Leah knows how it can be to be dedicated to a craft. She loves art. You love mining. She figures that wandering the forest is just as dangerous with wild animals and poison ivy. Who is she to turn her nose up at what you like to do? Leah would only request to be told when you want to go to the mines. She had heard the town gossip one too many times before you two got together that you can have the habit of overworking yourself and passing out in the mines. The one time Harvey sat with her at the bar and discussed a sudden surgery he'd had to perform on you after one such night, she hadn't slept for a week. Leah would want to be prepared in case of danger but so long as you were smiling she would see it you being dedicated to something you were passionate about. She would love to sit with you on the couch and waste the day away sketching the monsters you described to her . There was something fun about you wrinkling your nose and telling her she couldn't be further off from what the squid kids looked like.
Haley can't imagine what you would possibly want to do in the mines where it was dark, cold, wet, and dirty but she loves what you come home with. You spend some time tinkering away and wrapping shards of aquamarine and diamond that are too fragmented to be sold for much in copper, silver, and gold. Clint offers you thin wires of each for a discounted price and you try your best to make something stunning every time. You were worth more than any gemstone in the mines though and she would worry in her own way. As long as you were home before midnight she would try not to visibly show how tightly wound she was thinking maybe you were pushing yourself too hard for her sake. What if you got hurt because you thought she valued what you could give her over being home safe? Haley would offer extra affection when you came home empty handed, not out of pity, but because she'd want to show you that it wasn't the gems that made her excited to see you.
Emily would want to join you. The monsters would have her curious and she'd want to feel the energy in the space. The thought of living, breathing things she'd never encountered before made her feel energetic and ready to go. It's not that she wasn't brave enough to go alone, she had been in the valley her whole life and had every chance to go. Instead, she thought maybe somewhere deep within she had been waiting all this time for a partner to experience the unknown with. You gave her a whole new perspective to life and so instead of being fearful for you, she would grab your hand and drag you along on rainy farm days to explore each floor.
Abigail would immediately want to come with you. She'd have gone plenty of times before, particularly in search of amethyst, but she would admit that it would be more fun by your side. She could face plenty of challenges as she had her own sword and willful spirit but what could be better than having her partner beside her? And, admittedly, she would find it pretty attractive to see you engaging in combat with the different spawned monsters in the mines. Abigail would almost feel foolish for not inviting you along before.
Maru would send you off with what equated to a grocery list of minerals. Her curiosity could not be sated but she was not comfortable going into the mines herself. Demetrius had only had frightening stories of the mines to tell her. Now that she was an adult she understood it was his effort at making sure she never walked into danger but it had left her with a lingering fear of going within the mines herself. Maru figured that there were more times you came out unscathed than times you ended up lying on the sterile beds with Harvey and her attending to you, so the probability of severe and irreversible damages was low. When you came home with her gold and her diamonds she'd promise that she'd make something just for you, an invention to help out on the farm, something to help pet the animals or something to make the fish in the pond yield more roe. The mines would be an act of service back and forth between you two and a way to stay involved with each others interests.
Penny would definitely feel uncomfortable with the idea. She would be a cautious woman, raised that way because of Pam's habits and so she would like safety. The mines would definitely not equal safety to her. Penny would be attracted to your talents and the way you lived your life but she would probably request to know if you were in the mines in case something happened and she would also cook you up a storm to maintain your wellbeing.
Alex x Farmer- Alex has a nightmare about losing the farmer in the mines, only to wake up beside them. Thank you for the ask anon! <3
--
The day had began slowly, Alex felt heavy as he spread his hands across the duvet cover and took in a steadying breath to try and clear the fog from his mind. Even as he removed himself from the queen sized mattress everything felt odd. It was as if he were moving through the molasses his grandma used as a secret ingredient in her famous chocolate chip cookies.
It wasn't so odd to wake up without you by his side, but it was odd that he couldn't remember you waking him for just a moment to say good morning as you always did. He couldn't remember much of the night before but maybe he had been feeling under the weather and you were feeling merciful.
The more Alex moved about, the more he felt unsettled. His hair rose from his arms and goosebumps prickled his skin as he moved ever so slowly from the bedroom. Where he expected a gentle fire roaring in the fireplace, there was only ash from the night before. Where he expected the jukebox to be playing that gentle lullaby from your grandfather, there was an odd static. The house was cold and quiet, no evidence of your typical morning. No matter how much Alex pondered, fingertips brushing against the cold kitchen counters, he could not remember for the life of him what you had said you'd planned to do for the day.
Shuffling from the kitchen to the front door seemed to take eons, but Alex finally achieved his goal and twisted the brass knob. The door opened without it's typical groan but Alex was too aware of the brisk fall air chilling the bare skin of his chest to notice the minor detail. He would go inside and put his hoodie on once he saw you, just a flash of your hair or the fabric of your flannel that you so loved in the colder months.
As the time continued to pass without the bark of your dog or the steady rhythm of your axe against the trees, he grew ever so unsettled. The silence was sinking in uncomfortably and he felt very suddenly, and with astonishing clarity, that he was sitting beside his mother's bed in the hospital as she drew her last breaths.
Turning quickly and on shaky knees, Alex ran back into the house. Now, he felt quick again but it was with a dangerous urgency that he hadn't had upon waking up. Everything was in high contrast and it made his mind whirl and his skin itchy. The wooden floor felt too cold, the material of his hoodie as he shrugged it over his head felt too stiff, and that god damn silence was going to drive him mad.
Where were you? When had he seen you last? You weren't farming. Were you fishing? Were you mi-
Mining. Had you said you'd be mining today? You must have. Nothing else would make him so uncomfortable upon waking up. Alex felt as if he was going crazy for not remembering anything from last night in any detail but the more time passed, the more he knew that you were in the mines.
And even more, as time ticked while he tripped over his shoes in his haste to put them on, he knew you were in terrible danger. It was his grandfather all over again. Alex had been too young to remember George before his wheelchair but he had heard the story time and time again. He could remember the welling up of tears in Evelyn's eyes when she caught George sitting in front of the television with that bitter set of his mouth she knew was meant only for himself.
What Alex truly remembered was the thought that it was somehow because of him. His father was a deadbeat because Alex couldn't be a better son, his mother got sick and died because Alex couldn't be a better caretaker, his grandfather had lost his ability to walk before Alex even knew how to crawl because Alex himself was a curse and George was suffering in the past because of the future burden Alex would become.
It was all his fault, whatever was going to happen to you or whatever already had. His thoughts tangled so easily, any rational idea falling from him like grains of sand through fingers but he wasn't focused on being rational. He was focused on getting to you.
Before he knew it, he was running across the dilapidated bridge that led to the mine's entrance. It didn't matter that he couldn't remember the walk run from the farm, all the mattered is he was near where he needed to be. The clouds were swirling in dark masses above and as he ducked his head beneath the wooden frame of the entrance, he felt a solitary raindrop roll down his back. The weather was another omen that caused his heart to constrict.
Alex didn't have the time to consider when he had become so superstitious because as soon as his eyes adjusted to the dim lamp light, he saw Linus hunched over a lump. A lump with your shade of hair, hair that was becoming damp with crimson that moved like that molasses he had felt stuck in early. Alex's own hands shook, reminding him time was passing normally despite how off everything felt.
Alex must have choked out a gasp, a sound, your name, because the woodsman turned with a start. His panicked eyes quickly melted into pity, guilt, unfiltered sorrow.
"Boy-" Linus began but his voice sounded as if it was miles away. "There was an accident, she's gone"
With a shout, a scream, a whimper, Alex fell backwards in shock. As he hit the ground, he continued to fall, fall, fall.
--
Gasping for air, Alex shot straight up in bed and it was no shock to him to feel tears already dripping from his chin as they ran down his face. Finding you beside him was not what he expected after the nightmare he had just been trapped in. Everything in the nightmare had felt so real from the sheets he'd 'woken' up in to the fall air against his skin. It was a reality he never wanted to face.
You were peaceful beside him, unknowing. He couldn't even muster one ounce of guilt as he grabbed your shoulders. Alex knew he was being a bit more forceful than necessary but he need your eyes open. He needed to hear your voice, and see you blink at him sleepily. Even the momentary panic in your eyes at being shaken awake so suddenly couldn't offer him anything other than pure relief.
The shaking in Alex's own shoulders grew as you sat up, hand finding his bicep to steady yourself as you tried to sort yourself out from his rude awakening. His chest was heaving painfully now, each breath labored. His vision was blurring with tears and he was hyperventilating, he knew that. Alex was well aware that the relief at seeing you okay after being so convinced you werent was rocketing him into a panic attack.
He couldn't ever lose you.
Alex's ears were ringing but he could still catch your concerned tone, growing stronger as your hands gripped him tighter.
"Alex, baby, what happened?" You were pleading for an answer, thumbs now brushing his steadily falling tears away. When you two first met, he would have been embarrassed to even think about crying in front of you but after knowing your love and presence he was proud to say he could cry without a worry.
Words were stuck in his throat, and his eyes were blown wide with so many swirling emotions he could see you growing dizzy trying to follow and decipher them all. Watching your lips move, hearing your voice wash over him, he decided he'd show you his relief.
His lips were slick against yours from the tears but you, even in your worry, happily accepted the feel of him against you. You were sturdy as you pressed your lips to his and it made him feel that growing urgency. He was riding the line between panic and pure need for you, to be reminded you were both alive. His pace picked up, hands frenzied against your hips and waist as he pulled you impossibly closer but his eyes were stinging again and he couldn't stop shaking.
"Sweetheart-" You tried before your lips were covered again with his impatient pair. "Al-"
"Alex." You said more firmly, hands pressed to his shoulders to push him back only an inch, but far enough he knew you were asking him to slow down, to stop. "You are scaring me, please, what happened?"
"Dream, nightmare. It was the mines a-and you were gone. I couldn't- I couldn't do anything," He finally gasped out as another wave of breathtaking fear gripped his lungs. The feel of you pulling him back in, soothing him, was making the ringing in his ears slowly die down. The panic was still there, beneath his skin and trying to fight it's way out, but it was quieter than it had been moments ago.
Now Alex could think just clear enough to pull you into his lap and wrap his arms around you and then squeeze. Your skin was so warm and soft against his, so real. It only made him squeeze more when you began to wiggle in minor discomfort but with a few reassurances and a brush of your lips to his temple, he let you readjust yourself. You wrapped your legs around his waist, sitting comfortably on his own crossed legs. Your arms were anchors over his shoulders while he felt like he was floating away in all the mental misery he'd just been trapped in.
"I'm here, I'm here," Your breath was warm against his ear as you spoke there and so blissfully real that he let out another low cry.
"Thank Yoba," He couldn't help but whisper. The man had never felt any attachment to any deity, even when his mom passed he was too busy blaming himself to imagine any god to blame. He wasn't a religious man, didn't think he'd ever grow to be one, but the fear he'd experienced in his dream had been otherworldly.
Alex pressed his forehead into the junction of your neck and shoulder and sank into the warmth of your skin as you continued your mantra of reassurances that this was real and you were as alive as ever.
--
It took some time to calm down but as the sun rose and warmed the room, Alex took a deep breath. You two were beneath the covers, with your legs tangled together and your arms wrapped tight around one another. His ear was pressed to your chest to listen to your strong heartbeat and your fingers played through his silky strands of hair. Your free hand traced patterns agains the freckled skin of his back and he sank even further into your warm embrace.
You were safe in his arms and he'd crawl to hell and back before he let anything take you from him.
Hi there! I love your writing and I saw you wanted requests for Alex who i simply adore 😊 could I ask for a one shot where it starts off in a nightmare where Alex thought he lost the female farmer to an accident in the mines and wakes up in their shared bed where she comforts him and it ends with sweet fluff.
Sorry for the long-winded request 😅
Love this! getting started right away. I love my little beefcake 😭
Sebastian took a long drag from his cigarette, lungs squeezing in the icy winter air. If it had been summer, his pants would be rolled up to his knees and he'd be dangling his legs into the refreshing lake. You would be beside him, a grin on your face and your own legs swinging back and forth, creating infinite ripples that drifted off from sight. Yet, he was only leaning against a tree, the wood damp through his jacket but he didn't mind enough to move.
It wasn't the thought of a nightly smoke that carried his legs outside every night, even if he couldn't deny that the nicotine sent a pleasant buzz through his system. At first it had been a rebellion, and now it was a habit. He let out a small chuckle and then ground the infernal thing beneath his foot. The second you popped into his head, the taste of tobacco turned sour in his mouth. You already scolded him enough, lips pressed into a pout and brow furrowed. Robin was only half pleased at the realization as she'd been begging him for years to quit.
Sebastian loved his mother, he'd never tell her but she was a tether that never disappeared when he felt like he was drifting. Nasty things often came out of his mouth instead, but he thought his mother might know. It was some miracle that you inspired more changes in him. God knows his step dad didn't exactly make him want to do his very best. Demetrius was....complicated. Sebastian didn't hate the man but he wasn't comfortable the way a son and father should be. They weren't Kent and Sam. They weren't much, if he was being honest.
He loved his mother so he was fine with Demetrius. Didn't mind Maru but didn't know how to connect with her either. Was it wrong that he wasn't sure if he loved them? Years had passed and they were fixtures of his life. He hadn't truly appreciated Maru when she was young, hadn't tried to grow up with her. It was probably a shame too that he didn't think to feel guilty until you had shown up and befriended the both of them.
Sebastian wanted this holiday to be different, wanted to make the effort. He knew it would be a stunted and awkward thing, but looking at the crushed cigarette at his feet he thought that maybe it wasn't so bad to try.
"Don't think too hard, the smoke will come out your ears instead of your mouth,"
You stood just some odd feet back, a playful quirk to your lips. You were late to visit, but you knew he'd be here. The only surprise of the night was that Sebastian didn't have a cigarette between his fingers or lips. A roll of his eyes made you smile wider as the snow crunched beneath your feet.
You rubbed your chilled hands together and Sebastian immediately grabbed for them, stuffing them into his jacket pockets and twining your fingers together. As soon as his wall had come down he had become unbelievably affectionate and it left your head swimming. Tilting your chin up expectantly, you were not disappointed by the brush of his lips against yours.
"Thought you'd be here sooner," Another kiss, pressed to the crown of your head.
"Thought I'd catch more fish if I held out an extra hour on the docks," A casual shrug that was not devoid of sore muscles. "We'll get to sleep in before the feast of the winter star,"
Sebastian's stomach tumbled pleasantly at the invitation to the farm. A few nights a week he'd find himself pressed against your back, the dog at the end of the bed and the cat somewhere near the fireplace. You were nearing a year together and he had to tamper down the desire to marry you already. The farm was just as much home as you were at this point. Until then, he'd cherish time with his mom and, as the nagging in his mind wouldn't let him forget, try more with Demetrius and Maru.
"I thought you were going home?" It took a moment for him to realize what you had said and the smile split his face. Before you, Sam had been the only person who could really get him to smile like that but even then it was different, reserved in its own way.
"Well, I couldn't leave you all alone, could I?"
You knew how he felt about his family, knew that sometimes he struggled to feel like he fit in anymore. Robin had built a life with Demetrius and had a successful and bright daughter. His own doubts crept in and he knew Demetrius didn't quite see him as a son. You even knew how he hoped to change that. You just couldn't let him face it alone.
Removing your hands from his pockets, Sebastian opted to pull you against him, arms wrapped tight around your waist. Your earmuffs tickled against his cheek as you burrowed deeper into his warmth.
"Next year, I'll go with you. This year, there are some things I need to do,"
The ease at which he offered to spend time with your family made you dizzy as you dragged him into a kiss.
"Maybe some day all of us can gather at the farm. A big family gathering,"
It was tentative, whispered against his lips as if you were crossing a line in taking his sentence about a year in the future into one that represented a much longer future together.
A simple "I'd love that" put your fears to rest.
Sebastian would never be without family as long as he had you.
this is really just a short self indulgent fic, mature content so minors do not engage!
This summer had been brutal, the sun beating down on you harshly even before it hit 10 o’clock. Your days dragged on, as did your work. You could only last for an hour, maybe two, before you were trudging up the creaky old steps to your home. A pitcher of lemonade sat enticingly in the fridge and you’d nearly drank the whole thing.
Your sweet girl had made it before she’d left to keep Alex company at the ice cream stand. The shade and sweet treats called her name and you couldn’t fault her for the weekly visit to her best friend. Haley would probably scream right now if she caught a whiff of you. Dirty, sweaty, tracking bits of soil into the kitchen. You’d sweep it up before she got home. Probably.
Letting out a satisfied sigh, you set your emptied glass into the sink before taking a breath of air that wasn’t so stifling. Thank god for the air conditioning that was keeping you from growing weak with the weather.
To protect yourself from your rough work on the farm you always had your heavy boots on along with your overalls but today you had shed your typical layers and simply worked with a simple white tank top beneath the overalls. From the warming kiss Haley had given you before she left, she didn’t mind it either.
Your heart thumped lovingly at the thought of your girlfriend. She hadn’t officially moved in yet and you still got dizzy thinking on the perfect way to propose but these days she stayed more often than not and you had made quite the home together. Thinking of her, you were motivated to get back out there and finish the days work so you could lavish her with attention that evening.
—
Your plans to worship Haley had sank with the sun. You’d found a broken sprinkler and realized rather than the head itself, the entire line had an issue. There were tiny holes bitten into it, causing a leak and leading to some waterlogged melons. You could only pray the roots didn’t rot.
By the time you’d dug the line up, gone to Pierre’s for supplies, and fixed it, you were covered in mud and exhausted. Your head swam and you just wanted to lay down. Haley had returned home halfway through your mess and had given you a sympathetic smile and a half offer to help. You’d only teasingly rolled your eyes and told her to get inside before she got a sunburn. Your own shoulders were feeling stiff with the heat but you were used to it.
Hours later you were finally collapsing through the front door after kicking your shoes off at the entrance. Haley was sat on the couch, a book in her hands about the wildlife in the area. She loved to capture nature in her photos and even more so since falling for you. She was fascinated with life and even if she had a hard time handling to dirtier aspects of your work she felt you were imbued with all that nature was.
“Still kicking?” She asked sympathetically, rising to meet you for a kiss.
“I’ll live,” you shrugged, backing away from her advances. “I’m filthy right now, how about I shower and then kiss you?”
Haley looked you over for a moment, eyes trailing from the top of your head to the edges of your muddied overalls. There was a gentleness in those eyes that you were proud to have earned and something else lingered there that you couldn’t put your finger on. Silently, she gripped your hand as you couldn’t make yourself avoid her advances twice. Under dark lashes she smiled coyly.
“Let’s go shower then,”
You couldn’t help the small exhalation that caught in your chest. Haley had always known that after a long day all you needed was a hot shower and her company. Nearly a year after you two had been together she had started joining you.
Powerless, you followed her into the bathroom and let her undress you with practiced and loving hands. Clueless as you were, you didn’t realize that the evidence of hard work on you made something in her stir. Your muscled arms and the sweat clinging to your sun baked skin made her melt into a puddle.
“Ya know, I was going to take care of you today Princess,”
“I think I can manage taking care of you for one night,”
You couldn’t find it in you to disagree.
Sitting beneath the stream of hot water you let Haley climb in after you after she shimmied her shirt and skirt off. Your golden girl lathered her hands in the soap she just had to get shipped from Zuzu City. You’d never known soap to cost so much and she used it sparingly. You felt increasingly loved when she offered you her nice things.
Her hands began at your cheeks, fingers dancing gently across your jaw and then trailing to your neck and shoulders. Her eyes followed her path and she forewent your chest to lather your stomach and hips with the luxurious soap.
Your mouth had suddenly gone very dry as you reached for her, massing shampoo into her now damp hair. Haley could care for you all she wanted but you couldn’t help but join and spur on her efforts with your own.
The soft skin of her hands and the smooth gliding from the soap made you gasp gently when she came to lather your chest, kneading and cleaning at the same time.
“I can tell you worked hard today,” she hummed with lidded eyes and your heart pounded painfully against your rib cage.
“Y-yeah,” you croaked as she waited for the water to rinse the soap from your neck and then she attached her lips there, sucking and nibbling at the skin while her hands wandered up and down your back.
Your head was swimming again but no longer from the harsh heat of the sun. You had grabbed Haley’s hips and wouldn’t let her back away even an inch.
“My sweet farmer, always providing for me,” she grinned against your pulse point and the spike of pride that ran through you prompted you to tug her hair back gently so her head followed and you could seal your lips to hers.
You let your tongue run across hers, savoring the aftertaste of the ice cream she’d had earlier that afternoon. Where your lips were chapped hers were smooth and plump. Haley made music in your ears as she pressed you against the cold tile of the shower wall without ever breaking from your kiss.
You ached to continue but you weren’t too keen on slipping in the shower due to more vigorous activity. And to be frankly honest, the days work had left you aching and tired, hungry too.
You couldn’t help cursing gently when your stomach growled and Haley pulled away with humor in her eyes.
“Let’s get you something to eat before I put you back to work, okay love?”
Grinning impishly you nodded with a messy kiss to her cheek that made her giggle and squeal as you knew it would.
Your princess was nothing less than indulgent and just what you needed.
Elliot sat beside you at the bar, hands wrapped comfortably around his glass of beer. Gus had just poured it from the tap, foam dribbling down the side and running over Elliot's fingers. You played with the rim of your own glass, and couldn't hold back a giggle when Elliot's lips fell into a pout. He wouldn't dare rub the drink on his clothes and risk smelling like the beverage so instead he licked the beer from his hand while you teased playfully about his manners. You simply wouldn't mention that you were absolutely captivated by those lips and hands.
After he deemed himself cleaned up, Elliot shifted in his barstool, knees pressed against yours and eyes hazy but bright from his drink. A simple question hung in those eyes and he wasn't one to hold back.
"The Winter Star feast is arriving shortly, will you be spending the week here?"
After six years spent in Pelican Town, you had begun to travel back to Zuzu City more than you ever had. You held no love for the place but you did hold a deep love for your parents. Their letters had always been frequent but they now ended with, "We miss you terribly", and "Hope to see you when you find time".
They had no ill intent but you did feel a twinge of guilt every time you placed the letters in the wooden box that Elliot had gifted you the year prior. One day in summer he had been visiting for some fresh pomegranate lemonade made with your very own produce and had seen the unsightly stack of letters tucked away on your counter. You weren't one to throw away anything sentimental, but you thought he had forgotten about it as soon as the day was over.
When the 25th came however he had handed you the carefully wrapped gift and declared that words of love, of home, should be well taken care of. It always made you curious of the home Elliot had had before he came to the valley. It seemed everyone had some reason to find solace in the isolation and close community. Only in quiet moments and stormy days did you see ghosts behind the handsome man's eyes.
Pressing your knees harder against Elliot's, trying to comfort him from your own thoughts, you shrugged.
"Pam said she'd make herself available the morning of the 25th if I want to go home. I should go... they didn't get to see me last year outside of visiting the farm for my birthday."
Elliot chest expanded as if to sigh but he held it in and grinned. "I'm sure they'll be delighted to see you."
"I wish they would come here but they don't feel safe on the icy roads and I'd rather go to them under those conditions anyway. The bus could take more of a hit then their twenty-two year old Nissan."
Elliot's grin dropped and his hand reached for yours, squeezing your fingers together nearly to the point of discomfort. "Banish the thought, I will tolerate nothing less than your complete safety".
You wiggled your fingers until you could more comfortably squeeze his in return. It was warming, to see the passion and care so plainly written on his face. It made your heart skip a beat and your breath catch but you had to concentrate to not look into it. Elliot breathed grandiose gestures, poetic words, and intensity for life. You had a beautiful friendship, and with his desire for beauty, you expected nothing less. You just doubted he found the dirt up to your knees and the cracked fingernails you sported to be beautiful. Leah's artistic nature would have suited him but you saw the way her eyes lingered on Haley.
Pulling your hand away you gave what you hoped was a reassuring smile. It seemed you were full of wandering thoughts today. With the meager amount you'd had to drink you couldn't even blame it on anything other than longing.
"You'll be stuck with me for as long as Yoba sees fit".
You weren't sure how religious you considered yourself but making promises of a life long lived had always seemed deceitful to you. Everyone could strive to survive as long as possible but uncertainty was around every corner. To promise Elliot nothing would ever happen to you would be to lie to him and that left a sour taste in your mouth.
Elliot understood and gave you a solemn but pacified nod. Lifting his glass, you followed suit.
"To your safety, then."
You thought his voice might have caught in his throat but the fireplace was warm and your eyelids droopy as you took comfort in his presence. The hours spent in the Saloon were long but as Gus wiped tables and the townspeople filtered their way out the door you realized that you'd be rising with the sun tomorrow, most certainly with dark circles under your eyes and a craving for coffee to get through the day. You couldn't make yourself feel regret for the way you'd spent your night and you doubted Elliot could either.
It was only when you lay in bed that night you realized you hadn't asked the writer for his plans.
--
The 25th arrived before you could properly experience the days before it. Between making sure your fences held up during the cold spell, your greenhouse had no cracked glass or wilting plants, and the animals were all fat and happy, the days sped by. You had seen your friend between visits to Evelyn and George's to offer cranberries and trips to Jodie's to sell her yams as per the request board. Elliot would be passing by on his way to the library or the bridge near his home, offering a wave as you hopped from your horse only to mount her once again after every completed task.
"Have a good day!" You would call from your horse, catching a heart stopping wink from him and you'd thank the cold for your flushed cheeks as you rolled your eyes. You missed him terribly in those few days, as you always did. Your stay in Pelican Town would not have been the same without him and you attribute much of your happiness and vigor to him. Elliot's energy was infectious and you couldn't help but fall helplessly in love.
Now, far too early in the morning, you found yourself standing before a half packed bag with a heavy heart. Your parents were more than worth the trip but you couldn't help but feel this would be a mistake. You had hardly slept the night before, heart skipping and mind racing. Despite the poor weather conditions that were worse than expected, you had a gut feeling that you were meant to be in Pelican Town for the Winter Star. So far, you had only put three shirts and a left shoe into your bag. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't make yourself continue.
Trudging over to your phone, you dialed your parents' with quivering hands.
"My dear!" Your dad greeted warmly from the other end of the phone not letting it ring on your end for more than a moment. "We were expecting your call!"
"You were?"
"Yes! We hoped to know when to expect you today, how is the weather faring?" Your mother chimed in.
Guilt swam heavy in your stomach. You missed them, truly, but a heavier feeling had settled even deeper than that guilt.
"It's not good..." You began. "But, it's more than that, I-I've got someone and he's going to be alone-"
"Sweetheart, are you scared to tell us you want to spend the holiday with that Elliot boy?"
The interruption, nor the laughter, was something you couldn't have predicted. Let alone them naming Elliot so quickly. Their understanding filled you with relief and you let out a hoarse chuckle, eyes brimming with tears.
"I'd like to bring him to Zuzu City next year, if he'll have me this year," You admitted, not realizing the truth of it until it was out of your mouth.
With well wishes and almost tears, your parents let you go after you promised to "make that romance novel cover of a man yours", as your mother so eloquently put it.
After dialing Pam and telling her to stay put with Penny this morning, you began to dump your meager items out of your bag. Before they hit the floor though you heard a quick, rhythmic knocking at the door. With a confused quirk of your brow you made your way through your bedroom.
"Coming!" You called out as the knocking began again, not ten seconds after it had ceased.
Your socks slid against the hardwood and your fireplace crackled as you swung open the door and let the winter chill in. You had foregone your regular work clothes today and instead donned your comfiest thermal pants, as well as a lovely cashmere sweater that you may have borrowed from Elliot, with permission of course.
The man himself was at your door and appeared to be out of breath, cheeks rosy despite the layers he had so generously wrapped himself in. You couldn't help but appreciate the way his gingham scarf complimented his eyes. An easy smile passed your lips as you ushered him inside to get warm, it was no easy walk from the beach to the farm even during the best of weather.
"Oh thank Yoba, I thought you were gone,"
The sheer relief in his voice caught you off guard as he stomped snow from his shoes. You pulled his scarf from his neck and watched his hair tumble around his shoulders and watched those eyes of his that were tracing your features hastily. It was as if he thought you were about to disappear.
"I'm not going,"
"B-but I thought you were going home?" Elliot's hands landed on your shoulders as if he meant to shake you. The lovely drama king before you seemed twisted up in that mind of his and you didn't know what to make of it.
The way his eyes had searched yours at the Saloon, and the way he held you at arms length but with a grip that told of never letting you go, spoke volumes suddenly.
"Well, I couldn't leave you all alone, could I? Besides, why did you run all the way to the farm if you thought I was gone?"
Elliot looked like a deer caught in headlights, as if it hadn't occurred to him to not come and see you this morning. Throwing back his head, he let out a hearty laugh before stepping closer to you, hands drifting from your shoulders to settle about your waist. Your mouth suddenly felt very dry. With a straight back, and what you could see was a wavering confidence, Elliot then spoke his mind.
"I had selfishly hoped my wish to Yoba last night had come true and I'd find you here,"
"Elliot," You giggled, "Are you saying that you wished for me to stay, as a gift this year?"
"And if I was?" He asked, head tilting closer to yours and those lovely hands of his flexing on your waist. You momentarily thought back to the foam that had rolled down his fingers earlier that week.
You felt as if you couldn't get a full breath of air but your smile was radiant, or that is what Elliot would tell you later in the evening at least.
"I'd say your wish came true,"
"And what of your wish this year?"
With a roll of your eyes, you let yourself loop your arms around his neck.
"A kiss from the man who would walk in a dreadful blizzard from the beach not even knowing if I was still here or not is all I could ask for,"
Leaving you waiting no longer, Elliot obliged by pressing his still chilled lips to yours. Your excitement was untamable and your smiled more against each other's mouths the first few moments rather than locking lips but you supposed you both had more than enough time for that now.
Number four with stardew valley’s Elliott, please?
just fluff! feeling like some absolute TOOTH ROTTING elliott fluff
This will be the next one to go up! I also have a request for Sebastian and the number 4 prompt, which will be released after an Emily Christmas prompt <3
"Hi! Could I request some fluffy Sam and prompt 3 & 7? Thanks!" From Anon as our first holiday request!
Here is a cute and cheeky one shot <3 Thanks for the request!
---
There was a serenity to the farm during winter. The wide expanse of land in front of your comfortable, and rapidly growing, cabin was blissfully empty of demanding crops. Buzzing of bugs was notably missing from the open air and you hadn't had a mosquito bite in two months, a true record considering your line of work. The animals you considered to be friends rather than food were cozied up in their respective coops and barns and filled to the brim with hay that you had so painstakingly collected during the previous three seasons.
During this time you were able to sit in front of your fireplace, hands wrapped comfortably around a mug of tea while the blueberry tart you had prepared as a mid day snack finished in the oven. You were glad to be on the outskirts of the town as you knew Lewis would be knocking your door down for a bite if he knew that you had blueberries growing in spades within your greenhouse.
You took in a deep breath, stretching out your legs from your arm chair as they had begun to ache. That soreness in your muscles reminded you fondly of the major adjustment you had gone through in the first year after moving to the valley. You had not had the muscle definition or energy to survive most days but here you were after endless support from your parents who you missed dearly, and the town members who had helped facilitate the spark within you that you Grandfather had begun with his letter.
However, there was one man within the town who kept you awake at night with whirling thoughts and a pounding chest. Sam had been one of the most welcoming within the town when you had first arrived. You had been able to tell from everyone's long looks and odd greetings that you were one of the more interesting things to have happened in what could be assumed to have been the past decade. Sam's eyes had held the same curiosity as everyone else but there was a warmth and welcoming that only Evelyn and Robin had seemed to extend.
You held no grudges. You had been a stranger at the time, nobody sure of who you would turn out to be and if you were worthy of becoming part of the tight knit community. Considering your struggles in Zuzu city at your soul sucking corporate job, you hadn't been sure who you'd turn out to be either. What you had known is that you lacked passion. Every day had been a struggle and every day had been the same. You'd had your parents' love but no true friends or connections, nor a fuzzy companion since your apartment didn't allow for pets.
Sam though, had passion pouring from him. Eyes bright, body animated. He was everything you craved. At first, you thought the magnetism you felt between you two was due to your need to feel alive again. You needed to feel the flush on your cheeks from hot days spent in the summer sun, a soreness in your face from grinning too much, and a content sigh falling from your lips after ending a fulfilling day. Looking at him, even all those years ago, you knew he could give that to you.
The gut feeling had been there since he'd asked for your opinion on what sort of music he should make if he put together a band. Sam had taken the time to ask a new friend a personal question and you had internally applauded the bravery. That was what began to shift your interest from merely feeling something, to wanting to feel everything with him.
You had grown in your time and you were lucky enough to watch Sam grow too. From trying his best to help raise Vincent in the physical absence of his father and the emotional absence of his mother, to securing a gig to spread the music he so loved making. Through all of this you had stumbled and then surrendered to falling in love.
Looking into his eyes, as you so often did, you had once again known he felt the same. When you had stayed in his bed, heart pounding and hands sweating, there had been a dare in the set of your brow as he hovered just a step away from the covers. You felt as if you could close your eyes and see every detail of that moment. Sam had gulped, eyes widening ever so slightly as he reached for the covers. Falling into his twin bed beside you, his usually animated movements were slowed. Warmth spread in your chest and butterflies took flight in your stomach when he set a hand at the small of your back, arm over your waist and his head resting against his palm so he could look down at you.
Without a word, he had leaned forward and brushed his lips against yours, tentative and worried until you pressed back in answer that you wanted this, wanted him more than anything. It was a battle to keep the kiss chaste. You had been dreaming of that moment for so long and now that you had it you were greedy. Sam must have felt the same because you could still remember the way he pulled you tighter to him and slanted his mouth against yours again, and again, and again until you were panting and grinning against his own smile.
The next most exciting thing to happen to the town after your arrival years previous, was your wedding. Your father traveled to walk you down the isle and the best things from both of your worlds had all gathered in the town square. Now you were in the first winter of your marriage and you had Sam to keep your warm and satisfied all through it.
With swirling and romantic thoughts of your husband you pushed yourself from your chair and led yourself to the porch. You couldn't help the shiver that spread from your toes to the tips of your head at the brisk air that was so very different to the warmth of the fireplace that had lulled you into your sentimental thoughts in the first place. It didn't take long for you to catch sight of the flash of electric blue and sunny blonde that was in the field out front. Two dilapidated balls of snow sat stacked haphazardly while Sam worked on a third. The bottom snowball resembled the size of your prize goat, and was slightly more spherical (but not as much as one would think when making a snowman). The next was closer in size to one of your summer melons and you had to stifle a giggle behind your reddening hand.
With a huff and a hoist, Sam topped off the stack of snow with another ball which was nearly identical to the one below it.
"Is that supposed to be a snowman?" You called out from the porch, barely biting back your laughter as Sam's head snapped up.
"You love my music so much, I thought you'd be able to recognize real art when you saw it," He couldn't fight his immediate grin at the sight of you, the open book that he was, but he did school his expression into something falsely haughty.
"Oh of course my love, your snowy sculpture rivals even Leah's work."
He rolled his eyes good naturedly at your teasing as he made his way towards you. "I was going to use the coal from the chest for his face, you probably would have been able to tell then,"
You nodded in playful confirmation as he wrapped his arms around you, shoving his cold nose into your neck before placing equally as chilled kisses there. This was one of your favorite things about Sam. His affections towards you never changed or shifted in the slightest. If anything, he had just grown more bold. You supposed it was fair, seeing as you lived far from peeping eyes, and you were no better with the returning of affection.
It was a love so true that you could fall into it forever and find a new bud of excitement every day that was begging to bloom within your chest.
"There is a reason you are a musician, but I love your snowman all the same," You tugged gently at the longer hair at the back of his neck with your jest and he skimmed his fingertips against your sides in retaliation.
Sam only hummed, walking you backwards into the house, nudging the door closed with his foot. You thought he would release you then but his arms only tightened as he lifted you from the ground. You wrapped your legs around his waist to secure your spot against him even as you squeaked in protest. It was only when he pressed your back against the entry to the stairs between your kitchen and living room that you understood his game.
Looking up you spotted the flash of green and red that he had nailed to the top of the frame. It hung over you and reminded you of each and every romantic gesture Sam made in the earnest efforts to keep your relationship as exciting as the first day.
December first is when he'd hung the mistletoe and every day since he had tugged you under it as often as possible. You had to admit he hadn't yet that day and the sun was now beginning to drift below the horizon. You supposed there was only so much time left for him to complete his daily mission of flustering you.
Despite this, you had to play a little bit. "Stop trying to make me walk under the mistletoe".
"Last I checked, you weren't walking under it, babe. And now that I think about it- you probably won't be for the rest of the night."
You let out a shriek as Sam raced you two on eager legs to your bedroom, a wide and mischievous grin on his bright face. Sam had ignited the spark in you all those years ago and you'd have the rest of your life together to fan that flame.
feeing like a bad parent seeing your s/o spend time with your child when you feel too exhausted from farm work
just a little blurb!
Watching your son grow up before your eyes was surreal, beautiful, and utterly crushing. It seemed like just yesterday that you had taken some time off from the farm, leaning on Alex heavily to do work in your place so that your body could recuperate and you could bond with the new life you and your husband had welcomed into the world.
Alex himself had been in tears, whispering sweet nothings against your temple, his hand gripping yours so tightly you could feel the imprint of him days later as your infant son held the same spot with his much tinier fingers. You felt so whole.
Now, your six-month old was showing leaps and bounds in his development. He was still a little shy around George but cooed and babbled in pure excitement when he saw Evelyn walk through the door. They had been amazing in their Great Grandparent Duty. They loved watching over him when you couldn't get away from the farm and Alex was busy.
Even when the both of you could handle the infant, Evelyn and George still had open arms and you had no heart to turn them down. They could see through this life that Alex had truly blossomed into the young man that they knew he could be. To watch him grow as a father when he hated his own, feared becoming him, was soothing a wound they hadn't known they'd held since the death of their daughter.
You could understand their desire to be so close with your sweet boy. He was the spitting image of Alex too, but with your eyes and ears. You think you preferred it that way. Coming home, the both of them sleeping soundly was something you adored but it tugged at your heart painfully some nights.
When you would get home from the mines, nearing two in the morning, you realized that Alex must have dealt heavily with the baby's fussing and rolling about. Now, the baby slept nearly all the way through the night and you couldn't help agonizing over that too.
When you would spend the day tending to the crops only to come in for a quick lunch you would see Alex, splayed on the couch and dozing while Evelyn bounced the babe on her hip and hummed gently.
"Oh hello dear!" She'd cry happily, kissing your cheek and pressing lunch into your hands. "We have everything handled here so don't you worry, you can get right back to work with peace of mind."
You knew she didn't mean it as a dismissal. Evelyn was truly one of your greatest supports in this valley you called home . She was your number one cheerleader even before you and Alex had inevitably fallen for one another. He had seen how you loved his parental figures, and the rest was history.
However, you couldn't help but notice your son no longer reached for you first when you walked in a room. You noticed that he was content with his great grandmother and father and didn't want you at the moment, didn't need you.
With a tight smile, you had returned back to the farm and allowed a shaky breath from your lips. Your boy was growing up so fast and you were working. You loved the work, every day you felt contentment that you could have never imagined feeling in Zuzu City, stuck at a cubicle.
Yet, right now, you were discontent with the distance you felt with your son. You hated that every time you blinked he seemed to get bigger. Alex had even used the sewing machine to make some of the baby's smaller clothes into those appropriate for his growth. You had to admit, with no small amount of pride and simultaneous envy, that your son wanted for nothing because his father was more than enough.
That night, you had walked into the nursery, bones aching and fingers stiff. Watching your swaddled baby breathe softly into open air, some of the tightness in your chest left.
"Come to bed sweetheart, he'll sleep through the night," Alex spoke softly, arms winding around your waist and his chin falling atop your shoulder. You hadn't heard him approach but you sunk into him easily.
"I know," You croaked, spinning in your husbands arms so you could bury your face in his chest. You couldn't help the sudden emotion you felt. Alex seemed to notice the change immediately and with one last glance towards your son he led you quietly to your bedroom.
Sitting you on the bed, Alex knelt and carefully unlaced your boots. It was something he had done since you married. If he was awake when you arrived to bed he would carefully undress you and help you get ready for bed. His warm hands massaged your calves carefully and you couldn't help the tears that had begun in the nursery were falling now.
"He's so big Alex," Your voice was no more than a whisper, but it didn't need to be.
Alex answered with a squeeze and a gentle smile. "Of course, he's his father's son, he'll grow up strong just like me,"
You couldn't stop the way you bristled at his words. "He's my son too..."
"Of course he is!" Alex rushed to say, now sitting beside you on the bed. He had changed you carefully out of your boots and dirty trousers, as well as your soiled top. Now, he held you in your most insecure and intimate form and tried to comfort you. "What's bothering you?"
Alex could guess what turmoil you were experiencing but he found the two of you had far less misunderstandings if he asked you straightaway. He was determined to be nothing like the man he unfortunately shared blood with and three years into marriage with you, he was able to believe he was succeeding in that endeavor.
"It's been half a year and I feel like I really only spent the first month with him... I went back to work because we needed it and because I was growing restless but now I come home and I realize he doesn't need his mama like before. It's like he doesn't expect me to be around. What sort of mother am I?"
Alex caught your tears as they fell, brushing them away and kissing your forehead even if his heart tugged painfully at the sight of you weeping.
"A damn good one," He grunted out, voice thick with emotion. "I haven't told you this before, but I've been thinking it since you first went back to work after he was born. You remind me so much of my mother. She worked so hard to give me everything and make up for that son of a bitch that ruined our lives. Even when mom got sick she worked herself to the bone to provide for me. How is that not one of the purest forms of love?"
You whimpered against him at the sentiment. How could you express that his words were invaluable to you, but in this moment, you could only feel self hatred?
"I-I think I need more time with him. I will always provide for you two, I will always want to be strong and I know what it means to you to tell me that I resemble your mom. But Alex, I miss him. I miss you! I just.... I just need a bit of a break."
"Oh sweetheart..." Alex intoned, strong hands running up and down your back. "How long have you been feeling this way? All you need to do is say the word and I'll step in for you at the farm, however long you need. There's a reason I learned all of your tasks when we got married. This is our home and our family. We are in this together, you don't need to shoulder everything alone."
Looking into Alex's eyes you didn't detect a single ounce of judgement and even though your eyes had dried partway through his ramble, you nearly felt the need to cry again.
Nodding in affirmation, and offering a generous and appreciative kiss to Alex's waiting lips, you finally felt the discontent slide away from your body. Tense shoulders dropped, and animated eyes became heavy with sleep.
"Tomorrow, I'll take care of the farm, you stay home and be with our boy,"
Guilt abating, and love expanding, you fell asleep.
Summary: Sebastian coming to the farm asking if you have any herbs to help with the rock crab wound he got in the caves and you help patch him up. He's silly goofy in love with the you. Fluff
notes: I'll typically try to do a gender neutral farmer but I'll specify when that isn't the case like with this fic. I use Y/N in this fic.
Tag: @victorylr
The ticking of the clock was far too loud as Sebastian lay in bed, eyes wide and locked onto the ceiling. His hands were folded on his chest but his fingers twitched with frustration and impatience. His skin was crawling as he tried his best to lay still and fall into sleep but it wouldn't take him and he knew that he'd have to get up and do something before his unsettled bones could rest.
That day had been nothing short of miserable. Work had been tedious, boring, and a general waste of time if it weren't for the paycheck. He'd gone upstairs to grab some lunch and instead had retreated right back down the stairs when he'd heard Demetrius and his mom start to bicker at one another. That had been a can of worms he hadn't felt like opening over a reheated slice of pizza. Everyone knew he'd pick his mom's side for whatever asinine thing they were at odds with and Demetrius would give him the stink eye like he shouldn't have been born. A regular Tuesday, really.
Since then he had remained in his room. Normally he wouldn't regret the reclusive day he had made for himself but as the clock ticked further into the night he was dying to do something fun. If it weren't for the brakes on his bike needing maintenance, he'd already be halfway to Zuzu City. Finally, his eyes locked onto a frozen tear that the farmer had gifted him last week for his birthday.
The frozen tear sparked an idea in his mind and off he went, tugging a beanie over his head and tugging on his favorite boots before he left his bedroom. He did his best to be quiet while he searched the dark garage for a leftover pick axe and a flashlight, courtesy of his mother. Snow crunching underfoot, he made his way to the haphazard wooden plank that pretended to be a bridge to the right of his home and he crossed it. It wobbled slightly, his stomach doing flips, and he wondered how it hadn't broken beneath the weight of the horse you rode across it every couple days.
Flashlight at the ready he walked to the back of the mine to where the elevator was poorly lit, like a beacon saving him from his boredom.
Pressing the button going down, Sebastian took a steadying breath. Immediately the metal doors slid open for him, with a slight groan and a loud creak. The impatience flooding his veins was gone now, replaced with excitement. Before the doors slid shut he wondered if he could find something pretty to gift you in return for your gift to him.
_
About five levels down and a backpack full of odd stones he found pleasant to the eye, Sebastian was wondering how in the hell you spent the entire week running back and forth to the mine. Not that he ever could truly complain about you stopping to say hello while he was out for his nightly smoke. You would wrinkle your nose if the wind blew towards you but never in disgust or judgment at his habit, however negative he knew it to be.
It was a secret he kept locked inside his heart but those were his favorite nights. Standing beside you at the lake while you recounted your day's events to him. The glow ring you had lit up the space around your hands as you waved them in the air happily. You were so full of life that it ran over your edges, seeping into him and filling him with a new vigor to do something. Those dreams of escaping to Zuzu City permanently once he had the means seemed so much smaller after meeting you. Without knowing it, you had given him so much, and he'd be damned if he didn't try and repay the effort.
Resettling his bag on his shoulders he climbed down the next ladder he had found. It had been nestled at the end of a long cave, right beside a line of tracks that led to a mine cart full of coal. He had pocketed some, maybe you could use it or Clint could buy it off him.
Nearly immediately after dropping into the cave he saw a curious looking stone that reflected back the beam from his flashlight in oranges and yellows. The cave seemed to glitter, like a heatless flame and he knew immediately that he needed to get this for you. The grin he was imagining you'd have was so brilliant he nearly stopped breathing. I might actually die if she smiles at me for real... He thought in passing as he took to working the stone. What was it?
Sebastian searched his head for thoughts that didn't scream you, you, you. It was hard when you had come to consume him. With a smile he pocketed the stone, the topaz. That's what it is, Topaz. The way the topaz had lit the room up reminded Sebastian of the way your glow ring sparkled off of your eyes when you shared your late night talks.
You were his heatless flame. Never there to hurt him or leave him burned or scarred, but always there to warm him and fill him with a new life he hadn't had since it was just him and his mom, playing pool every Friday even if he hadn't been quite as tall as the table.
In his reverie, Sebastian had lost some of the caution he had practiced the first few levels of the mines. He had cut through slimes and avoided any bug he came across but now he was tripping over a larger than average rock and that rock was beginning to crawl at him.
"Shit!" Sebastian muttered, scrambling back on his hands with his eyes locked onto what he knew now to be a rock crab. They were quicker than he thought and it got it's pincer around his calf before he could mutter another curse. He jerked away from it in panic but all that accomplished was the rock crab strengthening it's grip. The hard edges pulled at his skin and he winced before grabbing the damn thing and ripping it away from his calf.
His heart pounded forcefully in his chest and his head swam momentarily before the rushing in his ears calmed down. The terrible rip of his skin had filled him with adrenaline and he used it to pat his pockets and reassure himself your topaz was tucked safely away before bolting to the ladder and then to the elevator. Sebastian had gotten what he had come for and maybe a little more than he had bargained for.
_
Once Sebastian was safely out of the mines he sat heavily down onto the snow just outside the entrance. With heaving lungs, he let the chill of the snow seep into his scraped hands and dampen the legs of his pants. The cold was grounding, calming. His calf gave a painful twinge and he snuck a glance at the offending wound. Blood dyed the snow beneath him scarlet but the flow was not fast nor terribly bothersome. There was an ache that wouldn't go away and he knew he should get it tended to but Harvey was long asleep and he wasn't about to face his mother's wrath or invasive questions.
Robin's anger wouldn't be half as frightful if he told the truth but then she'd look at him with searching eyes and say, "The farmer, huh?, like it wasn't obvious that he had fallen for her this last flower dance when she had danced with Alex of all the people in town. She had danced with the man who shared the least in common with him. Did that mean something?
His heart gave a sharp tug almost as painful as the rock crab wound. Sebastian knew damn well Alex had invited you to dance just to catch Haley's eye, but you had said yes. You were more than arm candy and he had spent the next week in the worst mood wondering why. It wasn't until he saw you again that that feeling had eased and then he'd been faced with the knowledge of having fallen in love.
You had just shrugged when he'd asked how the dance had been with Alex. A sly smile played at your lips when you'd then asked, "How was dancing with Abigail?", like you knew something he didn't. Like you knew Abby was a childhood friend he tried to put distance from as often as possible and had since become a placeholder for inconveniences such as the annual dance. Like you knew he was wishing for her to be you.
Shuffling around on the snow when his hands began to sting with the cold, he realized that he needed to get up and care for his wound. He could walk on it well enough so he hobbled even more cautiously this time over the wooden bridge and back into his garage. Eyes peeled and flashlight at the ready he searched for where his mom kept her first aid kit for when she worked. Spotting it on Demetrius' workbench, he opened up only to be filled with disappointment. Sebastian's wonderful, loving, intelligent mother had not restocked the first aid kit in Yoba only knows how long.
Where would he even-?
Sebastian's thought was cut off with your name, as much of his thoughts were. You were always around town with bandaged fingers and poultices to offer to Evelyn for sore hips or to Vincent for scraped knees. You would have something to help.
He supposed it was wishful thinking that you would answer the door, and the walk to the farm wouldn't be delightful this time of night let alone with a bum leg but Sebastian pictured your smile once more and that heatless flame you gave off warmed him just enough to spur him to action.
_
Sebastian's head swam uncomfortably as he took the route to your farm but he used what adrenaline he had left in him to carry him all the way to your porch. Thankfully, torches lit the way and he didn't stumble or otherwise agitate his calf. Knocking on the door one, two, three times he let his fist fall before settling into the rocking chair you had set up for when George came to see you.
You had confided in him once that George enjoyed watching you work and was comfortable with letting you help him into the rocking chair. It reminded him of his childhood and Sebastian thought it was so sweet he could fall apart. He chuckled for a moment, even if Alex wasn't interested, he was sure that George hoped you would take a liking to his grandson just so he could claim you as family.
"Y/N!" He called, not too loud but none too gently either. He'd be thrilled to get something to fix the damn ache in his leg and close up the wound but if you were sleeping there was a part of him that wanted you to keep on dreaming. Your welfare mattered greatly to him, nearly over his own. He let his eyes close for a moment. Maybe it'd be alright if he just rested here for a second and then he could be on his way. He'd see Harvey tomorrow.
"Sebastian! What happened?" You gasped, jolting Sebastian back to reality. You held three jars of mayonnaise in your hands and at the sight of him you dropped all of them.
His throat was suddenly dry at the sight of you.
"Y/N, I-"
"Inside, right now," Your scolded but your voice was still so warm and even as your eyebrows knit together in confusion he could see the concern in those gorgeous eyes while they traced down his figure to the tattered jeans and blood on his leg.
Sebastian pushed himself up from the rocker and nearly giggled when your hand pressed firmly against his back. If he thought hard enough he could imagine your hard-earned callouses against his spine and he suppressed a shiver. Maybe he had bled a bit more than he'd thought.
You pulled a chair out from a table, your farmhouse being much larger than when he had last visited. Rather than the single room your first year, you now boasted a kitchen, three upper level rooms, a cellar and basement. You put his mom to good work and good work she had achieved.
And here he was, getting blood on the hardwood.
"Sit and speak," You demanded and Sebastian fixed his eyes onto yours. You were already shuffling around in one of your cabinets, retrieving an armful of supplies. He knew you'd have just what he needed.
"Got bored. Went to the mines and didn't see a rock crab."
Sebastian nearly rolled his eyes. He didn't mean to sound so....apathetic. He had spent so long playing it cool that he didn't know how to take himself out of it even when internally he was aching to shower you with gifts, affirmations, and if he was lucky enough, affection.
The pinched look of your face didn't exactly disappear but it eased some as you knelt before him, eyes wide and perfect as they took him in. He always felt exposed around you and at first it had made him uncomfortable. He had tried pushing you away because of it, but now he relished the feeling of being seen.
"My, my, Seb," You scolded against, this time warmly and without the nervous energy you'd had before when you hadn't known what was wrong with him. His heart leapt jerkily at the words you spoke. Yes, yours, all yours actually just ask me-
"It was dark," He mumbled, cheeks bright pink from the cold and something more.
"Typically in an unlit mine, things are dark," You agreed playfully, hands carefully but steadily rolling up the torn leg of his jeans. He really had liked him but he couldn't find it in him right now to mind the loss with your fingers prodding gently at his skin.
"Oh shut it," Sebastian laughed but the last thing he wanted was for you to stop speaking. Regrettably, you grew silent for a moment but he knew it was in concentration as you took a wet rag and wiped the blood and dirt away from the edges of his wound. So careful not to hurt him. Always so careful.
"Does it hurt?" You whispered, tilting your chin up at him. Sebastian drank up your appearance, the light from the fireplace casting gentle shadows against the side of your face. You were kneeling before him, hands carefully prodding at his leg and lips stuck out in a pout. He wanted run his fingers through your hair and pull you to him.
"Nothing hurts right now," He said a bit too honestly, not having time to question the words before they were out. You looked alarmed for a second, hand coming to press against his forehead.
"Don't joke so much, you sound like you're dying and meeting Yoba,"
"Oh yeah, because a scrape from a rock crab would-"
"Stop being sassy Seb, let me clean you up."
Sebastian couldn't help the dumbfounded grin that surfaced. There was something about the way you commanded the room, commanded him, that left him weak in the knees with no defenses.
You hummed softly, even when you applied alcohol to sanitize the wound and he hissed, jerking roughly away from you. You had gripped his thigh to keep him from moving too much and he stilled the second you squeezed. He stopped moving, let alone breathing, after that. Soon you were securing his calf with a bandage and looking at him with a satisfied but curious smile.
"You know, you're lucky I forgot to get the mayo from the coop earlier or I would've been in bed and you would've bled out on my porch,"
"I thought you might be awake," Sebastian answered honestly.
"Your mom could've helped,"
"Her first aid kit was empty,"
"Harvey-"
"Sleeping, and I wanted to give you something anyways,"
That look like you knew something he didn't played at your features again and his stomach did a somersault. To get away from the dizzy feeling you were giving him, he stood up and walked almost normally to his bag that had been left by the door.
"You didn't have to get me anything,"
You said it airily, with no real conviction. He knew you liked presents just like everyone else in town except you didn't receive them nearly half as often as you gave them out. For god's sake Pierre gave you seven potato seeds at the feast of the winter star last year. Sebastian was praying Lewis would let him be your secret gifter this year.
He pulled out the Topaz and extended it, eyes darting to the ceiling but then dropping back down to you. No matter how vulnerable he felt right now, in your home in the middle of the night, he wanted to see you light up at the sight of your present.
It was only when you held the topaz in your hands and looked at it oddly he thought you must have gathered plenty for yourself and he felt momentary regret. What could he give you that you didn't already have?
Taking two steps closer, you raised your chin and he noticed with shock that your eyes had grown glossy with tears.
"How did you know I love topaz?"
Sebastian couldn't help but let out an abrupt chuckle. "I honestly didn't, but it reminded me of your glow ring when you leave the mines and we talk and so I couldn't help but-"
You had put an end to his rambling by throwing your arms around his waist, topaz still held protectively in one of your hands as you tightened your arms around him and snuggled your head against his chest.
The air had definitely left him, never to return, and he was in fact going to die on your floor.
"Y/N..." Sebastian had nothing to say but he felt compelled to speak your name. The way it sounded off of his lips felt like finding a missing puzzle piece.
"Sebastian," You whispered in response, not releasing him from the hug.
"Y/N," Sebastian teasing said back. You huffed in amusement and began to pull away, thinking the moment was over but Sebastian kept you in his arms and you stopped trying to move away when he didn't let go. You stilled even further when he brushed a barely-there kiss to the crown of your head as if possessed by the need to feel your hair against his lips.
"Thank you for helping me, I'm sorry it's late,"
"Thank you for giving me a gift, I'm sorry it's late,"
He rolled his eyes at your parroted words but held you closer. He couldn't feel the cool wetness from his snowy pants or the ache in his calf nor the sting in his palms anymore. His heatless flame with her healing touch had removed all of his ailments.
Sometime later, after you had got him a towel and a warm cup of coffee to sip at while you talked on the couch, you let your head fall onto his shoulder and rest there. Even longer after that, the sun had come up and you had begun your work for the day with the promise to take a nap, Sebastian was on his way home with a skip in his step and warmth in his chest (and two new jars of mayonnaise in his pack).
Maybe you did know something he didn't know but maybe he was starting to see that his feelings for you weren't so different from how you felt about him.
Here is a little something while we wait on the poll to finish! <3
Harvey
Harvey is...concerned. Yet, there is always a sense of pride that comes from hearing that you spent the day in the mines. He always feels a little on edge, a little frightened. He’d rather run from his fears before they catch him meanwhile you don’t seem to know what the word fear means. Some nights he imagines that you’ve fallen down one of the ladders and you’re hurt and you need help. Those nights he stays rigid in his bed, waiting for morning to come so he can see you at his door bright and early with a cup of coffee miraculously, and consistently, in your hands. You have the occasional scrape or blisters from working with your pick axe too hard but more often than not you are right as rain and his heart rate returns to a perfectly normal beat. Harvey is always there to paste bandaids over your blisters with an endearing look, pressing feather light kisses to the wounds after they have been properly treated. Knowing he can take care of you if you need him helps him relax.
Alex
George lost his ability while working in a mine and so it can make Alex weary if or when you use explosives while you’re in the mines. However, he tries to not nag too much. He’d let you know that the thought was uncomfortable, and the danger could be present, however you hadn’t been harmed yet in the mines and he trusted you to take care of yourself. Seeing the impressive sword you always had on hand helped him feel comforted. Years of work on the farm, and plenty of visits to the mine had kept you in nice shape and Alex knew you were strong enough to face many challenges. He was almost a little jealous at the definition in your biceps but you promised him with laughter that his were still larger.
Sebastian
Sebastian is ready to join you from the get-go. He knows he has to work often when you do make your trips to the mines but every once in a while you wait late into the evening for him and you go as a pair. He is curious beyond belief about what the shady elevator leads to and once you began to uncover ladder after ladder, that curiosity only grew. He would be so inspired and excited to finally have something to do in Pelican Town that wasn’t smoke, sit at his desk, or kick Sam’s ass at pool. He would always be asking when you two could visit the mine, and if you were together he had nothing to worry about. It wouldn’t occur to him to fear anything because you’d be slashing slimes left and right with a grin on your face.
Sam
He’d raise an eyebrow at you one day because you’d show up to the saloon with holes ripped into your pants, dirt smudging your cheeks and a beautiful lump of tigers eye in your hands to gift him with. Your knees would be scraped, dried blood from surface level cuts would catch his eye. “You don’t have to hurt yourself for my sake,” He’d tell you every time. And every time you would roll your eyes and press the tigers eye into his eager hands. Sam would love the gift and he’d have a shelf just full of every piece of mineral you had gifted him. Sometimes he wasn’t sure if he’d always liked them or if he had started when you’d handed them to him with a grin on your face. He would fuss over you if you truly were hurt but he would never think to stop you because you always looked so excited after a good day in the mines and that excitement meant more than anything to him.
Shane
Shane would confess having gone to the mines as a foolish teenager, bleary eyed with alcohol and not knowing up from down. He’d have a slight fear of the mines because of this, after all the absurdly colored cave bugs would have been frightening to a drunk teen. It would be a bit embarrassing for him to admit that the mines made him uncomfortable from his youth and now that he was sober, he didn’t like to think of where he’d been under the influence. However, he would support your decision to spend time in the mines. He’d know that it was fun for you, and that you could really use the money it brought in some days. Later down the road he would become curious, and your love would make him feel a little more brave, and he would go to the mines with you, hand in yours while you stepped into the elevator. Relearning Pelican town through sober eyes was his favorite thing so long as he did it by your side.
vaporwave
tangentwithtanner
theartofmadeline
areudirty
pixelskylines
snowghoul