[Stardew Valley] On the Edge - Shane

3

[a/n: hi, this chapter is a bit shorter than usual but the next chapter will be up very soon!]

It felt like an eternity before sunlight leapt over the horizon and pried Shane's eyes open. He didn't remember much from last night - there was no room in his head to think about anything other than how horribly his stomach and head felt and quickly rushed to the bathroom for relief.

After splashing cool water on his face and making the call to Morris with fake remorse in his voice, he retreated back to bed.

Before unconsciousness could claim Shane again and free him from memories of his painful conversation with Marnie the previous night, there was a knock at his door.

Oh, for Yoba's sake. Can't I just fucking sleep?

He grumbled from underneath the sheet, unable to ignore the persisting rapping at the door. When trying to sleep regardless of the noise didn't work, he grunted and got up, ripping the sheet from him and swinging the door open.

Marnie stood there, with a cautious look on her face. "Morning," She tried quietly before continuing after seeing Shane's silent glare. Guess the morning would only be a continuation of last night, Shane sighed to himself.

In the living room sat Harvey, the town doctor. Shane's blood immediately began to boil when seeing him with an assortment of different forms laid out on the table.

"Marnie. What the hell is this?"

He looked around, feeling betrayed and guilty all at once as a hard rock formed in his throat.

"It's for your own good, Shane. Please sit with us," Her voice was hushed down and cautious as she spoke to him. He sat down begrudgingly, avoiding eye contact from his aunt or from Harvey.

Harvey shuffled a bit in his place, looking at Marnie almost for approval before he cleared his throat. He procured a pen from his green jacket and placed it on the table next to the various forms on the table.

"Okay, Shane," He started, pushing his glasses up on his nose and clearing his throat again. "Marnie thought it would be a good idea if you started some counseling,"

Counseling? Shane abhorred the idea of ever letting his woes escape the comforts of his own head.

"I'm not a psychotherapist, but I think it would be good if I set up an evaluation meeting for you. From there, I have contacts with who I think would be the best match for you."

While Harvey handed him the pen and rambled about evaluations and Marnie chimed in to say how great for him this would be and more productive, Shane drowned them out. He instead just thought about how good a beer would be right now.

"Okay, we're almost done here. One last thing," Harvey said, procuring a yellow card out of one of the many folders spread out on the table. After what seemed like hours of signing papers and yessing Harvey to death, Shane snapped out of his trance when the card was slid over to him.

"This is a punch card for the Saloon. It might seem kind of childish or unnecessary, but we think this might be a good way to limit yourself instead of just having you quit all at once," Harvey quickly explained, seeing Shane's face drop at the card.

"Withdrawal will only make you feel worse."

Nothing could make him feel worse than he already felt at the moment. After everything was said and done and all the papers were signed, Shane got up from the table and exited the ranch, punch card and signed papers in his back pocket.

Since beer was a limited option for him now, the best he could do to relieve his guilt and hurt was a walk. So he walked, ruminating more and more with each step until he reached the clinic.

Inside, the nurse greeted him and took his papers.

"Uncle Shane!" A little voice called out as soon as he started on his way back to the ranch. Jas ran across the plaza, flouncing up to him and jumping at him.

"Hey kid," he caught her, squeezing her briefly and then placing her back down on the ground. "Don't get in trouble with Miss Penny, aren't you supposed to be reading now?"

"Miss Penny's letting us take a break from learning and play," She explained, holding on to the fabric of Shane's blue Joja hoodie. "Are we gonna hang out tonight still?"

"Of course. We can do whatever you want, okay?"

"Even play dolls?" She tested, a cute grin on her face as she hugged him again.

"Even play dolls." He assured her. He was going to make the best out of a situation that he felt like he ruined himself.

"Jaaaaas!! Look what I found, hurry!" Came the voice of the other kid, Vincent. Sam's little brother.

"Kay, I gotta go," Jas said dutifully, squirming out of Shane's arms and running off. "See you later!"

Shane waved to her, then resumed being miserable as he continued on his trek until he eventually reached the ranch. He slunk inside, intending to make a beeline to the chicken coop to just be alone and think.

"Hey!" It was the new farmer, leaned over the storefront counter and smiling. Her face and clothes were all streaked with dirt and her hair was seriously afflicted with frizz. Shane just ignored her and kept walking past the kitchen into the door that led to the chicken coop. He knew that if he said anything, it wouldn't be nice or welcoming, so he just didn't bother.

An especially fat and well loved hen immediately clucked up to him. Shane loved all of the chickens he raised, but Charlie was especially significant to him. She was his main confidant, after all.

"Hey Charlie," He mumbled softly, sitting on a bale of hay nearby and holding out his arm. Charlie made her way over, hopping onto Shane's leg and nestling into his lap. He gave her head rubs as he sighed to himself.

"This sucks," He began to vent. "But Marnie's right. I just have such a hard time when I'm not drunk. Do you think talking to someone's gonna help, Char?"

Charlie clucked idly in his lap. He knew she couldn't understand what the hell he was saying or articulate her opinions on the matter. But that's what he liked about talking to her.

"...I guess whether or not I think it's helpful, I guess I don't really have a choice." If he wasn't gonna do it for himself, he'd do it for Jas and Marnie.

"Hey Shanie," He didn't even hear the door open or notice Marnie's head poking through the doorway as she called him by his embarrassing childhood nickname. "Jas is back from tutoring and there's poppers in the oven if you're hungry." She said, then zipped out, leaving Shane flustered and embarrassed that she probably heard him talking to Charlie.

After a silent sigh, he gave Charlie one last pat and rose to his feet and painfully reminded himself that this was for the best.