Liminal Space | A Stardew Valley FanFiction

Chapter 1

Sebastian absolutely despised me, and the feeling was mutual.

This was all I could think about as Robin and I stood in silence, watching the exposed roofing of my farmhouse invite sheets of rain to infiltrate the interior. Moments before—in-between profuse apologies—she insisted I stay with her until the storm blew over and restoration efforts could begin.

I agreed.

Reluctantly.

I scanned the farm one final time before Robin ushered me forward, my eyes locked on the trees that were leaning at unnatural angles and shaking in the wind. We huddled beneath a flimsy umbrella as we trudged towards the mountains, the path now made of mud that swallowed our feet whole. Tears quickly formed, fell, and ricocheted off of my face—I coined them as rain, but I knew better.

"Guys!" Robin shouted as we burst through the door, struggling to close the umbrella and eventually tossing it to the ground. "Sebastian! Maru! Demet—"

"What's up, honey?" Demetrius said softly as he walked in, shock enveloping his face as he approached. "Oh my—you two are soaked! Come in, let's get you dried off."

He reached behind the lab's doorframe and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around both of our shoulders and leading us into the kitchen. We sat down at the table, Robin and I quietly arguing over who should keep the towel when the gap between us became too large.

"Callie, remind me—do you like tea?" Demetrius asked, snapping us out of our game of no, you. Robin surrendered and wrapped the towel completely around her torso, scrubbing her shoulders in a desperate attempt to warm up.

"Yes, that would be great; thank you."

"What's happened?" Maru asked as she scurried into the kitchen. "Mom? ...Cal? Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are both okay, don't worry," Robin said with a weak smile. Her lip trembled, and I couldn't tell whether it was from the cold or despair. "It's a shame—Callie's house was projected to be done tomorrow—you know, that big renovation? I don't even know where this storm came from...but..."

She looked at me with sad eyes, and I imagined I looked about the same. "It's okay," I said, putting my hand on hers. "We will figure it out."

"Wait...did the—is your—what happened to the house?" Maru stammered, rushing over to wrap us in a hug. I melted into her embrace.

"It flooded; there was no roof." Robin sighed. "Callie will be staying here until her place is as good as new. It's the least we can do."

"Of course," Demetrius agreed, Maru nodding intently beside him. "Callie, please, make yourself at home."

"This means there will need to be a few changes, though," Robin turned towards Maru. "I'd like to have Sebastian sleep in your room temporarily, to ensure Callie has the most privacy possible." Maru's face fell slightly, but she quickly painted a smile back onto it as Robin looked to gauge her reaction.

"The hell do you mean?"

The voice belonged to Sebastian, who was crossing his arms and leaning against the counter. I began to panic as his figure moved towards the group, his footsteps heavy.

"Seb—"

"Mom." He said blandly. "There is no way Maru and I can share a room...This isn't just a quick rainstorm, it's a category four hurricane. Poor planning on Callista's part shouldn't make us uproot our lives."

His emphasis on my full name sent anger surging through my veins—the way it rolled off of his tongue like it was second nature, like it belonged there. I swallowed thick saliva and glanced at Robin, who wore an indiscernible expression. Her and Demetrius looked at each other, furrowing their eyebrows and moving their heads slightly; they were speaking in a secret language that the three of us couldn't understand.

"Sebastian, you don't have a choice, son," Demetrius sighed.

"I'm not your son," he grumbled. "And I'm not staying in Maru's room."

He turned to walk away, but was stopped by a strong hand latching onto his jacket. "Do not," Robin hissed through gritted teeth, "talk to us that way. Grab your shit and head upstairs—don't make me say it again."

I could almost see him shrivel into his clothing, muttering yes ma'am alongside a defeated exhale. His eyes met mine and he stared through me; for a terrible moment, I couldn't help but smile. It felt villainous as it spread across my lips; the right side of my mouth twitched upward despite my attempt to stifle it, but it was too late. It masked the defeat. He scowled at my satisfaction and disappeared around the corner.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Robin said dejectedly. "I know that this situation is draining enough without someone making you feel completely unwelcome. Rest assured, he does not speak for the rest of us; we are more than happy—honored, even—to have you around. I hope you know this by now."

I nodded, staring at the table and pushing my jumbled feelings away. She patted my back and stood up, motioning for me to follow; Sebastian shoved past us holding a bag stuffed sloppily with black clothing, the stairs creaking below his stride.

"Ignore him," Robin sighed. "Go ahead and make yourself at home. I've got a bad knee, so I'll be up here if you need me. A spill on these steps might just take me out."

I smiled weakly back at her as I descended into the basement. The room itself was almost comically accurate to Sebastian's persona: a large space with no windows, darkness consumed every crevice and invited me to join it. Posters littered the walls, some hung unevenly by thumbtacks and others swinging back and forth on one remaining piece of tape. The bed was nestled in the far left corner and looked as though someone had attempted to make it and failed; it felt lived in, which was more than could be said about Maru's pristine bedroom. It was endearing in the worst way.

I pulled the door to a crack, nervous to disturb the stagnance. Only seconds passed before it squealed open again, the hinges begging for grease.

The silence that followed was eerie; my heart raced as I turned around. Sebastian watched me with dark eyes and furrowed brows, studying each of my movements.

"Yes?" I cleared my throat, breaking our eye contact.

"Let me make something clear," he hissed, skipping the pleasantries. "My mom may think you're an angel, but I see you for what you are: a nuisance. Don't expect to have this room to yourself—I work from home and have no plans to relocate," he nodded to his desktop. "And don't fuck anything up."

He snatched a pack of cigarettes from the nightstand, twirling the box in his hand before slamming the door shut behind him.