Stardew Valley Story Collection!

Raincoat

Summary:

It was a rainy day, and the Farmer decided they would go fishing instead of heading to the mines today. What they didn't expect was to find somebody out in this weather... and certainly not Sebastian, of all people.

A/N (1):

because I needed more Seb/nb player fluff.

cross posted on FF.net and ao3 (across-violet-skies) :)

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The Farmer awoke to the sound of rain battering against the roof of their cottage.

Rainy days weren't a rare occurrence, by any means. It was mid-season– spring– and the Farmer had experienced a couple of rainy days in the short time they'd lived in the valley. Rain made for lonely days, as most of the people living in Pelican Town avoided the weather.

Not that the Farmer blamed them. Rain was only good for making less work in the mornings. No crops to water, at least. Usually, if the weather was undesirable, the Farmer would head into the mines, fighting for a decent haul of items. But today the plan was different, because they had heard from Willy that rain brought out different fish. And as much as the Farmer didn't want to be stuck out in the rain, maybe it would be worth it for some new fish.

They put on a large hat to shield their face, draping an old raincoat over their shoulders. The Farmer sighed, poking their fingers through a tear in the fabric. They made a mental note to talk to Emily about it, but for now it would do.

The Farmer adjusted the raincoat, tugging their arms through the ratty sleeves before grabbing their fishing pole and heading out to catch some fish. They walked along the path to the town, past the old bus stop and finally onto the paved stone walkway. The Farmer set up shop alongside the river, sitting under a large tree to protect from most of the rain. They threw a line into the water, sitting back to relax and wait for the fish to start biting.

And the fish did bite. However, the Farmer wasn't catching what they were looking for. Really, all that they had caught were smallmouth bass and some trash... which they saved in their bag to recycle later. But the town river was getting them nowhere, so the Farmer decided to pack up and find somewhere else to fish.

And so they did, fishing pole resting against their shoulder as they crossed the bridge over to the beach area. The ocean had a wide variety of fish available, so surely there would be something new for them here...

The Farmer walked through the sand, picking up a couple of clams on their way to the docks. The beach was almost always empty, except for Willy and Elliott once in a while. Still, it was typically deserted, and so the Farmer was surprised to see a figure sitting on the edge of the dock.

Curious, they walked toward the figure, squinting. If the Farmer hadn't known any better, they would've thought it was a shadow. Except the Farmer did know better, and they recognized the figure to be Sebastian.

The Farmer tilted their head, getting closer. It was rare to see Sebastian out this far; usually he stuck close to his house unless it was Friday night. The Farmer had never seen Sebastian anywhere near the beach, so it felt strange to see the dark-haired male sitting on the dock.

The Farmer stepped on a squeaky board, finally catching Sebastian's attention. His body stiffened for a moment as he whipped around, shoulders relaxing as he recognized the Farmer. He turned back, staring wistfully out to sea.

"I was thinking..." He spoke slowly, as if he was trying to choose the right words to use. "...people are like stones skipping over the water." Sebastian glanced up, making eye contact with the Farmer. "Eventually we're going to sink." He leaned back, resting on his arms and scooting to the side just enough to make room. "Here, sit," Sebastian beckoned.

The Farmer sat beside Sebastian, who was completely soaked by the rain. He didn't seem to care, though. The Farmer stared at him for a moment, before deciding to follow his gaze out toward the sea. The horizon was dark and gray, almost muddled by low-hanging clouds. The ocean waters were rougher than usual, waves crashing up into each other and creating a splash in the sea. It was a beautiful sight, really, and the Farmer understood at once why Sebastian would sit here in the rain.

"I usually come out here when it rains," the dark-haired male explained softly, gaze never leaving the horizon for a second. "For some reason, staring off into the bleak horizon makes me feel... I dunno. Like it's worthwhile to keep pushing on, I guess." Sebastian shrugged. He turned his head slightly, looking at the Farmer. "Why are you here, anyway? Usually everyone stays inside when it rains."

"To fish," the Farmer stated bluntly. Sebastian's expression softened, a curious look on his face.

"I think that's the first time I actually heard you speak," he chuckled, a small smile gracing his lips. "It's nice. I like your voice." Sebastian turned away slightly, sighing. "But if you're here to fish, don't let me stop you." The Farmer shook their head.

"Actually... I think I'll stay here. If that's okay with you," they added quickly. Sebastian pressed his lips together, a ghost of a smile still dancing across his face despite his best efforts to hide it.

"Yeah," he replied nonchalantly. "You can stay. I don't mind."

Sebastian and the Farmer sat together in silence for a while, watching the horizon. The wind started to pick up, billowing through the holes in the Farmer's raincoat. They shivered slightly, trying not to let the cold get to them. Sebastian glanced over, a slight downward curve to his lips.

"Cold?" He questioned. The Farmer nodded, shivering. Sebastian hesitated for a moment before standing up with a sigh, offering a hand to the Farmer. "C'mon, I'll walk you home. I should be heading back soon anyway." The Farmer accepted Sebastian's hand, letting the dark-haired male help them up. They walked in comfortable silence, the sky darkening as the sun began to set.

They walked through the town, along cobbled pathways and toward the bus stop. When they finally made it onto farm property, the Farmer was quick to head inside, inviting Sebastian to follow.

"Thank you, but I actually do need to get home soon," he politely rejected. "I... I had a good time today," Sebastian admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. His cheeks were pink, maybe from the cold... but maybe not. "I wouldn't mind your company if you ever wanted to watch the horizon again." The Farmer nodded, slightly caught off guard by Sebastian's more open attitude toward them.

"...Alright. I gotta go, but..." the dark-haired male sighed, shrugging awkwardly. "...it was nice sitting on the dock with you. See you soon." Sebastian waved quickly, head down as he walked away from the Farmer's cottage. The Farmer sighed, closing the door behind them and reveling in the warmth of their house. They quickly shed the tattered raincoat, placing it back in the chest they had found it in.

Their clothes were wet too (they really needed to remember to get that hole fixed), so those came off as well, draped over some furniture close to the fireplace. Once the Farmer was back in dry clothes, they felt a lot better. Being wet and cold had been miserable– except for hanging out with Sebastian, of course. They would have to remember to bring a gift up to the mountains tomorrow to thank him. They were pretty sure they had a frozen tear left over from their last mining escapade, which Sebastian would like (the Farmer had spoken to Sebastian's family quite a bit to learn about what he liked and disliked). Yes, a frozen tear would do quite nicely.

The Farmer stretched, feeling their shoulders pop gently. There was nothing more they wanted to do today, so they climbed into bed, falling asleep effortlessly. Tomorrow would bring a new day, and with it new opportunities. Hopefully, those opportunities would involve a certain dark-haired man.

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