Chapter Text
Rhett looked out as the rays of the golden, early morning sun caressed the carefully tended beds of his garden with warmth. He loved his garden. Like it was his own soul. He was immensely proud of everything on his farm, but the flower beds were his favorite.
The wheat he grew for a livelihood. The fruits and vegetables, he grew for food, and to trade with his neighbors. The flowers, he grew just because he loved them, and he figured anything you do for love should be properly savored. So as the world came languidly to life, Rhett took a moment to have his breath stolen by the way the rising sun lit up the dew drops on his roses like a joyful scattering of diamonds. Sometimes the sight brought tears to his eyes, but today, it brought a gentle smile to his lips.
It was market day, and he had a mind to come home with some new flowers.
He went down to the stables and hitched Snow Pea up to his little wagon. The old brown mare nosed him affectionately when he offered her some sugar cubes, and he took some time making sure she was comfortable in the harness. He loaded the back of the wagon with two large crates of blueberry jam. His blueberry crop had done so well this season. Even after loading his pantry with more jam than he would need for a year, there was still so much left.
While going to the market was exciting, Rhett felt the familiar old twist of anxiety in his belly. He loved market days, going to town, and feeling a part of the community, but interactions with people tended to make Rhett a bit of a nervous wreck. He was a shy sort, and a lot more comfortable with plants than people to be honest. He never knew what to say. He often stammered and felt foolish.
“Looks like it is going to be a hot day today,” Rhett said to Snow Pea, stroking the white blaze on her nose while she sniffed at the pockets of his overalls searching for more sugar cubes. He gave her a final pat and pulled his 6’7” frame up onto the wagon. He sat down making an encouraging clicking sound, and Snow Pea started the trek to town.
“Looks like it is going to be a hot day today,” Rhett practiced, and then realizing he might need something to say to people later in the day, he tried, “Sure is a hot day today.” Yeah. That would work.
By the time he arrived in the bustling town square, he had rehearsed a number of possible things to say about the weather, blueberries, the location of his farm, and what he grew there. He felt as well prepared as he could for a town day. He hoped he would be able to find a nice flowering shrub. Something with the potential to grow quite large. He thought a big purple lilac would look lovely on the east corner of his cottage.
He pulled the wagon up in front of the Town Hall, parking next to Mitchell Landry and nodding a greeting. Mitchell was sitting behind a table arrayed with handmade clocks. He was an old man and nearly deaf. Rhett always enjoyed his company as conversation was generally not required. Rhett unhitched Snow Pea and led her over to the corral to mingle with the other horses. He lowered the gate on the back of the wagon and arrayed the jars of jam as women with bustled skirts and flower baskets walked by and children scampered around laughing and playing games known best to themselves.
A little girl darted up to him and stuffed a flyer in his hand before running off into the crowd. Rhett glanced at the paper. It looked like there was going to be a dance in the basement of the Town Hall that had recently been dubbed the “Community Center” in a few days. Rhett folded the paper up and put it in his pocket but doubted he would attend. He couldn’t imagine being locked in a room bursting to the seams with people and being expected to dance.
“L-looks like it is g-going to be a hot d-day,” Rhett offered to a young woman perusing the jars of jam. “Today,” he added bashfully.
“It certainly does,” she returned, looking up at Rhett with a friendly smile. Rhett blushed beneath his bushy auburn beard and looked at his feet.
Within a few hours, he had sold all but one jar of jam. He had earned a tidy sum of money, plus two pairs of wool socks, a box of beeswax candles, a basket of cherry tomatoes, a big loaf of sourdough bread, and three jars of bread and butter pickles. He placed the goods he had collected in one of the empty crates and stuck the last jar of jam in his pocket in case he found a vendor more in mind to trade than sell.
He had covered the entirety of the market and had not found anything that especially appealed to him. There were some pots of creeping phlox that looked very nice, and some dahlia starts that would be lovely when full grown, but nothing spectacular. He was about to turn around and head for his wagon when someone grabbed onto his hand from behind and yanked him around.
“Well, there you are, Rhett!” the stranger said excitedly. Rhett was shocked to see his hand grasped by a plump, friendly looking woman wearing a red velvet robe with gold stars all over it. He had never seen such attire. Rhett guessed her to be middle-aged with long dark hair and a flustered expression.
“Come with me,” she instructed urgently towing him by the hand through the throngs of people, “not a moment to waste.”
“I b-beg your p-p-pardon?!” Rhett stammered.
“You’ve been apart much too long already,” she offered anxiously. “I would have been here years ago, but that damn wizard who gave me directions was drunk, and I think he made me traverse at least 3 extra dimensions just as a joke or something. Not to worry. Next time I see him, I plan on bespelling all his cocktail garnishes to taste like liver. That will teach him!”
“I sh-should s-say so,” Rhett agreed. He had no idea what the strange woman was talking about, but always found it best to be agreeable.
She dragged Rhett away from the market and a short way down the road to a covered wagon. The wagon had a large crystal ball painted on the side. There were letters painted on the side as well, but Rhett found that every time he tried to read them, they got all squiggly and moved around, eventually running around to the other side of the wagon all together.
“Here we are,” his new friend said in a tone of relief. “Now, you’ll have to pull him out of the back of the wagon for me,” she said, unlatching the gate. “He’s heavy.”
She pulled aside a curtain from the back of the wagon to reveal a large flowerpot. Perhaps the largest flowerpot Rhett had ever seen. Never one to be unhelpful, Rhett hoisted the flowerpot from the back of the wagon and set it on the ground. It was certainly heavy, but after a lifetime of farm work, Rhett was able to lift it without trouble.
Protruding from the smooth, brown soil was a thick green stalk about a foot tall covered with branches festooned with the most interesting heart-shaped leaves.
“W-what is it?” Rhett asked in wonder, crouching down, and examining the plant closely.
“Something meant only for you, Rhett,” the stranger said sweetly. “His name is Link.”
“Link,” Rhett said smoothly, tasting the name on his tongue almost reverently. He could swear the leaves shook in delight at the sound of his voice.
“Does it b-belong inside or or o-outside?” Rhett asked, hypnotized by the beautiful green leaves that seemed one moment to have a shiny texture and then the next a velvety one. He had never seen anything like it.
“Outside to begin with, I imagine,” the woman offered helpfully. “Though I’m sure he’ll tell you if he has other ideas. He’s never shy about sharing his preferences on things,” she said with an amused chuckle.
“How m-much do you w-want for it? F-for him,” he corrected himself.
“He’s yours, Rhett. Always has been. Always will be. I’m sorry it took me so long to find you this time, but things will be better for you now. You’ll see,” the stranger said in a comforting tone.
Like a man in a dream, Rhett pulled out all the money he had made at the market and held it towards her. For some reason, he knew in his heart if it wasn’t enough, he would gladly give her everything he owned.
“You keep that,” she said calmly. “I have no use for it but thank you just the same.”
Rhett pulled the jar of blueberry jam out of his pocket and offered it to her.
She took the jar and smiled kindly at Rhett. She reached up and stroked his cheek. “You are a sweet one, aren’t you?”
Rhett hunched his shoulders and looked at the ground, squirming at the affection. The stranger removed her hand, and when Rhett looked up, she and the wagon were gone. Rhett found that in a few moments, he could no longer recall her face, or much of the details of their conversation. He picked up Link and headed back towards the market.
*****
Rhett nestled Link’s pot on the porch next to the east corner of the cottage. During the trip home, the stalk had doubled in width, and now stood nearly 3 feet tall. Rhett could barely lift it anymore. He grabbed his watering can and proceeded to water Link thoroughly. He jerked in surprise when he heard the plant sigh contentedly.
Before his eyes, the plant began to grow even larger. It was taller and broader than it had been a minute ago, and tiny buds began to appear on the branches. Rhett examined the buds and found them to be from all different sorts of flowers. These looked like daisies, those irises. Orchid buds, rose buds, this was impossible! How could the pot even support the root structure of such a plant? Rising above the rest of the foliage was what appeared to be a huge sunflower bud.
It occurred to Rhett that he should be afraid, but if anything, he felt awestruck, amazed. He felt incredibly drawn to the plant that was now only about a half a foot shorter than him.
“What in the world are you?” Rhett said breathlessly into the expanding leaves. In response to his voice, a tiny daisy bud opened and blossomed. Link seemed to lean slightly towards the sound of his voice.
“You like to be talked to, huh?” Rhett asked. Well, that at least made a bit of sense to Rhett. He often spoke to his plants. Most of the time, it was about the only use his voice got, and again he felt this strange compulsion, like he didn’t want to be more than a few feet away from the towering shrub on his porch.
He pulled a rocking chair over and settled himself next to the pot. He reached over and tentatively ran his hand up and down the smooth stalk at the base of the plant that was now probably a few feet in diameter. Link sighed happily at the touch.
“Well, where to begin?” Rhett asked speculatively. “I’m Rhett,” he said, realizing he had never introduced himself properly. “I’ve lived on this farm my whole life, and I’ve been running it myself since mama and daddy passed a few years back. Mama’s heart went out, and after she was gone, daddy didn’t last long. Doctor said it happens that way a lot when folks spend most of their lives together.” Rhett’s eyes filled with tears as he recounted the story. He had been awfully lonely since they left him.
A vine of morning glories reached down from Link’s branches and wrapped itself comfortingly around Rhett’s shoulders and down his arm. Rhett lifted the vine to his face and watched as the white and pink blossoms opened serenely. “If you aren’t just the most beautiful sight I ever have seen,” Rhett said adoringly.
“Anyway, it can be a hard life, but I get by alright. My neighbor’s son, Chase, comes and helps me when the wheat is ready to be harvested, or if I have any odd jobs that can’t be done with just one person. He’s a nice kid, well, young man.” Rhett couldn’t remember the last time he had spoken so much without stuttering. It felt so easy and comfortable, talking to Link.
Rhett continued to tell Link about the farm and his life there as the sun set and the stars began to appear one by one in the inky blue twilight. He told Link about Snow Pea and the other animals he kept on the farm. He spent a long time talking about his favorite place on Earth, the Cape Fear River. He told Link about how he would fish for trout and sun perch there. How on hot days in the summer, even when a full day of farm work had tired him out, there was nothing he liked more than riding Snow Pea to the river and having a long luxurious swim. Then he would stretch out and relax on the bank until he was dry.
He talked about town. About Mitchell Landry who made the most beautiful, ornate clocks and how he always treated Rhett with quiet dignity. He talked about Mayor Rodney Gilliam and his wife Charlotte, and how they often walked around town pushing their elderly cocker spaniel in a baby carriage because she was too old to walk very far. He confessed to Link that he had always wanted to be more a part of their lives. Them and so many other people in town, but how he had always been so shy and awkward his whole life. He had just never been confident enough to make proper friends. He knew he needed to change that, and he tried his best, but he just didn’t know how.
By the time it was fully dark, every flower bud on Link had fully blossomed, including the giant sunflower at the top. The air was full of the most enchanting, heady aroma that made everything feel comforting and soothing. Fireflies flitted and danced about the branches, drawn and entranced by the sweet fragrance. The word magic flitted through Rhett’s mind, but for some reason, it carried with it no fear, only an odd bouquet of awe and wonder. It felt like the whole day had been a dream. One he never wanted to wake up from. “You’re so beautiful, Link,” Rhett whispered.
Rhett’s eyelids began to droop, and he knew he should go in and go to bed, but he couldn’t imagine leaving Link alone on the porch, and knew he was now much too heavy to be moved. He yawned and continued to speak sleepily as more vines wrapped around and around his body. Vines shouldn’t be warm, but these were. Warm and with blossoms soft as a blanket.
“You know, Link. I guess I never really realized how lonely I’ve been out here by myself, but I have the feeling that everything is going to be alright now…” his voice trailed off, his head lolled back against the rocking chair, and he was soon fast asleep.
*****
Rhett awoke with the dawn, as was his habit. His body was a bit sore and stiff from sleeping in the rocking chair all night. He stretched and groaned, and his eyes flew open in alarm as he heard the sound of dead and dry vines snapping all over his body. The vines that had wrapped tenderly around him last night, cradling him with warmth were now brittle husks.
To his horror he saw that in Link’s pot, where last night there had been a huge, breathtaking plant exploding with radiant flowers, there was now a pile of dead, dried out sticks and leaves. The entire plant had toppled over to the ground, and there was a huge tear down the center of what had once been the tall, glorious stalk.
“Oh God, no! Link!!” Rhett screamed. He leapt from the rocking chair, the dead vines snapping and breaking away as he knelt next to the pile of debris and wept bitterly. “Link!” he wailed.
“In here!” came a happy voice from inside the cottage. His front door opened, and to Rhett’s astonishment, a naked green man emerged onto his porch.
Rhett knew he should scream or faint or something, but he was struck silent by the beautiful figure standing before him with a calm smile.
“L-l-link?” Rhett gasped. His eyes took in the slim, pale green body that was, ahem, anatomically correct, and could only be described as… perfect.
Link noticed the state of shock Rhett was in. His eyes flicked over to the wasted pile of limbs in the pot and his face morphed into concern. “Oh, Rhett! You thought something terrible happened to me. Oh, you poor poor thing!” He flew to Rhett’s side, getting down on the porch with him, encouraging Rhett to sit down and instantly settling himself in Rhett’s lap.
Link wound his arms around Rhett’s shoulders and nestled his face into the crook of his neck as Rhett in turn wrapped his arms around Link and squeezed him tight.
“I’m here, Rhett. I’m fine. Everything is going to be alright,” Link cooed into Rhett’s neck.
“I-I-I thought you were d-d-dead,” Rhett squeaked through his tears.
“I know, Rhett. I’m so sorry. I guess I outgrew the pot. I was just looking around for some water. I didn’t know you would wake up so early,” Link said contritely. He leaned back and looked at Rhett, reaching up and wiping at his face. Rhett’s tears seemed to absorb quickly into his fingertips.
His eyes! Rhett had never seen anything as beautiful as Link’s eyes, like the sky on a perfect summer day, or the deep pools of the old quarry where Rhett liked to swim as a child. His face was framed with wild springs of soft, dark hair streaked with silver. The expression on his face was so kind, so tender, so… so Link. Rhett sighed in relief. “I’m just g-glad you’re alright,” Rhett said.
“I’m okay, Rhett. I’m okay,” Link assured him, tucking his head back down to Rhett’s chest and holding him close.
As they held each other, Rhett once again smelled the intoxicating fragrance from last night and realized that tiny flowers were sprouting all over Link’s body, and in his hair.
“Water,” Rhett said, recovering from the shock and registering what Link had said earlier. “You need water?”
“Oh, yes please,” Link said gratefully. They got up from the porch and Rhett led Link back into the cottage.
Rhett got a glass out of a cupboard and turned on the faucet from the kitchen sink.
Link leapt at the stream, cupping his hands, and laughing high pitched, and delighted. He ducked his head under the faucet and moaned in happiness and relief.
Rhett noticed that the flowers that had covered his body a moment ago were now gone, and there was no sign of them on the floor anywhere. That was strange, but well, there hadn’t been much of the last 24 hours that wasn’t strange. He stood there holding the empty glass and watched Link play in the sink with rising affection.
“This is amazing!” Link said from beneath the faucet.
Rhett stepped forward and turned the water off. Link looked up at him with disappointment.
“Come with me,” Rhett said. “If you like the kitchen, you’re gonna love the bathroom.”
Rhett put Link into the shower and turned the water on. Link cackled in delight and danced around like this was the best thing that could ever happen.
“Oh my gosh, Rhett. This is incredible!” Link said happily, closing his eyes and letting the water cascade over him.
“Take your time,” Rhett said. “This makes it hotter. This makes it colder. I’ll find you some clothes.”
“Ooo! Clothes! That will be fun,” Link said, joy and rapture on his face as he turned the hot faucet off and the cold all the way up.
Rhett dug up some boxers, a flannel shirt, and some overalls. He knew they would probably be way too big on Link but figured they would have to do until he came up with something else.
Rhett left the clothes in the bathroom on the sink. He didn’t know if Link would need help figuring out how to get dressed, but it turned out he had excellent instincts. Link emerged from the bathroom a short time later, rolling up the long sleeves of the flannel shirt to his elbows.
“What are we going to do today? Is it time to feed Snow Pea and milk Calliope?” Link asked.
“Sure,” Rhett answered, happy that Link wanted to help with the farm chores. “Are you hungry? Do you eat?” Rhett had been trying to figure out what food to offer Link, but the thought of offering him meat or vegetables both seemed wrong somehow.
“The witch said I can eat whatever you eat,” Link said mildly.
“The witch?” Rhett asked.
“Yeah,” Link said. “The one who helped me find you. I always find you, but it was harder this time since I was a plant and couldn’t just walk around looking for you or get someplace where you would be and wait for you,” he explained.
“I don’t usually know I’m trying to find you, or that I’m waiting for you, it just sort of happens. But this time I do. Maybe because plants know things that people don’t. Our roots go down in the soil and we know a lot more about things that have been in the past or things in other places. At least I think that’s how it works. I’m not really sure, but I know we always find each other eventually,” Link said happily.
Rhett had a lot of questions, but he figured they could wait. He took a variety of foods out of the cupboards, and they had a fun time figuring out what Link liked to eat. Peanut butter, yes! Tomatoes, no!
Afterwards, Rhett took him around the farm. He found Link to be strong, and extremely helpful as long as Rhett could thoroughly explain what needed to be done. He was a bit clumsy, kind of like a newborn foal, but Rhett figured he was doing great considering Link had only had feet for less than a day. Rhett saw that he would have to really watch out for Link and make sure he didn’t hurt himself.
Rhett noticed that when Link was having fun, flowers bloomed under his feet and on his body. The blossoms on his body would disappear after a few moments, but the ones on the ground stayed.
They fed and cared for all the animals, cleaning the stalls in the barn, milking Calliope, collecting eggs from the chickens. It was raspberry season, and Link delighted in picking and eating the berries. It seemed like whenever Link touched a plant, it got bigger and radiated strength and health. It was a perfect, sunny day, and with Link’s help the chores got done much faster than Rhett was used to.
With the work all done, Rhett made them some sandwiches, saddled up Snow Pea, and took Link down to the river. Link had mentioned it often during the day. Rhett was pleased to realize that Link remembered everything Rhett had said to him while he was a plant. Link was very light for his size, and Snow Pea carried them both easily.
At the river, they stripped down to their boxers and launched themselves into the water. They played and splashed like children. Rhett couldn’t remember the last time he had been so happy. He thought maybe he never had been.
After having a good swim, they ate the picnic Rhett had prepared and lounged on the riverbank to dry. Link asked him a thousand questions about the river, the plants, every memory Rhett had of the place. Rhett found he could talk to Link effortlessly. Not a single stammer since this morning.
“It’s so beautiful here, Rhett,” Link said peacefully.
Rhett looked over at him and his breath caught in his throat. Link was sprawled out, basking in the sun. There were bright yellow sunflower petals framing his face, and the entire area beneath where they lay was now covered in wildflowers where before there had been only grass.
“You’re beautiful,” Rhett said quietly because there had never been truer words.
Link opened his eyes and turned his radiant smile on Rhett. He rolled over and propped himself up on his elbow looking down at Rhett. He stared at him a while, reaching out with his hand and stroking Rhett’s beard. “I knew I would find you, but I didn’t know how kind and gentle you would be, and how much I would love you.”
“You love me?” Rhett asked in amazement.
“Very much,” Link answered with a grin. He lowered himself to Rhett and pressed their lips together.
Rhett rolled on his side and drew Link into his arms returning the kiss with passion. Link’s skin was sun-kissed and smooth. He smelled like honeysuckle and lavender. Link parted his lips and allowed Rhett to explore with his tongue. He tasted like sunshine and sweet nectar. It was intoxicating and so perfect Rhett wanted to cry.
“I love you so much, Link,” he sighed. “I’ve been missing you forever and didn’t even know. Like I’ve spent my whole life with half of my heart locked away.” The tears started flowing as Rhett thought about all the lonely years. Never feeling confident. Never feeling enough.
Link kissed him gently, his fingertips running lightly through Rhett’s curls and tucking them behind his ear. Petting and soothing. “It’s alright now, love,” he promised. “I’m here. I found you. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” He relaxed into Rhett’s arms, and they lay on the riverbank, sometimes kissing, sometimes just smiling, and talking quietly as Link played with Rhett’s chest hair or stroked his beard. They lay there lost in each other until sunset.