ROLEPLAY HQ - honest-work

TW: Violence, explicit content, adult content, possible mention of suicide/mental health

Pelican Town was a small coastal town of only a few dozen people. Peaceful and surrounded by nature, Jacob thought it would be the perfect place to start a new life. He had been working at a dead end job, no friends, no family left in this world and he needed a fresh start. The town was peaceful and welcoming but he had no job or home with limited savings. It hadn't taken him long before he was hired as a farmhand by an old man who insisted on being called Grampa and never given an actual name. His history was bare of experience with farming but Jacob had a willingness to learn and would work hard. He helped with the more physically demanding parts of the farm for a portion of the profits and a small cabin in the corner of the farm. All good things had to end eventually though. After a couple years Grampa only grew more feeble and knew he didn't have long. The old man told him he was sending a letter with the deed to the farm to his granddaughter who he hadn't seen in a long time. Jacob was sad not only because he knew he would soon lose a friend but he would have to start over again. Grampa had reassured him though giving him a contract that allowed him to keep his job and cabin as long as he continued to help his granddaughter, the old man had passed away later that night. That was a couple years ago now and Jacob was still alone on his farm. He kept a small plot for vegetables behind his home with a couple chickens but nothing compared to what it had once been. He did his best to keep the land clear but he couldn't manage the large crop plots on his own and they eventually withered and we're overrun by the earth. Maybe that would change soon though.

@Nakachu

How had her life come to this? How had she let it come this far? These were the questions that Amelia asked herself each and every day. Each time that she clocked into this stupid corporate job that got her stuck in a cubicle space of 10 by 10 feet with nobody to entertain her but herself. By the time she was done working she was exhausted, going home to a small apartment that she could barely afford and just collapsed into her bed. The next day.. it all started over again. She was sick of it.. tired of it. She had dreams once, big dreams even. Yet they had all fallen apart, none had worked out for her. And so she had come to that path once more. Sitting on the edge of her bed with that envelope in her hands. She had touched it so much that the edges of it had gone dark from the grease of her hands. The paper crinkled and not crisp anymore like it had once been when she had gotten it. If you ever feel lost, open this. It had been her grandfather’s last words to her. Written on a piece of paper that had come with it. So many times over the past three years had she held it in her hands but had simply been too afraid to actually open it. What if it was not the magical solution that she had hoped for? But today was the day. She was done, truly lost. It was time. With one last deep breath she ripped the envelope open and pulled out the context, letting her eyes take in every single word.

If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong.

Behind that handwritten letter was the deed to a farm and a plot in a place called Pelican Town. A quick google search gave her information about it. It was small, only a hundred or so people living in it. Rural and not close to anything else. She bit down on her lip. Was she going to do this? Was this the change

09:23

that she had been hoping for? Her miracle solution… ——————————— Only a week later she stepped off the bus in that very place, Pelican Town. After confirming with a lawyer that the deed was what it had seemed, she had quit her job, canceled her lease and packed up her things. Moving almost a thousand miles from where she had once lived with nothing to her name but a couple hundred dollars. Even now her heart was beating a million miles an hour, unable to believe she had taken this drastic step in her life. Taking out her phone she once more looked at where she would need to go, pulling two big suitcases behind her. Her light blond hair waving in the wind as the sun made it appear even more golden than it was. “Just a small walk to the west..” she said to herself before turning that way and walking down the dirt road that led down there. When she got there she couldn’t help but feel her heart sink in her chest. It was nothing like what she had expected.. The gate to the property seems intact but everything else? The land was overrun by weeds and rocks and trees. It was like nobody had been here for.. She stopped herself in the middle of that thought, chuckling at her own stupidity. Ever since grandpa died.. she finished her thought. “Maybe the house is better..” She prayed as she dragged her things towards the small farmhouse on the property.

09:24

@Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob had been in one of the fields working on clearing debris. It had been a cold winter and he hadn't gotten nearly as much done as he would have liked. It was early spring now though and perfect weather to get stuff done. Although he didn't think the farm would ever be as good as it once was he did his best to keep it clear. Unfortunately his best wasn't enough on this large plot, not on his own. Picking up as much wood as he could manage Jacob began his walk back to the house that had been abandoned for years to deposit it in the wood stack. The old man insisted on keeping his fireplace going through most seasons so he tried to keep a steady supply there. Of course he used the wood himself since Grampa was gone but some habits were hard to break. As he rounded the corner of the house he saw a figure walking that way. He couldn't make out details from here, just seeing a femine physique and blonde hair. Maybe it's Haley? He thought although she had only ever been by a couple times to take photographs of the area. It wasn't uncommon for townsfolk to come through, usually to check up on him if he hadn't been in for a while. They used to come more often when the farm was up and running but those days were long gone and he hadn't ever got to know most of the townsfolk well anyway. That was when Jacob saw the bags the woman was carrying and he knew it wasn't Haley who he had never seen carry more than a purse. A bit confused Jacob deposited the wood and approached the figure. As he got closer he knew it wasn't someone he had met before, it was a small town and even if he didn't have friends there he knew their faces although it could be a new person restarting life the way he had.

10:05

"Can I help you?" Jacob asked the woman as he removed the thick work gloves he wore whenever he did work around the farm. He was a taller man and had always been on the slender side although the hard work of farm life had helped him tone his body. He had shaggy brown hair slightly matted against his forehead from sweat. His clothes, a simple white tee and some old faded work jeans were covered in dirt and debris but he hadn't been expecting company. He offered the best smile he could but he wasn't used to interacting with people much anymore to the point where he sometimes went days without speaking. This whole situation was a bit perplexing to him honestly.

@Nakachu

She had been so caught up in taking in the look of that farmhouse that she had not even heard him come up to her. She recognized the house from when she had been young, visiting the place with her parents. But it had been years since then. Only small memories left in the back of her mind, ones that didn’t match with the image of the overgrown farm she had found. “Can I help you?” She instantly turned around with a soft gasp and her hand grasping at her heart. “J-jeez..!” She breathed out. “You scared me..” she said chuckling softly at herself s sh tried to collect herself back together. Her hand coming up to swipe a part of her blond hair behind her ear as she met the eyes of the person in front of her. Amelia herself was small, her body showing that she came from a corporate job with little muscles to speak off. Her skin pale and fair from being inside all the time, small freckles playing on her cheeks despite her fair complexion. But above all it was usually her eyes that caught peoples eyes. Bright blue like sapphire’s they stared directly into your soul if you were not careful. She was still wearing her usual clothing style. With blue jeans and a sweater over top of it that as tugged into the high-waisted pants. She opened her mouth figuring she should say what she came to do there, but felt unsure of what to actually say. So instead she reached into her bag and took out the deed to the farm. “I uhmm.. I came for the property?” She said a little unsure. “It used to belong to my grandfather and he gave me a letter for if I ever felt like I neede…” she stopped herself chuckling again at her own stupidity. He didn’t need to know all that. “I was not expected someone to be here.” She admitted. @Triceratops&Bottoms

The woman's sudden act of surprise caught him off guard and he jumped slightly himself. He hadn't meant to scare her but apparently he had. Jacob listened to her ramble but stared at the worn envelope as she spoke. He remembered that envelope, faintly anyway. Gently he took it and opened it up looking at the contents. It was the same letter, it had been much longer since he had seen it then he had planned but it was the same. "My name is Jacob." He said offering her his hands. His hands were tough and calloused but not unpleasantly so since he always worn his gloves while working. "I'm guessing your Amelia? You're grandfather talked about you from time to time." He told her his smile fading as he remembered his old friend who helped him start a new life. "I was a farmhand the last couple years for your grandfather and told me he expected you to come eventually." Although I doubt this long he thought but not at all bitter. " He wanted me to help you around here and teach you how to run a farm...and work it." "Let me take one of those for you." He insisted taking one of the bags." He made sure atleast once a week to clean the small house, partially to make sure it was good for her arrival and also out of respect for Gramps. It was small though, a single full room as well as a small room with a shower. "I'll warn you now, it's not a big house but it is clean. Also there's no stove." He added remembering how much it had surprised him. @Nakachu

She would watch him take the envelope and bite her lip almost nervously. What if he did not believe her? What if he had already taken up into this house? After all.. what else was he doing here on the property? Was she surprised if he property belonged to someone else? Perhaps a small bit, but in the same way it had been three years since her grandfather passed away. For a small moment she felt herself panic. What if she had given up her job and lease for nothing? But the he just seemed to smile up at her and introduce himself. She would take his hands, her own soft and smooth with no callus build up at all, a stark contrast to his. She had been about to say her name when he said it fist. She could not help her eyebrows coming together in a questioning look. “How did you..?” But he already continued his sentence. Her grandfather huh.. it made her smile knowing he had spoken about her to anyone enough for someone to remember her name. “A farmhand?” She asked him. She guessed that also made sense. Her grandfather had been old, managing the entire plot all by himself. There were so many questions running through her mind in that moment, not finding a way to get them all out. He soon took one of her suitcases and would help her towards the farmhouse. Coming up to those familiar steps was almost heartbreaking. So many memories flooding her mind. He would go first, opening the door with a key from his pocket and let her inside. The inside of the house was cosy and small. A carpet on the floor, the hearth in the back. One single person bed. A very well cared for potted plant. A big old school television and finally a wooden desk and chair. She put her suitcase to the side and just took it in. The inside was clean and and even smelled nice, the bed made up as well. After she had looked around the room she turned back towards Jacob. “Sorry.. this is all just a lot to take in.” She said with a nervous chuckle from her lips. “The last time I was here I was.. fourteen may

20:51

be.” She reminisced. “Looking back I should have visited so much more, especially in those last years.” She took a deep breath, not wanting to get to emotional and steeled herself together. “So you live on the property as well?” She asked him then. “Why did you stay after grampa died?” She asked him, unsure of why he would. “You say that he wanted you to help me and teach me.. but what if I never came?” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob was naturally a patient person and after adopting the farmer lifestyle that only became more so. He didn't mind the wait as she looked around the house, although there wasn't much to see but he could imagine that she was reliving old memories. "Gramps was old but he understood, I don't think he would want you beating yourself up over it." Jacob told her as he sat down the bag he carried. Moving to the window in the back Jacob pointed out of it to another small cabin about 15 meters back. "Your grandfather gave me a cabin back there, so you can relax that we're not sharing this one. Just a warning to you though, I would change in the room with the shower. I won't be just staring into here through the windows but it's a small building and most of it can be seen through them." Lifting his fingers to his chin he took a moment to think where she could get some curtains in town. "If you talk to Emily in town she could get you some curtains, your grandfather just never bothered with them for some reason." "Pelican Town was my second chance at life. Even without your grandfather I prefer it here and although farm life can be difficult on your own it was better than the alternative." He shrugged his shoulders before putting his hands in his back pockets. "Honestly if you hadn't come I would have just kept doing what I was doing. The farm would have eventually began to look worse and worse, but I would have made it through." That was when he realized what the farm must have looked like when she arrived. Awkwardly he rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "Unfortunately you got here at both the best and worst time. With winter just ending there's a lot of clean up that needs done that stockpiles during the winter, that's what I was working on when you arrived. It also means thought that it's time to do some planting. If you want I can give you a small tour, I don't know how much you remember from when you were here last." @Nakachu

She could not help but give him the slightest of blushes as he said that he could probably easily look into cabin. “Thanks for the heads up..” she said before walking over. “But perhaps I can just ask someone to make me some curtains.” She suggested. The walls were made of wood so getting some screws in it should not be hard, she just needed to get fabric somewhere. And it seemed he had the same idea as he instantly made that suggestion. “Emily.. alright. I will go and talk to her tomorrow if I can.” She said with a smile to Jacob. As he continued to explain about his life on the farm she would look back over to him. She could not help the curiosity that brewed inside her as he talked about the ‘alternative’, but she forced herself to refrain from asking about it. Instead she gave him a smile. “I am hoping it will be the same for me.” She smiled at him. “Like Grampa said.. I felt lost. I needed a new start, so I took my chances and came here.” She rubbed her hand over the wooden wall, like it would matter in some way. “He always spoke how this place had been his safe haven. How it had saved him and he had not known true happiness till he came here. I am just.. hoping the same will be true for me.” “Well.. then we will clean up together!” She said decidedly. “I am not strong and I will probably be a complete hassle to you, but I will try and do my best.” A smile on her face. “And I would love a tour of the town. But perhaps that can wait till tomorrow? It is already afternoon and I am honestly very tired from traveling.” She admitted. “And hungry..” she said, looking around. “How did Grampa even cook food here?” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob watched her reminisce before she suddenly became determined. He had to bite his lip because the sudden change in demeanor as well as her words made him feel like bursting out laughing. "Well I meant more a tour of the farm, the town doesn't have a lot to it though so I suppose it wouldn't be hard to do both." Honestly he didn't spend much time in town, normally only during holidays or when he needed to pick up supplies. It wasn't that he disliked anyone in the town, he was just busy and didn't always know how to interact with people. Jacob walked back to the door and paused waiting for her. "There's a fire pit between the cabins, and a pot and pan. Nothing special but it will get the job done. If you wait I can fry you an egg and turnip." He offered. Eggs and veggies made up most of Jacobs meals, he would go and fish as well but it was usually quicker to just get an egg from the small coop and some veggies from the garden. "Why don't you unpack and I'll make you something to eat." Jacob headed back outside and headed towards his cabin. The chickens began to click at him as he drew near but he liked their excited calls. He pulled the singular egg that had been laid that night and took it before heading inside and grabbing the last couple turnips he had. He washed them and sliced them up putting them in a bowl before heading to the fire pit. It didn't take him long to start the fire and as he sat on a log he enjoyed the warmth, a pleasant contrast to the cool spring air. He took a deep breath taking in the fresh air before grabbing the cast iron skillet and putting it over the fire. Today was a strange day but it was exciting, who knew where the road could go from here. When the pan was hot Jacob cracked the egg and threw in the turnips wondering if she was going to join him out here. @Nakachu

She would smile at him. “Thank you, I appreciate that.” She said to him before he left the cabin. It was only then that she noticed the cluckle of the chickens. She looked out through that small window and couldn’t help the gentle smile on her face as she saw him gather an egg. It was so strange.. so different from what she was used to. It was a welcome change though and even if she was till worried about what her time here would actually mean.. in the very least she was doing something about her life to change. She did as he said and started to unpack her things, though there was not that much space to actually put things. She dedicated one corner to a make-shift closet by stacking her suitcases. Her other things she would spread around the room as decorations to make it into her own little home. Including a picture of her Grandfather that was placed on the table. Only then did she stretch and walk outside again where she would find Jacob already working on the food that he had offered. The fire gave off a nice heat and the log that was sideways beside it was a nice thing as the sun was slowly starting to come down. Winter had only just ended and the days were not that long yet, so she knew that she had to make the best of it while she could. “Hey.” She said to him as she took a seat next to him, keeping a small bit of distance between them. Now that she was behind the actual farmhouse she took in that small space he had seemed to have claimed for himself. A smal patch with different vegetables, a small chicken coop with some chickens and a few other things that made it his. It was cosy and nice.. enough to keep one person fed and happy. “Nice place you got here.” She chuckled at him. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob had been distracted, lost in thought when she was suddenly sitting next to him. "Oh, hi." He said as he looked up from the pan. "I'm guessing you got yourself all settled in?" He asked before stirring the contents of the skillet. "This will be done in a couple minutes. It's nothing fancy but it's warm." "One of the hardest things to adjust to out here was only having salt and pepper for seasoning." He mentioned off handedly as he turned to look at her once more. "There's a lot of things to get used to out here, but I hope you like it." As the sun was slowly starting to fall he was glad for the fire but he wished he had gotten more accomplished today. He would need to work extra hard tomorrow to make up for it. A moment later the food was done and he refocused. He had always been scolded for his inability to focus sometimes but that didn't usually matter out here, getting sidetracked could be annoying but it never caused him trouble. He grabbed the handle of the skillet and lifted it, moving it to a stump near her that he often used as a table. "You probably need a fork huh?" He asked after having forgotten one. "I can be a bit spacey sometimes, too much time on my I own I suppose." He mentioned offhandedly before offering her the utensil. @Nakachu

“Uhmm.. mostly.” She said. “I am going to need to see if someone can make me a wardrobe for my things. Is there a carpenter in town?” Surely there would be, she remembered one being around back in the old day. Besides.. in a small secluded town like this it would be strange to go without it. She would wait for the food to be finished and for him to move the hot skillet to the stump before he suddenly turned and mentioned that she would probably need a fork. “Probably yeah.” She said with a soft smile. “You have an extra?” As he offered it to her she would take it and wonder if they were just going to eat out of the skillet. But she didn’t have long to wonder about that before he mentioned how he spend so much time on his own. A bit of a strange feeling filling her gut as he said that. “You don’t.. mind me being here do you?” She asked then. “I would hate to feel like I am interrupting you..” she said as she turned her eyes down. “I would imagine that is quite a change after three years that you were probably not expecting.” @Triceratops&Bottoms

"Robin still lives out back that way." He told her pointing behind him in the general direction of her home. "Shes a nice woman but I should probably warn you she really likes puns. Despite that though she is a good woman and I'm sure she would love to help you." "Oh yeah there's more in the cabin I just only brought the one out here. I ate not long before you got here so this is all yours. "There's also plates if you need them but I thought I would save the dish. I hadn't exactly been expecting anyone to be here today so it caught me off guard and I wasn't prepared." He realized he was starting to ramble and stopped talking. Jacob looked shocked for a moment when she asked if he was upset about her arrival. "No not at all, I was just caught off guard. Ive been alone out here for years so sometimes I'm just bad at socializing. Besides this is your home, an I do hope that you grow to love it.... although it is a bit messy at the moment." He admitted as he looked around. "But I'm sure we can fix that." @Nakachu

“Pfft. Surely I can handle some puns!” She chuckled at him. “I used to work in a corporate office, we did nothing but tell puns there.” Not entirely a lie. There had been people there who were so out of their minds that they thought that a simple punny joke could safe the day. How wrong they had been.. it lightened the day for maybe one minute until your break was over or your next phone call came in. “I didn’t know I should have notified anyone. I was expected the farm to just.. be here.” Saying that out loud made her realize how dumb that sounded. “I guess I didn’t really think this whole life changing event through huh?” Had she been right to come all this way? What if she had been wrong? The doubt thick in her mind. In the meantime she got to the edge of the stump and would start to pick piece of egg and turnip from the skillet. It was beautifully cooked and tasted amazing. The right amount of seasoning to it as well. “Hmm.. ooh that’s good.” She said to him. “I didn’t know turnips could have that much flavor.” She said honestly. There was so much taste to them that she had never had before. She guessed that was the difference between home grown and store bought that people talked about. “It doesn’t really feel like my home yet.” She admitted. “I am glad though, that you don’t mind me being here.” She said with a smile to him. She looked around the farm again. Even in the dying light she could see the mess that the farm was. What had she started with? Why had she expected this to be easy and simple? At least she had help. She should be happy about that right? “I don’t even know where to start.. Why did Grampa think I was cut out for this?” @Triceratops&Bottoms

"It's just some salt and pepper." He said a bit embarrassed not used to praise of any sort. "If anything it's just the natural flavor of having it fresh instead of from a supermarket. When I moved out here that was the part that really surprised me. I had moved here in spring but didn't start out here until Summer. Gramps had been growing melons and when they were done they were so sweet and juice it reassured me I made the right decision." He thought back to that night where him and the old man sat around a fire like this and shared the first one of the harvest and he smiled sadly. "Mind it? Honestly there's no where I would rather be. I won't lie it can be hard work, but it's honest work, and it's rewarding." The doubt that she showed a moment later caught him off guard though. He smiled at her before continuing "Don't worry about it, if he didn't think you could he wouldn't have sent you the letter. Besides I'll do my best to help as well." He took a moment to think. "You know if not knowing where to begin worries you why don't we make a list? I have paper and pens in my cabin I could grab." He pulled a metal rod from beside him and prodded at the fire causing a sprays of sparks to fly up torwards the darkening sky. @Nakachu

She couldn’t help but look at him to the side of her. He was so sweet and gentle with her so far and she admired him for that. For her having simply barged in, showing up with all her belonging in two suitcases without notice, he was taking this surprisingly well. She appreciated that, making her feel more welcome on this piece of land that now somehow was hers. Well.. had been hers for three years, she had just not known that yet. “What if he was wrong though?” She said, that doubt still pitting in her stomach. Yet he was ready to give up on her and as he talked about the pen and paper she looked up at him with a bit of surprise. “That.. would actually be really helpful.” She told him. “Yeah, I would like that.” Popping another bit of turnip in her mouth. @Triceratops&Bottoms

"Give me just a moment then, I'll be right back." He told her before rising from the stump. He took a few steps before pausing. "Oh by the way, there's a shared outhouse over there." He told her without turning back but pointing at the small wooden building. Toilet talk especially with someone he didn't know was a bit awkward and he couldn't look at her while talking about it. He wasn't sure if it had been there the last time she was here though so he needed to make it known. Uncomfortably he started walking back to his cabin. Rummaging through one of his drawers he struggled to find a notepad. There was plenty of paper in there but it was different styles for artistic purposes, sketchbooks and watercolor paper filled the cubby but eventually he found a small yellow notepad. He pulled it out opening it to make sure there wasn't anything embarrassing on it before grabbing a pen from his desk. A moment later he was leaving his cabin again. He hadn't been gone for long but the sun had almost fully dropped by now. Sitting back down beside her he held out the pen and pad for her to take. "First thing on the list though is watering the crops and taking care of the animals. Anything else can be done at any other point in the day but we don't want the crops to dry out or the animals to be hungry. Admittedly all we have is a few chickens though, I have a small coop behind my place. Honestly other than that though it doesn't really matter." He said shrugging and looking up at her. It had been a long time since he really talked to anyone and it was nice to see another person's face but he still felt a bit awkward with eye contact after so long. @Nakachu

An outhouse!? She looked over her shoulder to where he was pointing and she could not help cursing under her breath a small bit. She had hoped there was just going to be a toilet in the shower.. she guessed not. Probably because of a lack of a real sewage system in the actual house. Still that sucked.. and she said nothing about it to him. She would just need to figure out how to not pee during the night.. She had finished eating by the time he made it back to her and she would take the pad and pen from him. Clicking the pen open she would put the end of it close to the paper as she looked at him expectantly. She almost wanted to give him a small bit of a side eye. Water the crops? That was his big advice. But she didn’t say it out loud, not wanting to offend him. “Alright. Water the crops, feed the chickens.” She wrote down on the notepad. “What if I wanted to expand the fields and plant more crops?” She asked him. The goal was to make a living out here and she didn’t even have that much money to her name. If she could buy some seeds and nurse those into crops to sell that would give her more to work with. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob froze because she had a good point. "Yeah, yeah that's a good point. I guess that first one should have an asterisk next to it for when youre planning on doing more planting. They don't grow everyday though so it would probably be a while before you're planting something everyday. " Sighing he took a deep breath. "I've never actually made a list trying to do things in order. I've always just made sure what I have is taken care of and then when planting comes around. Just remember this is your farm though, if you find a way you prefer we can absolutely do it that way." After a moment he paused. "Actually maybe we should start with what you already know. Mentioning watering the crops probably was silly but I don't know how much you know. When it comes down to it I'm more of a worker and not a thinker." Jacob was aware of his short comings and while he wasn't dumb by any means he accepted there were plenty of people more intelligent than he was. "Speaking of seeds did you happen to pass Pierre's? He offers the cheapest seeds at his general store but you can get them from Joja Mart if you really need to." @Nakachu

“I think I am fine with just.. following your lead on this one.” She chuckled at him as she stared at the fire for a small bit. “I once tried to grow some herbs in my apartment.. One of those store bought plants. Yeah, took me less then two weeks to kill it.” She chuckled at him. “So, please, teach me. This might be my farm.” God that still felt weird to say. “But if you leave this up to me I doubt good things are going to happen. You will end up with a farm full of weeds and dead things.” She smiled at him, letting her feet move a little bit underneath her. “Uhmm. I didn’t pass Pierre’s, but I think I remember the store from back in the days.” She mentioned. “I will run by tomorrow and go and grab some. Which should I get you think?” She asked him, wanting his input. She only had so much money to her name, but even she knew she would need to invest in the farm in order to get it in working order. Spend money to make money.. that was the goal here. “I think about there would be nice to start a small field. It should have sun most of the day and it’s far enough from your own plots to not get them confused together.” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob snorted as he held back a laugh at her apparently not having a green thumb but deciding to become a farmer. "Alright, alright, we will put some green on your thumb. At least the plant you killed wasn't plastic right?" He leaned back a bit and thought about the seeds. "Well there's some funds left over for seeds so I wouldn't worry much about that. Your grampa always told.me to put away money each time we sold to be able to buy more seeds. I've been doing that even after he passed so there's some money to go for it." Taking a moment to think about the seeds he stopped and looked at the fire. He had already planned on what seeds to get before but that was just when it was him, now he might need to change some things. "Well with there being two of us I think we should get a mix. Potatoes take a bit longer but they sell well and the same for califlower. We can also do some strawberries and blue berries for something sweet." They only had so much useable land right now so they would need to plan well. "Also parsnips and garlic will be faster to give us produce while we're waiting on the stuff that takes longer." He stopped for a moment to think if there was anything that he was missing. "I think that's about it." @Nakachu

“Strawberries?” She said her face lighting up a bit out of nowhere. “We can grow those? Really?” It might be her innocence speaking there, the fact that she grew up in a city far away from any land like this, but to her being able to grow such a wonderful fruit was just impressive and beautiful. “Then yes, yes I would love to grow some strawberries. And anything else that you think will work.” She said to him in an almost excited way. “Just consider me your farmhand, at least for this first season. I have a lot to learn.” She admitted to him with a chuckle. She would smile at him then, stretching herself out with a yawn. It had been a long day and being cosy by the fire was starting to get her a little bit tired. But she was excited about tomorrow. Already she was starting to understand the beauty of this place, understand why her Grampa had been telling her to go here and left the farm to her. It was going to be a big change, but hopefully it would be well worth it. @Triceratops&Bottoms

"Y-yes we can grow strawberries." He said not expecting her to grow so excited about them. "Honestly most fruit is a good option at least for selling. I wouldn't recommend just growing that though since only eating fruit wouldn't be good for us." He paused and took a moment just thinking of where would be best to grow them. "They'll take a bit into the season to grow but after that they'll produce frequently enough." Until she yawned he didn't realize how tired he was, he was used to waking up early at dawn but it was still tiring work and being around another person again for the first time in forever was draining. He yawned as well before pulling the pail out from beside his stump to douse the fire. "I don't know how heavy of a sleeper you are but the rooster is a bit loud. I'm going to go ahead and turn in for the night. It was nice to meet you, I'll see you on the morrow." He put out the fire before taking the pail and setting it by the well near his cabin. "Goodnight." He called before going inside for the night. When Jacob got inside he moved to his fireplace where a picture of Grampa sat on the mantle. He looked at it for a moment before going to the kitchen area. Taking out a glass he filled it up and drank it repeating the process a couple times over. His garden hadn't started bearing harvest yet and that egg and parsnips was going to be his dinner for the day, hopefully the water would fill his belly enough to stop the growling. Putting the glass aside he moved to his bed and stripped down and went to the shower taking a quick moment to clean up before pulling on a clean pair of boxers. All in all it had been a good day and he hoped it would only get better. As he crawled in bed his mind danced around different ideas for the farm and possible layouts until he eventually fell asleep.

@Nakachu

“Hmm, yeah that might be a good call.” She smiled at him. It had bee such a long day and even if it was perhaps not that late yet, she would need her sleep. Tomorrow her new life started for real and she was not sure if she was happy about that or just straight up nervous. She knew that she should be happy with Jacob by her side, but at the same time she was nervous to disappoint him. Over the last few years she had developed a small bit of an anxiety for that. Working for a corporate business where even a minute longer breaktime would land you in your bosses office. “I will see you in the morning Jacob, good night.” She would wave at him with a smile before going back into her own little farm house. Once inside she got undressed and put her pyjama on before remembering she should go and use the outhouse. So she hopped out and went on her tippytoes there, hoping to not run into Jacob. Lucky she didn’t. Once back she put a little bit more fire in the fireplace to keep her warm during the night and the finally tucked in. She slept deep and dreamless, her body truly accepting the rest that it needed after that day. She didn’t wake at all until the rooster started it’s morning song. She grumbled to herself and pulled a pillow over her head. “Hnng…” she complained. She was hoping to go back to sleep, but that same rooster soon went again. Opening her eyes made her realize that she needed the toilet. So she got up from her bed, slipped on a bathrobe and her shoes and made her way outside to the outhouse. @Triceratops&Bottoms

After years of waking up at dawn Jacobs internal clock was set for him to wake up himself. By the time the rooster called for the first time he was already out of bed and dressed leaving the cabin. He doubted that Amelia would be ready anytime soon with it being her first morning here and remembering how hard it was for him to adjust at first. He made his way to his plot and let out his chicken and tossed them some feed before watering his crops before he heard a cabin door close. He came from around his cabin to see her in a bathrobe and slippers and snorted trying to keep from laughing at her. "You know it doesn't matter so much what you wear but I wouldn't recommend a bathrobe and slippers." He teased as he continued out to the area he had been working on clearing the last few days. The spot was decent sized and if they got it done soon they could probably start planting today. The patch wasn't the largest but it would be a decent start for them and together they should be able to clear more for extra space. Taking a moment he looked at the area deciding where to start before he went grab the wheelbarrow. He moved it close to the patch and started loading it up with stones. @Nakachu

She in return could not help the small squeel when he was suddenly there. She pouted lightly, puffing up her cheeks as she closed that bathrobe closer around her. “I needed to pee..” she complained softly as she gave him a small bit of a scowl. Perhaps she was not that much a morning person, but she was sure she would eventually get used to it. She stepped beside him and went into that outhouse. She was happy to hear he had moved on, not wanting him to listen to her take her bathroom break. The outhouse was weird, but she was sure she would get used it it. She soon made it out again and stopped to watch him work. He was already working so hard and she was barely even waking up. It made her almost feel guilty about it. “Are you always up this early?” She asked. “No.. wait, don’t even answer that.” She said almost instantly after. “I am just.. going to get dressed and I will be right out to help, okay?” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob stopped for a moment hearing her ask him a question, he had momentarily forgot she was there and it took him by surprise. "What? Oh!" It took him a moment to process what she had said. "I mean, not everyday. If it's raining hard I'll sleep in a bit." He said sheepishly before she left. He went back to work picking stones and throwing them in the wheelbarrow. Admittedly this was his least favorite chore but it needed to be done. When the wheelbarrow was full he went to move it taking it to the back of the farm where he had a pit for stones. Dumping the wheelbarrow he pushed it next to the shed and went back to he patch finding somewhere to sit and take a break while he waited for her return. The patch looked better already and as long as she could do an okay job they should be able to get it planted today. @Nakachu

Getting back to the cabin she would quickly wash her face and armpits with a washcloth in her small shower area and get herself out of her bathrobe and nightgown. She got dressed in some clothes that she had gotten especially to work on the farm. A thin cotton pants and a white black long sleeve shirt with a denim overall over it that she didn’t mind getting all dirty. Last she had bought some gloves, figuring that would help her garden a little bit. She might not have a lot of knowledge about farming, but she was not dumb enough to come unprepared. Last but not least was a pair of sturdy shoes. When she came out her blond hair was tied in a ponytail to the back of her and she looked ready to work, even if her outfit was way to spotless to belong to a farmer. She found him taking a break right at that point and she just walked up to him. “So.. I am ready! Slave me around. Consider me your worker today.” She smiled at him. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob looked up at hearing the door open and close. She had now changed out of the bedwear he had seen her in earlier and the new outfit looked much better suited for working. "You certainly look ready." He said with a smile trying to seem chipper. He was by no means in a bad mood he just hated picking stones. "I figured we could work a bit and then head to town and have lunch and pick up what we need." Standing up Jacob wiped off the back of his jeans and looked around the clearing. "So I already went through and picked the rocks from here but we still have plenty to do. We need to collect any branches or sticks through here and add them to the wood pile. And then I can show you how to use a scythe to cut out all these weeds and pull anything we couldn't get with it. If you see any stones I missed you can just put them in that wheelbarrow and I can show you where we dump them. Then we can till the area and be ready to plant. If we work hard we can probably have the patch done and planted today and eventually have some good food." He walked over to her and offered his hand to shake with a warm smile stretched across his face. "Sound like a plan?" @Nakachu

“Sounds good to me!” She said filled with confidence and energy from her long nights sleep. She was sure that that confidence would soon come to bite her in the ass as soon as they got started and she needed to help him with manual labour. She had had an office job for a good while after all. She stretched her arms and her back with a bit of a satisfied hum and would follow him to where he needed her. “So branches first.” She said to herself and pulled up her sleeves. She walked over to the first batch and would bend over at the waist to gather some in her arm and start to move them towards the woodpile. Her arms plenty full as she got back up. “So these go over there, right?” She asked to confirm him before walking towards the side of the house where she had seen the rest of them. “Do you want this whole area cleared?” She asked as she looked around. It looked like an absolute mess to her, but perhaps it looked less like it to him. And he thought they would be done in time for lunch? Jeez.. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob gave her a thumbs up glad to see she was putting in effort. He didn't know her but he had worried before that whoever came would give it a minimal effort and nothing would come from it. This was a surprise he was happy for however as it made it come along much faster. After a few trips the wood was already clear. After dropping off his last load he took a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. Looking around the patch he saw it was coming along well and they were making great time. "I know you aren't used to seeing it but this is actually going really well." He said with a smile trying to encourage her. He knew how hard it was starting off but she was doing a great job and he wanted her to know. "I'm going to go get the scythe and clear the area and then we just have to loosen the soil with the hoes. We should be done with the hard stuff soon and then get to do the fun part, planting." @Nakachu

Hard work was an understatement. Jacob might be sweating but Amelia was just straight up exhausted by the end of it. She had not done this much physical work in a very long time and even after just a half hour of hauling around stick she was starting to feel it. Her overalls starting to get dirty and even her face having a few swipes of dirt on it from wiping down the sweat. Yet she refused to give up on it. She was going to do her part no matter what! So she kept going even after her body started to complain. Only stopping a few times to get some water into her body. By the time he called it done for the picking up and said they would get to the scythe instead she just leaned herself against a tree. She couldn’t help the soft groan that escaped her mouth as he told her that the hard part was not even over yet. “How do you do this every day..” she said to him, her face still red and sweat beading at her forehead. “I feel like I could sleep for eight hours again already.” She chuckled, not wanting to sound like she was complaining to hard. @VampirateYumYum#5365

@Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob couldn't help the laugh that came from him at her question, a bright sunny sound. He hoped she wouldn't be offended by his laughing because it wasn't directed at her. A moment later he caught himself anough to speak. "I don't do this everyday, that would be miserable." He waved his hand over the patch they had been working on. "I only ever do this when it comes time to plant, normally just the beginning of spring at that or if I need to expand it and not usually one this big. Honestly this is the worst part of it and you've been doing great." He moved to the tree where she stood and sat down on the dirt. "Why don't we just take a breather? You really have done great and I think we've earned it. I can go grab the scythe later and show you." He pulled his canteen from his hip and took a long drink, the cold water making him feel more refreshed already. "I hated this part when I started but the feeling of watching the crops grow and eventually harvesting them made it more than worth it, there's just something about knowing that you did it with your own two hands." @Nakachu

She couldn’t help but feel that warm tingle run through her as he complimented her and said that she had done well. It brought a smile to her face and perhaps even the slightest of blushes to her face. She didn’t know why it got to her so much, but somehow knowing that Jacob thought she had done well for a city girl was a bigger compliment then she had gotten in a long time. When he offered for her to sit own she happily did, letting herself plop down and kicking out her feet as her soles were already feeling a bit unpleasant from standing for so long at once. She watched him drink and held out her hand in case he was willing to share. If he did she would take her own swig of it before handing it back. If he didn’t she simply accepted that and leaned back. “I hope so! I made a very bad choice if I won’t..” she admitted to him with a bit of a nervous chuckle. Though she did have to admit. Looking at how far they had already gotten, she was proud of herself too. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob saw her hold out her hand and offered her the canteen. He had never been much of a germophone and staying hydrated was important when working like this, or anytime really. He took the canteen back when she was done before shifting a bit and pulling out a small rock from underneath him. "So I was thinking." He started taking his eyes from her to look over the small field. "I know you want strawberries, so they're a given, but what other crops should we grow?" He had a mental list of what they could grow this season although he wasn't sure what would be available in town at the moment. "I think potatoes, parsnips, and cauliflower would be good. The parsnips grow faster so we would have stuff ready earlier and more often and the potatoes and cauliflower would be good for some feeling food and better for selling. This is your farm though so I don't want to be making all the decisions." She had seemed like a kind and reasonable person so far and more importantly knowing when she didn't know something and would take advice. That was a small thing but to him it showed her character and would make all this much easier. @Nakachu

She would still look at him as he was starting to figure out what they would need to plant. Once more he seemed to be looking for her to make the decisions while she had no clue what she was doing. “No, no, no. You decide what we plant. I still have no knowledge about anything. I trust you know what to do.” She said to him with a smile. “But maybe a mix of everything a little bit?” She suggested. “We can make four rows leave some walking space in between and label them accordingly so we know what we are looking at.” She said before realizing that it probably didn’t take labels for him to recognize what was planted. As they sat and talked she was finally starting to feel a bit energized again. The sweat on her forehead starting to dry out and the breeze on the air helping her. She took a deep breath and then forced herself back into her feet with a bit of a grunt. “Okay.. let’s get some more stuff done!” @Triceratops&Bottoms

"Absolutely." Jacob said getting up and heading towards the shed coming back with a scythe. "So this part takes a bit of practice. It's not necessarily difficult but-" he swung at his hips with the blade as level as possible an inch off the ground. The grass and weeds cuts and fell where they stood. "-Getting it even takes practice." He went forward slowly until half the patch was clear before ehe stopped. "Would you like to give it a try?" He asked turning to look at her as well as look over his progress. All the fallen grass could be gathered up and put in his coops for his chickens to either eat or rest in. He would also need to take the hoe to the soil and loosen it up to prepare it for planting. @Nakachu

She would watch him closely as he used the scythe. It didn’t look difficult, but at the same time it didn’t look easy either. He moved with grace almost as he cut down the grass to an acceptable length. Leaving it behind even and nice looking. Once he offered it to her she looked almost nervous as she took it. “Uhm.. sure..” she said, though her voice showed that she was perhaps a bit nervous. She tried to mimic how he had held the thing, holding it close to her hips just like he had. It only took her half a swing to drive the blade into the dirt instead of cutting at the weeds. “Aah.. shit..” she cursed softly to herself. She adjusted it and tried again. This time it cut into the grass, but it was completely crooked and uneven. After that second swing she put it down, a bit disappointed in herself. “I think that might take a bit more practice..” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob laughed a little bit at her exclamations and the results but not in a mean or hurtful way. "Absolutely, you should have seen how bad I was at it. I swear I thought your grampa was going to tell me not to touch it anymore. Honestly your start wasn't bad compared to my own." He told her before going to where she sat down the scythe. "Why don't you let me get this finished? There's a couple hoes in the shed over there. All we need to do is go through the area that's been cut and start dislodging the soil." He started making his way through the patch cleanly and efficiently. After a few swings he fell into a rhythm and it started going faster. " We could probably get the hoeing done in an hour. Would you like to go get lunch before that or get it out of the way so we only have to focus on the planting?" He asked unsure of how hungry she was or how tired for that matter. @Nakachu

“Let’s get it out of the way. How hard can it be?” She would say to him with a bit of a laugh as he got in the swing of things. But how wrong had she been.. Hoeing the ground and dislodging the soil had proven to be worse then picking up all the junk that had been on the ground. It took almost no time for her to once more be covered in sweat and needing to lean down on the pole of the hoe just to catch her breath. By the end of the patch being done she was actually exhausted and ready to just give up for the day. Her blond babyhairs sticking to her forehead and her lungs screaming for air. Her back and shoulders felt quite sore and she knew that she was going to feel this even worse in the morning. “Please tell me we are done.. pleaaase!” @Triceratops&Bottoms

All Jacob could do was laugh to himself as she questioned the difficulty of hoeing. He continued laughing all the way to the shed before he could control it. He handed her one of the hoes and set her to a third of it while he did the rest. Hoeing was his first wakeup call for the difficulty of the job but it turned him from a skinny teen into a toned if not muscular man so it had been worth it. When they were finally done he straightened his back as he stood upright, pressing his arms into his back as it popped and cracked. "No we still have to go back over it again." He told her with a serious tone but only for a moment before he continued "I'm just teasing, this is it for the moment. We still have the planting and watering to do but we have to do that after we go into town." His stomach decided that was the best time to chide in, a strong rumble that he knew she could hear. "Food first and then shopping." He said awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck in embarrassment. @Nakachu

“No, we still have to go back over it again.” “Nooooo…” she groaned out as she leaned on that hoe in desperation. She could not handle doing the entire plot again.. even if the soil was so much more lose now, she couldn’t do it. And then he admitted that it was a joke and she couldn’t help but shoot him an annoyed look. “You ass!” She said and gave him a playful push that hardly did anything to him. “Don’t toy with my emotions like that. Jeez, rude!” She tried to keep a serious face as well, but a chuckle soon slipped through to show that she was joking. He suggested going to the town and she was about ready to have a small break from working on the field. She had never expected all of this to be so physically taxing. “Yes please. I am starving..” she admitted. “If I don’t have that beach body by the summer, then I seriously don’t know what would do it anymore.” She said the as a joke as she forced herself to stretch her back out and get ready to go out. “Let me just.. wash my face real quick.” She said to him making her way into her small house. She washed up in the sink, getting the dirt of her face and hands and brushing out her hair before rebraiding it. Only when she looked sort of decent again did she step out and said she was ready to go out if he was. @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob laughed as she pushed him, keeping steady and staying upright. This was new, both of them laughing, it felt good . Just being able to laugh with someone else had slipped his mind and now that it was happening he realized he missed it. "You have a really nice laugh, thank you I needed that." He said with a bright smile across his face, which was probably undercut by the dirt. "Well farm life will do that to you, I weighed about thirtyle pounds less when I started. Going from an office job to this really helped me get in shape." Jacob didn't actually see a reason for her to get in shape, she seemed like she would look good regardless but it was her body. "Yeah, same, see you in a few minutes. Jacob walked to his home and washed the dirt off his face and hands. He decided putting on some fresh deodorant would be for the best as well. He didn't mind the dirt on his jeans put he changed his shirt to something clean and dry, a simple blue tee. He had almost forgotten to grab his money but remembered before he left. Deciding to wait at the entrance of the farm he made his way there to wait. @Nakachu

As she was inside her house and was in the process of washing her face, she thought back to the compliment that she had just gotten from the boy outside. You have a really nice laugh. She caught herself blushing lightly in the mirror and quickly shook her head. No, no, Amelia. You came here to start a new life, to make something of yourself. You have been there before, it is way to distracting! So why is he kind of cute? She growled at herself and finally finished off before going back outside, ignoring any thoughts that still lingered in her head. Once she did go outside she saw him by the entrance and jogged over. It seemed that despite everything she had a little bit of energy left and they were soon on their way to the village. “Man.. I have not walked these paths in forever..” she said as they did walk down, looking at all the trees they walked past. “So many memories here..” she chuckled to herself. Remember how she had climbed that tree when she was young. She had fallen down and hurt her arm but had been to embarrassed to tell her mother about it. “It really has been to long since I was here.” @Triceratops&Bottoms

Jacob hadn't been waiting long when she came out and joined him. He was glad there wasn't too long of a walk into town but it did surprise him that there was so much available space for the farm this close to the town. It was convenient which he appreciated but he enjoyed it was far enough to have privacy although he had seen the young blond haired girl from town exploring the farm before and taking pictures, Hailey, he thought her name was. He stopped as they passed the bus stop and looked over at it. "This bus has been down for too long now, considering there's not really a good way in or out of here to the desert I'm not sure why the mayor hasn't paid for it to be fixed. He thought he remembered Grampa talks about it before, something about Pam crashing it. It didn't surprise him much because even in his seclusion he had heard about her being the town drunk. @Nakachu

“Yeah.. without that bus is was surprisingly hard to even get here yesterday.” She said to him as he noted it. She looked over at the big car just standing there. It almost looked ghostly. Looking dirty from the weather enough to make the windows blurry with it. She almost wondered what lived inside of there now. Spiders? Roaches? Something must have taken up resident by now. But they soon passed it again and entered into town. The town was cozy and small with loads of trees and grass and plants along the sides. It was clear that there was a community living there who cared for the place that they lived and want to keep it nice and beautiful. “This town never fails to amaze me.” Amelia chuckled. “It’s so different from the city.” She muzed. “So where do we go for lunch?” @FlannelBear#5365

@Triceratops&Bottoms

"Really? I never thought of it as amazing, quiet maybe." He had came from the city as well but when he arrived he was just glad it was different. The constant noise of the city made the small town feel that much more quiet and relaxing. Regardless of how relaxing it was Jacob had done a poor job of actually becoming part of the town, most barely knowing he was there. Jacob had to stop at her question and look up to check the position of the sun, he really needed to get a watch. "It's too early for the saloon so we only have a couple options. There's the cafe on the otherside of the Mayor's house and there's the seafood place on the docks." Jacob hoped that they were both still around and didn't know if anything new had opened since he made his appearances brief. "What sounds good to you?" @Nakachu

“The quiet part is exactly what makes it so special.” She chuckled at him. “Everyone knows each other. And not just by face, they know each other. They support each other, exchange crops, raise their kids together. And then the nature. There are trees everywhere and plants. The houses all have their own unique designs. Nothing looks like another thing. And then the air..” She stopped in the middle of her tracks and took an exaggerated inhale of air and then exhaled with a deep sigh. “It’s so cleaaan!” She said in a happy smile. “Uhm, let’s do the cafe! I can do with a coffee.” She smiled at him when given the choices. Ready to follow him there. @Triceratops&Bottoms

"You don't have to sell me on the place I already live here." He told her putting his hands up in surrender a small smirk toying at his face. It was strange watching someone who just moved here enjoy the town so much and he knew she had visited it in the past but she definitely acted like a local. "The cafe, it is. I wonder if they've given it a name yet? It was originally just "The Cafe" as a placeholder but maybe they stuck with it." Assuming the cafe hadn't moved or closed down it was close to the river near the museum. It had always been strange to him that a town this small had a museum but it added some charm. Jacob pointed out the general store as they passed it since they would need to come back and tried to do the same for the other places he recognized. He stopped once they got to the bridge though, wanting to take a moment to look over. "I don't know what it is, but something about this old stone bridge over the river is my favorite spot in town." He told the woman next to him. "It just gives a sense of coziness that nowhere else.does quite the same." @Nakachu