Frogs in the Rain (Stardew Valley // Sebastian)

Epilogue: Daisy

Nix Weekly was twenty-four when Sebastian asked her to marry him. It was a warm fall afternoon, and she was visiting her mother's grave when it happened. Sitting with her knees nearly touching the woman's polished tombstone, her back to the rest of the world, she didn't even see him coming. However, as soon as he knelt beside her, ring in hand, she felt her heart stop in her chest. The tears spilled from her eyes like rain, her trembling hand muffling the surprised gasps that pushed past her tongue. She said "yes," of course, speaking the word as though it were the most beautiful one ever written, and letting it slip a thousand times over like ink dripping from a page.

The wedding didn't take long to prepare. Mayor Lewis, who was set to officiate the proceedings, assured Nix most of the arrangements would be taken care of. All she needed to do was find the perfect dress, provide the flowers, and be there when the morning came.

The dress part was easy; Emily tailored her a long, cream-colored, flowery dress with a train that trailed at her heels. When she plucked the flowers from their stems, Demetrius gathered them and told her he'd make sure they'd be preserved and look fresh for the reception. Robin, she later found out, even carved the wooden arch, which was fitted with sunflowers and roses and strung with fairy lights, by hand. The fairy lights, which twinkled like little golden stars, were wired by Maru, who was incredibly excited to gain a sister-in-law.

On the day of the wedding, everyone in Pelican Town arrived, even those in town Nix hardly knew. She spotted Penny Ortega in the crowd, who had waved at Sam prior to the wedding's start. Penny had picked out his suit and helped him get ready, as happy as a kitten to be Sam and Abigail's third wheel. Seated beside her, Maru and Elliot, the beach-side poet, smiled brightly at Nix. It made her nervous at first, but as Kent began to walk her down the aisle, all that fear melted from her bones. Both maids of honor, Abigail and Emily, eagerly awaited her at the arch. On Sebastian's side of the aisle, best man Sam stood beside an eleven-year-old Vincent. All three of them held tears behind their eyes. Jodi, the bride's mom, quickly stood to fix a white flower that was falling out of Nix's braid. Then, they continued to the arch, where Sebastian took her hand and said his vows.

...

Nix Holt was hesitant to have children, despite loving kids very much. Whenever she and Sebastian discussed it while working in the fields, she always cited how scared she was they'd look like... her. Like Carhel. However, after Abigail Jones became Abigail Walker, and she and Sam had a baby boy with beautiful emerald eyes, Nix realized it didn't matter how her children looked because, just like her mother before her, she'd love them even after time itself crumbled to dust.

Little Daisy Anastasius Holt, as gorgeous as she was fussy, was born without complications in the little farmhouse on Capricorn Grove. The process left Nix exhausted, but as she held her baby girl, she found the strength to sob. Not because Daisy Anastasius Holt looked just like her, but because she didn't. Little Daisy, who already had tufts of green hair, was born with pink skin and rosy cheeks. Nothing like her, Nix told herself with enough relief to shake a building.

Sebastian Holt, who also cried as he held the two most influential people in his life, disagreed. To him, his tiny daughter looked just like his beautiful, goddess-like wife. Not that it mattered, however, for he'd love them both forever, regardless of semblance or bearing.

And, every night after their little daughter's birth, as Nix Holt put little Daisy to bed, Sebastian Holt would stand outside the nursery, his back pressed against the door as Nix's light, melodic, and addicting voice carried itself to him. He could imagine her swaying about the room, a small bundle wrapped in her arms and a smile etched against her cheeks as she sang their daughter's lullaby:

"My darling, my darling,
You're my darling, my dear starling.
My darling, my darling,
Tell your darling that I'm your darling too.
My darling, my darling..."