Disclaimer: Harvest Moon 64 and all related characters are property of Natsume. This story is written for entertainment purposes only, and not one red cent is being made off its existence. (As one would assume would be obvious, as it's posted on fanfiction dot net)

Additional Disclaimer: This story contains a homosexual relationship. If you are not comfortable reading about such topics, then please don't read any further. Questions, comments, and constructive criticism are all welcome, but flames will be mocked for the bits of immature drivil that they are. If you are for some reason offended by this story, might I suggest you loosen up a bit before you snap in two?

Coming Home

-Chapter 1: And it Begins Again-

"Isn't it about time we moved on, Cliff?" The words echoed again and again through his mind as he trudged aimlessly along a mountain path. "A relationship like ours can't last forever, you know," the voice in his mind continued, the mouth delivering the cruel words twisted in a bitter smile. Up until that moment, that moment when Owen had uttered those words, he had loved that mouth. The full lips soft to the touch, surrounded more often than not by jagged stubble. "It was fun while it lasted, though, wasn't it?" Try as he might, he could not stop replaying the conversation in his mind. The oppressive gloom of the dark, drizzly forest he was currently making his way through was not helping to take his mind off things.

"You could've told me that before we had sex that last time, you ass-hole," Cliff muttered under his breath, jamming his fists deep into the pockets of his patched trousers. That was perhaps the biggest blow of all - he had once again taken Cliff to his bed, though after so long, Cliff went willingly enough. He had begun to believe that he had found something to live for after all, some one to live for. But he had been wrong. Owen had just been using him as a diversion between girlfriends, using him as an outlet with which to relieve his sexual frustration. But while he'd been doing that, he'd said all the right things, done all the right things, in the between times, which had caused the first stirrings of heretofore unknown emotions to stir themselves within Cliff's heart.

All those fledgling emotions had shattered with a few well-chosen, casually spoken words. Cliff had managed to smile and say he understood, but he didn't. Not really. He wondered if he ever would. Not that it mattered, he supposed. He didn't need people. He hadn't needed them before Owen, and he wouldn't need them after. He had Cain, after all. Animals were much simpler than human beings, never dishonest or vengeful. Cain had been his friend from the day he had hatched from his egg into Cliff's lap, and he would be his friend until the end. That was all he really needed, Cliff decided.

(x)

A few hours before dawn, Cliff could walk no further. His stomach was rumbling loudly and the emotional maelstrom that had throttled his mind all night combined with the taxing hike up the mountain had left him feeling particularly strength-less, so that he paid little heed to the grey shadow that loomed in front of him, other than to recognize it as a cabin of some sort. He collapsed, relieving his tired legs. He brought his legs up to his face and wrapped his arms around them, resting his forehead on his knees and closing his eyes. Sighing, he drifted into a sort of half-doze, and stayed there until the sun peaked up on the horizon and a kind voice asked him if he was alright.

Still half asleep and thinking the voice to be a figment of some half-developed dream, Cliff muttered, "So...hungry..." There was a rustling sound which he assumed was part of the dream, but shortly after there came the aroma of sweet berries, followed by the same kind voice.

"Here," Startled to full wake-fullness, Cliff looked up. Right in front of his nose was a pile of fresh mountain berries, held carefully in two large, work-calloused hands. Looking past the berries, Cliff took in long arms and wide shoulders covered with white sleeves, and a kind, handsome face framed by a green cap and some way-ward bangs, containing two warm, concerned brown eyes. Cliff blinked several times, then returned his gaze to the berries. He cupped his own hands beneath the other's, and the pile of fresh berries was carefully transferred.

Cliff made short work of the mountain delicacy, then stood up.

"Feeling better?" His unnamed benefactor asked. He nodded.

"Thanks, I'm alive again." This statement caused the other to grin. Cliff couldn't help smiling back. "I'm Cliff," he said, not sure what prompted him to say it.

"Jack," the other introduced himself, holding out his hand to shake. Cliff gripped Jack's hand with his. "That's Cain," he said, pulling away after a moment and gesturing at the hawk who had seated himself on top of a red-roofed dog house. "He's my mate," he added unnecessarily.

"Awesome!" Jack grinned again. It seemed he was prone to quick smiles. "That's Jiro," he said, pointing behind Cliff, who turned to see a medium-sized brown dog, crouched warily beside the cabin, staring around the corner at the offending avian perched atop his house. "He's not very smart, but I like him," Jack continued, shoving his hands into his pockets and smiling happily over at the dog. Cliff decided he liked Jack. Anyone who liked animals as much as he did couldn't be a bad guy. Even so, he felt he shouldn't hang around too long. Judging from the state of the fields on this farm, Jack had quite a bit of work cut out for him, and he shouldn't loiter.

"I'll be going then," Cliff said, turning back to Jack, who nodded. He turned to go, and Cain took flight, rising into the air and circling above his head about fifty feet as he customarily did. "I'll see you around," he said as he left. Jack grinned and waved, then turned away and made towards the field.

"Now why did I say that...?" Cliff wondered to himself as he left the farm.

(x)

Jack sat back on his heels and wiped his brow with his red handkerchief. He smiled happily at the little pen he'd erected using some of the lumber from the tree stumps he'd cut up around his farm. He'd been ready to get his first chicken for a while now, but he hadn't wanted to purchase one until he had a nice, safe, outdoor pen to put it in. Glancing up at the sun, he saw that it wasn't quite noon yet. The Green Ranch would be open and he'd be able to get his chicken. Straightening, he stretched luxuriously for a moment, then set off across his field, absently noting the progress of the potatoes and turnips he had planted earlier in the month. They were coming along nicely, and would be ready for harvest soon. It would be nice to be able to rely on his own crops for money, instead of shipping the things he found in the mountain.

"And soon I'll have eggs, too!" he told himself as he made his way past his cabin and out into the crossroads that lead to all the important places in Flower Bud Village. Hanging a left, he arrived shortly at the Ranch. He was about to enter the shop where Doug did business when a motion to the left caught his eye. Turning, he saw the young man he'd met earlier, Cliff, patting the neck of the Ranch's prize horse, who, he remembered with an amused grin, was also named Cliff.

"Hey hey hey! What do you think you're doing?" came an irritated, loud voice. The young woman to whom it belonged shortly came into view, orange-red hair tied into a neat plait, as usual.

"I was just saying hi to this fine fellow," Cliff explained calmly, obviously not taken back by Ann's abrupt manner.

"Don't you know to ask permission first? Cliff doesn't like strangers!" She said heatedly. Cliff-the-Horse snorted politely and turned his head to nudge Cliff-the-Man in his face in what could only be a comradely fashion.

"So his name's Cliff too, huh? No wonder I felt like we were connected," Cliff mused, smiling up at the long brown face in front of him.

"Don't compare our Cliffguard to the likes of you!" Ann huffed, taking a hold of the horse's halter and tugging his face away from Cliff's. "C'mon, Cliff," she said, guiding the horse away. The young man watched the pair leave with a bemused expression on his face, then turned to leave, shrugging. He caught sight of Jack and waved, and Jack grinned and waved back.

"I see you've met Ann," he said by way of greeting as Cliff drew nearer. The other grimaced and nodded.

"So that's her name, huh?" Jack grinned. "What are you doing here?" Cliff asked as he stopped a few feet from Jack.

"Going to buy my first chicken!" Jack informed him happily. "I didn't want to get one before, because I didn't have a place outside for it to run around. But I made a little pen this morning, and it's ready for some birds!"

Cliff couldn't help but smile at Jack's enthusiasm. "Maybe I'll stop by sometime to see it," he told Jack.

"Sure!" Jack agreed easily.

A moment of silence passed, then Cliff said, "Well, I'll see you around."

"See you," Jack said, then turned to go into the shop.

Cliff took off towards the path that lead to the mountain, shaking his head at his own stupidity.

Idiot, he thought to himself. It hasn't even been a week since you were dumped, and you've already got a crush.

(x)X(x)X(x)

-To Be Continued-

Author's Notes: I've been wanting to write some serious Jack on Cliff action forever and a day now, but I've never sat down to do it, feeling too uninspired. But I recently started playing Harvest Moon 64 again, and I realized that Cliff drops a LOT of little hints when you interact with him. Juicy little hints. Around the point where he randomly showed up at my cabin (outside!) and gave me a fish because he'd "caught too many," I couldn't stand it anymore, and so this little ficlet was born.

In case anyone was wondering, I decided to use the characters from Harvest Moon 64 instead of the more up-to-date BTN or FoMT because a.) Cliff doesn't drag around feeling sorry for himself and hide in the church all day, every day, and b.) I like the character relationships from Harvest Moon 64 better. I mean, Lillia and Basil are meant to be together. He's a botanist, she's the flower-shop lady...or she was, until for some weird reason they decided to make her the chicken lady. WTF is up with that, I ask? Anyway, that's another rant for another day.