Chapter 16: Vacationing, Vaughn?
-x-
"Vaughn." The said person looked up at his boss, his face nonchalant but his eyes filled with wonder. The boss had called him up to his office, which wasn't normal. Promotion perhaps? Or -hopefully not … Demotion? The big chubby boss's back was facing him, so he wasn't sure which it was.
"Vaughn, Vaughn, Vaughn….." He didn't really like the fact that the boss was repeating his name, from his normal voice, to a high voice, to a "not really sure what it was but it was weird" sort of voice. "You need a vacation."
Vaughn blinked. "What?"
-x-
Mirabelle and Julia were busy tending to their sheep. It was crazy, they ate all the hay and here they were, still baa-ing at them with hunger.
Mirabelle sighed, slumping down on a chair, her daughter quickly joining her with a lamb in her arms. " My, these sheep surely are something."
Julia nodded, pressing the feeding bottle to the lamb's nuzzle. "They grow quite quickly too. It's rather tiring."
Both daughter and mother were silent for a while. Then, at the same time,
"Let's go vacationing…"
-x-
Vaughn stared blankly at the note in his hands.
Dear Vaughn,
Julia and I decided to have a little more Mother-Daughter bonding. Please take care of the animals. Also, we asked Braden and Elliot to be helping hands.
See you in a week!
Love, Mirabelle
He frowned. Frowned very deeply. 'Don't they have enough mother-daughter bonding here?' He thought, crumpling the note and throwing it to the nearest waste basket.
He set down his things on the counter of the shop, scanning the place. It was empty and quiet. He liked the fact that it was empty and quiet, especially … since he was on vacation… It brought a grimace to his face. He didn't like vacations. Because vacations meant no working, and no working meant no money, and no money meant a frowning Vaughn in the end.
The animal dealer couldn't really see why his boss gave him a vacation. He was sure he had been fully reliable and faithful and dedicated to his job. He made sure he was there on time, made sure that everything was in order, made sure that in the end of every two weeks, he would have money in his hands.
"Perhaps I did something wrong?" Vaughn thought, shifting weight to one of his legs, stroking his chin gently in thought. He was pretty sure that he didn't do anything wrong, the image of a friendly smile on his boss's round outlined face popping into mind. That couldn't have meant that he did wrong at all.
"But why would he ask me to take a vacation?" The thoughts continued restlessly. Why would the boss ask the best man for the job who does it quite very so well to leave and enjoy himself freely with the pleasures of summer and its transition to fall?
…
He couldn't understand it. And thus concluded, "Perhaps my boss had lost his mind?" He thought that it was an acceptable thought and nodded.
Now there was nothing to do. He stood there quietly, his surroundings quiet as well. The shop was closed today; of course it'd be quiet. But doing nothing bothered him also.
It felt like uselessness. It felt like failure. It felt like not having anything to gain from just being idle (which it is).
Most would think vacations were nice - a wonderful thing to hear the boss ASK you to enjoy yourself and vacation with loved ones. Especially near the end of summer, of course you would want to enjoy the last moments of it. With this in thought, Julia and Mirabelle saw it quite clearly, and Vaughn…
Well, it was basically the last thing he would want to occur (far far faaaaaaarr away).
-x-
Chelsea turned to her side, then the other. She looked from the side up, then the side down. Then she turned, staring at the little boy beside her. "Charlie, I doubt this would work."
"Hunh?" Charlie looked up. Then grinned. "No, it will work, Big Brother Braden!"
Both farmer and sales merchant's son stood before the large rock sitting quite peacefully at the top left of the farm. Seeing through the mass of trees, they saw that there was something behind the forest, catching both of their curiosity. Thus, they set out to find out what exactly was there. The only thing now was the huge, fat boulder that sat in the way.
But apparently, Charlie has some tricks of his own, and remembered that Braden had been rewarded a Yellow Wonderful from the contest before and asked for it, as well as a hammer. And now he was busy, busy putting the Wonderful into the socket.
"So you're telling me, Charlie," Chelsea paused for a moment to stare at the boulder once more. "That all I need to do is smash this rock with my hammer." She then looked down at her hammer being held with small hands, TINY compared to the almighty looming rock. She couldn't believe it (and yet she believes in tiny tiny sprites with happy smiles and mysterious backgrounds…hmmm…).
"Yep, that's all you have to do, once I insert this Yellow Wonderful into the socket though." He smiled. "Daddy gave this to you right?"
Chelsea grinned now. "Yup, bought it with me own money. I was so happy."
"And it's in!" Charlie happily yelped, now looking at the farmer. "Smash it!"
Chelsea took the hammer in her hands and didn't really see any difference to the hammer. It didn't look any bigger. The metal was still the same size. And it felt the same weight. Only change was the glimmering yellow Wonderful, wedged into a hole that she had never noticed before. "I don't believe it."
Charlie frowned, balling his hands to fist. "Believe it! It works!"
"How?" She asked. "Is the yellow stone supposed to give my tools awesomely flashy and handy powers?"
"Yeah!"
She stared at him.
"Really! It works. Daddy taught me. He must mean it!" He said strongly.
"Well… If Chen says so…" She raised the hammer, lifting it up. "All I need to do is hit it hard right?"
"Yeah! Do it, Big Brother!"
And the hammer came crashing down, but Chelsea never felt the impact. She and Charlie were blinded by an instant blinding light, and when it faded away, the whole massive rock had disappeared, without a trace.
"Whoa." Both boy and farmer said, looking at each other. Charlie gave that look of knowing, Chelsea shrugging it off.
They both crept in to be disappointed to see it was just rice paddies. Well, at least Charlie was disappointed, hoping to find some cool looking untouched by humanity place with some awesome backgrounds and set up that was thought to be "magical". Chelsea was ecstatic. More money!
After a time of looking and exploring the new area, she paused to glimpse at the time. "Oh, Charlie… It's getting late. We should get you home."
"Yeah! Daddy is making curry again!"
The boy jumped, dashing quickly for the curry. The farmer quickly lagged behind.
-x-
It was odd seeing Chen in an apron again (and this time, it was decorated with hearts and flowers). It had been a while since Chelsea had eaten his cooking, due to the fact that now she was cooking herself and that Pierre had normally brought cuisines to keep her full for days on end. It was nice though, eating together, Eliza adding to the group. The curry was overwhelmingly fantastic, making Chelsea's taste buds fly.
She felt quite disheartened to leave the two fathers and the kids, but knew she had to say her good byes and left. As she began walking toward her farm, she noticed that the Inn's light were still on, and decided, that it was being a distraction, to go in and take a look around.
But at the doors, she had already found herself staring at a certain animal dealer. And of course, neither of them reacted until…
'First she points,' He thought, 'Then says the following…'
She pointed, then said the following, "Vaughn! Good buddy ol' pal!"
And as if by routine, he stared at her, pushed her gently out of his way, and continued walking.
"Aw, Vaughn." She pouted. "You're a glacier!"
"A glacier." He repeated.
"Yeah." She caught up to him, now walking in his pace. "You're cold, your tall and broad, and you push things out of your way to get where you want." She chuckled. "Hee. I'm surprised I even thought of that. It's so true." He hadn't replied so she decided to continue. "Where's Julia and Mirabelle? I haven't seen them all day…?"
"Vacation." He answered curtly. Chelsea nodded thoughtfully, "Hee. I need a vacation too…"
"I'm sure you do…" He remarked dully.
There was quite a time of silence until realization hit the farmer on the top of her head.
"WHOA! TODAY IS SUNDAY!" She then pointed at Vaughn. "What are you doing here?"
"Am I not allowed here?" He asked curtly.
"No, no. Oh, no no no no." Chelsea scratched the back of her neck. "It's just… It's weird." Then her eyes narrowed, blue staring right to Vaughn suspiciously. "Sooooo… WHY are you here?"
He didn't find the need to answer it. He snorted with great disgust and sighed very deeply as he turned around.
"What?" Chelsea asked, now finding that they stood in front of the Hotel, in front of a sign that gave the prices of the rooms and what spurted out of her mouth was, "Crap, that's way too many zeros for my liking…" Then turning to Vaughn again, she pointed at the sign. He nodded.
"Why do you want to stay here?"
"…"
"I mean, I bumped into you at the Inner Inn… And now the Hotel…"
"…"
"Oh, wait. Don't tell me…"
"…"
"You're on vacation aren't you?"
And the farmer takes the gold. "I'm right aren't I?"
"Do I need to answer that?"
"So how long are you staying?"
Vaughn sighed as he thought, 'She has already assumed that I'm taking a vacation.'
"Can't you just stay in Mirabelle's house?"
"…" He had a feeling he knew where this was going.
"Hmm… but the doors might be locked to their house…"
"…"
"And there's been tons of people in the Inn and that hotel cost WAY too much and I know about you and your money issues…"
'Money issues..' Vaughn repeated in his thoughts.
"How about you stay over my house?" Her voice blurted out carelessly.
Then she noticed this and he knew. She was flustered at herself. Probably thinking, "Why did I just say that? Am I that stupid?" and he answered mentally, "Way too predictable, cross dresser."
But it was too late to take back the words, or at least, that's what she thought, and decided to risk it all. "Y-Yeah. You can … stay over at my house." She then grinned sheepishly, "After all, that's what a friend can do right?"
He looked at her and thought to himself, deciding that he should give the stupidity a second chance. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah!"
'What a stupid girl.' He mumbled in his thoughts instantly.
-x-
Denny was walking outside. He decided to take a simple stroll through the neighborhood. He liked the stillness of the night, the natural quiet tone of the world. Sure it wasn't as fun as daytime, but it surely did keep him calm.
He came out of the Forest's Bridge to find both Braden and Vaughn down the far end of the path, coming out of the Barn Shop, animal dealer locking door, and both heading up to Braden's farm, disappearing from sight.
It was in the night, the most calm and serene moments of life, left to be unseen by many. And there stood emotions, being stirred in a heavy pot. And it was set out to search for unanswered questions.
-x-
Chelsea unlocked her door and spread it open, saying, "Welcome to your temporary home, Vaughn." She stood at the door, watching her guest come in, look around, and sit down at a table chair. "You can set your stuff down here if you want…" She pointed next to the couch, where a small-medium table sat.
"Your house changed." He commented briefly, never remembering such contents of the house from the last time he was there.
"Yeah, thanks to Pierre. But in exchange, I have to make him good crops or else all this is gone." She chuckled. "Want something to eat? Drink?"
"No, I'm fine. Thanks anyway…"
Chelsea couldn't really think of anything else to say or do or ask. She never had a guy at her house before. Nor has she ever had a guy Sleeping over her house before (excluding her brother). She also wasn't one to entertain, and she also knew that she was guy. How do boys act when they are together in one room anyway?
"Say… Is there anywhere I could… Change?" Vaughn asked, now walking over the couch, dragging his bags along with him.
"Oh, yeah.. You could change in my room." She pointed. "There's a door and not as many windows in there as there is out here so it could give you some privacy…"
Vaughn pulled out some clothes, a white t-shirt and some black long shorts. Chelsea couldn't help but ask, "Are those your jammies?" The reply was a long stare and going back to business with the bag.
Chelsea decided to do anything possible to not look like she was just idly staring at him unpack his clothes and receive weird looks because of it. She went to do the dishes and cleaned them quietly, setting the dishes one by one on the counter covered with a towel. It was until she heard a, "I'm gonna go change now…" that she stopped and nodded to him, watching him disappear behind the door.
But then, that's when calamity hit her. Everything was behind that door. And when we say everything we mean "ev-er-ee-th-ing". Clothes, personals, and then again she really didn't have a lot of things, but things that could reveal everything about who and what she really is. And Chelsea knew that Vaughn was far from a dummy, and though those violet/lavender eyes are deceiving and quite noticeable, they are truly as keen as a hawk's.
She was done for. She started dreading. Moping. Repenting. Watching Vaughn neatly come out of her room with a new set of clothes on. More dreading… Wait. Going to now seeing Vaughn stroll over to couch, set hat on table and sit down, ruffling hair, and now staring back at her with piercing purple eyes.
"What?" He folded his other clothes on his lap.
'Nothing happened?' She thought quickly. "He didn't see anything?'
First thing that pops into her mouth. "You look good without your hat. " 'Oh yeah, nice way to go. Now he thinks you're -'
"Thanks." He replied coolly.
"Um.. You're welcome?"
Vaughn began looking around, then looked down at his folded clothes. "Do you have a plastic bag?"
Chelsea nodded, drying her wet hands. "Yeah, what kind? Big? Small? Black? Clear? White?" She realized that she didn't notice that she had so many different brands.
"Whatever. You choose."
She grabbed a large black bag and walked over to hand it to him. He nodded and began to place his clothes inside, neatly.
"Man… I never noticed you're so neat." Chelsea commented.
"Of course. I can't do much if I'm not tidy." He replied.
Chelsea didn't know why, but the mood, she came to understand, was much different now. It seemed as if… as if Vaughn was comfortable. The feeling now isn't the same as the many conversations before. Was it because he was in her home? To show respect for giving him a place to stay? … Or just some twisted wicked mind game?
She saw that he had picked up his hat, brushing away some flakes of white and animal hairs. He seemed to look at it quite deeply and oddly enough, warmly. "Is that hat special to you, Vaughn?"
"Hm?" His eyes rolled over to her, then back at the hat. "Not really… It's nothing that important." He then asked after a moment, "What about you?" He turned to her and pulled the bill of her cap down, covering her eyes.
She lifted up her hat and took it off, staring at it. "This… This belongs to my cousin, Jack. He gave it to me when he had to move away. I've kept it ever since…"
Vaughn nodded, setting down his hat on his bag. He recalled the farmer, Jack. It was rather annoying how things went. In some way he found it ironic too. But he shrugged it off, now looking over the house.
"Ah, you need pillows and a blanket…" Chelsea thought out loud. "It's a good thing Felicia gave me extras…" And as she was at the outside closet, pulling out the needed items, "Do you mind sleeping on the couch?"
"Where else can I sleep?" He answered back. "Do you prefer the floor instead?"
Frowning, she threw a pillow at him. "Sure, you can sleep on the floor tonight, Vaughn, since you happened to suggest it." He caught it and shook his head, still sitting firm on the couch. 'No, I'm fine where I am."
"Here's your blanket. And another pillow just in case you need something to hug." Chelsea muttered as she set out all the things.
Vaughn sat there quietly, watching the girl move around from each side of him, removing the extra pillow cushions in the way and arranging them in such order for him to have space to sleep on the couch. Once done, she stood back and smiled. "There. Does this work to your liking?"
"If I were to say no?" He ventured.
"I could kick you out of the house?" She suggested.
He laid down. "I'm delighted then."
Smiling. "Good."
And that's when a knock cued itself into the moment. It was slight, but clearly heard.
"It's late right now…" Chelsea trotted to her door. "Who could be here at this hour?"
Opening the door, she found a bewildered Denny, a pillow in one arm, a blanket in another, already dressed in fish patterned PJs and Kuu snuggled warmly on his arm sleeping.
"Hey, Denny?"
Denny had an even more stranger look on his face as he saw Vaughn come up right behind the farmer, his hand leaning against the door post, body looming over the small form.
She read his face easily and sighed with a smile, "Denny, wanna join our sleep over?"
-x-
Hehe. Technically, the Vaughn and Denny Arc starts here.
- Do Jo
