Author's Notes: To be honest, I wasn't really sure at first if I wanted to add the Doctor in this fic, but now I'm glad I did. He contributed to the story much more than I expected. Anyway, be wary of the upcoming angst in this Chapter, but you might be pretty surprised by who it's coming from. Oddly intense stuff, and it'll begin to tie into a few more fics I did before. Let's see if you start seeing the connections…
After Lumina's spectacle of a performance, each guest approached the young pianist to voice their personal approval. With her previous experiences in dealing with the rich and prominent, she was able to handle every encounter gracefully.
At the same time, Elli was about to give Lumina her personal congratulations before she felt a tug at her arm. She turned around to find Gavin holding onto her.
"Uh… Elli, is it okay if we can have a little talk… by ourselves?" he asked. There was a distinctly grave expression on his face.
"I wonder what he wants." Elli thought to herself.
She gave a simple nod in response. "Sure. Just let me meet Lumina for a minute."
"Alright. I actually wanted to do the same." said Gavin.
Gavin loosened his grasp on the nurse, allowing her to go to her cousin as he met back with Celia.
Celia looked at him in confusion. "Gavin? What were you doing with Elli back there?"
Gavin sighed. "It's… a little complicated. Let's just saying I'll be having a meeting her later on."
"Oh. Okay. I suppose there are still things you wanted to talk with her about, then." Celia said.
Gavin seemed a little hesitant to respond. "….Yeah, that sounds about right…"
After talking with another miscellaneous admirer of her playing, Lumina finally got to see her favorite cousin since before the evening.
"Lumina! You did just great tonight! People were standing up and wanted an encore! Congratulations!" Elli cried.
"Yeah! I was really surprised! I actually played through the entire song just fine, and without a music sheet too!" Lumina answered excitedly.
Elli glanced over at the piano to confirm Lumina's statement.
"What? But---"
"I know. I relied on that thing for the longest time, but tonight, I actually played it all by memory! It was the most amazing feeling to, because I got swept up in the music itself as I played. All these intense feelings… I think I was actually able to express myself from like before!" Lumina confessed.
"Really? Like in the Rehersal?" Elli asked. The nurse felt very thankful that her suggestion ended up helping her in the actual performance. "Heheh… I'm glad I actually helped!"
Lumina nodded. "You really did help, Elli. You were actually an inspiration!"
Elli's cheeks blushed a little as she reacted bashfully. "I-inspiration? Really? Wow… that's… that's pretty intense!"
"Well now, I'm glad to see you two ladies are enjoying yourself." A friendly voice interjected.
Both Elli and Lumina turned to see Farmer Gavin right there with his usual warm smile.
Lumina's heart skipped a beat, yet it soon sank deeply.
"Hello again, Gavin!" Elli greeted cheerful.
"Ah…. H-hi…" Lumina said reluctantly.
"It's refreshing to be able to see you happy like this, Lumina. I can tell you have a very good friend in your cousin." Gavin grinned.
"I see… I'm glad you care…" Lumina answered.
"You look really nice in your dress by the way. I haven't really seen you in formal ware yet, and I must say… it really suits you. It makes you look like a real lady." Gavin said.
"R-really? …. I'm f-flattered…" Lumina barely responded.
The poor young lady tried so hard to accept the farmer's compliments without being completely taken in. It was already too painful to know that she had fallen head-over-heals with a guy that already loved another.
"We're … just friends…" Lumina reminded herself. "He's only looking out for me like a big brother. He doesn't have to know anything…"
Gavin's smile grew faint. He briefly turned around and looked at Elli with dire eyes before turning back to further talk with Lumina.
It was as if Elli had received a telepathic message.
"Are we still on for that talk?" Elli heard in her head. She nodded to herself.
Sometime after the room cleared up, only Elli and Gavin remained lounging by the sofa and chair at the corner.
Elli watched on in concern as Gavin looked glum.
"I suppose I have a lot of explaining to do as to why I brought you here like this, huh?" Gavin said while rubbing his neck.
"Yeah… I really don't know what's going on." Elli replied flatly.
The farmer then clasped his hands in front of him and slouched his posture.
"Well… first off, let me just say… unfortunately, I'm not so dumb." Gavin answered with a heavy breath.
Elli blinked. "Sorry… I don't really understand---"
"My mother always said I was a bit too sharp for my own good. Apparently, I found out that she's right." Gavin continued. "You see… I caught on really quickly that your cousin has a crush on me."
Elli blinked again. "Ah?"
Gavin rubbed his head again. "Wait… was my "detective work" off? I mean, I really didn't want to come off to someone I just met as some sort of cocky know-it-all ladies' man, and I---"
"No! No! I'm just so surprised… I mean, how did you arrive at that?" Elli asked.
The farmer went into a contemplative position. "I… ah, it's kinda odd, actually. I'm starting to believe I have this uncanny ability to sense others' feelings, and… Lumina apparently became a big blip on the radar. Not too mention all the tell-tale signs of a girl in love. Mother REALLY wanted to make sure I knew about that…" he said in embarrassment.
"So you're absolutely convinced of then?" Elli asked curiously.
"Yup. No doubt about it. And I'm pretty sure Lumina would tell you about it too… assuming that's how far her trust of you is." Gavin assumed.
Elli simply gazed at the cognitive farmer silently for a few moments.
"I… I'm not sure of the point you're trying to make." Elli said, still trying to retain whatever secrecy left that Gavin might still not be aware.
The farmer then let out a long, deep sigh while covering his eyes with a hand.
"The poor girl's already been through enough after loosing her parents, and having to work tirelessly on the piano for her Grandma for days on end. I don't want to add to her anxiety." He answered with a quiver in his voice.
"…Gavin?" Elli uttered. She had a bad feeling about what was playing out in front of her.
"My Dad… h-he's dead, and I'm not sure how long my mother has left to live, so I kind of understand what Lumina's going through now concerning her parents. But I was never quite close to Dad. I tried to make it as an artist in the city before coming here, and I told him in a letter once. But since then, he kept accusing me of being lazy and insisting I work here. I… always hated him for insulting me like, but then he died all of a sudden, so… I decided to honor his suggestion this once."
Elli inched closer to the pained young man. "That's right… Lumina did say something about the new farmer having to replace his father. But… this is definatley new. The son… having those kind of issues with the Dad he never knew?"
"I was… surprised. It actually didn't take me very long to make some friends here despite my shyness… and I even met someone to love. But then… I met Lumina, who somehow always reminded me a little of myself. She's an artist with a beautiful dream, and she's still able to pursue it despite everything…"
Elli tilted her head slightly. "He's a little envious of her?"
"Still, she was a great girl at heart, and I wanted to be friends. It was really fun at first. She had all sorts of stories to tell, and I had my own. I really enjoyed hearing her play her piano and improve, so I always made sure to go there every day… even if it was just to listen. Eventually, I grew fond of her as a little sister, but I could tell her feelings became stronger that… it's leaving us at a real awkward position, especially since I've been with Celia a lot lately. I mean, I really love Celia a lot, but I haven't really said anything yet… and I'm still afraid to hurt Lumina's feelings. She still means a lot to me."
Gavin sank his head deeper and let out an anxious breath.
Elli was left completely speechless.
The farmer then raised his head with an awfully nervous facial expression.
"Dealing with unrequited love like this really sucks…" he said with a cracking voice.
Elli inched even closer. "…At least you're aware of it, and you're trying to do something. The two of you are still close friends, so… maybe you could work something out." She suggested.
Gavin closed his eyes. "I'm not so sure. I think being just friends is just adding more tension to this, don't you think? It's a strong enough connection as it is, and I'm noticing Lumina's starting to get really nervous."
"…Still, it's worth a shot. Love or not, Lumina looks up to you. You shouldn't throw away a friendship you both enjoy so much." Elli added.
Gavin sighed again. "…I know another friend who's dealing with an unrequited love right now. Considering what I heard, I doubt it ever will be, and I'm still concerned how that friend is doing… she already left some time ago, so I wouldn't know…"
"You mean Nami?" Elli asked.
She already knew about the red-headed traveler from a past note from Lumina. That coy girl happened to be one of the other women Gavin would often talk with, so Lumina used to get jealous of her as well; however, she later learned to her relief that there was no romance between them when Gavin and Nami confronted her directly about it. Sometime later, she decided to leave Forget-Me-Not Valley for her own reasons.
"Yes, that's her name. I suppose Lumina even told you about her…" Gavin confirmed. "Anyway, I swore to her I wouldn't tell anyone in great detail, but I'll just say that she once had a really close friend whom she grew to fall in love with. Unfortunately, her other friend ended up settling in another town, and I'm starting to suspect he found somebody else. I know Nami isn't the type to say anything, but I could see that she was tearing up inside. All that time, and she never even said a thing to him."
Gavin started pounding his knee in frustration.
"…I even begged her to at least say her feelings, but she wouldn't… but I suppose it would be extremely awkward in the situation she is, wouldn't it?"
The farmer's eyes starting tearing heavily. He slowly faced Elli with a pained face. "…I… I don't want another person to go through that! Nami didn't deserve to suffer, and neither does Lumina! But I'm the one who holds her heart in my hand and I don't even know what to do now! That girl has a good life ahead of her… I-I can't just destroy her like that! I can't even tell Celia about this because I'm afraid she'll misunderstand and---"
Elli interrupted the sobbing young man and carefully took him in her arms.
"…You have a really kind heart… be grateful for it…" Elli softly answered understandingly. There were a few tears in her eyes as well as she said this.
Gavin wiped his tears. It was a peculiar time to hear a compliment like that, but it somehow made sense of to him. He even recalled the words an old friend said to him, and chuckled aloud.
"That's funny… Nami said the same thing… that I was "too kind-hearted"…" he said as heartily as he could in his current state.
"Don't worry. I get that a lot from Karen…" Elli replied with a warm smile.
For a while, Gavin couldn't speak and simply held off his incoming tears. It left the whole room in a gentle silence as Elli comforted the man.
"…Actually, you should consider yourself lucky." Elli suddenly chimed in. "At least you understand Lumina and her feelings. I think you'll stand a better chance at finding a way to make things better for her… I believe you will since that's what you want to."
Gavin quivered. "Yes, but… it still makes it harder on me, personally. I feel like I'm holding onto a glass heart…"
"Then I'm sure you'll take good care of it until she meets that special person that can make her truly happy." Elli beamed.
Gavin pulled away, forced his back against the sofa, and took a deep breath while looking up. "…We all have to look after her…"
Elli nodded. "Don't worry. I know we're all trying her best for her."
Gavin breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I'll keep being friends for her sake… for my "sister"…"
Elli flashed another smile as she got up.
"He's a really good man" she thought to herself again. "I really wasn't expecting to learn about his feelings, but I'm glad. Now I know he cares deeply… even if it isn't out of passion."
She was about ready to retire, but she wasn't completely sure if the conversation was about done.
"Elli, I'm really thankful for what you've done for me tonight. I wasn't sure if a stranger would actually trust me enough to meet me like this, but I'm glad you did. It was really hard for me to get all of this out on the open." Gavin admitted.
"Oh, it's no problem for me. I'm really surprised myself." Elli answered back. "Actually, I don't know that many people like you. You sincerely want everything to work out fine for everyone close to you…"
"…Thanks… you should probably know… that relationships can be really tough on most guys as well. I don't know what's exactly going on between you and Doctor Holiday, but… if there really are strong feelings between you two, I'm sure he's struggling with them just as much." Gavin advised.
Elli gasped. "Wait a minute. So you know we aren't really couple, too? But, how did you know---"
"I already told you. I seem to have this odd ability to sense the emotions of those close to me. I didn't get a good feel for the Doctor, but he actually might feel the same about you if he hasn't said anything yet. Chances are… he could be shy… like I am." He explained.
Elli's mouth was left gaping open in an adorable fashion has her face turned deep read.
"Ah... ah… y-you mean… he actually might… "like" me back?" she uttered bashfully.
Gavin responded with his old friendly smile.
"Why not? You happen to look like a truly fine lady right now, especially with that expression of yours?" he answered smartly.
Now Elli's face was redder than any tomato, or even any cherry for that matter.
"A-a-a-a-a lady?" she stuttered.
Gavin nodded while giving her a soft pat on the head. He was actually blushing a little himself.
"Yes. You happen to be a really loveable person, Elli. Lumina told me that as well, and considering how the Doctor decided to join you along for dinner, he must agree with this statement even more so, right?"
Now Elli was shaking as she started feeling faint.
"That's right… I practically had a date with him tonight!" Elli thought as her mind raced.
Gavin decided to make his own attempt to calm her down. "…This "romantic love" stuff is still awkward, but at least I'm starting to get used to it. I'm still working my way to confessing my feelings to Celia wholeheartedly and everything, but at least I know that time is coming. And, well... it doesn't hurt to know that she's waiting." He said with an odd smirk.
"I see…" Elli uttered to herself. "Well, I'm certain that you and Celia will be able to find happiness. And I know you'll be able to take care of Lumina too."
"Thanks." Gavin replied. "Be thankful that you still have time. You might still have your own doubts as well, but… please try it. Considering everything, there's a strong chance he likes you back. At the very least, the guy honestly cares for you."
Elli nodded. "I-I'll keep that in mind!" he cried back.
"But this is still so… uncomfortable for me." She thought to herself.
Elli then took a few steps towards the stairs, but not before bowing her head towards the empathic farmer.
"I'm really grateful for having this conversation. I feel I've learned a lot." Elli said.
Gavin bowed his head as well. "I believe I have, too." He answered back.
Afterwards, Gavin headed towards the door while Elli slowly continued her way to the steps.
"Goodbye Elli, and thank you for your time." Gavin called out politely.
"Goodbye, Gavin. And Good luck!" Elli called back.
With their farewells said, Gavin opened the door and noticed a star-filled sky. Finally, the young farmer head out towards his home in the valley.
As Gavin left, Elli was about to head upstairs for the night when once again he came across the Doctor who was still clothed in fancy white. The poor nurse tried desperately to conceal her blushing.
"Ah… D-doctor! You're still here?" Elli cried in shocked embarrassment
"Well, yes You see, Sebastian had me check on your Auntie Romana for a minute, since she was constantly rejecting most of her previous checkups. Luckily, she was just fine, it was a bit of a struggle when she mercilessly flails around like that. It's like that woman believes that she'll be immortal as long as a person working in medicine doesn't tell her something is wrong." He groaned.
Elli giggled. "Oh, right. Grandma and Lumina always warned me how stubborn she always is with a checkup. Maybe I could try and help next time you have to do this."
"That would be a relief." Doctor Holiday said. "You always manage to contribute immensely in any endeavor we undergo together. You've always been a great nurse for me because of that."
Elli's cheeks blushed again, even though she's used to hearing it a lot. "…Y-you always say that to me, but I'm glad I'm always of use to you." She uttered softly.
"Simply because it's always been like that. You always try so hard, so you could never let me down." He answered casually.
Elli became reader. "Ah.. I… ummm…" Unfortunately for her, she quickly grew tongue-tied. She tried desperately to think of a few comprehendible words to say to escape awkwardness.
"I really enjoyed attending the dinner with you!" she blurted out hastily.
The doctor chuckled back. "As did I. I was even given another treat by seeing you get dress up. We never had this privilege before, but I'm glad that Lumina was willing be generous enough to allow this. You're a truly exquisite lady like this."
Once more, Elli was too overwhelmed by emotion for words.
"…Doctor…" she uttered ever so gently.
At that moment, her heart started pounding. Having the kind, handsome Doctor in a suit complementing her as she wore the most beautiful sky blue gown was like a fantasy come alive. She felt her emotions rise to a peak like never before, yet the most precious words she was dying to say still struggled to come out. However, a pressing concern struck her thought and instantaneously broke the influential spell over her.
"…Doctor!" Elli cried. "Do you have a place to stay? I mean… it's a long travel back to Mineral Town, and it could take you all night! I know! How about Romana to offer you spare room! I'm sure she can manage it with all the space in this place!"
"No need to worry. I planned a reservation at the Inner Inn before coming back. They have a nice bed and breakfast there, so I'll be just fine. Besides, it wouldn't be right to take further advantage of the hostess' kindness, would it?" Doctor Holiday informed his nurse.
"I suppose so…" Elli replied with a hint of disappointment.
Still, she was relieved to know that he'll be able to rest easy.
"Well then, I guess it's time to rest for now. It's starting to get late, and we should get sufficient rest if we are to head back in good health." said Doctor Holiday.
"Alright. Goodnight Doctor." Elli said.
"Goodnight Elli. Let's make sure to meet up in the morning." Doctor Holiday answered.
"Sure!" Elli cried back.
Soon after, Doctor Holiday made his own departure, with his flowing white tuxedo coat trailing right behind him.
After the door closed all the way, Elli let out a deep, dreamy sigh with her face completely red.
"This night… was perfect…" she thought to herself.
A few moments after standing there in a dreamlike state, the elegant-looking nurse finally made her way up the stairs. As she came closer to the second floor, the words of a certain farmer started floating in her head.
"Considering everything, there's a strong chance he likes you back."
Elli nodded to herself. "Thank goodness there are kind people like that around. Lumina should be just fine."