Stardew Valley |This Modern Love | F!Female Farmer x Sebastian

Weary Memory

Robin pulls Sage into a hug as soon as she reaches the top of the stairs. "I don't quite know what's going on, and I don't need to, but I'm sorry. We're gonna make sure your house is safe, okay?"

In the midst of Sebastian's vulnerability, Robin's overt mothering, and the absurd amount of hugs, Sage is close to tears. More happy than sad, but tears nonetheless. Swallowing hard, she allows Robin to cradle her. Sage owes this family more than she can ever dream of repaying.

The thought is no longer terrifying, like it was on her first day in the Valley.

"All right kiddos, we'll take my truck. You okay squeezing in the middle, Sage? Sebby's too tall for it." Robin bats at Sebastian's shoulder, grinning. He pats her head, mumbling an affectionate insult.

Lenny yowls as they bounce down the dirt road, while Robin sings along to the radio. It's not lost on Sage, how familial this feels. Well, at least with Robin. Sebastian's another story entirely. She's a little woozy from their newfound emotional and physical proximity. Even now, they're pressed together, thigh to thigh, pinned in place by the vehicle's snug interior.

They tumble out as soon as Robin kills the engine. With darting eyes, Sage opens Lenny's carrier and scrutinizes her farm. Nothing seems out of place. The barns appear untouched, the locks as she left them. Her beloved chickens and cows seem happy to go outside, but otherwise unbothered. No messages from Lewis, either.

The key feels wrong in Sage's hands as she slots it into the lock. Not once has she used it. Part of her relished the rebellion of leaving her home unguarded, the very opposite of what she'd do in Zuzu. The idea of her oasis threatened leaves a nasty taste on her tongue.

Inside, everything is as it was. Sage's shoulders sag, and she leans on the wall, steadying her breaths. Robin and Sebastian trail in after her, the former already flitting about.

She's surprisingly strong, Robin. Muscling the window open with ease, she hums and nods, muttering to herself. Bags of tools thump to the ground as she cracks her knuckles. "Luck's on our side, Sage. I can add a stronger lock here. This is good quality glass, too. Won't break easy." She pulls out a drill, her jaw set.

"That's great. Thank you so much." The tightness in her chest loosens at her words. "I'll make us something to eat." Busying herself at the counter, she mixes a large salad of tomatoes, boiled eggs, and lettuce. She searches her fridge for a final garnish and settles on some foraged mushrooms. With steady motions, she slices the ingredients, declining Sebastian's offer to help. No band-aids this time, she thinks, the corners of her lips twitching.

Robin moves fast, patting her finished work with pride as Sage gives her a bowl. The entrance sports two new deadbolts, large and imposing. It's bittersweet, the necessary measures, but seeing them loosens the tension that's plagued her for days.

Sebastian wrinkles his nose at the salad, but stuffs it in his mouth the moment Sage begins to frown. As they eat, Robin steers the conversation, keeping it neutral. Simple things, like Sage's livestock (they're doing great), what she'll plant in the fall (leaning toward cranberries), and if she ever wants to renovate the house (yes, once she can afford it).

"Speaking of, have you explored your attic yet?" Robin points to a rectangular entrance in the ceiling, near the bathroom.

Sage shivers. "No, it's spider central up there. I'm afraid to touch it."

Sebastian laughs, and she pelts him with a bit of mushroom. It bounces to the floor, and Lenny darts beneath his chair, snatching the prize before anyone can move. Robin's fingers twitch against her fork, her gaze moving to and from the ceiling. Her leg bounces.