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[SDV] "The Nightingale"

Give your thanks to anon!

Summary: You didn't expect leaving the life of an assassin to be easy. But upon arriving to Pelican Town to take care of your late grandfather's farm for a time, the dream became more and more tempting by the passing season, especially when a steadily blossoming romance was another factor.

Warning(s): [AU where the Farmer/Reader is an assassin and not a former Joja employee] Jio is a lil' gentler in this fic (still blunt though),❗️Explicit scenes where the Reader kills members of her organization❗️(Nothing too gorey though), Gentle sex, Fade-To-Black One-sided attraction low-key (The reader likes Jio more than Jio likes the reader), Jio still has sex with them out of curiosity though.

Side Note(s): God I love former assassin tropes. I had to take extra time on this one since I was in the mood for writing a bit of a short storyline, but I hope you like it anon!

P.S: Sorry that this may not be *exactly* how you wanted it anon. I had a narrative in mind and I just ran with it 😔

“The life as a Nightingale is one that is to be lived amongst the shadows. From now on, you live only to serve this organization and to never yearn for a life amongst the sun again.” 

The life of a Nightingale was...lonely.

When you were of age, this was the oath you had taken. It was a harsh one but, this life amongst the dark underbellies of society was the only one you had ever known.

Your parents were assassins, from the day of your birth, all you had known was the shadows and the oath they had taken, never once being allowed to think of walking amongst the common population. You weren’t afforded the opportunity to attend regular school and instead attended night school where every student in the school’s population was in a similar situation to yourself, a life where circumstances were…unusual, to say the least. It was hard to make friends, and when you did, you weren’t allowed to keep them. The chance to go on field trips sounded like something out of a fairytale and when you had finally graduated night school, the opportunity to go to college wasn’t afforded to you. 

Combined with the years of learning how to wield different weapon types, to the point where you could find a way to make a weapon out of a mere stick if you so wished. Not to mention learning different killing strategies such as the usage of poison, the use of allergens or other people around you if need be. 

Becoming a Nightingale was a given, and when you swore to abide by the Nightingale’s oath. It was an all too easy choice to make. Since then, you’ve been a walker of the shadows. You had taken out targets from all walks of life, from the humble poor man to elites whose pockets hung so low that you feared it touched the core of the very Earth. Because of this, you’ve dabbled in every type of illegal activity you could think of, some activities taking you places such as underground cities where the “common” law was flipped upside down to gang-run territories where each step you made could have easily been your last. 

Yet each and every single time, you completed your mission professionally and without too much trouble aside from a few new scars lining your body.

You never dared to dream much less think of life outside the realm of the Nightingales. You couldn't dream of a different scenario! One that wasn't rife with death and blood, shadows and silence. Where, instead of a bright moon looming above your head, there was instead a great yellow ball of fire. So, one night, when your leader had called you into their quarters to discuss your next job, you didn't have a mind to think of this job as too different than the other ones you had undertaken until...the location's name was spoken.

"You'll be taking a target known as 'Mr. Qi' located in Pelican Town."

Pelican Town? You had to repeat the name over in your head at least three times to really let it settle in. The name of the location wasn't something that whispered a more nefarious nature, nor did it strike you as a place that was familiar in the realm of drugs, gang activities, or trafficking. No, instead, it struck you as a place where you'd go fishing or maybe even farm a few plants here and there.

"It's a farming town out east. Nothing dangerous there aside from some monsters. You're to research the whereabouts of your target and kill him, he's an elusive bastard."

You cocked your brow. "And what will be my disguise?"

Your leader chuckled gruffly. "Guess."

Your gaze narrowed, racking over your brain for ideas until your jaw dropped slightly. "A farmer?"

"Inconspicuous, there's plenty of farmers there and a new one coming into town won't be unusual." Your leader sighed before they pushed themselves from their desk and went to their bookshelf, your eyes following the way their hands trailed over their collection of books and notebooks before they landed on a single parchment of paper. When the paper was handed to you, you took it with a single nod of thanks before you opened it. "Your late grandfather was a farmer, apparently, he wished to give some land over to you but your parents were against it."

You had heard conversations here and there when you overheard your parents talk late at night. However, all you understood was that your father didn't want you to go into the life of farming, that it was a waste of your potential and talents as another future addition to the Nightingales. Perhaps he was right, you'd never know but...you wouldn't deny that the idea of going to a farming town unnerved you a little. "I can't farm."

"You won't, you'll simply find the target and slit the bastard's throat. You'll return here and then get your payment per the usual. This is no different from your other jobs." You had a mind to argue but the leader's word was law. If they were to say that you needed to throw yourself from a cliff then you wouldn't have a single choice but to obey. But, this farming town was nothing more than that. A farming town.

No danger nor enemies to look over your shoulder for. No having to nearly throw yourself into the arms of death in an effort to get closer to your target or to simply get within better range of killing your target. The objective was simple, pretend to be a farmer and research the whereabouts of this 'Mr. Qi', once you had his blood on your hands and dagger, you'd collect evidence of his death and return back to your home amongst the shadows.

Nothing would be any more different than how things used to be.

"I'll be back soon," Was your eventual answer, stuffing your late grandfather's letter into your pocket. Your leader responded with a stoic nod before he dismissed you with a wave of your hand. "Report to the bus stop tomorrow night, you'll have someone waiting for you. Don't be late."

. . .

From then on...the rest was a blur, strangely enough.

When you had arrived in Pelican Town, under the sun no less. You had a pair of people waiting for you, an older man and a woman. Robin and Lewis, the mayor of the town. They were...friendly, and strange, but...this town was full of nothing but simple townsfolk and farmers. They commented on how they assumed no one would ever take your late grandfather's old farm and that they had bids from all over from people who wanted to take the place for themselves! The farm itself was a mess, with overgrown shrubs, and trees as far as the eye could see.

Creatures and critters made their homes in different spots on the farm too, for the past few days, you had spent time just trying to chase them all out! You weren't accustomed, much less ready for this life at all. It was like throwing a fish onto land and expecting them to excel without any training or adaptation prior. Yet you managed, when the farm was decent to the eye and you had planted a few crops to further sell the look, you then begun the process of looking for your target.

And, as if the world itself were mocking you, you only ran into more issues.

A wizard watched over the valley, the community building was in shambles and you were seeing jumping apples. People bothered you and talked to you at every turn, seeming not to understand that you had a job to do! These townsfolk were hopeless, you wondered how they managed to get on for so long without being dragged into the mud via monsters or their own incompetency yet.

'A mixture of the local wizard and Adventurer's Guild' You thought.

And the Adventurer's Guild...that was a totally different story.

Before you had even realized it, you had been within the town for months. You arrived in spring and suddenly, it was nearing the end of summer, the slight chill in the air already beginning to whistle along to signal the changing of the seasons. A job had never taken you this long, were you off your game? Or had you become busy with boring farm work all of a sudden? Or...perhaps you should stop distracting yourself with the whims and festivities of the townsfolk, however...they were so friendly. Even when you were so cold to them at the beginning, when you first arrived in town, you'd scowl and tell them that you weren't interested in mild chit-chat. Whenever you'd visit the Saloon in an effort to try and obtain more information on your target, people would try to talk to you and get to know you! In return for their efforts? You'd either ignore them or order them to leave you alone.

Now? You were starting to enjoy their conversations.

The way they'd show up at your doorstep with nothing but friendly intentions and gifts. The friendliness was nearly overwhelming, you had friends, for the first time in your entire life. Life amongst the shadows, surrounded by nothing but death and blood...quickly, you were beginning to prefer life under constant daylight and warmth. And your love for the daylight only grew when you had, one day, decided to wander into the forest that grew just outside Ridgeside Village.

It was peaceful and quiet, nothing but birdsong and the sound of a waterfall in the distance. And— "I know you're there." You said when you had stopped in front of a pond to admire the strange fish that only this village's waters contained. The stranger that decided to hide himself in the shadows of the trees...he was shocked, when he heard the news that the grandchild of the late farmer of that abandoned farmstead was coming to the valley. His lady had told him and the others to keep an eye on the newcomer. Yet rumors from Pelican Town, as well as the way you carried yourself the moment you stepped into the Ridge, said that you weren't simply a newcomer who only sought after trying to restore their relative's farmland.

Thus, the ninja decided to answer. "You saw me?" He asked.

"It was easy enough, I'm used to having to pick things out of the darkness." You answered before you turned around, only for your jaw to drop ever so slightly when the stranger had come into the light. Tall, with light brown hair that only seemed to become even lighter when exposed to the rays of the sun. Although a mask covered the lower half of his face, it wasn't hard for you to tell that he was handsome while the rest of his outfit made it clear that he wasn't a normal civilian of either Ridgeside Village or Pelican Town. And that wasn't all— "Your ears...are you an—"

His brow rose, his hand instinctively reaching to cover his ear despite the fact you had already seen the true nature of them. You were capable of sensing that he was watching you, not to mention being able to see the true nature of his ears? His lady was correct in ordering that you were to be observed. "Who are you?" You decided to ask.

"You may call me Jio, farmer. Who are you?"

You could easily tell that there was more to that question than simply inquiring about your name. Information that you weren't willing to give. "You may call me Y/N, I'm new to my grandfather's farm. I'm just here to restore it, nothing more." His head tilted, you were bad at lying. But, for now, he wouldn't pursue the question. It was good enough for now to understand that, while you may have been here to restore your grandfather's farm...that wasn't the entire story.

"You should turn back then, farmer. Beyond this forest, lies the Ridge. There's nothing but danger that no simple farmer such as yourself should see."

Danger? Though it wasn't shocking, you had seen the slimes and shadow people within the mines, you hadn't expected danger to lurk so closely to this village. "I can handle myself." You answered.

"Don't be a fool." He said harshly. "That is unless you don't value your life." And without another word, he disappeared in a puff of grey smoke. Yet, your interest in the elf lingered.

. . .

Having an...infatuation was an unfamiliar thing to you.

Back at your headquarters, there was no one good-looking enough to make you glance back at them twice much less make themselves linger in your mind for as long as that elf who called himself Jio did. All of a sudden, you found your feet unconsciously taking you back to the forest every other day, hoping to either talk to him or simply catch a glimpse of him as if he were some rare firefly! Your brain was torn apart, you wanted to focus on the farm but also on the friends you were making in Pelican Town, you wanted to see Jio again...to explore this weird feeling that was building up inside of your chest but—

The mission.

The mission.

You won't forget about your purpose.

Never once had you left a mission unfinished but...what if...just this once— "No." You scolded yourself one night as you lied down in your bed, staring up at your ceiling while your new cat, a tiny stray that Marnie had brought to your doorstep one day, slept peacefully on your stomach. "Focus Y/N." You continued before you sat up, gently placing your cat aside as you decided to step out of the house for some fresh night air. Perhaps the light of the moon would help you refocus, help you remember that these people of the daylight weren't of your concern. That Jio wasn't your concern, as well as this feeling in your chest! And as you stepped outside, the moon's light immediately soothing your rushing mind whilst the calls of nighttime critters helped you feel more in your element.

You remembered that you hadn't checked your mail.

Yet another thing you had to become familiar with, having a mailbox...where all your personal things were sent to.

It was an odd little system.

Yet...useful, it seemed. Because when you opened the box to check inside of it, all that was contained was a single black letter. You knew immediately what it meant, and the contents of the letter only read— "At the end of fall, one of our own shall visit you. Report your findings to them." And that was all that was in the message. A nervous sweat dripped down your back, you were no closer to finding out more information about your target than you were when you first came to this valley! You had allowed yourself to get distracted, accidentally focusing more on your disguise rather than the importance of your mission. Tonight, with the moon as your witness, you swore to yourself that your tolerance for distraction ended tonight.

You had to remain focused.

Thus, when the next day came around, you didn't allow yourself to speak to anyone. For the entire day it seemed, you had tracked down every possible lead you could think of whether it was scoping out the Wizard's tower in the wee hours of the morning or sometimes even observing the townsfolk during the night, all in the hopes that you'd spot something, anything that looked out of the ordinary.

But you found nothing, nothing aside from accidentally encountering the local drunk when he was in one of his stupors again, and having to waste time taking him home and lightly telling him off that he needed to stop drinking. And when you had laid him outside of Marnie's door, walking back to your farm to call it another failed investigation for tonight, your mind drifted back to Jio and you wondered if he knew anything. Although he didn't strike you as an assassin like you were, you knew that you both shared something in common. A something that unconsciously motivated you to skip walking up to your front door and instead make the short trip to the Ridgeside mountains, praying to whatever god was listening to you at that moment that the elf was around and willing to talk to you.

"Jio?" You softly called out once you had reached the forest.

Nothing, aside from the hooting of owls and crickets that is.

Your eyes narrowed in determination, remembering how he warned you to not venture beyond the forest and into the Ridge. Blindly walking into danger, especially when one had the courtesy of previously warning you about it, was foolish, that much was told to you constantly as you grew up, and from that, you learned to avoid unnecessary danger unless it counted towards you getting farther into your mission. Walking into a dangerous forest in the hopes of finding more information about this 'Mr. Qi' target...you decided that it had to have counted, and thus you made your way deeper into the woodlands. Slowly but surely, the calls of the night began to grow quieter...and quieter...until there was nothing left at all but the sounds of your shoes moving across the grass.

The scent in the air was strange as well.

Like an oncoming thunderstorm mixed with the familiar smell of iron and a little bit of fire smoke. You prepared yourself for a fight, your hand reaching to rest on the hilt of your weapon that you always kept on your person as you started to make your way out of the thick shrubbery and woodlands and out onto a clearing. You slowly scanned your surroundings for anything strange as your steps became slower and more calculated, wary even as you suddenly began to feel as if you were being watched.

Yet when you stopped briefly next to a tree, a snarl was your only warning before something lunged at you. Experienced, you took out your sword and cut the creature down without nary a single bead of sweat rolling down the side of your face, looking down at the slain beast however...you quickly plunged the end of your blade into its chest before it stopped its twitching and—

A sharp clang of metal meeting metal rung out in the otherwise quiet clearing, your eyes meeting a familiar set of green. "Jio?" You gasped, taking your blade away from his own. "Apologies, I didn't—"

"You shouldn't be here," His voice was even more muffled now thanks to his scarf covering the lower half of his face along with that mask of his. "You've ventured beyond the Ridge, the mountain spirit's protection ends here."

Your brow cocked. "I don't need some fairytale's protection, clearly I can handle myself." You tipped your head at the fallen beast. Jio crossed his arms, in his opinion, besting a mere red serpentine beast was indeed impressive but not enough to prove that one was deserving to explore this area further. But, for you, one that had taken down the beast with ease and experience, perhaps...there was something to be gained here. "Maybe," He responded vaguely. "This area holds secrets, perhaps—"

You stopped where the conversation was heading right in its tracks by holding up a hand. "I'm only here because I wanted to find you."

"Me?"

"Do you know anything of a...Mr. Qi? I need to find him."

He briefly heard his lady mention the name of the man, a strange and elusive man whose skin was blue and seemed to be intertwined with the very fabrics of this reality. But...why did you need to find him? "Why?"

"Does it matter why?" You retorted. "Simply tell me where he is."

Jio cocked a brow. Were you secretly an agent of Gabriella? No, maybe not, his lady wouldn't have trusted you if you were, but—you looked panicked. You hid it well enough, for anyone who wasn't trained to pick up the signs of nervousness, you'd appear calm and perhaps even a little bit winded. But, he could tell there was something more underneath the surface. "Tell me why you need to find this Mr. Qi then," You clenched your jaw. "No."

"Then we have nothing to discuss, you should go home. It's dangerous—"

"W-Wait." You said just as the elf turned around to probably disappear in a puff of gray smoke. "I need to find my target—"

Target.

The ninja hung onto the world tightly, that single word telling him more things about you than you probably intended to. That is, if you were even trying to hide it, to begin with, you were strange that was for sure. You were talented with a weapon as if you had been honing your skills for years and could pick him out from the shadows as easily as one would pick out a cloud on a bright day. The story of you being a former Joja employee...he didn't believe one word of it. "—my organization demands it, I must find him." You continued to insist.

"Then you will continue to have no hope here," He sighed. "Even my organization, we do not know where he is. You should give up for the time, tell your organization—"

Your eyes shot open even wider. "No." You firmly said. "They can't no, I'm not supposed to fail. They—" You words began to get choked up in your throat when Jio turned back to you, the harsh and almost commanding look he pierced into you making you snap your mouth closed and stand a little straighter as if you were suddenly placed back into the arms of the shadows, staring at your organization's leader as they scolded you for being reckless or failing at your mission. And failing as a mission? It was not tolerated.

Even now, you could still feel those lashes upon your skin.

And the memory of having to go through such a thing again, humiliated by the stares of your guildmates and your aging parents, disappointed and ashamed as they believed that they had taught you better than that. To be a perfect and willing member of the organization and nothing less— "Y/N." Jio spoke to you, snapping you from your thoughts before you watched him rub the back of his hand against your cheek. You shakily placed a hand to your face, gasping at the fact that you hadn't realized you'd been crying in front of a stranger.

Jio let out a heavy sigh as he crossed his arms. "...You have a chance to get away from your past."

Why was he saying this?

He should have been encouraging you to stay with your organization.

It seemed to be useful, worth it even. They instilled discipline and good skills into you. He was even tempted to go back to his lady and tell her that your organization may have been beneficial to converse with, however...he saw how much this valley seemed to have rubbed off on you. He saw it in your eyes, that your loyalty was crumbling and that a new one was beginning to forge, one that rested in this valley.

"This chance will only present itself once, take it or leave it." Jio continued. "If you are not ready to leave your organization, steel yourself and prepare to face them with the truth that you have not found your quarry." The harshness of his words made beads of sweat begin to prickle your skin and run down the sides of your face, yet, the elf offered little to no reassurance afterward and simply turned away again to disappear in a puff of smoke, leaving you alone with a monster corpse at your side and a whirlwind of thoughts running throughout your head.

To leave or not to leave?

When you looked around you, thought back to Pelican Town and Ridgeside Village...the first thing that came to your mind was the people. Their warmth and acceptance of you, how they made an effort to welcome you into their fold despite how cold you were to them firsthand. You thought of the festivities and holidays, you thought of your late grandfather's farm, and how you had realized that you loved caring for the farm, the crops, the animals, and every single hardship that came with it! Then finally...your mind wandered back to Jio and the crush you harbored for him. You thought about how you wanted to explore this feeling and find out exactly why the elf made your chest warm the way it did, why every time you met his gaze, your heart skipped a beat and you felt like your breath was stolen right from your lungs.

You wanted to see him more, get to know him.

So...you made your decision.

. . .

One that was easier to make than you had expected, of course. To stay in Stardew Valley and attempt to forge a new life away from the shadows of your organization. Although it was easier said than done, as the day to meeting a representative from your organization loomed closer and closer with each passing day, you tried to soothe yourself by thinking of how much you wanted to stay and how you were willing to do anything to achieve that goal.

Even if it cost you your life.

Life underneath the sun's warmth was far more welcoming than the coldness of the moon. And you let that line marinate in your mind all the way until the day you were supposed to meet a representative finally dawned upon you. You couldn't get an ounce of work done the entire day, and with the Spirit's Eve festival coming tomorrow night, you had found yourself trying to figure out what costume would fit you best rather than worrying yourself sick over what the representative would do in the face of you preferring your life here in the valley than back home!

You were hoping that they'd be understanding.

Surely they hadn't expected you to dedicate your entire life to the guild...were they? After all, how were you supposed to find love? Marry and have children?

How were you supposed to truly get to know the world around you if you were stuck in one place all the time?

It was madness— "Report your findings." The representative asked you in that same cold voice that all the members of your organization had. A black mask covered their features along with the rest of the equally colored outfit, though, you could almost see that your fellow member appeared to be...confused? Here they were in the typical attire of a Nightingale while you? You had kept on the farming clothes that you had worn throughout the day! It would've been funny had this entire situation, one that was taking place in the Ridge of all places, wasn't so nerve-wracking.

"I..." You trailed off for a moment, trying to figure out last minute if you were going to lie or if you were going to be upfront about what you wanted. "...I haven't found anything."

"Nothing?" They spoke with an even more obvious tilt of their head. "What have you been doing these last few months? Your only priority is to assassinate the target and return home, your disguise as a farmer is only something to fool the locals."

You narrowed your eyes. "I know, " you said. But I like it here." The representative was quiet for a long pause, giving you the courage to continue talking. "I want to stay. I've realized that my position in the organization isn't something that I want to be in for the rest of my life. I'm doing well here. I'm happy."

The representative was silent still.

"My grandfather entrusted his farm to me and I deserve to continue caring for it! The target be damned, I've spoken to other sources here and they said that even they haven't found the man!" The more you spoke, the more insane this all seemed. You were participating in a wild goose chase for a man who probably wasn't even real to begin with! All for an organization that probably knew this and maybe even expected you to fail! Was this a test? To see if you'd be tempted by life outside the shadows or simply want an excuse to get rid of an extra member?

You didn't even know if you truly wanted answers.

Just...anything, anything that may have helped you figure out if your organization truly cared about you—the same one that saw you grow up—and didn't secretly want you dead. Thus, you turned to look back at your representative. "Well? Say something!"

"What is there for me to say? Traitor." Your eyes shot to their hand slowly reaching for the dagger that rested obviously on their hip. In turn, you attempted to reach for your own weapon only...in your ignorance, thinking that your organization would be so understanding, you didn't bring your weapon. And the resulting conflict was bloody as you were forced to think of a hare-brained solution and simply charge yourself at your assilant, gripping the representative's hand and trying to wrestle the dagger away from them.

All the while though, you couldn't help but think about how...all you wanted was a new life.

Certainly not...this, this eventual outcome where you stood over the body of your organization's representative with cuts torn into your shirt and your handy bloodied from constantly having to grip onto the weapon's blade until you finally got the upper hand and managed to slit their throat. "Yoba..." Was the only thing you could whisper to yourself as you looked at the corpse, thoughts of the repercussions you'd face rushing through your mind as well as the question as to how you were going to dispose of the body.

What would you do to defend yourself?

How would you defend yourself? Especially against the wrath of your entire organization!? It was— "So you took control of your fate." Without thinking, you directed the dagger in the direction of the voice, only getting a glimpse of the owner until you felt a presence appear behind you before an arm tightly locked around your neck, yet, not too tight to be deadly. "Calm yourself," You blushed at Jio's voice being so close to your ear.

You huffed. "I'm calm, let me go." Without waiting, you pushed yourself free of the elf, grumbling and mumbling to yourself while Jio simply eyed the corpse before looking at your bloodied and cut-up form. It was interesting to him, seeing you be completely free of that "cleanlier" look you typically had when you massacred as a normal farmer around Pelican town. Tonight, he saw a side of you that no other in this valley would be able to see unless they wished to meet their end on the exact same night.

"You're staring," You said. Jio shook his head. "You're injured, let me help."

You scoffed. "I don't need help, I need to figure out how to get rid of this body..." Perhaps you could go beyond the Ridge and dump the body in the woods there? No one would ever go beyond that point and it was a bonus as well as that the monsters would probably eat the body and effectively get rid of the evidence in the process! Yet Jio was having none of it. "Don't be foolish," He said. "I'll get rid of it, go home and I'll help you with your injuries." And...be it from your wounds beginning to hurt thanks to the adrenaline starting to fade from your body, or the fact that you were tired and stressed from what lay over the horizon from this forbidden killing.

You simply nodded your head and turned on your heels to begin walking back to your farm.

. . .

When you arrived home, the first thing you did was strip yourself of your bloodied clothes before tossing them into a hamper for later and washed as much blood you could from your hands and other small wounds across your body as you could. In the process although, you tried not to think too much about how Jio was coming over to your home for the first time...the two of you didn't know each other that well besides the few interactions you both had, all you knew was that he made you feel warm inside your chest and left you wanting more and more each time you saw a single glimpse of him. It was almost similar to an addiction except...you weren't sure if there was a cure exactly for this other strange feeling you had.

The only clue you had was to touch him.

Even placing a hand on his shoulder would have been enough, and yet...how were you going to do that? "Hello?" You suddenly heard followed along with a few knocks.

"Come in!" You called as loud as you could as you walked back into the living room area, just finishing pulling down a brand new shirt before you sat on the couch. In Jio's arms was a small basket filled with medical supplies, herbs, and potions it seemed as well as enough bandages to cover your entire body it looked like! You chuckled at the sight. "You didn't have to bring so much, I've patched myself up with lesser items." You said softly.

Jio set the supplies down on the nearby table before he sat, already gesturing for you to give him your hand. "Maybe so," He answered. "But, it seemed like this battle that ensued between yourself and your fellow from your guild seemed to have been close." You responded with a confident click of your tongue. You had been caught off guard, that was the only saving grace that the representative had and they still lost in the end! You were perfectly molded and trained to be a weapon for the guild and nothing more, to be taken down by someone who wasn't even on equal footing in terms of skills would have been an insult to your memory.

Still, Jio began to patch you up, pouring tonics over your wounds before pressing green herbs to the cuts and bandaging you up. You took the opportunity to let your eyes roam over the elf's form, a little more slowly now that you had the time to just...look. However, your focus was mostly directed to his hands as you took notice of how they appeared to be a little larger than your own, his fingers long and lithe yet scarred and calloused from possible years of wielding a weapon. Then your eyes dragged up to his emerald eyes, focused on your wounds and bandaging you up rather than looking at you the way you were looking at him. But ever vigilant, Jio wasn't unaware of your stares.

"You're staring." He pointed out bluntly.

You blushed. "Sorry," You quickly said. "I'm just looking at you, can I not?"

Jio's hands paused in their work momentarily as he considered his answer. You were an attractive person, that he would admit to himself but to be so openly admired—it was...unusual. Not new nor unheard of, after all, Daia did the same thing to him each time they trained together but he knew that her telling him he was attractive was born from a place of playfulness rather than something genuine. As for you, however? In this moment...it made him feel warm, in a good way. Not a rush of heat born from annoyance.

"...You may," He said, almost shyly as his eyes briefly snapped to your own before looking back down again and continuing to bandage a cut on your hand.

With his permission, you continued to do so with a little more amusement in your eyes. You were in love with the way that the elf suddenly had the faintest tint of pink on his face, how his eyes seemed to struggle between focusing on what he came here to do or looking you in the eyes as well. And there were so many other tiny quirks that made the feeling in your chest continue to blossom. "...Jio." You spoke, breaking the silence. "Do you...like anyone?"

Once more, he paused. "Like anyone?" He parroted.

You nodded your head yet remained silent, anticipating his answer as his eyes narrowed in thought. "There is...one, that I'm mildly curious about." Your brow rose a little, your heart speeding up out of a sudden hopefulness. "She's fierce in combat, observant, and sharp yet surprisingly shy." Your eyes began to narrow in thought, you almost wanted to ask if he was talking about you but...you didn't want to get your hopes up too suddenly. Once you had mustered up enough courage, however, you opened your mouth. "Do you mean...me?"

He nodded his head. "I do."

You let the revelation hang in the air for a few minutes afterward. The reveal that the both of you had feelings for one another wasn't something out of a storybook nor anything decorated with rose petals and sparkles in the background. It was simply the truth of the matter, a truth that made your heart sing and your face warm while Jio simply looked to the side with his heart beating faster than it normally would! In the cult, it was drilled into his head constantly that love was something that had no priority and shouldn't take priority over any missions that the Lady gave to him and his fellows. But, for this moment at least...even if he didn't know you that well and had only managed to catch mere glimpses of you here and there when you came to the Ridge's forests.

Something about you told him that he should pursue this, just this once.

And that idea alone was only solidified when you scooted closer to him, the elf's eyes widening ever so slightly as his throat felt weirdly dry all of a sudden. "May—May I kiss you?"

It was unlike him to be shy. Blunt and cutthroat was a more appropriate term for the ones who knew him yet, as he slowly nodded his head. He felt like a fawn taking its first steps as he watched your head steadily move to tug his mask down before your lips were upon his own and...they were surprisingly soft. Not that he expected them to be anything else, but they felt like clouds and he could feel every single emotion that you put into the kiss. The nervousness, the tension, and the blossoming care that you held for him, and the only thing he could think about at the moment was how he wanted more.

Something that only grew as you slowly pulled back and smiled at him. "Your lips...they're soft." He whispered, strangely breathless although the kiss hadn't lasted long.

You blushed at the compliment. "T-Thank you, your lips...they're soft too."

Once more, the two of you fell into silence as each of you thought of what to do next. While you both buzzed with the feelings of budding romance, Jio spotted how your thighs clenched together as if your very body was begging for you to do something more.

Perhaps it was rude seeing as the two of you barely knew one another, your newfound romance barely even in the beginning stages yet but, the elf was suddenly curious about what other parts of your body were soft. Thus, he placed a warm hand on your thigh before he started to draw circles into your skin with his thumb. "...Can I kiss you again?" You didn't even consider the question for even a second before you nodded your head, Jio leaning in faster then you previously did, all the while his kiss had a lot more force and desire hidden underneath the surface of it. In your organization, although you were familiar with the concept of sex...it was forbidden to do so unless the intention was to create another member for the organization. Another future assassin was supposed to be the end goal always and never for pleasure. So, the steady heat that you began to feel between your thighs...while unfamiliar, it wasn't unpleasant, only serving to make you easily open your legs to the elf the moment his hands began to gently try to pry them apart so he could slide himself between them.

He parted himself from you. "Have you ever done this before?" Jio asked breathlessly before he started to pepper kisses on your face before he started to begin trailing kisses down to your neck.

A soft moan left your lips. "Ah...n-no..." You whispered as you felt your sex begin to throb more and more in tune with Jio's kisses as well as his hands starting to gently slip up your shirt.

"H-Have you?"

He considered the question for but a moment. "Once." And that's all he would answer upon the matter. You gasped when you felt Jio's hands graze across the undersides of your breasts, his hands simply touching and cupping them in his hands for a few moments before his thumbs started to gently move across your nipples. "Jio..." You breathed, his eyes glued to your expressions as he tried to ignore his own throbbing desire that begged to be free from its confines. He wanted to make sure that you were taken care of and comfortable first, his own desires could wait.

"So warm..." Jio whispered as he lifted your shirt, exposing your pebbled nipples to the chilly air of your living room before his mouth latched onto one of them. You moaned at the feeling, a breathless and soft sound that made Jio groan against your chest as he licked at your chest as if he were savoring a delicacy.

And in his eyes, it was.

The more he lapped your chest, let his hands explore your body, and listened to your moans. The more he began to believe that you were something to be savored and cared for until the very end. However, you could hardly stand to bear through the almost painful throbbing of your sex anymore. "Down there..." You begged quietly into his ear. "H-Hurts..." Jio briefly took his lips away from your breast to focus on where you claimed your pain was, a gentle smirk creeping onto his lips as his hands then traveled to the shorts you wore before he began to try and tug them off. You raised your hips to aid him, your blush only increasing as you were left only in your underwear and the obvious damp spot in the center made Jio hum in quiet amusement. "So wet from only kissing both your lips and your breast?" He poked at the damp spot, your thighs instinctively twitching in response to the unfamiliar touch. "How lewd farmer."

You blushed. "D-Don't tease..." You murmured.

He chuckled. "Allow me to play with you a little longer..." He whispered as his own hand started to reach for his pants, the sound of him unzipping his pants making your eyes shoot to his crotch before your eyes widened to the size of saucers at his length. It was long, with just the right amount of girth and leaking with pre-cum as well as twitching as if it had a heartbeat of its own! The very sight made your mouth water and your cunt suddenly ache to have it inside of you, however...as Jio continued to tease your sex and prod at it as if he were testing a new toy. You did your best to be patient in the face of your crush. "Please..." You found yourself whispering.

Jio chuckled at your begging as he hooked a finger around your underwear and started to pull them down. "Please?" He repeated with a mocking lilt to his voice. "You're begging already? We haven't even done anything yet..." He continued, trails of your slick still connecting you to your underwear even after they had been pulled down to the middle of your thighs.

It was a lewd sight, Jio thought. Your cunt clenched around nothing and seemed to leak even more of its slick now! Your clit was hard and throbbing, one swipe of his finger against it and your breath hitched and nearly stopped completely as if you had been shocked.

"Hurry." You murmured.

"Don't you want me to prepare you?" You shook your head, taking a bold step to wrap your arms around Jio to gently pull him closer to you before you rolled your hips closer to him, trying to entice him to finally fuck you rather than tease you for a second longer.

"I'm fine," You assured him. "Just—please." You whispered. Jio hesitated for only a second longer before he pressed his lips to your own, gently pushing you to lay down on the couch before he lined his cock up to your waiting cunt before he plunged himself in. You hissed quietly at Jio's cockhead beginning to enter you, the steady feeling of feeling so full making you tighten your arms ever so slightly before Jio began to pepper kisses along your face.

"Relax," He said. "Otherwise I won't be able to move."

Easier said than done, you thought.

But...as you stared into his eyes. You found yourself relaxing more and more until Jio let out a soft moan when he was finally settled inside your cunt. The last thing he was going to do now, was let you go, especially if it was anything before the arrival of the sun the following day.

. . .

Jio was unaccustomed to waking up to the sound of birdsong. Usually, the sky was still dark when he woke up for his morning training before he'd set off to perform his patrols for the day. However...after last night's events, he awoke feeling strangely more relaxed and rested than usual, and he expected to see you sleeping soundly beside him until—"Hm?" He hummed sleepily, rubbing his eyes and moving strands of hair from his face when he saw that your side of the bed was empty. You did have a farm to tend to, he applauded your dedication but...he wanted to see you, talk to you more.

It was what inspired him to roll out of bed and find some clothes to put on before he walked outside and...nothing.

No clucking of chickens nor the mooing of cows. Although he saw that the sprinklers had come on and that there was evidence of you being out there due to the footprints on the ground. Something was...off.

As he followed the tracks, your footprints led farther and farther away from your farm and closer to the path to Marnie's Ranch. It was then that another set of tracks joined you before...it stopped.

He tried to steady the sudden worry that began to sneak into his being. You were a fierce combatant as well as a former assassin, surely you wouldn't have been—no. Jio shook his head, Yoba had allowed him a newfound chance at peace, it'd be cruel of him to rip that away from him so suddenly, especially when he had given his everything to you last night and wanted nothing more than to do the same today and all the days afterward! He was willing to face any scolding from his Lady and whatever it took forward to make sure that he was ensured that he continued to see you! And that hope was his sole drive as he quickened his pace through the forest, his eyes wide and scanning for any signs of your person, perhaps you were fishing? Collecting wood or even visiting the Wizard for some reason.

Anything was better than...than the worry that was starting to take over him, especially when he started to see spots of blood.

They led further and further into the woodlands until the elf found himself in the depths of Cindersap Forest.

And, at the river's bank...there you were. Lying in a pool of your own blood that began to seep into the river's waters, turning its crystal clear colors into a murky red whilst a single dagger stabbed into your chest with a note in the center of it.

"A true Nightingale never yearns for a life in the sun. Those who do will be returned to the shadows once more, whether in death or in life."

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝙳𝚘𝚞𝚋𝚝 𝙲𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚑𝚎

Farmer: *leaning on their hoe, sighing deeply* Damn, I’m so useless.

Abigail: *bursts through a wall like the Kool-Aid Man* WHO SAID THAT?!

Sebastian: *appears from the shadows* YOU WANNA TRY THAT LINE AGAIN?!

Sam: *backflips off his skateboard* OH HELL NO!

Shane: *launches a beer can across the farm* THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!

Harvey: *running in, stethoscope flying* EXCUSE ME, THAT IS A MEDICAL LIE!

Elliott: *dramatic gasp flipping his hair* HOW DARE YOU INSULT YOURSELF IN SUCH A WAY?!

Haley: *lowers her sunglasses* That’s literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

Leah: *grabbing their hands gently* You are nature’s masterpiece, don’t you ever forget it.

Alex: *flexing aggressively* YOU’RE STRONG AS HELL, DON’T MAKE ME GIVE YOU A PEP TALK!

Penny: *clutching a book* You are worthy of love and respect, Farmer!

Maru: *holding a literal blueprint for an invention called "Farmer Confidence Booster 3000"* I BETTER START BUILDING THIS!

Emily: *already mid-dance to cleanse the negativity* BEGONE, NEGATIVE ENERGY! I CLEANSE THIS FARM WITH THE POWER OF YOBA!

Krobus: *somehow appearing from the sewers* I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HUMAN EMOTIONS BUT I KNOW THAT'S WRONG.

Pierre: *stepping out of his shop* Yes, even I think—!

Caroline: *dragging him back inside* PIERRE, READ THE ROOM.

Wizard: *literally appears in a cloud of smoke* THAT IS A DANGEROUS FALSEHOOD, FARMER.

Linus: *nodding wisely from the mountains* You are part of nature’s balance. Never forget that.

Other Marriage Candidates: *crash through windows, doors, appears through a portal or possibly even from underground* SAY THAT AGAIN, WE DARE YOU!

Farmer: *overwhelmed, hands up* Okay! I take it back! Damn, that worked a little too well…

Gus: *sliding a drink over* Yeah, don’t do that again. We almost lost half the Saloon to a riot.

［Stardew Valley ｜PMV］Smile

【星露谷物语｜全员向手书】 Smile（2025星露谷物语新春会单品）

Music：Smile by Dami Im

Forgot post this. Hpoe you Enjoy!

Summary: Lance and Jio, complete opposites, find themselves bound by marriage into an unexpected family. Over drinks, they share stories of how their wives nearly killed them upon first meeting. What starts as mockery slowly turns into understanding, whether they like it or not, they’re brothers now.

A/N: I don’t know what came over me when I wrote this. Seriously. Lance and Jio in the same room, willingly? That’s basically a sign of the apocalypse. But somehow, these two disasters ended up as family, and now they have to deal with it. I imagine it’s as painful for them as it is entertaining for us. Anyway, enjoy the chaos!

The quiet hum of the evening settled over the valley, the golden hues of the sunset stretching long shadows over the land. The world seemed to breathe in this tranquil moment, the rustling of leaves filling the spaces between silence, the distant calls of nocturnal creatures stirring to life. Jio had always found solace in such stillness. It was in these quiet hours that he thrived, slipping into the unseen corners of the world where no one could reach him. Solitude had been both a shield and a weapon, a constant companion in a life built on shadows.

And yet, solitude was a fleeting luxury these days because a certain combat mage was here.

Jio had never been particularly fond of company, and the arrival of Lance into his life did little to change that. Unfortunately, life had its own plans. Whether he liked it or not, the man was now his brother-in-law. At first, their relationship could be described as awkward at best, tense at worst. It wasn’t that either of them had anything against the other, not exactly. But their lives had shifted in ways neither of them had anticipated.

For Jio, it was the fact that Lance, an outsider to the world he lived in, had been sharp enough to see right through him. That had been unsettling. The moment they first met, Jio had been cloaked in illusion, his elven heritage hidden beneath a spell designed to fool even the most skilled of magic users but it hadn’t fooled Lance. The adventurer had taken one look at him, his eyes shimmering with the unmistakable glint of understanding and smirked.

“You know.” Lance had said, arms folded across his chest, “It’s a good spell. Really well-crafted but I can see right through it.”

The ninja assassin had spent years perfecting his ability to go unnoticed, had barely resisted the urge to scowl. As for the mage, he had taken this as an invitation to start asking questions.

The elf had quickly learned that Lance was persistent, annoyingly so. He was not only intrigued by Jio’s lineage but also by his profession, while the Cult of the Lady with the Red Tail was shrouded in secrecy, whispers of their existence had reached the ears of adventurers, mages and guilds alike. Assassins, criminals, ghosts in the night, call them what you will but few truly understood the reality of their work.

Lance, being the ever-diplomatic combat mage that he was, approached Jio with an odd mixture of curiosity and caution. It wasn’t that he feared him, not exactly. But as a key figure in The First Slash Clan, he knew better than to trust blindly. Their interactions had remained strained for some time, both men studying each other like opposing chess pieces. Jio, introverted and secretive, had no interest in entertaining an inquisitive brother-in-law. Lance, on the other hand, saw the elfman as an enigma, one he was determined to unravel.

Which was exactly why they were here now, sitting across from one another in the dim glow of a quiet evening, caught in an unusual yet oddly comfortable silence.

It had started as an accident. Jio had been sharpening his katana in the courtyard when Lance had strolled in, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses as if he owned the place.

“Mind if I join you?” he’d asked, already sitting down before Jio had the chance to refuse.

Jio sighed. “You already have.”

Lance chuckled, pouring the wine. “Figured it’s about time we had a real conversation, just the two of us.”

The ninja eyed him warily. “Is that so?”

“You’re my brother-in-law. Might as well get to know each other.” Lance leaned back, swirling the wine in his glass. His gaze flickered with something unreadable, amusement layered over a deeper sense of intrigue. “How long were you going to keep pretending to be human?”

Jio exhaled sharply through his nose. So this was where they were starting.

“I don’t know what you mean.” His voice was deliberately flat, dismissive, but he knew it would do little to deter Lance.

The man merely chuckled. “Oh, come on. You really think an illusion spell would fool me? I saw through that the first time we met.” He tilted his head, watching Jio carefully, as if waiting for him to confirm it.

Jio’s grip tightened slightly on the hilt of his katana, the weight of the blade a familiar comfort. Few had ever seen through his illusions so easily, let alone with such casual certainty. It was unsettling.

The mage sensing the tension, lifted a hand in mock surrender. “Relax. I don’t have a problem with elves.” His gaze darkened slightly, his voice losing its usual teasing tone. “Just surprised, is all. Your kind is supposed to be extinct. Imagine my shock when I find out my brother-in-law is walking proof that isn’t the case.”

Jio finally turned to look at him, studying him in silence. He could see the questions forming behind Lance’s eyes, an unspoken list of inquiries waiting to be voiced. He knew this conversation wouldn’t end here.

“I assume you have a dozen questions.”

Lance’s grin was immediate, almost triumphant. “At least a dozen but I doubt you’ll answer half of them.”

“You’re right.”

Rather than deterring him, the answer only seemed to amuse Lance further. He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head as if unsurprised. The conversation lapsed into silence, the wind carrying the distant sounds of the forest. Jio was no stranger to tense silences, the kind thick with unspoken threats, the heavy anticipation of a fight waiting to break out. But this… this wasn’t quite like that. There was curiosity, certainly, but no hostility. And for all his persistence, Lance wasn’t pressing him, wasn’t demanding answers. He was simply there, waiting. Offering conversation as an invitation rather than an order.

Jio could appreciate that.

Lance shifted, glancing at him again. “Alright, let’s start simple.” His voice was light, but there was a knowing edge to it, as if he had already anticipated Jio’s reluctance. “How did you meet Cerise?”

Jio exhaled, reluctant but not entirely unwilling to answer. It was only fair, he supposed. They were bound by their relationships to the farm sisters, whether they liked it or not.

“She wandered into Ridge Forest,” he said at last. “Too close to the barrier.”

Lance hummed thoughtfully. “And?”

Jio’s gaze flickered toward the horizon, memories surfacing unbidden.

The night air in Ridge Forest was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the hush of the wilderness disturbed only by the distant hoot of an owl. Jio moved soundlessly through the undergrowth, his senses sharp as he patrolled the forest’s edge. It was a quiet night, undisturbed by intruders until a flicker of movement caught his eye.

Someone was there.

A lone traveler, cloaked and hooded, moving steadily along the path. At a glance, she seemed unremarkable just another wanderer passing through the forest under the cover of night. Perhaps a lost adventurer, someone who had strayed too far from familiar roads. He had seen many like her before, drawn by the mystique of Ridge Forest without realizing its dangers.

With a quiet sigh, Jio stepped forward, letting his presence be known as he materialized before her in a blur of motion. His voice was calm, controlled. “You shouldn’t be here—!”

The dagger came fast.

Instinct flared, and Jio twisted just in time to avoid the blade as it whistled past his face, embedding itself in the bark of a tree behind him with a sharp thunk. The sheer force of the throw sent vibrations through the wood. A fraction slower and the blade would have found his skull instead.

His eyes widened slightly. Well. That would’ve been unpleasant.

Before he could react, the woman lunged.

Jio barely managed to block the incoming strike, catching her wrist before her fist could connect with his jaw. His grip tightened, and for the first time in a long while, he found himself genuinely surprised. This wasn’t a panicked traveler flailing in fear, this was an experienced fighter, attacking on pure instinct.

“Are you insane?” he snapped.

The woman halted, her posture shifting as she took in the situation. Her gaze flickered to the dagger buried deep in the tree, then back to him. With a quiet sigh, she relaxed her stance, rolling her shoulders back.

“That was a mistake.” Her voice was steady, unapologetic but not dismissive. “Didn’t expect someone to appear out of nowhere.”

Jio studied her for a moment before releasing his grip. “You nearly took my head off.” His tone was even, but there was a dry edge to it.

She huffed softly, rubbing her wrist where he had grabbed her. “If I meant to, I wouldn’t have missed.”

Jio’s expression remained unreadable, but there was a glint of something in his eyes, calculation, perhaps a hint of amusement. Now that he was this close, her hood had slipped slightly, revealing more of her face. His gaze flickered to her eyes, twilight-hued orbs with an amethyst glow, striking even in the dim moonlight. There was no hesitation in them, only sharp focus.

Long strands of beige-blond hair spilled from beneath the hood, brushing against her shoulders. She had the kind of beauty that was easy to overlook at a distance, but up close, it was impossible to ignore, the elegant lines of her face, the confidence in the way she carried herself. Something about her now felt off, as if he had gravely miscalculated her identity.

Recognition flickered in his mind. He had seen this resemblance before, faint but unmistakable.

“You must be the granddaughter.”

The woman blinked. “What?”

“The old farmer.” he clarified. “The one who passed years ago. You’re one of her granddaughters, aren’t you?”

Something unreadable passed across her face before she straightened, the tension in her shoulders still present but tempered.

“I’m Cerise.”

Jio regarded her for a long moment before giving a slight nod. “Jio.”

That night, suspicion had lingered between them like an unspoken challenge. The way she moved, the way she had thrown that dagger, it was clear she wasn’t just some ordinary farmer.

Jio exhaled, his voice barely above a murmur. “She nearly killed me.”

Lance barked out a laugh. “Sounds about right.”

Jio cast him a glare but said nothing. Silence stretched between them for a moment before he glanced at Lance. “And you? How did you meet Rosemary?”

Lance chuckled, setting his glass down. “Oh, our first meeting was… unexpected.”

Jio narrowed his eyes. “Go on.”

Lance leaned forward slightly. “I first met Rosemary at the summit of Mount Kohldur. She had just finished the climb, she looked exhausted but determined.”

The heat of the forge wrapped around Lance like an old friend, the rhythmic clang of metal against metal filling the cavernous chamber. Mount Kohldur’s peak was not for the weak, its treacherous ascent tested even the most hardened adventurers. And inside the volcano, the dangers only multiplied. Monsters lurked in the shadows, the air was thick with the scent of molten rock, and the forge itself pulsed with ancient power. But for those who made it this far, the rewards were unmatched.

Lance had spent the day deep in his craft, the magical flames casting golden light across his work. His hands moved with practiced ease, binding enchantments and forging weapons for his guildmates in The First Slash. The familiar surge of magic hummed through his fingertips as he combined an Iridium Band with a Slime Charmer Ring, the glow of the spell reflecting in his obsidian purple eyes.

He was just about to move on to his next project when the heavy gates of the forge groaned open. The sound reverberated through the chamber, followed by steady, measured footsteps.

Lance frowned. Few ever reached this place, and even fewer had the strength to push open those doors alone. He turned, expecting to see one of his guildmates or a battle-worn adventurer seeking the forge’s power.

Instead, what he saw made him pause.

A woman stood at the entrance, her silhouette framed by the golden glow of the magma pools beyond. Her breath was heavy from the climb, her rose-red hair windswept and untamed. Her clothes now dusted with soot and ash, and the edges of her short cloak were singed, faint wisps of smoke curling from the scorched threads. Her hand hovered near the weapon at her hip, her stance tense like she expected a fight at any moment.

But it wasn’t the battle-worn look that caught his attention. It was her eyes, a striking shade of ocean jade, sharp and wary, scanning the room for threats. And then, just as his gaze flickered over the soft dusting of freckles across her cheeks—

She threw a bomb at him.

Lance barely had time to react. Instinct took over as he flicked his wrist, summoning a protective barrier of shimmering blue light. The bomb struck the shield mid-air, detonating with a fiery burst. Sparks and embers scattered across the chamber, rattling the anvil behind him.

Smoke curled through the air. Silence followed. Then, from beyond the haze, a horrified voice.

“Oh my Yoba—”

Lance blinked as the woman stumbled forward, her wide eyes filled with mortification.

“I—I am so sorry!” she blurted out, hands shooting up in a panicked gesture. “I thought you were a monster! I didn’t—” She groaned, cutting herself off, visibly cringing as she realized what she had just done.

Lance exhaled, then let out a full, genuine laugh that echoed against the stone walls.

The woman froze, clearly thrown off by his reaction.

Grinning, Lance dusted soot from his cloak. “I’ve had a lot of things thrown at me in my lifetime,” he mused, his voice laced with amusement. “But I have to say, this is the first time someone’s greeted me with explosives.”

She let out a strangled groan, pressing her hands to her face. “I swear, I’m not usually this trigger-happy.”

Lance smirked, folding his arms. “No?” He arched a brow. “So, you don’t always attack strangers on sight?”

Dragging a hand down her face, she muttered, “I just—didn’t expect anyone else to be up here. I panicked, okay?”

Lance chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, I suppose I should be honored to have made such an impression.”

She mumbled something under her breath, then straightened, clearing her throat. “Right. Uh. I’m Rosemary.”

Lance’s lips quirked into a knowing smirk. “I know.” At her startled look, he inclined his head. “Marlon spoke quite highly of you, said you were quite proficient with a weapon.” His gaze flickered to the spot where the bomb had nearly incinerated him, amusement dancing in his obsidian-purple eyes. “I see now that he wasn’t exaggerating.”

Rosemary groaned, muttering something about terrible first impressions under her breath.

Lance let out a light chuckle before offering a more formal introduction. “I’m Lance, from The First Slash Clan. We’re a guild of adventurers protecting the Fern Islands.” He studied her for a moment, curiosity flickering in his expression. “Though I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting to meet you under such… explosive circumstances.”

For a moment, they stood there, the tension easing as the embers from the explosion slowly faded into the ever-burning flames of the forge.

Jio, who had been listening with his usual unreadable patience, exhaled slowly and took a deliberate sip of his wine. His forest green eyes studied Lance with a look so measured it bordered on contemplative.

“So...” he finally said, swirling the wine in his glass, “She did try to kill you.”

Lance chuckles, tilting his head slightly. “You sound almost relieved.”

Jio huffed, setting his glass down with a quiet clink. “It just confirms my expectations.” He exhaled again, this time with something dangerously close to amusement curling at the edges of his voice. “Shame. She should’ve aimed better.”

The mage only let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “You wound me, truly.”

Jio took another sip of wine, watching him over the rim of his glass. “Did you look like a monster?”

Lance placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “I’d like to think I looked fairly respectable that day.”

Jio didn’t bother hiding the way his lips twitched, but he said nothing.

Lance leaned back against the wooden pillar, stretching out his legs. “Lucky for me, I immediately conjure a barrier. Introduced myself after she throw that bomb.” His smirk softened as his mind drifted back. “She was flustered, obviously. But we ended up sharing a meal. Talking. Laughing.”

Jio shook his head, muttering, “Your wife nearly blew you up.”

Lance arched a brow. “Yours nearly stabbed you through the skull.”

“Fair...”

A pause. Then for the first time all night, the silence between them wasn’t awkward. It was something else, something easier. Lance tilted his head back, gazing at the night sky. The stars stretched above them, shimmering like diamonds scattered across an endless sea of black. He exhaled slowly, then spoke again, this time without the usual teasing tone. Just honesty.

“You know… I may be nosy, but it’s not just about curiosity.” He turned his head, meeting Jio’s gaze with quiet certainty. “Cerise is important to you. Rosemary is important to me. So, like it or not… we’re family now.”

Jio studied him for a long moment, expression unreadable. Then, finally, he inclined his head slightly. “I know...”

Lance smirked, the easy confidence returning to his voice. “And since we’re family, I reserve the right to continue annoying you for the foreseeable future.”

Jio sighed, finishing the rest of his wine. “I should’ve let Cerise’s dagger hit me.”

Lance barked out a laugh, the sound rich with amusement. “Too late for regrets now, brother.”

Jio didn’t respond, but there, right at the corner of his mouth was the ghost of a amusement before he turned away and just like that, something shifted between them.

No longer just two men forced together by circumstance, but family. And despite all the chaos that came with it, perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

As the night stretched on and the distant hum of the valley settled around them, they sat in companionable silence, bound by an unspoken understanding.

Both of them had married dangerous women and neither would have it any other way.

Summary: Cerise jumps to the worst conclusion, unleashes fury, then realizes her mistake while Jio quietly revels in the chaos.

The farmhouse stood quiet in the late afternoon glow, bathed in soft amber light. A faint breeze stirred the curtains, carrying with it the distant hum of the forest. The stillness was only broken by the slow creak of the front door as Lance pushed it open, supporting Rosemary with one arm.

“Easy...” he murmured, glancing down at her. His obsidian purple eyes softened with concern.

“Tch. I’m fine.” Rosemary grumbled, though her pale features said otherwise. One hand pressed against her side, a dark stain seeping through her shirt. Her rose-red hair, usually vibrant, clung to her cheek with sweat.

“You took a hit from Apophis. You’re not fine.” Lance’s tone left no room for argument. He tightened his hold when she stumbled. “Come on, your room’s closer. You’ll be more comfortable there.”

Rosemary scowled but didn’t protest. The journey back from the Crimson Badlands had been rough. The encounter with Apophis had left her winded, the creature’s strike tearing through her defenses and leaving a gash along her hip. If Lance hadn’t been there... she shook the thought away.

As they entered the farmhouse, Rosemary glanced around. The place was quiet. Too quiet.

“Huh. Cerise isn’t here?” she muttered, wincing as she lowered herself onto the bed in her room.

“She must’ve gone out.” Lance said, fetching a roll of bandages and a bowl of water from the washstand. “We’ll get you patched up before she’s back.”

Rosemary lay back with a groan. “Just hurry up. I want to sleep after this.”

Lance knelt beside her, his hands deft but gentle. “Try not to move. This might sting.”

Meanwhile, outside the farmhouse...

The front door clicked open. Cerise stepped inside, brushing a strand of beige blond hair from her face. Her twilight-hued eyes swept the room, noting the faint scuffs on the floor, a sign of recent arrival.

“Rosie?” she called out.

A faint voice answered from down the hall.

“Hey, Sis! I’m here! Lance’s with me!”

Cerise raised a brow, slipping off her bonnet. So they’re back. A faint smile tugged at her lips. “Lance, you staying for dinner?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, then I accept. Thank you, Cerise.” came Lance's muffled reply.

Before Cerise could respond, the door behind her creaked. She turned and her expression softened immediately.

“Jio.”

The brooding figure stepped in, his dark attire blending with the farmhouse shadows. His green eyes held their usual quiet intensity, but his expression softened when he saw her. Without a word, he closed the distance, wrapping his arms around her waist with practiced ease.

“I missed you.” he murmured, voice low and warm.

Cerise chuckled, resting a hand on his chest. “You've literally seen me four hours ago.”

“Four hours is too long.”

A rare smile played at Cerise’s lips. “You're impossible.”

“I know.”

Their quiet moment lingered until Jio glanced toward the kitchen. “Need help with dinner?”

Cerise’s expression brightened. “I’d love that.”

An Hour Later...

The scent of a warm meal filled the farmhouse. The table was set. Cerise wiped her hands on a cloth, glancing at Jio, who was placing the last dish.

“I’ll get them.” she said, moving toward Rosemary’s room.

With her usual composed demeanor, she knocked on the door, voice calm but firm.

“Rosie. Lance. Dinner’s ready. If you don’t come out now, it’s going to get cold.”

Inside, Lance’s focused voice responded, “Hold still. I know what I’m doing.”

Rosemary’s sharp retort followed, “Easy for you to say! Just hurry up and finish already!”

Cerise paused. What?

Her brows furrowed as she leaned in.

“Ah—OW! Lance, gentle!”

“You could have told me it hurt there. I’m not a mind reader.”

Cerise’s eyes narrowed, suspicion prickling at the edges of her calm.

...The hell?

“I’ll do it myself!”, Rosemary snapped.

“Absolutely not." Lance said firmly. “You’ll mess it up. Lie down.”

Cerise froze. Her expression darkened.

Lie down?

“I still want to breathe when you’re done!” Rosemary growled.

“Relax. I’ve done this plenty of times. Trust me.” Lance’s teasing tone followed.

Cerise’s entire body stiffened.

“…What the actual—”

“Move your legs to the side. It’s hard to reach from this angle.” Lance murmured.

“Ugh… Fine. Just get in between—”

BAM!

The door SLAMMED open.

Cerise stood there, deadly aura radiating from her, twilight eyes sharp as blades.

“WHAT. THE. HELL. ARE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER, YOU—”

The room fell silent.

Lance blinked, still holding a roll of bandages. Rosemary sat on the bed, skirt slightly lifted to reveal the fresh bandage along her injured hip.

“…Cerise?”, Lance said slowly.

Rosemary tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. “Sis? Uh… you good?”

Cerise’s expression shifted from cold fury to blank realization. A faint blush touched her cheeks.

“…Oh.”

Without another word, she shut the door with a swift snap.

“Never mind. Dinner’s ready. Be out in five.”

Back in the Kitchen...

Jio glanced up from the plates, eyes narrowing slightly. “Everything alright?”

Cerise, face a mask of calm composure, poured herself tea. “Nope.”

Jio studied her for a moment. The corners of his mouth twitched. “You thought they were...?”

“Don’t.” Cerise’s voice remained flat, but the faintest flush on her cheeks betrayed her.

Jio let out a low chuckle. “You’re more overprotective than I thought.”

“Shut up.”

Meanwhile, in Rosemary’s Room...

Rosemary stared at the closed door. “What the hell was that about?”

Lance secured the final knot in the bandage, glancing at her with a teasing smile.

“Maybe she thought you were dying in here with all that noise.”

Rosemary groaned, flopping back onto the bed. “More like she thought you were killing me.”

Lance chuckled, brushing the strands from her face. “Her overprotectiveness is admirable. But I’ll have to work harder to prove I can handle you properly.”

Rosemary glared at him, cheeks flushing.

“Tch. Shut up.”

Later That Evening...

The air in the farmhouse kitchen had settled into a calm warmth as dinner finally commenced. The aroma of Cerise’s cooking filled the room, and soft clinks of cutlery echoed against the wooden walls. Rosemary sat at the table, pale but composed, her side wrapped in fresh bandages. Lance sat beside her, his movements calm and measured, occasionally glancing at her with quiet concern.

Cerise sat opposite them, maintaining her usual composed expression, though her eyes flicked to Lance every now and then—narrow, warning. Lance, for his part, met those looks with a steady gaze, though the tension in his shoulders suggested he felt the weight behind them.

Jio sat next to Cerise, his posture relaxed, arms folded across his chest as he watched the others eat. Every so often, he would glance at Cerise, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The memory of what he’d overheard from the hallway still lingered.

Cerise, however, kept her face stoic. She reached for her cup of tea, raising it with practiced calm.

But then, Jio leaned closer, lowering his voice so only Cerise could hear, his smirk deepening.

“Quite the scene you made earlier.”

Cerise froze, the cup halting just before her lips. Slowly, she turned her head, her twilight-hued eyes narrowing with a sharp glint.

Jio’s shoulders trembled slightly—slightly—as if he were struggling to contain his amusement.

And that was all it took.

Jio stiffened, the smirk faltering as sharp pain flared in his thigh. Cerise’s hand, deceptively delicate in appearance, had clamped down with surprising strength beneath the table. Her nails pressed just enough to make her point without drawing attention.

Jio inhaled sharply through his nose, glancing down before giving Cerise a sideways look. But she only sipped her tea with perfect composure, not even glancing in his direction.

Lance and Rosemary continued eating in silence, pretending not to notice the exchange.

Jio exhaled a slow breath, a begrudging chuckle escaping. “Noted.”

The moment passed, leaving the room quiet again—at least for a while.

Then Cerise lowered her cup, eyes sharpening as she turned her gaze toward Rosemary.

“Now then.” she began, her tone calm but carrying an unmistakable edge. “Mind explaining to me why you’re injured, Rose?”

Rosemary, who had been focused on her food, stiffened.

“Uh...", She glanced at Lance briefly, hoping for some backup, but when she noticed the pointed stare Cerise was giving her, a bead of sweat rolled down her temple.

“Well, you see—”

“Rosemary.” Cerise’s voice dropped a note lower.

Rosemary groaned, slumping forward slightly but straightening up when she realized Cerise’s glare was only intensifying.

“Okay, okay! We had a little run-in with Apophis. It wasn’t a big deal—”

“Not a big deal?” Cerise repeated slowly, her eyes narrowing further.

Rosemary laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. “I mean... it could’ve been worse?”

Cerise didn’t respond immediately. Instead, her sharp gaze shifted to Lance.

Lance, who had been quietly eating, paused mid-bite. He lowered his fork with deliberate care, meeting Cerise’s gaze head-on.

The room grew still.

Cerise’s look wasn’t just one of inquiry—it was a silent reminder, one that said: You were there. You let this happen. Explain.

Lance held her gaze for a moment longer before exhaling softly.

“The beast caught us by surprise. Rosemary fought well, but the wound wasn’t something we could avoid. I took care of it.”

Cerise’s eyes narrowed further, studying his expression for any sign of hesitation. Lance didn’t flinch.

After a long pause, Cerise leaned back in her chair.

“Hmph. I see.”

But the intensity of her gaze didn’t waver.

Rosemary, still pale, glanced between the two of them, feeling the tension rising again.

“Uh—C’mon, Sis. It’s not like Lance wanted me to get hurt.”

Cerise gave a slow blink, gaze lingering on Lance for a few seconds longer before finally shifting back to Rosemary.

“...Fine. But next time, be more careful.”

Rosemary sighed in relief. “Yeah, yeah. Got it.”

Jio, watching the whole exchange with mild amusement, glanced sideways at Cerise. The faintest trace of a smile lingered on his lips.

Cerise caught the look and, without missing a beat, gave him a subtle side-eye warning.

Jio chuckled under his breath.

The conversation shifted back to lighter topics, but an unspoken tension lingered. Cerise’s sharp gaze had delivered its message clearly—she would always be watching.

Lance returned to his meal in silence, his hand brushing lightly against Rosemary’s, a silent promise that next time, he would be ready.

« i like holding your hand. »

I FUCKING LOVE THIS LINE AND WILL LOVE IT TIL I D WORD!!!

alt: a line i haven’t share yet:

« i heard two voices, one: apathetic and drowsy as though they’d just been dragged from bed, the other: enthusiastic and energized like they’d been waiting for this moment their whole life. »

Stardew Fic Writers and Readers Journal

Hi all, this is the (roughly) weekly or so check-in Journal for those of us participating in the Stardew Fic Pals low-stakes writing and/or reading challenge.

Writers: Share a line you've written in the past week!

Readers: Share a link to a fic you liked or talk about a fic you commented on in the past week!

As always, this challenge is for fun and if you didn't get to it during the past week, feel free to give it another go the next week!

everyone adores you (at least i do)

pairing: sam x reader

wc: 1.1k

tags: CHEEEEESY cheesy cheesy puppy love, mutual pining, sam is PATHETICALLY down bad, pre-relationship, abigail and sebastian mentioned, friends to lovers

synopsis: if it were up to sam, he'd spend every second of everyday at your side.

a/n: in all of my other sam fics, its reader embarrassingly in love with him...he gets a taste of his own medicine here lol!

With vanilla ice cream melting and dripping down your fingertips, coarse sand underneath you and the salty ocean waves lapping at your feet; you are a child again, sitting with your grandpa at the docks, watching as he reeled in a ‘big one’. Filling his bucket with loads and loads of fish.

Those days are far gone now, but the memory remains, as clear as the day you remember it. The feeling is nostalgic, sleepy in the way your senses are dulled by syrupy thick contentment. Beaches at sunset have that effect on you, you suppose. 

“This is fun,” Sam says, tone lacking its boisterous loudness, you almost don’t hear it over the sound of crashing waves. “I had a lot of fun today, farmer.”

Your eyes flicker to him, his green gaze dead-set on the peachy golden sky, the taste of sea salt mingling with sweet ice cream heavy in your tongue. The sea breeze is cold, whipping against your face and running through your hair.

“I did too,” you agree. “Y’know, I don’t get a lot of off time with the farm and stuff. This is a nice change of pace.”

He smiles, that sunshine smile you’ve come to associate with Sam. “I caught you at just the right time then, huh?” 

You shrug, your own smile mirroring his. “Auspicious.” He did.

The sun is setting, the day is coming to a close yet Sam wishes it wouldn’t, silently pleading with any higher being to somehow stretch time. He is barely a religious person, but the weight of his want is enough to transcend his own beliefs. Every second with you barely feels like enough; like sand slipping through his fingers.

One thing’s for certain, Sam isn’t going to just let it end here.

“We should hang out like this again,” Sam says, a little hurriedly, captured all in one breath. Shy and tentative, like a bashful child with a school crush. “Uh, I mean, do you? Wanna? Hang out with me?”

You can barely suppress a delighted chuckle from slipping past your lips, your chest warming with fond affection. “I’d be more than happy to. Yoba knows I need a break or two or I’ll actually explode,” you huff while Sam hums in agreement. “We can even invite Abigail and Sebastian… so can demo that new song for me, I see you all working very hard when I visit sometimes.”

He should be happy to hear that; that you’d be more than happy to spend your precious off time with him out of all people. You and him, him and you, Sam and the farmer. Your name connected to his with ‘and’, it makes him giddy, causes his cheeks pinken and pinken. 

Just the two of you, though. Sure, he loves his friends, Abby and Seb have been with him since day one. But it feels out of place—

(Sam, Sebastian, Abigail and the farmer doesn’t have that ring to it…)

“Yeah, I—I dunno, it’s just…”

The unfiltered truth is stupid, at least to him. Vincent is far too young for some of the things Sam longs to say. There’s a reason Abby and Seb hang out under his nose, he won’t blame them, they have their own secrets he isn’t privy to—too serious, too dull for him.

(And now with you, he thinks you might just be the one he can share his own secrets with. Because even he has his own serious, dull thoughts. Thoughts that he doesn’t want brushed away with a snarky remark or a sarcastic laugh.)

“I kinda like that it’s just the two of us?” 

His voice sounds unsteady, squeaky. Trailing off at the end, lost in the sound of water crashing at your feet. Phrasing his statement into a question that you could deny, that you could easily brush off—because if you did, he would too. 

(It would be a bummer if you did though, but Sam is cool with that, chill with any decision you make. Really, he totally is.)

You grin, bumping your shoulder against his, your ice cream is dripping down, down, down your knuckles. Once your skin meets his, you don’t pull away, you press closer and closer to his side. Leaning your head against his sunburnt shoulder—but he barely registers the sting—and your arm against his own. It’s a pleasant weight, having you against him—grounding and tethering him to you.

“I do too. Like it, I mean. I think I get to see so many other sides to you, Sam. Without the others and all that.”

Sam feels his breath hitch, his cheeks flush even pinker even with the sunburns. “Woah, phew, I mean—awesome… When, when do you think we can meet next?”

You tilt your head, running calculations through your mind. You’re very busy on that farm, he knows; but Sam can’t help but keep his hopes up, you’re fun company. Maybe the best he’s had yet.

“I know I won’t have enough time until my melons are ready for harvesting—and don’t you dare try making a joke about that,” you smile, wide and cheeky. Right as Sam readies an innuendo at the tip of his tongue; it makes his blood pump faster and his breathing stutters at the thought of you knowing him so well. 

“So how about this?” you propose slowly. “We spend one day every month doing all the stuff we wanna do, together. just you and me—fun right? I’ll even sleep a little earlier the night before.”

Sam bites into his ice cream—chocolate and your treat, at your insistence—though he isn’t quite sure if the immediate smile on his lips is due to its sweetness, or yours.

He leans closer into you, resting his head on top of yours, strands of your hair tickling his lips. Lowering his voice into a whisper so only you can hear.

(The secret is that you make Sam want. Want, want, want like he’ll never get sick of it. He hoards these stolen moments with you so greedily yet wants more.)

“…two days, two days each month.”

He feels your body shake with the strength of your laughter, warmth swirls all throughout his body, tingling wherever your body brushes against his own. Sam finds that he likes the feeling, the buzz of it—it’s addicting.

“Yeah, alright then,” you reply, mirth dripping from each and every word. “two days. We have a deal. Better?”

“Yeah,” he turns back to face the water, the ocean spray misting his face. “Yeah, a lot better. That does sound fun.”

Anything sounds fun when it involves you.

homecoming | sam x reader

word count: 3.2k

tags: hurt/comfort , family struggles , reader and sam are married , set somewhere in year 2 (kent is back) , oneshot , intimacy

synopsis: Sleep evades you on nights like these, without Sam by your side.

a/n: i love sam but the allure of angst is too hard to resist!!! sorry babe i still love you 😔

Sleep evades you on nights like these, without Sam by your side.

Your feet are bare as you linger at the entrance of your room. The dimmed light of the living room washes away the darkness of the hour. It's late, the air is cool and damp smelling of night dew—you take a deep inhale. It feels thick as you breathe it in, like smoke is clouding around the room, restricting your breaths.

Sleepless nights were not unusual in your household. Before you married Sam, you hardly slept—the satisfying ache of collapsing into your sheets after a day at the mines was an addiction you couldn’t get enough of. 

Now, you earn enough to afford coming home before sunset. No longer having to worry about how you’d afford the next day. And if you are being completely honest, evenings spent with Sam are far more addicting than the sting of a day’s work. 

The ache is still there. It comes with the profession. Though not anymore the dull humming ache in the muscles and joints of your arms and legs, but a bone deep ache settled deeply curling around your chest. 

Somehow, it stings even more.

It is as if it drags over your heart, catching on every ridge and edge of your bones. Daring to fill your lungs with ichor—hardening like stone around your ribs. No amount of stardrop you swallow can ever relieve the stinging soreness. 

The cushions of the old second-hand couch groan and squeak as you twist and turn atop of them. Perhaps as restless as you are. The light flickers—on, off, on. 

It doesn’t scare you, but it makes you uneasy. You’re long over the notion the farmhouse was haunted, but nights like these make that conviction waver. The nape of your neck prickles—like a person is staring from behind. Sam isn’t here to tease you about ghosts nor curl his arms around you in mock protection. 

He hasn’t been here in hours, hasn’t been present in so long. It feels wrong. It feels like an omen. Your fingers find the back of your neck, brushing over the vulnerable skin. 

You hold a tassel cushion tightly to your chest. Your knuckles whitening with the strength of your grip on it. The strength of your heartbeat is so loud you’re convinced it would be heard without the pillow to muffle the sound. 

Little Vincent is sound asleep, snoring softly away in his dreamland. He looks like the epitome of innocence under the quilted blankets of your bed. It's soft, worn and covered in stitched cartoon-y lions and tigers. A temporary parting gift bundled up in his dinosaur backpack from jodi. Before he came to live with you and his older brother. 

The separation was painful. there were tears—for both him and for his mother. 

(Sam stood next to you then, gripping at your hand so hard you felt it prickling with numbness. You didn’t dare look up to see the tears you know are there, the crystalline tears dripping down his lash line. 

It would’ve made the teardrops in yours fall over too. You’d stay strong for the both of you.)

The entrance door to the farmhouse creaks open and you immediately know it’s him. Relief floods your whole body—to your fingertips to your toes. He's safe, and home at last. You stand up and hurry to him, throwing the pillow to the ground, before the door creaks shut.

The air goes still, calm before the storm. The anticipation before potential terrible news.

(You expect there will be. You can tell by the way Sam slumps, like the weight is physically bearing down on his shoulders.)

Sam is still at the doorway, slumping over you when you wrap your arms around him. He smells of sweat and the cloying scent of rubbing alcohol—something must’ve happened, you think. It smells like the clinic.

The paper bag in his hand loses from his grip, it falls unceremoniously to the ground with a dull thump. You pay it no heed, mentally accounting to pick it up later. Though you note that it lands right over your ‘home sweet home’ doormat. Fitting.  

“Sammy.” you greet him with a chaste peck on the cheek. He barely has the energy to hug back, more so stay steadily upright on his feet. you both sway slightly, suspended in the tranquility of the moment.

You try again, slowing the movement of your lips. “Welcome home, my love. you there?”

His lips move against the skin of your neck, a whisper of a greeting. It is enough for you.

Sam retracts his face from your jaw. There are blue-purple eye bags under his eyes, like bruises. The trademark twinkle in his brilliant green irises have dulled to nothingness. He looks so unlike himself like this, older than his years and so unbearably tired.

And you wish, with all your heart, to take his aches away. To wash them away like ink in water. 

You pull him into the living room with you, the skin of his wrist enclosed in the firm guiding grip of your fingers. He's fragile like this, this sunshine of a man reduced to a shell of his usual demeanor. 

He trails slowly behind you, silent. You say nothing, either; choosing to focus on the rhythmic sounds of your footsteps padding against the floor. In the living room, you dim the lights to a mere whisper of light. 

These days, when he comes home, you’ve built some sort of routine.

You drag him down to you, spread lying down on the length of the couch. Your thighs frame his hips as he melts into the warmth of body. He lays on top of you, his cheekbone against your chest. You watch as his eyes flutter shut, as he presses his ear to the epicenter of your chest—the sound of your heartbeat quieting the swirl of thoughts in his mind. 

You gently remove the woolen beanie nestled on his head—revealing the stringy oily mess of hair under. A sign of how little care he has been sparing himself after his father’s homecoming. You feel your lips downturn into a frown. He hasn’t even been using that hair gel you like to tease and groan about. 

(You lied when you’d say you hated it. You don’t, never did. 

You miss it. You miss the things that make him, him.)

You don’t hesitate in running your hands through the softness of his hair. Your fingers scratch gently on his scalp, eliciting a soft sigh from your weary husband. Eyes watch raptly as his shoulders unwind and ripple. The tension in them melts away with the deft caress of your hands.

Your heart squeezes painfully in your chest. Like a knife twisting. You love him, you love him.

Moments pass, the silence is almost comfortable when you ask, speaking it to the silence of the room. There’s a wavering lilt in your voice reassuring him. You aren’t going to push him for an answer. He doesn’t need to respond. Him being safe, home and warm in your arms is all you ever want. All you’ll ever need.

“How are they?” 

(The first night, you and Sam stayed the night in his family home. squeezed in his twin bed with Vincent curled up by his ribs. The little boy couldn’t bear sleeping alone that night, not with the anxiety of his father being back making him pace a mile a minute.

The air in the household had shifted that day.

In the dead of the night, the fire alarm went off—a blaring loud beeping sound from the kitchen. Totally harmless, a malfunction. A disturbance to sleep more than anything.

Except it was not.

You still remember the blood-curdling scream that came from Jodi and Kent's room. The panicked sobs of Jodi as she tried to calm her terror stricken husband. 

You remember the way Vincent clung onto you, like a koala to a tree. You cupped your hands tightly over his ears—he didn’t need to suffer the consequence of it.

Sam removed the fire alarm and Vincent from the house the next morning.)

His voice is hushed when he speaks. A pin could drop and be more clearly heard. “Mom's… getting better.” 

Not getting worse than she already is.

You plant a kiss on the crown of his head, lips soft and adoring on his skin. You ache to take his burden, to take his share of suffering. 

It hurts sometimes, to be right beside him but feel so faraway. Yet like this, feeling every curve and edge of his body—you can convince yourself that it doesn’t.  

“Is Vince asleep?”

“Yes,” you reply, tucking a blond curl behind his ear. His head unconsciously tilts to the room where his younger brother rests. Ever so protective of him even like this. 

Continuing you say, “He was looking for you,” you thread your fingers through the short blond strands at his neck. Sam untenses slightly in your arms, his arms going limp at your sides. “He's been fidgety lately. Restless.”

“He usually is.” his feeble attempt at a joke. Though the rasp in his voice only makes it sound resigned. You purse your lips, eyes tracking back to the cedar wood of your bedroom door on the other side of the room—and the sleeping child behind it.

You stroke Sam's hair, thinking. “More so than usual.”

(You know why. He knows too. Kent wasn’t the same when he returned from the war. He was vulnerable, not the fragile type but vulnerable in the way a ignited bomb threatened an explosion.

Vincent wasn’t either—grown much more from that thumb suckling toddler when he left.

“My dad is coming home soon,” Sam confides in you on that day on that day on the beach. Him standing a few feet away from the shore line, and you; next to him.

“This isn’t how I wanted him to grow up,” his voice cracks with vulnerability. “I—I want him to have a better childhood than I did.”

“He will, Sam. He will.” I know you’ll make sure of it.

His eyes are red-rimmed and raw when he looks at you. All you wanted was to wipe that anguished expression off his face.)

He is silent. All is silent. Tranquility is like a honey thick syrup poured over your chest, smeared all over the expanse of your body. The soft sounds of your synchronized breathing is the only sound you can bear to hear. It makes your eyes droop, the lethargic feeling dulling your senses.

Your hand reaches for his, intertwining your palm with his long-fingered one. You relish in the familiar feeling of his calloused fingertips, earned from afternoons spent with his guitar. His skin is warm, warmer than yours. You give his hand a tentative squeeze, he squeezes back.

“Mom told me to say hi to you both for her,” he tells you, his breathing slow and deep. “She misses him, and you. She’s coming to visit as soon as she can.”

“Vince misses her too,” you sigh, craning your head forward to peek at the top of his head. “It's affecting him, I can tell. Penny's getting worried. She tells me he hasn’t been himself at school.”

All that Sam can manage is a deep intake of breath, then a softer resigned exhale. There isn’t much nor enough for him to say. Your free hand goes to smooth down his back. The muscles there are tough—bunched up and tense.

He shifts between your thighs, baring down heavier on your pelvis. Even as tired as he is, Sam is restless. Always has been, whether it be on his skateboard or with his guitar. You ignore the growing ache in your lower back—it is not your moment, but his. The warmth of his weight on top of you overpower any discomfort you have.

Twirling the stray curl at his neck, you finally ask. Fingers featherlight against his shoulder.  “How… is he?”

Sam stiffens above you, the lean line of his body rigid. He’s clearly distressed with talking about his father. You suck a breath through your teeth, knocking your leg gently against his, giving your silent push for him to continue.

“I can't even lie,” he squeezes his eyes shut and turns his face away. “It isn't good, Doc Harvey says dad’s got PTSD from the war. It's triggered by loud sounds. Remember the time he woke up because of the fire alarm?”

You nod, curling your fingers around his. You try to provide him any semblance of comfort—to reassure him. You love him, always. 

It's painful to see, to watch what he’s going through only by the sidelines. 

Sam looks up at you from your chest, eyes blurry with exhaustion. His jaw tensing ever so slightly, you see the patchy blonde stubble starting at the jut of his jaw. The wrinkle in his brow growing more prominent at the mention of his father. It's a fresh type of wound, raw and open. You dance around the topic, like poking a sleeping lion that threatens to attack at any given moment.

“We’ve transferred him to stay in my old room. He’s been holed up there most of the time. The nightmares are keeping mom up. He wakes up screaming most nights." Sam rasps, squeezing your fingers. He speaks lowly against the thin fabric of your sleep shirt, the heat of his body bleeding through it and into you. 

His voice dissolves into a pained crack when he speaks. “It sucks.”

“It will get better, we can get through it,” you sit up slightly, elbows bent behind you. Sam's been out the whole day. You assume he must be starving and tired. “Do you need anything?”

Sam doesn’t let you up, though. He tugs you back down under him with the gentle pull of his arm. You still in his arms, looking down at him.

“No,” he pleads. “just… stay with me, okay? Let's stay like this, please.”

You swallow, nodding. “Yes, of course.”

You wish you could ease his worries. You wish you could tell him that it’ll be alright and he would believe it.

You love him, more than life itself. Like you are a planet that orbits around him, the sun. You show him so everyday—and will continue to do so with everyday that will come. 

You just wish he’d be more selfish with you.

If he falls, you’ll piece him back together. Glue his bones together with your hands, relying on the familiarity of his being. Anything, you’d do anything.

The matching mermaid pendants resting over his and your collarbone symbolizes that.

“I want to help you, sam. You take all this burden up on your own. please?”

He sits up, back hunched over you. A dim shadow of him filtered over you. You follow him, like you can’t bear to be apart from him. 

“You are, you always have,” Sam softens, gazing at you so reverently you could sob. He looks at you as one gazes at master paintings, like he is in wordless awe of you. 

The room is dark with night. If you strain your ears hard enough, the cooing of the owls filter through the cracks of your windows. The moonlight is scarce, you can barely see the expressions painting his face. Though, you’re sure your expression is as lovesick as his. Practical hearts in your eyes as you stare.

“Looking after Vince is more than I could ever ask for, honey.” he whispers, pinching the hem of your sleep shirt between his thumb and pointer finger. 

“No Sam,” you murmur, taking his face into your hands. your hands frame his face, warming the cool skin of his cheeks. Desperation fills every movement in a plea for him to understand. “I meant you.”

You inhale, relishing the smell of sweat, mint and rubbing alcohol on his skin. The scent smells so comforting, and so familiar. 

You hope he finds that same solace in you as you do with him.

“I want to take care of you,” you say more firmly, stroking him on the skin of his brow bone. “Won’t you let me?”

He stares at you, enveloping your hands with warmer ones. You sigh contentedly at the feeling. They sear into your skin, warming you with the righteous heat of his devotion. 

To you, he is the sun and you have the sun right in the palm of your hands. You know he won’t ever burn you, nor leave your skin red and raw from his intensity. His rays are gentle, a featherlight whisper of a kiss on the expanse of your body.

But the sun never stops shining. It is steadfast in its duty to provide. You worry, will he explode in a grand supernova or crumple into a black hole? 

Either way, you will never allow it. You’d rather douse the sun in the water of the ocean to hold him in your arms. Maybe then, he can finally rest soundly. 

You feel his thumb rub back and forth on the back of your palm, silent and considering. The brush of it melting you against him like a contented cat. A smile graces your lips, you can wait.

Though you do not need to. Sam turns his head and kisses your wrist. His nose bumping into the crease of your thumb. You feel honeyed warmth drip down your heart, collecting in the cavern of your chest.

That's all the confirmation you need.

(There are some days his words fail him. The days his mind is bursting with ideas, so much so it’s difficult for him to convey a singular thought.

That's alright. Perfect, even. Sam has always been better at expressing himself through actions.)

“I love you,” you kiss his forehead, then over each of his eyelids. You want to kiss every inch of his skin until there is nothing left to cover. “so, so much.”

You press your lips to the corner of his. Opting to speak your promise against his skin, to tattoo your undying love into the smooth expanse of it. 

Sam tilts his head, causing his lips to brush completely against yours. He presses them firmer against yours, the taste of spearmint gum heavy on his tongue. You lick the seam of his lips—let me in, let me in. 

“I love you too. more than you know,” he gasps, tearing his lips away. His breath puffing warmly against the skin of your cheek. He declares it as if he’s running out of breath, and it is his final words. A willing sailor drowning in the deep ocean that is you. “More than anything, more than life itself.”

You press your forehead against his. Your eyes meet the depthless green of his. The twinkle is there; flickering and faint but present.

Love is what brought him to you. It’s what keeps bringing him home to you every night. You want to be his refuge, his comfort, his partner for life. 

Your eyes shut, eyelashes fluttering against your cheekbones. “Share the burden with me, Sammy. I can take it.”

At the end of the day, he is all you want. All that you need. If it takes him time, you won’t mind. even if it takes centuries.

Sam captures your lips again. Murmuring his agreement greedily against you. You love him, you love him and he loves you. 

You are the one he comes back to, his spouse. The greatest love of his life. Home isn’t the farmhouse you’ve built a life in—

It’s you, always has been you.