yeah i like to give my blessing to the most pathetic looking weak little knight at the tournament. she canât even look me in the eye when i give her my flower and she stutters out that sheâll do her best or something of the like. i think its funny when she has to cry and beg my forgiveness and i get to say âsuch a shame, i suppose my hand in marriage will have to go to someone elseâŠâ and then i get to hear her whimper like a dog. ive done this like 6 times alrea-
What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (5/6)
Ship: Haley x Female Farmer
Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325)
[Chapter 5: 11 out of 11]
The Saloon was buzzing with its usual evening crowd, but the farmer wasnât paying attention to any of that. They were hunched over the pool table, lining up a shot while Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian watched from the sidelines.
"Alright, farmer," Sam said, leaning against his cue stick. "If you make this shot, you have to admit who youâre giving those flowers to." The farmer froze. Sebastian smirked, exhaling a slow puff of smoke.Â
"I donât know what youâre talking about." The farmer huffed, rolling their shoulders. "Also, thatâs not how bets work."
"Okay, then," Abigail grinned. "If you miss this shot, you have to finally give it to them by tomorrow." The farmer scowled. "Thatâs the same bet."
"Yep!" Sam grinned. The farmer groaned but took the shot anyway. The cue ball bounced off the side, clipped the 8-ball, and completely missed its target.
"Oof." Sebastian snickered. "Guess itâs confession time." The farmer sighed, resting their chin on their cue stick. "Okay, fine. Maybe itâs for⊠Haley."
"Called it!" Abigail pumped her fist. "I knew it!" Sam beamed. "And guess what? We have good news for you."
The two gathered around the farmer, grinning from ear to ear. "Haley asked us about you the other day," Abigail said, nudging the farmerâs arm. "Like, specifically about you. And she was totally blushing." The farmerâs heart jumpedâbut they quickly shoved that feeling down. "She asks about everyone. That doesnât mean anything."
"Uh, no," Sam shook his head. "According to Penny, she was asking almost everyone in the town about you."
"She couldâve been curious," the farmer mumbled. "Doesnât mean she likes me." she says, trying to fix out the 8-ball in one of the holes.
"Wow," Sebastian muttered. "You really donât get it, huh?"
"Whatâs there to get?" The farmer sighed, spinning their cue stick idly. "Sheâs Haley. Sheâs gorgeous, confident, and she probably wants someone⊠different. Notâ" They gestured vaguely at themselves. "Me."
"Youâre an idiot," Abigail said cheerfully. "Thatâs literally why she likes you." The farmer just shook their head, unconvinced.
Just then, the saloon door swung open.
And in walked Haley.
The farmer immediately stiffened. "Speak of the devil," Sam whispered. "Shut up," the farmer hissed.Â
âI never imagined youâd come to me for relationship advice.â Emily teased, wiping down the bar with a rag.
âFirst of all, I literally just asked for your opinion on her. Secondly, weâre not even dating!â Haley shot back, crossing her arms. But Emily only smiled to herself. Despite their differences in appearance and personality, they were still sistersâand Haley had never been good at hiding things from her.
âSure, I believe you.â Emily smirked, setting a freshly cleaned mug in front of Shane, one of her regulars. He barely reacted to the commotion between the sisters, which was unusual. Normally, heâd tell people to pipe down if they got too loud.
Emily reminisced as she worked. âYou know, during her first few months here in Stardew Valley, she used to come here for dinner all the time. She didnât have a proper kitchen at home, so until she could afford one from Robin, she pretty much had to rely on the Saloon.â She continued, recalling the dishes the farmer usually ordered and the recipes she eventually learned to cook herself.
Shane scoffed. âBit of a glutton if you ask me.â
Emily shook her head. âShe works hard all day. I donât mind itâshe burns all those calories running around anyway.â
Haley wrinkled her nose. âDoes it even digest properly?â
Shane smirked. âHave you seen her running around town?â
Haley hesitated. âWait a minute⊠how do you know so much about her?â
Shane scoffed, looking insulted. âShe comes by our store almost every month. Not to mention, she occasionally drops off Jas.â He sighed. âIf you ask me, sheâs getting a bit too comfortable. I once saw her walk into Marnieâs room and come out holding some purple shorts.â
What the hell?
That statement alarmed Haley. The last thing she wanted was to fall for an alcoholic.
Shane rolled his eyes. âHey, give me some credit. I donât drink that much anymore.â
Haley flinched. âDonât tell me sheâs an alcoholic too.â
Shaneâs expression darkened. âWatch your words. She works herself to the bone, and if she needs a drink every once in a while, who am I to judge? I bet you havenât worked a day in your life. Hell, no one in this town has contributed as much as she has. Not Robin, not Pierre, and Iâd bet the Mayor hasnât done a damn thing to earn his place on that list.â
Both Emily and Haley were taken aback by Shaneâs response. They never thought of him as particularly observant, yet here he was, fiercely defending someone he clearly respected. Haley glanced around, worried that other customers had overheard, but it was just Gus, who nodded in silent agreement with Shane.
Realizing his outburst, Shane sighed, rubbing the back of his head. âIâm sorry. Iâm still working on myself. I just⊠I couldnât stand hearing her bad-mouthed like that. But that doesnât excuse me for getting all riled up like that.â
âNo, no⊠I guess youâre right,â Haley admitted, looking down. âI went too far.â
Emily attempted to lighten the mood. âThe farmerâs been a huge help with Shaneâs drinking problem.â
Shane nodded, apologizing again. Haley, in turn, apologized for her comment and for upsetting him.
She sighed, sinking her face into her hands. âI spent weeks asking people about her, trying to find something horrible that would make me stop having feelings for her. But all Iâve heard are great things.â
Shane and Emily exchanged knowing glances before trying to soothe her.
âYoba, I suck so bad.â
Shane let out a small chuckle. âI know we barely know each other, but if thereâs one thing Iâm sure of, itâs that itâs never too late to turn things around for yourself.â
He was right.
Haley sighed, smiling despite herself. âI never figured you to be so great at giving relationship advice.â
Shaneâs face flushed even redderâthough whether from embarrassment or alcohol, it was hard to tell. Emily braced for his usual defensive comeback, but it never came.
Instead, she was met with his eyes, looking back at hers. Shane simply shrugged it off. âWhat can I say? Iâve got good people around me. When you love people, you do your best to become the best version of yourself.â
Both sisters were caught off guard. Shane just kept surprising them tonight. But while Emily admired his growth, Haley had something else on her mind. She thought back on his advice. Maybe she had been too focused on one side of the story. Maybe her feelings for the farmer werenât so complicated after all.
That night, as a thank-you for all his drunken but insightful advice, Haley covered Shaneâs tab. For the first time ever, she also stayed to help Emily close up the bar. They walked home together in comfortable silenceâsomething they had never done before. And yet, it was⊠nice. Maybe sheâd start doing it more often.
As they reached home, they parted by the living room.
âHals?â Emily called out just before Haley disappeared into her room.
The blonde paused in the doorway. âYeah?â
Emily gave her a knowing look. âHave you made up your mind?â
What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (4/6)
Ship: Haley x Female Farmer Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325)
[Chapter 4: 9 out of 11]
âWhat do I think about the farmer? Letâs seeâŠâ It wasn't originally on her list, but whenever she wanted to vent (Consider Alex had horrible memory) she'd go to her bestfriend.
Alex put down his weights with a soft thud, rolling his shoulders before rubbing his chin in thought. A thoughtful smirk played on his lips as he leaned back against his drawer, crossing his arms over his chest, shamelessly trying to flex himself in front of Haley.
"Sheâs a great listenerâresilient too. The kind of person who just gets you, you know?" He nodded to himself before flashing a grin. "I think sheâs a great partner."
Haleyâs eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. " WHAT?! "Â
Her voice echoed throughout the house, thank Yoba his grandparents have trouble hearing or else they wouldâve been scolded by now. Alex blinked, then chuckled at her reaction. Alex teased, clearly amused. "You didnât know?"
Haley scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Do I look like I knew?! Because I definitely wouldnât have reacted like that if I did!"
Alex shrugged, completely unbothered, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off of him. "Her grandfather used to be friends with my grandparents, itâs only natural that we get along together.â Haley opened her mouth, then shut it again, her brows furrowing in frustration. She hated how casual he was about this. How could they have kept this from her? Was she reading everything wrong? Was there even a point in asking around if this was what she was going to get?
She hesitated before pressing further. "So, like... what happened between the two of you?"
Alex smirked, tilting his head back slightly as if recalling a fond memory. "Well, for one, I pick up deliveries from her farm sometimes. This one time, she was struggling to carry a whole load of produce to the binâseriously, she looked like she was about to collapse." He chuckled at the thought. "She practically begged me to help her out. So, being the hero that I am, I stepped in and saved the day. After that? History."Â
Haleyâs stomach twisted slightly at his casual tone. It was the way he said itâlike they had some established bond she had no clue about. She swallowed before asking hesitantly, âS-So⊠How long have you two been dating?â
The football player blinks, âDating?â
The blonde stiffened. â...Youâre not?â
Alex snorted. "What? No way. Weâre just sort of gym buddies. Minus the gym, of course." Haley let out a breath she didnât realize she was holding. Oh. That wasâŠÂ somehow relieving. "She comes here to work out every now and then since she was struggling with her farm chores. She needed the strengthâchopping trees, breaking rocks, carrying loads of crops? That stuff takes a serious toll on your body."
Haley crossed her arms. "Sheâs still so tiny. Wouldnât she have, like, grown by now?"
Alex scratched the back of his head. "I guess all the work wears her down, but when sheâs in her gym attire, you can tell sheâs well-built."
Alex scratched the back of his head. "I mean, yeah, sheâs small, but that doesnât mean sheâs weak. When she first got here, she could barely lift forty kilograms. But now?" He smirked, leaning forward slightly, voice dropping as if sharing a secret. "You should see her absâ"
"OKAY, I THINK THATâS ENOUGH!"
Haleyâs hands shot up, frantically waving him off before he could finish. Her face was burning slightly at the idea of Alex of all people describing the farmerâs body in that much detail. He gets to see it every week? For Free?
Alex just laughed, grabbing his towel and tossing it over his shoulder. "What? You asked." The shorter woman groaned, pressing her palms against her temples.Â
âIf weâre being real,â Alex begins, âDonât get me wrong I respect the honesty from her, but if she did like guys in the first place, I probably wouldâve tried to shoot my shot, anyone wouldâve been lucky to have herâNot just because of her appearance, but because sheâs a pretty great person overall.â He finishes exiting his room to grab himself a drink. Haley sits on the edge of Alexâs bed, pondering to herself.Â
What was she even doing? She had gone into this expecting to have her feelings validated âto hear someone complain, to find a single person in town who didnât like the farmer. But instead?
Everyone she talked to respected her. Admired her. Liked her. And now she was left wondering why she didnât want to. For the first time, she wasnât sure if she had a real answer. Haley was starting to feel hopeless.Â
Haley was going to lose her mind.
This was supposed to be a simple afternoon. She had been in her darkroom, carefully developing some film to get her mind off that unproductive conversation. Being alone in her secret room was a safe place for her, the single red bulb illuminating the tiny room gave her some solitude from the outside worldâs ever-bizarre happenings.
âDelivery!â Then lo and behold the farmerâwho conveniently had an orderâwandered in. Oh Yoba, please donât make your way here.
The door swings open, the farmerâs head sticking out from the other side âHey Haley, I saw a chair leaning against the frame, so I figured youâd be here.â She fully enters the room, âDo you happen to know where your sister is? I got like a box of Survival Burgers in here.â
âDONâT CLOSE THE DOOR-â
Then, because the universe hated them, the wind had slammed the door shut behind them.
And now they were trapped. In complete darkness.
"Great." Haley groaned, pressing her back against the nearest wall. "Just perfect." She heard the farmer jiggle the doorknob. "UhâŠ" They let out a sheepish chuckle. "Itâs locked."
"No kidding!" She snapped. "This door automatically locks from the outside, genius! Thatâs why I always keep it propped open!" The farmer gulped nervously. "So⊠what now?"
"Now, we wait for Emily to realize weâre missing." Haley crossed her arms. "Or for me to die of boredomâwhichever happens first." She sat herself on one of the clear desks in defeat, with the farmer trying to follow suit. The darkroom was tiny, shelves and tables took up most of the space, leaving barely enough room for two people. Every time she moved, her arm or shoulder brushed against the farmer.
Which was infuriating. Because now she was hyper-aware of how close they were. âCan you stop fucking moving!?â And it got worse when the farmer shifted, too. âIâm trying not to!â Then suddenlyâthey were face to face. Haley froze.
Even in the dim red glow of the safety light, she could see them. The way their eyes caught the light, reflecting warmth and curiosity. The way their sweat were scattered across their cheeks like tiny stars. The way their lips parted slightly, like they were about to say somethingâ
Haley's eyes scanned the physique of the person in front of her. Her mind wandered back the Alex's comment about how the farmer looked like under all that baggy clothing, her stomach flipped as she feels herself get a little heated at the idea.
Oh. Oh no.
"UhâŠ" The farmer blinked. "You okay?" Haley realized she had been staring for way too long.
There was a thud from outside. Haley nearly jumped, but thenâ "Haley?" Emilyâs muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "Whyâs this locked?"
"Oh, thank YobaâEmily, OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!" There was a brief pause. "Why is the farmer there with you?" She must've seen her straw hat outside the room.
"JUST OPEN THE DOOR!" Haley repeated, after a moment, the lock clicked, and the door swung open. Cool air rushed in, and Haley shoved past the farmer before Emily could say anything else. She refused to acknowledge the way her pulse still hadnât settled. And she definitely refused to acknowledge how pretty the farmer looked in that soft red light.
What Do You Think About The Farmer? (Stardew Valley) (1/6)
Ship: Haley x Female Farmer
Also on: AO3 (https://archiveofourown.org/works/63275293/chapters/162084325)
[Chapter 1: 2 out of 11]
Haley goes on a mission to get rid of a stupid feeling she's been having for the farmer for weeks now, the only way she can do that is by getting some information from the people of Pelican Town.
She can't possibly be THAT great, can she?
Haley had just come to a horrible realization.
She may have developed feelings for that mud-covered, ever-sweaty, and perpetually smelly farmer.
Sheâd been wrestling with that unsettling thought for weeks, haunting her with its presence, lingering at the back of her mindâlike an itch she couldnât scratch.Â
Dramatic as it was, the uncertainty gnawed at her. How could she, of all people, be attracted to them? The farmer wasnât even that good-looking, always appearing disheveled from long hours spent either in the mines or the fields, and not only that, they were just way too friendly with everyone!
Itâs just straight up⊠weird. Have you ever noticed how they just never walk around town?
But how come Haley noticed all these things about her?
And that was exactly the problem.
This wasnât how it was supposed to happen.
Love, real love to Haley at least, was supposed to be effortless. Dreamy. Like in those romance movies she used to watch with Emily when they were younger. Love was supposed to be slow-motion gazes across a candlelit dinner, dramatic reunions in the rain, a whirlwind romance with someone sophisticated, charming, and conventionally attractive. Not⊠whatever the hell this was.
Haley needed answers, surely sheâs made a mistake.
One remarkable morning, Pelican townâs self-dubbed princess had enough of pondering. The blonde sat up from her bed, kicked the blankets off her, and got ready to head out.
With a decisive huff, she threw off her blankets, got dressed, andâshocking even herselfâstepped out of the house at 8am. Her plan? Survey the villagers.
Surely someone had dirt on the farmer. Something embarrassing, something unforgivableâanything that would snap her out of this ridiculous attraction.
As luck would have it, she was just in time to pass by a certain red-haired artist. What was her name again? Layla? Lisa? No⊠Robin?
Whoever she was, the farmer and her were close, thatâs all that mattered.
âHeyaâŠ! Uh⊠Lydia?â Haley greeted awkwardly, sidling up beside the woman.
âItâs Leah. And good morning to you too, Haley.â The artist replied, crossing her arms, as if to emphasize that, at the very least, she knew her name.
Off to a great start, Hals. The blonde was second-guessing her social skills right now, but she already got this far, might as well just get to the point. âI just got a quick question⊠about the farmer.â
Leahâs expression softened upon the mention of her friend, the irritation fading into curiosity. âSure. What about her?â
âWhat do you think of the farmer?â
The red-haired woman smiled fondly, âSheâs nice to have around, I enjoy her company,â Leah paused, as if considering her words carefully.
âI appreciate how thoughtful she is. The farmer always remembers what people like, she brings me the driftwood she fishes up instead of tossing it away, knowing I could use it for my sculptures, sometimes we have hands-on sessions together in my cabin. Honestly, a big part of my art taking off was thanks to her. She was the first person I saw who genuinely appreciated my work.âÂ
That wasnât exactly what Haley was looking for.
Sure sheâd seen the farmer carrying random piles of wood into Leahâs house, occasionally she carrying a bowl of salad instead, but she didnât think they were that close. The way the artist was so excited talking about her made Haleyâs chest flare up, and what in the world did she mean by âHands-on sessionsâ? Could there be something between the two of them?Â
Wait, why would she care? Thatâs not what she wanted to know. There had to be something more. Something weird.
She decided to press further. âI mean⊠What are they like? Personality-wise? Youâve been around her for a long time, surely youâve picked up on some weirdo aura or something.â
Leah hesitated for a moment, lips pursed in thought. Haley watched her closely, noting the slight grimace on her face, âHmm⊠I have noticed sheâs a bit pervertedâŠâ
Holy shit.
âWait, really?â Haley leaned in, interest piqued. That was something she could use.
Leah nodded, with an amused smile this time, âYeah. I kind of noticed when we were sketching together once. Sheâs good at itâdid you know that? I asked her where she got her art style inspired from, and she bluntly said âadult webtoons.ââ
âWhat'sââ
âPlease don't ask,â Leah cuts her off.
Haley raised an eyebrow, to which Leah responded with a sigh. âWe both came from the city, so I'd sort of understand her pop-culture references. She said they were inspiring.â
Before Haley could process that revelation further, a familiar voice interrupted them. âWhat could possibly be keeping you? I believe we agreed to meet at the seaside at 8:30 sharp?â The townâs resident writer, Elliot, was striding towards them, already complaining before he even reached them.
Leahâs eyes widened in panic as she realized she had lost track of time. She was ten minutes late, though their conversation had felt like it was only 40 seconds. âIâm sorry, Haley had a question for me andââ
âYou!â Haley pointed at him, cutting off Leah mid-apology. âWhat do you think about the farmer?â
Elliot blinked. âDo you even know my name?â
âIâm the one asking questions here.â
âThe farmerâŠâ Elliot clears his throat, noting that Haley clearly didnât remember his name. âWell, I think sheâs a brilliant friend. In a way, sheâs my muse. She helped rekindle the spark of the writer in me.â
What a gay ass way to put it, Haley thought.
âAlas,â Elliot sighed, his tone turning more dramatic. âWhile she has been a great help and even taken interest in my passion, I did spend two weeks lending her my books to expand her vocabulary⊠only to find out she used it for flowery erotica.â
ââŠUhm.â Haley swallowed, as Leah struggled to stifle a laugh.
Elliot continues, undeterred. âThat being said, I must admitâher writing and buildup is phenomenal.â
Oh, so the farmer is into some freaky stuff. Who in their right mind would want a partner with that kind of active imagination?
âI think Iâve heard enough,â Haley said, arms crossed in content.
âBy the way,â Leah interjects, âWhy are you asking?â
Haley scoffed. âIâm looking for something to use against her. Some flaw, some issueâanything I can blackmail her with.â
The two red-haired friends exchanged a glance. âWhy?â Leah pressed. âSure, she enjoys the occasional smut-themed media, but thatâs not all she consumes, sheâs well versed in the arts and other graphics work, surely youâve seen the paintings she has hung up in her home.â She explained, but that didnât really convince Haley enough.
âItâs almost 9, my apologies, for cutting our conversation short, but Leah and I still have business to attend to.â Elliot butts in, gesturing to the blonde in a prince-like manner.
âHuh? Oh well, sorry if we didnât get to answer your question properly, but why donât you give the farmer a chance, I think youâll like them a lot!â Leah says as sheâs being dragged away by the tall man. Â
Haley rolled her eyes, heading back inside her house, after her failed interview. âWeâll see.â
The flower dance was Haleyâs territory, sheâs been the reigning queen for years now, and she made sure it stayed that way.
Growing up, she imagined herself twirling under the sun, in a gorgeous flowing dress, in the arms of someone perfect. Someone tall, charming, elegant. Someone who swept her off her feet effortlessly.
The closest she had to meeting her standards was her best-friend Alex, despite knowing each other since high school, they immediately clicked. But there was never any moments where either party would be attracted to each other romantically, that was something they talked about too, and mutually agreed that they werenât just each otherâs type.
But even if that was the situation, it made it all the more easier for Haley to have a dance partner that made her stand out and win every year.Â
There was a change during that year, out of the thirty usually attendees, there was an addition to the party. That person greeted every villager one by one, their eyes eventually meeting the blonde's, waving at her with a smile. Why is she here? She didnât even attend the previous festivals when she first arrived, why join now? Haley thought in a panic.
The farmerâsoil-streaked, slightly awkward, and not exactly gracefulâwalked up to her, holding out a hopeful hand. Is she asking to be my partner in the dance instead? Haley barely had time to react before she blurted, "Ew. No." The farmer blinked. Their hopeful smile faltered. Haley winced the second the words left her mouth, but it was already too late. The farmer hesitated, then let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of their neck. "Uhâright. Thatâs fair."
Haley suddenly felt horrible. It wasnât that she hated them. She didnât even think theyâd be the worst dance partner. It was just⊠This wasnât how she pictured it.
She sighed, shifting uncomfortably. "Look, I justâŠ" She glanced around, making sure no one was listening. "I just donât think itâd be a good look if we danced together, okay?" The farmer raised a brow. "A âgood lookâ?"
"Yes! I mean, have you seen yourself? You probably smell like cows right now." She had a point, the farmer wasnât exactly dressed for the part, she was wearing her usual farming clothes, except they havenât been covered in manure this time.
The farmer gave herself a sniff. "...Not wrong.â The farmer sighed. "Guess Iâll have to work on that, then."
"Yeah, you do." Haley crossed her arms. "...But I mean, itâs not like itâs a big deal or anything. Just go ask someone else." The farmer nodded slowly, but her smile was smaller than before. Then, with a small, almost disappointed wave, they turned and walked off.
Haley watched them go, feeling an odd twinge in her chest. She told herself it was fine. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Theyâd find someone else, and sheâd dance with someone proper.
So why did she keep stealing glances at them for the rest of the festival? Why did she feel weird when they were dancing with Leah instead? She danced so clumsily but she looked like she was having so much fun. Haley shook the thought off.