Ashes to Ashes, Leaves to Snow|| [[Lest + Rachel]]
Greenhill farm had been back for a while now. It was like it had never been burned to begin with. As an employee, Lest felt bad that he couldn’t have contributed more to its restoration… But he had been as strapped for cash as ever, and being down one job certainly didn’t help.
Well, that just meant that Lest had to work even harder now that things were back to normal! Still, as leaves fell from the trees, signaling winter’s fast approach, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d really paid Rachel back at all. After all, she had always done such kind things for him. Her lasagna was one of a kind. He wished he could cook something up for her, but he didn’t have a kitchen.
(He would have if he’d moved in with her. He tried not to think on that, as well as the flakey reasons he had turned her down. It was probably for the best, in the end, what with his own future being so uncertain. And besides, he was pretty sure Pandora would get into more trouble if he wasn’t there to reign her in from time to time.)
After thinking on it for a while, Lest eventually decided that he had to do something. And so, just before the end of his shift, he brought up his idea to Rachel at work.
“Hey, you know, I don’t think we ever properly celebrated the farm being restored,” he said. “After work, do you want to go out to eat somewhere? My treat.”
The work that needed to be put into turning the scorched farmland back into something that could grow life was unreal. However, it needed to be done in time to get the land ready for the winter season of flowers, and Rachel knew that with a little bit of elbow grease and sweat, she’d be able to turn things around right on time. Of course, it also helped that she had her right hand man back to help out. Lest was always a hardworking employee, and Rachel always knew that she could count on him when she needed to.
The day of work had been long, as they always were now that the new season approached and work needed to be done. Rachel used the sleeve of her work flannel to wipe the sweat from her temple and forehead, then turned to look at Lest with surprise at the offer.
“Lest, are you asking me out on a date~?” she asked, her teasing evident in her voice. She laughed and waved her hand dismissively, shaking away the joke. “I’m kidding~! Yes, I’d love to go eat somewhere! Let me just go shower and get changed, alright? You can use the hallway bathroom to freshen up, if you want, just take off your shoes before going in the house!”
With that, Rachel hurried inside of the farmhouse to her bedroom, eager for the chance to go and eat out somewhere with a friend.