When Bridges Don't Burn

Series Metadata

Listing Series

• Friendship and Other Lies by empressofthewind

  Fandoms: Stardew Valley (Video Game)  

  • Explicit
  • No Archive Warnings Apply
  • M/M
  • Work in Progress

  14 Mar 2026

  Tags

  • No Archive Warnings Apply
  • Sam/Sebastian (Stardew Valley)
  • Temporary Penny/Sam
  • Minor or Background Relationship(s)
  • Sam (Stardew Valley)
  • Sebastian (Stardew Valley)
  • Penny (Stardew Valley)
  • Maru (Stardew Valley)
  • Elliott (Stardew Valley)
  • Alex (Stardew Valley)
  • Abigail (Stardew Valley)
  • Original Characters
  • Alternate Universe - College/University
  • POV Alternating
  • Present Tense
  • Complicated Relationships
  • Manager/Employee - Freeform
  • Secret Past
  • Angst
  • Depression
  • Grief/Mourning
  • Homelessness
  • Smut
  • Eventual Romance
  • Workplace Sex
  • Blow Jobs
  • Anal Sex
  • Slow Burn

  Summary

  Sam feels like a fish out of water in Zuzu City; new college, new job, a new sense of freedom that he isn't sure he likes as much as he expected to. What's worse is that his manager takes an immediate disliking to him, and won't seem to let it go.

  It's a little funny that the guy shares a name with Sam's ex-best friend. The two of them are nothing alike.

  Series

  • Part 1 of When Bridges Don't Burn

  Language:

  English

  Words:

  178,680

  Chapters:

  21/24

  Comments:

  318

  Kudos:

  121

  Bookmarks:

  33

  Hits:

  3,381