[Harvest Moon: A New Beginning] Rio to the Rescue

It's a date!

She heard Neil walk into the coop and smiled a greeting at him. "'Ello! Finished already?"

He rolled his eyes and joined her on the floor. "Yes, I am. I didn't eat my weight in pancakes so I can work just fine."

"Hey! It's not my fault you make such delicious breakfast foods! The blame is on your shoulders, my friend."

He picked one of the birds that was crawling on her leg and held it in his hands. "I think your lack of self control is to blame."

She sighed in defeat, "I'm way too full to argue, so you win."

Neil smirked, "So that's all I have to do to win an argument? Feed you until you burst?" He looked thoughtful, "Good to know!"

"If there weren't a billion adorable baby birds on my belly and I weren't so ungodly full of food I'd smack you. Just so you know."

"I'm terrified Rio, shaking in my boots."

She opened her eyes to glare at him but burst into laughter instead. She pointed to his head where a baby bird currently lay and asked, "Did you put it up there? What if it poops on you?"

He shrugged, "They like to nest in my hair. And it won't...at least I'm pretty sure."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. But don't come crying to me when it happens."

After spending the day lounging by the goddess pond and walking around the forest together Rio asked, "Do you want to go to the foliage festival together?"

He squeezed her hand and smiled, "Do you even have to ask anymore? Of course I would."

She huffed, "Well, who knows! Maybe you wanted to take Allen!"

He raised a brow at her, which she returned with a smirk. "Now why would I want to take Allen to a festival on a day that marks one season since we've been dating? That just seems wrong!"

"Oh yeah, it will have been a whole season...wow!" She grinned, "This means I need to get you a present, yay!"

"I already have yours."

Rio looked to him in surprise, "Really?"

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. After placing a kiss on her cheek he replied, "Really."

The girls held a sleepover at Rio's the night before the foliage festival. The first thing on the agenda was to plan outfits. Rio sat back, amused, as Felicity and Tina tore through her closet. Clothes and shoes were strewn everywhere, it looked like a department store tornado had flown mercilessly around the house.

Finally, after hours of debate, the girls had their ensembles laid out. Felicity chose a simple outfit of thick, black leggings, a jean button up shirt that covered her butt, a cream-colored hoody to layer underneath, a matching scarf, and a pair of Rio's brown cowboy boots. Tina chose black skinny jeans, a red flannel shirt, a grey scarf, brown combat boots, and a black pea coat in case it got cold. Finally, Rio decided on a black turtle necked sweater, a grey and white tribal patterned cardigan, distressed jean shorts with thick, black tights to wear underneath, her grey cowboy boots with a white lace pattern along the sides, and Neil's red leather jacket which had been left behind after their last date.

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Rio sighed and leaned back further into the sofa. "Ugh, I don't know how Yuri does it every day. Picking out clothes can be so exhausting!"

Felicity nodded in agreement and added, "You should see Allen pick out his clothes. I thought women were bad, but I'm worn out just watching him fuss over his outfits!"