The Stargazer (Shane/Harvey X Reader)

Spring's End

🌶️😉Kissing

Spring.

Melodic clinking drifts from a wind chime hung on the porch awning and dances through a gentle breeze. Clouds coasting through the bright blue sky step in tune to the sound of a world yearning to blossom into a new season. Spring finally finding her time of rest welcomes the new days of summer and blistering sunshine.

    Crates that Lewis had thought to drop off a few days prior are stacked high amongst the garden beds you have been working diligently to recover. Mud caked onto your hands dries your skin unpleasantly as bulbous heads of cauliflower are ripped violently from the ground, ripe and ready. The crates are filling quickly in bounty of your hard work on the last crop of the season. A separate, smaller crate sits alone awaiting its own fill of the cauliflower Harvey had helped plant. Just as the others had, his grew to be lush and gorgeous, almost too tempting to wait for cooking.

    The gardens look uncomfortably empty without their occupying crops, but they will be soon enough filled with summer seeds. Bordering the walls of the farmhouse are freshly tilled flower beds also awaiting seeds of poppies, spangles, and sunflowers to crowd into the fertile soil. Although in a bit of a withered state, the farmhouse is alive and well.

   

    Today not only marks the end of your spring work season, but also the day of the flower festival. As this will be your first time participating in the fluttering celebration, you work as quickly and carefully as possible. Tucked snugly within the crates, the fresh produce will be fine to wait a day before being sold off to the general store in town.

    With a final ounce of your energy, the produce is nestled safely in the living room for the day. The dirt caked on your hands and fingernails is less than presentable. You recall the calendar in town notes the festival to begin at 9 am sharp, brunch to be served at 10:30. Having woken before the sun broke day allowed you ample time to work the garden beds and still have room to get yourself ready.

   

    Still on an empty stomach you squeak the shower head on and test the water until it's hot enough to stain your skin pink and red. Steady streams of dirt and salty sweat pour down your legs and into the drain, cleansing you of your backbreaking work.

    While lazily tilting back into the rush of water and cleansing your scalp, a heavy rapid knock reverberates through the hallway and into the bathroom. The noise shocks you from the disassociated state you've drifted into. The knocking echoes through again after a few moments of waiting, giving you another summon to the door.

    A sloppy trail drips behind your path to the door and renders the towel wrapped around you somewhat purposeless. Allowing the door to open just enough to poke out your sopping wet head it gives way to Haley standing somewhat squeamishly on your aged porch. A bulging tote bag with white cloth peeking out the top is slung beneath her arm and digging angry red lines into her bare shoulder.

    "Haley?" Your surprise to her visit isn't much of a secret, "What are you doing here?"

    Her expression is no less than annoyed in response to her presence on your property, which surely was not a choice of her own. "Emily asked me to give you this, your festival dress." You notice a pale yellow bicycle rests against the porch railing.

    A furrow creases your forehead, "Festival dress?"

    She groans dramatically and carelessly slings the bag towards the crack in the door, "Yeah, festival dress, for the flower dance." Her disgust in your lack of knowing is clear.