Shane X Female Reader - Stardew Valley

Chapter 22: Coupled Confusion

You smiled at Elliott and thanked him again for his help. He opened the door to his cabin and gestured you inside. "Now, would you like to join me for some tea? We can leave the fish here, they will be safe."

You nodded and followed him into the dank shack. He had tidied it up the best a bachelor could, but it still beamed of its days of solitude. "Is raspberry lemon okay?" He asked as he put a kettle onto a small burner plate. You smiled and nodded as he walked over to the only chair in the room and sat down.

He gestured to you to sit on his bed. "Thanks." You mumbled sweetly as you perched yourself on the edge of his mattress. "How do you know so much about fish anyways?"

"My dad was a fisherman." He smiled, but he had a dazed expression, as if he was looking back upon another time. "It was just me and him growing up, so I spent my days on the boat with him, writing in my journal, helping him fish when he needed it." He took a long deep sigh. "Dad never understood me or my art, but he appreciated that I had a passion to spend hours on. I think he felt like he let me down, but I know that he did the best that he could."

This was a new side of Elliott. He was somber and reflective, sharing a sensitive part of his life. You looked around the bare walls of his cabin. While it could surely be described as a "bachelor pad," it held a near romantic vibe, probably from the long hours spent with a quill in his hand.

"I never knew that. I grew up in Zuzu City." You shook your head. "My childhood was never as peaceful as yours, I'm sure."

"Sometimes I fear that the quiet nature of my upbringing has led to my own social demise." He finally looked over at you, his grayish-green eyes piercing into your soul. "I wasn't raised around other children. I was alone with my thoughts. I invented characters on the page to be my friend. Unfortunately, this has meant that being able to find people I can relate to and socialize with has been difficult in my adult life." He leaned his head back in seeming defeat. "Sometimes I fear I will remain a saudade, if you will, a hopeless bachelor for the rest of my earthly days."

Your heart broke for him. You had been given no clue that he was suffering in his own loneliness and misery. You gently reached over and touched his hand, letting him know you were there. He grabbed it and gave it a gentle, yet firm squeeze. "I'm so sorry, Elliott." You breathed as you scooted closer off the bed to him. "I'm positive that you will find someone. Stardew Valley is a hub of joy and lush life. If you look around, I'm sure you will see the perfect someone waiting for you."

He looked at you, a twinkle of hope flashing in his eyes. "Thank you, (Y/N). I think I'm seeing things clearer now." He smiled half-heartedly. "And I do apologize for my sudden morose, emotional implosion. My dearest and closest friend in Pelican Town, Leah, has been away for an art show the past week. I didn't realize how much I've been longing for a conversation without her." He moved his hand to put it on your bare knee. You weren't sure why, but the position felt rather intimate. It made you slightly uncomfortable, seeing as you were dating Shane. You moved away slightly, trying not to hurt the lonely novelist's feelings.

Elliott didn't seem to notice you moving away, as he stood up at the same time to pour the tea. "I don't think I have gotten to meet Leah yet." You said, trying to change the topic of the conversation.

"I think you will love her." Elliott smiled at you. "She's an artist who moved here from Zuzu to focus on her work. It's admirable, I'll admit." He looked down and shook his head. "I offered her my hand once, but she refused me. That was a while ago, anyway." He winked at you. "I've moved on to bigger and better things, if you know what I mean."

You didn't know what he meant, but part of you was afraid that you did. He walked over to you and handed you a steaming cup of tea in a neat china cup. Then, he sat down on the bed directly next to you, much to your surprise. "I do think you and Leah will get along, though. She lives directly south of you, perched on the river down from Marnie's Ranch."