Blue was not his color, Sebastian decided bleakly. The powder blue suit was dated in the worst way—even the thread securing the buttons seemed tired. Why he had to wear the damned thing was beyond him. Tradition dictated that all the bachelors and bachelorettes of the town wear the outfits, some odd courting ritual that was archaic yet still foolishly practiced. In the past few years, the same people had worn the ceremonial costumes and none of them had found a marriage partner. Not that he was interested— putting down roots in this town was as good as a death sentence. He grumbled, snatched and lit up a cigarette, and briefly wondered if he'd be able to burn the outfit without alerting his family upstairs.

He already knew how the dance would go. It was the same every year: Mayor Lewis would give that disgusting speech about youth and love, those with partners would stand on the sidelines drinking spiked punch and nibbling cake, and all the singles would dance in the middle waiting for some legendary "spark" to kindle between them. There were a few occasions where they had snuck some of the punch as teens, the only "spark" forming from inebriated half-clothed fumbling under the cover of night— excitement breeding from the thrill of being out past curfew rather than any actual affections for their partners. It didn't hold the same appeal as it used to—all that awaited was awkward shuffling and avoiding eye contact come morning, a shame that burned in his chest until the next year arrived. Sebastian grimaced, stuffing the suit back into his closet as two soft knocks rapped against his door.

"Yeah?" He hid his smoke behind his back, expecting his mother or Maru to poke their heads in to usher him upstairs. Instead, a head of long black hair tied into a loose braid peeked in— and Sebastian couldn't slam his closet door shut fast enough.

"Is this a bad time? Are you working right now?" Lilah asked.

"Not today." He glanced at his closet door to make sure it closed completely and ran a hand through his hair. "What's up?"

"I come bearing gifts," she announced, stepping into his room and closing the door behind her. She held a basket covered by a plaid kerchief close to her body. Her eyes sparkled—no longer dark and deep like thunderclouds, but bright and shimmering like polished silver. Sebastian took the basket she offered and tilted his head, holding his cigarette between his lips and lifting the cloth to peek inside. He flushed, the burning in his cheeks seeping up to his hairline. For a moment, he thought he'd burnt himself, but Lilah took the cigarette from his mouth and extinguished it for him in the ashtray.

"Strawberries?" He plucked one plump fruit from the top of the pile. Her grin widened—her smiles came much more freely lately. She'd seemed so nervous at first, awkward but so happy just to be part of the group. She'd really brightened up since they first met, though he wasn't arrogant enough to even consider he had anything to do with it.

"I thought you should be the first one to try them, all things considered." She was practically bouncing, fidgeting with the end of her braid as she watched him examine the basket.

It had been over a month since Lilah's first visit to 24 Mountain Road. He may have invited her but even after she accepted, he only half expected her to show up. He'd been deep in his work when she arrived much like today with two soft knocks and an unsure smile. She'd waited patiently for him to finish, a nice change from those that seemed to think he just screwed around all day.

That afternoon had been casual. She was obviously unsure at first, but she was easy to talk to. When she asked him more about his career, she seemed genuinely interested when he showed her a few projects he'd been working on—though, admittedly, he wasn't that great at reading people. But, she hadn't seemed bored and he was pleasantly surprised to see her excitement at his bookshelf. Her fingers had danced across the spines, delighting in the fact that he had the entire Mass Recall sci-fi trilogy.

"When the terraformer malfunctioned on Callieos, I think I threw my copy," Lilah said, skimming through the pages of the second book to find the aforementioned scene.

"Yeah, looking back it was pretty obvious that Jarec was the saboteur, though. He was always at odds with the Cultivators."

"Oh, I know. I always thought he was sketchy," She laughed and replaced the book on the shelf. "Maybe I should take up space farming, instead."

Sebastian smirked, then a thought hit him and he moved to his bed.

"Actually, you just reminded me," he said, pulling out a small storage bin on wheels. He popped the top off and dug through the contents until he found his target. "I don't know if they're still good, I was originally going to toss them but...I don't know, I just hoarded them away instead. You'll probably get more use out of them than I would." He held out the rubber-banded stack of seed packets. All consolation prizes from the egg festival year after year. He had as much use for strawberry seeds as he had for a hole in his ceiling, but he remembered Lilah mentioning that she was having trouble figuring out what to grow.

Lilah took them, mouth slightly agape. She lightly traced the label with her finger and, with a panic, Sebastian realized her eyes were welling up.

"If you don't need them, it's not a big deal. I just thought…"

"No!" Lilah shook her head, holding the bundle to her chest protectively. "It's not that! These are amazing, Bas...Thank you."

Sebastian still had no idea why the seeds had gotten him such a reaction, he still didn't feel right prying. The memory of her pale face, her body trembling against his as she gripped his hoodie hinted that there were some things about the farm girl that she didn't want him to know—no matter how curious he was.

They hung out more regularly after that. Their friendship formed before he even had a chance to process it. Sometimes, they did little more than just sit in the room together, her quietly reading one of his books while he worked, then chatting casually during his coffee break. Other times, they'd introduce each other to movies or tv shows, or bet who was buying the rounds next Friday over a fighting or racing game. He even got her involved in his and Sam's weekly game of Solarion Chronicles, though Sam accused her of playing favorites with her healing magic once or twice. He'd then proceed to tease Sebastian over it long after she'd gone home, urging him to just ask her out already. Though, that argument usually died out pretty quickly once the name "Penny" entered the fray.

Sebastian raised the strawberry to his mouth, taking a bite through its firm flesh. Sweetness spread across his tongue as he chewed, much sweeter than he was used to from the Joja Mart inventory, but it mixed oddly with the nicotine still coating his tongue. Still, he focused through the acrid mixing of flavor to the core taste. He usually wasn't a fan of them, but he thought he could eat the whole basket with no problem.

Lilah watched him expectantly, leaning forward and face serious. Wisps of hair rebelled from her plait as it dangled over her sunburned shoulder, and he knew he had to say something.

"It's good," he said, "I've never tasted anything like it."

"Really?" Lilah beamed. "I was thinking about trying to sell some at the dance this afternoon."

"Give them a sample and I'm sure you'll sell out. Are you sure it's okay for me to have this many?"

Lilah nodded. Someone could have told him the sun radiated from her smile and he would have believed it. He didn't think he'd ever seen her so happy.

"I'm so glad you like them. I have to go get ready but I'll see you at the festival, right?"

"I couldn't avoid it if I wanted to," He said, then sighed. "And trust me, I really want to."

She laughed, clear and genuine. She promised to catch him at the party then waved goodbye before scurrying out the door, leaving him there with nothing but a basket of berries and a smirk.

The rest of his family would love the fruit, he thought. He entertained the idea of leaving the basket on the kitchen counter for them all to try...then stashed it on his desk, hiding it beside his computer tower and the wall where no one would ever find it.

That was what was called a "rousing success," Lilah thought proudly as she looked at her bare table. Sebastian had been right, a couple samples here and there and she'd already sold out on her first harvest. Most of the festival-goers had their own bag of fruit tucked in by their tables, some already nibbling away. It was an image Lilah had never imagined could bring her so much joy.

She smiled so wide that her cheeks hurt, hugging the lockbox containing her earnings to her chest and fantasizing about what she could do with it all. Robin had offered several renovation ideas, as well as help on building fences and paving some pathways to better organize her farm. Most of it she would stash away in savings, hoard it away like the Archdragon in the last campaign of S.C. she'd played at Sebastian's, but she could already visualize her ultimate goal.

I want a bathroom , she thought, sighing happily at the thought of a porcelain tub, indoor toilet, and a shower not shared by the local squirrel community. Gramps was a much stronger person than she'd ever be to survive for who-knows-how-long using that outdoor glorified sprinkler head as his main source of hygiene. All she wanted was a nice long soak at the end of the day and if her sales stayed on this trajectory, she'd have her wish in no time.

"Somebody looks happy!" Abigail grinned, snacking on a strawberry of her own. True to her word, she had been the first to line up to Lilah's table.

"Things are definitely looking up!" Lilah straightened up, replacing the lockbox under the table. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh this? It's nothing! Just some stupid costume they make us change into for the dance," her face darkened and she cleared her throat. Her violet hair seemed all the more vibrant when contrasted with the pure white of her gown, a woven chain of different spring flowers adorned her neck—daisies, mostly, with a violet bloom as the centerpiece that rested just above her breasts.

"You look so beautiful," Lilah sighed. Abigail bent over, hysterical laughter shaking her shoulders.

"I look like a faerie! I'd rather be a troll," she stuck her tongue out towards the clearing repurposed as a dance floor. "Dancing in front of everyone is so embarrassing. They sit there and wait for some fairytale moment to happen, but everyone knows this whole festival is just an excuse to drink and eat until you explode."

"Really? I think it's pretty romantic…"

"You will until you're the one wearing the dress!" Abigail warned with a good natured smile. "Speaking of...Is there someone you want to dance with?"

Lilah blinked, heat rising to her face before she should even try to brush the question off. Of course she wanted to dance. It'd be fun just to let loose for a change even if she felt underdressed in her jeans and weathered tank top, but she wouldn't allow a specific partner to cross her mind.

Definitely not Sebastian.

Especially not Sebastian.

She wasn't naïve when it came to the way he made her heart beat. Since the night he'd fearlessly searched for the supposed intruder in her cabin, she knew she'd developed a bit of a crush. But even a crush, no matter how innocent, terrified her as much as it excited her. After everything, she knew the last thing she wanted was to jump into another relationship. She valued the friendship they'd formed too much to inadvertently make him the rebound...Even if she knew how warm it'd feel, exactly how their palms fit together and which brand of cigarettes settled their scent into his clothing.

Deep down, no matter how much she denied it, she knew she'd love to dance with him...but she wasn't under the delusion that it could actually happen. At any rate, it wouldn't be any fun unless he was enjoying himself too, and he'd made it clear that morning that he'd give anything to get out of attending.

"So you do! Who is it?" Abigail pestered, taking Lilah's silence as confirmation.

"Why don't you dance with me?"

Abigail blinked, pink rising to her cheeks.

"You rebel, you! I like it," She laughed and held her arms out for Lilah to take her hands. Their fingers clasped together and they hurried out to the dance floor, spinning childishly in complete disregard of the music the live band so expertly performed. Abigail's skirt flared out with each spin, flower petals from her accessories scattering around them, giving grace to an otherwise erratic performance. They danced until Mayor Lewis stepped up to his podium, interrupting the music with a thick clearing of his throat and a broad smile beneath his ashen gray moustache.

"Welcome everyone to the Stardew Valley Annual Flower Dance! As our festivities are drawing to a close, I'd like to personally thank each and everyone of you for your contributions this year." The mayor sweeped his hands out in front of him, motioning to the townspeople, before clapping them together in applause and urging them to do the same. "It warms my heart to see you all come together as a community to continue our sacred traditions. To end this wonderful night of friendship and romance, let's have all our singles gather onto the dance floor to lead us into the final number for the night!"

Abigail sighed and picked at her skirt, muttering to herself as she headed to the middle of the floor. Lilah smiled as she left, moving to the sidelines as the other young singles of the town took their places. Sebastian took his spot across from Abigail—the sour look on his face not that far off from what Lilah had imagined and she covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. He looked miserable, dressed in a pastel suit that was absolutely offensive on him. The music started and they stepped towards each other in time. The men bowed, the women curtsied, the dance was so modest and restrained like an Arthurian-era ball. Hands barely touched as they circled each other, some eyes awkwardly shifted away from the stare of their partner's...but others were the opposite.

A sharp pang stabbed in her stomach as she watched them. Sebastian and Abigail didn't look away from each other. He still frowned, his face ever-serious and clearly uncomfortable, but Abigail smiled and spoke so only he could hear her. He rolled his eyes once, spinning the girl away from him before pulling her back, his steps faltering for a beat as she stumbled back into him. Abigail laughed with their hands clasped between them.

Jealousy wasn't the right word, Lilah thought. The two of them fit each other well and had obviously known each other their whole lives. She could imagine the two of them together more clearly than she could imagine her own face. Her attraction was one-sided, but she could deal with that. She wasn't upset that they were together but the more she watched, the more a bitter taste spread in the back of her mouth.

It was the connection, she realized. She could remember being sixteen, craving that kind of relationship. She'd dreamt of a man that could enjoy her for who she was, love her unconditionally even if he thought she was silly or had odd hobbies, but all the more better if he shared her interests. She'd wanted someone that would look into her eyes and be completely clear and open, trusting her implicitly with that vulnerability. Instead, she had found Emery. Emery who "accidentally" threw out all her favorite novels and comic books when they first moved in together. Emery who smacked her for the first time when she refused his advances after an argument over what friends she kept. Her dreams of a true love shattered with the splintering of her bones, growing dark and perverse with each night she spent beside him until she had started to believe she had found the love she deserved. Even now, no matter how many times she told herself how wrong he had been, she couldn't help the small voice whispering in the back of her mind that she would never find anyone better.

The other couples moved their way onto the floor, joining hands and moving in more modern steps as the music started to peak. Even young children twirled amongst them, leaving Lilah on the outskirts. Her skin crawled and prickled with heat, nausea coiling her insides. She took a step back, watching the dancers and feeling more and more like a voyeur than part of their festivities. She was settling in just fine but it didn't change the fact that she was still an outsider—an awkward piece left over in the box while the jigsaw puzzle rested completed on the kitchen table. Even the friends she had made already had their routines, was there really any space for her to fit in?

Lilah turned for the path leading back to Haven, unsure if she wanted to think about the answer.

"Oh no you don't!" Two slender hands took her by the wrists and started pulling her back towards the floor. Abigail's painted purple lips teased in a smirk, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "If we have to suffer, so do you!"

Before Lilah could so much as think of a protest, Abigail spun them into the sea of dancers. They weaved between couples with purpose, the odd pace left Lilah tripping more than once but all her efforts to slow the other girl down were for nothing. Abigail flashed one more smile and, with no other warning, released her hold on Lilah's hands and sent her stumbling to the side. She was caught immediately before she could crash into anyone else, two larger hands taking over for Abigail's and stabilizing her.

"You good?" Sebastian asked.

Lilah flushed. His skin felt searing hot against hers but his hold was too firm to tug away. She looked around for Abigail through the throng, though she knew the girl was already long gone.

"I'm fine," she said at last. Sebastian nodded, looking about as awkward as she felt.

"So...did you want to…" Sebastian trailed off, eyes roaming and focusing anywhere but her face. "You're already here so...do you want to dance a bit?"

Lilah blinked. Had she heard him correctly?

"Are you sure? You and Abigail seemed to be having a lot of fun."

"As if," Sebastian grimaced, already starting to move again to the music and leading her away from the other oblivious dancers. "All she was doing was making fun of me."

"About...what?" Lilah's brain felt numb. She hadn't thought she'd get to dance at all, much less with him. He raised one of her hands to rest on his shoulder and kept the other in his warm grip. Then, his palm rested on her waist, a siege of sparks flowing from his skin through her tank top. Her body moved on its own, muscles contracting and manipulating her feet as though puppet strings were attached to those electric fingers.

"You," He said it matter-of-factly, as though the reason should have been obvious. "She said I should have asked you to dance while I had the chance. I guess she took it upon herself to do it for me."

"I didn't think you'd want to dance at all," Lilah admitted.

"I didn't. I...don't. But I knew you wouldn't ask me to either, so I wanted...I don't really know what I'm saying," he groaned and shook his head, "just forget I said anything."

"Way to leave me hanging," Lilah forced a laugh, trying to ignore the hammering inside her chest. His dark eyes rested on hers, warm but fading away.

He was nervous, unsure. He'd pull away from her at any moment, apologize or backtrack, then it'd be over. She'd gotten to know him well enough to see it start worming into his thoughts. Lilah squeezed his shoulder before he could have the chance to regret opening his mouth.

"I won't make fun of you," she promised. Sebastian was quiet but the distance in his eyes disappeared. His lips pressed against each other, brows knitting as though he was at war with the words inside his head. He pulled her a bit closer as they circled around another couple, bending his head slightly so no one else could hear him—as though the warmth of his breath near her ear didn't make the blood roar loud enough in her veins to drown out his voice on its own.

"Things just feel different with you. You haven't once said anything to try and change me...it just feels like you understand me," he confessed. "Sam is my best friend. He gets me better than most people. He knows I get nervous, so he usually covers for me and does all the talking that I can't. But, there are still times when he'll show up or message me when I'm working and expect me to drop everything. Even my own parents don't take my job seriously or acknowledge how important it is to me. But, you always ask if it's a good time when you come by. It's small but it means a lot."

"So...you wanted to ask me to dance because I let you work?" Lilah asked.

"No. Not really that," Sebastian scowled and shook his head. "I don't know how to explain it. You don't try to force me to fit in. You don't act like we have to go out to the saloon or anything to make hanging out together worthwhile, you know? You make me feel like I can be myself. So, I wanted to do this to thank you. I didn't want your first festival here to be spent like an outsider, because you're not. You've been...a really good friend since you got here."

Lilah smiled and rested her head against his chest. His heart thundered against her ear, fast and uneven as though he'd just confessed some terrible secret that could ruin him if it got out. She wondered if he could feel her own with their bodies this close.

"Thanks, Bas. So have you."

She didn't know when exactly the music stopped, nor when everyone else cleared the floor. She was less sure of when the field completely emptied, leaving behind piles of flower petals to be scattered and carried off by the evening breeze.

None of it seemed to matter.

They were still dancing.