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The new farmer wasn’t anything like Alex had ever expected.
They knew the farmer was moving to town— hell, the mayor had made sure everyone knew, even a recluse such as Alex.
Alex kept his door locked for the first few seasons the farmer was there, not wanting to give in to the temptation of making another friend. The last friend they’d had died a long time ago.
Alex couldn’t put themselves through the heartbreak of loss again.
With such a long lifespan, Alex was guaranteed to outlive his loved ones. Losing his mentor had been hard. Losing his parents had been even worse.
Then, one day, one of the Sprites came and told them they needed to help the farmer.
Help them, Ben had said. They’re restoring the bells.
The bells. Were they trying to summon the Harvest King and restore the Goddess Tree?
They must be. It was the only explanation.
Alex left their door unlocked. The farmer could come in at any time.
—————————————————————
The farmer came while Alex was looking through their telescope.
“Who’s there. . .?” Alex asked, not turning away from their telescope.
“Morgan,” The farmer said from behind them. “I’m Morgan. And this is—”
”I’m busy at the moment. . . I don’t want to be bothered.”
So rarely did Alex speak nowadays. He found it more difficult than he’d thought.
”What do you want?”
“Do you know about the Witch?”
Alex sighed. Of course they knew about the Witch.
”Near Flute Fields lies Fugue Forest. . . Deep inside is her house.”
”But she wasn’t there!”
Alex pulled away from the telescope. That was a Sprite.
The Sprites didn’t just want Alex to help the farmer. They were helping the farmer.
This was serious.
Alex walked down from their miniature observatory and headed over to the farmer— Morgan— and their little orange Sprite.
”Was there a frog?”
The little Sprite looked exhausted and confused. ”Yeah, there was a frog.”
”That’s the Witch. Or the Witch Princess, as she’s sometimes called.”
For many years people had called her the Witch Princess, and for many years that had inflated her ego. Alex was glad to see her taken down a peg, in whatever way.
”She tried using a spell to revive the Goddess Tree. . .” Despite the exclamations of surprise from both Morgan and the Sprite, Alex continued. ”I told her not to do it.”
The farmer finally cut back into the conversation. “Change her back!”
Alex paused. They hadn’t been yelled at since— they couldn’t remember a time they got yelled at.
”You want me to change her back?”
“Yes! Change her—”
”I can’t do it.”
The farmer looked confused now. “Why not?”
”It would take a special potion,” Alex said. “I’d need. . . Hibiscus, Good Cornmeal, and Perfect Butter.”
Alex knew it sounded like a series of pointless quests, but it was true. They needed those ingredients or the magic wouldn’t hold.
“How do I find—”
”Hibiscus can only be found on Toucan Island. If you get the three ingredients and bring them to me, I shall make the potion.”
Alex really didn’t want to help the pompous Witch, but he’d do anything for the Goddess. If that meant helping the farmer restore the Witch to her normal— if bratty— self, then so be it.
“All right,” The farmer said. “I’ll get you the ingredients as soon as possible.”
Alex nodded and headed back to their observatory. The moon was beautiful tonight.
—————————————————————
The farmer got them all the ingredients. The potion worked perfectly.
Why were they still coming by?
Alex was grateful, that they’d managed to get their crystal ball back from the man who stole it, and Alex had offered to use the ball to help Morgan see their relationships with others, but that wasn’t why they came.
They came to talk, to give them mushrooms they’d foraged from Fugue Forest. If Alex didn’t know any better, they’d say they were trying to become friends.
Maybe more.
Alex banished the thought. They’d given up on ever having a relationship with someone. His mentor told him tales of wizards who shared their true names with their partners just to be backstabbed and forced into doing magic they never would.
Never give your true name to someone unless you trust them fully, his mentor had said.
Alex hadn’t thought they’d ever trust someone fully. Until they met Morgan.
Morgan kept visiting them, and Alex could feel himself falling. He’d sworn never to do so, and yet he was doing it anyway.
Alex just had to face their fears. They needed to speak with Morgan.
They’d start small. The Moon Festival.
When Morgan swung by, Alex brought the topic up.
”Tomorrow is the Moon Festival,” he said, feeling nervous. ”Do you wish to. . . Go together?”
Fear. Fear fear fear—
”Yes. I’d love to.”
Alex blinked. They had not been expecting that.
”I’ll meet you at Moon Hill at 7 tomorrow, then.”
—————————————————————
Time passed impossibly slowly over the course of the next day, but soon it was 7.
Alex made their way there and found Morgan waiting for them.
”Thanks for waiting,” Alex said on their approach.
Morgan gave them a blinding smile. “No problem, Wizard.”
Something in Alex ached, wanted to hear their own name come from Morgan’s lips, but they couldn’t yet. They didn’t know if what Morgan had was a passing crush, or. . .
Or more.
That’s what the date was for, then.
”I like watching the moon when I take my nightly walks,” Alex said, glad to have a chance to properly converse with Morgan as they pulled out a box. ”I made some dumplings. Please have some.”
Morgan smiled as they finished setting up the picnic blanket and gratefully took a dumpling. “Thanks, Wizard.” They bit right into it. “It’s delicious.”
Alex felt butterflies.
For a while, the two of them just sat back and watched the moon. It was beautiful tonight— it always was the most beautiful at the Moon Festival.
”I’d like to watch the moon again with you sometime,” Alex said as they began getting ready to go home.
Morgan smiled at them. “I’d like that.”
—————————————————————
Today was the day.
Not the day to tell Morgan their true name, but— the day to see if they were right. To see if Morgan truly had feelings for them.
Before Morgan even had a chance to give them their daily Fugue Mushroom, Alex asked the question. ”Do you want to go see the ocean and sky. . . Together?”
They cringed internally at the horrible date offer, but Morgan smiled at them. “I’d love to.”
Alex blinked. They hadn’t expected—
“Meet me at 4 o’clock on the church grounds,” They said.
—————————————————————
Morgan was waiting for them at the church grounds.
Their punctuality meant something to Alex. They were taking the time to prioritize seeing them.
No one had done that in quite some time.
Then again, Alex hadn’t allowed anyone to get close until now.
”Did you wait long?” Alex asked.
Morgan shook their head. “Nah, just got here.”
“All right,” Alex said, and the two of them approached the small section of the grounds that Alex liked to stargaze at.
”You can see lots of stars here at night,” Alex commented, falling back on his favorite topic of conversation. ”Do you like stars?”
A stupid question, one Alex was kicking himself for asking, but Morgan just smiled at him.
”I love them,” they said.
Alex smiled with relief. ”Me too,” they said, as if it wasn’t obvious. ”They relax me.” They paused for a moment. ”We’re so similar.”
Alex had found a kindred spirit in Morgan. Something they hadn’t had in a long, long time.
They spent the night talking and laughing, but soon the sun was setting into dusk and Alex had to get back to his work. His current potion had to be attended to at night.
”Thanks for coming,” They said. ”That was fun.”
Morgan smiled at them. “It was my pleasure, Wizard.”
Wizard.
Maybe one day they’d call him Alex.
—————————————————————
The potion fell to the wayside as Alex spent their night penning a letter to Morgan.
Dearest Morgan
I hope this letter finds you well. I’d like to take a moment to thank you for doing me a favor by joining me to gaze at the stars. I know you’re busy with the farm. Thank you very much.
I hope we can have such an opportunity again.
Once again, thank you.
Wizard.
They sent the letter to Morgan’s mailbox with a snap of their fingers.
There. Now all they had to do was see if this would affect their friendship.
In a good way or bad.
—————————————————————
It didn’t.
Morgan still came by every day, a smile on their face as they gave Alex their gift. They didn’t comment on the letter.
Maybe Alex should have been more clear. Maybe they should have said I love you.
They didn’t react badly, though. That was good. That was. . . That was good.
“Hey Wizard? Can I ask you something?”
Alex blinked. “Of course,” they said, fighting at their own nerves.
“Do you want to go with me to the Starry Night festival?”
Alex felt the world stop.
The Starry Night festival. The most romantic festival of the year.
“Yes,” Alex said, feeling warm. “Yes, I’d love to.”
—————————————————————
Alex hoped that he would beat Morgan to the hill this time, but he was wrong. Morgan was there, waiting for him already.
They were eager. Just like Alex was.
”It’s cold outside,” Alex said, cringing internally. Morgan knew it was cold outside. They didn’t need Alex to say it.
”Stargazing is best in winter,” Alex said as the two of them got comfortable on the snowy ground. Alex was grateful Morgan had the foresight to bring a blanket. ”I would explain why, but it’s not important.”
Alex kept their gaze on the sky, so they wouldn’t accidentally confess their feelings to Morgan then and there.
”Viewing the stars with the naked eye is different than viewing them with a telescope.”
Alex glanced over at Morgan. ”Perhaps it’s because you’re here.”
Alex saw Morgan blush, and they were grateful for it. They were desperate for any kind of confirmation that it wasn’t all in Alex’s head— Morgan liked them too.
A shooting star flew across the sky just as Alex turned their attention back to it, and Alex closed their eyes.
Please, let Morgan love me.
They opened their eyes and looked, again, to Morgan. ”Did you make a wish?”
Morgan smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
—————————————————————
It was time.
Alex was jumping into the deep end.
”Do you have time today? I. . . Want to talk.”
Morgan blinked at them and smiled. “Sure. I’ll swing back by—”
”The Lighthouse,” Alex said. “At 4 o’clock.”
If Morgan knew the town’s traditions, then they would know why Alex was specifically inviting them to the Lighthouse.
Morgan smiled. “I’ll see you there.”
—————————————————————
Morgan was there waiting for him.
Alex approached them, nerves beginning to claw at them. If anyone caught them, they’d assume Alex was confessing their love.
In a way, he was.
“What do you want to talk about, Wizard?” Morgan asked.
Alex took a deep breath in.
”Witches and wizards don’t tell people their names. It’s said that those who know your name. . . Can control you.”
Morgan blinked. “Is that why—”
“Yes,” Alex said. “That’s why.”
Alex carried on, fighting embarrassment. What if, even after all this time, they’d read Morgan wrong? What if Morgan— no. They were doing this.
”But I want you. . . To know my name.”
Alex breathed in. ”If you have feelings for me. . . I want to share it with you.”
There was silence. Alex regretted ever saying anything. He was about to backtrack it when—
”I want to know your name.”
Alex startled. They hadn’t expected— they’d hoped, but they hadn’t expected—
Alex couldn’t do it. Not tonight.
”That’s. . . That’s enough for now. I will tell you my name when— if— we swear our love.
Alex could read the surprise on Morgan’s face. “You’re the only living human I’ll tell my name to.”
Then they leaned forward and kissed Morgan’s cheek.
It wasn’t enough. So badly did they want to kiss Morgan, but they couldn’t. Not yet.
Morgan looked surprised, and Alex felt embarrassed until Morgan leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
It was Alex’s turn to be surprised, but they recovered well enough.
—————————————————————
“Wizard?”
Alex turned from their telescope, a comment about the mushroom already on their lips, when they registered what was in Morgan’s hands.
A blue feather.
”That’s a blue feather,” Alex said, awed. ”Let’s. . . Let’s go to the church gardens.”
Morgan blinked at them but nodded their ascent, and quickly— very quickly— the two of them made their way there.
When they arrived, Alex began to speak again.
”I want. . . I want to be the one to propose.”
Morgan blinked at them but handed the blue feather over, allowing Alex to present it to them.
”I want to be with you, always.” They saw Morgan blush, but they carried on. ”Ever since we first met. . . I liked you. You’re. . . You’re different. You weren’t what I expected of the farmer, you exceeded my expectations. In the best way.”
Alex could feel their own blush now. ”I love you.”
Morgan leaned forwards and kissed them.
—————————————————————
They were married now.
There was only one thing left to do.
Before they went to bed that night, Alex’s arms wrapped around Morgan, they confessed their true name.
“Alex,” They whispered into Morgan’s ear. “My name is Alex.”
“Alex,” Morgan hummed, turning to face them. “What a beautiful name.”
Alex pressed a soft kiss to their lips.
Finally, they had someone to call them Alex.