Hannah – POV
I woke up to the sound of frantic knocking rattling my front door like someone was about to break it down.
My heart stuttered in my chest as I scrambled out of bed, wrapping a sweater around my shoulders, still half-lost in the haze of sleep—and something else. The warmth of last night still clung to my skin.
I pulled open the door and found Abigail, soaked from the misty morning air, wild-eyed and already mid-panic.
"Hannah—oh my god—Sebastian was really upset last night, and I went to his house this morning but he's gone. Like, gone gone. His mom hasn't seen him, his bike's still in the garage, and I thought maybe he went to the city, or worse—I don't know, maybe Skull Cavern or jumped the mountain or something—I'm freaking out—"
She stopped.
Mid-rant, her eyes trailed past me and over to the corner of the room—my bed.
Where Sebastian was.
Completely passed out, one arm flung over his eyes, his wild black hair spilling across my pillow like he lived there.
"Oh." Abigail blinked.
Her entire face changed. Panic morphed into wide-eyed astonishment. Then into something far more dangerous—glee.
"Oh my god." She grabbed my arms, bouncing slightly. "I'm in shock. I don't even know what to say. I mean—I do—but I'm trying to respect the moment and also explode internally."
I opened my mouth to respond, but all I could do was smile, a little dazed. My fingers drifted to my lips like they were still memorizing the feeling of his.
"Did we find him?" Sam's voice burst through the door before I could say a word. He stepped inside, breathless. "Good morning, Hannah—oh. OH!"
His eyes landed on Sebastian, still dead to the world and tangled in my comforter like he hadn't moved once since we fell asleep.
"Oh my Yoba," Sam whispered. "Is he naked under there?"
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Can everyone please get out of my house?"
"You have to tell me everything when he leaves," Abigail hissed in my ear before grabbing Sam's arm and hauling him toward the door.
Just as I was about to close it behind them, I heard Sam blurt with way too much volume, "Dude, did he lose his V-card?!"
"SHUT UP, Sam!" Abigail shouted, and I couldn't help but laugh as their voices faded into the mist.
When the door finally clicked shut, silence settled again. I turned to look at him.
Sebastian hadn't stirred.
He was lying on his side now, breathing softly, completely oblivious to the chaos. His brow was relaxed in a way I rarely saw—like he finally let himself rest. Like, for once, the weight he always carried wasn't there.
I crossed the room and knelt by the bed, brushing a piece of hair out of his face. He shifted slightly, his lips parting in sleep, but he didn't wake.
And I didn't want him to—not yet.
I sat on the floor beside him, hugging my knees to my chest.
The sunrise was just starting to peek through the fog, casting pale light across the old floorboards. Everything felt still. Sacred, even.
Last night didn't feel like a dream anymore.
It was real. He was real. And he was still here.
For once, I didn't feel like I had to protect my heart from him.
I didn't feel like I was chasing after something that didn't want to be caught.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the bed frame, letting myself rest beside him.
Not as a farmer. Not as the girl who fought monsters. Not as the one carrying the weight of Stardew Valley's fate on her shoulders.
Just me.
And for the first time in a long time...
That felt like enough.
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I must've dozed off.
The heat of the fireplace had dwindled to embers, and the sky outside had shifted to that overcast morning gray that always came after a heavy rain. The kind that made everything feel quiet, like the world was still exhaling.
I felt him stir before I heard him.
The blankets rustled, then a groggy groan.
"Hannah?"
His voice was raspy and half-asleep, like he hadn't spoken in years. I lifted my head and looked up at him from the floor, where I'd curled up next to the bed. He blinked down at me, confused for a second before it clicked.
"Oh." He sat up, rubbing a hand through his hair. "I'm still here."
"You are," I said softly, smiling.
His gaze dropped to the space between us, his brows tightening. "I didn't mean to crash like that."
"I didn't mind." I stood slowly, stretching the stiffness out of my limbs. "You needed the sleep."
He let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh, but it didn't quite make it. "I think I needed a lot more than that."
I walked to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and pouring him some water. When I handed it to him, our fingers brushed, and he didn't pull away.
Neither did I.
"Just warning you, Abigail barged in wondering if I knew where you were, and she saw you." I said quickly. Sebastian sighed rubbing his hand down his face.
"And Sam." I added.
"Great." He says sarcastically. His eyes studied my face making me feel extremely nervous.
"I still don't know how to do this....us."
"Me either, but we don't have to figure it all out today, let's just be." I smiled and his body relaxed. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he let me. Time felt like it was standing still, and I never wanted it to end.
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