“sorry if I seem cranky, im a little sore from work yesterday.” for hibiko too - oddly sweet
stardew valley one liners | @leftbelow
A pause of silence between them, Hibiko giving a polite nod. "I heard," her gentle voice hinting at sympathy, knowing how the other employees complained whenever plants were switched and moved around for the season. His back stayed to Hibiko, so she instead decided to close the distance and offer up a wet cloth for him to cool off and clean up the inevitable sweat. "Usually, employees pass on the overtime for exactly that reason." But that was all she said on that - it wasn't her place to interject how some extra cash couldn't have been worth what he was feeling.
Watching Bill cool off, Hibiko took special care to study his hands, trying to catch if he was extra cautious of his palms or anything else. It may have been for nothing - she hadn't remembered exactly where he got hurt that night. "I take it your hand is feeling better then?"
She didn't expect more than a dismissive answer. After his attempt to pull away from her, it was easy to guess Bill didn't love being looked after. "I was so mad about them trying to brush it off so quickly, as if you didn't possibly just get seriously injured," Hibiko admitted with an eyeroll. Her face pinched with sourness, pent-up annoyance no longer having far to go, only wanting to add an honest, "You didn't deserve that."
Though with that now out of her system, Hibiko's features gradually softened again. As Bill returned the handkerchief, he held her gaze, unsure where to find the words and questions she had for him over the last week. "It was such a nice surprise to see you," the princess quietly admitted. Her barely contained smile only pushed itself forward as she overlayed the image of Bill dressed and cleaned up with the exhausted, overworked man in front of her. "All made up and without your hat, no less."
As much as she wished to stay and enjoy Bill stumbling over his own words, Hibiko told herself before coming over that it would be quick. She didn't need to give a reason for obvious favoritism, and they were perhaps already staring at one another for too long to avoid any distant gossip if she were to stay. While they wouldn't be heard, they weren't exactly hidden. Reunited briefly with her standard confidence, "Next time, however, I'd appreciate a warning," she teased, as if either of them knew the encounter was going to happen in the first place. As she spoke, Hibiko was already making her way back inside. "While it was a lovely surprise, I was lucky to even get a good look at you from where we were sitting."
Looking over her shoulder, she fidgeted with the already drying cloth in her hands, grateful to not hold his full attention. Not knowing how to say goodbye in this instance, nor wanting to. "See you later." While it came out closer to a question, less cool than she wished, she took it as a good enough prompt to complete her exit. To help return to a pseudo-neutral state, Hibiko sucked in her lips, ringing the handkerchief within an inch of its life.
