Rock Between Us (Stardew Valley Fanfic)

Sporting

"I wanted to try something new."

Click-click, click-click, click-click.

Sebastian's thumb pressed on the carabiner's gate, making it move back and forth in a steady rhythm. He personally wasn't fond of the metallic-purple color of the object, yet he wasn't about to say no when that was the only color of carabiner at that particular sporting goods store.

Click-click, click-click, click-click.

He heard Sam let out a sigh, but the tone of Sam's voice over the phone was definitely the one Sebastian recognized as the one Sam used whenever his friend thought he—Sebastian, had personally gone over the deep end. "Dude, have you ever gone mountain climbing before?"

"Yes." It had, of course, been a while, yet Sebastian certain had.

Click-click, click-click, click-click.

Then came the clicking sound of the carabiner being placed onto the counter while his free hand slipped into the pocket of his black jeans, waiting for the clerk working the cash register to come and ring him up. His foot started tapping as he waited, wondering what was taking so long to get something as simple as a new harness from the back stock.

"You just said you were trying something new, Seb," Sam retorted.

"It's just been a while, and not in Stardew Valley. Hence why I'm getting new equipment and why I said I'm trying something new." Sebastian frowned, wondering what was taking the sales clerk so long with getting the item from the back. They'd not been accommodating, though Sebastian chalked it up to the way he completely wore black and didn't look at all like the sporty, outdoors type, what with his pale skin.

"Really? Or are you making stuff up? When did you ever..."

"Could we not talk about my dad, please?" Sebastian asked. He heard a sound from the other side of the phone.

"Wait. Your dad?"

"I said, can we please not talk about him?" Sebastian said, saying it firmer or hoping he was.

"Yeah. I heard that. I just..." Sam paused, then said. "With your dad then?"

"Yes? Can we..."

"Yeah. Yeah. Sorry." Sam muttered. "Wait!" Sam's voice was sharp. "I'm not sorry! Do you even understand that I'm apprehensive about you right now?"

Sebastian frowned, contemplating what Sam was saying to him, the carabiner on the counter forgotten. "You're the one who called me out of the blue."

"Because you're the one who took off to—I'm assuming it's Zuzu City, not telling anybody where you were going, like always. And when I call you, you told me you were doing something out of character for yourself!"

"And that would be?"

"Sebastian, you're in a sporting goods store. Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"I don't follow," Sebastian said, leaning over in hopes of seeing the clerk. "And I've been in them before. I can get most of my gear for the caves at the guild, though."

"Sebastian!"

"Well, I honestly enjoyed it. The smells are familiar, and..."

"Wack! You're talking about Alex."

"Shut it. You'd be going nuts for all of the skateboards here if you were here with me. So stop acting like I'm doing something abnormal, Sam," Sebastian shook his head. "Really. Seriously."

"Skateboards."

Sebastian felt an eyebrow go up, his mouth twisting in amusement. Sam—Sam was one of the few people who managed to make still him smile, what with how Sam's behavior always seemed so odd to him, getting excited about some really bizarre things. It was his turn, though.

"Hey! Don't change the subject."

"And..."

"Are you really okay doing something that reminds you of your dad?"

Sebastian paused, standing up straighter. "Am I?" It was an honest question, obviously from a place of concern, and he suddenly got it a bit more. He glanced back at the carabiner, no longer forgotten. "Why should I stop doing something I loved doing as a kid just because of all the shit that happened?"

There was silence on the other side of the phone, and then Sam said, "So, you're effectively taking back your own life, so to speak."

"I..." Sebastian frowned. "Definitely hadn't thought of it that way." He shook his head. "Not like that. It's..." He couldn't think of an answer.

"I know. Complicated. Everything about you is complicated." Sam sighed. "And all of this was because Alex, the sports nerd, decided a gift certificate to some sporting goods dump..."

"Not a dump. Okay, it kind of is, this one."

"As I was saying, he thought a gift to some dumb sporting goods store would make for a good Feast of the Winter Star gift. What happened to just re-gifting it back to him?"

"As I said, I'm not that clueless to social norms, but there's no telling if I'd have gotten him for next year. We never know." Sebastian winced.

"Hey, are you wincing?"

"I..."

"You are! You're totally wincing, and you totally were thinking about how you wished we didn't have that particular festival every year because it means a lot of socializing! Right, am I right?"

"You're right," Sebastian grumbled. Now he wanted to escape from his life even more and have a way of doing it that wasn't always cave diving in the mines. Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck, his lips pushing together. Sam opened his mouth and said, "So..."

"Hold on. The clerk is coming back," Sebastian interrupted.

"Here. Found the harness and the belay you wanted," the clerk said, setting it down with a thud next to the carabiner and climbing chalk.

"Thanks." Sebastian paid, using the gift certificate and some cash. After he finished, he headed out to his bike. "So?"

"I forgot. Oh. Wait. You know, your mom is going to be pissed if she finds out. Do you really need something else causing a strain in your family?"

"I'm not using the old equipment as Demetrius wanted."

"Wait..."

"He told me not to, so there should be no issue between us, for once."

"Sebastian, what about your mom?"

"Not telling her. Like always. And don't you dare tell her, or Maru."

"And Demetrius."

"Demetrius," Sebastian's eyes blinked. "Actually, Demetrius isn't a problem."

"You shouldn't brush off your step-dad like that."

"Not. I..." Sebastian paused, wondering how to put it. "He'll be glad?"

"That you're doing something dangerous?"

"I'm just going up the trail and not climbing that high!" Sebastian protested, settling the bag into the motorcycle seat bag he used whenever he needed to bring things somewhere. "Seriously. I'll be fine. And I'm getting on my bike now to drive home, so I'll talk to you then."