Stardew Valley Fanfiction:

'The Farmer Witch'

Chapter 19:

The witch was just getting up when they heard the front door of the carpenter shop open and shut upstairs.

It sounded like Robin was home because they could hear the sounds of her tools hitting the floor above as she dropped them off behind her desk. And sure enough, a few moments later the woman was knocking on Sebastian's door and entering before she got a response. Alice could see Sebastian rolling his eyes in her periphery. No one ever gave him privacy in his own room.

"Seb I'm home – oh hey Alice, sorry did I interrupt something?" She looked back and forth between the farmer and her son.

"No, Alice was just heading out." Sebastian commented dryly.

Alice smiled at Robin. "How did everything go?" She asked a bit hopefully.

Robin beamed at her. "Finished early~ I think you'll be very pleased. Some of my best work~"

Alice bounced happily. She glanced back at Sebastian. "Feel like skipping your evening smoke and coming to see it?" There was only a slight hint of disapproval in her voice. She hated the fact that he smoked. She wasn't a prude, but the smell….it was awful.

Sebastian seemed to brighten a bit. "Yeah? Okay, sure." He was already getting up, maybe a little too eager for an excuse to walk the farmer home. Seeing his enthusiasm, Alice remembered her current predicament with the man. Was she sending him more signals by asking him over? Did she care? She did want him to come see her new home after all. They were close friends so there was nothing wrong with that. If he tried to talk to her about the other night, would it get awkward? Would she want to start something more with him? Or was she overthinking this whole thing and making it all up in her head? Maybe Sebastian didn't feel that way at all about her.

Her thoughts were clouded by a multitude of questions and when she finally came back to reality, she and Sebastian were already heading out the door.

"Don't stay out too long son! I'm putting in the mushroom casserole for dinner!" Robin called after them. Sebastian groaned beside her.

"Do me a favor" he muttered to Alice quietly. "Save some pumpkins for us when they come in. Maybe I can get mom to make her pumpkin soup instead of mushroom casserole every night."

The girl giggled beside him. "You're such a pessimist. Cheer up! If you don't like it then learn to cook for yourself." She suggested.

He sighed. "I can cook a little. But I hate spending time upstairs. Might run into them."

She knew he meant his half-sister and stepfather.

Soon they were walking onto the farm. Alice lead her friend up the porch steps excitedly. She couldn't wait to see the second floor for the first time! Sebastian moved in front of her to get the door, surprising Alice a little. He wasn't the overly formal type and the farmer wasn't used to being treated like that. But she thanked him and they traveled upstairs to look around.

Alice was bubbling with happiness – it was so spacious! A whole open room greeted them. It had hardwood floors for now, but she planned on carpeting the upper level of her home. Sebastian nodded his approval, following her into the upstairs bedroom.

"Nice. Gonna move your bed and stuff up here?" He questioned.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet. I'm just glad for some extra storage space inside. Might save up for a flat screen and a sofa next, get some decent furniture in here."

They chatted for a while, bouncing ideas for the upstairs off each other. Sebastian hid his envy well, but the farmer could tell there was a bit wistfulness there.

"You know you're welcome over anytime Sebby." She reminded him. "You can set up a desk upstairs once I have the internet cables laid. Do your work in peace."

He shook his head. "Nah, I'd just get in your way."

Alice huffed. "You wouldn't. I wish you'd take my offer." But she let it go. Guys could be proud like that. It was probably hard for him to take such an offer like that.

Alice's phone rang from the kitchen where it was charging. They headed back down and Alice hurried to answer the call. "Hello?" Not many people called her. Let alone at this hour. She should have guessed who it would be.

"Hello farmer! Just wanted to know how your meeting went with the infamous JojaCorp cronies~" Damon greeted. He was teasing her, knowing full well her resentment of all things Joja.

She huffed. "It went fine, thanks. Going to bring Grandpa Joe's farm into the modern age!" She covered the speaker and looked over her shoulder at Sebastian. "My Warlock Master." She informed him.

He went from looking somewhat inquisitive to totally interested. He loved talking magic with the young witch. He had a fascination with it and occasionally got up the nerve to pick her brain on the subject.

She turned her attention back to the phone. "I'm just showing off my new second floor to a friend. Wish you could see it."

"Well don't let me interrupt. I just wanted to check in with you. I owe your grandfather that much."

She smiled, missing her master a lot in the moment. "You should come visit soon. Now that the renovations are done it would be great to have company."

She could hear the apprehension in his voice. "Uhh…. Maybe. I'll consider it." That was as good as a no.

She sighed, her shoulders heaving slightly. "I'll call you in a couple hours okay? I got some stuff to do before it gets too late."

Damon agreed, bidding her a farewell for now. She set the phone back down to charge in the one outlet she had.

"Sorry about that. My master just likes to check in on me." She turned back to Sebastian.

"He sounds like a good guy. You said he used to live in the valley, right?" He sat down at her table as she busied herself making coffee. Sebastian was always down for a cup and she knew that.

"Yeah. Rasmodius told me he got his heart broken out here and then left for the city. My master never told me the reason why he left, so I can't say for certain what it was. He isn't eager to come back though."

Sebastian nodded along to her story. "It's weird thinking of warlocks living in the city… I sort of imagine them out in nature I guess."

"They usually are. That's were all the pure magic comes from. He must have really gone through something bad to run off to the city for the rest of his days." Alice field the coffee mugs glumly. She hated thinking that there was a sadness being held inside her master's heart.

"Who knows, maybe he'll come back someday. If he does, I'd love to meet the guy who trained you." He took the cup offered to him, taking a sip.

She finished washing out the coffee pot and placing it back in its spot. When she turned to join him at the table, she froze momentarily. There it was again. That look. His eyes were softer than they usually were, and he had a gentle smile tugging at the sides of his mouth. There was none of the usual sarcasm or irritation or grumpiness that the man usually wore. Just a peaceful sort of comfort and lots of eye contact.

The witch could feel her face heating up slightly, but she tried to play it off like nothing. She sat down at the other end of the table, keeping her eyes on her coffee mug. She tried to think of something, anything to say.

"I mean, you might get to see him before I do next." She tried to joke. "If you get fed up and flee to the city I mean."

Sebastian looked down at the table. "Somehow the city has lost the appeal it once had for me…." He was quieter than before, like he was contemplating telling her something more. "I think I only kept saying I wanted to move there because anywhere was better then where I'm at now."

Alice nodded. "Well if you're miserable at home then you should just find a way to move out." Trying not to sound too judgy.

"I know. I plan to. But…" she looked over at him when he paused. He was back to looking at her again and having their eyes meet made the farmer freeze up again. "But I wouldn't want to leave behind my friends here… or you… I want to stay here in the valley."

Alice knew he was waiting for her to say something in return, but she was too dumbstruck to move or say anything. She looked back at him stupidly, her lips parted in a blank stare.

Love is in the air~ Oh wait, it might just be angst... Oh well! More chapters to come soon! The more motivated I am to write the faster the chapters come out. The more reviews, follows, and comments I get, the more motivated I am~ Hint-hint - Mystical Jelly