Shane X Female Reader - Stardew Valley

Chapter 12: An Eventful Ride

You woke up groggy and stepped out of your warm bed. You put on some farming clothes as the sunshine poured through your windows. You tried your best to not think about the events of the day before. You decided you would have to go to the hospital first thing to check on Shane. You checked your watch to see that it was about half-past eight. You headed to the kitchen to start on your breakfast when a knock sounded from your door. You assumed it was Marnie and opened the door without giving much thought to how you looked.

Surprisingly, Shane stood on your porch, looking a million times better than he had the night before. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, his hair was combed neatly, and he was cleanshaven. "Shane!" You gasped. You were instantly embarrassed to be in your dirty farm clothes.

"Hey..." He said nervously, shuffling his feet. "Oh man... uh... how do I say this?" You felt like the world slowed to a halt as you waited for Shane to continue. "I'm really sorry about what happened at the cliffs. That was... embarrassing."

"No, it's all okay!" You smiled, happy to see him and wanting to comfort him. "I'm just happy you're still here."

"Wow, it was that serious, huh?" He looked away from you. "I can hardly remember..."

You nodded your head solemnly. Shane continued talking. "I've decided I want to see a therapist. Harvey got me in touch with a colleague of his... I'm going to Zuzu City tomorrow to see him."

You nodded, proud of Shane for getting the help he needs and happy that he was actually talking to you. "I'm here for anything if you need me." You smiled.

"Thanks, I was actually wondering if you wanted to come with me." He asked anxiously, scratching the back of his head. You gasped a little as a grin took over your face.

"Of course." You smiled at him. "What time do we leave?"

He smiled back at you. "Meet me at the bus stop around eight tomorrow morning. I'll cover your ticket, no worries."

"Sounds perfect." You said.

Shane smiled and the air between you grew warmer. He reached out his arms slightly, and you did the same until he pulled you into a hug. He smelled a little like a hospital, but you didn't mind. You were just glad to have him safely in your arms. He pulled away, too fast for your liking, and looked warmly away from you.

"Anyway... I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me. And I want you to know that I'm going to take things a little more seriously from now on. Harvey made some really good points that I never considered." He smiled at you and turned to leave. His lips showed a grin, but his eyes showed hints of sadness. "I don't want to be a burden on anyone..." he whispered.

He quickly skedaddled down the porch stairs and back towards town. You had been caught off guard by his final comment and you didn't respond fast enough. You watched him head back to town, never looking back at you.

    The next morning, you hurried through your chores and got dressed in record time to make it to the bus stop by eight. You wanted to wear something comfortable for the long bus ride to Zuzu City, but you still wanted to look nice for Shane. After much debate, you settled on some sensible jeans and a cute, lightweight sweatshirt. Though it was spring, it was still a little cool at times and today seemed to be especially chilly. You decided to wear your tundra boots for extra warmth. You grabbed your pack, which you rarely separated with, and ran to the bus stop.

As you approached, you slowed to a walk, looking for Shane. He was talking to a woman with fluffed yellow hair. You recognized her and her vibrant blue eyeshadow from the Saloon. She saw you approach, which prompted Shane to turn around towards you.