Pomegranates and Poems
Summary: Elliot has weird reoccurring dreams since a certain Farmer came to the Valley and moved in. It's not the first time Elliot has them, but it's weird it's been 3 years since then. The same time when he moved out from ZoZo City. These dreams keep getting more realistic and more memory like every time he gets closer to the Farmer. Do they mean something ?
CHAPTER I : REMEMBERING REVERIE
He entered the flourishing garden in search of her. A haven for both of them where her mother could not find them. Everything was ready for them to elope together, no matter the consequences, but they still needed to be patient. He finds her in the middle of a clearing, sitting on the ground surrounded by crocus flowers. Was she pondering whether she should pick them up or not for her bouquet?
The man calls for her, a name that is not understood, and walks towards the woman. She turns around towards his voice and smiles. He was here!
She calls upon his name as he crouches to sit next to her. A voice so soft and tender and happy to see him, the latter emotion something that wouldn't happen often. They talk, muddled words filled with affection, as she puts flowers in his hair. Who would have thought the God of the Dead would be weak to such affection?
He looks into her eyes, their color the one of the vegetation around them, the color of rebirth and hope. Fitting for her. He could only think of the green gemstones back at home...
Home, a word he doesn't think fitting for the underworld, at least it's not home without her. But that would soon change. She keeps playing with his dark hair and putting flowers on it. He grabs a strand of her hair, the sunset-colored hair so bright against the pale skin of his hand. After he tenderly puts the same hand on her cheek, her warm-toned skin is a bigger contrast against his pale one.
''You're so bright, my flower'' the only thing that can be understood from his mouth. She focuses on him, puts one of her hands on his, and smiles. She looks into his ruby-red eyes, a precious color to her. ''I would prefer to be a bit dim, at least I would fit in your world." he chuckles at her response, but doesn't say anything. She continues. ''If there's a next life, I hope I can come back in your colors so we can find each other again''
Elliot wakes up with loud bangs at his door, sits on his bed, and puts a hand on the bridge of his nose. It had been a good while since he had these strange dreams. The last time was when he was still in Zuzu City in his parents' mansion, and that was over 3 years ago.
The bangs keep going, with someone's voice on the other side of it calling for him. Ah... Leah...He had overslept the day he was supposed to go to her house to help her package some of the art she was commissioned for.
Elliot groans as he gets out of his bed. Grabs his robe and puts it on before opening the door. As he thought, Leah was on the other side, arms crossed, looking up at him. - Finally, you opened the door. You stood me up this morning, you know? Good thing I had someone that could help me last minute.
Elliot must have made a face because Leah continues.
- Elliot, it’s 5 pm. How did you sleep this much today?
He sighed, stepping out of the way of the door, a nod to Leah so she could get in the cabin.
- I did not sleep well, I’m afraid…
Or too well… But Leah didn’t need to know about the dream. As much as it seemed to haunt him, it was also sweet. The ginger enters her friend's cabin and looks back at Elliot as he closes the door.
- Don’t tell me you just woke up.
-...Maybe…
She sighs and puts a hand to her temple.
-Elliot, I know you authors are all poetry, doom, and gloom-
-Doom and gloom?
-But, you need to come out of the cabin more, it’s been a week since we went out for drinks at night. Or that you got out of the… house… at all.
Elliot turns his back to Leah, crosses his arms, and looks out the window as she talks. The day seemed perfect, the tide on the beach was high, but there were no unruly waves. The sun was shining bright, which made his green eyes water a bit because of the light. One of his hands goes to pinch the bridge of his nose again.
-You’re right, you’re right, my friend. What do you think of going out tonight to Gus's? The round is on me; of course, I have been negligent in this friendship… I should have helped you today…
He affirms the latter part more to himself than to Leah. Elliot turns around and sees the woman sitting on the chair at his desk in the corner of the cabin. She looked at him with evident worry etched in her eyes.
-Did your parents call, Elliot?
-What?
-Did they call? Is that why you’ve been closed off the whole week?
-No, no… And even if they called, I wouldn’t answer.
-Did they mail you something then?
-Leah, there was no contact whatsoever with those people. I have just been tired… I need to finish the book to publish it, and haven’t had any luck with the writing. I need a muse, and the sea isn’t a good fountain of inspiration anymore.
Leah rolls her eyes and gets up from the chair.
-Ugh, you writers and your words.
-Ugh, you artists and your art. Can you hear how fatuous the phrase sounded?
They look at each other for a moment and both start to laugh. Leah goes towards the exit of his cabin, and before touching the handle, she turns around.
-Drinks on you then?
-The drinks are on me, yes.
Elliot gives her a tired smile, and she finally leaves. He sighs again, sitting on the edge of his bed, and brings his hands towards his face. Even with Leah here, his brain kept going back to the dream. Maybe he could use that for inspiration. One way or another, this dream thing would have to come out, either he told somebody or he would write about it. Maybe the latter, he was better with that option.
-I need to get out… I need to get dressed, I need to write, I need to do so much.
Elliot’s voice started calm but got progressively louder and more nervous as he got up from sitting on his bed to get ready for the day and night ahead of him. After all, he had promised Leah he would go to the StarDrop saloon with her. It would be nice to see the other townfolk again, even if he didn’t talk much to them and was only courteous enough.
The dream kept creeping from the back of his brain to the forefront, and Elliot kept thinking about it… He needed a drink, and good thing he was going to meet Leah for that later, even if it was him paying.
While dressing himself, Elliot kept thinking about the dream and looking back at his desk, the mess of scrunched paper on top mocking him about starting and finishing writing his book, or trying to. He groans at the thought, he still needed to think of a genre and prompt for it… Maybe the town would inspire him if the sea didn’t speak to him anymore; things had become so dull in a flash, like he was missing something.
Now, Elliot had always been a romantic, specifically because he’s an author, but he had given up on the idealized version of what ‘love’ could be; love was an emotion that could only be written about if romanticized, and right now ? Right now, Elliot couldn’t even fathom thinking about it. The dream had taken a toll on him. Had that been what love’s supposed to be like? Such a raw and happy emotion. Him, or what Elliot thought was ‘him’ in the dream, and the woman had such a bond, an unbroken string that wrapped around them, and the only way not to make it tighter and suffocating was if they were together… Was that love?
Elliot shakes his head, as if it would disturb the lines of thought and make them go away. He slaps his face with both hands. It was no matter now, he was going to enjoy the rest of the… day ? Was it evening already ? Regardless, he was going to enjoy the rest of the hours he had in the day, he would have a nice walk to the town, he would enjoy having a warm meal from the StarDrop Saloon and a nice drink with a friend.
That's all that was aligned for him right now. Or so he thought.
Elliot gets out of the house, dressed in something lighter than his heavy suit, the sunset was almost as hot as the scorching summer sun that would bless - or curse - the valley during the day. He was just going to have a drink with a friend, no need to use a suit, especially for a summer night where it was almost difficult to breathe because of the humidity. It was at these points where Elliot regretted living right in front of the sea, that and when sand would get inside his shoes.
He walks towards the path that gives way to the town and stops at the bridge that connects the beach with the valley. He always liked how the river serpented around the town, it was like a protector of sorts. He throws a coin to the river, almost like an offering, something he found himself doing at least once a month on his routine, thanking that he was in this town and hadn’t been found by anyone from the life prior to Stardew Valley.
A/N: Hi ! Baby's first 'published' fic here. This was suppoused to be a canon x oc (the oc's name is Kora - genious I know), but I thought a bit better on it and decided to be the change I want to see in more XReader fics. Also ! the only description of the reader will be the black hair and red eyes, which apparently through the customization on the actual game, should be 'kinda' normal in the Stardew Valley universe for people to have whatever coloured eyes. This will be also - heavily - inspired by the Elliot expanded mod. Thank you for reading ! Divider credits: @fae-and-wolf
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