Nature's Medicine

Hook, Line, and Sinker

Almost a week till the Flower Dance and Harvey grew more and more anxious. This year he was determined to ask someone instead of Maru asking him just so they could participate in the festival dance. Little known fact, Harvey actually loves to dance, but his crippling anxiety and fear of rejection prevents him from asking anyone.

He stands outside reading the community posts on the bulletin board. On occasion he'll see Adella pick up some help wanted posts to scrape up some extra cash. Harvey would get slight nervous seeing a post by Clint asking to retrieve ores or something, or anyone wanting a precious gem from the mines.

He would always develop obsessive compulsive behaviors  waiting for someone to come in to be treated. Counting the rolls of gauze, measuring the amount of anesthetic drugs he had in hand, checking the amount of needles and sutures, event counting the amount of pain killers in each bottle. Harvey would repeat those steps at least five times a day until he knew the person was okay.

Harvey snapped back to reality hearing Pierre unlock the front doors to his store.

"Well good morning, Dr. Harvey!" Pierre chirped walling over the bulletin board, "Reading anything interesting?"

"Good morning Pierre, and no. Nothing interesting today." Harvey softly sighed looking back at the board.

"The Flower Dance is next week," he sang, "Thinking about who to ask yet?" Pierre playfully elbows him.

"Actually yes, I have been...." He tries to hide his blush.

"Well, who's the lucky lady?" Pierre leaned in with anticipation.

"...Adella." Harvey blushed more.

"That's actually kinda sweet, asking the new farmer." Pierre grinned before checking the time, "She should be coming by here soon if you want to ask her."

"Ask her today?!" Harvey jumped, "Don't you think it's a little too early to be asking anyone to the Flower Dance?"

"Maybe, but you need to start building up the courage before someone else asks her." He mentions and sees Adella walk by with her fishing pole.

"Morning Pierre and Dr. Harvey!" Adella smiles and waved at them continuing to head to the beach

"Good morning Adella," the men said in unison, "There's your chance, doc." Pierre nudged him.

Harvey sighed and watched Pierre head back into his store. He waited until he couldn't see Adella so he can make his way over to the beach.

"Alright you can do this, Harvey. Just simply say 'would you like to accompany me at the Flower Dance?' Whats the worst that could happen?"

He psyched himself as he walked to the beach. This year was going to be his year where he mans up and properly asks someone. Harvey scans the beach and spot a pale blue dot by the edge of the pier.

"Here goes nothing." He takes a deep breath stepping into the sand.

The last thing he could remember being at the beach was probably the Night Market this past winter. Seeing the beach in spring painted a lively picture for him seeing the coastal foliage wake up from a cold slumber. Harvey steps onto the creaky pier making Adella sit up a bit.

"Hey Elliott, you're up pre—" She stopped mid sentence seeing who it was, "Oh! Fancy seeing you here doc." She smiled.

Adella was set up to have a full day of fishing, a milk crate with a cushion, couple field snacks, tackle box filled with bait, and a stand for her pole.

"Yeah, I figured I would stretch my legs today." He looked out to ocean enjoying the sea breeze, "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all, I can use the company." She smiled and looked to the Gem Sea, "If I knew there would be someone with me, I would've brought another crate."

"It's okay I don't mind." Harvey sat down next to her. He starts swinging his legs, "Sure is beautiful out here."

"Yeah," Adella sighed admiring the sea, "I'd rather stay on land though."

"Why do you say that?" He asked leaning back a bit.

"I don't know," she shrugs, "I guess it's the idea of being lost at sea freaks me out."

"Understandable," he agrees and starts swinging his legs, "Being lost at sea would freak anyone out." Harvey softly chuckles.

Adella laughs a bit and starts playing with some fishing line waiting for a bite. Harvey looks back out to the horizon hyping himself up to ask her.

"You can do it! Just ask her!"

Harvey cleared his throat and turned to her, "Adella," his words got caught in his throat.

"Breathe, Harvey. Breathe."

"Yes?"

"I-I was... I was wondering if you wo—" The spool cut him off as it unraveled.

"Hold that thought! Fish on!" Adella quickly stood up grabbing her trying to reel in her catch.

Harvey stood up too in case he needed to do something. This was giving him flashbacks when he was little fishing with his dad. He carefully watches her struggle to reel in the fish but it seemed to be pulling her in.

"This must be a big ass fish!" Adella grunts pulling back on the rod.

"Here, maybe two people will get it out." He takes hold of her pole as she reels some line in.

"I... I think I'm running out of line."  She groans trying to wind up the lever.

One big pull on the fish's end yanked the two into the cold spring water. Adella came up gasping from how cold the water is. She lifts up the lip of her now soaking wet straw hat.

"That was wicked huh Harvey?" She joked lightly then panic quickly set in when she didn't see him at the surface. "Harvey!" She screamed and dived down seeing him sink further into the clear blue water.

-<~***~>-

Harvey coughed up salt water. It stung his nose and throat so bad he couldn't focus on what was happening around him.

"Willy!... Willy!... He's alright!"

He groans from the bombardment of noises, seagulls squawking, thunderous waves crashing on the shore, and insufferable screaming. Harvey squints his eyes making them adjust to bright sun. It took him a while to realize he didn't have his glasses one when everything was blurry and different shades of blue.

"Here." A sweet voice leaded him to put his glasses on.

He weakly smiled finally seeing a sopping wet Adella. She seemed relieve to see him awake.

"Why does it when something happens to the two of us it involves water?" Harvey joked.

Adella laughs and blushes lightly, "I don't know, might be a sign." She joked also. "Think you're okay to walk? We should probably head to the clinic, your lips are like purple."

He sat up slowly and finger combs his mustache to shake off excess water, "I think so, and yeah your lips are purple too."

"Well duh, I had to rescue." Adella stands up and offers him a hand.

"How did you know how to save me?" Harvey questioned taking her hand.

"My first job was a lifeguard at a local pool." She stayed with a slight shiver, "Thankfully, I didn't have to perform CPR on you."

"Y-yeah I'm thankful too," He shivers a bit pulling back his soaked bangs, "Thank you... for saving my life."

Adella smiles bashfully and rubs her arm, "You're welcome, this town wouldn't be the same without its doctor."

Harvey smiled sincerely at her being truly grateful for her brave actions. He thought it was ironic that someone saved his life when typically saves others.

"We should probably change out if these wet clothes." He said ringing out his tie

"Agreed."