Angela had always been sort of shy, but it was something she had tried very hard to overcome. Her brother had always been the more social and outgoing type and this was one of many things she admired about him. They had been very close growing up, only two years apart in age, and there was hardly a time she could see herself without him. When he was old enough, he had set out for Waffle Island to become a farmer just like their father had been. Angela wanted nothing more than to go with him but he insisted that she needed to follow her own path. So the very next day she left the bustling city to follow a similar dream in Harmonica Town.

At first the whole idea of running a ranch on her own was incredibly daunting, but the townsfolk were so encouraging and helpful that the worry was quickly dismissed. Granted, she still made mistakes and sometimes forgot to tend to her garden daily only to find weeds overtaking her helpless little plants. Other times she hadn't quite packaged up the eggs correctly and found a mess in the shipping bin the next morning. It was times like these that she was glad her brother was not around to see her fumble, for it was horribly embarrassing.

The longer she stayed, however, the better she got at caring for her garden and steadily growing number of animals. She talked to them often, much more than to any of the people, she noticed, and all in all everyone on her ranch seemed very happy. She had begun to suspect she would never feel more content.

But then she met the fisherman's nephew.

Toby was, for lack of a proper term, the embodiment of contentment. He was exceedingly and comfortably calm in comparison to everyone else she'd met thus far. The funny thing was, he was so unobtrusive that Angela thought he may have gone unnoticed for a long time had Ozzie not mentioned him to her one day when she stopped by the fishery. He pointed out the window towards the end of the dock and Angela decided to introduce herself to the unassuming young man.

He greeted her passively, a soothing contrast to the enthusiastic response she had received when she first arrived. She immediately noticed a winsome carelessness about him; how he dressed in baggy, cozy attire, how his fingers loosely cradled the fishing pole. Even his hair, a wispy, unkempt, pale blue, made her think of a calm summer breeze.

It was all these things and more that continued to draw her to him along with the way he smiled when she brought him gifts from her farm. He was exceedingly polite and seemed so carefree. More often then not she would find him lounging somewhere outside when the weather was nice, fishing pole grasped lazily in his hands. Nothing ever seemed to ruffle or try him, and on days when she wasn't feel too well a simple visit with Toby could bring the smile back to her face. Just one look at him made her feel that everything would be okay, because, hey, Toby was still Toby and that meant all was right with the world.

Angela wasn't certain when her fondness for him had begun to take a rosier turn. Maybe it had been all that fishing they'd done together, or maybe it was because she'd always been a hopeless romantic and he was someone she loved being around. No matter the reason, she found herself waking each morning eager to get her chores done so she could head to the fishery; ironically never for the fish. She took a little more care to make herself look nice before she left the house, and spent countless hours trying to master the perfect dish of sashimi. Though she was certain he would have appreciated her efforts despite the quality, she was determined he would only have the best she had to offer.

She still couldn't believe he'd held her hand. She'd been so anxious when she brushed his, thinking she could excuse it as a clumsy bump if he pulled away. But he didn't. He took her hand without so much as a second's hesitation...and he even squeezed it once or twice. How long would he have held it, she wondered, had Simon not showed up? She wasn't cross with the photographer, though. In fact, she was grateful for the photos he'd given them that night to commemorate the festival. That didn't stop her from wishing they'd been holding hands in the photo so she didn't have to go on memory alone.

She had just gotten dressed for a day of work, wondering if she would have time to ask the fisherman if he'd like to do some casting later that afternoon, when she opened the door to see him standing there. He hadn't even knocked yet, and simply greeted her with a smile as she blinked with surprise.

"Good morning," he said softly. "I hope it's not too early."

"No," she said, shaking her head vigorously. "I was just getting ready to start my day. What brings you?" A smile began to crawl its way over her face. Toby reached up to rub the back of his neck and paused.

"Oh, not much." Another pause, and then he held out a box that had been tucked behind his back. "This is for you." Angela glanced down at the package, tied up with a bow made from a red rope that she was certain she'd seen in the fishery before. "I didn't have any ribbon." He seemed to sense her thoughts. She smiled and shook her head, taking the gift.

"No, it's perfect. Thank you." She watched a soft shade of pink cross Toby's features.

"It's a huchen. I thought you could grill it. It's very tasty."

"That sounds delicious," she replied. "I'll definitely do that."

"Good. Well," he fiddled with the ends of his sleeves a little as they hung loosely over his hands. "You probably have a lot to do. I won't keep you."

"Okay," she said, feeling a little disappointed he was leaving so soon. "Thank you again." He nodded and turned to head back to Harmonica Town when Angela felt her voice hitch up in her throat. "T-Toby?" He turned on his heel to look at her. "I'm going to Toucan Island tomorrow. Would you like to go?" She wondered briefly if the request was a little forward. It wasn't like they were dating after all. Of course, this didn't necessarily have to be a date...just the two of them going to a lovely, tropical island together. No, not a date at all. He'd said he wanted to see the island, right? Hastily, she added, "I have to drop off a letter! ...And we can go fishing there!"

Toby seemed to consider it for a moment and then nodded.

"Sure! What time?"

"I'll meet you at the docks at 8:00am! Is that okay?"

"Perfect. I'll get the boat tickets!" Angela was about to argue but he had already turned and gone on his way before she could form the words. He was paying for the trip, then? Did that make this a date? Oh, blast. Maybe since Ozzie was his uncle he just got them for free. Maybe it wasn't all that complicated.

But, oh, what should she wear?

Toby was already there by the time she arrived and Angela scolded herself for having taken so long to choose her outfit for the day. She had found, much to her dismay, that she didn't really have anything terribly fancy. Most of her clothes were chosen for their durability rather than looks. Most the time she found herself half covered in dirt so it wasn't as though she could wander around in lace and daisies like Luna from the tailor's. She'd decided on some of her less worn in jean shorts and a blue shirt, complimented with a straw hat with a blue ribbon. Seeing as how Toucan Island was a great deal warmer than Harmonica Town, even in the summer, she knew to dress appropriately. She tended to burn quite easily so she had made sure to pack along some sunblock and the hat would protect her face. Luckily, Toby always seemed to dress pretty light in the summer so she supposed he would be alright.

When she arrived with a wave he gave her a look she couldn't quite interpret before smiling and handing her a boat ticket. They both boarded the ship and settled in over by the railing to watch the water as they departed. Toby rested his arms on the rail, head on his hand as he looked at her again.

"Is something wrong?" Angela asked curiously, trying not to feel self conscious.

"That hat...it suits you," he said, and then grinned wider than ever seen him do. He turned his head to hide it a little and looked out over the waves. "We look the same... It's kind of embarrassing." Angela thought about this for a moment and realized that it was true, but didn't mind it at all. In fact, the idea made her smile. She nudged Toby with her elbow playfully.

"Thank you, but I don't think anyone can sport the straw hat quite like you, Toby." He grinned sheepishly as the wind brushed his fine, blue hair over his face. "So, this is your first time to the island?"

"Yes. I'd thought of going before, but then the ships stopped sailing."

"It's a very lovely place. Very warm. I've been there a couple of times," she replied. "They have flowers I've never seen...coconuts and bananas... And even an inn in case you wanted to stay a few days."

"That sounds nice," he said. "A good place to take a vacation and do plenty of fishing."

"Definitely," Angela replied, grasping the railing and leaning back to feel the sun and breeze on her face.

"Maybe sometime..., when you aren't too busy, we could do that." Angela opened her eyes and looked at Toby. The fisherman wasn't looking at her, but was instead fixated on the water below with a familiar contented smile on his face.

"That would be nice," she said softly.

The first thing Toby did once they got off the boat was take off his sandals and submerge his feet into the heat of the sand. He shrugged up his shoulders with a big sigh and then appeared to relax from head to toe. Angela made a mental note that she really should buy some sandals, too, but unlaced her shoes for the moment and followed his example. It was a heavenly feeling to have the warm sand between her toes.

Stepping up beside him, she was so surprised when he took her hand that she dropped her shoes entirely. Never the type to break out into a full run, he tugged her along in a gentle trot, their feet sinking with each step. Angela stumbled a bit at first but caught up, laughing as they tromped ankle-deep into the water with a faint splash.

"That's refreshing," Toby said with a laugh, shuffling against the waves.

"Told you it was nice," Angela said, lifting an arm as he splashed her a little. "I'll be right back, okay? I just need to drop this off at the inn." She pulled Selena's message from her pocket and waved it. Toby nodded.

"I'll be here," he said, and she trudged through the sand towards the inn.

When she exited the building with the bright red hibiscus in her hands she hurried down the wooden ramp to find Toby again, eager to show him the lovely exotic flower Samson had kindly given her. Toby had stayed where she'd left him as he said, already right at home with his fishing pole out with his bare feet in the waves. Angela slowed her step as she approached, noticing that the fisherman had removed his jacket with the heat and tossed it behind him in the sand. Up to this point, she'd never thought too much about his build given that he was always in baggy clothing. With the overcoat discarded she noticed he was actually quite slender, his billowy pants looking as though the belt was the only thing holding them on. The sleeveless shirt he wore left his arms exposed, and she found they were well toned and lean, though not extremely so. In no way did he have the same girth as Owen or even the woodcutting Luke. For some reason she found this perfectly fitting for him, attractive, unaggressive, and perfectly Toby.

"Oh, that's nice," she heard him say before she realized she'd come up beside him. At first she wasn't sure what he meant but then remembered the flower.

"Oh, yes. Isn't it pretty?"

"Mmm," he replied simply. Angela carefully set the flower aside before rising again.

"Didn't take you any time to feel right at home, did it?" she teased.

"You can fish anywhere, Angela," he replied with a peek of one green eye. "Even in the ice lands. But feeling at home? That depends on who you're with."

"I suppose you're right," she chuckled and retrieved her own pole to join him in casting.

They stood and fished for the better part of the day, and only paused to eat some lunch that Angela had packed, and then again to grill some of their catch for dinner. Their conversation was casual, and sometimes there was none at all. Being in each other's company with nothing but the waves and the breeze was enough. Angela wondered once or twice if Toby had nodded off around the campfire, but he always responded to her when she talked so she guessed he may have just been relaxing, even when he'd sprawled out over the sand on his back.

After a drawn out, peaceful silence, Angela got up and went about putting out the fire. It hissed in complaint as she smothered it with sand and water, and somewhere in all that noise she heard Toby hum.

"I don't think I've seen some of these stars before." Dusting off her hands, Angela waddled over beside where he lay on her knees and glanced up.

"Where?"

"There," he said, extending an arm and pointing.

"The cluster there?" she asked, squinting and pointing. Toby chuckled.

"No, that's the sprite cluster... Over there, I mean."

"I can't see it." His hand went up and tugged gently at the back of her shirt. "Lay back. You'll see it." Angela scooted down and did as asked, finding her head resting against Toby's outstretched arm. At first she hesitated, but he didn't express any concern so she relaxed and tried to see where he was pointing.

"Right...there," he said, leaning up just a little. Angela looked, a little embarrassed by the fact she had suddenly become too distracted by the emanating warmth of Toby's sun-kissed skin coupled with his soft seawater scent. She could have curled up in his arms right then and there and fallen asleep comfortably, but she refrained. "See it?" he asked, voice soft since she was in a closer proximity.

"Yes, I think so," she said, glad it was getting dark so it would hide the heat in her cheeks. "The strand of four there?"

"Mmhmm, exactly," he said, and then tilted his head and added. "Looks like a fishing pole." She laughed.

"You really were born to fish, weren't you?"

"Just like you were born to farm, yes."

"I don't know that I was born to farm," she said, scratching at her arm.

"Sure, you were," he replied. "You're passionate about it, right?"

"Well, yeah... It's what my father and brother did...so it's kind of in the family."

"And fishing is what my father and uncle and cousins, and cousins before those cousins did," Toby pointed out. "Farming is in your blood."

"I still don't think I'm very good at it."

"Why?"

"Well... Sometimes my tomatoes are too green... And sometimes the butter I make isn't very smooth."

"Some people like green tomatoes."

"Do you?"

"No," he grinned a little as she elbowed him gently. "I don't count, though. I don't eat a lot of tomatoes in general."

"Plenty of fish, though," she said, shifting around onto her stomach so she could lean on her arms and look at him.

"Of course. And onions," he said. Angela pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side.

"I'd be worried about bad breath eating like that." Toby continued to smile, opening his eyes just a little then as he turned his head to look at her.

"I don't think I've ever worried about that."

"I'm starting to think you don't worry about anything," she said with amusement, resting her head on a hand.

"Sure, I do."

"Oh? I'm intrigued. Do tell."

"Well," he shifted and sat up, dusting the sand off his arms. "I worry that I'm very boring sometimes." Angela pressed up to sit on her knees and do the same.

"Why would you think that?" He shrugged a little.

"I'm not very exciting. I don't really...do a lot of exciting things."

"Well, I don't think you're boring at all." Toby smiled a little, getting to his feet and grabbing up his jacket from the sand to slide it on.

"That's good. Guess I only have one thing to worry about now. Come on. We best get to the boat before it leaves without us." Angela nodded and slipped her shoes back on, gathering up the rest in her rucksack. Toby slipped on his sandals and waited for her before turning to head for the dock. Their ride back was quiet, chilled by the night air. Angela decided to spend her time in the cabin since she'd neglected to bring a coat, but Toby opted to enjoy his on the deck. She couldn't blame him – he really was born to be near the water. When they finally docked back at Harmonica Town, he offered to walk her home but she noticed how sleepy he looked and politely declined the offer.

"You sure?" he asked, rubbing an eye with a sleeve. Angela chuckled softly to herself.

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Alright. I had a nice time today. Thank you for inviting me, Angela," he said with a smile.

"Any time," she said. "Oh, by the way..."

"Hmm?" Toby raised his brows with one hand on the fishery's door handle.

"What was the other thing?"

"Other thing?"

"That you're worried about?" she reminded him. Toby laughed softly and tilted his head down.

"My fishy-onion breath," he said, playfully.

"Oh! I'm sorry – I didn't mean...," Angela stumbled. "I didn't mean to say that you..."

"S'okay," he replied good-naturedly. "I'll just have to hope whoever I end up kissing likes fish and onions."

"I like fish and onions!" she declared so quickly she startled herself, maybe a little too loud for how late it was. Toby brought a hand to his mouth almost the same time she did to her own, except he was muffling a laugh. Letting his hand drop from the door he stepped over to her, bringing his hands gently up to her shoulders.

"I like you too, Angela," he said with smile so warm it almost made her heart ache just before leaning in and pressing his lips lightly against hers. It was a soft, butterfly whisper of a kiss, but it was enough.

It was then Angela realized she'd developed a great fondness for fish and onions.