Author: Bah, extremely short chapter, I just wanted to get this out there so you guys could get more of a feel behind it. I forgot to write down the disclaimer last chapter so I'll make up for it here.
And once again, I hope you guys don't mind my usage of religion and whatnot.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gustafa or Harvest Moon. Only Ava and her father.
He heard voices outside of his home; he assumed it was Rock, only because it was so loud. He sighed and moved towards the door, opening it slightly to see Rock running up the hill and towards the mansion, to where he would visit Lumina and shower her with vast amounts of compliments. But he could have sworn to have heard a female voice, but it didn't belong to the pianist who lived on the hill. Slowly, he stuck his hands into his pockets and casually walked out of his yurt and over to the tree. Leaning ever so slightly upon the tree, spotting a woman he did not recognize; lightly, he touched his beard, debating if he should go over or whatnot. He furrowed his brows together as he shifted his weight off of the tree and walked over to her.
"Afternoon, Miss." He spoke up, adjusting his round-rimmed glasses upon the bridge of his nose. "Are you new to the valley?"
The woman appeared startled and glanced over towards him. She merely nodded, "I am."
He couldn't help but smile so weakly by the corner of his lips, "Well, welcome then. Name's Gustafa." He caved, smiled and held out his hand towards her, as if waiting for a handshake. Her reaction was just a little strange. She just looked at it then he spoke up once more. "It's alright, you can shake it." He chuckled.
She nodded, slowly reaching out to grab his hand in her own. "My name is Ava." She introduced herself as she firmly gripped his hand. He chuckled,
"It's nice to meet you Ava." The conversation went silent for only a moment as she dropped Gustafa's hand from her own. 'Well, this is awkward.' Gustafa thought as he quietly pondered up a few questions within his mind, "May I assume that you are the daughter of the bishop?" She nodded, not speaking. This only made Gustafa feel a bit more awkward than before. He let out a soft chuckle, reaching back behind his neck and scratched it lightly, "Not much of a speaker, are you?"
She bowed her head lightly, "My apologizes."
The redhead furrowed his brows together, "Why are you apologizing? It's okay, you're just a shy person." He replied. Meanwhile, in her own mind, all she could recall was when Rock had told her of the non-believer living in that little tent. Now, she didn't know if it was him or not but she would have to stay on her guard, just in case of anything. It would not do well for her, or her father's sake, if she was seen with an atheist. She did not respond to him. His hand was still kept on the back of his neck while he glanced over towards the breaking water on the shoreline from the ocean; there needed to be some sort of broken silence, and there was the answer. "It's pretty, isn't it?"
Ava was a bit startled by his statement, as it threw her from her own little world. She turned over to slightly to face the shore completely, taking a moment to take in the cool ocean breeze once more. She nodded, "It really is… One of God's precious creations." She spoke, unsure of herself as she said those last few words. But to her surprise, he nodded, like he understood.
Suddenly, the man sat down, glancing up at her. She returned his glance with her own curious stare. "Would you like to sit down?"
Ava quickly shook her head in response, "No, thank you." It was improper for a lady to just… Sit on the sand, especially with no one else but a stranger one only had just met, and in a dress. She held her hands in front of herself, letting her brows mindlessly furrow together as he merely shrugged his shoulders and turned his gaze back out to the ocean. He looked as if he lived so carefree; something that Ava felt she was almost jealous about. But in her mind, it did not faze her as she put her eyes back upon the ocean. 'Maybe Rock was lying.' Ava thought, but dropped the thought as quick as a stone falling back to the ground. She had only just arrived and she was already making assumptions about the villagers. How rude of herself. Just from that thought, her cheeks lit up a bright pink. Luckily for herself, no one noticed.
