Disclaimer - I don't own Stardew Valley or My Time At Portia. This was actually written back when I finished chapter seventeen of Sebastian's Time in Portia and realized this didn't work minus Emily's POV at the end, which fits into Emily's Swan which is STP from her POV.

Blackest Feather

She turned her head so she might look at him, the blush appearing again. "You smoke?

"Um…" Sebastian's eyes drifted towards the ground.

"That's rather cool."

"I'm not cool."

"I guess you're holding off because I'm here?" She stated what he felt was obvious, but then said. "Wait? Do you have anything to put the ashes into?"

"Not…"

A shiver ran up his spine upon feeling her grab onto his hand, yet his entire body tensed as she tugged him away and towards the gate by the road. "I know. Let's go and get you a porcelain plate at the Round Table for those ashes. And I don't mind you smoking around me. I'll just step a little further away while we talk."

Sebastian's mouth opened, yet no words came out. "You assume I want to talk."

She stopped right outside of his mailbox, retrieving the mail from inside and handing him the envelopes. The cigarette still remained perched in his fingers, yet he found himself glad she'd let go of his sleeve. His eyes drifted down towards the mail, but then his fingers stuffed the cigarette into his pocket hoping the item might not get smashed. She leaned over, uncomfortably close.

"Oh. That's from the Portia Times. And that one is from the mayor."

He froze, wondering why she needed to be so in his face about his mail, yet felt relief when she finally leaned back. He opened the mail, noting his uncle wanted to talk to him while the newspaper involved receiving one free copy of the newsletter which went on about the weekly newsletter which was apparently sponsored by the guild and city government meaning he also got a free copy.

He didn't get a chance to look at the rather sloppy pictures when Emily grabbed onto his sleeve, dragging him away. "You should place an advertisement in the paper. It will help your reputation out but only costs a nice round hundred. No, that we need to advertise for our farm. We're the only farm other than McDonald's ranch, but we work together."

Sebastian stumbled after her while she dragged him up the path towards the Round Table. His mouth opened and closed, confused regarding why she acted in such a friendly manner; even Sam – his Sam, didn't act this friendly when they first met, making her behavior quite disconcerting, yet in the back of his mind he couldn't think of a reason why he should tell her off. More importantly, the worry of his actions, if he did be socially inappropriate, lingered.

They arrived shortly afterward at the Round Table and found himself standing there staring at the one choice of porcelain plates, trying not to look the girl who ran the counter in the eye. "I don't understand why I need her help with this beyond the fact she's simply being overly friendly to someone she just met."

"Oh, so this is the new builder." The sound of the woman running the stall speaking up made Sebastian turn his head and look her in the eye. His eyes glanced away, feeling uncomfortable taking in the fact the girl in front of him definitely liked dolling herself up with makeup and really nice jewelry let alone the thought which crossed his mind that the girl in front of him definitely liked the finer things in life. "Do I know you? I mean, Emily told me the other day you've been in Portia before, but I can't quite place you."

Sebastian let out a deep sigh. Emily pointed at the porcelain plate. "Could we get one of those Sonia."

"Oh, sure. I couldn't possibly entice you into something else, such as a refreshing beverage. They're all made by the brewmaster Django, or how about something to eat from inside?"

"I…" He fetched out the necessary goals to pay for the porcelain plate, wishing he could easily flee the scene.

"Not today. I'm taking Sebastian to Portia Times so he can place an advertisement, so I'll see you later."

"Be sure to join our group this Wednesday, Sebastian."

Sebastian hoped he didn't grimace at yet another person being overly friendly with him. His eyes drifted towards the ground, his mouth opening slightly, yet nothing coming out of his mouth while Emily pulled his away down the main street. Worse, he felt the eyes of everyone he passed by were on him, watching despite the fact he didn't want the attention, his mind still anchored on the hope his stay in Portia wouldn't be a long one.

Thankfully, today wasn't bright like the other days with the accursed sun beating down upon him, yet Sebastian wasn't sure if this were some kind of consolation prize for his current predicament. They eventually arrived at the small which was right around the corner from the bakery. The smell of freshly baked goods wafted from the place, reminding him temporarily of his time as a small child holding his mother's hand, yet the memory quickly fled.

Emily, after all, dragged him up the steps of the newspaper building and through the door to meet other people – one of his major dreads since coming to Portia.

His eyes blinked, seeing a man dressed in an orange Hulu shirt and pinkish-red shorts with hearts, but he wore a flopping yellow fisherman's hat with green glasses perched on top. In the back of his mind, Sebastian remembered meeting the man when he first came to Portia, yet he remembered no glasses, not to mention he remembered a mustache rather than a beard, but the color blue.

He didn't notice right away the girl with a blue-tipped sombrero and brown poncho, her blue eyes looking at him inquisitively – not until she spoke. "Who is this Emily?"

He hoped he didn't look like he was jumping out of his skin, yet felt he did. His wish of Emily letting go of the sleeve for his black sweatshirt jacket was finally answered, but not before the girl with blond hair – although not pulled back into a braid-like Emily's possibly got the wrong idea – though what that wrong idea was, he didn't know. Emily smiled at the girl. "Mei, this is Sebastian. He's the new builder."

"Oh. Have you come to place an ad in the paper?" We're a weekly publication."

"I received your letter." Sebastian glanced away nervously. "And yes. That's why."

They said something, gossiping for a bit regarding topics he didn't quite hear, let alone find himself interested in – he simply wanted to get away from the place. Eventually, they headed out of the newspaper place, although he didn't remember what social cue indicated they were leaving, having completely zoned out.

Upon getting outside, he took a deep breath, taking in the smell of freshly baked goods from the morning and closing his eyes, noting how the smell was starting to fade with the noontime hour. "I didn't realize we were in there so long. Time certainly flies, but I feel as if I got nothing done."

Sebastian opened his eyes just in time to see Arlo pass by. Arlo gave him a look – a look Sebastian identified as disappointment which in turn made him tense up. Arlo continued on his way, but once the member of the civil corps passed him on by – he barely got a chance to relax. Emily grabbed onto his sleeve again, possibly arm and started dragging him back up the street in the direction he came.

He wanted to escape, yet nothing of the sort happened until Emily bid him goodbye, encouraging him to smoke and use the porcelain plate as an ashtray before disappearing off to who knew where. Instead of smoking, he stood there, looking at the entrance of the workshop as if the world came to an end.

…

Emily's throat tightened with excitement, her eyes taking in Sebastian carefully. She definitely liked Sebastian a lot, finding the young builder who moved in recently to be quite attractive – cool even. A thought suddenly crossed her mind, the fact he didn't actually light up the cigarette around her being a partial reason for the thought, the other being she honestly wanted to help the builder out and ingratiate herself with him.

As such, she didn't hesitate in offering help in regard to making sure he had something in the way of an ashtray. A shiver ran down her spine as her fingers slipped into his, her fingers feeling the callouses on his hand as she tugged him after her and towards Portia so they might purchase together one of the porcelain plates at the Round Table. "It's almost like a date," her mind thought, only for the other voice in her head to say, "bad Emily."

They stopped just outside of the mailbox where she fetched the mail out for him, handing the envelopes to him while the unlit cigarette perched between his fingers. She leaned over, taking in his scent without realizing she'd gotten that close until she mentally registered the fact her mind was attempting to figure out the scent which simply made him even more attractive.

"Oh. That's from the Portia Times. And that one is from the mayor." She watched him read the letter, her eyes drifting up to her throat, wanting to look at the lips she definitely wanted to one day kiss; she saw his Adam's apple bob down. "You should place an advertisement in the paper. It will help your reputation out but only costs a nice round hundred. No, that we need to advertise for our farm. We're the only farm other than McDonald's ranch, but we work together."

She dragged him after her after that, her fingers entwining into his and feeling the callouses on his fingers again. They arrived in front of the Round Table, her arm snaking in around Sebastian's bicep ever so slightly allowing her to feel the muscles underneath without actually hugging onto his arm as if she were his girlfriend. She also found herself instantly striking up a conversation with Sonia, her excitement growing.

They then headed to the newspaper office, the smells coming off the bakery making the whole event feel even more like a date despite not being one; imagining it as such didn't seem like it would hurt anyone. She also found herself chatting with Mei excitedly, thinking Sebastian followed along with whatever they were saying, but he placed the ad as she suggested.

She didn't realize how much time passed, but on the way back to the workshop they passed by Arlo, who seemed a bit surprised to see Sebastian, but she watched Arlo swallow. She brushed this aside, but she bid him goodbye just outside of his workshop before heading back to the farm. She'd walked halfway through the field when she let out a slight squeal of delight, hugging herself in excitement.

It felt like the beginning of the world.