Taking Root (Stardew Valley - Shane)

Chapter Nine

Robin's mouth was moving ten to the dozen, her lips enunciating each word that was destined to enter one of my ears and shoot right out of the other. I was trying to listen - I really was. But I was in such a sleepy, dazed state that my feet didn't even feel like they were touching the laminate floor.

They hadn't felt like they were touching the floor of grandpa's cabin, either - when I had slowly fought my way out of the deliciously warm grip of my tangled duvet cover. The rain had been pouring, hacking at my windowpanes since before my 6AM alarm, which meant that I had an excuse to nestle my head back into the safety of my worn pillow and close my eyes for several more hours. I couldn't remember another summer when it had rained so much. But rain on the farm was more of a treat than it used to be - it meant that I could waive my crop responsibilities that day, letting mother nature take care of it's own. When I finally did decide to rise from my blanket tomb and face the world, morning was saying it's last goodbyes, and my stomach growled for the full, satisfying taste of lunch. 

I was in a sleepy coma from that point on. 'Sleepy coma' probably isn't the right phrase for it - but as we're talking about a condition that I have entirely made up, and I'm sure has no legitimate scientific term, you'll have to cut me some slack. It's when you're awake, but you still feel the deep, fuzzy contentment of slumber. You feel sleepy - not tired. You feel warm, and cosy, and your body is doing everything you want it to, but you're not really thinking about how. I love being in a sleepy coma.

And there I was, standing in front of Robin's carpentry countertop, trying to hone in on the words she was stringing together but feeling just that slight bit out of focus. All I really could think about was how strongly it smelled like maple syrup and woodchips, and how I had a friend in primary school who's hair was the exact same shade of copper as Robin's - and how my feet still hadn't properly landed on the floor yet.

"Dude, what the hell was that? I swear he is so weird sometimes." An unfamiliar voice appeared from behind me as I heard the busy clatter of doors opening, footsteps hitting the floor, and laughter ringing through the hallway.

"And you're surprised? Everyone around here is weird, Sam."

Sebastian had entered the mountain home, looking slightly agitated from the summer heat that had followed the rainy morning, beads of sweat decorating his pale forehead. Other than that, he seemed way more comfortable and open than he did the first time I encountered him - probably because he was now in the company of a tall, golden-haired friend. They were both very tall men, actually. Similar in height, but quite a stark difference in appearance.

"Right, and you're so normal aren't you Seb- Oh, hey!" The man spotted me mid-sentence, his bright eyes scanning my face as he began to smile and place his hands into the pockets of his acid-wash denim jacket.
"Hello." I spoke back, acknowledging both of them as they shut the door behind them and entered the room properly.

"Oh, hi Sophie." Sebastian greeted me.

"Wait- how does he know who you are," The blonde man questioned with a raised eyebrow as he moved closer, resting his hand on the countertop next to me, "-And I don't?"

Okay, so he was smooth with it. His goofy smile was beaming with his eyes fixed on mine - a kind, confident stare that didn't waver even the slightest bit. A textbook extrovert.

"She's the new farmer, you tit." Sebastian chuckled, smacking his friend softly on the back of the head.
"Oh, I heard someone moved into the farm," The man started speaking his thoughts aloud, still smiling on at me. "Guess I was picturing someone a bit different."
My lips curved into a lopsided smile, "Different?"
"Well, you know, like a farmer - with old dungarees, balding, a piece of wheat in your teeth... I was wrong obviously. You-" He gestured his hands at me, "-don't look like that."