"Well, well, well, if it isn't the incredible third-place winner of the Adel Winter Pastry Competition,"

Robin looked up in from the jewelry display he was packing away at Holly's winter jewelry stand as Bert approached. Clapping his gloved hands in theatrical manner.

Robin let out a snort and shook his head in response, ignoring him as he returned to his work.

Both Bert and Margo were bundled up in their winter attire, as the day of Adel's Winter Market was frightfully cold. Margo was dressed a fur-trimmed white coat and a warm bonnet, while Bert sported a coat that appeared to be made of fox fur and a wide-brimmed Stetson.

Robin and Holly were dressed warmly as well, rewearing the designs from the fall festival. Of coursem with some new winter additions, embroidered hats and gloves Holly had made in attempt to keep them warm through market day.

Margo strolled over to Holly's booth with an amused expression, eyeing the Pastry Competition ribbon Holly had hanging from the table. "You placed with your Pear tarts, huh?" she said, casting a cheeky glance at Holly. "Whose idea was that?"

"Robin's," Holly replied, shooting her friend a playfully irritated glance in return.

"Well, living with you, he certainly would have had enough practice. I'm a bit surprised he didn't sweep the competition.

"There's always next year," Robin said with a laugh, placing the last box onto Holly's cart.

"Oh? Is there?" Margo said, her surprise evident as she looked at Holly.

"There are some extras in that bag over there if you want to try some," Holly said, changing the subject and nodding toward the paper sack on the corner of the table near the ribbon.

"Of course, I would. I'm honestly surprised you didn't eat them all already, Holly," Bert joked, reaching into the bag to pull out two tarts for himself and Margo.

Holly huffed in annoyance.

"Have you guys been enjoying the market?" Robin asked politely, trying to include himself despite feeling slightly out of place among the old friends.

"We just got here, actually," Margo said. "We saw you packing up and decided to stop by the market and join you two."

Robin was confused. "You saw—"

"These are really good, Robin," Bert said, wiping crumbs from the pear tart off his face. "I can see why you managed to place your first year in the competition."

"Thank you, Bert," Robin said, still confused but deciding to move on. "Like I said, I've had a lot of practice these last couple of months."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Holly said, her annoyed glance now turning to Robin, "I need to take these boxes to the store. Then we can grab some non-pear-related food from the vendors."

"Yay! Did you hear that, Robin? You are freed! Your first non-pear food since you got here!" Bert teased, raising his hands in mock celebration.

"I forgot that was even possible," Robin joked back, mimicking Bert by lifting his hands in the air as well.

Margo snorted at the two of them while Holly let out another annoyed huff.

"Well, you two can wonder around the food vendors, and grab us all something "real" to eat, while Margo and I drop off the boxes in the shop."

"Oh, I see. Girl talk time," Bert grumbled, shooting Robin a look, seemingly annoyed that he hadn't been invited.

"Maybe I just need to be freed from the mockery of pears for two and a half seconds," Holly said, shooting Bert an exasperated look.

"You will never be free from that, and you have nobody to blame for that, but yourself."

In a flash, Holly reached into her pocket and whipped out a pear, holding it over her head as if she were about to throw it at him.

"Whoa, whoa, put that down," Bert laughed. "We all know you're highly trained in handling that thing."

"Yeah, so make another pear joke in the next five seconds, and see if I don't handle you like I do the pear salesmen that come to my door."

"Oh, I'm so pear-y scared."

Holly threateningly lifted the pear higher.

"Okay, I'm done," Bert said, grinning. "Pear down, please. You're gonna hurt someone with that." He stole a glance at Margo, who was shaking her head.

"Come on, Robin." Bert said as he turned on his heels, waving at Robin to follow.

Holly put the pear back in her pocket and shook her head.

Robin hesitated, still a bit uncertain about Bert after their last interaction. He watched Holly for any indication of danger, but she just nodded at him with a reassuring smile.

Hesitantly Robin followed Bert into the main square of the market. The Adel Winter Market was small, but bustling with townsfolk as they milled about the main square Small booths from local businesses lined the streets. However, there weren't as many towns people as there had been at the barn dance, likely due to the gray, cold weather.

"I know a guy who sells some great food." Robin offered, catching up to Bert. "He was the judge for the pastry competition today. He might even give us some freebies if we head there,"

"Oh?" Bert said, half-turning to Robin. "A Adel local now, are ya?"

Robin shrugged. "Of sorts. I play cards with some of the older gentlemen in town, so expect the honor any day now," he said with a laugh.

Bert smirked, stopping at a stall selling animal pelts, examining them thoughtfully before moving on. "You think you're gonna stay around here long, even after your brother shows up?"

Robin shrugged, a few steps ahead of Bert. "I think I will. I've fallen in love with this town. I don't think I'll want to leave for a while."

"Huh." Bert huffed. Eying Robin from bellow the brim of his hat. "You're not going to continue on with your brother?"

"Well no, I came here on a whim, you see. My brother invited me, but I'm not sure he expected me to actually show up," Robin said with a laugh, rubbing his hands together, both to warm them, and to let out some anxious energy.

"You're pretty close with your brother, then?" Bert asked, slowing to look at another booth.

"Well," Robin started, attempting to explain his complicated feelings for his brother, "he's my older brother... and I wouldn't say I'm particularly close to him. We don't keep in close contact, and he's been away for years. He's still my brother, you know? So, I am looking forward to seeing him."

Bert stepped back from the booth and gave a thoughtful nod before shooting Robin a smirk. "Can't say I do know. I'm an only child, you see."

"Ah," Robin said, trying to think of something to keep the conversation going. "Where are you from—"

"What's your brother like?"

Bert's sudden question raised alarms in Robin's head, and he let out an awkward laugh. "Why do you keep asking about him?" Robin responded nervously as they turned the corner of the square, entering the street where the food vendors were stationed.

"I'm just trying to keep the conversation up," Bert said defensively with a shrug, not meeting Robin's eyes. "Must be quite the guy if you're staying this long to wait for him."

"Well, I'm not just staying here so I can wait for him. As I told you, I really love this town."

"Towns like Adel are one in a hundred 'round here. You could always go and visit a few more in the area while you wait." Bert said, his pace slowing as his eyes narrowed, examining Robin once again in a way that made Robin feel the same way he had felt in the cave when they had first met.

"Well, I think we both know that there are more to towns than being just a place," Robin said, glancing at Bert from the corner of his eye. "Or are you just stopping at the Adel Winter Market before proceeding to the few hundred others?"

Bert let out a huff in amusement, and shook his head.

"Touche, Robin. But-"

"Robin!" A lady's voice interrupted from the side of the road.

Robin turned to see Miss Jackie carrying samples of Deadwood's whisky and waving at him from the side of the road.

"Hello, Miss Jackie," Robin responded with a wave, relieved for the older woman's interfirence as she joined them.

"Miss Ivy's stand sold out already?" Miss Jackie said, letting out a surprised whistle. "Must have been her handsome new sales associate," Miss Jackie added, elbowing Robin with a wink.

"Well-" Robin started with a laugh.

"Wow, Look at this, Aunt Jackie. You'd think Robin was your nephew," Bert said, sounding surprisingly insulted.

Robin looked between the two of them, surprised. They did look very similar—the same eyes, the same knowing smirk when teasing someone.

"Yeah, well, go cry to your hundred other aunts in a hundred other small towns, Berty," Miss Jackie said, that familiar smirk on her face.

"Well, now wait here, Aunt Jackie. How did you hear—"

"While you might have a hundred other aunts, I only have one nephew whose voice I could recognize anywhere."

"Now, Aunt Jackie, you know I didn't mean—"

"Of course, I knew what you meant, Berty," she said with a wink, balancing her tray on her hip. "I always do, remember? Now stop being rude to Robin just because you're suspicious of his brother."

"Don't get involved in this—"

"My brother?" Bert and Robin spoke over each other at the same time.

There was an awkward silence as nobody spoke.

Bert huffed in annoyance, shooting a glare at his aunt. "Fine, Aunt Jackie, since you want to be so helpful..." He turned to Robin. "A man matching your description has been the last person seen at many of the houses of the 'Heart Thief' victims. Does it have anything to do with you or your brother? If you are aware of his crimes, or are a part of whatever he has planned-"

"What?" Robin scoffed in surprise.

"Answer the question, Robin." Bert said flatly.

Both Bert's and Miss Jackies's eyes pierced into him, making a shiver run down Robin's spine.

"I had no idea about this. I didn't hear anything about a Heart Thief until the day Margo attacked me in the alley."

"And your brother?"

"I don't know. I know he's doing research for a study. That's all he's told me. " Robin said his eyes darting between the two of them, "I don't think it's him either. I don't think he would do something like that."

"Well, Robin's intentions are to tell the truth," Miss Jackie said, turning to her nephew.

"So, you're telling the truth?" Bert's gaze fixed on Robin, still suspicious.

"Yes. I would never do such a thing. I wouldn't even know how."

Bert turned and looked at his aunt, who shrugged and nodded in agreement.

"Well, " Bert said, his shoulders sagging slightly in relief. "You seem like a good guy, but one can't be too careful."

"Are you concerned the heart thief might target Margo, too? Is that why you are so worried?"

"No, not at all. It's just that don't want Margo and I caught up in another mess because Holly gives her heart to the wrong guy...again"

"Ah."

"And Berty prefers to not get his hands dirty if he can help it," Miss Jackie laughed while shaking her head. "Always a lazy boy."

"Hey, despite the looks, I'm the brains, not the brawn, okay? Do you know how much mental energy it takes to avoid doing any dirty work?"

"Oh, I've seen the toll it takes on you to do any extra work." Miss Jackie said as she rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "Such a sorry sight." She shot a wink at Robin as she let out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah, Auntie. Well, i Bert said, giving his aunt a quick side hug before gently nudging her down the road. "You should get back to handing out samples. I think we've already kept you long enough."

"Yes, yes. But Berty -I hope you all can be friends now, alright?" Miss Jackie called out as she walked away. "I like Robin, and I don't want you scaring him off, Bert."

"I've already tried my best, Aunt Jackie, it seem's like he's not going anywhere if I can help it."

"Good," Jackie said, giving Robin one last wink before turning her attention to the other market patrons on the street.

After she walked away, Robin and Bert stood awkwardly in the street for a few moments.

"Listen I'm sorry Robin-,"

Robin cleared his throat and shook his head. "It's okay I understand. I would be suspicious of me too. Um, that's Eli's place—the one I mentioned." Robin added awkwardly, pointing a little further down the street.

"No way. You know Eli?" Bert said with a laugh. "I loved this place as a kid. Best smoked ham in town."

Robin smiled, and the mood started to lift again, "Yeah, well, like I said, we play cards together."

"Hey there, Robin!" Eli called from his stand as the two of them approached. "Congrats on third place!"

"Thanks, Eli. I need to start preparing for next year's competition. I'll try and bring some ideas to cards next Thursday."

"I'll be looking forward to it!" Eli said with a laugh. "Never too early to start preparing for the next years competition. Listen, your food is on the house today as a congratulations gift."

Robin shook his head,"Thanks, Eli, but you don't have to do that."

"Of course I do! There's only one third-place winner in the competition, you know."

Robin laughed, accepting the smoked ham and crisps from the kind old man. "Well then thank you, Eli." I appreciate it."

Bert's eyes widened at the generous amount of food in Robin's hands. "How does one get an invite to this card game club?"

"I'll see if I can find one for you. If you're not too busy with other card clubs, you know in a hundred other towns-."

Bert interrupted him with an annoyed snort waving away his words.

"Here," Robin smirked as he offered some of his food to Bert. "Have some."

"Well, don't mind if I do," Bert grinned, as he took a few crisps from Robin's basket. "Thanks, Robin. Let's see what else they've got around here."

The two of them continued to wander around the food stalls, indulging in samples and free treats as they waited for the ladies to rejoin them. Now that Bert's guard was down and wasn't as worried about Robin being a wanted criminal, Robin found they shared a similar sense of humor. He started to genuinely enjoy his time with Bert, joking and critiquing the food from each stall until they forgot all about their original mission of getting food for all four of them.

"Man, I wouldn't even know what to recommend," Bert said, leaning against the park bench in front of the courthouse. "I don't think I ate anything I didn't like."

"Same," Robin agreed, wiping his mouth with his handkerchief, "Although I wasn't too fond of..."

"...like I said, kiss him, and then just keep kissing him if you want my opinion."

Robin trailed off as a woman's voice approached from behind, sounding eerily familiar.

Bert shot Robin a knowing glance with a smirk.

"I can't just do that, Margo."

"Why not?"

"Well, I can't tell if he likes me as—"

Robin felt his ears heat up. They were talking about him, weren't they?

"Hi, ladies," Bert said, swiftly turning around as the girls approached the bench.

Margo let out a small laugh in embarrassed surprise. "Wow! There they are!"

Robin turned to look at the two ladies as well. Margo seemed to be trying to hold back a laugh as Holly looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"Shall we?" Bert asked, clearing his throat and standing to offer his hand to Margo, who took it smugly, smirking at Robin before glancing back at the frozen Holly.

Robin coughed, his ears still red. "Shall we?" mimicked, extending a gloved hand to Holly.

Holly's fear melted away as she let out a small laugh. She hesitantly took his hand and he tucked it under his arm.

Together, they followed after Margo and Bert back into the market, as snow started to lazily fall around them.