Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Riley stared out his bedroom window for a solid half hour. Sometime during the night the cool autumn rain had coalesced into large, fluffy flakes that slowly and stealthily descended upon the land. In mere hours, the last colours of fall disappeared beneath a thick blanket of white, revealed by the rising sun in a dazzling display of monochromatic brightness. The sparkling landscape instilled in Riley feelings of wonder and relief. With the snow came a much needed break. The outdoors was taking its rest and so could he—to a point.

This was his second winter in Stardew Valley and he knew well enough that it wasn’t going to be a vacation. His farm wasn’t the handful of parsnips that it had once been. It wasn’t just melons and pumpkins and tomatoes and carrots grown with painstaking care, warmed by the sun and watered by hand. It was so much more.

There were animals who depended on him—chickens, ducks, lizards, an energetic piglet and more. Artisan goods to produce and package. A greenhouse packed wall to wall with fruit. Sheds for storage, sheds for work, and even one for plants. A mill, a cavern, and silos. Each and every one of these things cared for and tended to, for as long and as often as needed.

Outside his farm he had other tasks as well. He did odd jobs for his neighbours. He fished. He foraged. He dug up his own ore and precious stones from deep underground. He gathered rock and cut trees for their wood—the literal building blocks of his new life.

Beyond the valley were still more responsibilities. A desert. A tropical island. An online presence with a store only days away from launch. In the very near future the products he prepared with his own two hands would be in the homes of people halfway across the world.

He’d worked hard and with good fortune reaped the fruits of his labour. It was more than he could have dreamed and though he was grateful for what he had, it was in some ways less real—like a blurry image, pixelated and flat—without the most important thing of all... Sebastian, his boyfriend.

Riley let his eyes drift shut as that thought filled every last space in his mind—Sebastian, his boyfriend.

Nearly two years earlier Riley arrived in Stardew Valley with nothing but the few possessions he brought with him. Burned out and ground to dust in the corporate mill, he was there to begin anew. The early months were hard but provided exactly the challenge he needed. The days long and arduous, he focused on doing as much as possible before collapsing each night on the single bed in his small shack of a house. His goal the next morning was simple—mere survival. There was no time to second guess if what he was doing was right or not, he kept his head down and stuck to each task until it was finished, and then he did it again.

Slowly he was able to lift his eyes to the world around him. There were people with him again, asking how he was doing, interested in his stories and sharing some of their own. He kept them at a cordial distance, hesitant at first, unsure if he was protecting himself from them or the other way around. In time acquaintances became friends, some more than others, and with survival no longer in doubt life became easier and a little more fulfilling.

A home. Friends. A job with a purpose. For the first time in years, he remembered how it felt to be content. He wasn’t looking for love, he had sworn that off for good. Sex had grown monotonous, a transaction hardly worth the trouble. His time alone was enough to get the job done—or so he thought.

Then there was the fateful day by the lake. He remembered it like it yesterday—Sebastian’s cool exterior, the smoke billowing around his face. The sweet smell, not of tobacco but of something else. It was as though the very man from his sexiest fantasies—perhaps ones he didn’t even realize he had—appeared out of thin air for no other reason than to reignite his desires. He was left feeling desperate, his higher functions replaced with an overwhelming desire to get Sebastian somewhere private so he could peel off his clothes and thoroughly wreck him.

In a state of panic he did everything wrong. He blurted out nonsense, he fumbled and froze. The man he thought he was and the one he wanted to be battled for control while the man himself stood lost and confused, unable to act. For better or worse, he had no choice but to endure.

But then a strange thing happened. They talked. They laughed. They got high.

They became friends.

They were so different on the surface but underneath were compatible in a way Riley had never known possible. They understood one another because they spoke the same language—several in fact. Every programming language Sebastian knew he knew in part because Riley, known to him anonymously as AluminiumSquared, had taught him first. The programming videos crafted in a small Zuzu City apartment had found their way to Sebastian’s basement bedroom in Stardew Valley. From one lonely man to another—an offer of a future, a path toward independence.

The revelation brought them together in an unexpected way—they began to do business together. What began as a fun little project to revive Riley’s abandoned online presence slowly led to Sebastian branching out in ways he’d never thought possible. Marketing, sales, distribution, accounting—Sebastian now had his hands in everything.

As their business relationship became inseparable, their personal lives did too. Riley had long since fallen head over heels but the closer they became the more he valued their friendship. If his love was never requited, he would simply sacrifice his own desires to become the best friend he ever could.

Sebastian, who already thought Riley might actually be the best person in the world, found his long repressed desire for men resurfacing. He was a curious person by nature and didn’t think much of it at first. He would enjoy the brief respite from his depression when things came easy—and boy did he ever, quietly and alone. So what if photos of his best friend made him ragingly horny? He’d have a little fun with it and move on, not everything in life had to make sense. Besides, it wasn’t like Riley would be interested in such things, and certainly not with someone like him.

They were good for each other during those months of being ‘just friends’ until one day the spark—like iron against flint—the day Sebastian realized he was standing in the very center of Riley’s world. Armed with this knowledge he had no intention of waiting. He was a man of action and Riley wasn't just his favourite friend he was... hot. He was ripe for the picking but he was also complex, his reactions hard to predict. Sebastian had to reconsider his usual tactics and take his time instead. Make his intentions known gently and over time.

Riley struggled to comprehend it at first, convinced he was misreading signals, that he was deceiving himself into thinking the thing he most wanted in all the universe could be his. He proceeded with care, like a skittish animal afraid the offer of love would hurt more than heal. Eventually he mustered his courage, and in a bundle of frayed nerves and anxiety dared to ask him out.

Now they were boyfriends.

It had only been a day and they’d barely spent any time together but Riley was over the moon, Mars, and several far-reaching planets. The feeling was reminiscent of Winter Star mornings as a child, surrounded by love and eager to discover what hidden delights lay under the tree.

He was pumped and ready to give his all to their relationship, and they had yet to spend a single night together as a couple. That was going to be an entirely new adventure if the previous day’s activities gave any indication.

They had kissed, and it had been like nothing Riley experienced before. It was magic and in hindsight... maybe a little weird. They wanted each other, and now that the secret was known Sebastian no longer held back. For Riley, it was like ascending through multiple planes of existence—and that was just kissing.

Later that night with nothing but his own hands and Sebastian on the phone, a voice low and quiet channelled into both ears, he experienced one of the best orgasms of his life. It was subjective, of course, he’d been madly in love with what he thought was an unattainable man for over a year in the midst of a dry spell that extended far beyond that. There would be more—there had to be—and Riley was giddy with anticipation waiting for what would come next.

“Meow?”

Riley looked at the black and white cat standing in the open doorway of the bedroom, his tail waving this way and that with an occasional flick. Miso was patient but even he had his limits, and Riley was struck with the realization it was way past time to let him outside. With an apology he hurried out of the room, following the cat to the front door.

Four paws stepped gingerly through the snow and then stopped. A furry face turned to Riley. Usually he went with him. Usually there wasn’t any snow.

“I know, I’ll be out there eventually.” said Riley. “But I need to get dressed. I got distracted—you know me.”

Satisfied with the response, Miso continued his way down the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

Riley went back to his room as he thought about his cat. He had disappeared last night from the foot of the bed, too. Admittedly, Riley was busy at the time, working himself over with Sebastian on the phone and when he was done Miso was nowhere to be seen. Riley couldn’t blame him, he preferred a stable surface to sleep. With Sebastian coming over tomorrow evening...

Riley laughed to himself—Miso would be fine. Sebastian would no doubt give him enough of the attention he craved—he was his favourite person, after all. When that was done Riley could have Sebastian all to himself. They would make the bed as unstable as they wished for as long as they had and then Sebastian would go home, allowing Miso to reclaim his rightful place at the foot of the bed.

It was unfortunate it wouldn’t happen today, but being fully-fledged adults with responsibilities meant they’d have to wait until both were free. Sebastian wanted to keep their relationship secret and that added another layer of complexity, meaning they had to be aware who was watching and when. Riley suspected that despite Sebastian’s eagerness to explore his sexuality, he was less eager to answer the inevitable questions surrounding it. He was a private man, and likely needed the time to adjust before coming out to the rest of the world. Riley understood, he himself had been semi-closeted since moving to the valley. At first, because he didn’t know if he would be accepted for who he was and then because it seldom came up. Riley didn’t care what anyone else knew or didn’t know, what was important to him was that they were dating, and sometime within the next 36 hours, they’d be fucking. Riley shivered, somewhat from the cold, as his mind got to work constructing one such scenario. That was when his phone rang.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said upon answering, the phone pressed to his ear as he rummaged through his dresser drawers. “You’re up early.”

“It is a good morning isn’t it?” replied Sebastian. “Would it surprise you to know I couldn’t sleep last night?”

“You drink too much coffee.” said Riley, gathering his work clothes and walking over to the bed.

Sebastian breathed out a laugh. “You’re right about that,” he said, “But it wasn’t the coffee... three times Riley, three.” The implication hung in the air when in a softer, quieter voice he asked, “How about you?”

“I had the best night of my life and was dead to the world between 2:00 and 6:00 a.m.” said Riley, balancing his phone between shoulder and ear as he pulled on a pair of pants. “Yes, I’m horny and yes, I should have dealt with it sooner but I zoned out and now have to pay for it.”

“Ah yes, classic Riley,” said Sebastian, laughing. “So other than a wank and your usual work what’s on the schedule today? You mentioned Ginger Island?”

“Yes...” said Riley, halfway through making his bed when he found first one ear pod, then the other hiding between the sheets. He checked the power on both, and was happy to see that the right one still worked. He popped it in his ear, allowing him to finish making the bed and pull on a shirt while they talked about the work each had to do that day. Riley stalled for more time by tidying the kitchen as they expressed how much they already missed each other. There were laughs and giggles and moments of quiet where Riley had to work extra hard to tamp down the giddiness and he was sure Sebastian was doing the same. Eventually they said their extended goodbyes and agreed to see each other by late afternoon the next day, that would allow them the evening together at Riley’s to let things unfold however they may.

After the call Sebastian went back to bed and Riley belatedly went about his normal routine. Being the first day of winter the animals were content to stay indoors but were fussier than usual, following him around as he cleaned up their messes and set out their food. He knew that after a few days they would need even more attention from both himself and Shane—now his permanent part-time farm hand—as the adjustment to winter could be difficult for anyone. Riley would factor that into his schedule as necessary, relying heavily on Shane’s advice.

From the barns he moved onto the sheds where he produced his artisan goods, jotting down in his notes that he ought to get the next batch going in a couple of days. He took a quick selfie among the rows of kegs, trying his best to look sexy and dishevelled, the bags under his eyes easily selling it. He sent the photo off to Sebastian as more fodder for his social media. Shane arrived around noon and they had their usual informal meeting about what needed to be done while Riley was away. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so Riley surmised he’d been able to keep his secret under wraps.

With the farm work done he took a quick but satisfying shower, hurriedly packed his bags, and ran all the way to the beach. He boarded the boat at Willy’s just as it was ready to sail and the two took the time to catch up—Riley failing to mention that Sebastian was now his boyfriend.

As the little boat made its final approach to the island it was obvious that something was wrong. A number of parrots flew out to greet them, their panicked cries alerting the men to some kind of emergency.

“Ya go check on the little lad and I’ll follow along when the boat’s tied off here.” said Willy.

As soon as they stopped Riley grabbed the first aid kit and jumped onto the pier, running as fast as possible behind the parrots as they led him to Leo’s little home in the jungle. He focused on each footfall, trying and failing to ignore a sense of foreboding.

Why didn’t I insist he come back to the valley with us? Who thinks it’s a good idea to let a six year old live alone like this?

Riley was panting for breath as he reached the door to the little hut. The lights were out, preventing him from seeing inside. It was quiet, all he could hear was the flap of wings as the parrots settled into the nearby trees. And it was eerie, almost as though they were holding their collective breath. With nothing to see or hear Riley stepped inside and was hit with an unsettling odour.

He called out as he pulled a torch from his bag. “Leo? Are you in here? Are you okay?”

There was no reply, no sound of life as the little room erupted into view. Riley saw him immediately. In the corner, curled into a little ball on his sleeping mat—the child was still as stone. A single parrot rested beside him, sitting uncharacteristically on the floor while watching over him. She looked at Riley and cooed a soft, sad sound.

Oh no.

Riley secured the torch and rushed over to him. “Leo?” he said gently, his tone barely concealing his fear. He reached out carefully, putting one hand on his back and—

Leo stirred.

“Riley?” murmured the little voice. It was quiet and weak. He struggled to roll over and once he did, he curled back into a shivering ball. “It you?”

“Yes it’s me, Leo. I’m here.” said Riley, trying to keep his voice steady. He knew he had to exude confidence, show the boy everything was going to be okay even if he himself wasn’t certain that was true. He made slow and careful movements as he put his hand on the boy’s forehead and, as he suspected, Leo was burning with fever. “What happened?” he asked. “Did you get hurt?”

“No hurt.” said Leo. “Feel sick. Am cold.”

Sensing movement to his right Riley looked at the door just as Willy approached. He looked at Riley, then the boy, concern wrinkling his brow.

“Harvey?” he asked.

Riley nodded. “Yes please, he has a high fever, and judging from the smell I don’t think he’s been able to get up to use the toilet for at least a day. I don’t think he’s injured but I'll get him cleaned up and check for anything obvious. He’s talking, at least.”

“Riley? Who there?” asked Leo.

“Hey Leo, this is my friend Willy. You’ve seen him before, remember? We’re both here to help you.”

Leo’s lip quivered. “I don’t wanna feel sick.” he said, sniffling. Tears welling up in his already reddened eyes.

“I know, little guy,” said Riley, rubbing reassuring circles on his back. “Being sick is yucky, but we’re going to get a doctor who can help you feel better.” With a quiet nod from Riley, Willy took his cue to leave.

“Leo scared.”

“I know.” said Riley. “I would be scared too. But I’m here with you and your bird family is here with you too. You’re not alone.”

Riley cleaned Leo up as best he could with what he had in the first aid kit and his own backpack. He clothed him in one of his own t-shirts, bundled him in a light blanket and laid him down on a new, clean mat provided by the parrots. Riley noted with wonder how quickly they worked to clean up the hut and provide fresh food and water. Without them, Leo would no doubt be severely dehydrated, and perhaps, even worse.

Riley racked his mind as he watched Leo sleep. He hadn’t found any signs of injury as he cleaned him, no obvious wounds or bites. In Riley’s limited knowledge that probably meant—

“Hello?” asked Dr. Harvey as he carefully entered the little hut.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t careful enough. At the sound of his voice Leo sprang up and scampered into Riley’s arms, eyes wide and glued to the unwelcome invader. He clung to Riley like his very life depended on it and then he began to cry.

Dr. Harvey, for his part, stayed where he was. He crouched down to eye-level, apologizing to Leo for startling him. In a soft voice and using clear, direct language he explained who he was and why he was there. Eventually Leo allowed him to approach but refused to let go of Riley while the doctor did the usual poking and prodding that doctors need to do.

After administering some fever-reducing medicine they got Leo settled onto his mat. Riley assured the boy he would be right back, and stepped outside to follow the doctor into the jungle clearing.

“I can’t be certain without a lab test,” he said, “But I think it’s just a run-of-the-mill cold. He’s been isolated so long it’s affecting him more than most.”

Riley’s heart sank. He hadn’t been sick recently, but he’d been exposed to several illnesses that fall. Since he was probably the only one in recent contact with Leo, he knew he was the likely culprit. If Leo continued to live alone on the island...

“I’m sure you know this isn’t a sustainable living arrangement for him.” said Dr. Harvey, his expression more stern than Riley had ever seen.

“What else is there for him?” asked Riley in sudden retort, his irritation surprising even himself. “Now that you’ve seen him you have to know.”

The doctor’s expression faltered, and something of the man himself surfaced. Not as confident as he seemed before, but more compassionate. “I understand your worries for him.” he said. “But I’ve also seen your file. Are you sure you’re not too close to this?”

“Too close?” asked Riley, incensed. “Harvey, I had one grandparent, one. Most people couldn’t even tell to look at me but it was still enough for me to catch flack while in the system and that was before the last decade and a half of war and mistrust. Believe me, I know he needs more than what he has here. He hasn’t been to school. He has no idea how to function around other people. He has needs that require assistance but if you bring him in he isn’t going to get any of that. The other kids will—” Riley’s voice caught in his throat, he wasn’t able to finish the thought to its conclusion and as such couldn't say the thing out loud. He swallowed over the lump in his throat and with eyes wet with tears he begged, “Please, trust me on this. He’ll be a pariah among the other orphans and there will never be enough supervision to keep him safe.”

Harvey nodded slowly, his eyes unfocused as he carefully considered Riley’s words. “All right.” he said, treading carefully. “But please understand I have a duty of care and I can’t just ignore this.”

“What are you suggesting we can’t—”

Harvey held up a hand to stop him. “I’m not saying we have child services swoop in and take him, I get that the system is stretched but that might actually work in our favour, allow us to keep him close. If we can get him settled in the valley with the resources already in place to support him, I guarantee you they’ll let him stay.”

Riley was grateful for Harvey’s insight but he knew it still wouldn’t be enough. Leo was not only scared of people, he was also—understandably—wary of the ocean. Riley didn’t know how much he remembered about the shipwreck that took his parents but he knew enough to tell Riley about it. His features made it obvious he was from somewhere in or near The Gotoro Empire and from what little research Riley and Penny had quietly dug up at the library, he was probably among the many who had fled there about a year and a half before. Leo had been through an awful lot in his few years, and forcing a move on him now would be catastrophic.

“Harvey, even if we sedate him to get him back home he’s going to lose it when he wakes up.”

Harvey sighed, he seemed to understand but his hands were tied. “I don’t see what else we can do. Even without this illness I firmly believe he needs to reintegrate, there’s no way I can give him the care a growing child needs in this environment. If he had even one adult here with him full-time, we could work with that, but...” He shrugged his shoulders in frustration.

One adult with him full-time

For the tiniest of moments Riley allowed himself to feel what that meant. Giving up his farm, his home, his animals. His boyfriend. His life was exactly how he’d dreamed it could be. He looked up at the little hut in the trees and thought of the sick, frightened little boy within. He was all alone and out of options. There was nothing else that could be done.

With a deep sigh Riley uttered the words he hoped to never say—

“I’ll be that one adult.” he said. “I’ll stay.”