When the Stars Fall (Stardew Valley Fanfic)

Tearless

"Are you going to come out of your room today Sebby?"

Sebastian sat on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around his legs, his phone resting in the palm of his hand. He didn't answer his mother and instead stared at the message he'd received from Maru the day she disappeared. Not knowing made him feel as if he were drowning, a feeling which wasn't entirely new, but felt even more pronounced since his sister disappeared.

"Sebby, you've not been out of your room since..."

"I've left to use the restroom, otherwise my room would smell like poop and pee," he said, cutting his mother off. He turned his head, seeing her in the dim light filtering into his room from the stairwell. Normally, she'd step in further which resulted in him seeing her face better in the dim light that came off his computer screens, but said computer screens were currently off, almost untouched since Maru disappeared.

"I see." His mother leaned into the doorway, a smile spreading across her face. "You know what I meant."

Sebastian returned to his phone, eyeing the last message he'd received from his sister, the expression on his face no changing nor was there any other sign of emotion from him.

"I remember you wanted to talk to her that day. You even came out of your room and were waiting for her to come home, but there was actually a smile on your face."

He didn't move let alone acknowledge her. There didn't seem to be any point.

"Demetrius is worried about you. You're not acting..."

"Demetrius should just yell at me like he usually does rather than being concerned that I'm possibly not acting like my normal self!" Sebastian lowered his chin onto his knees, pulling his arms closer, shifting the phone so he clutched the item at his side. He swallowed, finding himself frustrated with the way both of them were acting.

"I know. Why don't you go outside for a smoke? You've not had a smoke since Maru disappeared, but that can't possibly be good for you, right?"

That comment made him turn his head, his mouth twisting into a scowl while he gave his mother the best 'you must be an idiot' look he could muster. "You don't like me smoking. Demetrius hates me smoking, and all because it's not healthy for me." He couldn't help but feel angry at that, particularly since neither were acting as they normally did. Taking a deep breath, he flopped over onto his side so he couldn't see her and instead went back to looking at the phone. "Never mind."

"I'll see if Sam can visit you later. Alright, Sebby?"

Sebastian of course brushed this off knowing Sam would pay a visit at some point, but the next visitor wasn't his best friend. He heard the person set the plate of food down, even smelled the spaghetti Demetrius brought down. "I made you something to eat." Sebastian of course ignored him, focused instead on the screen of his phone. "I brought you something to eat, Seb." Sebastian ignored Demetrius, yet ignoring his stepfather proved impossible when he didn't leave and instead sat down on the edge of the bed. "What are you looking at?"

"A message from Maru."

"Is that healthy?" Demetrius muttered, possibly forgetting that Sebastian might hear him, or perhaps he did know.

"What's not healthy is you not yelling at me, not blaming me for what happened to Maru!" He turned, glaring at his stepfather only for the look on the man's face to make his stomach lurch. Sebastian's body tensed up before rolling back onto his side, hoping the man would simply go away, but Demetrius didn't.

Instead, his stepfather reached out, squeezing Sebastian's shoulder which in turn made him tense up even more. He leaned in, purposefully speaking into Sebastian's ear. "Sorry Seb, but I'm not going to affirm this false notion of yours that you are to blame for what happened to your sister."

Demetrius pulled back then, squeezing his shoulder before going over to Sebastian's computer and turning them on, knowing full well his stepson would get up and turn the computer off just to avoid the light cast into the room. Listening to the footsteps, Sebastian heard Demetrius head over to his bookshelf, pick something up before heading over to the leather couch in Sebastian's basement room.

The sound of the cushion squeaking let Sebastian knew Demetrius yet again was sitting down to read one of his comics, something the man wouldn't have done before Maru disappeared. Getting all of their attention didn't feel right despite his complaints about her getting all of the attention. Sebastian remained focused on his phone, knowing eventually Demetrius would get up and leave the room without saying anything else.

This time, however, Demetrius said something after setting the comic down, knowing Sebastian would return it to the shelf a bit later. "Seb."

He didn't respond, didn't want to.

"Sebastian, I'll pester you until you respond."

"What?"

"You've not brought that up."

"Brought up what?"

"That you think Maru went on a trip with some friend without telling us."

"I know she didn't." Sebastian heard Demetrius let out a sigh. His eyes squeezed shut, suddenly thinking his stepfather sounded tired. He pulled his phone closer.

"Sebastian, it's okay to cry you know."

"Would that be the healthy response?" Sebastian muttered, his eyes opening, one hand reaching up to grip his pillow. His jaw clenched, remembering how hard over the last few years it had become to show any kind of emotions.

"Yes, it would be." Demetrius stood up, the couch squeaking indicating he was heading to the door which made Sebastian think that would be the end of the conversation. But then, Demetrius stopped at the door. "You know, Seb. Your mother and I, we know you're not well. We knew before Maru disappeared. We said nothing hoping you'd come to us when you were ready, but..." The man let out a sigh. "Maru disappearing changed things a bit, didn't it?"

Sebastian heard the door close and his eyes closed, blocking out the light from the computer Demetrius turned on. Things felt more than a little changed since Maru disappeared.