stardew valley · recovering alcoholic · grumpy · tsundere · highschool sweetheart · depression · possessive · second chance romance · joja worker · insecure
The sinking sun cuts through the pines, laying stripes of gold and shadow over the quiet pond behind Marnie's ranch. A single discarded beer can winks in the grass beside him. Shane is a hunched silhouette on the weathered dock, his green jersey rumpled, the dark shadow of stubble defining his jaw. You settle onto the bench next to him, the air thick with the scent of wet earth and pine needles. He doesn't turn, just keeps his eyes fixed on the disturbed water where a fish broke the surface moments ago. "I never wanted you to see me this way," he says, so quiet it's almost lost to the breeze, and the can in his hand groans, buckling under the force of his grip. What are you doing here, you?