~winter's bell~ || a harvest moon story

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──── cameron elliot.

Him? Lovely? Cam froze where he stood, his hammer mid-swing. He lowered it to his side and turned to face Máire. "Um... thanks."
Christ, why couldn't he just go for it? Cameron could almost feel the townsfolk pushing him on, or was that simply his own ego refusing to be bruised? He didn't know. He took a deep breath and fucking went for it.
"You're, uh... you're lovely too." He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. "I've always thought so."
Abort! Abort! Cam quickly returned to his task and hammered away at another nail. The project was coming along nicely -- another hour or so, and they'd be through.


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──── mary hernandez.

Mary had to chuckle at the car's stutter. She didn't think less of Sander because of his car -- if anything, it was endearing. It gave her something to smile about.
"So," said Mary once they'd finally passed the town limits. The surrounding familiarity of Winter's Bell faded away in favor of suburban living and long stretches of freeway. "How long are you in town for, Sander? It's not often that we get strangers around here, and they never stay long enough to take the teacher to the city. I'm sure we'd be happy to have you around if you wanted to stay longer?"


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──── soojin park.

A gift! It was the first thing anyone had brought Soojin since her arrival to Winter's Bell. Pastries were among her favorite things, so long as they weren't too sweet, and even so, she would not tell Isaac if she disliked it. The thought of his kindness warmed her lonely heart. "Oh, Mr. Becker," she chuckled shyly, accepting the box with a little smile. "Thank you. I will enjoy these very much."
Soojin turned and placed the box of delights on her desk for later. His misstep in speaking wasn't missed, but Soojin didn't think enough of herself to believe that she was the one causing him to stutter. "Now. Which patterns do you like? Stripes or plaid? Or maybe a solid color? Blue or green would be flattering on you, but a bright color would speak to your personality."
 
⚜ theodore ivankov ⚜

He'd hesitated, watching her gesture for him to follow her, but he'd supposed that he'd already sealed the deal. Perhaps it would do him some good to eat, anyways. Probably. Following behind her, the walk was short and, well... Silent. She didn't bother talking, so he didn't try to initiate any type of small talk. He didn't like that shit anyways, so the silence was nice, to be completely honest. He was socially awkward in the worst ways possible and any reason to stay quiet was a good enough reason for him. Soon enough, they'd arrived at the bakery. Theo had never been there before, mostly because he limited his scope to only going to the places he absolutely needed to go.

A woman, looking vaguely like Amber. Ah, her relative? Probably her mother, by the looks of it. He nodded at the greeting to acknowledge it, blinking when she'd rattled off some... Well, it sounded like german. He wasn't exactly an expert on such things, only being well versed in English and Russian. Turning his attention back to Amber, he noted that she was still smiling politely at him.

He could never understand that. Social niceties seemed so odd to him, always smiling and being courteous. She didn't even really know him. This was something he'd accepted that he'd never quite grasp though. "It's fine." he stated simply, following her gaze when she'd mentioned the breads and savories. Vague interest seeping into his expression, he scanned his eyes over the goods available, "You're correct. Anything sweet just tends to be too sweet for me." he replied, face still barely showing any emotion, as per usual.

"What would you recommend?"
 
Emrys Jernigan

For a moment he grew even more rigid as the female reached out for the bird on top of his head. Though he understood quickly enough that she probably needed some help in reaching to the top of his head. Mindfully Emrys bend his knees a bit, eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to avoid any sort of eye contact, or lingering for too long.

When that was done and over with Hua Jiang offered him her notebook, to which Emrys blushed once more embarrassed that she had to waste such precious paper on him. Nonetheless he needed it if he wanted to communicate and as such the male took it gratefully with both hands, quickly skipping to the place the librarian had indicated before he started to pen out his thoughts.

”I forgot to bring my own notebook, sorry about that. I don’t mind the bird, Pachibel(?). I’m glad she likes me.

He tried to take up as little space as he could in the notebook, writing everything in one long line and doing his best by making the spaces as small as he could as well as the size. Feeling his ears burn Emrys wondered if it was still eligible, but felt that it was already too late to start over. Glancing over at the female Emrys paused for a moment to give her a chance to read before he continued, skipping a line as he did so.

”I don’t know how to speak without my notebook, that’s why. I’m sorry, I know it is awkward. Thank you for letting me use yours.”

Sheepishly Emrys rose his brows at Hua Jiang as he rubbed the back of his head.

@PavellumPendulum

Sander Sudworth

Steering the car onto the highway Sander kept his eyes trained to the road, a little frown appearing on his face. Driving had changed a lot over the years, and Sander was always more than a little anxious about what rules had changed this time, or how rusty he had become now. Luckily Mary didn’t seem to mind, or to notice.

Though, perhaps that could also be considered unfortunate. Though expected the question still threw Sander off. Even after all this time and experience the man was still unable to answer the question smoothly. Now, driving the same level of unpreparedness bit him two times as hard.

“I… uuh,” he mumbled, first distracted as he scrambled for the attention to progress the meaning. “I hope for a while, the village is quite… interesting,” he spoke, earnestly, though still searching for his words.

Knowing that it wasn’t a very satisfying answer to the question Sander grimaced a little, relieved when he finally found the signs that led to the hospital, finding that it wasn’t going to be long anymore.

“How long have you been in town for, miss Mary?” the male returned the question.

@moffnat

Edith Gerhardt

Edith chuckled at Ruby’s exclamation, her eyes shifting between the dog and the owner. Remaining silent on her thought the blondine just crossed her arms, amusement written on her face as she observed some more.

“Same old, we get them, keep them for a bit and then sell them to hopefully a permanent and loving home,” Edith shrugged. Though she kept herself aloof there was a fondness in her demeanour. “I should come by again and visit your animals,” the female continued. Fairly said, it went for the whole village as they were the main business that provided the household with their pets and other necessities. A spiel she was not looking forward to, and she was sure the feeling was mutual for some others.

“I sold a kitten yesterday at the animal festival,” Edith scoffed, remembering the little incident. “I think I scared the new tailor,” she continued with a sigh. Why she suddenly felt the need to share the story to Ruby was beyond the female, but it had already rushed out of her. Recovering herself the female quickly shifted the attention.

“What about you? What was the festival yesterday like for you?”

@PavellumPendulum
 
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❀ hua jiang ❀
She kept notebooks in her purse, on her desk at work, at home... Pretty much anywhere. She liked to doodle and to jot down random thoughts, perhaps write out a tune or two for her violin when she particularly felt like it. Of course, she never really let people use such things, especially when she barely knew them, but out of her desire to have the other feel welcome, it seemed like a fair trade. He didn't take his time flipping to an empty page, so that was nice, at least. In all honesty, it was just embarrassing to imagine people staring at her tiny doodles of cats or clouds, or reading out her random thoughts. Regardless, she waited patiently for the other to finish writing, chewing on her lower lip subconsciously.

And then, she smiled.

It was perhaps the most genuine smile she'd had in the past while. The pure relief of knowing that that empty expression was not a testament to his disgust for her was absolutely wonderful. Now if only she could get the town doctor to explain his standoffish behavior to her... "It's no problem, you can use that as long as you're here today, I don't mind." she replied, waving off his apology, pausing before adding in a more enthusiastic manner, "Her name is Pachelbel, like the composer."

Hua was honestly a bit of a nerd when it came to classical music, but she'd spare him the other details. She was quite certain he hadn't come to the library to listen to her rattle off information about long dead composers anyways. He'd apologized again and she shook her head.

"It's perfectly fine. I'm happy to make accommodations for you!" she piped, though it came off a bit louder than she'd hoped, making her cheeks burn pink again. "Ah. Ahem. I'm, um, happy to help is all." she clarified, diverting her gaze for a brief second before managing to meet his eyes once more.

"Were you looking for anything in specific today?"
 
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☆ ruby rycroft ☆

She adjusted her shirt, still fidgeting, restless from being in the same spot for too long. Ruby had never been the type to stay still. That's why the farming life suited her so well; she was always busy, always with something new on her to-do list. Of course, her son Miles didn't have the exact same attitude, wanting to play on his ds more than pick apples all day, but they usually managed to make a compromise on the farm work. Regardless, Ruby grinned brightly when Edith mentioned coming over, practically jumping in place, "Yeah! You should do that right now! I'm sure they miss you, heh." she rambled, though pausing for an uncharacteristic brief silence, "Oh, right. You still have a meeting and stuff. Well, you should visit as soon as possible, because I have enough apple pie to keep you fed for the next couple years."

She watched the other with interest when she'd mentioned the new tailor, "Ah, right. I don't think I know her name yet. Seems quiet." she remarked, shrugging, "I'm sure she's nice." She'd seen the woman in passing but she was almost certain that the most they'd done was exchange quick hellos on the street.

"Mostly just ate anywhere there were sweets. Kept Amber real busy."
Ruby chuckled, shaking her head, "Miles' is gonna bleed me dry one of these days." Not that it was worth anything to complain. Despite her pouting, she'd always spoil Miles.
 
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Amber Becker


head baker & owner of becker's bakery






He didn’t seem to speak the language, that was a small relief at least. People seemed to be happy with the doc, even if he didn’t have the most comfortable bedside manner. That would be enough for the baker for now. The frown on Theodore’s face had softened as he looked over the savory offerings, Amber would count that as a win.


“Well, the pumpkin seed bread rolls are my personal favorite, they’re a mix of whole wheat and rye flour. The tomato and cheese are also pretty popular too, as are the three grain rolls if you’re looking for something a bit healthier,” The baker pointed out each of the breads as she mentioned them, “If you’re feeling like something a little bit different, I’ve still got some goats cheese and chili or spinach and feta parcels. The apple turnovers over here are more tart than sweet too,”


“All made here, all local ingredients when I can source them, a lot comes from Ruby Rycroft’s farm actually,” Amber noted, wondering briefly if Theodore even knew the farmer. “So, what do you fancy?”











Isaac Becker


owner & proprietor of the winter bell market





“Isaac, please. I usually only get called Mr Becker when I’m about to get into trouble” Isaac scanned the different patterns for ideas. He glanced up for a moment at Soojin, flashing her a grin. “Still, it doesn’t sound so bad when you say it.”


He nodded with her suggestions, mulling them over for a few moments. “Bright sounds good, solid too. My uncle used to wear striped aprons, still think the bakery has some knocking around for when family’s around. I want to try and avoid getting anyone confused between the two sets of Beckers, you know? D’you think a bright green is a bit cliché for a grocer?“


Isaac caught himself before he starting rambling too much. Soojin seemed to be on the quieter side, and he didn’t want to scare her off by nattering too much.









Máire O'Shea


owner of hogan's carpentry & joinery





Thanks. Máire hadn’t been expecting a reaction, but somehow that stung a little. She hid behind the door, taking a little longer than she needed to dismantle the hinges. Still, she guessed it was better than letting a small crush develop into anything deeper. Cam was a good friend, really the only she had in the town. She could be happy enough with that.


Tucking the door under her arm to lean up against the counter, she snuck another look at Cam, who’d stopped again, hesitating over something. Was his hand hurting him? Maybe she should have offered to take a look… When he finally spoke, the carpenter flushed pink. Ah, that was a little… unexpected. She smiled shyly at Cam, a hand running anxiously through her hair. He’d returned to his task, and so she turned to hers. Máire was not the best at reading people, but she thought she got Cam down okay. And if she was right, it was worth a try, right?

“Ah, I don’t suppose you’d like to come over for some dinner later? I’m not an amazing cook, mind. But it might be nice to catch up, no gossips in earshot.”




 
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⚜ theodore ivankov ⚜

Honestly, it would be good for him to actually eat something. He didn't eat very often, nor did he have the best cooking skills and the smell emanating from the goods on sale was actually quite tempting. He watched the baker as she pointed out his choices, but his interest seemed to latch onto the moment she said 'chili'. Ah, okay, he didn't need to hear anything else. To be honest, Theodore didn't care very much about food, but if he really had to categorize his tastes, spicy foods would probably be his favorite. He let her finish her sentence regardless, since he was a dick but not THAT kind of dick. She mentioned something about someone named Ruby, but, god, he couldn't attach names to faces. Even though the town was small, he had yet to familiarize himself with basically anyone who didn't visit the clinic often.

"... The goat cheese and chili parcel."
he stated, pausing momentarily, "I'll take five. I'm sure my grandfather would appreciate some." He was certain she was more acquainted with his grandfather, since he was far more friendly with the townsfolk than he was. Considering the fact that Mr. Ivankov Sr. had been practicing in Winter's Bell for a few decades now, it wasn't very surprising. Most called his grandfather Alexei rather than by his last name though, since he insisted.
 
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──── cameron elliot.

D-Dinner? Cam flushed at the thought. He adored Máire, truly he did, but the thought of taking it any further both excited and terrified him. The town would be bustling about it for weeks, he was certain, even if dinner went terribly. No one could keep their noses out of Cameron's love life. But looking into Máire's eyes, he found he couldn't refuse her, no matter how desperately his shy side wanted to. It was time to plunge head-first or move on, he supposed. There was no denying it.
"Yeah," he said with a smile. "Yeah, I'd like that. Six o'clock? That okay?"


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──── mary hernandez.

Mary let out a long, nervous sigh. "Oh, I've been here a while," she said, not giving specifics. "I really love Winter's Bell. It's kind of a sanctuary for me." She folded her hands in her lap. The moment Sander took the exit for the hospital, she closed her eyes to steel herself, then opened them. She could face this. It would all be okay.
"You don't have to come in with me if you don't want to," said Mary as Sander closed in on the hospital parking lot. "I'd understand. I can limp my way inside. It's no trouble."
In truth, Mary didn't want Sander to see her break down, if it happened. That would be the ultimate embarrassment. What better way to ensure he never came to Winter's Bell again?


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──── soojin park.

Soojin liked it when he babbled. She didn't particularly enjoy the silence she left in conversations; she just didn't know how to initiate and continue a topic. It was difficult for her. Isaac made it easier.
"Isaac, then." She smiled. "I don't think green is too bad. Why not try something that fits your personality more, though? A nice red?" She showed him a bright, daring red that would discern him and his employees from any crowd. Bold, much like Mr. Becker himself. "Though, I can make whichever you like. It's just a suggestion." She folded her hands humbly in front of her, hoping he hadn't taken offense.
 
Emrys Jernigan

It relieved Emrys knowing that Hua Jiang wasn’t judging him. From the way she smiled she even seemed relieved of sorts, as if all previous accounts and misunderstandings had been dispelled. In return the mute felt the corners of his own lips turn up, returning a more reserved smile back in grace. Perhaps his mother was right after all.

Giving the bird Pachelbel a look the male’s eyes widened a little, realising where the name came from. Interesting, letting his eyes fall over the librarian again Emrys nodded to signal he had understood; the thought of maybe exploring the classical music section coming up to his mind. It had been a while since he had last done that.

“Thank you.” He scribbled to her, flashing the notebook towards her so that Hua Jiang wouldn’t have to constantly bow her head. Flipping the book back again he continued to write, smoothing out the page before he was satisfied.

“I’m Emrys.” He showed her, lifting the notebook once more.

Edith Gerhardt

Edith chuckled at the farmer’s obvious excitement; bright as a child they would say within the Gerhardt household. In this case she didn’t think of it as a bad thing. Ruby would need all that energy to keep the farm running.

“Later today, after the meetings,” Edith promised, head turning over her shoulder as she realised that it was probably about time to resume the work. “We should have a pie eating contest in the village if you have so many,” she continued half joking, but also thinking that it would be nice for the village morale.

Despite all of her objections to the small place she was born in Edith still carried a heart for the people within.

“There are quite a few new faces in the village. It would be nice to get to know them better,” Edith continued to muse before tapping her arm. It really did sound like an idea.

Suddenly feeling a lot more motivated to resume the meeting Edith flashed Ruby another smile. “I should head back to work. Don’t let me keep you any longer,” she excused herself before giving the dog one last pet on its head.

Sander Sudworth

“Sanctuary, huh?” Sander repeated after Mary, eyes shifting over the road to look for an empty spot to park in. “Funny that you should mention that,” he thoughtlessly continued, before gasping happily at a good spot. Near the entrance, plenty of room for him to make errors. Pushing in the gas just a little Sander quickly steered into that direction.

“Nonsense,” the male hummed as Mary offered to go in alone. “I already brought you here, what is the little distance to the desk?” he continued, but did take note of her paling up. Was she scared of something or did the pain worsen? Unsure the male quickly stopped the engine of the car as he climbed out of his seat to help Mary out.

“I can stand outside of the treatment room?” He had no business with the actual specialists anyway, if Mary had any worries about that. Offering a hand to the female the male tried to give her an encouraging smile, hoping that it would settle her a little.
 
❀ hua jiang ❀
She'd have to remember that he mostly socialized via notebook. Hua typically brought one along with her most days for her doodles and whatnot, alongside painfully detailed to-do lists, thus she assumed it wouldn't be a problem if she ran into him notebookless again since she could supply him a page of her own. She nodded contentedly, curiously staring when he finally gave her his name. "Em..rys..?" she sounded out carefully, tilting her head a bit and tapping on her thigh with her fingers, thinking on the name briefly, "That's a pretty name. Sounds like it would be used in a fantasy novel or something." she giggled, before continuing, "I'm Hua. My brother Jin and I moved here a little while back, but I'm still getting to know everyone. I'm glad I could finally say something to you and introduce myself."

It was a relief, really. She was socially awkward in all the worst ways possible and she wasn't quite sure why. She'd never really had this much trouble in the past, interacting with people before she'd moved, but now that she was no longer a random face in the crowd, she supposed she was far more nervous attempting to make friends.

"If you need anything, please let me know."

And with that, she sat herself down at her desk once more, doodling away.