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Episode 22: Somewhere Only We Know.

Nest woke up with the blinds shining golden light into the room. She sat up and saw Bucket was already awake. And had left the room. She slowly raised out of bed and made her way down to the main room. She saw Broom happily talking with his friends. She couldn't help but smile. She hadn't seen him so happy in so long. Suddenly he looked over "Nest!" She smiled and walked down the stairs "Hello broom." "Man, I can't believe you of all people got voted out..." "Oh it wasn't a vote this time. I just lost the challenge and had to leave. It wasn't a big deal. I'm glad to see your happier now." "Yeah! I a-" "Who's dat!?" They looked over at Oil lamp. Who seemed surprised. "She wasn't in the game!" Broom sighed "She joined after you left." "Oh! Like that guy with worms!" "Yep. They joined at the same time." "Speaking of Bucket have you 2 seen him? I'm not sure if he's doing alright." "Oh! Yeah he left this morning. Said he was gonna hang out by the cliff." "Ah. Thank you.. I'm gonna go find him. I'll see you all later!"

The next day Nest ran to the playground where the other kids were playing. Usually she'd play in the seesaw with her friends... But Bucket was still intriguing to her. And she promised she'd hang out with him. So she sat next to him on the bench. "Hey!" "O-Oh! Hi!" "How are your little Wormie things?" "They're all good! I already named them! This one's Mocha, This ones Tealight, This ones Blueberry Pie-" He went through all the different worms and they're name's. She found it strangely endearing how much he cared for his worms. When suddenly a friend of hers walked over "Nest! What are you doing hanging out with... Him?" She hated the tone they used addressing him. But continued. "Oh. Me and him were just talking." "Well, we're about to go to the swings. Come hang out!" She discreetly looked at Bucket. He looked extremely disheartened. But tried to hide it. Even if he was failing. Nest got an idea. "Hey! Can he come?" "What?" Bucket and her friend said at the same time. "Yeah! Why shouldn't he?" "Ugh, nest. This is just supposed to be something between the friends-" "He's my friend." Her friends eyes widened "what?" "He is my friend! Why can't he come?" Her friend paused before snarling "Ugh. Forget about it. We'll go without you." She turned around and walked back to her "friends" "T-Thanks but... You should go before they actually leave you behind." "I don't mind. I want to hang out with you." Buckets eyes widened. His face turned a light shade of pink "You... Want to hang out with... Me...?" "Yeah! Your fun!" His face was painted by shock before fading to a smiling "Th-Thanks... I've... Never had a friend before." "Well you have one now!"

It was a little chilly. But no where near as bad as it was yesterday. She made her way to the cliffside from before and sure enough Bucket was there. Kicking his legs laying on his back. "Bucket!" He flinched and sat up, turning around to look at her. "O-Oh! Nest?" She smiled and walked over "The one and only! What are you doing out here again? It's freezing!" "I was... Thinking..." "Oh! About what..." Bucket let out a nervous chuckle "I-Its stupid..." "Bucket..." She set a hand on his "You don't have to... But you can feel safe telling me..." "...Promise?"

"Bucket!" Nest and Bucket had grown up. They were 16 now. Considered mostly adults in the village. She sat next to him. "What's wrong...?" "M-My mom found my Journal..." Bucket had a journal he wrote his thoughts in. He only trusted Nest with it. "H-How far did she read...?" "Page 28..." She remembered page 28. It was the page he mentioned his he felt confused about who he liked. How he saw men the same as women in terms of loving and marriage. Nest assured him no matter who he loved she'd love him the same. Nest sighed and gave him a hug "I'm sorry..." "I... I'm not sure what to do... I don't have anywhere to stay now a-" "She kicked you out?" "Yeah..." Nest thought for a moment before an idea came into her head "Hey! We could ask the chief if you could have that abandoned hut! No one's used it in years! We can fix it up!" "...We...?" "Yeah! We're in this together. Right?" He smiled. He returned her hug "Thank you..."

"...You still love me... Right?" Nest was surprised. "Hmm? Why do you ask...?" Of course she loved him! With all her heart. She was just... Surprised he asked. "W-Well... If I weren't so stubborn we wouldn't have lost that challenge a-and I'm really a-annoying and-" he started tearing up. Nest just gave him a high. "Of course I love you..." Bucket threw his arms around her and started crying.

"Mom! I-I don't want to marry him! You know he isn't who I love!" "Now listen here. As long as you live under MY roof you'll do a your told. That includes marrying a decent man." She paused. Before glaring "Than I won't live under your roof." Was all she said before she walked out of her parents house. She made her way all the way to the other side of the forest she knocked on the door and saw Bucket get up from his chair through the window. As soon as he saw her through the window he ran to the door and threw it open "Nesty! I- hey... Are you okay...?" He noticed the tears in her eyes "N-No... M-My mom was saying if I lived with her I had to marry some man I don't even know...!" Bucket paused. "If you need you can stay with me! For as long as you need." "Really?" "Of course! We're still in this together. And we always will be." Nest didn't say anything. And instead just gave him a hug. "...I love you Bucket."

Nest and Bucket sat there at the cliffside for the afternoon. In complete silence. It was nice. When suddenly bucket nudged her "Nest...! Look!" She opened her eyes and saw Snowflakes. Dancing and drifting gently in the wind. Even if it was cold she couldn't feel more warm. She loved bucket more than she could ever say or show. But she noticed him shivering a little "You wanna go back? I don't want to catch our death out here." Bucket chuckled "Y-Yeah... Let's go..."

Nest and Bucket had been living together for months. They started sharing a bed and couldn't be more happy. When they had their own egg they were ecstatic. But unfortunately it never hatched. They tried a few times and after many years they realized no egg they ever had hatched. But while walking through the woods Nest happened upon an egg. So she took it home. And so they started hatching and raising eggs to adulthood together. It was nice. Watching them grow up, learning, playing and all of it. Whenever they moved out it hurt a little. But they couldn't have been more happy. Nest looked down at Bucket. Who was fast asleep. His head laying on her lap. She stroked his cheek and smiled "I love you..."