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spacecakes20 · 4 years

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Begin Again

(Chapter 3)

Chapter 4: Luna, Honey

It was far, far too early for this. Luna’s body refused to move, but the sound of knocking on her front door was just too irritating to ignore. With a groan of displeasure, she clumsily got out of bed, eyes still unfocused from sleep. For a moment, she forgot where she was. For some reason, she was back in her college dorms and for a second, she thought it was her grumpy roommate knocking on the door because she forgot her key. Again. Then she remembered she graduated almost two years ago, and this was not her dorm room, but in fact her grandfather’s farm. Well, her farm now. But wait, who was at the door?

“Just a second!” Luna called out. And she was so happy she did, because she noticed, upon looking at herself in her wall mirror, she wasn’t wearing pants. Granted, the shirt she was wearing reached her knees, but still! Pulling on some pants from a random clothes pile, Luna took the opportunity to pull her curly locks into a ponytail. Making her way to the front door, she took a deep breath before opening it. Her eyes were immediately assaulted by the rays of the bright morning sun and she regretted getting out of bed. Slowly adjusting to the light, she was greeted by a plump older woman with thick brown hair pulled into a messy side braid. Her eyes were a warm brown and looked almost apologetic. Her name was at the tip of Luna’s tongue. She knew this woman. They were neighbors, right?

“Hello, Farmer Luna!”

It was even more embarrassing that this woman remembered Luna’s name, but Luna’s sleep-deprived brain couldn’t do the same.

“Um… hi.” Luna’s voice cracked. She cleared her throat, and asked, “How may I help you?” Maddie? Or was it Marty?

“I’m sorry to disturb you.” The woman looked genuinely apologetic, “But I found this stray dog wandering around the entrance of your farm.”

Luna just now noticed there was, in fact, a dog standing shyly behind the woman. A golden retriever at that.

“She looked lost.” The woman scratched the dog behind the ear and gave her a fond smile, “And she seemed interested in your farm. So, I was hoping….” Her eyes were pleading now, “If maybe you could…”

Oh! “Marnie!” Luna exclaimed in her head. At least, she thought it was in her head. But by the baffled look on the woman’s face, it was safe to assume she said that out loud. Clearing her throat and looking for a way out of her blunder, Luna chose her words carefully, “That’s… a wonderful idea….” She smiled sheepishly.

Marnie’s eyes lit up, her smile beaming, “Really? You’d take her in? That’s wonderful!” Looking down at the dog, she said in an almost sing-song voice, “You hear that girl? You’re going to be living here now!”

Taking a closer look at the dog, she seemed quite young. She seemed shy, hiding behind Marnie, but her wagging tail gave away just how excited she must have been to meet new people. It made Luna’s heart swell. She had always wanted a pet, but her mother never allowed it. Said it’d distract from her studies. Even after she moved out on her own, obviously pets weren’t allowed in the school dorms. And when she moved out of there and into a one-bedroom apartment, there was an extra fee for pets. But even if she wanted one, she was almost never at her apartment. Too busy working a thankless job that kept her too busy to even eat dinner.

Getting down on one knee, Luna scratched the dog under her chin, and gave her a smile, “Hey there girl.” She cooed, “I’m going to take great care of you, I promise.”

“What are you going to name her?” Marnie asked.

Looking over the dog, Luna liked the way the sun captured her soft fur. It almost reminded her of—

“Honey…” She had blurted out loud without realizing it. She broke out of her trance at the sound of a clap.

“That’s perfect!” Marnie exclaimed, “I’ll just leave little Honey in your care.” Marnie’s smile grew warm, “Don’t be afraid to give me a call if you need anything. Don’t be a stranger, okay?” She waved goodbye before leaving. Luna waved back, and once Marnie was out of her sight, panic settled in. She’d never taken care of a dog before! She doesn’t have food, or a collar, or a bed or—

Deep breaths Luna! You’ve got this! She took one more look at Honey, who only looked at her with curiosity, her tail wagging behind her. Luna looked down and realized she was still in her PJs. She decided, before anything, she should probably get washed up and dressed.

Once Luna was dressed and ready, she decided to go into town to buy pet supplies. Her first stop was at Pierre’s, but unfortunately, it wasn’t open. It was then that she remembered it was a Wednesday and Pierre never seemed to be open on a Wednesday. A feeling of dread chilled her spin when she remembered her only other option. No, no, no, no, no! She never wanted to step foot in another Joja Mart for as long as she lived! Perhaps she could go to a pet shop in the city? But a simple trip to Zuzu from Pelican Town was an all-day affair, and she really didn’t want to leave her new pup at home for longer then she had to. Swallowing her fear and pride, she reluctantly made her way to the JojaMart. The walk felt long like she was wearing ankle weights. Just this once, she kept repeating to herself. It’s not like you’ll run into anyone you know.

“Welcome!” Luna was greeted by an all too familiar voice the moment she entered the store. Slowly turning her head to the source, she recognized it was Morris. “May I interest you in a JojaMart Membership?” He gave her that smile that always made her uncomfortable. Luna had taken to calling it the Joja-Smile because it always felt so manufactured and fake and almost everyone who worked there seemed to have it.

“Um,” She backed up a bit and turned her head in the opposite direction, in hopes that he didn’t catch her face, “No thanks. Just here for pet supplies.” Did he… not recognize her? Sure, that was understandable. Not like she was the secretary of his boss or anything. Funny how before she was hoping that she wouldn’t be recognized, but now that she isn’t being recognized she couldn’t help but feel just a little offended.

Before Morris could say anymore, Luna broke away from the counter and made her way down the aisle. The sooner she stopped talking to that man, the better. She didn’t really know the layout of the store; mostly just wondering in hopes she’d find the aisle she was looking for. So focused on the task at hand, she hadn’t noticed the person behind her before bumping right into them. She turned around, an apology at the tip of her tongue, but her words were lost when she saw the face of the latest victim of her clumsiness.

“Sam?”

The man in front of her shot her the brightest smile she had ever seen; it practically rivaled the sun. Sam had been one of the first people in town to introduce themselves to her. Well, other then Mayor Lewis and Robin, the local carpenter. However, unlike Lewis and Robin, Sam was close to her age, so he felt easier to talk to. It helped that he was so kind and talkative. With that said, Luna wasn’t expecting someone so vibrant to be working at someplace as soulless as a JojaMart of all places.

“Luna?” He removed his headphones, and eyed her curiously, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m…” She looked away a bit embarrassed. To think she was originally worried about running into someone from Joja HQ (as unlikely as that even was), but for some odd reason, it never crossed her mind that she’d run into someone from town. “I’m here looking for pet supplies.”

“Pet supplies?” Sam raised an eyebrow at her questionably, “I didn’t know you had a pet!”

“Yup.” Said Luna, “Just got her today. Marnie found her and asked me to take care of her.”

“Aww,” Sam cooed, “Yeah, that sounds like Marnie.” He motioned for her to follow him as he led her down the aisle. “C’mon, I’ll show you the way!” The two walked together in silence, with nothing but the dull store music to fill the stillness. That’s until Sam, clearing this throat, broke the quiet, “So…” Sam’s voice was laced with amused curiosity, “What kind of pet do you have?”

“A dog.” Luna answered, “And her name is Honey.”

“That’s so cute!” Sam almost sounded more excited than her, “When my shift’s over, think I could come over to meet her?”

“Sure thing!”

Sam had led them right to the pet aisle, “Ta-da!” He exclaimed; hands outstretched to show her they’ve arrived at their destination.

“Thanks, Sam.” She smiled to show her gratitude before giving the supplies a once over. She’d need a leash and a collar, Luna thought. Dog food of course, and a bed. Oh right, two bowls! Maybe some toys?

She’d collected everything she thought she’d need to care for her new furry companion before meeting up with Sam again.

“Got everything you need?” He asked, eyeing her selection.

Luna bit her lip, “I… I think so?” She said, but she was so unsure, her voice went up, making her statement sound more like a question.

“Don’t worry about it.” Sam said nonchalantly, “I’m sure you’ve got everything. Want to go check out?”

With a simple nod, the two slowly walked together, making their way to the checkout area. Placing her items on the conveyor belt, Luna watched as Sam scanned them.

“So, Luna,” Sam said, scanning and bagging without missing a beat, “Me, Seb, and Abby meet up at the Saloon every Friday to play pool. We were wondering if you weren’t too busy if maybe you’d like to join us?”

“You sure?” Luna scrunched up her nose, eyeing Sam suspiciously, “I wouldn’t want to intrude—”

But Sam wasn’t having it. He simply waved her off, “It’s fine. You’re cool. Besides,” He handed her bags to her along with her receipt, “Abby and Seb seem to like you.”

Seb? Oh, “Sebastian?” Luna questioned, “I don’t know about that. I mean, I did bruise his face.” Luna couldn’t help but wince as the words left her mouth. No matter how much time had passed, she still felt really embarrassed whenever she thought about it.

Sam just laughed at that, “Nah, it’s fine. I think he’s kind of over it?”

Luna couldn’t help the snort that escaped her, “What do you mean, ‘kind of’? He hates me, doesn’t he?”

“Trust me,” Sam chuckled, “I don’t think he hates you.”

“ ’I don’t think’?” Luna repeated, trying and failing to hide a mischievous smile, “So, you’re not sure?” She couldn’t help but tease.

“You know what? I’m just going to stop talking.” Sam rolled his eyes, but Luna didn’t miss the playfulness of it. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want,” He reassured her, “But it’ll be fun if you do!”

Fun huh? Come to think of it, Luna couldn’t remember the last time she hung out with a group of people her age. Was it senior year of high school? Or perhaps her freshmen year of college maybe? And even then, she wasn’t a part of the group. Not really. People never invited her, not personally anyway. She was only there because they invited her twin sister, Lola. And because Luna and Lola were practically attached to the hip, Luna was usually only invited out of obligation. The idea that someone was inviting her to hang out with their group of friends because they enjoyed her company—and her company alone—felt… nice.

“What time?”

“Wait,” Sam seemed sincerely surprised, “You’ll come?”

“I didn’t say that.” Luna gave a playful eye roll, “But— hypothetically—if I did want to come… what time?”

“We usually meet up around 4 on Fridays.” Sam gave her one of his bright smiles, “Hope to see you there!" Sam winked, " ‘Hypothetically,' of course.”

With a wave and a smile, Luna took her bags and exited the store. Finally, she felt like she could breathe a lot easier outside of the JojaMart. Perhaps she was just being melodramatic, but there was just something about Joja’s atmosphere that felt suffocating. Like there was a thick smog around the building that did nothing but suck the life out of anyone who entered. Taking in the scents of spring with a deep breath to clear her thoughts, Luna began her stroll home.

(Chapter 5)

#stardew valley #stardew valley sebastian #stardew fanfic #stardew sebastian #sebastian x farmer

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depressed-chicken-man · 4 years

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Cooped Up

Shane x OC

CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5

Summary:

After failing to start her dream in the city, the fashion designer turned farmer tries to cope with her new life in the last-ditch effort to make a happy home for herself. She has so many concerns for her new life. How much of her identity is stuck in the city? Will she even make a difference?

Even if she doesn’t think so, it’s undeniable that she will make a difference for a certain depressed coop keeper.

Chapter 3: Marnie’s Nephew

Chapter 3 on Ao3

A week passed since Jen had first met Haley and they had met up almost every day since. This was the first day that she had not managed to make an outing because this was a more special day on her farm.

She had so much fun with Haley and was reminded of a friend she had in college. The blonde photographer in practice was extremely supportive and told her what she knew about other townsfolks and Jen herself wondered how far it fell into gossip but most of what Haley had shared was truthful so far. Jen really enjoyed having lunch and tea with her and it was a welcome friendship. Not only was Haley an interesting and fun friend so far, but they also shared a common interest.

Makeup and fashion.

Haley had introduced her to her sister, Emily, who oftentimes was a worker in the Saloon. She also got to meet Alex, who seemed nice enough but there was one thing that irked Jennifer about him. His nickname for her, Farmer Girl . She hated it.

In the moments she could barely afford to spare outside of tending to her farm and trying to get her parsnips to flourish, she would go visit Haley, who always welcomed her in to chat. It was that or she would opt for some alone time to sit at the pier south of her farm. One thing she enjoyed without a doubt was the sounds of the forest, the birds and trees. She loved the lapping of the water at the water’s edge and against the pier. It was soothing and relaxing and welcome when she was beyond exhausted.

It was then when she was alone that she could think about her progress and wonder if she was doing everything right. She could reflect on her day and wonder if she could keep it up, if she would get better, or if it was all doomed.

Even if she had tea with Haley once in a while, she still missed her city cafe latte.

Today was the big milestone on her farm, and despite having poured her savings into it, a coop was sure to help her farm grow and make a profit. She was excited and relieved, yet there was still that fear she had yet to get over. She had tried to get over it by watching “cute chicken videos” but for every cute video, there was another one of a rooster chasing a kid or a hen flogging someone who dared to enter the coop.

Still, her pride and determination to eventually be able to sell fresh eggs were enough for her not to hesitate. She was gonna have eggs even if she had to run, screaming out of her coop every single day. With another satisfied look at her new coop and a small stock of feed while her silo was being constructed, she walked around her freshly watered crops and made her way to the ranch.

In no time, she had made it to the door of the ranch, the moos of the dairy cows welcomed her. She took the time to dust herself properly, looking dreadful and dirty but that was the price to pay for her hard work. She was taking showers nearly every day because she refused to walk into town looking so dreadful. She had her appearance to uphold and she stuck to it. The exception was of course that Marnie didn’t seem like she cared a bit and Jennifer knew she already trusted herself enough to look humble.

Having dusted herself enough, she stepped into the ranch door and Marnie called from a back room. Jen waited and perked up when she saw the woman appear from around a corner near the back of the house.

“Oh miss Jennifer, I know why you’re here today! Robin already told me, but I’m having a small issue.” She called out, looking back into the room she came from before making her way to the front.

“An issue? I could come back later if I need to?” Jennifer offered but Marnie shook her head in response.

“No need. It’s just that my niece is sick with a virus. Poor Jas has been in and out of the bathroom all morning, bless her heart. I can’t come to help you, but my nephew can. It’s actually his day off and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” She gave and immediately set on her way. “He’s in our coop right now, I’ll go get him. Stay here.” She ordered and Jennifer stood in the lobby, if it could be called that being the foyer of a house.

She wondered what Marnie’s nephew was like. She knew that Marnie had told her his name but Jen couldn’t remember what it was. She wondered if he would be a good friend to her. She wished that was the case, as this ranch was essentially her neighbor. She came up with a quick mental image of what Marnie’s nephew was like. Kind like Marnie? Humble like Marnie? Surely he’d have red hair like Marnie?

In no time, Marnie returned, talking over her shoulder to her nephew, who followed her out the door and into the kitchen. It took her a moment to recognize him, but her sinking feeling set in as soon as she did.

That’s right… Marnie’s nephew’s name was Shane.

Jen closed her eyes and took a deep breath to prepare herself. Just be professional. He doesn’t want to talk to you any more than you want to be snapped at by him , she told herself. It was hard to not feel a little uneasy with the cold, apathetic stare he was giving her as he made his way to the lobby and leaned against the wall, looking as if he’d rather jump off a bridge than help her. He looked only slightly more put together today, but his clothing choice lacked taste. Khaki shorts and a baggy black shirt didn’t exactly speak fashionable, but the lack of a proper shave was the worst of it. She supposed she was being the slightest bit hypocritical, adorning a dirty set of overalls herself, but at least she had a reason. The redhead made her way to the front desk and opened up an invoice book.

“Okay, Miss Jennifer. How many chicks do you need?” She asked and clicked her pen. Jen had her mind made before she came, the most obvious choice for her to make.

“Twelve. A dozen chickens, a dozen eggs, right?” she half-joked but her humor wasn’t as helpful to her when she heard a barely audible groan from the dark-haired man. She was tempted to look at him but she kept her eyes on Marnie, ignoring him. Marnie gave her a smile and she nodded and hummed as she wrote it down.

“Twelve chicks it is. Shane, if you would…” She began but what she was asking was implied. Without a word, he pulled himself from the wall and disappeared into the house. Marnie sighed and gave her the amount owed. After she had paid and they waited on the grump to return, Marnie spoke up hesitantly.

“Miss Jennifer, I hope you don’t mind if my nephew is a little reluctant to talk. I would say he’s shy, but the truth is that he’s a little rough around the edges but I think he’d help you with anything if you ask.” she said and Jennifer nodded in acknowledgment. She didn’t know what to say and saying nothing was the best option for being genuine. Marnie changed the subject.

“How is your farm? Pierre has been saying that the exports are very solid for your first season. You’re doing well but what do you think?” She asked and Jennifer wondered for a moment if she should express her concerns for her farm. The decision was made quickly.

“Oh it’s wonderful. I feel like I’ve got the hang of it already. By this time next year, I’m sure I’ll have made it worthwhile. I couldn’t be more pleased.” She said, her optimistic words smeared her truth a bit but it was worth it to appear composed. She didn’t need to complain or show that she was struggling.

“Oh good! I’m so glad you think so! A farm is a lot of work but you’re handling it well.” she complimented. Any further conversation topic was stopped as a door creaked open and the brooding man stepped out with a box that peeped and squeaked. Jen was curious as to what the chicks looked like but she would find out later. She didn’t want to peer into the box now.

“Shane, if you would, could you give her a little rundown of how to take care of them when you get there. I’m sure it would help her a lot.” Marnie asked and the man rolled his eyes.

“No need. I think I’ve got it. I just need to have them brought over.” Jennifer stated, hoping that the less time spent with him meant the less likely chance of him being mean to her. Marnie still gave Shane a look as if to say that he should do it anyway but he didn’t seem to pay attention. Instead, he looked from the box to the door.

“Good idea, let’s get this over with.” he muttered, that same sharpness present in his voice. Jen gave Marnie a wary look before taking the hint. She rubbed her temples and set off towards the back of the house to where her niece was.

There goes the hope of her neighbor being her friend.

He couldn’t understand what was so difficult about carrying your own chicks home. The box wasn’t huge and the new girl was more than capable of doing it herself. No, it was his aunt’s idea of decent customer service, as if he didn’t have enough of that already.

His plan was to put the chickens in the coop for the city girl and get the hell out of there. He didn’t want to hang around and chit chat like old people. He was not in the mood at all today and on his day off he just wanted to stay home and be miserable, maybe check in on Jas too. He was silent as he followed the new farmer, grateful she hadn’t tried to strike up any conversation yet. Her braided dusty blonde hair hung and swayed behind her as she led the way, not that he needed directions. Everyone knew where everything was in this small town.

After a short walk, they came upon her farm and he was hasty to set the box of chicks in front of the coop door for Jennifer to deal with, his opposition to help her more than necessary out shadowed his concerns for the chicks. He doubted she knew how to take care of them and he didn’t want to see her at the ranch every time she had a question or issue. Still, without a word he turned to leave, his duty done before she called out to him.

“Hey, um....” She began and gave a suggestion more than asking a question “Could you open it for me? In the coop, preferably.” She asked, her brown eyes looking at him hopefully.

He stared at her for a moment. She can’t even open the box herself? She’ll fail here in no time. Without a word, he stepped into the coop and pulled the box in. He looked up at her to see that she was standing outside the coop, peering in from around the door frame. Whatever, it was none of his concern. He kneeled down onto the hay covered flooring, the cushion was at least done right but he wasn’t sure if it was the work of Jennifer or Robin, but he liked to think it was Robin.

He opened the box and a chorus of cheeps sounded as the chicks awaited their release from the cardboard cell. He reached in and scooped the fuzzy babies out one at a time, their calls felt grateful. He felt like he was doing them an injustice, putting them into the care of the most incapable farmer in town. Soon, all twelve were hopping around curiously, their marble-like eyes taking in their new home.

He looked back up to see that the woman was still peeking from behind the door. He gave her an incredulous look and her eyes followed the chicks as they bounced around.

Finally, she spoke.

“So… they don’t bite at this age, right? Do they like being petted or should I not do that?” she asked, her seriousness stark in her voice.

Bite? Was she for real? He scoffed and gave the most abridged version of his answer that he could as he stood.

“They don’t bite, they peck. If you don’t pet them, they won’t like you and they won’t come to you if they get loose.” He gave. She still stared from around the door. She almost looked… scared? No, it can’t be. She wasn’t scared of them, was she?

“Oh… cool. Does pecking hurt?” she asked, still eyeing the chicks.

“Why don’t you sit with them for a while. See if that will answer your questions.” he scoffed and took to his feet. She nodded and slowly crept into the coop, a small chick a few feet from her.

“Hey there… buddy? You’re cute.” She cooed at it and it cocked its head to the side. She offered her hand down to its level, and he could have sworn her hand trembled the tiniest bit. The chick decided to fluff up its feathers and rush over to her hand to greet her.

With a shriek that Shane was certain would give him a headache if he wasn’t over his hangover, she bolted from the coop faster than he could register. He was stunned for a moment and the humor and ridiculousness of the situation at hand caught up to him. He burst into laughter and took a few steps to see where the girl had run to. Maybe she would keep running and not stop.

His wish was denied but his chuckle still bubbled from him.

“That’s the most-” he laughed midsentence, interrupting himself. “-Pathetic thing I’ve seen. Why would you buy chickens if you’re scared of them?” he asked through his laughter. He watched as her pale-faced fright melted into a stern stare. She was catching her breath but she was still determined to answer him.

“I- huff - I don’t know! I just…” She trailed off. “It’ll be okay. I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” She gave and if he wasn’t so off out by her stupidity, he might admire her optimism. He let his laughter die out.

“This is ridiculous, you know. I don’t know why you’re trying to do this. It’s obvious that you don’t know what you’re doing.” he said and leaned against the coop doorframe.

She looked like she was going to argue but her words didn’t come. Instead, she brushed the loose strands from her braid back and looked down at the ground.

“You’re right. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m a lousy farmer and it won’t be long until everyone else sees that.” she said in defeat before adding “Even so, I’m not going to stop. It doesn’t matter if I’m lousy or faking it, I’m still going to try my best.” she said. He shook his head.

“You won’t last long here. Why don’t you just leave? We don’t need you here and I’m surprised anyone thinks that this town does.” He suggested, his arms folded. He hoped it pissed her off, got under her skin. Instead, she gave a non-committed nod.

“I’m not going to leave, so you better get used to me. If I didn’t know any better, I would suspect you’re trying to run me off and it’s not going to work,” she said, her eyes meeting his, her warning sticking to him. He gave her a disappointed glare but she didn’t care. “Now, you can be mad about it but at least this can be our secret, that I’m so terrible. At least, until everyone else sees it too.” she said and looked over to her row of sprouts.

If he cared a tiny bit, he would almost feel bad for her.

He sighed and scratched the back of his neck. She was so out of her element that it wasn’t even funny. He looked back into the coop where the chick bounced around. It would be unfair to the chicks to let Jen loose on their poor lives. He straightened up and motioned over for her, grabbing her attention away from her crops. She followed him into the coop and he picked up the empty box and set it outside.

“So, the first thing you need to keep mind of when running a coop is how long your chicks had been cooped up…” he began and she gave him a wide-eyed look.

“You’re… helping me out? Giving me advice?” she piped up and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Not for long if you keep talking. And it’s not for you, it’s for the chicks,” he corrected and muttered something that he was hoping she hadn’t heard.

“...and for the beer.”

CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5

#sdv #sdv shane #sdv shane fanfic #sdv shane x oc #sdv fanfic #stardew valley #stardew valley fanfic #stardew valley shane

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