Work Text:
"Oh, Paige is always trying to look out for Ratthew and I... But who's looking out for her?"
-Scarlett
Paige stared fondly at the sight of Scarlett and Ratthew chatting away. Although he had his back turned to her to focus on drink pouring, Paige could tell he paid attention to every word she said.
It wasn't always like this.
Paige remembered the day Scarlett had first moved into Mushroom Village. It was years ago, but she could remember it like it was yesterday.
Scarlett had been so awkward back then. She stuck to short, one word sentences, and avoided people like the plague. It had taken time for her and Scarlett's relationship to reach this point today.
When Scarlett moved to Mushroom Village, she seeked for a way to escape. Burdened with the death of her lover, she gave up her dreams to travel the world.
"Oh, hi! You're Scarlett right? Welcome to town!" Paige had said.
"Yeah, that's me."
"I have this thing I do with new people in the village. It's like a tradition, I think? I do wood carving. If you'd like, I'll make a wooden gnome for you. Elfie--sorry, my friend--says I'm an expert at making them. Her words, not mine," Paige rambled. The entire time she waved her arms around to better signify what she was going to say.
Scarlett had blinked, confused. After a few half seconds, she smiled, realizing what she said.
"I'd love to have one."
Oh, how the years have gone by. Paige and her were very close. She was there to help her quit her smoking tendencies, and she was there to help her move into her new apartment. Although she didn't go there often, Paige found sense of comfort from Scarlett's worn couch and small balcony.
Her house in the mountains was much smaller and definitely less impressive, but it was only a short walk to Mushroom Village and she was thankful for that. Even with all her energy, she couldn't imagine going through the taxing labor Tsuki and Dawn went through. Wood carving was hard itself, but she was used to it, and doing so came with a ease similar as to like breathing.
When with her knife slicing through wood, she often got lost in her thoughts when doing so. This was great--if she wasn't preoccupied, she feared what she would do being cooped up in a small room all night long.
Paige had countless amounts of energy. She knew Benny was overworked, so she liked to handle the town events herself. Seeing everyone come together made all the time spent worth it.
Still, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes she would stare in the mirror for hours, thinking. She didn't feel like she knew herself anymore. When she looked at herself, she felt she saw a stranger. She helped everyone even when she didn't want to. Who was there to look out for her?
Still she lived on. If she was gone, she feared that it would drastically affect her friends.
She only snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of Scarlett's voice.
"Paige, come over here now. Ratthew wants you to test his new drink!"
Smiling, Paige slid off her seat at the table, joining them over by the counter. "Okay!"
Maybe Paige wasn't as okay as she was on the outside. But she was willing to bear it if her friends got better.