Chapter Text
"wheres this last guy? fuck,"
fumbling with the map you were handed, you were trying to figure out where the last person you needed to greet was. you're pissed, being so close to the money attached to the end of the stick you were chasing the whole day because you know that you need it. you need the money to tend to the farm, get some new seeds, maybe chop some shit down even though you break your fragile joja corp infused back every time you even swing a tool.
hiking from the town to the mountains, sweating beads and huffing with each step taken, you turn towards the lake with a large inhale-
that inhale gets cut off quick when you find yourself staring at an ethereal? ethereal's the only way you can describe it- out of the world sight.
a guy's smoking by the edge of the lake, inches away from falling in the water- almost like he wants to fall in. he's puffing out cloud after cloud while watching the fireflies fly around the lake and around him- he's smiling, probably. the fireflies surrounding him shine, each one glowing brightly and flying erratically in front of him as he calmly watches them with each drag taken from his cigarette.
upon seeing the sight before you, you're awestruck. the moment you're witnessing is so painfully breathtaking that you don't know if you're dreaming or if it's real- until he turns around.
the moment he's turned around, you completely snap out of your daze. not wanting to be weird, you finally start walking towards him and smile, giving a small wave.
he gives you a small nod and looks back at the lake view. you're getting butterflies and just wanna pass out on the floor- the brief interaction knocking the wind out of you. you look down at your feet, trying to avoid looking at him for any longer, because you know you're going to be mesmerized.
it's almost like god set you up like this- why couldn't you meet him in a normal place, at a normal time and not when you're literally about to pass out from exhaustion and he's surrounded by literal fireflies?
that's when it hits you- you're still standing there like a complete idiot. not even a single step forward or backwards, just standing there, looking at your feet like the absolute buffoon you are. upon realising that fact, and not wanting to know if he's turned around again and noticed you being weird, you sharply turn around and speed walk off the mountain road.
taking step after step, you keep recalling the scene, and it's making your head hurt. you think it's just the exhaustion from hoeing all that dirt finally hitting you, and slap both of your cheeks in an attempt to ground yourself and remind yourself that you should be thinking about getting home and not passing out in the middle of the mountains instead of some smoker and a bunch of fireflies.
the slap doesn't help, obviously, but it serves as a reminder to you that the best idea is to sleep all the first day exhaustion off. you nod to yourself, thinking you're finally being smart about things as you navigate through a batch of grass you were too lazy to remove in the morning.
after getting past the batch with quite the bit of blades hitting your face, you finally see the light emanating through the small cabin you moved into earlier today, and you grin- a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. not only would you be getting a money reward soon for introducing yourself to all of the townsfolk, but you would also be getting some good night's rest in just a few minutes.
it doesn't take long for you to dash into the cabin, and pass out on the bed the moment you arrive, not even bothering to undo your hair or even take off your everyday clothes. all you want to do is sleep- but you find that you can't.
you let out a frustrated groan as you continue to toss and turn around the bed- how come you were tired all day, yet when you actually were able to sleep, you just couldn't? how's that any fair to you- at all? you just want to sleep, and forget-
forget that last guy you met. you press your face into your pillow and groan, angry at the poor guy who doesn't even know you for making you lose sleep.
that's when you realise, you don't know him either. you don't even know his name- you never caught it. you didn't even talk to the guy.
oh dear god. i'm so fucked.