#shane x oc

[kaikonn]

POV: You got 8 hearts with all the bachelors/bachelorettes, so everyone kinda flirts with you

[bambieyedoll]

⊹ ⋆ ꒰ఎﾟMOODBOARD ໒꒱ ⋆ﾟ⊹

shane walsh x farmer’s daughter!reader

“c’mon, baby” shane kissed your neck softly while wrapping his arms around you in a back hug. “i didn’t mean to scream and scare you, you know that” his rough voice whispered in your ear while he pressed his chest against your back and you knew you wouldn’t be able to keep your angry facade much longer. turning around, you looked up at him with your pretty doe eyes and he wasted no time in holding you by your waist, keeping you close to him. “i’ll make it up to you, doll” his hands descended to your ass, gripping strongly and in that moment you already forgave him.

[dulcua]

at the end of the day, i'm not far away, i'm staying

[umwqp]

(_ _) ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

[glazedsnail]

EPILOGUE

I might love ShanexFern a little too much. I like broken people.

So here it is, epilogue to Misery Loved Company

It's very fluffy, which I'm not used to, I had to wait until I was 25 to write something where no one dies at the end. Oops spoiler.

For years I've been saying I want my corpse to be thrown somewhere in the woods for the worms to feast and then this guy shows up.

We were meant to be.

The setting summer sun casts a multitude of powerful rays in Fern’s kitchen. All the windows are open, hoping to let through a thin cooling breeze amongst the uninvited bugs. Over her blasting oven, the now well established farmer of Pelican town waits for her peppers to be done. The recipe for pepper poppers she got from her boyfriend was as simple as putting on socks, however she never managed to get them to taste like his. He had teased her about a so-called secret ingredient but she knew it was a lie. His homegrown peppers were maybe of better quality. That would explain why he would refuse to give back the plant of hot pepper he had so brazenly stolen from her property. After several arguments it had been settled that a loving label with his name on it was proof enough of ownership. It would have died without him anyway.

With a content smile, she takes the peppers out of the oven. It all seems so long ago now, when it’s not even been two years. But it can easily feel like an eternity when a relationship starts like theirs.

Now ready, Fern dishes out the peppers in a box she places in her basket, along with a cool pack of sparkling water cans, a bottle of strawberry juice, and a plate of homemade muffin. She laughs, grabbing a muffin and weighing it. None of her baked goods had been eaten but they proved to be amazing projectiles.

Shane invited her for a picnic much like that questionable date. She loves him, dearly. After all their personal hardships, what they’ve been through together, being able to call Shane her partner was a wonderful treat she’d never get tired of.

Fern had given herself some much needed pamper time after her day on the farm. Her small, humble sheepfold was now housing ten healthy sheep whose wool, handspun skein, were sent straight to the city. She was grateful for Shane’s help coming shearing time, and he was always particularly helpful with the chickens, but always refused payment.

In gold that is.

She looks at herself in the mirror one last time. No mud, no holes, no stains, her lavender scented short hair drying in the sun. She’s good to go. A last look at the pressed gerbera Shane had tucked behind her ear at the Flower Dance, preserved and framed next to the door. A sentimental token often mocked by the giver for being “corny as hell”.

Beyond the other side of the farm, at the edge of the forest, the atmosphere at Marnie’s ranch is a lot less peaceful. 

‘Stop fidgeting so much or I’ll cut your ear!’

‘I didn’t need a haircut, why did I let you talk me into this.’

‘Because deep down you know you want to look your best for tonight.’

‘Aunt Fern told me she likes your hair, uncle Shane.’

Shane’s heart jumps. He always tries to look cool and untouched by Jas’ use of “Aunt Fern” but it always brings him some weird fuzzy feelings.

All grouped in the warm kitchen, Marnie over Shane’s wild locks, Shane bouncing and groaning, and Jas entertained by the scene at the other side of the table, wondering why her uncle is as nervous as she’s ever seen him. 

‘Ok I’m done.’ Marnie puts the scissors on the table with a satisfied sigh. ‘Why are you so nervous?’ she asks, removing the fallen hair from his shoulders. ‘You see Fern every day. Sometimes I wonder how she can tolerate you that much.’ She laughs.

‘I saw them kissing behind the barn once, and then they saw me, and uncle Shane was as red as a tomato, aunt Fern too, and’

‘Jas.’

‘Red just like that!’ The little girl giggles, too amused by her uncle’s nervousness. 

‘Jas, give him a break, he’s already so nervous’ Marnie winks.

‘I’m not nervous.’ he grumbles

‘You’re a wreck! Look at my kitchen, you spent the whole day cooking and making us eat. Jas and I won’t eat mushrooms for months after that.’ She pulls out the dirty pots and pans to illustrate. ‘You keep asking me about your appearance, which is a first in Yoba knows how long. You’re bouncing off the walls like nobody’s business, and I don’t know what you’ve got in your pocket but you keep ch…’ Marnie’s eyes widen in surprise and delight, quickly squinted by the giant smile drawing on her face. She squeals, bringing her hands to her lips, her eyes slowly watering. ‘Shane! Oh dear Yoba, this is fantastic!’

Shane groans, looking away.

��Marnie…’

‘’What’s fantastic?’ Asks Jas who tries to connect the dots clearly spelling something for her very excited aunt.

‘I’ll stop talking, I don’t want to jinx it. Not that there are any risks of that mind you. Oh, Shane!’ She lunges herself onto her blushing nephew.

‘Fuck’s sake…’ He grumbles under his breath.

‘Language! She’ll never say yes if you keep talking like that.’

‘Say yes to what?’ Plead Jas, painfully ignored.

A knock on the door forces them to fall silent. Fern’s here.

‘Jas, shush, let’s go.’ Marnie grabs the child and swiftly scutters away to her bedroom, leaving Shane alone in the now surprisingly vast kitchen. He inhales deeply and stands up to open the door.

The sun is exploding behind Fern as a smile appears on her face the second she sees him at the door.

‘You’re ready to go?’ She asks.

Shane swallows painfully. The smile Fern gives him warms his heart with so much strength he can barely understand what he did to deserve it, or if he deserves it at all.

He nods, smiling back, and gets himself ready to cross the doorway.

‘Ahem.’

‘Hi Marnie, Hi Jas!’ shouts Fern from the door to the barely hidden family.

Marnie has an impossibly wide grin on her face, Jas is still unsure of what is happening but she enjoys the spy game.

‘Are you sure you’ve got everything?’ The mother hen asks from her hiding spot.

‘Yes.’

‘Are you sure?’

Shane signs to her to leave him alone, and gently pushes Fern out to close the door.

‘Are they ok?’ Fern asks in a laugh. ‘Do they want to come with us?’

‘No! Hum, no, I mean, yes they’re fine.’

She laughs again, tucking a strand of his wild hair back.

‘You look great.’ she says, softly caressing his cheek. ‘Are you ok?’

His nervousness will give him away, but he can hardly control what he feels when she touches him, reminding him that for some crazy unexplained reasons she chose to be with him, that they are together.

‘Yeah… It’s nice to see you.’

She smiles, and starts walking in the direction of the forest. In one breath Shane quickly checks his pocket. It’s there. Everything’s fine. Everything will be fine.

‘Did you do all that?’

Between the parting trees giving to the cliff a blanket laid out on the ground welcomes them, scattered with well covered dishes and glasses, softly illuminated by well placed candles and tea lights against the darkening summer’s sky.

Shane blushes, visibly wanting to disappear in his collar. He grabs Fern’s hand and helps her down before sitting next to her.

‘I thought you’d like that.’ he says, slightly embarrassed.

‘This is lovely, Shane.’ She nuzzles into him, truly grateful. ‘I don’t know what I did to deserve you.’ She adds, planting a kiss on his red cheek, forbidding him to say or think anything deprecative about himself. ‘I love you, Shane.’ She whispers, all giddy after all this time to finally be able to say those words.

‘I love you.’ He replies, looking down. ‘So much.’ His hand slowly fingering the mermaid pendant in his pocket. Is now the right time?  When would it be? Should they eat first? And more importantly, what if she says no?

‘Hey’ Fern softly grabs his hand ‘Where are you, miles away from here?’

Shane shakes his head off of all the infuriating scenarios that popped in his mind.

‘I’m a bit nervous.’ He laughs.

‘Tell me about it!’ She joins him in a laugh. ‘Why?’ Her smiling eyes now shadowed by concern.

‘I made your favourite and I’m scared it didn’t turn out well.’

‘I’m certain it’ll be perfect. It already smells amazing!’ She brings the plate of fried mushrooms to her and grabs a fork to have a taste, before bringing the fork to Shane’s mouth. He would rather drop dead than admit it, but he loves when she shares food like this.

Who’s the corny one now.

He shakes his head, actually surprised by the taste.

‘It’s delicious Shane, thank you.’

The sun is but orange light under the valley, and the crickets have started singing. Fern sighs, happy, nestled in her partner’s arms, watching the sun set over the cliff.

‘Do you remember the last time we were here?’ She asks in a grin. To her delight, Shane starts blushing. He does remember. ‘After the Flower Dance, you took my hand and we walked from the clearing to here without realising. She looks in the distance. ‘We talked for hours.’

‘I mainly remember your white dress.’ Shane says, clearing his throat.

‘I did try to clear the sap off it’ She giggles ‘and repair the tears. Kinda wanted to wear it tonight.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be, my love’ she whispers in his ear. ‘I remember that dress fondly, but the memory of how you treated it is far more precious.’

Shane shivers. It’s not her first time calling him “my love” but it always sounds so sweet.

‘You know’ Fern continues after a while. ‘I can’t remember if it was against that tree, or that one.’ She turns to Shane with a malicious smile, thoroughly enjoying her ability to make her rough looking man blush like a high school girl. She slowly nuzzles against his warm, now almost burgundy, neck. Despite all, she feels him tense up.

‘Shane?’

‘Do you remember the…other time we were at the cliff?’

Fern quickly grabs his hand.

‘Yes?’

‘Do you, hem, do you think you deserve this? That I’m worthy of you?’

Her eyebrows furrow on her hazel eyes. She sits down in front of him, on her knees.

‘I love all of you, Shane.’ she starts. ‘I always have. You’re not that one incident. You are much, much, more than what happened to you. Sure it shapes us but, in the end, despite all, you’re you. And I fell in love with you.’

‘Terrible decision making as always.’

‘Shane!’ She pushes him down, pinning him on the blanket. ‘I’m gonna stay there until you love yourself.’

‘We’ll be here a while!’ he laughs, wrapping his arms around her.

‘I have all the time, my whole life even, for you.’

Her soft but certain tone falls on Shane like an anvil. Her whole life for him. He tries to keep a steady breathing while she covers his neck in small kisses, astride his warming body. He tightens his embrace, burying his face in her neck and takes a deep breath. With a kiss on her cheek, he rolls her over, now on top of her.

‘Do you love yourself yet?’ Fern asks in a laugh, trying to sit up. She lets him get on his knees, while he reaches into his pocket.

‘I guess, enough to ask you this.’

[sdvbraindump]

A few months ago I had art commissioned showing my OC Rayna meeting a couple of the bachelors during her first week in Pelican Town. But it wasn't the first time she met one...

Above is the very first time these two met at a random night in a club in Zuzu City. Below is a very small blurb but this starts a chain of events that eventually leads them to Stardew Valley years later:

“I remember when I first saw her. We were both at this club. Other guys were coming up to her but she didn’t acknowledge them. She wasn’t stuck up or anything. She was just bouncing around in her seat, listening to the music. I was surprised she heard me over how loud it was in that club.” Shane closed his eyes and thought back to that night when they first met. Rayna was unaware of others who came up to her, preferring to pay attention to the mix of post-punk and rock music playing. But when he approached her, she gave him all her attention. She allowed him out of everyone there to interrupt her private listening party. He remembered how she looked at him and smiled as he talked. She hung on every word he said no matter how silly he thought he sounded, her eyes never ceased to twinkle. She was completely into their conversation, never interrupting him, even though he internally second-guessed everything he said. “It was the first time in a long time I felt someone took me seriously.” He confessed. “Like, I could tell her anything and she wouldn’t judge me."

Finding someone who understands and accepts you can be hard. Keeping that person can be harder. But in my opinion, finding "the one" doesn't matter unless you allow yourself to be vulnerable.

Maybe one day I'll explore this more. For now, please enjoy this beautiful art by @sunshinecovey showing younger Shane and Rayna in their first meeting. Thank you Sunny once again for bringing my ideas to life.

(Also should note these two aren't the only people with an origin story...)

[nik-barinova]

*gently hands you my farmer!Zoey info and Shane headcanons and then offers to drop my lore on them, but really for Zoey*

Zoey Kilduff

Full Name: Zoey Elaine Kilduff

Age: 32 (as of Yr 1)

Height: 5’10”

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Sexuality: Pansexual

Nationality: Scottish

Ethnicity: Romani, Indonesian, Indian, Afghani

Farm Name: Solasta Farm

Main Produce: Cheese, Jams, Flowers, Wine, Fruit Tree Fruits, Peppers

Primary Choice of Clothing: Gothic and casual

Loves: Tropical curry, Pepper poppers, Green tea, Iridium bar, Topaz, Prehistoric Skull

Likes: All Eggs, All Minerals, All Flowers (except Daffodil and Dandelion)

Neutral: Hazelnut, Ginger, Maki Roll, Holly Leek, Truffle, Clay, Seaweed

Dislikes: All Mushrooms, All Geodes, Cave Carrot, Pine Tar, Spring Onion, Qi Fruit

Hates: Mayo

Bio:

Daughter to a boxing legend and a late dancing queen, Zoey Kilduff virtually had to raise her younger siblings herself despite being the eldest triplet. Their father was not one to exactly get physical with his triplet children, but he does get in their head too much to the point of them developing serious anxiety and self esteem issues. Her father owned an MMA/Boxing club in Zuzu City, and every day after school, Zoey and her younger siblings would go to workout and train, sometimes going into the late hours.

Zoey never could remember much of her mother, except that she would protect her and her siblings from their father until one night she disappeared.

The only time Zoey ever recalled good moments was when her uncle would sneak the triplets out to a gridball game or a rock concert. Zoey and her uncle were close enough that she would end up calling him her “dad” later on, and so did her siblings.

Things only got worse, though, when her father decided to enter her in a series of boxing matches as a teen illegally by lying about her age. Zoey still had an impressive record, but she would come to school with multiple bruises and cuts, prompting school officials to question her about her home life. Zoey felt anxious to tell the truth, but she did what she believed was right. However, she was (supposedly) proven wrong by her father later that week.

Her father would not speak to her except for when he trained her, but he was much harsher on her than he would be towards her two other siblings. One evening, he would take her on a drive, just him and her, and have a “talk”; which was code for “not good, not good”. The drive was anxiety inducing for Zoey, and before she knew it, the “talk” turned into a shouting match between them.

The last thing the both of them could remember was a sudden flash of bright beams and a the sound of a truck horn.

Zoey woke up surrounded by her siblings, uncle, and grandparents as well as police. She could barely remember what had happened up until the wreck, but with what she could remember, her and her siblings’ father was finally arrested for various charges and would lose custody of the triplets and be left with their uncle. At the cost of being free from their father, Zoey was left a total arm amputee due to how bad the wreck was.

After much rehab, therapy, and support from her loved ones, Zoey and her siblings were able to finish high school, and eventually go on to graduate college. Though while the younger siblings went on to pursue their respective careers, Zoey had difficulty finding proper work and eventually settled for something calmer, thus landing her at a corporate office job with Joja Corp. At first, this was a great opportunity for her to find some sort of peace and calm for her going forward in life, it was definitely the most boring and tiring job for her until she realized this was not what she had in mind for her life.

Sure she was able to find more therapeutic alternatives like skull paintings, but living out the rest of her days sitting in a cubical?

That was until early in her thirties did she receive a letter from her dying grandfather that he had left her a huge inheritance: the old family farm Solasta Farm.

Once she realized this was a new chance at a second life, Zoey quit her job at Joja Corp, and quickly moved to Stardew Valley, truly giving herself a second chance at a new life.

Now if only she could get a chance to befriend a certain town drunk…

[hadraws-11]

Cute 'n little old Shane :DD… oh, yes, and that farmer guy 🤭💜⭐

Btw this' Ethan (he/him), my sdv oc <33, and ofc his dating Shane 'cause his gay af 💅🌈✨

(Anywhoozies, this was just a practice to finally draw them both fullbody. Also, hc Shane height's 5'7, so he's somewhat little next to Ethan who's 6'1 🌸✨)

[Twitter (X)] [Instagram]

[dollyfl1rt]

shane walsh

shanexfarmers daughter

..

[kaikonn]

A dumb lil sequel to this post lmao

I just love drawing Farmer Jo as an accidental bisexual icon 👁️

[lobotomizedjester]

This is my first time writing something like this so bare with me please TWT slight stalking in the end too

This is the first of hopefully many sorry for how long it is (2k+ words). Please feel free to leave any feedback!!

Spring 1 year 2

It had officially been a year since Nora moved to Pelican Town. It still felt surreal, like a dream, but she was slowly starting to adjust. She still felt like an outsider, though that was partly her own doing. She hadn’t fully opened herself up to the people here, and every time she tried, her anxiety took over. She’d clam up, retreating to the safety of her farm where it was quieter, less overwhelming.

But today was going to be different. She had decided, after a lot of self-talk the night before, that she would step outside of her comfort zone. She would do more than just buy seeds from Pierre and retreat to her farm. She was going to talk to people. She could do this. Meeting new people could help her feel less isolated… It would be fine.

It was only 6:30 AM, and already, she was questioning herself.

“No, you can do this,” she muttered to herself, staring at her cat jelly belly , who was stretched out on the floor. He was her only companion besides the chickens.

“Come on, what’s the worst that could happen? You’re overthinking it, Nora,” she whispered, taking a slow breath and reaching for her shoes. She slipped them on, her thoughts racing. The nervousness gnawed at her, but she knew she had to push through.

“What if they think I’m weird for never talking to anyone? What if I interrupt someone’s routine or make things awkward?” She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the spiraling doubts. “No. You're talking to someone today.”

Her cat, Jelly Belly, nuzzled up against her, purring as if to comfort her. “You’re right, Jelly. I’m just being silly. I’ve got this.”

She gave him one last scratch behind the ears before standing up. “Alright, time to go, Jelly.”

With newfound determination, she stepped outside into the crisp morning air, the coolness of early spring filling her lungs. Today, she would put herself out there. She’d take it slow, but she would try.

Nora walked to Pierre’s, knowing he wouldn’t be opening for another couple of hours, so she wandered to the river to kill some time. The water was so much clearer than anything she’d ever seen in Zuzu City, and it was refreshing. Fish swam lazily by, surrounded by lush aquatic plants, and she could actually see the rocks at the bottom, something she’d never taken for granted until now. The clean, quiet beauty of it helped calm her nerves.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the figure approaching until he spoke.

“Not half bad,” came a flat, quiet voice. It was so soft she almost thought she’d imagined it. She turned quickly, spotting the same guy she had seen a few times in town. He was the one who always seemed to keep to himself, looking moody and withdrawn. She couldn’t help but feel a little dumb for thinking he’d said anything at all.

Maybe it wasn’t meant for her. Maybe she was just projecting her nerves onto the world. She shook off the moment, embarrassed, and tried to focus on the river again.

By the time 9:10 AM rolled around, she was ready to head to Pierre’s for her seeds. She crossed the square and walked through the door, the bell jingling overhead as she entered. She could already see the new spring stock on display through the glass doors.

“Good morning, Pierre,” she said as she walked up to the counter.

“Well, good morning, Nora. Here for seeds again?” Pierre asked without looking up from the register.

“Heh, yeah. You know me too well,” she replied, scratching the back of her opposite arm, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. Was that really the only thing she came in for?

“I pride myself on knowing my customers—especially my most loyal ones,” Pierre replied, finally looking up to make eye contact with her.

Nora had already started sifting through the seeds, her mind whirring as she tried to balance the most profitable options with what she’d actually enjoy growing. She selected a few: potatoes, cauliflower, and tulip bulbs. After a moment, she approached the checkout, feeling a sense of accomplishment for finally picking out her choices for the season.

“Is that everything?” Pierre asked, glancing at her while tallying up the total.

“Uh, yes,” she said, her voice faltering. She opened her mouth to say more, but the words wouldn’t come. She paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

“Pierre,” she started again, her voice barely above a whisper, “If I wanted to meet more people in town… where should I go?” Her throat tightened as she spoke, nerves making the words feel heavier than usual.

Pierre stopped what he was doing, lifting his gaze to study her. For a moment, he raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her sudden question. He hesitated, sensing she was really pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

“Well…” he said, slowly considering her request. “You should head over to the Stardrop Saloon after 5 PM. That’s when people usually start showing up. You’ll have the best luck meeting folks there.”

He finished ringing up her seeds and gave her the total, ready to accept payment.

Nora mentally noted the information as she paid. She slid the seeds into her tote bag, then offered him a warm smile. “Okay, thank you, Pierre.” With a deep breath, she turned and walked out, heading back to her farm to plant the new seeds.

Her heart was still racing from the stress of asking that question, but she felt a sense of pride. She’d taken the first step in becoming part of the town, and it gave her a small sense of accomplishment.

The rest of the afternoon flew by as she worked in the garden, planting the seeds. The physical labor helped distract her from her nerves, though she soon realized how hungry she was after all that work.

“Alright, this is probably a good stopping point,” she muttered to herself, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand. She tossed the gloves aside, among the rest of her farming tools, then headed inside to clean up and change before heading to the saloon.

She picked something casual but comfortable to wear, trying to make sure she didn’t look too out of place. As she walked to the Stardrop Saloon, a thought struck her: she’d never actually been inside. She had no idea what they served other than alcohol, but she figured she’d figure it out when she got there.

By the time she arrived, the sky had darkened, and the building was bathed in a warm, dim light that spilled out from the windows. Taking a deep breath, Nora mustered up the courage to open the door. When she did, the conversation inside paused for a brief moment before continuing. It felt like the entire room had turned to look at her, and she instantly felt the weight of all those eyes on her.

"Welcome in, Nora!" Gus’s loud, welcoming voice cut through the awkward silence. He was behind the bar, a clean glass in hand and a rag in the other, a huge, warm grin plastered on his face. His friendly energy helped ease some of Nora’s tension as she stepped further into the saloon.

Nora tried to shake off her anxiety as she approached the front of the bar, her body tense and stiff.

“What do you recommend?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she avoided making eye contact.

Gus paused for a moment, assessing her before slinging the rag in his hand over his shoulder. “Well…” He thought for a moment, then asked, “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

Nora shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the bar. “Nothing in particular,” she replied, giving herself an excuse to avoid looking at him. That was the only thing holding her together at the moment.

“In that case,” he said with a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling, “have a seat wherever you like. I’ll be out in a bit.” He disappeared into the back, leaving her to find somewhere to sit.

She walked to the back booth, where there were fewer people. A pool table caught her eye, and she noticed three others playing a game. A tall guy with blond hair and a slightly shorter boy with dark hair seemed to be in the middle of a friendly rivalry, with the taller one clearly losing. A girl with long purple hair was standing by the table, chatting with the boys, laughing along with them. Their easy camaraderie made her feel a little more at ease.

Nora sat down in the booth, scanning the room and trying to relax her body. She took a deep breath, but as her eyes drifted around the bar, they landed on the same guy from this morning—standing by the bar with a beer in hand, staring straight at her. Her heart skipped a beat.

She quickly looked away, embarrassed, and began fidgeting with her hands in her lap. Her face flushed, heat rising to her cheeks from the attention, however small. She tried to distract herself by looking around the room, but her gaze kept drifting back to him.

Minutes felt like hours as she sat there, waiting for Gus to come back. When he finally emerged from the back, he carried a fresh pizza and a cold beer, and her stomach growled in anticipation.

He set the food in front of her with the same warm smile from earlier. “Here you are, Nora.”

“Thank you,” she said, offering him a nervous smile of her own. She glanced at the pizza—her stomach clenched with hunger. Her mouth watered as she reached for a slice. The moment she took a bite, all her worries seemed to melt away. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the warm, cheesy goodness. A gulp of beer followed, and it was like a wave of comfort washed over her. She could forget everything else for a while.

By the time she finished the beer and had nearly eaten half the pizza, her stomach was finally satisfied. She leaned back in the booth, feeling more at ease, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Glancing around, she began weighing her options for who to talk to. Most people were already with someone, or they looked like they didn’t want to be disturbed.

With a sigh, she let her head rest in her hand. Her eyes unconsciously drifted back to the guy at the bar. She blinked slowly and when she opened her eyes, she realized he was still looking at her. Her face flushed again, a little more than before. What was his deal?

She tried to look away, but her curiosity got the better of her or was it the alcohol. She kept watching him. He wasn’t exactly handsome in the traditional sense, but there was something interesting about him. His jacket was worn and had holes in it, his gray shorts looked like they’d seen better days, and his hair was messy, like he ran his hands through it and called it a day. He had a 4 o’clock shadow and dark green eyes, with slight bags under them. The longer she stared, the more she noticed. He didn’t look bad at all.

Nora didn’t realize how long she’d been staring until Gus approached her, his voice snapping her back to reality.

“How’s everything?” he asked, his tone casual.

She straightened up, caught off guard. “Oh, uhm, good. It’s great, thank you.”

Gus glanced over at the guy Nora had been looking at, his expression shifting to one of concern. “Oh no,” he said, his tone serious, “Is Shane bothering you?”

Nora looked from Gus to the man at the bar. So, his name was Shane. She shook her head quickly. “Oh no, not at all. I was just…” She paused, trying to come up with an explanation. “Spacing out,” she finally said, hoping Gus wouldn’t ask any more questions.

“Okay, good,” Gus said, relieved. “If he causes any problems, you let me know. He can be moody.”

“Got it,” Nora replied, glancing out the window for the first time in a while. She was surprised by how dark it had gotten. “Oh, shoot,” she muttered, standing up quickly.

“Mind if I pay now? I didn’t realize how late it had gotten,” she asked.

Gus’s signature smile returned. “Sure thing,” he said, leading her to the register.

After she paid, Nora thanked him once more. “Thank you. Everything was great.”

“Glad to hear. Hope to see you again soon. Have a good night.”

“Goodnight,” she said, feeling a little lighter as she left.

As she stepped outside, she could still feel eyes on her, but this time it wasn’t as overwhelming. It felt like just one person, though. She tried to shake it off as she walked into the cold night air. The chill hit her like a truck, and her body shivered, but she kept walking, slightly dazed from the alcohol.

She heard footsteps behind her, so she turned around, squinting into the darkness. But it was too far to see anything clearly. Figuring it wasn’t important, she dismissed the thought and continued on her way home.

After what felt like forever, she made it back to the farmhouse. She fumbled with the doorknob for a moment before finally getting it open.

Inside, Jelly Belly greeted her with a meow, and the warmth of her home wrapped around her. She kicked off her shoes and crouched down to pet him. “Hey, buddy, did you miss me?” she cooed, picking him up as she walked to her room.

She sighed, setting Jelly Belly down on her bed so she could change into something more comfortable. “I had an eventful night…” She paused, slipping into her pajamas. “Well, not very eventful, but definitely eventful for me.”

She looked at the cat. “Also, remind me never to walk at night without a light again. I kept hearing noises that sounded like footsteps. Creeped me out.” She shook her head, trying to shake off the unease.

“Oh, but Mr. Jelly Belly,” she added with a soft smile, “there’s this guy. He’s... really handsome but seems kinda grumpy.” her voice sounding more tired.

She flopped onto the bed, pulling the covers up. “I think I’ll sleep on it.” completely forgetting she didn't talk to anyone at all today... besides Gus.

Within moments, she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts floating away with the night.

[dulcua]

dose of shanebug

[berryitalive]

As The Year Goes By// Chapter 2

Summary: Just a totally normal Fall for Pelican Town.

Warning: for brief domestic violence

Chapter 2: Fall

Fall 27, Year 0

   A plate smashed against a wall at 9 p.m on a Saturday evening. The broken pieces fell onto the carpet floor as two adults got into a screaming match, inevitably alerting neighbors to call the police. Bridgit locked herself in her bathroom as Liam pounded on the door. Several explicits and names were thrown her way as he continued to try to get in. The drunken slurring of his words filled the woman with as much hate as it did fear.

“Go the fuck away!” Bridgit screamed, her voice trembled as tears ruined her makeup. It was such a shame. She had spent hours in the bathroom mirror earlier that day trying to choose the perfect shade of eyeshadow, lipstick, mascara…etc, just for Liam to get mad at her for smiling at the waiter. So much for their three year anniversary. The sound of police knocking on the door could be heard but Liam did not care.

“Come. The. Fuck. Out!” Liam yelled. Dread filled the short woman’s body as the door was kicked in and the tall redheaded man dragged her out of the bathroom by her long, synthetic braids. She screamed before his hands wrapped around her throat. Luckily, her previous screams of terror were enough to encourage the cops to break in.

The woman was freed from Liam’s grasp while he attempted to dodge the Zuzu City policemen. Two officers pinned him against the wall, put him in handcuffs, and forced him outside. Another officer helped the traumatized 21 year old to her feet and led her to his car to take her statement. She struggled to speak; her throat was sore from the attempt on her life, her mind was still shaken up from being attacked by what she previously thought was the love of her life, and she could barely focus on anything the cop was saying.

Bridgit’s bare feet felt the hard concrete of the apartment’s parking lot as an officer spoke to her. She played with one of her ruined braids, desperately trying to ignore the neighbors peeking out their doors. The short brown woman rubbed her arm, dissociating as the angry-drunk yelling of her now ex-boyfriend came from the cop car. It felt like it took ten years for the law to leave and take her abusive ex with them. 

Silence filled the destroyed apartment. Bridgit crawled into her bed and sobbed, the adrenaline leaving her exhausted body. She spent the next hour laying in bed, staring at the ceiling before opening the drawer in the nightstand beside the bed. The young woman looked at the letter her late grandfather left her a few years ago and gently took it out to read it. 

“If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong…”

Bridgit sighed and looked at her belongings. She slowly drifted into the bathroom and stared at her bruised arms and face while her fingers touched the spots where Liam had struck her. Clear as day were dark bruises against her neck where he had grabbed her throat. Her gaze moved to her hair. The long braids that went down her back were suddenly too painful to look at. ‘Dire need of a change’ was an understatement. She wanted to completely erase everything she currently knew.

Fall 3, Year 2

“Cows!” Jas cheered as she ran towards the barn. Bee’s orange cat, Cheddar, followed behind her hoping to be pet and given attention. Bee yawned as she looked out at her farm, dreading all the work she had to do today. 

“Bee, you are a life-saver. I gotta work today, Marnie is out of town till later this evening for a delivery in Zuzu city and Penny is home with a cold. I’ll come by to pick her up later.” Shane explained. He zipped up his Joja jacket as Bee shook her head.

“I will walk Jas home later, it's no big deal. I could use the company anyways. The beginning of the season is always the worst when it comes to work.” The farmer looked over at Jas. The girl was currently petting and talking to the goats and cows.

Shane gave a relieved smile and waved as he left for work. Bee groaned as she put her gloves on and grabbed her golden hoe. The woman immediately got to work. Dead crops were removed and new seeds were put down. She harvested the wheat, replaced them with seeds, then watered them. Her sprinklers were installed swiftly to make the rest of the season easier.

“Jas! Let’s take a walk to Pierre’s, yeah?” Bee called to her. The child skipped over to her and took her hand. 

“What are you buying from Mr. Pierre?” Jas asked as they began their walk.

“Well, I’m going to bring him today’s wheat that I didn’t use for the kegs. And I’m going to buy more seeds.”

“What kind of seeds?”

“Bok choy, some more wheat, pumpkins, and fairy roses.”

Jas’s face lit up. “I love fairy roses! Can I help you plant them?”

“Yes you can!” Bee smiled.

The day seemed to go by fast. The seeds were bought and brought back to the farm. Bee planted the main crops by herself then called Jas over to help with the fairy roses.

“Why are we planting these near the bee houses?” Jas asks as she carefully places the seeds in their plot.

“The pollen the bees collect from the flowers can affect the taste of their honey. Last season they made sunflower honey. This season they’ll make fairy rose honey.”

“Can I have a fairy rose when the bees are done using them?” She asks and takes off the small gardening gloves. 

Bee waters the seeds and nods. “Yep! They should be done with them at the end of the season.” She looks down at the watch on her wrist. “It’s only three and we are already done! You’re a great help, Jas.”

Jas dusts the dirt off her dress and smiles. The farmer puts away the farming equipment and leads Jas into the house for a well deserved dinner. “Does Uncle Shane come here for dinner a lot?” Jas asks.

Bee shakes her head. “Shane doesn’t come here too often at all. He came to help me last week because I had, most likely, whatever cold Penny has now. He is a very good friend.” She cuts the pizza in even slices and places two on Jas’s plate. 

‘Technically speaking he's my only friend.’ The farmer thought to herself. ‘It would definitely benefit me to start talking to the rest of Pelican Town. I mean, why doesn't anyone approach me? Am I too stand-offish?’

So lost in thought, Bee doesn’t notice Jas getting up to turn the oven off. “You forgot the oven was on.” She stated, taking a bite of pizza. The woman looks over at the oven.

“Thank you. Once you finish up we’ll start walking to your house. Shane should be at home by now.”

The girls made their way to Marnie’s ranch. As they entered the large home, it seemed to be empty. Jas went into her room to put the toys she had brought with her away. Bee walked over to the kitchen and noticed Marnie standing in Shane’s room. A worried expression attached to the older woman’s face. As the farmer entered the room she saw Shane lying on the ground, unconscious. 

“Bridgit, could you do something? He’s passed out cold.” His aunt sighed.

Bee grabbed a cup of water from the kitchen and dumped it onto Shane’s face. He yelled and rose up from the floor. Marnie pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Shane! What’s the matter with you? All you do anymore is mope around your room and drink beer!” She yelled. Suddenly, Bee felt out of place and very uncomfortable.

“You wouldn’t understand.” Shane responded weakly. 

“I’m worried. What’s your plan? Don’t you ever think about the future?” Marnie asks. Jas slowly entered the room and clutched her aunt's hand, concerned for her godfather.

“Plan..? Hopefully I won’t be around long enough to need a plan.” He responded honestly. A loud gasp was heard which was followed by sobbing as Jas ran out of the room. She was followed by Marnie leaving Bee and Shane alone.

“Jas…” The depressed man stared at the door. “I’m sorry.” He collapsed to his knees and let out a frustrated yell as he struggled to keep it together. His breaths came in short, ragged gasps as he tried to control himself. Bee went to touch his shoulder but stopped as he suddenly glared up at her. The woman took a step back.

“Shane-”

“Just go, Bee.” He said shakily. His hands trembled as he clutched his hair.

“Promise me you won’t go out and hurt yourself.” Bee responded softly. 

“Just get out, Bridgit. Please.”

She avoided looking at her friend as she left his room, closing the door behind her. Worry consumed her mind, all she could think about was how broken Shane looked just now. Marnie stopped her before she made it out of the house. 

“Be careful on your way home, dear. I’ll keep an eye on him.” 

“Sure. I think I forgot to water my pumpkin seeds today. I’m gonna...go do that.” 

Bee left the ranch and wandered home. It was dark outside by the time she made it into the house and into her bed. The woman wrapped herself in a blanket and stared at the ceiling, wondering if there was something better she could have said. If there was something better she could have done. But instead, she left her only friend alone in his room. Bee knew he told her to leave, but she couldn’t help but feel like she should have comforted him better.

Fall 16, Year 2

   Arranging a grange display was proving to be much more difficult than Bee initially thought it would be. She placed her fairy rose honey in the center before deciding where to put the other items. She had quality artisan goods and animal products waiting to be placed on the grange display and judged by Mayor Lewis.

The farmer glanced at Pierre’s display and sighed. He and Marnie were definitely tough competition, not to mention some of the fish Willie had on his display were beautiful. Fuck it. Her fresh produce would speak for itself no matter how it was displayed. Bee made her final arrangements and took a step back to look it over. A smile made its way to her face. It looked pretty good!

“That’s a nice looking pumpkin, Bridgit. Never knew you had a green thumb.” A very familiar voice spoke from behind her. Bee suddenly felt nauseous as she turned around to look at the tall redheaded man that stood behind her. Her smile turned into a grimace and her heart sank.

Liam yawned as he looked down at his ex-girlfriend. He continued as if his being there was nothing special. 

“That bus ride? Fuckin brutal. I mean, I would have taken my new car but there is nowhere to park in this dumbass town. You really gave up Zuzu for this shithole?” 

Bee felt her chest tighten as the hurt and anger of their past flooded back. She had hoped to never cross paths with him again but fate apparently had other plans as their eyes were locked in a stand-off.

“Get the fuck away from me, William,” She spat. “I don’t know why you’re here and I don’t care. There is no reason for you to find me and speak to me.”

The man laughed as Bee tensed.

“Please. Don’t act like I’m here for you. My girl is running the slingshot booth and she invited me to tag along to enjoy the fair. Ya know, I was just trying to be nice and say hi. I forgot how uptight you are about everything. Lighten up.”

Bee knew she could be the bigger person. Just ignore him and he will go away. She closed her eyes. Just ignore him and he will go away.

“Do you try to kill her too?” She asked right as Liam turned to walk off.

Time seemed to freeze once he turned back to face her. His hazel eyes seemed tinted with malice as they bored into her brown ones with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. The expression on Liam’s face was equal to that of a predator eyeing his prey.

“Oh wow…I have missed your creative mind, Honeybee. But let me be clear, I never tried to kill you and I would never lay a finger on Brooke since she actually loves me. Which you never did. If you loved me you wouldn't have smiled at a fuckin waiter on our anniversary. You also would have stuck around for me to do better if you loved me. Instead you ran off to fuckin’ hillbillyville!”

“Oh bullshit. You can't sit here and try to convince me you didn't try to kill me or put me in a hospital. I filed a police report, I went to clinics for my throat, I left my job to get away from you…Someone who loves me wouldn’t damage my larynx.”

Liam grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him.

 “I DID LOVE YOU.” He growled.

Bee tried pulling her arm away but his grip only tightened. She looked around in a panic as she realized no one was nearby. Her eyes met his once more, and as they did he leaned in close to her face.

“You are a fucking disease. You will drive every man to do what I did because you, Bridgit, are fucking insufferable. I will be the only man to have ever wanted you and Yoba, what a mistake that was,” Liam let go of her arm and stood up straight. 

“And if you tell Brooke a damn thing, if you even look in her direction, I’ll burn you and your farm down.”

Bee could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her breath was coming in shallow gasps as she felt like she may collapse at any moment. Angry and panicked thoughts raced through her mind as her body was overwhelmed with terror. The woman’s muscles were tense, her hands were trembling, and she was sweating as if it were 100 degrees outside.

She tried to keep from spiraling. Was he just trying to sound tough? Does he know where her farm is? What if he broke into her house? Bee teared up as she tried to pull herself together. 

The farmer yelped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her away from the grange display she was leaning over. She felt a surge of adrenaline and a flash of fear. Without thinking, she turned and threw a punch at whoever was standing behind her. The culprit quickly jumped back, narrowly missing the swing.

“Woah! What the hell?!” A startled voice yelped. 

Bee stared in shock as her eyes focused and she realized it was just Sam. Sebastian and Abigail stood a few feet away from them, snickering to themselves. The woman looked around confused as she realized Liam was nowhere to be seen.

“Sam! Fuck, I am so sorry! You startled me, I thought you were someone else.” Bee explained as she finally managed to calm down.

“Whoever that someone else is should definitely watch out. Sam almost got knocked on his ass.” Abigail snickered. The blonde rolled his eyes before shoving his hair out of his face.

“I called out to you a few times cause you looked like you were gonna vomit. We saw you on our way to go smoke, wanna join?” Sam asked as Sebastian and Abigail continued walking towards the river.

“Oh, thanks for the offer but I try not to smoke cigarettes anymore.” Bee gave an awkward smile as she adjusted the rose-honey in the display.

Sam chuckled. “Different kind of smoke.”

Bee stared at Sam. “In that case, I’m right behind you.”

The four of them giggled as they passed a joint around, remaining out of sight from the rest of the festival attendees. 

Sebastian coughed as he handed the joint to Bee. The woman inhaled the smoke and passed it to Abigail. 

“Man, I wish Joja would like, burn down or something. Morris has been on my ass about the stupidest crap.” Sam complained as he was handed the rolled up marijuana. 

“Oh, I didn't know you worked at JojaMart too.” Bee replied.

“Unfortunately.” The blonde said before coughing while tossing the roach in a cup. “This is out.”

“Too? So you do have a thing with Shane. That's 20, Sebastian.” Abigail smirked.

“A thing? You mean like friends? Sure we're friends but that's it. We're not like, seeing each other if that's what you think.” Bee explained.

The three stoned friends looked at each other and laughed. Bee groaned as blood rushed to her cheeks.

“Would you consider us your friends?” Sebastian asks while Abigail begins rolling another paper.

“Well, this is the first time I've been around any of you after living here for a while. I feel like saying we're all friends wouldn't be correct? I mean yet! I want to be friends with you guys for sure, just- socializing is hard for me.”

Sebastian chuckled and passed the lighter to the younger purple-haired woman so she could light the joint. Abigail lit the joint, took a puff, and passed it to the farmer.

“What I mean to ask is would you go as far to dance with us like you did with Shane at the Luau?”

“Well that was different- plus it's just dancing, you know? Dancing doesn't have to be romantic. If we all started break dancing right now would that mean we were seeing each other?” Bee retorted before taking another inhale of the joint, and passing it to Sebastian.

“We'd be seeing each other make a fool of ourselves.” Sebastian joked and took a small inhale on the joint. He turned to hand the joint to Sam. 

As Sam took a hit on the joint he began to wave his hand in the air.

“Speak of the devil! Shane! Coworker bestie! Shane, come hit this!” Sam giggled. 

They could all see the unamused expression on the older man's face as he took his time walking over to them. Once he noticed the farmer sitting alongside them it changed into a look of confusion. 

“Since when did you smoke pot?” Shane asked Bee as Sam gave the joint to him. 

Bee watched without responding as the man inhaled the smoke. There was something about watching him blow smoke from the side of his mouth that had her damn near drooling.

“Hello?” Shane waved his hand in front of her face.

“Hey.” Bee smiled up at him.

“Yeah, she's done.” Abigail laughed, making the others chuckle. Shane's eyes stayed on the farmer as he passed the joint.

“I want to go back to the festival, you all coming?” Abigail stood up and tossed the last roach away. Sam and Sebastian got up and followed her back into the town center.

Bee slowly stood up and looked over at Shane. He shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and began walking back towards the grange displays.

“I didn't know you hung out with those three.” Bee said.

“I don't. But Sam's the only coworker I can stand and he smokes me out whenever it's a really rough shift.”

The farmer nodded. There was a long silence as they walked. Bee kept a smile on her face as she felt warm and cozy from the pot they just smoked. The previous anxiety and fear from Liam being around seemingly subdued. 

“Listen, Bee, I'm sorry about the other day. I just needed some space.” Shane apologized, his eyes avoiding hers.

“I understand. I'm sorry for splashing water on you. I probably could've just shaken you awake.” Bee chuckled awkwardly. 

Shane shrugged. “Buh, it's in the past now. Let's go see who won the grange display this year, yeah?”

As they walk over to the displays, Bee notices the prismatic shard she had placed in the center was missing. Mayor Lewis was making his way over to her display as she looked around for the shard. Who would steal her crystal? A bitter scoff slipped from her mouth. It was probably the asshole who made his presence known earlier. Still, maybe there was a chance it was somewhere under the grange displays.

Shane noticed his friend looking around frantically for something and saw the giant space in the display. Not thinking much about it, he sets an egg where the shard should be. As mayor Lewis walks up to the showcase of produce he smiles.

 “Very impressive, Miss Bee.”

The woman gives an awkward smile in response as the mayor inspect’s Pierre’s produce. Shane took the egg back and placed it back in his pocket.

“You just carry eggs around?” Bee asks the man.

“I’ve seen you run around with a plate of spaghetti.”

“Fair enough. But thanks Shane. I don’t know what happened to the prismatic shard I had though.”

Shane gives a small shrug in response as Lewis begins to announce the winner. “In second place we have…Farmer Bee!”

“Hey, not bad for the replacement being an egg.” Bee chuckled. No use in feeling defeated. Besides, seeing Shane help her was almost a win in itself.

“Still, it's pretty messed up for someone to steal your shard like that.” Shane gave her a small pat on the back. “Anyways, I need to find Jas. I’ll see ya later?”

“Of course. Later, Shane.” Bee smiled as Shane walked away. Despite not getting first place, she felt good. She was still stoned and getting the nice feelings that come from enjoying pot but deeper she felt cared for by Shane. And that was a better high than anything pot could offer.

Fall 20, Year 2

Bee woke to the sound of the phone ringing and roaring thunder. She rose from her bed and stumbled over to the loud red telephone before picking it up and holding it to her ear. 

"Mm-Hello?" Bee yawned.

“Bridgit?” Marnie’s worried voice came from the other end of the line.

“Hey Marnie, is everything okay?” The farmer asked as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“I’m not sure. It’s Jas’s birthday and Shane said he would take the afternoon shift to spend the morning with all of us but he’s not here. And his supervisor said he’s not at work either. It’s already near 9 am…I told Jas he got called in but I really don’t know where he could be.” 

Bee was silent as she felt a knot in her stomach. Her mind raced with thoughts of worst-case scenarios of where Shane could be. The feeling of dread began to take over her body, completely overpowering the annoyance she had at waking up late.

“I’ll find him. Tell Jas happy birthday from me, yeah?” She did not waste time waiting for a response and hung up the telephone. The farmer threw on a jacket and rushed out of the door, not bothering to pull the hood over her head. 

The rain was heavy and the thunder was deafening. The storm showed no sign of relenting either. Her hair was soaked and her clothes stuck to her skin but none of it mattered to her, she just wanted Shane to be okay. He was somewhere in Pelican Town and she was determined to find him.

Bee’s heart was racing as she ran around Pelican Town, the coldness of the rain seeping into her bones. She had checked the beach, the train station, and even Joja just to make sure he was truly not there. As she entered Cindersap Forest she took a deep breath. It was a lot of ground to cover but damn it, she was determined.

Her feet splashed through puddles and mud, ruining her shoes, but she couldn't care any less. The wind whipped her hair into a frenzy as she called out Shane’s name. As she made her way towards the sewer near the end of the forest, she finally spotted her very drunk friend lying near the cliff surrounded by beer cans.

“Shane!” Bee shouted. She ran over to him then bent over, exhausted from hunting for the man for the past two hours. Her hair was ruined and she was soaked to the bone but it was all worth finding him.

 “Bridgit…” Shane moaned from where he was laying. Bee’s eyes softened and her brows furrowed as she sat down by him. “I-I’m sorry.”

Shane continued after his drunken hiccup, “M…My life. It’s a pathetic joke…look at me…Why do I even try?” He sobbed with his face against the wet ground. All Bee could do in the moment was just sit there and listen to his crying.

“I’m too small and stupid to…to take control of my life. I…I’m just a piece of soiled garbage flittering in the wind…I’ve been coming here often lately…looking down…here’s a chance to finally take control of my life…these cliffs. But…but I’m too scared and anxious…just like always.” Shane cried. Bee stood up, her eyes glassy and rimmed with red.

“Bee…all I do is work, sleep and drink…t…to dull the feelings of self-hatred. Why should I even go on? Tell me…T-tell me why I shouldn’t roll off this cliff right now.”

The soaked farmer gazed down at the drunk and depressed man in front of her. She looked down from the cliff and sighed. Was there even a right response to this? He was a drunken mess and probably more soaked than she was. Still. She needed to say something.

“If you decide that there’s no reason to keep going, right now, you will never get to find out if you were wrong later. It would be bullshit to try and feed you arbitrary reasons to not roll off this cliff because life is fucking brutal and its hard. Sometimes it's hard for no good reason...But either way, I’m here for you Shane.” Bee responded. It was the best she could manage to say while being cold and worried.

“Thanks…I appreciate that…I really do.” Shane said softly. He clutched his stomach and groaned. “Bee…I think you should take me to the hospital now.”

The woman helped Shane to his feet, throwing his arm over her shoulder and supported him all the way out of the forest and to Harvey’s clinic. The doctor looked at them both with wide eyes as puddles formed around their feet, soaking his floors. Bee looked at the older brunette, her eyes full of concern as she pleaded for his help and was relieved when Harvey helped her get him to a room.

It was evening by the time she left the clinic. Harvey had pumped Shane’s stomach and rehydrated him. The doctor had also expressed his concern for Shane’s mental health which was the more pressing issue. She wondered what could have happened, had she not found Shane in time. Even if he decided not to jump off the cliff the man could have died from alcohol poisoning. 

Bee got into her house and sighed. The first thing she did was dry off and change into warm clothes. Then she went to her phone and called Marnie.

“Is he okay?” Marnie asked immediately. 

“He is now. He’s over at the hospital with Harvey. He was in rough shape.” Bee explained. It was silent for a moment but she could hear his aunt sniffling.

“I’m glad you found him.” She finally spoke.

“Me too. I think I’m gonna head to bed early. Night, Marnie.” The farmer hung up the phone and sighed. Her body was sore from running around town in the rain searching for the 28 year old. As she lay in her bed, holding her cat close to her, all she could think about was how defeated her friend looked as he cried to her. 

Fall 21, Year 2

   Loud knocking came from the front door. Bee stretched as she arose from her bed before slowly making her way to the front of the house. There better be a good reason someone is here this early. She opens her door with a tired and slightly aggravated expression.

"Hey…" Shane said. His voice was barely above a whisper. "Oh man…how do I say this? I'm really sorry for what happened down at the cliffs…that was…embarrassing."

Bee's expression had shifted the moment she saw him. So many emotions were bubbling inside her like a pot of water about to boil over. Her eyes began to burn, tears threatening to spill onto her shirt while she clenched her fist. She could barely make eye contact with the man.

"Bee," He moved closer to her. "Say something will ya?" 

Suddenly she pulled Shane into an embrace. Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing him tightly while her face was buried into his green shirt. She felt his arms hesitantly return the gesture.

"Please don't ever scare me like that again. I'm so glad you're still here." Bee's voice cracked as she broke their hug.

“Wow, it was that serious, huh? I can hardly remember…” Shane admitted. “I’ve decided I want to see a therapist. Harvey got me in touch with a colleague of his. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me and I want you to know I’m going to take things more seriously from now on. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone…”

The farmer smiled softly. “That's really good Shane. I'm just relieved you're okay.”

Shane nodded and returned the smile. “I’ll catch you around, Bee.” 

Autumn leaves continued to fall and blow around in the wind as the older man took his leave. She watched as he continued down the path before heading into her greenhouse and beginning her chores.

1

[glazedsnail]

Part 18 Is Up - About A Fool's Lust

Part 18 of Unsettled Dust of the Valley is now up on Ao3:

Part 18: About a Fool's Lust

Summary: Juniper ends up bitten by her own fun, realising how deep the fall is before even reaching the ground.

No snips cause it's mostly nsfw 😏

Here's Juniper in all her brattiness glory by @sotie-art (Thank you again so much she's so cute I want to slap her face so hard)

An SDV Fanfic - Penny/Shane - ♀FarmerOC/Shane CW: Sex, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Swearing, Suicidal Thoughts, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Oral Sex, Public Sex, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault

[sdvbraindump]

Why is this so much more vibrant on my phone??

Will return back to my long fic soon. Working on something special 👀

[nik-barinova]

This but make it farmer Zoey and Shane