The Spark in Their Eyes

Kyle stared at Violet, his eyes sparkling with a defiant mischief as a smirk slithered across his features. "Aren't you going to invite me in?" he questioned, tilting his head toward the door. "It's freezing out here."

The farmer's jaw clenched involuntarily, rendering her momentarily speechless. This jackass really thinks he can just waltz back into my life like nothing happened! Violet's fingers brushed against the hilt of her sword, still stowed away in her bag, but ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. "I'm sure Bruno would love that," the farmer finally answered, her gaze directed toward the front door that protected the intruder from her faithful canine.

Kyle's attention shifted anxiously toward the door, as if he half-expected Bruno to break it down at any moment. "Well, I did try to let myself in, but your friend had something else to say about that," he sniffed in amusement. "And I'm not about to give him another taste of my designer plaid." The brunet raised an arm and pulled back his coat sleeve to reveal a tattered fleece shirt sleeve.

Violet directed a stony gaze toward Kyle. "How long have you been lurking on my property?" she demanded.

Her ex-boyfriend shrugged, unbothered by the insult. "Eh, on-and-off," Kyle freely admitted. "You had a nice empty house there for a while that no one was using, but that got ruined when that cute brunette moved in."

The pastel-haired woman gripped the sword behind her back more tightly. "You better not be peeping in on her, Kyle, I swear to -"

"Wow," Kyle interrupted, annoyed by the accusation. "That's what you think of me, after all our time together?"

Violet scoffed and her eyes rolled in their sockets. "Ugh, yeah." She dismissed the look of disbelief plastered to his face. "I'm not holding any punches after hearing that you've been stalking me."

"I came to three public events in this tiny-ass town and that makes me a stalker?"

It was clear from his earlier confession about staying in her empty guesthouse nullified his denial of stalking. Still, Violet needed to know more. "When…?" she inquired, eyeing him skeptically.

Kyle sighed, exasperated by the interrogation, and began to list them out for her. "The first one was that big farm festival," he counted on his fingers as he went. "But I couldn't find you after you wandered off with that blonde and redhead."

So that familiar voice I heard among the group that vandalized Linus' tent… Violet realized silently. That was Kyle. No wonder! Another reason to be pissed off at her ex-boyfriend. The asshole had attacked a vulnerable neighbor.

"Then there was that pathetic excuse for an art show," the man chuckled in amusement. "I actually met some lesbian chick looking for her ex-girlfriend on my way here, so we rode into town together." Kyle's awareness fell solely onto Violet for a moment. "You were MIA that day, too," he revealed pointedly. Finally, he added, "And then I tried to find you at the Halloween party, but I couldn't get you alone to talk for a minute before you disappeared into the maze with that guy."

"'That guy,'" Violet echoed with venom to match, "is my boyfriend. Unlike you, he respects me."

The left side of Kyle's upper lip pulled back in a snarl. "Oh, so this boyfriend you've actually slept with?"

Despite the cold, Violet could feel her body warming with pent-up rage. Kyle jumped to the wrong conclusion, but that was typical. The farmer knew her ex was trying to get her to either confirm or deny whether she had sex with Sebastian and make snide commentary either way. But she was not about to give him the satisfaction.

She released her grip on the sword's hilt in her bag. Violet knew otherwise she would probably end up doing something she would regret. "I've had a long day," she announced, side-stepping her ex-boyfriend so she could climb the steps on her front porch. Once at the top, Violet glared down at him. "Get off my property before I decide to utilize my right to defend myself against trespassers."

"You have to hear me out!"

The farmer cut him off. "No, I don't," she stated firmly. It was as if Violet put up a wall between them with her words. Kyle frowned up at her from the bottom of the stairs. She had never stood up for herself like this when they were a couple, and he was clearly having trouble grappling with the differences between his expectations and reality. Violet decided to drive the point home. "I'm done with you," she announced. It felt so good to say to his face.

But Kyle finally decided enough was enough. Determined not to let this opportunity to confront Violet slip away, he rushed at her, gripping the farmer's wrist with his dominant hand, and pulled her toward him, almost knocking her off-balance. "You're being ridiculous, Lettie!" The farmer almost forgot how much she hated the nickname. Almost as much as the one her parents had given her.

Violet pulled free of his grip easily, surprising her ex, as she leaned back to maintain her position on higher ground. She was physically stronger than the last time they had seen one another. It was as if Kyle had expected her to be the same woman who said "yes" when he first asked her out - both physically and mentally. Worse still, he seemed to think their break-up had just been a childish argument and she would be willing to take him back the instant he showed up.

The farmer smirked in satisfaction at the brunet's blatant confusion as he gawked at his empty hand. "'No' means no, Kyle," Violet reiterated firmly. The pastel-haired woman turned on her heels and went to open the door when she heard him cry out in frustration. "Quit being a bit-!"

Before she could react, Violet spied a coal-bright flare in her peripheral vision. She turned her head to witness her newly acquired skull lantern spring to life. The eye sockets glowed blinding white as a tongue of flame erupted from its gaping jaw directly toward Kyle's face.

Marnie stumbled back into the house, her limbs stiff from the frigid air outside. She had just returned from feeding and tending to all her livestock. Winter was an especially hard season for her, with lots of mouths to feed and no new supply of hay for the whole season. Marnie hoped her years of experience would lend to another smooth transition. Now that the barns and coops all had their furnaces on, the animals should be content.

The brunette shed her heavy coat and tapped the mud out of the soles of her boots in the mudroom before entering the house proper. There, she found Shane cooking breakfast and Jas sitting expectantly at the table. "Good morning, Aunt Marnie!" the child greeted her cheerfully.

"Morning, Aunt Marn," Shane parroted his goddaughter, greeting their kin as he flipped a few slices of bacon in the frying pan. "Any requests?"

"Oh, I'm not picky," the rancher chuckled, taking her seat at the head of the table. She turned toward Jas. "Well, isn't this nice?" Marnie asserted, flattening her skirts as she scooted her chair closer. "It's not my birthday again already, is it?"

Marnie noticed Shane grin at her joke. "I just felt like making a big breakfast and I don't have a real kitchen yet, so I'm borrowing yours."

She beamed at her nephew. "If that's what it takes to get a hot breakfast, you can borrow my kitchen anytime, Shane!"

Jas chimed in with her own query. "Are the pancakes almost done?" It was clear the girl had a one-track mind when it came to her morning meal, but Jas also seemed happy to have Shane in the house again even if it was just for a visit.

The trio finished their food and Jas tugged at Shane's arm to join her to play with her dolls, but Marnie had her own plans in mind. "Jas, I need to talk to Shane for a moment," she notified the dark-haired child. "I promise you can have him afterward." Marnie winked and while Jas did not know what exactly her aunt planned to do, the girl obeyed.

Shane, however, looked more skeptical as she reclaimed her seat at the kitchen table and gestured for him to do the same. "Is everything alright, Aunt Marn?"

She regarded him with gentle eyes. "Everything's wonderful, Shane. I couldn't be prouder of you." She reached into her pocket and produced a small box of lacquered wood and slid it across the table to her nephew. "And that's why I want you to have these."

Curiously, Shane accepted the gift and Marnie nodded to encourage him to open it. Shane's dark eyes widened with surprise and instantly his attention went to her left hand, which still bore the indentations of the ring. "Marnie, aren't these yours?"

Marnie smiled softly and took his hand. "You were so upset that you couldn't propose to Emily," she began quietly. "I think these will help." She glanced down at the matching rings in the box. "James and I had our time together," she responded wistfully. The rancher squeezed Shane's hand affectionately. "I think it's time these rings were worn by another couple."

Shane was speechless and Marnie could not help but be pleased by the reaction. The lack of a wedding band on her finger made her feel naked and vulnerable in a way Marnie had not been in a long time. Perhaps this was the final stage of accepting James' death. She needed to permit her life to go on without him.

Judging from the look on Shane's face, he was thinking about the future again. Probably not much further than a few weeks since her nephew mentioned his desire to give Emily a Winter wedding. But either way it made Marnie happy to know that Shane was making plans. He finally had a light in his eyes again - a reason to live. "Aunt Marnie…" he finally breathed. "I… I don't know what to say."

Marnie chuckled, but she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "A simple 'thank you' will do just fine," she suggested, pulling Shane into a warm hug. "Now go get her!"

Shane pulled away instantly, his eyes studying Marnie with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Right now?!"

Marnie sat back in her seat and pouted. "I mean, I suppose a few days to wait is okay," the brunette sighed, "but I didn't give you these rings so you could sit around and stare at them, Shane!"

Her nephew gave his head a good-natured shake. "I'll do my best, Marnie. I'm not sure a gridball game is a great place to propose, though. Emily's not as much of a fan as I am, and that would put a lot of pressure on her in front of all those people."

"Oh, so you're taking her to the Tunnelers game this evening?" Marnie solicited with interest.

"Yeah," Shane confirmed, delighted that his girlfriend had accepted the invitation. "Emily said she was excited to experience a home game!"

Marnie smirked and nudged Shane's shoulder playfully. "Oh, alright," she relented. "You can propose tomorrow instead, then!" the brunette decided on his behalf. "I'll help you make something special for dinner tomorrow."

"Aunt Marnie!" While Shane objected loudly, Marnie could see the joy in his eyes. Her troubled nephew was finally happy and that was the best gift she could ever receive in exchange for her wedding bands.

Krobus sat on the edge of the path, dipping his feet into the putrid water in his sewer tunnel dwelling as he observed the swirls of green fumes wafting into the air. He knew that they carried a noxious scent because other creatures avoided the underground maze whenever possible, but he himself could not detect the odor. Krobus lost his sense of smell ages ago, but thankfully the shadow could still taste food and drink, even if he did not need it to survive.

His preferences had changed over the centuries as he adjusted to his current form, but Krobus was an adaptable creature, and these magic-infused wines and produce provided a joy that he had forgotten. It must have been a millennia ago - give or take a hundred years - when he last enjoyed food and drink like this. The darkness savored a sip of the wine in his jewel-encrusted chalice, happily swinging his stubby limbs and splashing in the neon-green waters of the sewer.

The edges of Krobus' mouth curve upward as he relished a handful of jet-black pomegranate arils. He could not recall how normal pomegranates tasted, but these were scrumptious! What a fine way to celebrate his birthday. If only he had some company…

But, then again, maybe not. That would mean he would have to share his stash of forbidden snacks - which meant less for him. Krobus sat pensively, pleased with enjoying a luxurious day of solitude.

Krobus was so lost in thought that he did not feel the carp nibbling at his feet at first. Not until the irksome fish chomped down hard, startling the shadow. Withdrawing his feet from the water, Krobus' orbitals flared brightly at the scaly offender. "You can't have any!" the shadow declared, waving his fist at the fanged fish.

The carp made a final snap at Krobus, then disappeared back into the depths of the pipes. He remained wary until the fish tail disappeared from sight before settling back down - this time with his lower limbs all well-planted on the ground beneath him. As Krobus relaxed, his being became more amorphous, as if the peacefulness of the moment rendered him into a puddle. The shadow sighed contentedly as he felt the alcohol take effect.

"I could get used to this…" he mused aloud, basking in the buzz. In the swirling green mist, Krobus saw a few familiar shapes. It made him wonder how his kin who participated in the Great Descent fared in the end. Could they see him now, from the edge of another existence? Or had they all been truly lost? Krobus was not sure he found comfort in either possibility.

Gus stood at the bar, wiping the pint glasses dry for the evening when the door swung open. The Stardrop Saloon was not due for customers for several hours, so he raised his head to shoo whichever neighbor got mixed up that day out when the barkeep realized Emily had let herself in.

"Good morning, Gus!" she addressed him with one of her signature smiles as she pulled down the hood of her downy coat. The blue-haired waitress stomped her boots out near the door to avoid tracking in extra snow, which Gus always appreciated. It was a pain to have to mop up a few times a day just to make sure no one slipped, especially on busy nights like Friday. Still, Gus could hardly complain about good business - and Winter was usually the most profitable for him. It paid to be the social hub of the town when people were cooped up indoors to keep out of the cold.

Gus grinned and greeted Emily in kind. "Good morning, Emily. What brings you here at this hour?" He came around to the other side of the bar to converse more casually.

The woman's face was still pink from walking outside in the snow. "I was wondering if it would be okay to take the evening off. Shane invited me to a gridball game tonight!"

Gus threw his towel over his shoulder and eyed her doubtfully. "In this weather?"

Emily was undeterred. "I'll be sure to dress warmly, don't worry!" Gus knew the young lady must be head over heels for Shane. No one in hell could make him sit in the snow for hours on end - even for a gridball game. The barkeep was more than happy to enjoy a good game from the comfort of his own home.

The mustached man shrugged. "We shouldn't be too busy on a weekday evening," he assured his part-timer. "And it's not like you ever take any days off other than festival days. How could I possibly say 'no?'"

She threw her arms around him. "Oh, thank you, Gus!"

Chuckling, the man replied, "Had I known you wanted a day off so badly, I would've let you!" Gus notified Emily.

"I like it here!" she assured the portly man. Emily then flashed her teeth conspiratorially. "It's just that I have something special in mind for this evening." From somewhere in her clothing, the lass pulled out an accessory as blue as her hair.

Gus had never seen one in person, but he knew immediately what it was. "A mermaid pendant?!" His bushy eyebrows rose in surprise. "Congratulations, Emily!"

The woman pressed a finger to her lips, but her eyes were brimming with excitement. "It's a secret!" Emily reported proudly. "I haven't proposed yet! I'm going to at the game tonight."

While a gridball stadium was not the most common place for a proposal, Gus knew it was not unheard of for fanatics of the sport and Shane was among their ranks. Not to mention this would be the first wedding in Pelican Town in decades. So much to plan! The decorations, the catering, the logistics of who and what should be where and when! Gus knew he would need to think of something new to add to the menu - just for Emily. That also meant he should be sure to look for them when watching the game later that evening.

Gus retrieved the towel from his shoulder and whipped it in her general direction. "In that case, get going and tell me all about it tomorrow!" he urged the woman in red with a jolly laugh.

"Oh, I will!" Emily assured him. "I just checked my horoscope and tonight is the start of a three-day window of auspicious alignment between Venus and Jupiter, which as you know are the ruling planets for our…"

Gus had no idea what in the world she was talking about when Emily started rattling off things about planets and star signs, but it sounded like a good thing, so he nodded in agreement when he sensed it was appropriate. Sometimes it was best to humor folks in their eccentricities even if he did not understand the appeal. This little hobby of Emily's was harmless enough and brought her joy.

Before he knew it, Emily was at the door. She winked at Gus, "See you tomorrow!" she called before shutting the door behind her.

It took a few moments for the rush of cold air to dissipate and be overcome by the heat of the fire in the hearth. The Stardrop Saloon seemed quieter than it had been before Emily arrived. Gus noticed that she always brought a special life and energy to his establishment - it was the main reason he hired her from the beginning. The chef like having a personality like Emily's around and it was apparent to Gus whenever his barmaid left for the evening. Still, he felt like something else was missing.

After returning to his task of drying the glassware, he pondered for a moment. Then, like lightning, it struck him. Gus rushed to the phone to make a call. The chef could not help but flash a smug smirk as he dialed the number.

"Hey, Pierre!" he hailed the shopkeeper as he leaned against the wall. "Remember that pool we have going for all the young folk?" Gus twirled the end of his curled mustache with his index finger. "I've got a new bet to place…"

The stadium was alive with a myriad of sounds unfamiliar to Emily. She had never been to a gridball game before, but she already knew this was going to be one she would remember for the rest of her life. She patted the outer layer of her pocket to make sure her mermaid pendant was where it should be. Shane led Emily down the concrete stairs, her mitten-covered hand grasped him tightly for balance. Their seats were front row near the center of the field, and as she understood it, these were highly desirable for fans of the sport.

Shane presented her with a few tiny packets. "Shake these little guys and tuck them in your gloves and boots," he instructed. "They'll help you keep warm and we're going to be out here a while." He looked apologetic about the weather, but there was not much to be done about it. Besides, Emily did not mind the cold at all. In her opinion, there was no such thing as bad weather, only inadequate clothing for the occasion, and the sapphire-haired woman was dressed in well-insulated layers and stylist red boots.

Her boyfriend's onyx eyes flickered toward the stadium clock, then back to her. "I'm going to get us some snacks for the game. You've gotta have the full stadium experience, you know?" the dark-haired man justified. "Is that okay if I leave you here to watch our seats?"

Emily bobbed her head to reassure Shane. "Of course," she promised him, caressing his gloved hand. "Get me something warm to drink, would you?" Even if she was not cold did not mean she could not enjoy the seasonal flavors. Hot chocolate with a candy cane stirrer was a personal favorite of Emily's, though she did not expect the concession stand to have that treat.

Emily observed Shane until he was out of sight before turning her focus to her mission. Scanning the area, she found a man dressed in a uniform with a bright yellow band around his arm that suggested he oversaw security or something similar. It will be okay to leave the seats just for a minute… Emily reasoned to herself. She quickly got up and approached the gentleman.

"Sir!" Emily hailed the guard. "Could you please help me?" she entreated the guard sweetly.

The blond man blinked at her. "Is some drunk loser being a creep?"

Emily shook her head. "No, sir. I want to know how to get on that big screen up there!" she pointed toward the jumbotron where clips of old games were currently playing, followed by statistics for players on both teams compared side-by-side.

"You don't just get to request that, lady…" the guard uttered irritably. "If you're trying to get on the kiss cam, they just pick random couples who look cute together."

Emily shone with confidence. "Well, we are cute together," she countered, yielding to the man's expertise. "But my boyfriend is a huge Tunnelers fan and I'm going to propose to him, so -"

The man smirked as he raised his hand. "Understood, ma'am," he answered with an amused smirk. "Fans love seeing a relationship make or break in real time." He raised a walkie-talkie to his mouth. "Alpha-1, this is Theta-3 in sector B." He glanced down at Emily. "We've got a ringer here the camera will love."

The woman did not understand the code exactly, or the garbled response. He confirmed with Emily their seats and relayed the information before replacing the walkie talkie on his belt clip. "You'll get a minute-long window right before the halftime show starts," the blond explained. "Make sure you're ready."

Emily radiated with warm energy. "Oh, thank you!" She bobbed her head to show her appreciation. "I'd better get back to my seat before Shane notices I'm gone!"

Shane returned with a pile of snacks and a pair of hot drinks. He was impressed that Emily thought to bring seat cushions and he was infinitely grateful that he would not have to sit on cold metal for a while before it warmed up a bit from his body heat. "I asked Granny Evelyn what things would be useful to bring to a gridball game on a day like this," she disclosed, seeing his confused expression.

"Yeah, I bet she went to all of Alex's games when he was in high school," Shane determined with a chuckle before he took a swig of his coffee. He burned the roof of his mouth, but the resulting wave of heat that flowed through his body after he swallowed the mouthful was worth it for Shane. "Sorry I didn't think of all that sooner."

Emily, meanwhile, held her hot chocolate in her hands so the warmth could slowly permeate through her mittens. "So, who are we playing today?" she requested. Shane was not sure if Emily really did not know or if she was giving him the chance to show off his gridball knowledge.

"Well, today the Tunnelers play the Steers," he detailed briefly. "Since the Steers aren't as used to playing in colder weather like the Tunnelers are, I think we've got a shot today."

His girlfriend noticed the cheerleaders warming up nearby. "How did you get seats so close to the field?" Emily wondered aloud.

Shane grimaced. "I may have gotten them as a gift for becoming mayor."

Emily looked at him curiously. "From whom?"

The dark-haired man took a sip of his coffee. "Remember Violet's older brother that came into town for the Luau?" Emily bowed her head briefly to indicate she did. "Well, when he was here, we chatted at the bar for a few hours and that conversation kinda led to me running for mayor against Lewis."

"That's a very generous gift," Emily noted. "I hope you're not accepting bribes, Mister Mayor," Emily teased him with a wide grin. He felt an urge to kiss her, she looked so cute all bundled up. But Shane thought it might ruin the moment of just being together.

"Well, Zach said he couldn't use these tickets with his work schedule anyway," Shane reasoned. He hoped that was true. "Still, he told me he might visit again soon. He's got a big court case wrapping up in the next few days and he mentioned needing a bit of a break afterward."

"I'll be sure to thank him for the tickets next time we see him," Emily agreed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Shane shifted his body to make it more comfortable for them both. He felt compelled to talk sincerely for a moment. "Hey, uh…" Not a great start. "I've been meaning to say… Thanks for sticking with me through everything. The anxiety, depression, you know…"

He hesitated, still unsure of what exactly to label their current relationship. They had a few nights together now and while it did not always end with physical intimacy due to his lack of libido with the medication he was on, he did not know if there was a better term for what he could call this stage of their relationship. "You've been a really good friend to me."

Shane immediately regretted going with the word "friend," it might give Emily the wrong idea that he did not want to continue dating. But he couldn't take it back now. The dark-haired man waited in agony for his girlfriend to respond.

"I should hope so, I'm your best friend," Emily prodded his arm gently with a playful giggle. She sat back up to take a drink of her hot chocolate.

There was a pause on their conversation as a booming voice announced the entrance of the teams onto the field. Shane shouted to welcome the home team and normally he would have booed the Steers, but Emily disapproved of the poor sportsmanship, so he refrained this time.

After the coin toss, the Steers won and decided to receive the kickoff first. Not ideal, but Shane still believed his team could pull off an upset victory. The game went on for a while and Emily prompted him with a few clarifying questions here and there – especially when flags were involved – but overall, she seemed to be following what was going on.

"You've been studying!" he accused her with a smirk. Shane was thrilled Emily was taking an interest, even if it was just to humor him.

Emily beamed like a proud peacock at the remark. "A little." She appreciated her hard work being recognized. Just then, the quarterback threw a pass to the wide receiver, who took off down the field with a horde of defensive line Steers hot on his heels.

"Go, go, go!" Shane hollered, leaping to his feet to cheer on the players. Emily, swept up in the excitement, joined him and urged the Tunneler on.

"TOUCHDOWN TUNNELERS!" The announcer roared over the speakers. Emily jumped up and down and leapt into Shane's arms; he bounced a few times before she grabbed his face and kissed him.

She did not let him go until a few spectators in neighboring seats let out a few wolf whistles in their general direction. Abashed, Shane set Emily down gently.

"So," Shane continued sheepishly as he cleared his throat. "What do you think of your first gridball game?"

Emily's eyes regarded him with a look he was becoming familiar with lately. "I really like the energy of this place," she answered, squeezing his hand with a wink.

Shane balked. She can't be in the mood right now, can she? But she saw the look in her eyes Emily sometimes got when he did something that showed off his physical strength. His girlfriend was into being literally swept off her feet. Shane was thankful that even if he was the shortest guy in Pelican Town, he was not the weakest. If the mayor had to guess, Alex probably had him beat because all the jock ever did was work out and Shane could live with that.

The crowd around him erupted in a roar as the Tunnelers intercepted the ball and Shane realized that Emily had distracted him from the action on the field. The dark-haired man realized that he did not mind all that much. He used to find Pelican Town boring, but right now he kind of wished that he and Emily were alone at home right now.

Before he knew it, the referees signaled for half-time, and the teams retreated off the field and into the tunnels under the stands toward the locker rooms. Usually with home games, there would be stadium staff members throwing signed memorabilia into the crowd for the lucky ones who were close enough to catch them.

Shane leaned over the rail, hoping to attract the attention of the lady among the crowd of stadium employees with the souvenir gridball. They made eye contact for a moment, she smiled. She's gonna throw it to me!

"Shane!" Emily called to him, but movement on the edge of his vision drew his gaze to the jumbotron. On the giant screen, he saw his own face and quickly realized they were on the kiss cam. But Shane did not have time to process what that meant because another voice cried out, "Look out!"

Shane's head turned back toward the field and his vision was filled with a blur of brown before he was knocked to the ground by a sudden impact. He had been smacked in the face by a gridball for the whole stadium to see.