Chapter Text
"Did you hear about the new farmer, Shane?"
Shane didn't even look up from his meal. He shrugged, having another bite of his egg. The morning light glared into his eyes through the window; he grimaced, finishing the rest of his plate quickly.
Time to get another day over with.
"Well," Marnie continued, ignoring his silence, "I heard from Robin that she's very nice."
"Okay, and?" He got up, putting his plate in the sink before rinsing his hands.
"And, I think it would be nice for you to make a new friend." He scowled. “I mean, you know I love you dearly, Shane, but you should start talking to more people other than me and Jas—“
"See you, Marnie." Shane left without another word, shrugging on his jacket to head to Joja.
The air was sickeningly fresh as Shane breathed in, trudging his way past Jodi's house. The only part of the morning he liked was the emptiness — barely anyone got up as early as him. Shane took in the sight of the quiet, vacant town. Just how I like it, he thought, continuing to walk.
The peace was broken, however, when he saw a stranger standing in front of Pierre's shop.
Shane paused. Damn it.
He tried, he really fucking did, to pass her without any notice. He turned his head and sped up, the sight of the bridge fueling him—
"Um, excuse me?"
Shane reluctantly stopped, eyes closing as he refrained from screaming as loud as he could.
"What do you want?" he asked bluntly, not even bothering to turn around.
He heard the stranger snort quietly, undoubtedly because of his attitude. "I was wondering when this shop opens." She paused. "That is, if you know, of course," she added, a teasing tone to her voice.
He turned his head, sending her the nastiest glare he could gather that early in the morning. "Screw off, I don't even know you," Shane snapped.
The last glimpse of her he saw was her head tilted slightly in confusion, arms crossed.
Asshole.
-
Kai had never been a morning person, so she had no idea why she was making herself wake up at six.
Despite that, she couldn’t help but feel amazed as she opened her door and took in the sight of the field in front of her. Sure, there were trees, rocks, and weeds littered everywhere, but Kai already felt more at home than she had in the city. She would be lying if she said she didn’t miss the lights and sound of cars passing by in the night, but she would never go back to working in a cramped office. Kai smiled — for the first time in years, she felt free.
That is, until she realized she had to clear the field, plant the seeds she was gifted, and then buy some more before repeating.
Sighing, Kai decided to get some more seeds first, pulling on her coat before heading into town. The spring air bit at her cheeks for just a moment, settling down after it sunk in. She had always loved spring; the rain, the warmer weather, the life. Everything felt new, and after the crappy life she’d been living, Kai really needed a fresh start.
She winced at the thought of her life in Zuzu City. Her job was bad, but her life outside of work was worse. She barely even bothered to call her parents anymore, considering they basically cut her off once she went to college. Kai would get a call from them once in a blue moon. Even then, they would only talk for a couple minutes, making sure everything was fine — Are you alive? Eating well? — before hanging up.
And then, of course, there was Tom.
She tried not to think about him.
Kai entered the town to find it empty. The sound of the river flowing filled the air, calming her nerves. Birds chirped and flew over head while the sun continued to rise, casting a golden gleam over all the buildings. Kai smiled.
She was ready to start her new life.
Looking back at the store, Kai noticed the lack of lights and the locked doors. Sighing, she placed a hand on her hip. The paper that read “Shop Hours” at the top was ripped up below.
Just as she was about to head back, Kai noticed a man heading her way. He had his blue hoodie pulled tightly around him, his gaze glued to the ground. She could tell he didn’t feel like talking.
Chewing her lip, Kai thought about what to do. She hated to be bothered in the morning, too, so she understood why the guy was practically sprinting past her, but she also really wanted to know when the store opened.
“Um, excuse me?” she called out, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
Kai saw him freeze. “What do you want?” She snorted to herself. She wasn’t a morning person, but she was never rude to anyone who tried to talk to her. He didn’t even turn around to look at her while he spoke.
“I was wondering when this shop opens,” she said, crossing her arms and perking an eyebrow. “That is, if you know, of course.” She couldn’t help herself. Kai blamed her tease on the lack of sleep and coffee affecting her.
What she didn’t expect was the man to turn his head ever so slightly to give her the scariest glare she ever witnessed. Kai was, admittedly, taken aback. You took it too far, idiot, she thought, feeling embarrassment crawl up her face.
“Screw off, I don’t even know you,” he growled, leaving with his hands shoved in his pockets. Kai blinked before rolling her eyes, quietly defending herself in her head. Not my fault someone woke up on the wrong side of his bed.
Prick.
-
Over the following week, Kai learned when the shop opened from another early riser named Alex.
“Oh, Pierre’s? He always opens at nine, except on Wednesdays. He’s always closed on Wednesdays,” he had informed her, gridball tucked under his arm.
“Thanks,” Kai had replied. She gestured toward the ball. “You play?”
Alex’s chest puffed up a bit as he smiled smugly. “Yeah, I’m planning on going pro. I always get up early to practice a bit before working out; gotta keep these muscles working, am I right?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” After saying another thanks, Kai had left, not very eager to see Alex again.
A few days later, she visited the Stardrop Saloon. The sun was starting to dip below the skyline as she walked in, the music immediately lifting her mood. The saloon’s atmosphere brought her at ease, the tension in her body seeming to melt away.
“Ah, you must be the new farmer!” the man behind the counter said, grinning. “I’m Gus, nice to meet you.”
Kai walked up to him, holding out a hand. “Kai,” she responded, smiling back at him.
“Your grandfather used to come here on Fridays, too, you know,” Gus started, his smile growing a little sadder. “After a week of hard work, he let himself have a drink as a reward. He was a fine man.” He patted her hand. “I’m sure you’ll take after him, Kai. Welcome to the Valley.”
She nodded, placing her hand lightly over his. “Thanks, Gus. I needed to hear that.”
When Kai’s grandpa passed away, she hadn’t taken it very well. She’d stayed home for two weeks, skipping work and ordering food for most of her meals. At the time, it’d felt surreal — her grandfather had been the stone that kept her grounded throughout everything that happened. Hearing about his death crushed her — Kai didn’t want to know what would’ve happened if she hadn’t remembered his letter for her.
"Here — take this, on the house." Gus slid over a glass of beer. "While you're here, why don't you talk to some of the townsfolk? I'm sure you'll make friends quickly."
Kai took a look around the already crowded saloon. "Sure, why not," she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I can't say I'm the best at starting conversations, though."
Gus perked an eyebrow before smirking, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Why don't I give you a hand, then?" Before she could decline, Gus waved down a long-haired man that had just walked through the door. "Elliott! Come meet the new farmer!"
Kai felt her heart jump. "Gus, I— what are you—"
"Relax. Elliott's one of the nicest guys in town, just sit and have a drink with him."
"But I—"
"Hello there, miss," Elliott greeted, his voice deep and smooth. "I don't believe we've met."
Kai swallowed. "No, we haven't." She cleared her throat quickly before pushing away her anxiety. "Why don't we grab a seat so we can talk more?"
“That sounds delightful.” He headed toward an empty table, hair flowing behind him.
"Good luck," Gus whispered, giving her a thumbs up. "I'm sure you two will get along greatly."
"We better," she muttered, grabbing her drink and heading to her seat.
Thankfully, after several more drinks between the two of them and some icebreakers, Kai found herself completely relaxed. Talking to Elliott was easy — his attentive eyes and comical facial expressions made it hard to not feel welcome in his presence.
Somehow, she ended up bringing up the incident in front of Pierre's. "Honestly, I feel kind of bad," she said, taking another sip of her drink. "Maybe I was too harsh."
"Oh, please," Elliott exasperated, leaning back in his chair. "You must have ran into quite a sensitive soul. What did this person look like?"
She thought for a moment. "Well, he had a blue jacket on with a green shirt — oh, and his hair was kind of like this." Kai gestured how his hair hung out to the side.
Elliott's eyes left hers for the first time that evening. "You mean him?" He pointed behind her before taking a big swig of his drink to hide his amused smile.
Kai tentatively looked over her shoulder to see that, indeed, the "sensitive soul" had entered the saloon. Gus already had his drink ready for him as he grabbed it, muttering a quick "thanks". The man then made his way to the corner, drinking alone. Kai felt a small tug of sympathy for him.
"That's Shane," Elliott said quietly, bringing her attention back to him. "He's not the most social fellow. He lives with Marnie and his goddaughter, Jas." He hesitated before continuing, "He also has a bit of a drinking problem, I'm afraid to say."
Kai tapped her fingers on her glass. "Oh." She took another peek at him. Shane was staring blankly at his drink, the dark circles around his eyes prominent in the dim saloon lighting. "I feel a bit worse, now," she admitted, shoulders slumping.
Elliott's eyes lit up. "Why don't you give him a heartfelt apology? Words are always the cure to a wounded heart," he advised.
"Really? You think so?" Kai knew her judgement was clouded, although an unfamiliar confidence sprouting in her chest fueled her. "Elliott, I don't know. He looks like he wants to be alone."
Elliott scoffed lightly. "Believe me, dear Kai, he always looks like that." He made a "shooing" motion with his hand. "Go, spill your heart to him." He smiled at the glare she sent his way as she got up, finishing her drink for courage.
As Kai grew closer to Shane, she felt the confidence that had driven her dissipate. She inhaled sharply when he looked up at her, eyes widening.
"You again?" he asked roughly, gaze narrowing. "Why are you talking to me?"
"I just, um," she stuttered, taking in a breath, "I just wanted to say sorry. You know, for what I said the other day." She saw his eyes light up momentarily in surprise before darkening once more. "It was early, and I was super sleep deprived— I mean, that doesn't excuse what I said, but . . ." Kai felt her face heating up. She decided to blame it on the liquor. "I just . . . I'm sorry. I don't want to be on bad terms with you because of something stupid I said, you know? I swear I'm not that bad, once you get to know me." She laughed slightly, lips lingering in an awkward smile. "So, I'll see you around, I hope."
Kai turned, heading back to Elliott with burning cheeks. She fell back into her chair and buried her face into her arm, letting Elliott pat her shoulder comfortingly.
"I'm an idiot," she mumbled.
"You aren’t. I'm sure you did just fine," Elliott reassured. He looked up. "You must have — he's coming over to our table, right this instant."
Kai shot up. "What?"
"Hey."
Her head turned embarrassingly quickly, greeted with the green fabric of Shane's jersey.
"Hi," Kai replied, moving back to look at him properly.
Shane nodded at Elliott before returning to her. "About . . . that." Kai felt her chest tighten. "It's, uh, it's fine. I don't care." She nearly jumped out of her seat as relief crashed through her, hoping the man in front of her hadn't noticed. She was amazed how excited she became because of six simple words; seven, including “uh”.
"Thanks," Kai managed, her choked voice causing Elliott to smirk. "I'm glad to hear that, I guess."
With another nod, Shane walked over to Gus, handing him a few coins before exiting the saloon. Kai turned around, sliding down into her seat.
"See?" Elliott said, raising his glass. "Words are always the cure."
-
The next week, Kai made it her mission to befriend Shane. With Elliott's support and guidance, she managed to even give him a couple surprise gifts.
The first was a meal. After speaking to Marnie in the morning, Kai had just what Shane needed to cheer up.
"He didn't even eat breakfast this morning," she'd said, wringing her hands in worry. "That's how I know he's not in a good mood."
"I could drop something off, if you'd like me to," Kai suggested.
"Oh, would you? Thank you, Kai — here, take this to him, sweetie. It's his favorite."
So, Kai stood in front of the Joja Mart, a wrapped plate of pepper poppers in hand.
"He works here? Seriously?" she questioned.
Elliott shrugged. "Everyone's talents lie in different places. His just happens to be here," he replied, looking at the store distastefully. "I can't say I'm fond of this place, though."
"Well, he has to eat," she reasoned, nodding to herself. "I'll just go in, tell him this is from Marnie, and go on with my day."
"That sounds like a brilliant plan, Kai," Elliott encouraged. "May I ask where you obtained this sudden determination?"
"I don't know, that night at the saloon, I guess he kind of proved my theory."
"Which was?"
"That he isn't a total ass."
Huffing out a laugh, Elliott nodded. "Then, by all means, proceed, dear Kai. I'll be right out here in case you implode." Punching his shoulder lightly with her free hand, Kai swallowed her fears and walked forward into the blue store.
She found Shane easily. The aisles were empty, the sound of her boots hitting the floor echoing throughout the store. He didn't even notice her at first — he was crouched on the white tile floor, almost mechanically shelving soup cans. He only looked up when she cleared her throat.
"You're awfully fuckin’ persistent," Shane grumbled. Marnie was right — Kai could tell he was in an even worse mood than he usually was. "Don't you have your own work to do?"
"Not right now, I don't," she replied, voice somehow steady. "In fact, I could even call this my work for today. Here."
He took the plate hesitantly, eyeing it cautiously. "What's this?"
"I talked to Marnie earlier and she said you didn't have breakfast. I already finished most of my farm work for today, so I offered to bring these over for you. Marnie made them herself — she said they're your favorite."
Unwrapping the foil to look at the peppers, Shane's eyes lit up, lips curling up into a small smile.
Kai, honestly, was amazed. Up until then, she'd questioned if she would ever get the stoic man to show any sign of happiness.
The moment ended abruptly, however, as Shane covered the plate again and looked away.
"Thanks, I guess," he said, placing the plate carefully next to him. "Tell Marnie not to worry so damn much."
Kai laughed. "I'll make sure she gets your message," she said, grinning as she began to make her way back to the entrance. Success.
"Seriously, though." She stopped, turning her head to look back at Shane. He still wouldn't look at her, although Kai could see a hint of pink in his cheeks. "You didn't have to do this."
She simply shrugged. "I know." He looked up at her to meet her eyes just before she walked away, still smiling.
"You’re in one piece, so I'm assuming everything went well?" Elliott asked as she approached him.
"Very well," she corrected, grabbing his arm. "Come on, I need some lunch."
The next gift Kai gave Shane ended up being a simple beer. She and Elliott had decided to head to the Stardrop Saloon once again, promising to each other they wouldn't get as drunk as they had the trip prior. Only an hour into their visit, however, Elliott glanced at the clock and frowned.
"Ah, I'm afraid our time together has to end early tonight," he stated, sighing. "To be quite honest, I've been neglecting my writing duties since I befriended you. Your charm has its toll." He smiled as he got up from his seat, dropping some coins onto the table. "There, that should cover your drink, as well as mine."
Kai shook her head, pushing them back towards him. "Elliott, come on, you don't have to do that. I can pay this time."
"I insist, Kai. Consider this a trade."
She raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Elliott smirked, raising her hand to place a light, quick kiss on her knuckles. "I pay for you — and give you the gift of a kiss, mind you—" Kai yanked her hand back, a smile blooming on her face in amusement, "and you talk to you-know-who."
"Oh, please, you're bribing me to talk to Shane? I can do that for free."
"A brave one, I see," Elliott teased. "Fine. Buy him a drink and I'll pay for next time, too."
"And just where are you getting this money from, rich boy?"
"Is it a deal or not, dear Kai?" He held out his hand.
Shrugging, Kai shook it. "Sure, why not." She knew alcohol always made her confidence soar, so why waste the feeling?
Elliott grinned. "I trust you will keep your word. Until next time, my friend. Trust your heart!" He gave one last wave before leaving swiftly.
Like clockwork, Shane walked in a few moments later, following the same routine as the past week. After he received his glass, Kai made her way up to Gus, letting out a breath. As always, the beer’s high was already starting to wear off, a pit beginning to grow in her stomach.
"Hey, Gus," she greeted.
"Kai! It's good to see you," he replied, cleaning a glass and placing it down. "Now, how can I help you?"
She placed the money Elliott had given her onto the counter. "Here, this should cover everything Elliott and I had." After a quick count, Gus nodded in confirmation, slipping the coins into his hand before dropping them into the cash register.
"Anything else I can do for you? Another round, maybe? Some pizza to snack on?"
Kai shook her head, grabbing a few more coins from her own wallet. "Actually, I'd like to get Shane another drink, please."
Gus blinked, surprise evident on his face as he smiled. "Oh? Another beer, I suppose?"
"That sounds great." He handed her another glass filled to the brim with the drink. "Thanks a bunch, Gus."
"No problem, Kai." Gus eyed Shane before looking back at her. "So, you've taken a liking to Shane, I see. I can't say I'm not surprised—"
"No, no! It's, uh, it's not like that," Kai explained, gaining a few stares.
"Of course, I'm sorry for assuming so rashly." Gus smiled knowingly. "Are you sure there's nothing I can get for you?”
“Positive. Thanks again, Gus.” Kai took the drink and walked over to Shane as quickly as she could without spilling, setting the drink in front of him right as he finished his first one.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” she heard him mutter.
“Hey,” she responded, choosing to ignore his comment and taking the seat across from him. “I hope this seat isn’t taken.”
No reply. Shane merely stared at the new glass in front of him.
“I don’t usually see anyone sitting here, so I just assumed it was free. I hope you don’t mind.” She winced, cringing at her own words.
Silence. More staring.
Kai’s shoulders dropped. “Look, I know you’re probably annoyed at how much I’ve bothered you these last couple weeks, but I think you’re a pretty decent guy, Shane.” He looked up at that, as if he was surprised she knew his name. “I mean, we had a pretty rough start, but I want to get to know you better. Maybe find out your favorite color, or something.”
Kai really, really wanted to smack her head on the table.
All of her energy seemed to drain out of her as Shane began to avoid her eyes once more, gaze now aimed at his lap. The sound of arcade games dinging and loud laughter from a group of people seemed to grow louder in Kai’s ears as she wondered what she was even doing.
Shane had made it painfully clear he didn’t want her around. Kai thought back to all the times she’d tried to approach him over the past few days. He had always replied with some annoyed remark — The hell do you want? Haven’t I been rude enough to you yet? — and walked away, leaving her in the dust. More anxious thoughts filled her head as Kai balled her fists in her lap, shaking her head slightly to herself.
Maybe I’m the prick.
Already thinking about how she was going to explain this to Elliott without spontaneously combusting, Kai pushed her chair back, rising from her seat.
“Sorry for wasting your time,” she said softly, any last bit of enjoyment in her gone. “I’ll, uh, see you around, Shane.”
Kai began to walk away, catching Gus’s eye on her way out. He gave her a questioning glance, and she shook her head in response. Not now, she wanted to say. He seemed to understand, nodding.
The evening breeze cooled Kai’s hot face when she opened the door. She let herself savor it for a moment before beginning to walk, tipsy and heavy hearted.
Just then, she heard the door open behind her once again before shutting. She didn’t think twice about it; at least, not until she heard someone come her way.
“Kai.”
She stopped, eyes widening. Kai turned to face Shane, noticing how the evening light brought out the red in his cheeks.
Cute, she thought, feeling a blush hit her own face.
“I’m sorry for freezing back there. I just didn’t expect you to come over.” She nodded. “And I guess I’m sorry for being rude to you before, too. I was a dick.” Another nod. Shane rolled his eyes. “You gonna say anything or am I wasting my breath?”
Kai blinked. “Oh, uh, don’t worry about it. I guess I was being kind of annoying, too.”
“Yeah, kind of.” She grimaced. “I’ve never really had anyone want to talk to me that much before, though.” Kai felt that same feeling of sympathy she’d felt that first night at the saloon. Shane rubbed his arm, looking away. “I guess I just didn’t know what to do. I sorta freaked out, to be honest.”
Now Kai really felt bad.
“Geez, Shane, I’m really sorry,” she apologized, sighing. “I had no idea I was making you feel so uncomfortable. I promise I’ll leave you alone from now on.”
“Oh.”
Kai felt shock stun her when she recognized the tone of his voice.
He was disappointed.
“Unless,” she began slowly, “you don’t . . . want me to?”
Shane’s face went red. “Yeah. That.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Kai felt as if a whale had been lifted off her chest.
“I’ll see you soon, then?”
“Yeah.” Shane cleared his throat, heading back to the saloon. He paused in his step. “Thanks for the drink, by the way.” He waited a beat before quickly adding, “And it’s blue, if you’re still wondering about the favorite color thing. So, yeah.” With that, Shane rushed back in, leaving Kai in the cool of the oncoming night.
Blue. Kai kept that in mind as she walked home, feeling lighter than she had in years.