#when the jar is full they get to empty it and have roomie dinner on eddie

[infinite-orangepeel]

at the fruity four apartment, they don’t have a swear jar but they do have something similar. ever since implementing it, eddie’s wallet has gotten a hell of a lot lighter. not that there’s any correlation….

[dwarva]

Stardew Valley 30 Day Challenge Day 20. Cooking

He should have said no. He really really really should have said no.

But when Rae had asked if she could come over for dinner while Robin made the finishing touches to the farmhouses new kitchen, he'd nodded, spluttered a yes and then panicked later about what the hell he was going to make for her.

Soothing music ebbed from the old fashioned radio by his bed but did nothing to calm his nerves as he peered into the fridge and did a brief inventory of its contents.

A half full bag of coffee grounds, three microwave meals and a jar of pickles wasn't going to make much of a meal. Curing himself inwardly for being so damned ill prepared, he slammed the door in frustration and grabbed his coat from the hook by the door.

As he raced down the stairs, two at a time, he searched his memory for Rae mentioning her favourite foods. Or, frankly, any foods she actually liked. But he was coming up with nothing. Had they even really discussed food? He had vague memories of seeing her eat at the Saloon but the anxiety that had previously come with even seeing her face seemed to have blocked out any memories of what she's been having.

Right, so what did you actually cook last? Maybe go with something you know you can manage?

Nothing.

He swung from the door to the clinic right into Pierre's and realised he'd gone from zero options to far too many. Standing in front of a shelf of brightly coloured packets, jars and cartons then slyly looking to the fresh produce on his left, he wasn't even sure where to start with this bounty of options.

Pierre looked at him over the counter where he was silently piling some coins. "You OK there Harvey?"

"Do you happen to know what Rae's favourite food is?" Any subtlety about his intentions had gone out the window when he realised he only had two hours to find and create a meal for her. The first meal they'd share.

The first of many?

Pierre grinned and shuffled the bags of gold into a drawer behind the counter and turned the old copper key. "I do actually. But you're not going to find it here I'm afraid."

Harvey stuffed back the packets of pasta he'd grabbed in a panic and headed towards the counter.

"Why?"

Pierre chuckled and looked at Harvey over his glasses. "It's cheese cauliflower. And while I've got some cheese in the chiller cabinet there you're fresh out of luck on the cauliflower. It's spring veg - can't imagine you'll find any in town on the second day of winter I'm afraid." He offered Harvey a sympathetic look but shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the coolers. "The cheeses are in the one by the door; if you wanted to grab some in case?"

Harvey nodded crestfallen, took a selection of cheese from the cabinet and rummaged in his coat pocket for some errant coins he guessed were in there. "Uh, I seem to be a little short... Maybe I'll just take this one-" He examined the various options to see which one was best left abandoned.

"Don't worry about it Harvey. I'll get it another time..." Pierre assured him. Harvey pushed forward all the coin he'd found in his pockets and headed to the door.

"I'll get it for you tomorrow!"

"Don't worry!" Pierre shouted back after him.

No wonder he wasn't turning a profit, thought Harvey cynically. But then he too was known for helping out the villagers when funds were tight. Maybe this was karma giving him a thumbs up for once?

He stood outside the store and looked around the quiet town. Where was he going to get cauliflower in winter? Across the river the hulking white building dominated the corner of the town above the museum. A chill wind of snowflakes whipped at his face as though his better conscious was giving him a slap.

Desperate times... he reminded himself and pushed through the snow flurries to the Joja Mart.

The upbeat tinkling of the doors mechanical bell as the doors slid apart did nothing to assuage the guilt in the pit of Harvey's stomach. He looked around and caught the eye of Morris whose shark tooth grin made him shudder as it appeared from behind a stack of packing crates by the door.

The tall, raven haired man emerged from behind the boxes and swept his arm around dramatically before grinning again at Harvey.  "Anything you're looking for Doctor we're sure to have. Did you have something specific in mind?" He pointed at the bundles of cheese in Harvey's hand and the edges of his mouth drew further upwards.

"I, um. I know it's out of season but do you have any cauliflower?" Harvey whispered, worried he'd be heard by other shoppers. Though the place seemed empty he knew Pam and Jodi both shopped here. Pam and Rae weren't close but seeing Harvey there would be just the sort of thing that Jodi might innocently slip into conversation the next time she saw her friend.

Morris threw his head back, thrust his hand dramatically over his chest and whooped a show laugh, exposing a mouth full of cavities filled with silver, making his oddly automaton nature even more prominent.

"Of course we do. They're frozen obviously but that's easily remedied." He gestured to the wall of identical freezers at the back of the shop. "Do help yourself. When you've found everything you need just come right back to Ida here. She'll be happy to help." Morris spun back around and busied himself amongst the crates and boxes.

Harvey looked across at Ida who stood behind the cash register with a grim expression on her ashen face. She glanced at Harvey with dull grey eyes and stayed motionless, only moving her eyes to focus what Harvey could only interpret as a death stare right into Morris now turned back. He'd never spoken to her before, she must live in the city and travel in to work, but he suddenly imagined her as a young woman, vibrant and full of life. Before Joja had its way with her.

Would that have been Rae's fate if she hadn't moved to Pelican Town to take over the farm? Would her eyes become as lifeless as Ida's; her spirit visibly broken and muted?

He shook off the worry. One frozen head of cauliflower wasn't going to change the world. She didn't even have to know where the vegetable had come from, he reassured himself as he turned the corner towards seemingly unending stark and clinical looking white shelves.

"What are you doing here Doc?" Shane looked at Harvey from under his blue hat with a mixed expression of confusion and unease.

"I needed something. For a meal for Rae..."

"No!" Shane growled, the sound echoing through the large room and drowning out the clunky electronic music that was being piped out of speakers in the ceiling. Harvey stepped back defensively as Shane moved at him. "Rae wouldn't want anything from here. I know that."

He looked Harvey up and down with narrowed eyes and the doctor stared down at his feet uncomfortably. "Well no, I know that Shane. But I need it for dinner. It's cauliflower - out of season and you can't get it anywhere - what would you have me do?"

"Make her something else." He turned, rearranged the cap on his head and started noisily stacking cans, from a box marked Cow Soup, on an already overflowing shelf. "She wouldn't want anything from here." He muttered bitterly.

The last remark almost sounded dejected instead of angry and just as Harvey went to move in and reassure Shane the man reeled around again gesturing at the promotional posters that lined the walls. "This white box is everything Rae came here to escape. Do you get that? She wouldn't want anything that came from this place with its crappy corporate agenda I can guarantee that. But if you think you know her better than I do then go ahead. You're much smarter than me Doc..." Shane lifted the box of canned beef soup and moved towards the store cupboard without waiting for a response.

Harvey smoothed his hand over his moustache and rested it on his chin, juggling the cheese in his free hand. Shane was right of course. He couldn't buy anything from Joja to give to Rae. Either she'd be hurt that he'd go against her beliefs or she'd be furious when she, inevitably, found out that's where he'd got it from. He gave himself a silent nod of confirmation and practically ran to the door, ignoring Morris' offers of coupons for his next visit.

He was just going to come up with the goods some other way...

-------------------

The food was bubbling on the newly cleaned stove when the knock at the front door rumbled through the clinic. He looked over the makeshift dining table with its mismatched glasses, knives and forks before loping down to meet Rae.

When he opened the door and saw her standing there, the newly falling snow kissing her dark hair and her cheeks pink from the bitter gale, he froze. His mouth slacked open and despite the chilling air he felt sweat building on the small of his back. She smiled politely for a moment but once she realised he wasn't looking to do anything beyond stare at her she raised her eyebrows.

"It's a bit cold out here now the snow has started Harvey?" She pleaded with him and watched as the stunned expression left his face. He stood back and gestured for her to come in. Snow drifted off her olive coloured coat and small puddles formed onto the reception area of the clinic. The tiny white snowflakes melted into her hair and skin making her look almost dewy instead of windswept.

She shrugged off her jacket which he wrapped into his arms as she continued up the stairs to the sound of the gentle jazz drifting from the radio. He turned to see her looking round eagerly and realised she'd never been in his apartment before.

He suddenly felt nervous and apologetic. "Sorry it's not very roomy. Or tidy...."

She moved towards the display of model planes as Harvey searched for somewhere clean to lay her jacket. He dropped it onto the sofa, rushed to her and pointed to one on the upper shelf.

"Its a B-36J Peacemaker!" His expression lit up as watched her and he reached forward and lifted it from the shelf to show her in more detail. He smoothed his hand over the large green bomb that was attached to the base as Rae offered him a slightly indulgent look. He carefully placed it back on the shelf and lifted the blue plane next to it. "This is a RQ-4A Global Hawk. Its a surveillance aircraft, unmanned." He gazed at her, expecting questions, but she gave him a soft smile.

"They're really pretty?" As she reached forward, Harvey flinched back slightly. "Oh are they expensive?"

Harvey's cheeks flushed a deep red. "Sorry Rae," he mumbled. "I'm really not used to anyone being up here." He popped it back up on the shelf as a small veil of dust bounced from the wood.

Rae reached out her hand to touch Harvey's, rubbing her thumb gently over his palm. He wasn't sure if it was intended to be reassuring but his shoulders slouched and the tension that had been slowly building since he'd opened the door seemed to melt away.

She kept hold of his hand as she moved across to the kitchen; Harvey more than happy to keep his grip. He entertained a panicked thought that if he let go she might up and leave.

"Uh, are you sure it's OK to have that stove burning inside?" She looked nervously at the tiny camping stove sat upon a makeshift bar on the sink.

"Yeah I really didn't have a need for a stove until today. So I spoke to Linus about this. He said it would be OK if I put it right next to the window and kept it wide open. Let me know if you get cold. Or, uh, feel dizzy..."

Rae laughed and released his hand to dip a spoon into the bubbling green flecked liquid on the little stove.

"It smells incredible. What is it?"

Not cheese cauliflower, he reminded himself silently.

"Its artichoke cheddar soup? And I got some freshly baked bread from Robin. I know you like her bread." He paused and looked away at the simple pan of soup. "Is that OK?"

She lifted the spoon to her lips and tasted. Harvey watched her lips carefully run over the spoon and took a large gulp of breath, looking away uncomfortably. Rae smiled and her eyes rolled back in bliss.

"It's so good! Pierre's canned soup doesn't normally taste as good as this!"

"Uh, I made it..." She cocked an eyebrow at him and nudged his arm.

"Really? She placed the spoon back by the stove and moved towards him. "You really didn't have to go to all that trouble..."

If only you knew...

"It was no trouble." He lied. "I know it's not your favourite but...."

"Harvey," she began, tentatively wrapping her arms around his waist and recoiling slightly when his body stiffened, her smile vanishing. "Sorry..."

"No." He cursed himself internally at her withdrawal. "You don't have to stop. I just...I'm sorry. I just want this to all be easy and comfortable and I'm not very good at easy or comfortable. And last time we got a little carried away. I'll work on it..."

"Harvey you made me dinner. Do you know the last time someone actually cooked for me?" Her green eyes glistened at his and he shook his head. "I was nine... My parents were very much of the opinion that once you could look after yourself you were set and should just get on with it. I'm not saying I want to be coddled but this?" She nodded to the soup. "This is one of the best gifts I've been given in a really long time."

"You've never had a boyfriend cook for you?"

"Let's just say that most of my previous relationships have been with guys who think pizza and beer is the height of cuisine..." Harvey's stomach sank as he thought back to Shane's comment that he knew her better. Did he? Was Shane a better fit for Rae?

"Oh. OK." He took a wooden ladle to the soup and grabbed the basket of bread from on top of the microwave. "So is that...is that the sort of man you like?" He tried desperately to seem relaxed and casual but the mechanical way that he placed the bread on the folding table betrayed his nerves.

"No. Not now Harvey." She opened the doors of the cupboards under the sink and appeared with a couple of mismatched and chipped bowls. She offered them to Harvey who ran his calloused fingers over the rough edges of the chips. A reassuring hand on his arm made his muscles tighten further as he looked up at her through slightly steamed glasses. "I think my days of being impressed by pizza and beer types are probably over."

"Is hastily made soup and bread any better?"

Her expression hardened. "Yes. It is." She assured him. "I can see that cooking isn't something you do very often Harvey. So the fact that you've gone and got all these things to make me dinner instead of just taking me to the Saloon or whatever? Yes. This is far, far better..."

"I just want you to be happy Rae." He said quietly. She lifted her hand up to his cheek and touched her lips gently against his. It probably wouldn't even have been classed it as a kiss. It was a thank you. But his lips still ghosted with her taste after she'd gone back to take the soup from the stove.

"Are you ready to start?" She asked, ladling soup into the green bowls.

Definitely ready to start, he thought.