My Heart was Always in the Valley

Flowers and Gossip

*** Summer 9, Year 2 ***

After pulling a number of black t-shirts, plaid button-ups, boxer briefs, and socks from the dryer, Nora began to wonder if Sebastian had any clothes left at his place. He spent most nights on the farm now, she made room for him in the dresser and kept an extra toothbrush for him in the bathroom. She sighed, staring at the pile in front of her, she would rather clear a dozen trees than fold laundry. There was nothing really to complain about, he wasn't the messiest partner she's lived with, and the last two weeks with Sebastian were some of the happiest weeks of her life. She never thought of herself as particularly domestic, but she found joy in making him breakfast and the mornings they spent in bed kissing and whispering to each other. He started picking up small tasks around the farm, feeding the animals, mending fences. This morning he snuck out before she woke up and watered some crops for her.

Nora felt a little relieved that they didn't have to hide their relationship from his family anymore. Robin insisted they stay for dinner over the weekend after she lost track of time testing Sebastian's game. They eyed each other nervously at the dinner table having decided earlier that it was time to break the news to his family. Both the coop and the barn were fully upgraded at this point and Nora couldn't use Robin's services as an excuse to visit anymore. Robin nearly cried, exclaiming that she guessed it already but wanted to hear the news from them. Maru laughed, stating their relationship was the worst kept secret of the valley but she was happy for them. Demetrius stayed silent, Nora watched him carefully as Robin wrapped Sebastian into a suffocating hug. She knew Demetrius was never one to keep his thoughts to himself, regardless how uncomfortable it made others around him. His disapproval didn't matter to Sebastian, but she hated that it mattered to her.

She moved the shirts to his drawer and found herself picturing more of his things around the house. Would he still have his game table? He needs enough space for his PC and an extra spot for the laptop. The current house layout was more than enough space for Nora and Bear but Sebastian might appreciate having a separate room for himself. She shook her head, settling down was something she thought about frequently now but at Sebastian's age, it was the furthest thing from her mind. It was too soon to have thoughts like this, but it didn't feel right to deny that she was having them. Maybe an intermediate step could silence the voices in her head? She could get a bouquet for him, there was nothing in Pelican Town history that explicitly stated that a man had to be the one to gift a bouquet. And if there was such an ordinance, it was be horribly outdated. Would he be open to it?

Grandpa often told her the story about the bouquet he purchased for grandma when they were young. He spent all day planning the perfect picnic on the mountain summit. He packed her favorite lunch in a basket and hid the bouquet in his backpack because the only basket they had was too small. The hike started out fine but a slime appeared from behind a large stump and startled them. Grandma fell to the ground and Grandpa jumped in front to slay the slime with a dagger. When he lay waste to the slime, he turned to help her up but she sprained her ankle and was unable to carry on. He carried her down the mountain to the clinic on his back, she apologized for ruining their picnic the entire way there. When he arrived at the clinic and her ankle had been tended to, he pulled the bouquet out from his bag but it was smashed. Grandma still accepted it with a smile. Whenever grandma told the story, she would choke up and tell Nora that it was never about the bouquet itself but the meaning behind it.

No one in Zuzu did this, her parents met in college and did things the traditional Zuzu way. No bouquets, no mermaid pendants, just heavy discussions and engagement rings. It was the way she was raised, and no one ever bought Nora a symbolic bouquet in any of her relationships. Whenever she did get flowers, it was only for special occasions or apologies. She wondered if Sebastian considered himself a true Pelican townie, he did spend most of his life here. The flowers and mystical pendants seemed a little dated but charming.