Human Imperfections

After a long day of harvesting, helping two of her cows give birth, fishing, mining, and general running to and fro from the town to the fields, Molly just wanted to smack her face into her pillow and fall asleep for the next two days.

But duties are duties and they have to be fulfilled, she told herself.

A long dip in the hot spring next to her house helped little. Staying in too long made her dizzy and wasting time is practically taboo for farmers like her. The fall season made it even more taboo.

Despite her lack of energy, Molly managed to make one last trip to the local pub to get rice and apple cocktails, her and her husband's favorites, respectively. She had promised him a date three days ago and Molly made an unbreakable vow to herself to make it, no matter the situation.

Running to the back of the church, where the old mining cart was, she rode the dangerously shaky cart to the Garmon mines. Forcing her knees to respond, she walked over to the wall with glowing hieroglyphics, touched it, and was transported to the top of Mount Garmon.

Right in front of where she materialized was her waiting husband.

"You're tired," his deep voice was filled with concern.

"Not tired enough. I'm fine," Molly stood straight, looking up at her husband with a half-forced smile.

No more than two months ago, the Harvest King himself had proposed to Molly, a simple, hardworking farmer.

Almost two years ago, she had helped revive the land, with the help of a Harvest Sprite, Finn. Molly found the five elemental bells, tolled them with the help of other Harvest Sprites, and summoned the Harvest King. He revived the Goddess Tree and the land was peaceful again, all thanks to Molly's determination.

Despite this unselfish act, the Harvest King despised humans, including Molly. Their cruel, selfish ways were what caused the land to suffer in the first place, he thought.

The Harvest Goddess kept insisting that he was mistaken and had much to learn about the humans but the he thought he had learned enough about their stupid ways. In all his years, he had never seen such destruction from any other species. They were lesser than the pigs, which wallowed in mud all day.

Though Molly's act of kindness impressed the Harvest King, he did not want anything else to do with her.

But still, she always visited him with a smile and sometimes, an occasional treat, like fruit cocktails and her samples of her cooking.

At first, Molly's persistence was annoying but the Harvest King let her have her way.

When he and Molly came to know each other better, he noticed that every time she visited him, she would be fatigued and catching her breath. To help her, he carved a spell onto a stone tablet near the entrance to his throne and a similar carving at the entrance of the Garmon mines, which served as a shortcut to his sky-high abode. Molly's eyes brightened when he did so and told him she would visit as often as she could.

The Harvest King found himself eagerly anticipating her visits, which was hard because her farm work gave her a schedule that changed at a moment's notice.

For some unknown reason, Molly found his arrogance funny. He was the Harvest King, and therefore was entitled to arrogance but when he expressed it, Molly made a discreet giggle. How…unusual for his arrogance not to intimidate her. Humans tended to fear powerful magical beings such as him but with Molly, it was different.

"Hmph. Shouldn't you have more respect? You always barge in unexpectedly. Next time, tell me when you are visiting before you do," he said, arms crossed and eyes narrowed,

"Yeah. Tell me when you get a phone, okay?" she said sarcastically with a chuckle. What would the god of the land be doing with a cellphone?

Of course, Molly was only human. Sometimes, she arrived covered in dirt and sweat. Sometimes, the food she brought spilled on the way. Sometimes, she would forget. Sometimes, she would offend him. As much as this tried his short patience, he grew to tolerate them. She was a mere human, after all. Don't expect anything.

Months went by and he and Molly grew close. He began giving her gifts as well, like apples of the rarest variety and miniature stone carvings of themselves, which she treasured and displayed in her house. This confused him. Did not humans tend to treat everything as if they were disposable? Like, of all things, water, for example?

Over times, the Harvest King eventually developed feelings for her, as he noticed his reaction when she touched his hand. He would sharply withdraw it, disappear, materialize in another place, and angrily regret what he just did.

One day, he did what he never would have imagined himself doing: confessing his feelings to a human. Molly's reaction was all but ecstatic and she practically jumped on him, which gave him a shock. Afterwards, she resumed her farm work with a big smile on her face.

Her visits turned into secret dating (what would the neighbors think, when they caught her walking to the Garmon mines in formal garb?) and dating turned into procrastinating, which proved bad for Molly's crops and animals. Thus, their dates were scheduled accordingly and less frequently.

The Harvest King found that he could not stand being away from her for days on end. It was good that she managed to juggle a love life and farm work at the same time, and not to mention keeping her dating a secret from her neighbors. The idea of sweet, down-to-earth Molly in love with the almighty, powerful, and majestic Harvest King would be too much for the neighbors to take in.

"When are you gonna get a boyfriend?" Kathy impatiently said. She was already engaged to Owen and as far as she knew, Molly was hopelessly single.

"Hey, there no time limit to getting a boyfriend!" Molly protested, her arms akimbo.

"Yeah, there is!" Kathy said. "When you turn twenty-five!"

"What?!"

Also, if a god like him had been alone for centuries on end, wouldn't it be natural for him to want to keep his partner for all eternity? He thought about it.

One time, Molly asked, "Do you still hate humans?" He thought of his answer for a moment.

"Hmm…yes. But not you. You're not a human to me anymore," he said with a smile and was rewarded by a friendly punch on the shoulder.

"You're so sweet, I'm getting cavities. Don't expect me to be perfect though. I'm only human!"

Molly never mentioned kissing, much to his relief. In his opinion, kissing was nothing but a sign of love that has been horribly abused to no end by the humans. Nowadays, couples who kissed broke up not long after. Divorce was becoming a trend. Kissing became nothing but an act to pleasure oneself. Typical of the selfish nature of humans.

He would wonder if Molly wouldn't mind one. Surely, they were in love and one kiss would be harmless, if it were Molly.

When he slowly brushed her cheek, bent down, and gently lifted her face to his, Molly turned away.

"I'm sorry," she said, facing down.

It was never brought up again, though their relationship was stable, as if nothing had happened. Maybe she also thought that kissing was overrated (she was, of course, a human with some sense).

The day the Harvest King proposed, Molly was in tears. She covered her face and slowly sunk to her knees and sobbed as quietly as she could.

"I'm sorry…I did not realize…" he found himself struggling with words, a rarity.

"No…no…no…" she gently pushed his hands away. Her eyes avoided the dazzling ring he held and hid her face.

Confusion and sadness gripped at the Harvest King's heart. He reminded himself that she was human, after all. Just a human. A god could never be with a human.

"I mean…"she swallowed. "…Are you sure? I'm a human, you're a friggin' god… and everyone still thinks I'm single and stuff and you hate humans and you're so perfect and I'm NOT and…and…" Molly choked on tears.

"I'm sure. Please?" Pleading now, Harvest King? Would you really spend all eternity with this imperfect, flawed, sinful, child of a species that is stupid, lazy, pathetically selfish and slowly killing nature but still manages to have a good reputation, as proven by the Goddess's love for them? Why ever not?

"Marry me, Molly." One last chance. If she says no, that's that.

She endlessly wiped her tears with the backs of her hands. He took her small, wet hands into his and put them on her lap. Let her calmly make her decision. Do not force her…

After about thirty agonizing seconds, Molly, with her head still down, gave one small nod. The Harvest King's eyes widened. She nodded some more, finally lifting her smiling, tear-streaked face to meet him.

Her hand went to his cheek. He knew what she wanted and bent down, his perfect, smooth lips chastely meeting her thin, chapped pair.

When they separated, Molly was in a daze and looked like she was about to faint. To be safe, the Harvest King let her lean on him.

She silently but happily watched him slide the gold ring onto her finger and suppressed a chuckle when he put it on her right middle finger. He still had much to learn.

"My real name is Ignis, by the way."

AN: Thanks for reading this all the way~

I'd like to have this beta'd. Anyone???

Leave a review and let me know what you think!