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“It looks amazing! You really outdid yourself, Robin!” You were perched on one of the stools at the Stardrop Saloon, chattering to the carpenter as you worked your way through a foaming brew.
“Well, I’m glad it’s up to your standards.” She gave you a good-natured smile. “Only the best for my favorite new farmer.” You chuckled, giving her a final wave as she made her way across the saloon to her husband. Once she left, Gus leaned over the bar and picked up the conversation.
“What’s your new project this time, farmer?” He asked, sliding a bowl of chips your way. You grinned, grabbing a few and started chowing down.
“A chicken coop! I’ve already had a silo set up for a while now, and I finally saved up enough material! I bought a chicken from Marnie the other day, but I think she’s a bit lonely, so I’m going to get another so they can be friends and…” You paused. Shane had shuffled up to the bar, sliding his empty glass into Gus’s waiting hand.
“Thanks,” He muttered, giving you a sideways glance. You smiled, and he looked away.
You didn’t know Shane all that well, despite your many attempts to befriend the grumpy man. He seemed more than content to just lurk in the corner of the saloon and guzzle drink after drink, completely ignoring the presence of anyone else.
“Evenin’ Shane!” You greeted. It didn’t hurt to try, right? Unfortunately, Shane seemed to ignore your greeting, taking the next beer that Gus had slid across the counter. You slumped, ever so slightly, back into your seat, staring into your bowl of chips.
“So you finally got around to getting some chickens.”
Your head snapped up at Shane’s voice. He had seated himself next to you, staring into his drink.
“Silo’s a good start,” he continued, snatching away one of your chips, “But you’re gonna need a fence. Something so they can go in and out as they please without wandering off.” He idly swirled the beer in the mug, staring down at the counter. “You’ll need a heater too. It gets too cold in the winter. And you’re right about getting a second one. Chickens get lonely when they’re left solitary for too long, and- what are you staring at?”
You snort, gently bumping him in the shoulder with your own. “You sure know a lot about animals, Shane.” He grumbles, downing the rest of his beer. You continue. “You should come over sometime!”
He nearly choked, sputtering the amber liquid across the surface of the counter. Gus swept in with a rag, mopping up the spill as Shane stares at you like you’d just grown a second head.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“You know, check out the new coop!” You lean back in your seat, sipping your beer. “Give it the old once-over, tell me if it’s up to scruff.” Shane gaped, opening his mouth, closing it, and opening it again, brain unable to find any sort of response. Distantly, you heard the chime of a clock hidden away in the back of the saloon, and you bolted upwards.
“Shit, 11 already? I gotta go! Thanks, Gus.” You slapped some coins down on the counter and stood up, giving Shane a pat on the back as you went. “Consider it, ’kay?” And with that, you slipped out of the saloon into the cool summer air.
“Weird,” Shane grumbled, looking from his empty glass up to Gus, who was giving him a knowing look. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Gus smiled, stealing away Shane’s glass to fill it once more.
* * * * * * *
“This is ridiculous.” Shane muttered to himself as he kicked a stray stone. It was 7am and he had to be at work in just a few hours, but he couldn’t help but find himself ambling down the dirt and gravel path that led to your farm. As the red roof of your cabin came into view, something in the back of Shane’s mind wondered if you were even awake yet.
“HEY, SHANE! GOOD MORNING!”
Of course you were.
You were leaning over one of your fences and waving furiously, a watering can hanging limp in your other hand and showering down on the sprouts below your feet. Shane rolled his eyes, slowly making his way up to you.
“You wanna see the coop, right? C’mon, I’ll show you!” With more energy than any sane person would have this early in the morning, you clambered over the fence and led him over to the small building. You paused for a moment to pat one of the new fence posts surrounding the small tract of land in front of the coop. “Is this enough space? I woke up early this morning and put it up so you could tell me what you thought!”
“You put this up this morning? ” Shane said incredulously. It was a sturdy fence, definitely not something you’d throw together in a few hasty minutes. “When do you sleep ?”
“Usually from midnight till 5!” You chirped, unexplainably cheerful for someone running on only a few hours of sleep. “After a while, you get used to it. Come on in!” You opened the fence with a clack , gesturing for him to enter the coop.
As soon as you opened the door, Shane found himself accosted by a ball of golden feathers running figure eights around his feet, clucking wildly. He couldn’t help the soft grin that inched its way across his face as he leaned down to pet the excitable bird. It clucked in response, nuzzling into his broad hand.
“Mornin’ Kylo!” You greeted the chicken as you scooted into the coop to fill up the feed tray.
“Kylo?” Shane asked, looking up from the chicken. You stiffened, turning around and giving him a part-sheepish, part-worried look.
“Yeah, um…” You stammered, twiddling your thumbs. “Kylo. Um, actually… Kylo Hen. Heh.”
Shane couldn’t help it. He snorted, covering his face with one hand as he silently chuckled. You were completely floored. You couldn’t recall a time when you had actually seen Shane laugh before.
“You are ridiculous .” He sighed, shaking his head. You paused, the beginnings of a brilliant plan brewing in your head.
“What?” You smiled, “Did that pun ruffle your feathers?” You grinned as Shane moaned, trying to stifle the laughter that he knew would only prompt you further.
“C’mon!” You continued, bumping him in the shoulder with your fist. “My puns are… hen-sational!” Shane snorted, chuckles growing to full-blown laughter as you racked your brain for more ridiculous bird jokes. “These puns are getting pretty… ri-chick-ulous, ey?”
“If anyone is ridiculous here, it’s definitely you.” Shane rolled his eyes, returning your friendly jab in the shoulder with one of his own. “Good thing you’re such a tweetheart.”
“... What?”
OH SHIT.
“Welp! I should get going, gotta get to work, can’t be late see you later bye.” Shane stammered, bustling out of the coop as a blush crawled across his cheeks. You stumbled behind him out of the coop, watching as he shuffled away across your fields.
“Bye Shane!” You called over the fence. “I’ll see you at the saloon tonight with even more eggscelent puns!” You laughed when you heard him groan, and shuffled back into the coop to finish up your work.
Shane kicked a stray stone as he marched off of the farm, blushing furiously. Still, he couldn’t wait until tonight.