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Restoring Faith	By : Lady_Kae Category: +G through L > Harvest Moon Views: 2535 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game Harvest Moon: ToT. All characters ,game related material, and lyrics, save for original content is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
Chapter 3: So Much for a Happy Ending
Restoring Faith
A Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility Fanfiction

Kohri stretched languidly as she felt the first rays of light trickle in her window. She looked at the clock on the bedside table and she clicked the alarm off. She didn’t need it today. The young woman continued stretching as she began walking for the kitchen and her hips switched a little with her movements. Kohri couldn’t help but sigh peacefully as she poured herself a glass of water and she snorted a little into her cup at the sight she probably made. It was barely six in the morning, her hair was severally mussed, and she was in nothing but a spaghetti tank and her favorite pair of green lacy boyshorts. Some of the boys would have their tongues hanging out of their mouths if they could see her.

Too bad for them. Kohri wasn't’ looking to make any sort of attachments like that right now. She had only just gotten here it seemed.

Had she really been here nearly two months already? It felt as if it had been only a week or so ago that she had arrived.

Kohri placed the now empty glass down to dry and she gathered everything she needed for a shower. The Flower Festival was kicking off in a few hours and she wanted to make a brief stop by so that she could check out some of the wares. She knew Anissa had a booth, and she would be selling herbal seeds that could be used for medicine or cooking. Ruth had also said something about a special type of fertilizer. Kohri closed her eyes shut as she dunked her face under the spray. That wouldn’t be a bad idea for her to pick up, at least until she could make her own. The first orders of business were clearing the plot of the weeds, trees, and boulder currently sitting on it and getting her house unpacked. Instantly, Kohri groaned at the thought of all her books. There were nearly three hundred of them that she needed to put up.

Gill would be better help than I in that regard.

Kohri blushed intensely as Owen’s words from last night came back, as she could see plain as day that the other man was trying to play matchmaker. On the same note, Gill was as well read as she was. What would be the harm in asking for his help? The worst he could tell her was no after all. She scrubbed her scalp with relish, and Kohri gently eased her conditioner through her long sable locks. If Kohri were honest with herself, all the young men on this island were handsome, definitely enough to turn heads. Some of the young women were just as lovely as well. Waffle Island had been holding out on the mainland when it came to their eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.

Kohri killed the water and she grabbed her towel from the rack nearby. It was too much to hope that she might actually find love for herself, hence why Kohri was going to keep strict to the friends only rule. She didn’t want to chance her heart, only to have it broken and to then have things get a bit awkward between herself and the island residents. She was the newcomer here after all.

The last thing she wanted was to be ostracized, especially now that she was making her home here.

Kohri tossed her hair over her shoulder before she set about the task of fastening her bra. Nonetheless, Kohri resolved to ask Gill for his help with her books if she saw him today at the festival. She knew secondhand through Ruth that Gill had been pulling some long hours at the office to be sure all the paperwork for the festival was done on top of his other duties. If the man were as smart as she thought he was, Gill would more than likely be taking full advantage of his day off from work. Kohri pulled on her shirt and pants, her mind drawn back to yesterday even as she smiled softly. Owen, Luke, and Gill had all pulled a fast one on her, but it had not been unwelcome. In fact, it had saved her quite a lot of time and effort. Kohri was sure she’d find a more meaningful way to thank each of them when she got to know them better.

The sun was shining brightly and music was playing as Kohri stepped into the town square and her eyes lit up at just how wonderful everything looked. It seemed surreal that she had helped set this all up last night! As Kohri cleared the top of the stairs, a vivacious young woman with tan skin and red hair could be seen dancing beautifully with a broad smile on her face. The rancher stopped to watch her for a moment along with the throng of tourists that were there, and the young woman finished her routine with dazzling flourish. Every gathered applauded, Kohri included and she continued making her way through the plaza.

She found Anissa’s stall soon enough and she eyes the fertilizer with a grin. “ I’ll be taking twenty bags before I leave. I’ll pay for it now if that’s alright.” she told her friend.

“ Wonderful! Just stop back by when you’re ready and I’ll have one of the guys grab a cart to load it on.” Anissa chirped as Kohri produced the tender needed. “ Did you need any help getting settled? I’m going to have a little more time now that we got everything done for the Flower Festival and my mom won’t need my help as much on the plots.”

Kohri shook her head. “ I’ll be fine Anissa. The only thing I dread unpacking, and it was the same thing I dreaded packing in the first place…”

“ Is all the books…” both women chorused mirthfully.

“ I should have seen that coming.” Anissa giggled as she gave Kohri her change. “ If you need anything, don’t hesitate to give me a call. I’ll be right over to help.” Her bright brown eyes met Kohri’s blue ones sincerely and the other woman gave her a thankful smile.

“ I appreciate the offer, Anissa. I’ll be sure to let you know.” Kohri replied. “ I’ll see you around. I’m gonna take a look at some of the other stalls.”

Anissa nodded and she turned to a tourist that was starting to ask her questions about the medicinal properties of the herbs that she was selling. Kohri smiled at the earnest smile on the young woman’s face as she walked away, half heartedly gandering at the other stalls. After a while, Kohri came back by Anissa’s booth to let her know she was leaving. All things considered, Kohri had a lot to do. Maybe next year she could help more with the setup and planning of the event instead of leaving it all on Gill. The corner of her mouth quirked up at the thought of the deputy mayor. With his absence, Kohri surmised that he was definitely getting some well deserved rest today. Kohri walked slowly down the stairs leading to the town proper, completely lost in her thoughts. She needed to figure out how to catalog everything to where it would fit best with the setup Gill had given her with her bookshelves.

The sound of an ax thudding drew Kohri from her musings, as it sounded rather close. Who in town could that be? Most everyone was up near the town hall enjoying the festivities. Nonetheless, Kohri kept walking on, though she paused as she came upon the inn.

The culprit was still swinging his ax, and her eyes fell appreciatively on his strong, broad shoulders, the sweat that was glistening on his bare skin, and the jeans that hugged his gorgeous ass oh so perfectly. The focus he applied to his task was something she was fairly used to seeing whenever she had to come into town for Ruth or Craig, though she couldn’t help but imagine herself on the receiving end of that indomitable attention. To be the only thing on his mind, much like the wood he was chopping now, made Kohri a little weak in the knees the more she thought about it. He stood straight, wiping the moisture from his brow and Kohri blushed brightly at the sight he made. His blonde locks were swept backwards as he took the quick breather, giving the young woman a splendid view of his naked torso. Sweet goddess in the tree, his clothing hides his body much too damn well...Kohri thought as she leaned a little against the fence to better watch him.

His arms weren’t as large as Owen’s, or as well defined as Luke’s, but they were obviously well sculpted through repetitive motions like these, as was the rest of him. His abs alone were tightly packed together and Kohri resisted the urge to fan herself as she saw a sweatdrop trickle down a small valley over his chest and towards his hips. Was it really that warm out? His torso and abs had a smattering of bright blonde curls on them, with the curls on his abdomen leading in a line down past the waistline of his jeans to...Kohri blushed brightly even as she licked her lips. I could nibble my way along that line anytime...she admitted silently to herself.

The thing that was getting her the most was that this was the first time that she had ever seen him dressed in anything like this. Anytime that she had seen him around, even if it were on his own personal time, Kohri had never seen him in a pair of jeans, or sneakers for that matter now that she thought on it. Her eyes dilated as she rested her cheek against her palm, her focus falling back to his ass.

A small smirk cross her face even as she blushed a little. Maybe he wore them in private like this because he knew how damn good he looked? Kohri shook her head after a moment. No, he wore them in private like this so that he wouldn’t damage his regular clothing. It had nothing to do with him knowing just how sinfully delicious he was dressed like that.

One thing came to mind was that he hadn’t noticed her perusal of him yet, which Kohri was almost instantly thankful for as she had been gawking for a while. She silently began walking towards the Maple Lake district again so that she could go home, though her eyes were unwilling to tear themselves away from the visual treat they had been exposed to. She’d ask him later for help with her books.

“ Have a good day Kohri!” Gill called over to her, his voice full of smarm and confidence.

Oh sweet goddess! He had seen her?! Kohri had been positive that Gill had been completely focused on his work! “ You as well Gill!” she called back, despite the haste she was making for home at this point.

Gill shook his head slightly as he settled back into his rhythm, as he had about twenty more logs to split before he could call it done. Seeing as how the Town Hall was closed today, Gill was catching up on some of his other chores that he had been neglecting for the last couple weeks. He had slept in as it was, though his father had fussed at him to go back to bed and enjoy the much deserved day off. Gill couldn’t constantly sit still like that however. It just wasn’t in him to stay idle for that long and not get something done that he knew he needed to do.

Gill had noticed her watching him after a few minutes, though he could only question what was going through her mind if her face was anything to go by. He smirked, recalling the way that she had licked her lips a little, though again he wished he knew what Kohri was thinking when she had done that.

A small, persistent pulse from below made him hiss in discomfort and Gill groaned as he looked down. There was a definite outline there, and it was only going to get worse from here unless he did something about it. Looking around and finding himself alone, Gill quickly released the button and fly to at least adjust himself to where he would be more comfortable. He shook his head as he zipped his jeans back up, and he picked the ax back up to resume his work. Gill knew he was only human after all, and such reactions were normal, but there was something about the look Kohri had affixed him with that had him wishing…

No, he needed to stop thinking about that or Gill knew he wasn’t going to get anything done.

“ Hey Gill?” came Kohri’s voice as she came running back over.

Gill looked over his shoulder towards the fence and he smiled at the blush still staining her cheeks with the realization that she had been caught. That was quick...he thought mirthfully, swinging the ax down. She was barely gone five minutes before she came back over this way. “ Did you need something?” he asked her, setting the ax down again and Gill grabbed the handkerchief from his pocket to clean his face off.

“ I was actually wondering if you’d be able to help me out with sorting and filing my books sometime this week?” she asked, unable to keep her eyes from wandering as he walked closer to her. Kohri swallowed hard as she watched the muscles of his abdomen roll deliciously with every confident step.

Oh goddess, Gill had a hell of a swagger to his step. Either that, or he was walking that way on purpose because he knew she was watching him.

“ I’d be delighted. I know for a fact that you have quite a few titles that we don’t have in the library here. What day were you thinking?” he replied, his tone and face sincere. It was a stark contrast to the sight he made dressed as he was.

“ I was thinking Saturday or Sunday to be honest. I’m going to be clearing my plot over the next couple days and I’m anticipating that it’s going to take a while. Not only that, I need to stop back by Souffle Farm tomorrow in order to pick up some groceries, along with stopping over at Brownie Ranch for the same.” Kohri told him.

Gill shook his head a little. “ You may want to help Owen and Ramsey then. I got a call from Hannah this morning that there’s been a small rock slide that’s blocking the path completely. If I get a chance tomorrow, I’ll be by as well to help out.” Gill told her honestly.

Kohri smirked. “ I hope with a shirt this time.” she teased, her eyes mirthful even though she didn’t mean a word of it. She’d be there in an instant if she knew Gill would be there dressed like this. Then again, Kohri didn’t want anyone else to be able to see this gorgeous sight. She was being decidedly selfish, but Kohri didn’t give a damn. She wanted to keep this sight all to herself.

Gill laughed out loud at that, though he shook his head. “ We’ll see.” he shot back with a grin. “ Now that you’re getting settled in, I believe I have a promise to keep. If you want, I can bring by the paperwork Saturday to get you set up with to do your college courses by mail the way I do.”

Kohri shook her head. “ Not this weekend. I’ll be too engrossed in filling it out and waiting for a reply to get anything done. No, it’s best for me to do things one at a time.” she admitted, though that held more a connotation for herself than anything.

Again, the thought that this island had some damn good looking young men swam through her mind. Gill most definitely fit into that category, and he was her idea of walking perfection. Not too bulky, but beautifully sculpted. As much as she wanted to throw caution to the wind, Kohri wasn’t here to look for romance. She was here to make a living doing what she loved. Romance wasn’t a priority right now. Making an income was.

Gill nodded and he smiled in understanding. “ Just let me know when you’re ready. I’ll see you Saturday afternoon then? I’ve got to pull a half day admittedly.” Gill began walking back over to the cutting block and he grabbed the ax by its haft once more.

Kohri nodded as she began walking for home once more. “ I’ll see you then!” she called over, though the tattoo of her footsteps suggested that she was running back for her house.

Gill smiled once more as he listened to her footsteps fade. Kohri wanted his help with her books?

Was Luke afraid of bears?

He looked over his shoulder one last time over towards the direction that Kohri had gone running off in, and Gill couldn’t help but smirk at the blush that had been on her face the entire time. Whether it was from embarrassment from being caught gawking, or whether she had enjoyed what she had seen that much, Gill wasn’t sure. He could only hope that it was the latter.

Kohri slammed the door behind her and her heart thundered a little as she thought of the events of the last hour or so. Goddess...Gill was…

Hot damn he was fine!

Kohri’s knees quivered a little as she began walking over to her sofa and she groaned a little. “ Just great...My libido fixates on the one guy I probably stand the least chance with.” she groused to no one. Kohri had figured out that Gill’s hesitancy about the house stemmed from the grief he felt at losing the previous owner. She must have been someone exceedingly special, especially to have landed Gill as solidly as she had. He was still clearly mourning her memory after all. Kohri rubbed her face as she looked over to the boxes stacked against her wall.

Well, no time like the present. At least she was sure she’d be able to get all of her kitchen supplies put away before she called it a day.

Her body pulsed out of nowhere as the sight of Gill hard at work, the sweat dripping tortuously from his skin, flashed through her mind. Only this time, instead of licking her lips, her mouth was latched onto his skin, tasting it and memorizing the flavor.

“ Fuck!” Kohri groaned as she shot up off the sofa. She needed to put herself into her work right now to get him off her mind.

Saturday was going to be torture!

Gill was carrying a potted plant to give to Kohri as a housewarming gift as he approached her home. It was amazing the transformation it had undergone. It was larger than he remembered it being, but then again he was comparing it to the way it had been when Angela had had it. The little house was no longer there, replaced by a cottage that already gave off an aura of welcome. Kohri had little pots all over the porch along with a few wooden lawn chairs, and Gill smiled at the sight of all the different flora that was already blooming. The feeling of this place was already so different from what he was used to.

Gill knocked twice on the door and he heard a loud thunk from inside. Alarmed, Gill rushed in and he looked around.

Kohri was groaning on the floor, laughing intermittently between bursts of pain. Gill set the small plant on the table as he walked over to help her and he nearly faltered when he saw how she was dressed. Her arms were a little on the thin side, but they were tight and slightly toned from her work. Kohri’s shirt was almost indecent, but goddess, it hugged every single curve perfectly while displaying her ample bosom at the same time. Her legs, by everything that was good and green, her legs were perfection. Long, toned in all the right spots and he swallowed hard when he saw the sweet little pink panties clinging to her hips. Instantly, Gill turned around, his cheeks crimson. “ Are you alright, Kohri?” he asked, his voice tight in his embarrassment.

It seemed karma was getting him back for teasing Kohri the way he had earlier this week, only much harder.

Kohri groaned as she pulled herself off the floor. “ I dozed off by accident earlier after my shower. I’m sore as hell from both clearing the plot and from emptying all the boxes I have this week.” Kohri replied, rubbing at her aching tailbone. She had fallen out of bed after hearing Gill knock.

“ And the thunk I heard?”

“ Was me falling flat on my ass out of the bed.” Kohri groused crankily. She crossed into his line of vision for a brief moment as she grabbed her jeans from the top of her dresser and she smirked as she saw Gill try to turn to give her privacy. “ This is a case of what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” she murmured as she stepped into them.

Gill chuckled at that and he waited for Kohri to give him the okay to turn back around.

“ What’s this, Gill?” Kohri asked him, her tone curious.

Gill turned to face the table where Kohri was at and he smiled. “ Anissa told me earlier this week that you didn’t have any lavender…” he replied, motioning to all the different cuttings and blooms that seemed to take up the home. “ That’s from my bushel at home.” he added.

Kohri smiled as she looked for a spot to set it, though her brow furrowed after a moment. She didn’t want to leave this one outside to the elements, especially with summer right around the corner, but most of the flat spaces that she could spare were taken. Her eyes fell on the hutch that Owen had built for her and her gaze brightened. Her mother had loved lavender! Kohri gingerly set the potted plant dead center on the top of the hutch and she smiled as she preened a few of the blooms out of habit. “ Thank you Gill. You’ve done an admirable job with transferring the cutting to a planter. And the petals are like velvet to the touch. What do you use as a fertilizer?”

Gill smiled as he walked over to where the books were still crated. “ For the lavender? My own compost admittedly. I take great pride in growing it.” he said as he knelt beside one of the ones that had caught his attention. “ This may be a bit soon to ask, but would I be able to borrow a couple of these titles? They’d be invaluable to helping me with the report I’m working on for my courses.”

Kohri laughed as she quickly watered the plant and she looked at the book in Gill’s hand. “ It’s only fair considering you’re helping me out with this undertaking.” she told him softly. The look in his eyes was a thirsty one, but the thirst was for knowledge. She loved seeing someone like that, loved knowing that there were people out in the world who shared the same appreciation she had for learning and bettering themselves. “ I hope you enjoy that one. I’ve had it since I was in secondary school and I still reference it even to this day.”

Gill nodded and he set the book off to the side on the table. “ I have a feeling that your book collection is going to be my own little slice of heaven here on earth.” he murmured as he looked at more of the titles. “ Oh! I’ve read this one!”

Kohri scoffed slightly. “ The equations he uses in there are outdated and useless…” she proclaimed.

“ How do you figure? I’ve been able to apply quite a few of these to everyday applications for my own crop that my father and I cultivate at home.” Gill countered.

And that was how the debate started.

“ It’s impossible to mimic the results of a hydroponically grown plant in one that was traditionally grown in soil, Kohri! The ph and alkaline levels of the water is carefully monitored to produce the best crop possible. You know that. Not only that, the plants don’t have to work as hard to get their nutrients like they would being planted traditionally. Hydroponic plants are scientifically proven to yield a better crop in many ways.” Gill argued, brandishing his fork at Kohri as they took a break for dinner. Toby had gifted Kohri with a fishing pole as his house warming gift and she had already put it to good use by catching a few good sized trout for their supper tonight.

“ Oh really?” Kohri remarked with a broad smile on her face. “ How much do you want to bet on that, Gill?” The look in her eyes was absolutely alluring, the confidence shining in them was unlike anything he was used to in a woman. Sure, Kathy, Anissa, and Renee were all confident in their own rights, but not when it came to matters cerebral. Kohri was, and it was a captivating thing to witness.

Gill met her gaze steadily and he smirked. “ I think I’d be willing to place a decent wager on that.” he replied as he folded his hands in front of his face. It gave him the appearance of someone regal, and Kohri couldn’t tear her gaze from his. “ I’ll grow a something hydroponically while you grow something traditionally. What do you think? Cabbage for this time of year? It’s a decent between season crop.” Gill offered.

Kohri extended her hand, smiling all the while. “ If I win, you’re going to use the results in one of your reports for your classes, all the while emphasizing that that hydroponics doesn’t guarantee a bigger crop.” Kohri purred.

“ If I win, you’re doing up the same report for your courses when you finally get started.” Gill countered with a grin of his own. He took her hand in his, sealing the agreement as they shook on it and Gill looked down at all the boxes they still had to unload. There were nearly thirty of them left and they had already emptied about eighteen or so. “ Am I the only one getting the feeling this is not going to a one or two night endeavor?”

Kohri followed Gill’s gaze and she sighed heavily. “ I hate to agree with you on this, but you may be right Gill. Especially with how we’ve been debating the subject of every book we’ve put away so far.” she chortled as she looked at the haphazardly stacked books that they had attempted to sort so far. They had only further fueled their earlier debate and the two had used a lot of those books for references to strengthen their points.

“ Did you want to at least attempt to get a few more sorted before we set them up on their shelves?” Gill asked her, smiling a little. He knew he wouldn’t mind if their debate continued, and he was fairly certain Kohri would like that as well. The challenging gaze Kohri affixed him with made Gill laugh heartily and he stood up to put his dishes in the sink. “ Is that a yes?”

“ That’s a very hearty yes and you can count on getting your ass handed to you soon enough.” Kohri replied as she followed Gill to the kitchen.

Gill groaned as he neck protested the position that he had been in. He opened bleary, blue eyes, though he nearly panicked when he didn’t recognize his surroundings. His gaze fell on a potted bushel of lavender on top of a marble hutch, and he paused as he sleepily tried to piece together what he knew of the room. Owen had made that hutch for Kohri, and Gill himself had gifted her with the blooms sitting there.

“ I’ve got coffee ready if you need it.” Kohri chortled as she set plates on the table.

Gill rubbed his face a little in an effort to wake up a little more. “ What time did both of us finally agree to disagree?” he asked her, his voice a little thick from sleep.

“ I want to say it was about two in the morning.” Kohri replied as she took a sip from her coffee cup. “ I understand if you have things to do today. At least let me make breakfast before you go.”

Gill stood and stretched a little, working out all the kinks in his back and neck. The sofa had not been that comfortable to sleep on in all honesty. “ Coffee and breakfast sounds wonderful, Kohri. You should know that I had actually intended to come back today to help you a little more with your books. I need to at least let my father know what happened however. Do you have a phone?” Gill replied.

“ It’s in my office. I’ll show you where it’s at.” Kohri said with a smile.

Gill shooed Kohri from the house so that she would be able to tend to her chores on the farm before they both settled back into organizing and shelving her books. In that time, he was able to get two of the shelves full and properly alphabetized before Kohri made her entrance again. She grumbled tiredly about ‘that damn rock’ and ‘borrowing Owen’ as she stalked for the bathroom to shower. Gill politely made himself scarce by borrowing her fishing rod and he managed to wrangle a decent sized salmon that Kohri beamed at when he entered her house again.

“ I love salmon! Oh! Lesse...Dill, lemon, leeks, garlic, cream...Yes! Gill, you’re in for a treat tonight!” Kohri gushed as she doubled checked her stores for ingredients.

“ Don’t tell Yolanda this, but if it’s anywhere near as good as what you made last night, I might not be eating at the inn for much longer. In fact, I might have you teach me some recipes for me to make at home for father and I.” Gill chortled as he knelt beside the stack of books that he had left behind when Kohri had retreated to the bathroom. “ What did you have in mind?”

“ Braised salmon served with fresh grilled leeks and gnocchi covered in a lemon and dill bechamel.” Kohri replied as she pulled out an odd looking board.

Gill’s brow rose a little as the book in his hand seemed to hover with the change of his train of thought. He had only read about gnocchi in some of the recipe books in the library. He had never tasted it, nor had he ever attempted to make it. “ I’ll try anything once.” he told her, though his focus was on the board in Kohri’s hands. “ What is that?”

Kohri’s face softened a little as she gently caressed the board. “ My great grandmother’s gnocchi board. It’s been in my family for nearly seven generations and to this day, I swear that it makes the best gnocchi I’ve ever had. I’ve had it in restaurants of course, but it didn’t taste half as good.” she replied. She looked up at Gill with a grin. “ I can teach you how to make it if you’d like to learn, Gill. It’s actually pretty simple.”

Gill smiled as he set aside the book that had just been in his hand and he got back to his feet. “ I’d like that.” he said happily, and he crossed over to the sink to wash his hands. “ Come to think of it, I have yet to master a proper bechamel either.”

Kohri’s eyes brightened at the prospect of getting to teach Gill something and her smile made his heart start thundering hard against his ribs. That smile, the way she looked…

It reminded Gill of just how lovely he found her.

“ Why don’t you start juicing those lemons while I set to deboning the fish. We can use the scraps for a stock to boil the gnocchi in, and from there I can compost it for fertilizer.” Kohri began excitedly.

Gill listened intently as Kohri began explaining the ingredient list for the little dumplings. As she had promised, it was ridiculously easy. The only thing that threw him for a loop was how much pressure to apply to the dough when it came time to drop them into the stock that Kohri had made.

Kohri smiled reassuringly as she washed her hands and she came up beside Gill while watching him. “ Get your dough ready, Gill. I’ll show you how my grandmother taught me to do it.” she said after he fumbled again.

Gill did as he was told though he went stock still as Kohri nestled up beside him and she took one of his hands in hers. Gill swallowed hard as he absorbed just how natural this felt, how perfectly she seemed to fit against him.

He hadn’t felt that kind of sensation ever since she had landed on him at the dock...

Kohri’s hand rested gently against Gill’s, her fingers curling over his to help him get the right position. His palm was down and pressing against the little ball of dough with barely any pressure. “ It’s like rolling a hard boiled egg against the counter to just lightly crack the shell…” she began, guiding his hand forward down the board. “ The only difference is is that you’re only going in one direction instead of back and forth. It’s like a caress, just barely there.”

Gill readied another piece of gnocchi and he felt sparks flow through his hand this time as Kohri repeated the motions again with him. He found he couldn’t truly concentrate on what she was trying to teach him. Especially with how keenly he felt the gentle swell of her bosom tucked in against the back of his torso, or the slow rise and fall of her breathing and the warmth she seemed to radiate with only her presence. She wasn’t as thin as he remembered her being, Gill realized. He then recalled her words to Owen on the dock, how confident she had been that she’d be putting back on the weight she had lost just after her parents deaths and the subsequent attempts on her life afterwards. Her movements were nothing but sure and confident, and Gill forced his mind to focus on that, if only to keep his own musings from delving past the point of no return. After five or six of the dumplings were dropped into the pot, Gill finally felt that he had the technique down and Kohri stepped away to watch him for a moment.

Gill felt the loss of the warmth she imparted immediately.

“ Speed will come with practice, but for a first timer you caught on pretty quick. It took my nan almost twenty goes before I finally stopped smashing them against the board. You did it in less than ten.” Kohri commented, clearly impressed.

Gill smiled as he rolled another dumpling and he looked over to Kohri as she checked on the salmon in the oven. “ I credit that more to you teaching me the technique as well as you did more than anything. You made it easy to follow along with a good example of the kind of pressure I should be applying. Maybe you could try teaching Maya too.” Gill replied.

Kohri laughed softly even as she turned the leeks a little over the countertop grill to give them perfect marks. “ I’ll leave that task to Yolanda in all honesty. I’m sure I’d lose my patience with all the ingredients that are sure to disappear with her in a kitchen.” she chuckled warmly.

Gill laughed as well, though he began to realize how domestic this felt between them. He and Angie had never really done anything like this now that he thought on it. Angie hadn’t been the best cook honestly, but Gill hadn’t cared about that. He had loved her even though she was the kind of gal that was more than at home working hard out on her crops all day or helping Hannah and Cain with their animals. He smiled sadly as he thought of her and a small, forlorn sigh escaped him.

Even to this very day, he missed her terribly.

Kohri stayed silent, though she knew from experience what he was surely thinking of. Well, more specifically who in this case. She was going through such things herself after all and she’d be a fool not to recognize it for what it was.

Once again, the thought that she’d start falling for the one guy on this island that she didn’t stand a chance with crossed her mind. It brought more hurt than she had anticipated feeling in all honesty and Kohri’s brow furrowed sadly at the realization. She knew there was no logical reason to feel like this, there truly wasn’t. Kohri wanted to keep her heart a healthy distance for a reason, especially considering that the case against her parent's murderer had yet to be resolved.

That thought sobered her immediately. That bastard would try to hurt anyone who he deemed too close to her and Kohri would be damned if she ever let that happen again. Her gaze narrowed in fury as she absently went to grab her tongs to pull the leeks, and her forearm glanced the hot metal of the grill grate. “ Ow! Shit!” she cried out as she dropped the utensil to the floor and her free hand grabbed the reddening flesh.

Gill was pulled from his own musings when he heard her swear and he set the board down to go see just how bad it was. “ Move your hand, Kohri.” he ordered softly. Kohri hissed as she blinked back tears, though she followed Gill’s instructions to let him see it. His brow furrowed as he saw the flesh was clearly blistering already, raising up into three perfect replicas of the metal grate she had singed herself on. “ I don’t think we’re going to need to go see Jin or Irene about this just yet. Do you have any bandages?” he inquired as he looked to her face.

Kohri nodded, though her movements were stuttered from the pain flaring through her arm. “ Yeah, under the sink in the bathroom there’s a first aid kit.” she replied. “ Kill the heat on the grill first and I’ll move the leeks to a platter. After that, we need to pull the gnocchi and get the bechamel off the burner too. The salmon will be alright provided we don’t take too long.”

Gill shook his head. “ Get a cold washcloth for now and go sit down. I’ll pull all the food and then I’ll go grab the first aid kit.” he amended, his voice stern with authority, but soothing and compassionate as well. He steered Kohri out of the kitchen the moment she had the cold washcloth pressed to the burn she had sustained, though he had already started killing the heat on all the burners.

Kohri was still fighting back tears as she dunked the washcloth back into the sink and she shook her head in shame. She shouldn’t have gotten so distracted, not to this level at least. That’s what I get for allowing my heart to get carried away. No more...I can’t allow anything like that to happen...Not to any of the wonderful people on this island...she thought despondently.

Gill came into her line of vision after a moment, and Kohri looked down into his worried steely blue gaze. Oh goddess...The heart never made things easy. “ You alright?” he asked her as he opened the first aid kit.

“ It’ll heal.” Kohri sniffled, though she couldn’t keep herslef from wincing when Gill applied an antiseptic to her arm. It was better to err on the side of caution after all. “ It could have been much worse than this after all.”

Gill shook his head as he began applying a burn salve to her arm. “ That’s not what I was referring to. You were thinking about your parents, weren’t you?” His tone was inquisitive, though it was obvious he wasn’t trying to dig deeper. He knew from experience that you couldn’t rush healing from a trauma like that.

Kohri’s gaze grew hard, surprising Gill with the amount of animosity etched into her normally serene and jovial features. “ In a way, I suppose. I was thinking more about the bastard that murdered them. He’s deranged, Gill...If he ever finds out I’m here, I’m terrified that he’ll hurt someone else if he feels they’re too close to me...I put everyone in danger and they don’t know it…” She was fighting back tears by the time she finished speaking and Kohri brought both her hands up to cover her face the moment Gill tied off the bandage on her arm. “ I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to any of you...Especially if he ever came here to find me…” she whimpered tearfully.

Gill stayed silent, though he did pull Kohri into a protective and supportive embrace. He’d be damned before he allowed anything to happen to her, though the fact that Pascal was unable to make any trips at the moment was more of a godsend than anything. The next festival wouldn’t be until mid-July, and that meant no one was coming to Waffle Island for the next few months. “ That won’t be anytime soon, Kohri. Pascal’s limited to local waters only right now with as bad as the currents are getting. They may smooth out in time for the next tourist heavy festival, but that won’t be until July. Just take a deep, calming breath. You’re getting yourself worked up over something that may well never happen. Besides, with everyone that’s here, do you really think we’d stand idly by if one of our own is feeling threatened?” he asked her.

“ But I’m…” Kohri began but Gill cut off her protest.

“ Kohri...You’ve sincerely charmed everyone that you’ve met so far and have made many fast friendships, myself included. If it hadn’t been for your timely arrival seven weeks ago, we wouldn’t have gotten the flower festival ready in time. As far as a lot of us are concerned, you’re one of us. You certainly fit in well enough.” Gill explained gently, smiling all the while.

Slowly, the corner of Kohri’s lip quirked high into a small grin. “ Thank you. I don’t know what came over me for a minute there.” she replied softly, her voice thick from both emotion and crying.

Gill tenderly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as he got to his feet. “ You’re going through a huge adjustment, Kohri. I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person who doesn’t crack at least once under the pressure.” he said consolingly. He needed to put a little distance between them before he did something he was going to regret. “ Why don’t we start in on this amazing meal? I’ve also got a few questions concerning one of the books I spotted earlier. Origins by Neil DeGrasse Tyson? I wasn’t aware you were interested in astrology…”

Kohri’s eyes seemed to perk right up at the mention of the famed astrophysicist. “ I love astrology and astrophysiology! Did you know…” Kohri began as Gill pulled down a few plates for them. She was already straining the gnocchi, and they once more settled into another debate during their meal.

Sad brown eyes watched the scene unfold before her. She had never been able to offer him that kind of stimulation, not the way the lovely young woman before her had. In the end, the harvest goddess had asked her to find a way to contact him, as the young woman was going to need his help in the near future. There was so much at stake, and he needed to open his heart up once more. It had been much too long since he had closed it off or that she had seen him this animated about anything.

A small giggle escaped her as he jumped from his seat to argue a point, though the young woman seated across from him wasn’t far behind. Oh those two were like peas in a pod! If only Candi were there as well. She would have undoubtedly been the voice of reason between the two.

Gill paused for a moment, feeling something familiar tug at his heart and he looked towards the front door. There was no one standing there at a first glace, but he had always had a bit of sensitivity concerning the paranormal. He had always been like this, ever since his mother had died when he had been just a boy. To his surprise, Kohri was looking in the same direction he was.

“ I’m not the only one who felt that, am I?” she asked him. Kohri had felt a slight tingle against her skin and had initially heard a small buzz in her left ear that prompted her reaction.

“ No you’re not…” Gill replied calmly. Something about the energy that filled the room made him nostalgic all of a sudden for a rainy day and hot cocoa. “ That felt familiar though...It’s not menacing if that brings any comfort.”

Kohri smiled as she sat back down. “ That does actually. I wonder if it was my mom or dad or your special lady that you still have yet to tell me about.” the last part was added teasingly and the spectre giggled once more, though sadly this time.

Gill shook his head. “ All in due time, Kohri. Besides, I’m sure I’d just bore you with all the details.” he retorted gently. He took a bite of the gnocchi with the salmon and a look of sheer bliss covered face. The soft, starchy texture, the smoothness of the bechamel, the slight tang from both the lemon and dill, the flaky tenderness of the fish...

That was nothing short of delicious.

“ No you wouldn’t Gill. I want to hear more about what Angie was like, but only when you’re ready.” Kohri responded.

Gill nearly choked on his next bite and he took a few quick gulps of water. “ How did you know her name?” he demanded, feeling utterly confused. Gill was positive that he had never mentioned Angie by name in front of Kohri.

“ Dale mentioned her name once, along with that this place used to be hers before I came along. The only things I know are her name and that she was obviously someone very special to you.” Kohri explained with a shrug. “ Seriously though Gill, don’t force yourself through it. Only bring her up if you honestly feel you’re ready.”

Gill shook his head. “ Then you can count on me being willing to listen through everything that happened to you. Have you been sleeping alright for the most part?” he inquired as he took another bite. Thank the goddess he had memorized the majority of this recipe. Gill would definitely be making this at home one night in the near future.

“ For the most part, though I haven’t been plagued by nightmares if that’s what you’re getting at. Just a couple odd dreams here and there though. Nothing all too serious.” Kohri replied with a shrug. She saw the way that Gill was digging into the meal and she smiled at the sight. “ I’ll write down the recipe before you leave and I’ll let you borrow the gnocchi board.” She added.

The smile that split Gill’s face in reply made Kohri’s heart race just a little before she tamped it back down. She wasn’t going to let her heart run wild any more. It was going to stay friends only, no matter how imperfectly perfect he was for her, or no matter how much she already adored his company. There was no such thing as a happily ever after, true love was nothing more than a myth, nor was there ever going to be a prince just waiting to sweep Kohri off her feet.

Life never gave anyone a happy ending. That illusion had been shattered the day Kohri lost her parents.
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Restoring Faith