Chapter Text
You were in the midst of struggling to give Panini one last bath before you realized that you were about to spend an entire day with Harvey. The prospect was equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking — the two of you hadn’t had the chance to enjoy each other’s company for an extended period of time, considering how demanding your jobs were. And, of course, the revelation that you had feelings for him certainly had not helped the situation, but you were determined to move past that.
And what better way to avoid any lingering sense of awkwardness than to have an adorable, friendly dog to act as your wing-woman?
“You’re going to be an absolute angel for Harvey, aren’t you?” you cooed at Panini as you scrubbed her fur. “No ridiculous amount of drooling in the car, got it?”
After toweling her down, you left Panini in search of a makeshift leash. You eventually stumbled upon a bundle of rope that you carefully cut up and tied around her neck in a comfortable loop. By the time all was said and done, you packed your satchel with a clean towel, a water bottle and bowl in case Panini got thirsty during the trip, and went off to the clinic with no small amount of enthusiasm.
Pelican Town was a comforting safe haven for you now, but you were starting to get a little stir crazy after being accustomed to the grandiosity of city life. This little trip was just what you needed to feel reinvigorated once again.
You spotted Harvey in the distance as he stepped out of the clinic and turned to lock the door. Panini trailed ahead of you, pulling on her leash as she sniffed the cobblestoned road and nibbled on blades of grass.
It had been a mistake to call out to him. The instant Harvey noticed you and returned your greeting with a wave of his hand, Panini’s head shot up like an antenna, and within a split second, bolted out of your grasp towards Harvey as you yelped in shock.
“Panini, no!” you shrieked, launching into the fastest sprint of your life in a fruitless effort to keep her from committing mischief. “Bad girl, Panini! Get back here!”
Your cries fell on deaf ears. A multitude of disastrous outcomes cycled through your head before you skidded to a halt and watched Panini jump into Harvey’s open arms, your stress dissipating in an instant as he doubled back in laughter under the weight of your dog’s bulky body.
“What a sweet girl!” Harvey huffed out, twisting away from her enthusiastic licks while petting her like his life depended on it.
Have you ever seen such unbridled joy on his face? Your heart skipped a beat at his wide smile, momentarily thrown off by how young he looked.
“That’s Panini for you,” you weakly said, grabbing hold of the leash and easing her away from the poor man as he wiped off dirt from his clothing. “I’m so sorry about that, Harvey.”
“Don’t be sorry — this was the reaction I was hoping for!” He straightened out his tie and bent down to stroke her back, taking the opportunity to examine her condition. “Quite skinny, isn’t she? And her fur is a bit patchy in some places…”
“Yes, there’s no telling how long she’s been out in the wilderness. I got some food in her belly and washed her up as best I could.”
He nodded and straightened back up, fixing his glasses into place as he pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “The car is parked across the main road. I don’t know if you’ve done much research into vets around the area, but I’m good friends with a colleague two towns over who said he’d be glad to take a look at her.”
“Thank you so much,” you sighed with a slight bow, relief palpable in your voice. “I was hoping you would know someone trustworthy.” The two of you casually strolled past the garden as you spoke, watching Panini in amusem*nt while she honed in on a passing butterfly. “It must be quite useful to know so many people from different specialties.”
“Of course. It’s all about referrals these days. Although, as a doctor who only specializes in general care, I suppose I’m getting the short end of the stick.”
“Don’t sell yourself short like that — everyone greatly appreciates what you do for us here.”
“Thank you.” He sighed and looked away. "I just wish there were more patients around, you see…but that’s neither here nor there. I shouldn’t be bothering you about my personal affairs.”
You glanced at him from the corner of your eye, curious to see what kind of expression he was sporting. A far-off, melancholy gaze dulled the vibrant green of his eyes, and you couldn’t help the heaviness that settled over the pit of your stomach, knowing he was going through hard times. “I really don’t mind, you know.” Harvey met your steadfast look. “You can rely on —“ Me. “— others for support. If you need to vent over a good steak and a bottle of wine, you know where to find me.”
The silence stretched between you a tad too long as he searched your eyes, until the moment was abruptly broken when Panini barked at a squirrel and tugged you with her as she tried to catch the little creature. Harvey caught you by your upper arm before you could tumble toward, helping you right yourself while you scolded Panini.
“Feisty little lady,” he said with amusem*nt, and you huffed in agreement. “And really — steak? Don’t tell me you’re fed up with your calf already.”
You scandalized look was enough to send him into a fit of muffled laughter. “Absolutely not. Mabel is the biggest sweetheart there is! I wonder how she’d get along with Panini, come to think of it. So many…interesting possibilities.”
“You’ll have to let me know how it goes.”
“Well, either we will all become one happy family, or that steak dinner might become a reality…”
You took extra care in crossing the road with your dog, quickly trailing after Harvey to the other side before any cars passed through. Not that anyone typically did, especially with the broken shuttle bus taking up most of the road.
“Is it true that Pam used to drive that bus?” you asked, looking over your shoulder and eyeing the slightly dilapidated vehicle.
“Yeah. It’s been a while though; there’s no telling when that thing will be repaired. Rather unfortunate, really. She was…happier back then.”
You bit your lip in contemplation. It was no secret that Pam’s drinking habit stemmed from a darker place within her heart, bitter from working long hours at Joja Mart and living day by day in perpetual unrest. And poor Penny suffered all the more for it, too. Several times you had found the young girl hidden away under a tree in Cindersap Forest or surrounding herself with friends and the children, content to stay silent yet in desperate need of warm attention that Pam struggled to bestow.
"Life in Pelican Town is difficult,” you remarked absentmindedly. Maybe you could find some way to fund the bus’s repairs? Surely you could persuade Mayor Lewis, or hint to the governor during the next festival he will attend. Or, perhaps, the junimo…
“It’s been pretty rough lately,” Harvey said, breaking your train of thought. “But hopefully your farm’s success will bring pleasant surprises.”
You grinned at the mention of your beloved farm. “Oh, it definitely brings me many surprises from time to time. Like this cutie over here,” you patted Panini’s butt, and she looked back at you with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth in a happy smile.
Harvey leaned down to pet her while you passed through a clearing in the forest, and you took note of the cars lined up in neat order in the lot — a small buggy hidden by the overpowering presence of an old truck parked next to it, and three modern vehicles of various colors standing near the entrance.
A silver car chirped to life as Harvey pressed the button on his key. He motioned you over and opened the back door, taking hold of Panini’s leash while you dug into your rucksack to lay out the blankets along the seats.
“I could have sworn your car would have been green,” you grunted as you climbed further in to adjust the corners of a blanket. Hopefully the poor man was not getting an eyeful of your behind. “I’m a little disappointed, actually.”
You heard Harvey chuckle behind you. “I do have some sense of taste.”
“Hey, you wouldn’t find me complaining.” You righted your clothing and sat down, patting the seat next to you for Panini to hop inside. “Come on, girl!” Panini followed in short order, sniffing the stuffy air of the interior while you stroked her fur to get her to sit.
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit in the front?” Harvey asked, handing over the dog leash back to you.
“That’s alright. I want to keep her company in case she gets scared during the ride. If there’s one thing I know about dogs, it’s that they can drool up an ocean when they’re nervous.”
He nodded and gently closed the door. You cooed at Panini to relax while Harvey came around to get into the driver’s seat, and wrapped your arm around her body as the car jostled over the rocky path on the way out into the main road.
“How’s she doing back there?”
You met Harvey’s eyes through the rear-view mirror and smiled. “She’s staring out the window in disbelief. No drool yet, I’m happy to report.”
“Good,” he said with a chuckle. “We should be there in around half an hour.”
“What’s the name of the town?”
“Sparrow Town.”
Your mouth stretched into an unamused grimace. “Can I assume there’s a community named after an owl somewhere nearby?”
“I kind of like the theme,” Harvey admitted with a smile in his voice. “It’s a way of connecting us all together.”
You couldn’t argue with that.
A peaceful silence settled over you both, and you entertained yourself by watching the scenery outside. You had long since passed the familiar tunnel that once signaled your arrival to your new home. The towering oaks and pine trees lined the narrow highway like pillars of the Earth, stretching high into the cloudless blue sky. The familiar smell of petrichor, uprooted from the damp soil by recent rainfall, permeated throughout the car and lulled you into serene tranquility. You closed your eyes and leaned your head back, letting your mind wander as images of junimos prancing around your farmland appeared behind your eyelids, the sound of wispy laughter rung in your ears, and a blanket of green strands curtained around you as you looked up into a kind face, featureless yet so warm and inviting — hello my child —
You opened your eyes. That was a little odd.
The familiar feeling of Panini’s coarse fur between your fingers grounded your awareness as you rubbed at your bleary eyes. The back of Harvey’s prone figure appeared in your central vision, and you took a private moment to admire the sloping waves of his chestnut hair — how could it look so disheveled yet intentional at the same time? — and the roundness of his cheek contrasting with the sharpness of his jawline —
Yoba, please cleanse me of my thoughts.
Your mind was leading you to strange places. Maybe it was time to speak up and concentrate on more productive matters.
“I think I should have brought some flyers to let people know that Panini has been found,” you said.
“Would you really want to return her to an irresponsible owner who let her run away in the first place?” You could practically feel his mustache turned down in consternation.
“Well, we can’t know the circ*mstances. What if it had been an accident?” You scratched Panini under her chin and smiled at her blissful expression. “What if she’s really missed?”
Harvey paused for a moment before acquiescing. “You might be right. We'll fax over a flyer to the vet some other time. He can put it up in his office or let people know by word of mouth.”
You nodded and relaxed into the seat once again, feeling the weight of your guilt diminish slightly. Panini shuffled over closer to you and laid down, resting her head on your lap while you ran your fingers through her fur. “I guess I could also mention her on my website,” you remarked, watching the dense forest gradually dissipate to reveal the vibrant rolling hills of Stardew Valley.
“I didn’t know you had a website,” Harvey replied with a hint of surprise. “Is it for the farm?”
“Yes, I share my updates on farm life in the blog section. Haley actually gave me the idea; she said it will help me build a presence online and get loyal customers. Sebastian was kind enough to make it for me after I coerced him with enough pumpkin soup.”
“Even if no owner is found, I’m sure Panini’s charming face will win you a lot of fans,” he chuckled.
“No doubt about it — Haley’s already been putting her hobby to good use with my gardens, so I can’t imagine what she’ll do with the dog. I’m starting to think her suggestion was just a clever rouse to show off her photography skills.”
“It’s a win-win for everyone.” Harvey glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard. “We should be there in a few minutes. The vet’s name is Charles, by the way. Forgot to mention that.”
“How do you know him?”
“He’s visited our town a few times to examine Marnie’s animals. Before you arrived, that is,” he added, noticing your confused expression through the rear-view mirror. “We bonded over drinks at the saloon."
“I’ll have to ask Charles about his services for my animals as well, then! Good to know there is a specialist nearby in case of emergencies.”
Harvey shook his head. “You worry more about them than you do about yourself. It’s good that I’m within walking distance from the mines and the farm.”
A warm feeling blossomed in your chest, and you found yourself smiling as you looked away.
Good indeed.
Panini jolted awake when the car drove over a rickety bridge, sitting up to look outside the window. You joined her in her sightseeing, marveling at the narrow river winding down below and off behind a steep cliff.
“There’s a waterfall nearby,” Harvey remarked. “A lot taller than ours, but just as beautiful.”
You wondered if he had gone there himself, or perhaps with someone else. But the question died on your tongue; it was not your place to ask something so personal.
Luckily, the town’s entrance appeared shortly after crossing the bridge. The difference between Sparrow Town and Pelican Town was readily apparent — the streets were wide and accommodating for vehicles, there were many bustling storefronts and residents walking around on this fine day, and everything was refreshingly maintained. The sidewalks were lined with intricate cobblestone patterns, and blooming trees lined the boulevards, their drooping branches offering low-hanging fruit.
It was a fairytale. It was everything you hoped your home would one day become.
Your mouth opened before you could hold back your thoughts. “Could we take a walk after the vet visit?” You sucked in a breath shortly after realizing how presumptuous you sounded. “T-to, um, to find a pet store nearby, maybe. We don’t have to if you’re short on time, of course. Silly of me to ask so suddenly...”
“Not silly at all; I’m very open to the idea. I did tell you I had nothing else to do today.”
“Right,” you nervously chuckled, fiddling with the strap of your rucksack.
The prospect of spending the day with Harvey made you a little happier than you were willing to admit.
