Hello! You can call me Whitney, my pronouns are she/her. I (feebly attempt) to do some writing about our favorite townspeople, mostly the grumpy chicken man that lives rent free in my head.
Send me requests, prompts, suggestions, anything! I’m currently working through some prior ones, so may be a bit delayed, but want to try as many out as possible! Send me all your things! Fluff, angst, NSFW, ships, anything. (My main is lestrades-mistress, so if you ever see a reply/comment with that, it’s me)
♡ Always open for friendly criticism, and anyway I can improve to make a more pleasant reading experience ♡
Just some organizing ~
Waves of Silk and Honey
Summary: Shane is interrupted from his normal bout self wallowing by a certain long-haired wr
More organizing ~
SDV Fanfic Masterlist 2
yo yo yo yo how about a scenario where farmer is a high-level employee sent from Joja and they vis
Summary: A surprise inspection comes knocking on the door to the local Jojamart. Morris is freaking out, but Shane sees this as the opposite of a problem. Tl;dr: Cart-riding cowboy
yo yo yo yo how about a scenario where farmer is a high-level employee sent from Joja and they visit the Jojamart branch in sdv for inspecti
Of course anon! You know, as soon as I got this ask, I knew this was gonna be a confession scene. A few weeks back I also saw this amazing post featuring a spotify playlist for all the bachelors, and the moment I saw Sinatra’s Something Stupid in there for Harvey, I was like “Yes. Yes this is Harvey, and I will write something for this one day.” In other words, thank you for giving me the opportunity :D
Saying Something Stupid (Like I Love You)
Word count: 1,980
—
The soft rhythm of jazz slowly drifted from the window ledge beyond, intermingling with the hushed symphony of another spring’s day coming to a close. On a short hill that overlooked the farmland below, Harvey and the farmer sat on the blanket and silently soaked in the quiet evening—the sight of the bright strawberry fields, the peach colored sky slowly darkening in hue, the scent of dirt and life surrounding them. Each had a glass of berry wine in hand, and they nibbled on strawberries that overflowed their baskets. What Harvey was most aware of though, was the feeling of the farmer’s presence beside him, sitting so close that he could practically feel their warmth. Even now, he could never get over how comfortable they always seemed around him, so relaxed in a way he only wished he could be. For him, being in the same room alone was enough to keep him tangled up in a bundle of nerves, yet still dizzy with the simple joy of being near them. Though right now, that might have also been the wine talking. A few moments of silence passed before the farmer turned to Harvey.
“Thanks for helping pick those strawberries today. It would’ve taken me days if I did it myself.”
“I had fun,” Harvey chuckled. “I’m glad you invited me—I would’ve hated to see you at the clinic for overworking yourself.”
After the farmer invited him to their fields a few short days ago, Harvey made the walk there almost as soon as the clinic closed. Over the course of their friendship, they’d spent most of their time chatting at his desk or occasionally his apartment above, but in the past year, this was the first time they’d actually had him at the farm. At first, the thought of it made his heart skip a beat, but his nervousness had quickly dwindled away as they spent the past few hours picking bright berries and filling enough baskets to feed the entire town.
The farmer nudged him with their shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Don’t lie,” They gave him a cheeky grin. “I know you’d jump at the chance to make that extra coin.”
Harvey stummered, but before he could he could get a word out, the farmer laughed.
“I’m teasing, Harv. I know you’d never wish harm on anyone. You’re too kind.”
The compliment was enough to send in another swarm of butterflies, but a familiar, heavier feeling also tugged at Harvey, singing the same tune that always seemed to come up whenever the farmer was around. He stared at his glass, swirling the dark drink inside. The farmer was his friend, and more importantly, his patient. He knew couldn’t afford to keep harboring feelings like this at the risk of not only losing one of his closest confidants, but potentially allowing his emotions to get the better of his job as well. But… he was also aware that those just might’ve been excuses to avoid the actual truth at hand—that the farmer was simply too good for him.
It was okay though. Harvey cherished their friendship, and sitting here, right beside them as they savored the last few days of spring together—well, that was enough.
He didn’t realize the farmer had been watching him until they gently put a hand over his own, once again bringing him to reality.
“Everything okay, Harvey?”
He started a bit, but quickly recovered.
“Yes—everything’s fine, It’s just—“ He turned to them, then paused and did a small double take before chuckling and gesturing toward their face. “You have a bit strawberry on you. Right—right there.”
Eyes widening, the farmer quickly attempted to wipe it off, but didn’t quite get it all.
“Here, let me just—“ He hesitated a bit before awkwardly leaning in to wipe it away. Harvey didn’t realize how close he’d gotten to the farmer then, until his thumb subconsciously lingered at the corner of their lips for a second too long. He froze as his gaze slowly rose to meet theirs. The farmer was bright red.
He quickly pulled away.
“I’m sorry, I’m—it’s gone now. The strawberry.”
They let out an awkward laugh. “Thanks.”
The awkwardness lingered for another minute or two, and Harvey cursed himself the entire time for bringing it on. He was sure he’d ruined the moment for the both of them now, but couldn’t come up with the words to remedy it. As he continued to silently scold himself, the farmer fell back on the blanket and tapped the spot beside them, gesturing for Harvey to lay next to them.
Hesitating a little, Harvey set his wine glass down before stiffly laying shoulder to shoulder with the farmer, staring up at the sky above.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
Harvey looked at them through the corner of his eye before shifting his gaze back to the clouds. Flying between them, a far-away speck from where they lay on the farm, he could see a plane slowly making its way across the valley. That was the first thing that came to mind, how he’d always wanted to be a pilot. But after catching him contacting a real one for the first time, and allowing him to gush about all his model planes over and over, it was definitely no secret to the farmer.
“You already know everything about me.”
“There’s got to be something.”
Harvey thought about it for a moment.
“Well, when I was a kid, I used to play the saxophone.”
They sounded surprised. “You did?”
“Yeah. It’s been quite some time since I’ve last played though, so I’m sure I’ve already forgotten everything, but… it was my father who got me started. He loved jazz, so he thought I’d learn to appreciate it too, by playing it.”
“It worked.”
“Well to be honest, I hated playing. But I grew to love the music. So in a way, it did.”
The farmer turned to Harvey, propping their head up on their arm. “What do you like about it?”
This time, he didn’t need to think about it. “The improvisation. They’re always able take a song and spin it into their own unique sound, all without asking for permission.”
“Taking life by the balls.”
Harvey smiled. “That’s one way to put it. In a way, I’ve always wished I were like that. I tend to let too many things hold me back.”
The farmer was silent. He knew they were probably thinking about his broken dreams, made impossible by his crippling fear of heights and poor eyesight. It was what came to mind for him as well. Although arguably, that wasn’t the only thing he meant.
He turned to the farmer. “What about you?”
“Hm?”
“What’s something I don’t know about you?”
They thought about it.
“I love farming.”
Harvey chuckled. “That’s barely a secret.”
The farmer laughed and nudged his shoulder. “Let me finish.” They turned back to look at the sky. It was a little darker now, with hints of the first stars coming into view. “When I was younger, I used to visit my grandpa here all the time. I’d run around and chase the chickens and pet all the sheep. But... then I saw how much it took a toll on my grandpa's health, and how far it was from everything I knew in the city. I remember thinking to myself that I could never be a farmer.” They gave an ironic smile, playing with the frayed edges of the blanket. “Even when I decided to move here, I was skeptical. But now… I can’t believe it took me this long. I’m in love with this place—the farm, the plants, the people, the animals. I’ve never felt like I belonged anywhere more than I do now.”
This made Harvey smile. He recalled when the farmer first moved in a little over a year ago, and how they were the center of the town's gossip for weeks on end. They were definitely different back then, still carrying a wariness that eventually waned as they grew more accustomed to the small town and its people. Now, they had a healthy glow that seemed to make an entire room light up with them.
He also knew all too well what they meant, having lived in the city for a good portion of his life too.
“In that case, I’m glad you decided to make the move here.”
“Me too.”
Another moment of silence fell between them then, and they both watched as the sky darkened, and listened as the faint sound of the radio slowly became overwhelmed by the calming chirping of crickets.
“What’s another secret you have?”
Harvey wasn’t sure if it was the high of the days excitement, or the warm buzz of the wine, or the intoxicating feeling of the farmer laying right by his side, but when they asked the question, the only thought that came up was the very one that had silently repeated over and over these past few months. The secret he so desperately wanted to conceal, yet selfishly wished the farmer would somehow realize all the same:
I love you.
He felt the farmer shift as they sat back up, and it wasn’t until he saw them gaping at him with wide eyes that he realized he said it out loud.
“What did you say Harvey?”
Harvey shot back up, almost knocking over his glass in the process.
Now he’s really done it. The farmer searched his eyes for an answer he hadn't prepared himself to give, and with shaking hands, he attempted to search his frazzled thoughts for something to say. All while avoiding their gaze.
“I—um. I’m sorry. I think it’s getting late, I should—I should go.”
But before he could stand and escape the scene, the humiliated and flustered mess he was, the farmer's arms were wrapped around his shoulders and he was immobilized. Harvey’s heart pounded fiercely as the farmer ran a hand through his hair at the nape of his neck, and when he met their searching eyes with his, he saw a mixture of astonishment and affection reflecting back.
“You really mean it?”
A distant voice in his mind began listing out the symptoms of a heart attack, as if he were computer wired from all his years of doctoring. Dizziness. Clammy hands. A palpitating heart. They all check out. But Harvey knew a heart attack wasn’t the cause. Regardless, he couldn’t bring himself to move away.
“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in this situation. I understand if—”
But before he could finish his sentence, the farmer brushed their lips against his, silencing both him and his thoughts.
It was a gentle kiss, one so short and light it took him a moment to fully register it had happened at all. But the warm, fluttery feeling it left behind when the farmer pulled away had Harvey raise a finger to his parted lips, looking both dazed and shocked at the farmer who was almost as red as he were.
“I’m sorry, I was just surprised. I always thought I’d be the first to confess.” They waited, but when Harvey didn’t say anything, they began to draw back. “I hope that didn’t make you uncomfortable… I probably should’ve asked—”
This time, it was Harvey who interrupted their ramble—taking the farmer by surprise, he wrapped his arms around their waist and pulled them close before pressing his lips against theirs. His kiss was sweet and ended almost as soon as it began, and as they pulled away, the farmer grinned.
“You taste like strawberries.”
Harvey had no doubt he looked like one too. But he also smiled, and gazed at them so lovingly as he tenderly brushed away a hair and cupped their face with his hand.
Shane gets his heart broken and Harvey and Jas help him to feel better, if that's not too angsty
Nothing’s too angsty for me anon! It’s actually been a while since I wrote anything but fluff, so doing my take on a heartbroken Shane was definitely interesting! I enjoyed seeing how he’d interact with Harvey and Jas in that situation, but... it did turn out longer than I planned! I hope you don’t mind!
Word count: 2,070
Tw: Depression, mention of alcoholism
—
He should have seen this coming.
The room was dark as Shane laid on his bed, the same thought repeating over and over in his head like a dull, broken record. He stared up at the dim ceiling, illuminated only by the weak light that managed to escape through the curtains.
He should have been more prepared.
The room was a mess, with dirty laundry strewn all over the furniture and untouched pizza boxes littering the floor. His bedside table was filled with crushed wrappers and dozens of half-empty seltzer bottles. And resting beside them was a bundle of dark, decayed flowers held together by crumbled newspaper and string.
They fit right in.
It had been almost a week since the farmer handed him that wilted bouquet, but it felt as if it were centuries. When it had happened, he couldn’t recall taking the dying flowers or trudging home as their dry petals escaped into the wind. He didn’t remember stepping into the ranch and collapsing on his bed before breaking down in stifled sobs. He only recalled the suddenness of it. The way the farmer couldn’t quite meet his eyes.
He remembered them talking, explaining something, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember what. It were as if that moment had cast him in a daze, preventing the words from reaching him like they were traveling underwater.
And now, he was here.
Shane pressed his palms to his eyes to suppress another sob from escaping. Here he was, a fully grown man locking himself in his room and crying over a breakup like a heartbroken teenager. He hated himself for it, he hated himself so much, but he couldn’t help it.
He loved the farmer. He still did.
With a sniff, Shane rubbed his eyes and used an arm to wipe away the few stray tears that managed to escape. He rolled over to his side, gripping the blanket close as he stared out into his room.
He knew that it wasn’t the farmers fault. He’d always known they had so much more to offer than what he could’ve ever given them, and that they would’ve realized it soon enough. But what Shane couldn’t have been prepared for was crushing loneliness of it.
The knowledge that the farmer's bright smile and loving gaze would never be for him anymore. The awareness that he’d failed them, that he wasn’t able to give them what they needed.
He should have seen this coming.
A light knock on the door interrupted Shane from these pedaling thoughts, and he shifted his gaze toward it without moving his head. His lips twitched into a frown when a semi-familiar voice followed.
“Shane? It’s Dr. Harvey. Can you please open up?”
Pursing his lips, Shane looked away from the door. He pulled the blanket tighter over his head.
“Marnie called me here—said she and Jas were worried about you. I came to check in and see how you were doing.”
At the mention of his goddaughters name, Shane pulled the blanket over himself entirely, shame burning through him. He knew Jas knocked on his door every now and then, her small voice wondering if he were inside. But he couldn’t bring himself to answer. To let her see him like this. Without removing his blanket, he turned to the door with a croaky voice.
“Go away.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that Shane, not as your doctor. I need to check up on you before I can leave.”
Shane was silent. This was the last thing he needed, for someone to see him like this. As the pathetic, worthless fool he really wa—
“Shane.”
Silence.
Then, with a sigh, he pushed himself up. The blanket dragged behind him as he trudged to the door, and once it was pulled open, he met the doctor with a lackluster glare.
“Don’t you have better things to do?”
“Better than my job? No.” If he noticed Shane’s red-rimmed eyes or tear stained pajamas, Harvey made no indication of it. Instead he simply gripped his medical bag, keeping his voice light. “May I come in?”
Knowing there was no stopping Harvey nor having the energy to do so, Shane stepped aside. He watched as the doctor breezed into the room, mercifully saying nothing about the state of it. Slamming the door shut, Shane moved back to the bed as Harvey found a light switch.
“I hear you’ve locked yourself away in this room for the past week. Have you been eating and drinking properly?” Shane wrapped the blanket around himself again as he watched Harvey set down the bag and shuffle through it, pulling out a clipboard and pen. If the candy wrappers and full pizza boxes were any indication of it, the answer should’ve been clear enough. Shane didn’t answer.
Harvey scribbled something into his clipboard anyway. “I got in touch with your therapist this morning. They said they haven’t heard from you in a while.”
“Yeah, well.”
“Well?”
“Can’t trust Pam to drive the bus.” He mumbled. Harvey raised a brow.
“If traveling is an issue, we can work out a way to set up your sessions online.” He suggested, voice professional. “You don’t have to spend the money for Zuzu every time. Would that be easier for you?”
Shane shrugged. More scribbling.
Harvey then took out his stethoscope and proceeded with the usual check up—heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure, all of them fine, he assured, once he was finally finished with his poking and prodding. Shane was silent the entire time, swallowing down the biting irritation that threatened to overwhelm him. Harvey’d been kind to Shane in the past, helping him a lot toward his recovery. The last thing he could do to show his appreciation was telling the doctor to fuck off. Still, he felt his teeth clench when it was time for more questions.
“Are you taking your medication regularly? It looks like you’re due for another prescription soon…” Harvey looked over his clipboard at Shane, who just shrugged and shook his head. “You need to take them in order for them to work,” the doctor sighed, although not without kindness. He made another note. “I’ll order the refills to come in sometime next week. Can I expect you to come and pick them up?”
“Sure.”
Anything to get you out of here already.
Harvey seemed to brighten at this. “Wonderful! Now the next question… any changes in drug or alcohol consumption since the last visit?” Shane hated the careful way he asked the question, as if he were forcing his voice to remain casual. They both knew what he was really asking anyway.
“No.”
After the incident on the cliffs over a year ago, Shane slowly but surely managed to stop drinking. There were days when it was overwhelmingly difficult, and others when he’d actually given in, but after months of adjusting and finding the right coping mechanisms, it’s been a long time since he last touched a drink.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t think about it constantly though, especially over this past week... But he knew that if he did that to himself, to Jas and Marnie and the farmer even, he would never forgive himself for it.
Harvey smiled. He tapped the pen on his chin before turning back to the clipboard.
Shane scowled. “Got any more nosy questions or are we done here?”
“Quite done. Though I’ll need you to promise me one thing before I can leave.” When Shane didn’t respond, Harvey continued. “Try to rejoin your family, during mealtimes at least. It’s important you aren’t isolating yourself like this right now.” Shane only glared forward, pursing his lips as Harvey began to repack his bag. He had no intention of making such a promise.
Relieved that this was finally over, he expected Harvey to leave the room—but he was instead forced to look up in surprise when the doctor walked up to him and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
“I’m proud of you, Shane. You’ll be alright.”
And with one last gentle smile, Harvey left the room before he could notice the tears begin to well up in Shane’s eyes all over again.
It was only when the door shut did Shane allow himself to fall back on the bed, sniffling as the tears fell freely. Proud of him? Just look at him. How could anybody be proud of him? He put an arm over his eyes, silently cursing himself for getting so emotional over that meaningless phrase. Shane didn’t notice as the door was quietly pushed open once again, nor the tentative footsteps that stopped a few feet away. He was only pulled back to reality when an all too familiar voice rang out.
“Uncle Shane?”
Eyes widening, Shane quickly used his hands to wipe away the tears before pushing himself up.
Jas stood there with a tub of ice-cream in her hands, concern written all over her face as she took in the room. When her eyes finally landed on her godfather, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug.
“Uncle Shane! You missed the Flower Dance yesterday—everyone missed you!”
Shane felt a lump in his throat grow as he hesitatingly returned the hug, the cold ice-cream pressing against his chest. He wasn't prepared for Jas to see him like this, so far off from the strong father figure she actually needed. But the guilt of avoiding her for so long suddenly felt so much worse, as if the worry etched all over her small face made Shane realize how selfish he was actually being.
“I’m sorry, squirt.” He mustered up a smile as best he could, despite the croakiness in his voice. “How was it? Did you win Flower Queen this time?”
Jas shook her head, pulling away. “No, but it’s okay. I think Vincent was sadder about it than me.” She frowned. “I wish you there. Marnie said that maybe you would’ve come out of your room for the festival.”
Shane’s heart shattered. But before he could say anything, Jas was already speaking up again.
“I got you ice-cream! I know you like double chocolate-y fudge but Pierre was all out, so I got strawberry instead!” She smiled, handing him her favorite flavor. “Marnie eats it all the time when she’s sad, and so do all the people on TV. I thought maybe it’ll make you feel better too.”
Shane gratefully accepted the ice-cream, cradling it in his arms. “Thanks Jas. It’s exactly what I needed.” She grinned at that.
“You’re welcome!” She moved to perch up on the bed beside him, tiny feet dangling above the floor. “I’m sorry the farmer broke up with you,” she said, tone suddenly somber. “I really liked them too. I wanted you guys to get married so you could live happily ever after.”
Shane stiffened at that, but he forced what resembled a casual shrug. Of course Marnie would’ve told Jas about it, but that didn’t make it any less embarrassing. Especially since he’d secretly wished for that happily ever after too.
“It’s okay. Breakups happen. I’ve still got you and Marnie and the chickens.” He smiled at her, small but surprisingly genuine. Because as much as he said it to reassure her, Shane realized it was true. He still had his family.
“Oh yeah, the chickens! Two of the eggs in the incubator hatched already! They were two weeks early from what you said, but the babies were so cute!” She hopped off of the bed, eyes sparkling. “I named one Daisy but I wanted you to pick the other one. I was thinking Violet so she and Daisy can match. It’s my favorite color too! What do you think?” Shane chuckled at her excitement.
“It’s perfect.”
Jas smiled at that, but it quickly faltered.
“Um, Uncle Shane? How long are you gonna stay here until? I miss you.”
The sadness in her voice was so clear and evident, and Shane hated himself for it. He’d been so focused on himself and the farmer that he didn’t actually stop and think about how it would’ve affected his goddaughter. Or rather, he avoided thinking about it all together. He pulled her into a hug, a real one this time.
I love your shane headcanons and fics id die for your writing
🥺😭 thank you for taking the time to reach out and say this. He occupies way too much of my mental space. Like an abnormal amount. It’s an illness.
Here’s some more HC for you:
Shane, the School Years
Was an alright student, for the most part. Wasn’t particularly gifted, but he really enjoyed the science classes. His biology and chemistry teachers either loved or hated him- he wasn’t afraid to question them or to call out their bs when he knew something was incorrect
Was generally liked by most, but had a bit of a problem of bullying by the most popular, since he was a quiet loner
That was until he joined sports- he was a star gridball player and quickly outshone the rest of the members on the team
He still wasn’t exactly ‘popular’ still-he didn’t care to make small talk or to even talk at all if he didn’t want to; he still preferred to be alone or with his close friends. The bullying did stop, though.
Arose to the position of Captain on the team. He had natural confidence during this time, and was in peak physical condition. He was hot-headed and still had a ‘no-sh*ts’ given attitude, but he had an innate intuition and leadership abilities
When he graduated, Jas’ parents were right beside him. The three had grown up in school together and had remained best friends the entire time. They all three were accepted into the same college in the city
Was given a gridball scholarship based on his talent, confidence, and natural leadership. Was the shortest player on the team, but was nicknamed ‘the bulldog’ based on his aggressiveness.
Shane started to pursue a degree in Ecology - he loved the dichotomy of nature, where it was part clearly defined set of rule, and part absolute chaos.
Didn’t apply himself very well-he didn’t care about his grades, but did care about learning… but only learning what he actually cared about.
The first game of his third year, got an unrecoverable injury to his back. He was never able to play again.
With his grades slipping, the loss of identity and confidence was the serving blow to make him drop out.
Lived on his own doing small jobs that often involved fixing and building things (it’s my other major Headcannon that Shane was the towns handyman. Building a planter box, replacing an engine, or repairing damaged shingles-you call Shane to come fix it for you.)
His two best friends stayed in school, and were married once they graduated. Shane was their best man.
They very quickly had a little baby girl, named Jas. Shane was at the hospital when she was born, and was the third person to hold her. He was their closest family, after all
They named him her godfather-he was hesitant at first, but he loved them and he loved their little girl, a perfect recreation of her mother, his best friend… plus he knew nothing bad would ever happen to them. It was just a legal title, afterall….
It always makes me sad that she doesn’t move in when the farmer married Shane- but we can just imagine it, right? Here’s some Shane x Jas HC plus some after her starts seeing the farmer
Shane was never the “go out and do activities” kind of guardian. But he sure as heck was quietly by her side, supporting her in the little ways he could, that didn’t require a lot of energy
Watching her shows, sitting besides her as she played with her dolls, coloring her pages with her. Anything that didn’t require him to plan/go out he would do in a heartbeat
They’re favorite thing to do together is to sit at the docks edge at the Cindersap Lake
It’s an unspoken rule that when they’re at their spot, Shane has to truthfully answer any question she has. She often asks about her parents. And Shane is honestly happy to share how important they were to him, and how much they loved her
He wants her to do better than he did in life, so is actually pretty serious about her education. He sits with her while she does her homework, but isn’t of much help. He gets frustrated with it easily- it’s not until after he seeks mental health counseling that he can really sit down with her and actually have the mental energy to guide her.
She often has night terrors- When he hears her, he slips into her room, drags over a chair, and sits right beside her bed, stroking her hair until one of them falls asleep again
Speaking of hair, Shane is actually the one that does her hair in the morning. Marnie hardly owns a hairbrush, so didn’t have a clue how to do ‘princess hair’ that Jas requested. Shane sheepishly went up to Haley one day to show him how to do her hair, and had done it ever since.
Every so often he will take her into the city to go shopping for new school clothes. He hasn’t a clue about fashion, but he is damn sure that he wants his Goddaughter to be proud of herself, confident, and well taken care of. Even with his small budget, he allocates funds each paycheck exclusively for this.
When Shane and the farmer start talks of getting married, she is the first one to know. They get her her own miniature mermaids pendant, and ‘propose’ to her.
Shane takes her into Zuzu city to pick out her flower girl gown. He silently cries seeing her standing on the podium, twirling in a princess dress she picked out
Once the wedding day arrives, he can hardly hold the emotions back as he watches her walk down the aisle-she looked just like her mother (and he was sure to tell her that, afterwards).
When everything had settled into place, Shane gave the choice up to her if she wanted to live with him or with Marnie, not wanting to pressure her into leaving the life she’d known
Jas basically moves into the farmhouse permanently (she loves the farmer, after all), only having the ocasional sleepover with her “aunt”.
It’s an adjustment for Shane, becoming her full-time caregiver, but she isn’t too demanding.. but she is always the first one to call him on his BS, and makes sure he doesn’t step out of line. He wouldn’t have it any other way. For such a shy little girl, she never had a problem standing up to him. She knew she was his biggest weakness and knew how to work him like putty in her hand.
She starts spending more time helping to tend the crops - her and the farmer build a beautiful flower garden that she spends most of her free time in, laying in the soft grass on her belly, fairytale book in front of her, chin resting in her palms and legs swinging in the air.
One day, Shane overhears her talking to the chickens. She tells them that she doesn’t even remember her parents face, and that Shane is the only father she has ever known. She tells them that it was alright living with Marnie, but she was always lonely; now that Shane is with the farmer, she actually feels like she has a real family now. (He had to hastily run into the farmhouse to go sob for a bit)
Haley gave the farmer a photo they had taken one afternoon of the family sitting in the garden together, Shane resting his head in Jas’ lap as she and the farmer weaved a flower crown on his head- The farmer had left it on their dresser, upon which Jas immediately snatched it for herself. Shane walked into her room that night to see it “framed” on a colorful paper that she decorated. Above it, she wrote “my family” , and below it, she had a giant heart encasing him herself, where she wrote the word ‘daddy’
Families reactions for bachelorettes and bachelors expecting a baby? (｡◕‿‿◕｡) Who would be extatic about becoming grandparent/auntie and so on, and who'd be scared of new role?
First off, I am SO DANG SORRY for how long it took me to answer this. Seriously, this ask has been in my inbox for months (along with another one that I SWEAR I’ll get to! I’m sorry!). Long asks like these make my brain seize up and it takes awhile to kick my brain in the pants and reboot it. I tried to keep all responses vague in terms of spouse (for male or female partner) as well as vague in terms of pregnancy versus adoption. Enjoy!
Alex - Evelyn and George never thought they’d see the day that they would become great-grandparents. It seemed so far-fetched that they’d never really considered it as an option, not even when Alex got married. It wasn’t until they actually heard Alex announce that he was going to be a father that the reality set in. Evelyn was so overjoyed she burst into tears, beckoning Alex over to her so she could squeeze him as hard as her frail arms possibly could. George was happy, of course, but more than anything he was proud. Not only proud of Alex and what a wonderful father he would be, but admittedly proud of himself for living so full a life that he lived long enough to see himself become a great-grandfather.
Sam - Jodi has been excited about the prospect of having grandchildren ever since Sam was born. Having a family and children of her own is rewarding, she can’t deny that, but there’s something different about grandkids. She saw the way her own parents interacted with Sam and later Vincent, and saw a far more carefree relationship. Grandparents don’t have to be disciplinarians, they don’t have to enforce strict bedtimes or limit sugar intake, they don’t have to clean up after messes or potty train. Jodi loves being a mother when it comes to interacting with her children, it’s everything else that gets overwhelming. Jodi definitely shrieks in excitement when Sam announces that he’s going to be a father. Kent, usually a quiet and stoic man, will struggle to hold back his emotions as he congratulates his son. It isn’t until later when he has a moment alone that he properly processes the news and finally allows himself to feel properly excited about it. So much of his own children’s lives was missed by him, he hopes he can be a more present in the life of his grandchild. And Vincent… well, Vincent is just tickled by the idea that he’ll be an uncle before he even turns 10 and will insist that everyone start calling him “Uncle Vincent” before the baby even arrives.
Seb - Robin has NO CHILL when it comes to Seb announcing that he’s going to be a father. For years Robin worried about Seb, concerned that he would be a hermit forever and would never live a life outside of the basement. Seeing Seb flourish the way he has and meet someone new was rewarding enough and even once Seb was in a relationship, Robin wasn’t sure if children were ever on his radar. He didn’t seem like he wanted kids in his life and Robin still would have been happy for him even if he never pursued having children… at least that’s what she thought until the moment Seb announced he was going to be a father. Full-on freakout on Robin’s part. Demetrius is outwardly proud of Sebastian and congratulates him, but a part of Demetrius is worried. His relationship as a father figure to Sebastian never really worked out and he wonders what his place will be in the life of Sebastian’s child and whether he will be treated as a grandfather or not. Maru is SO excited to become an auntie, already she starts thinking of all the cool and fun things she wants to do with her niece/nephew. She’s bound and determined to be the stereotypical “fun aunt”.
Shane - Marnie has spent most of her life worrying about Shane for various reasons; worried about his alcohol dependence, worried about his depression, worried about his loneliness, worried about his future. When Shane finally does meet someone, Marnie is ecstatic. Of course someone new will never fix a person in itself, having a partner at least helps to motivate Shane to get his life on the right track. Marnie is absolutely thrilled when Shane announces he’s going to be a father and this is one area where she’s not worried one bit. She’s seen how he is with Jas and what a wonderful father figure he’s been to her, Marnie’s just happy that he’ll have the chance to have this experience from the beginning. As for Jas, she couldn’t be happier. It’s always been a bit lonely for her, it’s been tough for her to find her place in the family dynamic. But with Shane getting married and now a new baby arriving, Jas finally feels like she’s settling into a family and becoming part of something she’s always wanted.
Abigail - Caroline and Pierre are so proud of the woman that Abi has grown into. Yes, they had their disagreements as Abi was growing up and even into her young adulthood, but those were all overcome once Abi started to make a life for herself. It was worrisome to both Caroline and Pierre when Abi was so carefree and didn’t have a direction she wanted to go in life, it seemed like the last thing in life she wanted was to settle down and live a domestic life. Apparently all Abi needed was to find the right person to complement her and everything fell into place. Abi is still the somewhat rebellious girl she had been and there’s still many things Pierre and Caroline will never understand about her, but it at least brings them comfort to see her happy. When she announces that she’s going to be a mother, Pierre and Caroline are relieved and overjoyed. It was never anything they thought would happen to them when their only child was so outwardly against domesticity, but they’re so happy that she found a way to live that life and still be happy.
Emily - When Emily announces that she is going to be a mother, Haley literally SHRIEKS in excitement. At this point in her life Haley might not be ready for a baby, but that doesn’t mean she’s not completely excited to have one in her life. What follows is the biggest shopping trip of Haley’s life, she finds herself buying more in preparation for the new baby than even Emily does. No niece or nephew of Haley’s will go unspoiled. She can’t wait to be the cool aunt.
Haley - It’s strange for Emily when she hears that Haley will be a mother. Most of Emily’s life was spent caring for Haley more as her mother than as her sister, it isn’t until recently that they’ve been able to find a happy place in their relationship where Emily can finally feel like a sister. Now the dynamic is changing once again and Emily feels more like a grandmother than an auntie, the connection to Haley and her child is that strong. Somehow calling herself an aunt just doesn’t seem powerful enough, it doesn’t seem worthy enough. Emily knows she will be more than just an aunt to Haley’s child and has ever intention of treating her niece or nephew the way any grandmother would.
Maru - Robin and Demetrius beam with pride when Maru announced that she’s going to be a mother. While Demetrius always focused more on Maru’s success in her studies and her career, Robin always worried in the back of her mind if this measure of success was the only one Maru would cling to. Robin hoped that Maru would learn that her success could be measured just as much by her personal relationships and family life and that Maru was smart enough and driven enough to have it all. Seeing Maru in a happy relationship and hearing the news that she’s starting a family is a relief to Robin to see that she never devalued having a family and it’s a relief to Demetrius to see that his motivated daughter is living a full life. Sebastian isn’t outwardly excited about the prospect of being an uncle, then again there isn’t much he’s outwardly excited about. Inwardly, though, he’s strangely looking forward to being an uncle. Yes, it will be awkward and he’s certainly never been a fan of babies or even small children, but somehow the idea of playing Solarian Chronicles with his niece or nephew many years from now is a vision he can’t stop seeing and enough to get him actually excited.
Penny - Pam knows how long Penny has waited for this moment and it’s for that reason that Pam is actually quite worried for her. Pam knows how much the idea of being a wife and mother has been glorified in Penny’s mind but Pam understands from experience just how difficult parenting can really be. It’s hard to truly make someone understand just how hard parenting can be and that it’s not the beautiful, rewarding experience it can sometimes be painted as. Parenting can be soul-crushing, it can be exhausting, it can be overwhelming, and Pam worries that Penny might not be ready for that aspect of it. Of course Pam is thrilled at the news that she’ll be a grandmother, but a part of her is also worried about what kind of grandmother she’ll be. She fully acknowledges that she wasn’t exactly the best mother in the world and that somehow Penny turned out okay in spite of that. Being told that she’ll be a grandmother gives Pam some relief that maybe she’ll get a second chance… she just hopes she won’t screw it up.
Robin’s reaction was spot on. I also really liked Kent’s sentiment regarding being a grandfather- I can definitely see him being a cryer. I think having a grand baby would open up wounds and scars and allow for emotional healing that would make him a very loving and attentive grandfather
yo yo yo yo how about a scenario where farmer is a high-level employee sent from Joja and they visit the Jojamart branch in sdv for inspection and stuff and hit it off with Shane??
This is great. You can’t tell me that Secretly-a-m*soch*st-Shane wouldn’t looooovve to be bossed around by a HBIC. Hope you enjoy this, anon-I certainly did.
Joja
Summary: A surprise inspection comes knocking on the door to the local Jojamart. Morris is freaking out, but Shane sees this as the opposite of a problem. Tl;dr: Cart-riding cowboy
“Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.” The inspector absentmindedly tapped their pen against their clipboard, as they went through their mental checklist of the duty at hand. Taking a step out of their car, the inspector sized up the store at hand. This particular branch had been an eyesore on the company’s end of year report-needing a literal second flowchart beneath the rest to the showcase the severity of the steep red plunge into the negative. They slammed the car door shut with a satisfactory slam and sighed, “Alright, better get this over with.” Pulling out their retractable measuring tape, they approached the welcome sign, taking note of its hazardous position too close to the entrance.
Inside the store, Morris had watched the official vehicle roll up and had frantically tried to rearrange the papers and pamphlets on the membership booth. Oblivious to his scramble, his two employees, Sam and Shane, were preoccupied with matters of their own- The moment after he had clocked in, Shane had scrambled into one of the grocery carts and promptly fell asleep. Arms and legs dangling off the side, Sam had taken it upon himself to see just how much Joja product he could shove around the slumbering man before he woke up. Pushing the cart along as he stocked, he had managed to stack 16 pucks of pure gluten atop Shane’s snoring belly.
Morris, seeing the inspector make their way to the entrance, hissed at the two men “Get up, the inspector is about to walk in!”
His pleading fell on deaf ears- Sam was focused on attempting puck number 17. Morris was clambering toward their occupied aisle, when the automatic door opened. While he abruptly changed directions to greet the inspector, Sam hastily tried to push (the still asleep) Shane and himself out of view into the breakroom. As he was rounding the corner, gluten puck number 17 came tumbling down, tripping him in the process, sending the cart coasting out into the front aisle.
The inspector, now inside, was promptly greeted with the lovely Trojan horse. They stuck the tip of their shoe out to stop the rolling cart. With an eyebrow raised, they peered down-lowering their head to be meare inches away from the snoozing mans face. They tapped his nose with their pen, mid-snore.
Shane snorted, and opened one eye. “You can just push me over there,” he gestured in no particular direction, “wouldn’t want to get in your way.” He closed his eyes again.
“Hmmm, no I think you’re gonna come with me.”
Shane’s eyes shot open-he was already moving. The inspector had taken the helm of the cart and was making their way with him toward the registers. They paused in front of the second station-pulling out their magnifying glass from their briefcase to get a closer look.
“Pfffft, I wouldn’t get too close, that one’s Sam’s. Who knows what you’ll find on there,” he snickered.
The inspector turned to him, with shrewd eyes. He stopped snickering. “Oh yeah? So you’ve got it all figured out here, huh? Knowing all the dirty little secrets and scandals of the store?” The inspector gingerly leaned their chest over the handles with a raised eyebrow, and Shane flushed. “You’re coming with me, big guy,” they said with a smirk.
Shane, now embarrassed, tucked his legs inside of the cart and grabbed the edges to lift himself out.
The inspector playfully slapped their clipboard against his chest, stopping him. “Nuh uh. You’re staying right here with me. Sit back down, cowboy.”
Shane did what he was told; Morris palmed himself in the face in exasperation. Watching from behind the break room door where he was hiding, Sam let out a booming laugh. Morris snapped at him to get back to work, and begrudgingly followed behind the pair with his own clipboard.
As the inspector pushed Shane and the cart deeper into the store, silently picking up and replacing products and imputing sku numbers into their Jojadevice, he began to relax into the cart, and enjoyed watching the dismayed and disappointed expressions of the astute inspector. He smiled to himself as they picked up a particularly sticky and gloopy mess of a can that had exploded, and turned to wipe their hand on Morris’ apron. The inspector pretended not to notice Shane’s laughing under his breath.
They approached the back of the store, when the inspector stepped in an awful pile of dirt and debris spilling out from one of the fridges.
“That’s BINGO for you, inspector. You found the spot where Sam pushes and hides all of the dust after he sweeps.”
“Why wouldn’t he just take it to the trash?”
“There’s a weirdo farmer around here that likes to go dumpster diving. Sam doesn’t throw away the dust because he doesn’t want the farmers trash to get dirty.”
“Hm. How considerate.”
Morris groaned, and they arrived at the back of the store. The inspector took out their measuring tape once more, wanting to take note of the hazard of stacked Joja Cans and how close they were to the walkway. As they expanded their tape measure to its fullest length, they made sure to make direct eye contact with Morris as it grew. Not wanting to acquiesce into submission, he stammered out, “I spent a large sum of my recent paycheck to make improvements to the Joja store. Corporate won't give me another dime to make renovations.”
The inspector raised a heavy brow at him, and glanced around the store. “What would you consider a large sum? Two dollars and a shoestring?”
Shane fell back into the cart with a snorting ‘pffffft’ of laughter.
“You and me are having a talk in my office NOW,” Morris sneered at Shane. He reached his hands towards Shane’s wrists, intending to yank him out of the cart.
The inspector flicked his hands out of the way, shutting him down with a cool, “No thank you. That can wait-my assistant will be accompanying me for the remainder of this inspection,” and sent him away with a nonchalant wave of their wrist. They pushed off, and Shane emphasized the sentiment with a middle finger and smug little smile and wave, before Morris stomped off into his office.
Now at the freezers, the inspector read the thermometer- “Well that’s one point, at least,” they said writing on their clipboard, “a perfect 0 degrees.”
“That’s just the show thermometer. Morris says it makes guests more trusting. the real one is on the back.”
“And what does the real one say?”
“… What would be considered ‘within range’ ?”
“Colder than at least 0 Fahrenheit.”
“Yeaaaah might not wanna look back there then. You can cross off that point you gave.”
The inspector did as they were told, and set their pen stop their clipboard. Looking at Shane with scrutiny and amusement, they said “You do realize that if I fail this store, you’d be out of the job, right?”
Shane sat forward, bringing his face closer to the inspector, whispering, “that would be a dream, wouldn’t it.”
The inspector bridged the gap, leaving only a few inches between the pair. With both hands on either side of the cart, entrapping him, they made direct eye contact and purred, “Any other secrets you wanna tell me,” they very briefly paused, breaking the eye contact to let their eyes quickly travel down Shane’s body and back up, before continuing, “big guy?”
Shane boldly met their eyes, holding his breath as he felt the warm puff of the ‘b’ dance on his lips. “After closing, Morris sneaks into Pierre’s shop with our old smelly produce to switch it with his fresh ones.”
Click. The inspector clicked their pen, and, with a predatory bite of their lip, exhaled “Gotcha, Morris.” Giving Shane a wink, they finally stood up again and wrote down one final note in their clipboard. “I think I have all I need. Time to go give our friend a little talk.”
They took a few short steps ahead of the cart, headed toward the office. Shane, letting out the breath he was holding, tucked his feet in and attempted to stand up.
The inspector grabbed the edge, stopping him- “gonna come with me for the ride, cowboy?”
Shane lowered himself back down, replying with a resounding, “Oh hell yeah.”
fave stardew valley moment of all time was when I was talking to evelyn and she was like “i love living by the ocean… as a child I used to collect seashells all day…” and then I handed her a shell and she said “it smells terrible :/“ and I lost a heart.
not sure if this has been asked or written before, but what a about a 'sort of cryptid like farmer' and shane? a farmer that's just a little bit more on the non human side kinda thing, if thats alright
A special Spooktember treat for you guys- I hope you enjoy. Been saving this one until it was appropriately close enough to spooky season. Also- TIL that goblincore is a quite delightful aesthetic-read til the end to get the full ✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ:* vibes *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ they’re feral AND charming.
Just Goblin Things
Summary: There’s something sinister in Cindersnap Forest, and Shane is the one to come face to face with the creature. What he finds is a more than just a little magical, and he can’t wait to discover more.
Trigger warning : very brief, vague insinuations of alcohol; general spookyness.
“Seb, how many more until we can go back to my house?’
“Just a minute, Sam. I can hear one croaking just over there…“
“Yoba, what was that!-look, there in the bush!” A flash of green had caught Abigails eye, followed by a loud scrambling noise. She pushed herself off the ground, using Sam’s shoulder as a boost, and leaped toward the sound, searching for its maker.
“What kind of frog was that?”
“I didn’t even see anything. Probably just some raccoon or something.” They watched Abby crawl around a small thicket of bushes, peeking in between branches as she went. “Leave it alone, Abby, you don’t want to catch rabies.”
“Raccoons don’t have green eyes, Seb,” she said, as she perked her head up to listen to a faint crinkling of leaves. “Listen, do you hear that? It almost sounds like.. hissing?”
“What, like a snake?”
“No, like a-AH!” Abby shrieked, and fell back. The two boys ran towards her. “No, get back, it might see you!” She was referencing the massive pair of green speckled eyes that were now accompanied with a gnarly, toothy grimace emerging from the bush. From it, came an ungodly snarling and hissing.
“Alright, time to go,” Seb yanked the two teenagers away from the creature, and they started to run. Once they had made it inside Sam’s house, the trio slammed his bedroom door and jumped on the bed. They sat for a moment in silence, listening to each other’s panting breath. Abby began to say something, but Sebastian interrupted, “we’re not gonna talk about it. Just don’t-nothing happened. We didn’t see anything. Got it?” Abby huffed in frustration, and protested with him, arguing that they needed to get back out there and figure it out. All Sam could do was stare at his floor, stunned at what had just happened.
The next day, Sam went to start his shift at the Joja Mart on edge from the night before. Shane was working the freezer when he spotted him-he had picked up a packaged of individually sealed pancakes seven minutes ago and was still staring at it, unmoving. “Uh, you alright, bud?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it…” His voice seemed far away, but he managed to finally move, making to put away the product. He turned to him, “Shane, you live in Cindersnap Forest. Have you ever seen anything… weird… there?”
“You mean besides Mayor Lewis sneaking out the back window and crawling around the house, thinking I can’t see him?”
“What?”
“No, never seen anything.”
“Well we did, Abby, Seb, and I, last night.”
“And?”
“Well, nothing really actually happened-it just scared us, really. Made a really ugly sound and showed it’s teeth to us. It must have just been some animal… but the thing is… gah, I can’t even say it.”
Shane tossed a bag of multipurpose detergent at him, demanding, “C’mon, say it.”
“Ouch, Yoba, alright. I didn’t tell the others, but when we were running away, I looked back and.. and well, I saw it run away and it was on two legs like a person.”
“Hah, okay you got me. There’s nothing in that forest, kid, don’t think about it too much.” Shane slapped the back of Sam’s shoulder, bidding him to just do his work, and went about finishing the stocking. He’d look over, occasionally, to see the golden-haired teen zoned into space again, but he didn’t have the mental capacity to really care at that point; he just needed to get through his shift.
______________________________________________
Shane looked at his phone-11:26 PM. He’d gone out, not able to sleep, and forced himself to take a cold walk through the woods to avoid the saloon. Shivering, not just from the cold, he made his way over to the edge of the lake. He enjoyed watching the little sparkling fish swim, their silver scales glisten underneath the shallow water… Swishing and splashing and crashing-crashing? He flipped his body around to see the source of the crash-in front of the big tree, in a disheveled pile, sat the farmer. They were brushing the leaves out of their hair and dusting off their knees.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh! Goodness, Shane, you scared me.”
“You’re the one who fell out of the tree.”
The farmer finger-gunned, “You got me there,” and stood up, gathering the belongings that tumbled from their satchel.
Shane watched them, and smirked at seeing them covered in Earth matter-leaves, moss, dirt-it all seemed to have managed to stick to them as they tumbled down the tree. “You’re covered in dirt.”
“Oh, yeah I am.” The farmer brushed off their apron and body. Dirt, rocks, and leaves fell from their arms, but the moss stayed firmly attached.
Now with a clear view, Shane could see that their skin wasn’t quite right. It looked jaundiced from their shoulders down, where the color faded to a sickly vibrant green down to their finger tips. The moss had attached itself to their elbows and seemed to grow down to their fingertips. As the farmer moved about, their arms coming in and out of scattered streaks of moonlight, he could almost see it blinking at him. Was it growing on their arm? He blinked trying to make sense of it, “No, no I meant your arms have-“
“Oh, Hey Franklin.”
Shane’s jaw hung open on his words. Emerging from the Farmers.. arm moss?.. emerged a little frog. It opened and closed its mouth a few times before letting out a tiny ‘ribbit’.
“Yeah, I found this little guy a few weeks ago and he just didn’t want to leave. He likes to come with me on our nightly mushroom hunts.” Franklin went cross eyed as he focus on a little bug flittering past before catching it with a satisfying crunch. “Oh, that was a good one, Frankie.”
“Okay I’m gonna go now,” Shane regained control of his jaw, resolutely shoved his hands in his pockets, and started to turn away.
“Wait! You’re not gonna tell anyone my secret are you?”
“Tell them what, that you keep a secret frog hidden somewhere in your arm?”
“No, everyone should know about Franklin, he’s precious. I meant-you know what, can I just show you?” The farmer reached out their hand in an offer for Shane to grab.
He hesitated-he only barely knew the farmer, having really only seen them run past him at full speed with a pick axe held high above their head-but he was in desperate need of a distraction tonight.
The farmer, seeing his reservation, offered up, “come sit down with me, I’ll make us some tea.”
“I don’t drink tea.”
“Well I’ll tell you some of my other secrets?”
He was in too deep now, his curiosity overtaking his tentativeness, “Alright.” He accepted their hand; his fingertips flexed atop their hand, cushioned by the lush, damp covering of green.
Holding his hand, they led him to their crash-landing zone under the tree, where they sat down. As the farmer sat, legs tucked into each other, Shane thought he saw their body hesitate mid-air for half a second. He then was sure that he saw a little fairy ring of mushrooms pop out of the ground with a glimmering puff of orange dust as the farmers body finally made contact with the ground.
“Please, sit.” Shane pretended to not be concerned, but the farmer smiled to themselves as they spotted him cautiously glancing down to the ground as he gingerly lowered himself to sit. Satisfied, the farmer opened up their satchel and pulled out their trinkets for tea-two wooden cups, a shiny silver teapot with a mismatched spoon, and a box of vials and jars. Opening, smelling, taking, and closing the little jars, they began to make the tea. The beautiful earthy colors of the roots, grasses, and leaves peeled out over the edge of the cups. Craning their body, they reached over to the other circle of mushrooms where they crashed, and plucked a purple one.
As they filled the teacups, Shane watched in horror as the they grasped a moth straight out of the air, ripped a wing off, and shredded it into the two cups. He hoped to Yoba the ‘tea’ was done, but they pulled out one final vial. Swallowing, he asked, “Who’s hair is that?”
“Don’t worry about it.” The farmer pick up the teapot, cradling it in their palms. As the silver started to glow red hot, the farmers hair flew up, standing straight when the teapot began to steam. They poured the hot water into the cups.
“Okay, I get it, I know what this is.”
“What is?”
“I just had a few too many today, and I’m actually just super hammered right now and it’s making me see things. I’m gonna go to bed, now”
“But I didn’t see you at the saloon today?”
“Well, no, but if I think about it too much I’m gonna freak out a little bit,” he pushed his hands off to stand, “so I’m just gonna say that this isn’t real and-“
The farmer reached out their hand to him once more. He stood, frozen, as he watched twigs emerge from their fingertips, growing into branches, followed by leaves, and finishing with a delicate flower unfurling inches away from where he stood.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Take it.”
“Take it? But it’s.. attached.”
“Just take it,” the farmer smiled.
He picked it, cupping it in his palms, and brought it to his chest. He watched in awe as the flower petals began to sway, and tiny white fairies sprouted from the pollen. Transfixed, he stood holding his breath as the hazy creatures danced around the petals.
While he watched, eyes big and lit up, the farmer quietly pulled out from their satchel a little carved wooden chair. While Franklin hopped down and plopped onto the chair, the farmer plucked another tiny mushroom, removing the stalk, and tipped a mini-portion of tea from their cup into the cap. They handed it to Franklin who busied himself with dunking his head in and out of the tea and screaming into it.
Shane, remembering his need to breathe, finally gasped and attempted to sputter something intelligible out, but just as he thought of a semi-formed sentence, the dancing fairies suddenly burst into a frenzy of colorful fire. They continued their elaborate dance until the last of them fizzled out, and there was nothing left of the dancing flower except misty smoke and white ash.
“You can keep that-here, pour it into here,” they handed an empty vial to Shane, “sprinkle it on your doorstep and it’ll protect you and your loved ones.”
He did as he was told, not even questioning it at this point-he wanted to know more and how and why and what. Finished, he sat back down, facing the farmer, watching them lift the teacup to their lips. “So uh, does the tree thing happen a lot, or just at night, because I’ve seen you during the day and it doesn’t look like that.”
“No, you’re right, see the thing is, it’s when I- HHREEEEEEEEEK!”
Shane tumbled back in shock, catching himself with his elbows and hands. The farmer had let out an awful screech, showing their (formerly enchanting smile) now fanged row of gnarly teeth. In an instant, their eyes grew and melted into dinner plate-sized puddles of green. Shane yanked his head to match the direction of the farmers leer, where he saw a scruffy-looking opossum attempting to sneak their grubby hands around Franklin. The caught-and foiled-thief returned the farmers screech with a feral ‘hiss’ of its own, before it clambered back into dark bushes.
As quickly as the transformation happened, the farmer returned to normal just the same, meeting Shane’s stunned eyes with their own-now regular sized-smiling eyes. “Can’t be letting Franklin become someone’s snack, now can we?” They laughed and smiled to themselves, giving Franklin a little finger pat.
He was stunned, again. He blinked his way around the farmers face and body, searching for something that would make sense of his feelings. Was it repulsion? Fascination? Perhaps even a little attraction? The farmers little twinkling laugh would normally be very charming to him, but the circumstances of it were overwhelmingly frightening… if not still partially alluring. He settled his searching to focus on their smile-they offered it up so freely to him.
The farmer had waited for him to get settled back into a relaxed position before they continued, “Now what was it you were asking me, dear?”
“I was asking about your arms, that they normally aren’t literal trees,” he stoped, “dear?”
“Well, yeah. We’re friends now, aren’t we? Would you prefer me to call you something else?”
“… no, that’s fine.”
They sat together for a few moments in silence while the farmer drank their tea, and Shane gathered the courage to at least sip the leafy moth water. (It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad. He swished his tongue around his mouth to feel for any fuzzy winged remains, but couldn’t find any. It was smooth, and still hot. While he pondered, Franklin made a few flighty hops over to where his foot was resting, and jumped up onto his sneaker-he was trying to bite the laced up shoestrings.
He let out a little laugh-what a strange little animal. He looked up at the farmer and thought ‘what a strange little.. goblin.’ He let himself stare a bit-they didn’t seem to mind. They had taken off their hat by now, and revealed a pair of little pronged antlers that were hidden underneath. They were encrusted with clusters of crystals, which glittered with every turn and tilt of the farmers head. He continued to drink his tea, getting more accustomed to it with each sip, and watched the scattered moonlight refract off the crystals onto the ground. There, where the prismatic light met earth, a misting of teeny white flowers sprouted and bloomed. Shane had always been appreciative of the wonders of nature, but he had never seen it this beautiful. The farmer seemed connected to the earth, each breathing life into the other. It was humbling. And it-they-were beautiful.
The farmer finally caught his eye, and looked down, now a bit embarrassed. They didn’t mind the scrutiny-it wasn’t out of judgement, they knew, just curiosity. Truth be told, the feeling was more of self consciousness than anything. It was always daunting to show anyone their true selves, but to Shane? His gaze was so honest and searching that it was intimidating. Still feeling his eyes on them, the farmer briefly looked up through their lashes to give him a shy smile, and then turned their attention to the lake.
Shane broke the silence, “Any other goblins in their you wanna tell me about,” he motioned to the lake.
“Nah, that lake is occupied already.”
“Ah, I was just playing. Of course, it’s occupied with fish.”
The farmer was silent
He turned to them, only slightly panicky, “With fish right?”
“Mmhmm yeah fish, lots of fish.” They pursed their lips tight and took a nervous sip of their already empty tea.
Shane squinted to the water, studying it, and caught a glimpse of some bubbles rupturing on the distant surface. He scooted closer to the farmer.
With the shoulders pressed up against each other, the farmer reassured him, “Don’t worry, I got you,” and took hold of his hand.
Shane eased his body deeper against their shoulder with a sigh. He took a peek at the farmer’s face just in time to see an attractive blush warm their cheeks. He smiled, and rubbed his thumb over the tops of their knuckles. They sat together, watching the lake, while the moon rose higher in the sky.
“Did you call me a goblin?” The farmer broke the trance.
Shane let out a hearty laugh, “What other kind of magical creature sneaks around in the dark and scares neighborhood children?”
The farmer returned the laugh, and finger gunned once more, “you know what, you got me there again, Shane.” The pair filled the foggy air with the sound of their laughter, pushing their bodies still even closer together.
“If you don’t want your cover blown, you should probably stop doing that, you know, screeching at teenagers.”
“No, I don’t think I will,” the farmer said with a small growl and a wink.
It was Shane’s turn to blush, now. He looked down at their hands, still cupped together, and smiled. “What other magic secrets do you have?”
I wonder...has Shane ever pulled an Uno reverse card on Hale and hit on her as intensely as she hits on him? Moreover, did it work? (This question is for science, I promise)
