed his new patient, tossing the stick into the trash.

Harvey looked at her head-on and clarified the next step. "I just need to check your vitals now." Using the stethoscope, the practitioner requested Violet breathe deeply in and out. After a moment's pause, he gently took the farmer's wrist and lightly pressed two fingers against it. "Hm… Your pulse is high," he muttered softly, standing back up to his full height.

"I'm… just a little nervous," Violet clarified sheepishly. "The last time I went to a hospital - other than yesterday, I mean - was when my grandparents died…"

"Oh! Hospitals make you nervous, then?" he replied understandingly. "I don't blame you, the loss of a loved one is not a happy time," Harvey added thoughtfully. The doctor stepped back to better see Violet. "Let's see if we can break that association a bit."

His hands reached to lightly touch the farmer's shoulders. "Just try and relax," he instructed. "I'm here to help."

Violet closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing and after a while, she felt the pressure of Doctor Harvey's fingers on her wrist again. "Much better!" He praised the young woman. "Well, then! You seem very healthy, Violet." The practitioner offered a hand to help her down from the exam table, indicating the end of the wellness exam. "Just make sure not to overwork yourself on that farm of yours!"

"I'll do my best," the crop grower answered. Violet wondered if she could make some small talk to get to know Harvey better. All they seemed to talk about was work-related for him, after all. The young woman felt badly about it. "So it's Friday. Do you have any plans after work today?"

"Oh, not much," Harvey answered dismissively. "I usually close early on Fridays to go grocery shopping and just enjoy the rest of the day to unwind." His dark eyes glanced at his newest patient. "How about you, Violet?"

The young woman considered briefly before she said, "Well, it's Friday. So I'll probably eat with Leah and Elliott at the saloon tonight and then play a game of pool with Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian. Shane and Leah played with us last time, so they might join. I guess we'll see." Violet then remembered one other important person to see on Fridays. "Oh, and I'll probably go see what Talla has in stock today."

"Talla?" Harvey repeated curiously. That name did not ring a bell for him. "Another friend of yours coming to visit?" the mustached man inquired to clarify.

Violet seemed surprised that a local did not know about the traveling merchant who came to town. "Talla is the woman who sells goods from overseas in the Cindersap Forest on Fridays and Sundays. I got a great deal on a pomegranate sapling from her a while back." The pastel-haired woman saw a flash of interest in Harvey's eyes behind the thick lenses of his glasses. "You should swing by!" Violet pronounced encouragingly. "Talla is a really interesting person. I'll probably head over there now, if you want to join."

The medical professional shook his head to decline. "I appreciate the offer, but I still have some work to do before I close for the day," Harvey informed the woman, lifting his clipboard slightly to emphasize his point. "Thanks for stopping in, though. I'll see you around."

Penny stood in front of the weathered old house on the beach, shifting her weight anxiously between each foot shifting in the sand. She wanted to knock to announce her presence, but the brunette hesitated, her hand hovering just inches from the door. Elliott was not expecting her, she just showed up unannounced the instant she finished the edits she made to his manuscript. Surely a business-related visit was not unwelcome?

Finally, after a deep breath, she rapped on the entrance to Elliott's home. The young woman's heart began to race as she heard footsteps approaching and the door swung open to reveal an unusually disheveled Elliott.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Penelope," he greeted his guest. "Come in." Elliott's long tawny hair was tousled to one side, as if he had been resting his head on his hand for a long period of time. His wine-colored jacket was unbuttoned with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Penny blinked, unsure of what to say now that she was in Elliott's house.

The author seemed to catch on that something was amiss and in his habit, left the door ajar as an assurance to others that nothing inappropriate was happening between those in the house. "Oh, I apologize for the state of my appearance," he apologized to Penny bashfully. "I have been up all night writing in a frenzy. Please do not be alarmed. I'm dreadfully sorry that you had to see me in this manner."

"Should I come back later?" the visitor suggested. "So you can get some rest after all that work…"

Elliott shook his head. "Oh, no! Please do not feel obligated to leave so immediately. I would love to know what brought you to my humble shack."

Penny's cheeks tinged slightly pink as she noticed that Elliott had a few buttons undone on his wrinkled white shirt, but she kept her composure. "I... finished the edits I promised you," she informed the weary author, offering her work to its original owner.

The man's smile broadened. "My word, Miss Penelope," he expressed his awe as he flipped through the pages and examined Penny's notes in the margins. "I am impressed you have finished already!"

"I… couldn't put it down," the editor confessed, wringing her hands in front of her nervously. "I might have stayed up late myself, if I am being honest."

Elliott had been so preoccupied how Penny would judge him for his lack of refinement that he only then noticed the purpling circles under her emerald eyes. Yet to him she looked just as stunning. "I am flattered you considered my work worth the effort to remain awake for so long…" he replied earnestly.

Penny gently took the manuscript back from its creator and opened to a page she had specifically marked. She began to read aloud. "Horatio held Clara to him. His gaze softened as his eyes met hers and their hearts palpitating in time with one another - so that neither could differentiate between them. 'Clara, I have traveled the earth, trying to create something beautiful for the rest of the world to remember me by when I am no more.'" Penny's eyes began to water as she read the next part. "'But who would have known the most breath-taking beauty I ever beheld was the eyes of the woman I love? Whenever I see myself reflected in your eyes, Clara, I see a life worth all eternity.'"

The teacher closed the text and held it to her chest. "Elliott, Horatio's confession to Clara is the most romantic, tender scene I have ever read. Thank you for letting me be the first to read it."

He grinned at her slightly, but did not say a word. A silence hung in the air briefly as Elliott turned to stare out the window of his little shack toward the sea. "For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer…" he began quietly. "Have I told you that?" He stole a shy glance in Penny's direction as he tucked his long bangs behind his ear.

The poet did not wait for an answer, however. "That's why I live out here by myself. I figured a lonely life by the sea would help me focus on my literary aspirations…" His face appeared doubtful, as the corners of his lips fell downward in a frown. "At least… that's what I told myself for the past year." His voice took on a somber tone as he continued. "Everyone back home assumed I lost my mind... that I could never make it as a writer."

From his mouth escaped an uncomfortable chuckle that made Penny's heart sink as the sound reached her ears. "Can you believe it?" he asked with a sad expression, leaning his palms on the windowsill. "They said 'For every successful author there's 1,000 who fail miserably.'" Elliott sighed, "Such pessimism… it's sickening."

But then the man turned to Penny and she read his face as easily as she did the words on the pages of his manuscript. His honey-hued eyes, though darkened from lack of sleep, still held a dazzling glow. His passion for his art fueled him, body and soul, and Penny wished for nothing more than to witness that flame shine brightly for all to see.

"I can see it in your eyes…" he whispered, and for a moment, Penny thought he was narrating her own thoughts. Elliott beamed down at her and he gently tilted her face up toward his. "You believe in me, Miss Penelope," the author stated happily. "You've got that spark to revitalize my dream..." He lowered his hand back down to his side. "Thank you. I could not have made it this far without you."

He sighed wearily, "Now, if you will excuse me," Elliott pleaded politely. "I must get some rest…"

"Oh! O-of course!" Penny agreed, taking her leave quickly and shutting the door behind her. Perhaps it was because she stayed awake all night to finish his romance novel, but if she did not know any better, Penny thought she felt a hint of desire in the way the author gazed into her eyes. The young woman leaned against the threshold of Elliott's shack for a moment, brushing her fingertips to where Elliott touched her face. Then again, Penny realized she might be projecting her own feelings upon the beautiful man of her dreams.

Violet sold her first crop of peppers to Pierre before she headed to the Cindersap Forest. While the farmer could not trust to find another deal like her pomegranate sapling, she found it was best to have as much money as possible before meeting the merchant just in case. The forest seemed especially alive today as the birds and insects called to one another in the summer heat.

As she passed the pond, Violet heard the sounds of a bullfrog and thought fondly of the days she tried to catch them with her grandfather. They never did manage to snag one before the creature hopped to the safety of the water, but Violet recalled how enjoyable it was to have an adult indulge her silly ideas of fun. It was one of those rare moments of pure joy. Then again, those times were far more frequent the summers she came to stay with her grandparents. Perhaps that was why she found herself missing them more often now that the sun lingered in the sky longer each day.

The brightly painted cart was parked in its usual spot next to the largest tree in the forest. Talla waved to greet Violet as her customer approached. "Good morning, Talla!" the young woman said cheerfully. "How are you today?"

The corners of Talla's mouth curved upward slightly. "I am doing well, little flower," the teal-haired woman responded. "Have you come to do business?" she asked directly.

"That's the hope!" Violet assured the trader, reaching her hand up to accept the catalog for today's inventory. There was not much that interested the farmer today, but she wanted to keep a good business relationship with Talla, so she decided to purchase another rare seed. "How has business been today, Talla?" the young woman enquired as she handed the gold to pay for her merchandise to the traveler.

"Slow," the businesswoman sighed regretfully. "It seems you are the only one who notices my shop lately, little flower," she lamented, smoothing the skirt of her dress. "Then again, I suppose those like us often find each other's' company."

The vendor's wording caught Violet's attention. "Those like us?" she repeated questioningly, putting the seed packet into her ruby red bag. She should really upgrade that soon, Violet thought off-handedly.

Talla looked down at her incredulously, as if the woman could not believe Violet did not understand her meaning. "The daughters of the goddesses…" she verbalized plainly. "You command the forest spirits and you can also hear my songs in their native tongue." The woman leaned forward and Violet could have sworn she heard water sloshing about somewhere in the cart beyond her line of sight. "Surely you know this?"

"I mean… I can see the Junimos," the pastel-haired woman admitted. Violet could see the exasperation in Talla's expression and she noticed a strange flicker in the deep blue of the woman's eyes. "Is… everything okay?"

Talla muttered under her breath something about the earth being unclear, which Violet did not understand in the slightest. She finally spoke up. "It is nothing of importance, young one." The dealer tossed a small stone to the farmer and Violet caught it, much to her surprise.

It was a small pendant carved to look like a tree, attached to a leather cord. The stone appeared to be jade or some similarly colored mineral. "What's this?" Violet inquired cautiously.

Talla held up her own necklace, a golden nautilus shell on a brilliant chain of matching metal. "It is… for storage of energy," she explained slowly, as if she were trying to find the best translation for the words as she went along. "But it is only of use to beings like us." She tilted her chin toward the jade pendant. "That belonged to the one before you," she informed her customer. "Your grandmother, I think? It was surrendered to me to keep safe." The teal-haired woman rubbed her temples, as if she were trying to awaken a memory. "Something went wrong with the bloodline, from what I hear. I do not know much outside my domain."

"So you're saying necklace was my granny's?" Violet recapitulated doubtfully. "And you're giving it to me…"

The woman in the sapphire dress nodded gravely. "Yes, little flower. It should help you better understand your role," Talla told her client. "If you please, I feel ill from the heat. I must rest." The shutters to the cart closed shut tightly and Violet blinked in surprise.

"Thank you for the gift!" Violet exclaimed appreciatively at a much higher volume than normal. She hoped Talla heard her inside the cart. "I hope you feel better soon!"

After fetching his supply of groceries for the upcoming week from Pierre's General Store and tucking them away in his tiny kitchen, Doctor Harvey decided to figuratively throw his schedule out the window and visit the mysterious merchant in Cindersap Forest. If nothing else, the brunet decided, he could introduce himself to a member of the community.

Since Violet mentioned Talla was a traveling shopkeeper, the physician decided to bring some of his overstock in medicines and general supplies in case she might be interested. Surely a trader could reach areas that did not have a local doctor and therefore needed these products. It would be better than having them sit on a shelf to gather dust before expiring.

The mustached man took his time walking to the southern edge of town before heading west toward the old forest. As the path transitioned from a proper road, to a dirt path, to grass, Harvey noticed that the normal daytime sounds of the forest slowly faded from his perception as he heard the haunting song coming from beyond the trees ahead.

Do you hear my voice from the deep?

Come to me, it takes just one leap

Dare you answer my call, dear one?

By my side, your lonely fate's undone

Lonely soul, come follow my song

Toward the maid to whom you belong

The woman paused when she noticed him and released her breath without tune. Her eyes reminded Harvey of the ocean on a sunny day, though there was something about the way they focused upon him that made the doctor uneasy for a moment before the fleeting anxiety dissolved.

To say she was beautiful would be an understatement. Harvey had never seen anyone as stunning as the one before him. "Hello, good sir…" she greeted the physician with a charming smile. "What brings you to my cart?"

Harvey cleared his throat, which he found to be inexplicably dry for someone who made a point to hydrate often. "I uh… heard from Violet that you came to town on Fridays and Sundays," he replied. "I realized we have not met, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself and see what goods you have to offer."

The mustached man offered a handshake in introduction. "I'm Harvey, the local doctor here in Pelican Town."

"Ah, a doctor…" she repeated thoughtfully. Her hand was strangely smooth and cool to the touch, as if crafted from soft rubber. The clinician might have felt alarmed at first, but on a hot day like this, the sensation relaxed Harvey. "I am Talla, a traveling merchant," the woman greeted him in a thick Gotoran accent. While the man had not expected to hear the mother tongue of those with whom his country was at war, it made a certain amount of sense. Wartime provided all sorts of opportunities for the bold and stupid. Seeing as how this woman was still alive and appeared completely intact, Harvey chose to guess she was the first type. "Would you care to see my wares?" she asked him, pulling a list with pictures from her cart and handing it to him.

Harvey looked it over and did not find anything of interest right away, but he wanted to leave a good impression. "Do you buy things as well?" the doctor wanted to know.

She hesitated, her coral-pink lips pursed as she considered her answer. Harvey assumed it was because she was not speaking her first language, but he took that back once she answered. "It depends on what you offer up for sale," she responded coyly. "And if it is worth my time and money."

Her gaze made Harvey shift his weight uncomfortably, though he was not sure what about her made him feel so on-edge. Yes, she was a gorgeous woman, but surely that was not all it took to incapacitate his senses like this? Without a word, Harvey hoisted up his bag of surplus medical supplies. Talla's sapphire eyes widened with interest. "Medicine… is of great value on the front," she admitted reluctantly. "I could make use of these." Talla tugged at the long sleeves of her dress and for the first time, Harvey noticed much of her body was covered. How was she not suffering from heat stroke in this weather?

"Are you still willing to sell to me, knowing that these medicines may fall into the hands of the soldiers your country fights against?"

The brunet nodded gravely. "I'm a doctor of medicine. If these supplies can help those who need it, that is all I need to know," he answered firmly. "Though perhaps keep that between us," Harvey chortled in a low voice. "I imagine the government would not like to hear such things from its citizens."

Talla smiled broadly. "I am nothing if not discreet, Doctor," she cooed, tucking the newly purchased goods into a small compartment in the wall of her cart. She lowered a pouch down to Harvey and even before opening it, he felt the weight of the gold inside and knew it was likely enough to cover his expenses for the rest of the year.

"I cannot accept this much…" he told Talla firmly, though the business man in him knew his expense audit later this month would make him regret this later. "Please, I'll take less payment if it means that these goods are priced to become available to everyone and not just the higher-ups on the front."

Talla's laughter sounded like a tinkling bell to his ears. "Oh, you are more naive than I expected, Doctor," she scolded him. "If I lower the prices, those in power will simply buy them all up and sell for a higher price than mine," the businesswoman reasoned. "Besides, if I am in a small town such as this, what makes you believe I am in the business of selling to fat-pursed generals?"

Harvey felt a bit embarrassed for not trusting a professional's judgement. He imagined it felt similarly to when people second-guessed his diagnoses, even if they were well-intentioned. "My apologies…"

"No matter, Doctor…" Talla said dismissively. She lowered her head onto her arms, which rested on the counter of her cart. "After hearing your words today... perhaps we can make another arrangement in the future?"

"W-what do you mean?" Harvey stuttered, surprised by her intent to stare into his eyes.

Talla flashed her teeth at him in a wide grin. "Come and see me again a few times before the full moon, and I will decide whether or not you are suitable."

Before Harvey could get more details, the woman sighed deeply. "Excuse me, Doctor. I am tired from my travels. If you do not wish to buy anything, I would like to rest now."

Harvey stumbled in his words. "Oh! Uh, of course, miss," he acquiesced, pocketing the gold in the pocket of his green jacket and backing away from the cart immediately. "If you feel ill, please be sure to stop by the clinic and I will help you any way I can!"

Talla nodded, closing her eyes as if in meditation. "Good-bye, Doctor. I hope to see you again soon." She then began to sing what Harvey assumed could only be the ending of the song he heard as he approached the cart.

But be forewarned, I cannot take blame

If it is not I who cries out your name

Declare your intent or turn back and run

Make your choice now! My hunt has begun…

"I feel like I haven't seen you both in ages!" Leah complained before stuffing her mouth full of salad. It had only been nine days since the three of them had last been together, but it seemed like so much had happened in that short time.

While she wanted to tease her friend about her neediness, Violet could not help but feel a bit guilty. "I felt so socially exhausted after the Flower Dance and having Bex stay over for a few days. I'm surprised you two still didn't meet up," the pastel-haired woman told the artist.

"I am afraid I was held captive by an insistent muse," Elliott replied apologetically. "I worked tirelessly until I fell asleep from exhaustion."

Leah practically choked on her greens. "Is that your way of telling me you had a hot date?"

Violet hid her laughter behind her hand, catching on to the innuendo that could be read in Elliott's excuse. "My, I did not realize you and Penny were that serious!" she kidded, joining in Leah's fun at the author's expense.

Elliott flushed when he realized what the women at the table were implying.

"Certainly not! I am a gentleman," he insisted at once, crossing his arms across himself protectively before taking a sip of his wine. The robust denial in combination with the guilty look in his face made the duo skeptical, however.

"Hey, gentlemen are just the men who make sure that their ladies finish, too," Violet simpered, prompting a quick high five from Leah for the excellent follow-up.

"Damn, I need to sit with you guys sometime. Who knew you all were a bunch of dirty jokesters?" Sam chimed, pulling up a seat and sitting in it backward, so that he hugged the back of the chair. Sebastian and Abigail followed suit and crowded around the table. The amethyst-haired woman noticed that neither Violet nor Sebastian looked at each other directly, but kept stealing glances. Did something happen?

While Elliott wanted to defend his honor, he kept silent for fear of giving his friends more ammunition for their inappropriate humor at his expense. So, the larger group chatted about their week until Violet and Leah had finished their meals. Everyone else had either opted to eat beforehand or were only here for drinks anyway.

Violet was the first to pose the question. "So, how are we doing teams this week?" Her blue eyes rested on the woman beside her. "Leah, are you in this week?"

The artist rested her elbows on the table and sipped her red wine. "Not today," she answered. "Elliott and I have some collaborative work to do." The author seemed puzzled for a moment, but after a quick wink from his companion, he caught on.

"Yes, I am afraid you will have to go on without us," Elliott added, pulling out a notebook from his suit pocket. "There is much work to be done."

Sam leapt to his feet. "I'll go check if Shane is gonna play," he said before trotting over to the hearth to greet his stubbly co-worker.

The blond had yet to ask the question when Shane growled "no" into his pint. "Aw, c'mon, fam," Sam whined, but he felt a light touch on his shoulder. It was Emily, who quickly pulled Sam off to the side for a hushed word. "Shane is having a bad day," she warned him. "That awful boss put him on some kind of 'probation' for leaving early yesterday for Jas' party."

The skater scowled, "Ah, fuck Morris, man." His moss green eyes shot a quick look at his disgruntled co-worker. "Shane isn't a slacker like me, they need to treat him better!"

Emily nodded. "We both know Shane has an unbeatable work ethic," she concurred, "but that doesn't change what happened. Jobs in this town are hard to come by and meanie Morris sees Shane as expendable."

Sam's expression softened when he saw the look in Emily's warm brown eyes. "Is there anything I can do?"

The barkeep sighed. "I'm doing what I can, but I don't think you should push him too much tonight. He's… caught in the darkest place I've ever seen him." She glanced at the blond. "I'm scared for him," she confessed quietly.

Making sure to look at Emily, Sam made her a promise, "If there's anything I can do, just say the word." He pulled some cash out of his back pocket and slapped it into her hand. "Get Shane some poppers on me, okay?"

Tucking the money into the pocket of her apron, Emily's red lips stretched in a grin, but it did not reach her eyes. It must be really bad if even happy-go-lucky Emily could not manage a genuine smile. "Thank you, Sam. Go on and crush the competition!" she added encouragingly.

Sam winked as he wandered off toward the arcade. "You know it."

Unfortunately for Sam, he could not live up to Emily's kind words. After the debacle last time with cut throat pool in which Sam did a decent job of sinking shots - though really it was Shane who carried his team to victory - Abigail insisted since they were a couple, they should form a team to defeat Violet and Sebastian.

Either way, the blond was off his game comparatively and their opponents quashed their hopes and dreams quickly. Even Violet made a few successful turns - to the point where she sank the winning shot.

Her eyes widened in shock when the eight ball dropped into the corner pocket and she hopped up and down squealing with delight. Sebastian, unsure of how to react to Violet's level of enthusiasm, but still also pumped that his losing streak was finally over, simply held out his arms and caught the farmer mid-jump. He swayed slightly, before Violet wrapped her legs around his waist so she would not fall before slowly sliding down his body to the point where she could safely plant her feet back on the ground.

Sam recognized the panic in his best friend's eyes as he went from pasty white boy to lobster red. As both Sebastian's wing man and the better half of their dynamic duo, the blond decided to intervene with a distraction. "Hey, I've been thinking about what we could do to learn more about that weird tapestry," the skater informed the group. "Do you guys wanna check out the mines tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Violet responded eagerly. "It'll be so much easier with a group and maybe we can make progress more quickly and find out more about the lower levels of the mine."

Abigail's eyes lit up. "You mean I'll get a chance to use my sword?" she thought aloud. "Hell yeah, I'm in!"

Sam gave an approving look. "Noon tomorrow?" he proposed. The skater could not help but be turned on by how fired up Abigail got when she handled a deadly weapon. "You're gonna slay all the monsters dead, I just know it."

Abigail sniffed in amusement. "I'll need to protect my unarmed boyfriend," she badgered her significant other, giving his shoulder a playful shove.

"I got two arms right here, babe," he replied, smoothly wrapping his arms around her waist and engulfing her in his denim jacket. Abigail huffed, but did not directly object to the display of affection.

"Get a room, you two," Sebastian nagged half-heartedly, tossing the blue chalk square at them. Sam dodged, bringing Abigail along with him. The chalk cube fell to the floor and rolled out of sight.

"We're going to head out," Abigail told their friends, yanking on Sam's t-shirt. "See you at the mine entrance tomorrow!" she called as the two love birds rounded the corner into the main room of the bar to leave.

The programmer sighed heavily. "They didn't even wait for me to confirm whether or not I was coming," he muttered under his breath. His dark eyes scanned the room, only to find Violet missing as well. When did she sneak out?

Then Sebastian noticed movement on the ground beyond the pool table. "What are you doing on the floor?" he queried the woman crawling on her hands and knees.

"I'm getting the stupid chalk!" the pastel-haired woman shot back in annoyance, lowering her head to look under the couch. "Aha! There you are," she exclaimed, talking to the missing cube. Violet dropped her body to the floor to better her reach under the sofa, but the young woman flailed when she realized her arms were too short.

"How about… just lifting the couch rather than trying to squeeze yourself?" Sebastian offered, pulling the furniture up slightly.

"I'm not used to my arm being this swol, I've developed more muscle with all the farming!" Violet pouted at the condescension in his tone, but wiggled her extended arm until it reached the desired item. The farmer pulled the chalk back to her body, covered in fuzz, and dusting her clothes as she rose to her feet. Violet made a silly face trying to resist the itching in her nose, but eventually the dust became too much and she sneezed into her shoulder.

"Here," Sebastian offered, plucking a few dust bunnies entangled in her hair. He noticed Violet's face go a bit red and he suddenly realized how intimate it was to touch another person's head like that.

"Ugh, sorry," he apologized, his face mirroring Violet's. The pastel-haired woman shook her head, her wavy locks brushing past her shoulders now. It was getting longer, Sebastian noticed. He kind of liked it that way. And now that the woman mentioned it, her arms were toned with muscles that were not there the first time they met. Sure, the short woman was no body builder, but Violet had visibly changed since she arrived. She seemed happier, too. Or maybe that was just him.

"It's okay," Violet assured her friend. "It would have been difficult to find them on my own since I can't see them." She tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "I should… probably head home soon if I'm going to go to the mines tomorrow," she stated, gathering her things. Her eyes fluttered upward to meet his gaze. "So… are you coming too?"

Sebastian began walking toward the exit without her and Violet quickly fell into step. "Eh, I guess so. Sam and I usually hang out on Saturdays, so I guess he indirectly canceled those plans." The man looked annoyed, but he was not all that torn up about it. It was good to break up the old routine to curb the cravings. It used to be that he and Sam would stand around outside while he smoked most Saturdays. Since he only had a bit over a week left before he was supposedly done with them, Sebastian did not want to screw it up this far along.

Violet waved good-bye to Elliott and Leah as they passed and opened the door to leave the saloon. She gestured for Sebastian to go first. The hoodie-clad man shrugged and descended the stairs. "Are you going to try out some more spells tomorrow or are you going to bring something to defend yourself?"

"I'll… figure it out," Sebastian replied hesitantly, realizing that Violet was fiddling with something around her neck. It was a piece of jewelry. "What's that?" he inquired curiously. The insecure part of him wondered if it was from her ex.

"It was my grandma's," Violet answered, holding the pendant away from her neck so he could better see. He got closer to inspect it, since the lamplight only helped so much.

It was a jade tree on a leather cord, but the detail for something so small was incredible in its own way. "That's kinda cool," he said, secretly relieved that the pendant was a family heirloom of sorts. "It suits you."

Violet smiled shyly and was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Sorry… about yesterday," she apologized. "I got my dates mixed up and-"

Sebastian cut her off before she went on an apologetic rant. "I figured it was revenge for the first time we met," he chuckled, shoving his hands into his hoodie pouch. "I guess we're even now, right?" he added with a smirk. Oh, fuck. Did that come off as weird as he thought it did? It sounded smoother in my head…

Despite his inner panic, Violet giggled. "I'm not that devious!" she refuted his accusation. "But I suppose we're even now." He noticed the farmer avert her gaze, "Though really, I think you technically got a much longer look than I did. I covered my eyes immediately."

Sebastian's ink black eyes glanced down at her. "So what, you want me to take my shirt off so you can stare for a good thirty seconds?" he asked sarcastically.

Violet became visibly red, even in the moonlight as she waved her arms in front of her defensively. "No! That isn't what I meant at all!" she protested desperately. Her deep blue eyes were wide as saucers and Sebastian could not but burst out laughing.

"Chill, I was only teasing you."

The young woman's cheeks puffed out in bottled up annoyance. It was adorable. "Well, next time be careful or I might call your bluff!" she cried indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sure you will," he countered doubtfully. He tilted his head toward the farm. "You want me to walk you home?"

Violet declined. "No, I'll be fine," she told her friend. The pastel-haired woman beamed at him. "I actually need to go to bed early and there's this weird trend that whenever you walk me home I stay up later than I expect."

Sebastian could not defend himself from her statement. "Yeah, okay. I'll steal your comics another time," he teased, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. He paused, unsure of what to do to ensure she got home safely without being weird. "Maybe just text me to make sure you get home okay?" the dark-haired man suggested.

"Only if you do, too," Violet agreed, holding up her phone in emphasis. It was clearly dead and the farmer paled as Sebastian's smirk only widened across his face. "I'll plug it in as soon as I get home!" she swore, charging westward before Sebastian could change his mind and accompany her anyway.

"You'd better!" he called afterward, watching her disappear into the dark beyond the lamplight of the Square. Sebastian turned to take the trail home up the mountain and realized his face hurt a bit from smiling, but he did not mind.