Archive of Our Own ^beta

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“I don’t know where I was. Everything was just… white. All that was in front of me was what looked like a dragon, but it had no features. It was all black. I try to scream, but there’s never any sound.”

“And then?” He asked, bewilderment filling his deep blue eyes.

“That’s the thing, Sterling. I don’t know. I always wake up before anything else happens.”

“Damn Violet, that’s rough. You’re losing sleep over this, aren’t you?”

Letting out a sigh, she slumped back into the booth, her midnight hair falling over her left shoulder.

Violet paused, grabbing her glass of whiskey, putting it to her lips and taking a sip. “Honestly? Yeah, I am.” She took another sip, then continued. “The weird part, though? Ever since the mines opened back up, there will sometimes be someone laying in front of me and they’re the only thing that’s in full color. I don’t know who they are, but seeing them laying in front of me makes me… angry? Scared? I don’t know.” Her head hung as she straightened in her seat, resting her elbows on the table.

“Listen, Vi. I know sleep deprivation can make people go crazy, and…” Sterling kept going on his long and undoubtedly drunken rant, but Violet couldn’t care less as her eyes wandered around the now packed Saloon. Robin and Demetrius dancing to the music blasting from the old jukebox, Elliot giving Gus a hard time about something or other at the bar, Emily happily bouncing from table to table taking orders, the distinct sound of pool balls clashing together as Sam and Sebastian played in the room next door. There was only one thing that wasn’t a constant in this once normal scene that almost made time stop in its tracks. 

“Sterling?” Her friend was still on his rant, tuning her out. “Sterling!”

“What?!”

She pointed to this new person that walked in and was now talking to Gus at the bar. “Who is that?”

He squinted as his head turned, straining to see where she was pointing. “Huh, iunno. Why?”

“That’s them.” She squeaked, barely audible amidst the chatter as she shakily moved to her feet. Her body had almost moved on its own, but her alcohol intake made her sluggish as she desperately tried navigating the crowd to this mysterious person that was now haunting her. Their toned frame, leaning over to take a pizza from Gus’ hands, their mocha-colored skin and short wine red hair glowing in the old dim lighting. What made her so sure this was the person were the horns of a ram protruding from their temples.

“Wait, Violet!” Sterling called from the booth that was now behind her. She was almost halfway across the bar, however her legs couldn’t work in tandem with her vision and almost as fast as she noticed the person, they were gone, lost in the crowd. Her head began to spin, even the smallest tasks feeling impossible. In an almost desperate attempt to pursue, Violet barged out of the front door, a confused Sterling clambering behind her.

She stood on the sidewalk, bewilderment filling her eyes as she stared into the town square, devoid of any life. “But… they were just here…” Her words escaped her lips in a whisper as she continued to stare, her friend’s presence snapping her back into reality.

“Are you nuts? You got everyone in there thinking you’re crazy now!”

She spun toward him. “You saw them too, right?”

“C’mon, Vi. Let’s pay our tabs and take you home. You’ve probably had too much.” He smiled, running one hand through his short brown hair on the back of his head, his other on her back, ushering her back inside. She sighed, took one last look at the still empty square and turned back towards him, a glint of longing still hiding behind her piercing blue eyes.

“Yeah, maybe.” she uttered in response as she stumbled her way back in with him.

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With a drawn out groan, Violet reached for her phone and smacked it silent. It had been a week since the night at the Saloon and spring was coming to an end, the sticky heat of summer looming in her cottage. Her dreams were still in full force and even slowly filling in with detail as the nights continued, but she could never remember them. She had been forcing them into the back of her mind now that she was running a more stable farm.

With a pounding head, she sat up in her bed, taking in her surroundings. Her tiny cottage just big enough for her bed to fit in the living area with a couch, chair and tv. The couch somehow sporting a snoring Sterling, who must have been drinking enough to not walk home the previous night. It never really bothered her, since it filled the void of an empty place, but she had plans for the day and his presence wasn’t going to stop her. “Sterling?” she croaked out. No response.

“Sterling! You’re late for work, dude!”

“Oh fuck!” Finally a response. She chuckled as he rolled over, falling flat onto the hard wood. He quickly rushed to his feet, gathering what little belongings he had with him before giving her a smile and a wave, then bolting out the door. It was Wednesday and the general store was closed, but she wasn’t going to tell him. She didn’t have the intention to in the first place. She just wanted him out of her house so she could start her day. After her encounter at the bar, she was determined now more than ever to learn who this mystery person was, starting with going to the mines. She needed materials anyways, so it’s not like she had much of a choice.

Traveling as light as possible with pickaxe in hand, Violet traversed the mountain in as little as an hour. Peeking her head into the mouth of the cave, the smell of stale air and standing water assaulted her nostrils, a bit of doubt clouding her judgment. She pushed away her fears as she entered, slowly enough to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She groaned as she took one look at the elevator with a sign in bold print “ OUT OF ORDER” leaving the only way down was the ladder. Striding her way up to it and grasping the handles in each hand, she began her descent further.

She let out a small sigh of relief as she reached the bottom of the ladder, taking in her surroundings again. With the stories floating around the town square of monsters, she expected a bit more than just another empty room. She took a few tentative steps into the room as droplets of something wet and slimy fell onto the top of her head. Disgusted, she desperately tried wiping away the substance as more fell from the ceiling around her feet. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she could have sworn the masses were pulsating and… growing eyes?

Unsure what to do, she backed up until her back hit the cave wall, the slimes surrounding her. “Watch out!” She swung her head towards the voice as the slimes exploded one by one around her, her mouth agape and eyes wide.

“Hail and well met! My name’s Mateo.” they exclaimed, extending a helping hand in greeting. She shakily took their hand, eyes still wide as they effortlessly helped her to her feet. “You gonna say anything, or…?”

Desperately looking for a response, she stammered out whatever her brain could come up with.

“Oh, I-uh, yeah. I’m, uhm, Violet.”

“Well Violet, it’s nice meeting you. Are you new in town as well?”

“Umm, yeah. I just moved into the cottage on Honeybee Farm.” She shook her head slightly, her cheeks flushing with color and turning hot.

“Well, that makes two of us! I’m living on the Beach in East Scarp. Big tent, can’t miss it.”

She giggled. “You live in a tent?”

They let out a chuckle in response, sending Violet’s heart fluttering. ”Sure! Gotta travel light if I wanna keep adventuring!”

They paused, pondering for a moment before continuing “Say, are you doing anything today? I was just about to head to the beach, if you would like to accompany me!”

“You know what? I’d love to.” She smiled warmly, returning the fluttering feeling as the pair made their way up the ladder and back out of the cave.

Chapter Text

“Wait, so you? Pushing papers for Joja?” Mateo laughed.

“What? I had to make money between gigs somehow!” Violet laughed in tandem. “When I wasn’t doing deskwork or working a show, it was really hard for me. I’m not too proud of those days.” she brought her knees to her chest, digging her heels into the sand as her face fell. Mateo sighed, leaning back onto their hands while watching the waves as their tone turned more serious.

“If it’s not something you wanna talk about, it’s fine.”

“No, I’m okay talking about it now. I’ve just never told anybody in the Valley about my past life.”

Violet inhaled, letting her knees fall to either side as she sat up. “See, I didn’t move to the farm just because my grandfather willed the land to me. He was the only one that knew what was really going on. When you’re in the music scene, major or local, you have a lot of people trying to find you at your most private moments…” she trailed off before continuing, tears forming in her eyes. “Let’s just say, I owed people. And it wasn’t money I owed them. I had gotten really sick because of it, both physically and mentally. I’m past the physical sickness thankfully, but I know it could have been much worse. The mental toll came from the guys that thought they deserved more after the fact. I was constantly looking over my shoulder. Hell, I still am sometimes.”

“I know where that story is going. You don’t have to explain.” Mateo sighed, scooting closer to their new friend and wrapping their arm around her. “As long as you’re here, nothing gonna happen, yeah?”

“Thank you.” she sighed, leaning her head onto their shoulder while wiping away tears. 

“You know, I used to live here in town?”

“Why did you leave?”

“Went to school. After I graduated, I wanted to get back into adventuring. I’ve been pretty much everywhere, but they’re nowhere near as rich in culture as the Valley.”

“If you like being here, why don’t I ever see you around?”

“It’s… a long story.”

Moving to their feet, Mateo offered a hand to Violet with a smile. “Wanna see how cold the water is?” She returned their smile, wiping away any leftover tears that were on her face and taking their hand in hers. “Sure!”

Chapter Text

“I just wish I knew WHY they wanted to stay away from everyone, you know?”

“I mean, you DO know how to attract the mysterious ones.”

“Would you two shut up? These cups aren’t gonna flip themselves!”

Shane’s irritated outburst snapped Violet out of her thoughts and back to reality. Back in the Saloon again, red solo cup in hand. Sterling had convinced Gus to let them play flip cup at one of the tables earlier in the evening, given they paid for the alcohol in said cups. It was a small price to pay for a bit of fun.

Violet brought the cup to her lips, chugged the drink that was inside and flipped the cup over her palm, watching in anticipation as the cup landed on the brim and promptly fell onto its side.

“Fuck!”

“Rough luck.” Sterling sighed, shaking his head.

“How do I get to know Mateo better, man?”

“I don’t even know them, Vi. Why does this matter so much to you anyways?”

“I gotta figure out why I kept seeing them in my dream before even meeting them.” she trailed off, reminiscing about this afternoon.

She didn’t get to learn much about her new friend, however that didn’t stop her from pouring her heart out to Mateo. As it stood, they probably could have written a novel about her. After going into detail about her past life, she went on to explain to them how she found out she has mage-like powers, how she wanted to join the guild to help others and even tell them more trivial things about herself, like favorite foods, drinks and even colors.

“What was that name you just said?” She whipped around to face the voice. It belonged to Gunther, the curator of the now empty Museum.

“Uhh… Mateo? Why?”

“Thank you.” he finished with a stoic expression before turning on his heels and promptly leaving the Saloon in a haste.

“That was weird, right?” she asked, turning back to her companion.

“Definitely.” Sterling took a quick baby sip of the drink in his hand. Shane’s cheering from behind them reminded them both why they were there in the first place.

“Drink up, bitches!” With Violet and Sterling distracted, Shane had successfully managed to get his cup to land upside down, prompting the other two to groan in unison before grabbing shot glasses from the table and downing the liquid inside.

Chapter Text

This dream wasn’t like what Violet had been having this past season. It was calm and warm, but with the feeling of guilt and despair still hanging over. There was a figure, sitting alone on the pier, features masked by the sunset. Something in her knew exactly who the person was as she slowly stepped up to them, warmth filling her body. Her own words were enough to wake her from her slumber. “I’m home.”

She sat up immediately in her bed, relishing in the warm summer sun filtering in through the window to her left. Her mind kept wandering to the night before. Gunther’s expression when she mentioned Mateo, how he left when she said it again. It was just really bizarre and she couldn’t erase it from her memory. Without delay, she pulled herself out of bed, changed into an outfit fit for the weather and set out for the mines again. She ditched her responsibilities to hang out with Mateo the previous day and she couldn’t do that again.

Knowing what awaited her, she entered the cave easily this time. However, she was greeted with a new face, instead of her new friend’s. She had only seen him once or twice while in town, but never here. He was a better build for his age, with a gruff demeanor under his silver hair and goatee, accentuated by the patch over his right eye. “It’s best if you don’t go down there unless you’re armed.”

“Who are you?” she asked, a twinge of fear in her voice.

“I’ve seen some things down here that aren’t easily explained away. Here, you’re going to need this.” He held out a sword to her, offering its hilt. The blade was a little worse for wear, with spots of rust and small chips in the metal. She took the handle with a shaking hand from him, unsure what else to do.

“Once you’ve reached the tenth floor, come up the mountain to the Adventurer’s Guild. If anybody asks, you tell them Marlon sent you.” The man pushed past her on his way out of the cave.

“Thank you!” She called after him, but he was unfazed by her attempt. If this man was part of the Guild, she didn’t really have much other choice than to trust him.

Violet looked around one more time to see if her savior from yesterday was anywhere to be found, but she was only met with emptiness. The occasional sound of a water droplet falling to the cavern floor in the distance. “Ten floors can’t be that hard, right?” she thought aloud as she straddled the ladder once again, descending into the darkness.

Getting to ten floors wasn’t nearly as easy as she expected as it took the entirety of her day, but she could finally say that she did it and even had some slime residue in her bag as proof of her victory. With her earlier knowledge in hand, she strode up to the working elevator shaft and hastily pressed the up button, entering the lift as the doors opened. Once outside, she inhaled sharply, taking in the evening air. Against her better judgment of going home and cleaning herself off of the slime and cave dirt, she ascended up the mountain toward the assumed Adventurer’s Guild.

The Guild was something Violet had only heard about in stories and whispered rumors, but also what sparked her curiosity to delve further into the realm of magic with the hopes of being able to use her skill to aid others. It was also another reason to move to the Valley in the first place. She had to see if the rumors were even true. Sure enough, she reached the hilltop and, tucked behind a treeline was a mysterious, yet well-kept building with lanterns hanging on each side of the door, recently lit. To her left was a small open field with what she assumed were training dummies standing in a row in the middle, unmoving and unattended. She inhaled, gathering whatever courage she had left and made her way up to the building’s door, knocking five times.

She flinched in surprise as the face that greeted her wasn’t the man earlier, but Gunther. She was sure he would be at home at this hour.

“Hello Violet. I’m assuming you’re here to reconnect with Marlon?”

“Wait, reconnect? Why are you here, Professor?”

“Come in, you’re owed an explanation.” He opened the door further, gesturing her inside. She took a few wary steps inside before hearing the door close behind her. The inside was warm and welcoming, unlike its rough exterior. The fireplace in the corner crackled with life, another elderly man sitting in a rocking chair feet from the fire. Standing in front of her was the man from the Mine earlier, sporting a light smile as she took another step towards him.

“You’ve done well, Violet. I apologize for such a rough introduction earlier.”

“Are you… Marlon?”

“I am. I run the Adventurer’s Guild here in Pelican Town. Our job is to keep the town safe from what lurks under it. I trust you’ve made it down ten floors?”

“I have. I have some slime residue as proof if you’d like it.”

“Unnecessary.”

Marlon strode from his spot behind a counter and up to her, a slight smile still adorned on his face. “Gunther here tells me you’ve moved to the Valley to join us, yes?”

She whipped her head around to face Gunther with a shocked expression. The only person she ever told that to was Mateo, so how do these people even know that? “Uh yeah. I’ve always wanted to practice magic in order to help others that can’t.” She replied, turning back to face Marlon in front of her.

“Well, you’re in luck. That’s exactly why we’re here. With your performance today, we would like you to join us.”

Violet gasped, eyes alight with excitement. “Yes! Of course!”

“Good, now kneel.”

Violet did as she was told, digging her knees into the carpet under her. “Do you, Violet, swear to uphold the oath of the Adventurer’s Guild, to keep the Valley and its inhabitants safe from what lurks in the dark?”

“I shall.”

“Then I, guild leader, hereby instate you as member 23. Welcome.” Marlon drew his blade from its sheath, tapping each of her shoulders once in a proper knighting ceremony. She was beaming with pride in herself as she lifted herself back to her feet.

Chapter Text

“Now, onto the real reason why we called you here, Violet.” Marlon’s expression changed, returning to his rough demeanor from when Violet had met him in the Mine earlier that afternoon. It was enough to make her heart sink. She now understood why Gunther was here as he continued.

“Gunther here tells me you’ve met someone by the name of Mateo. What do you know about them?”

“Honestly sir, not much of anything. They helped me yesterday when I was surrounded by slimes. We went to the beach after to continue talking, but they really didn’t talk much about past life or why they were here. Is there something I should know?”

“Unfortunately, it is not my story to tell. Gunther?” Marlon gestured to his cohort, waiting for a response.

“Even I’m fully unsure as to what happened. The only thing I’m sure of is the last of the displays at the Museum were touched by them and the previous curator. None of which have been seen in almost ten years, until you came along. We’ve been trying to track down Mateo since finding out they’re back in the Valley, but our attempts have been unsuccessful. You wouldn’t happen to know where they are now, would you?”

Violet gasped. “What? Mateo would never…”

“Unfortunately it’s true. We’d like to find them for at least an iota of an explanation, but they seem to be avoiding us.”

Violet’s head hung low, processing the onslaught of information given to her. Mateo? A thief? They were so sweet and caring to her just the previous day. She had been having dreams about them, for Yoba’s sake. Was she actually falling for a criminal? Her hands met her face, wiping the moisture from her eyes.

Marlon continued for Gunther. “Just please, if you do see them again, could you let them know they aren’t in any real trouble? We just want to know what happened so we can rebuild properly.”

“Yes, sir.” She muttered in response, holding back a light sob as tears started to roll down her face.

“Dismissed. Go home, Violet. Celebrate the accomplishment of today, rather than reveling in Pelican Town’s past.”

“Thank you, sir.” she turned, head still hanging low as she trudged toward the door, opening it with ease and clicking it closed behind her.

“Wait, back up, they’re WHAT now?” Sterling’s voice picked up in tone, sitting across from Violet. Just like every other night, she found herself at the Saloon again, drink in hand and Sterling across from her.

She shushed her friend. “Keep your voice down! Nobody can know about this! I’m already at risk telling you!”

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting into, Vi? This is some really sketchy shit!”

“Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice now. Joining the Guild is a dream come true and I’m closer to figuring out who Mateo really is.”

“Who they really are? Violet, they’re a thief!”

“Well, you don’t know them like I do!” she yelled, shushing the chatter of the bar, the rest of the patrons focusing their attention on her. Her face flushing a deep shade of pink as she sank further into the booth, trying her best to hide from wandering eyes. Once attention was turned away from her, she pulled herself up to her feet.

“I need to clear my head, okay? I’ll text you when I’m home.”

“Sure. Be careful, okay?”

“I will.” She made her way to the bar, left her tab payment with Gus and set out onto the quiet streets, the air still warm from the heat of the day.

She was unsure of where she was going, no destination in mind with the hope of fully clearing her thoughts. She knew there was something deeper going on with Mateo and the museum. She just wished she knew, instead of her anxiety getting the better of her and assuming the worst. Lifting her head, she peered down the road and noticed a figure in the distance standing in front of the Museum, burgundy hair shining in the moonlight. Despite everything, seeing them still brought a smile to her face.

“Oh, hey farmer! Burning the midnight oil, I see?” Mateo grinned, making Violet’s breath disappear and her cheeks turn warm.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve had a lot on my mind today, so I just decided to try walking it off. Why are you out here so late?”

“I’ve been out here reminiscing. I used to spend a lot of time here, but some things happened before I left. I’ve honestly been too afraid to go back in.”

Violet swallowed hard, holding back what she knew. “Did you wanna talk about it? I mean, you know me like an open book now, but I know almost nothing about you.”

“I’ll be honest with you, it’s not something I really choose to talk about. Perhaps in due time I’ll be able to tell you.”

She hung her head again, hiding her disappointment. “Okay. I understand that.”

For the first time ever, silence hung between the two. Each pondering what to say to the other.

Mateo continued. “Do you ever feel the need to think about your past, Violet? Like where you came from?”

“Only sometimes. I do kind of miss the bustle of the city, but the peace brings me back and reminds me of why I’m here.”

“You know, that’s a great way of looking at it. Maybe I should be taking a play from your book.” they chuckled, reminding her who she was talking to. The chill of the evening picked up, making her shudder as she brought her arms up across her chest for warmth.

“Getting cold?” they asked, eyebrow raised toward her.

“Just a little.” she chuckled, arms still across her chest.

“How about I walk you home, then? Never know what could be lurking out here at night.”

She pondered for a moment, then smiled. “You know, I would like that.”

“Great, then let’s go!” they exclaimed, setting off toward the bus stop.

The walk back was much the same at the Beach, except roles were reversed, with Mateo telling Violet everything trivial about their life. How their favorite flowers were Fairy Rose and how they made the best honey for meat and cheese plates, to how their favorite holiday was Spirit’s Eve, to even their favorite scent of Teakwood and applying it every morning.

“Violet, thank you for keeping me company. I think it helped me a lot.”

“I should be saying the same to you.” They laughed together as they stopped at the gates to Honeybee Farm, the distant chirping of crickets filling the sudden silence. “Oh, before I forget!” she exclaimed, pulling her phone from her back pocket and pulling up the “add contact” menu.

“Here, I wanna be able to text you if I ever need someone to talk to.”

“Well, I’m honored.” they smiled, taking her phone from her hands, punching their number in and even opening the camera to take a few photos of themself before pondering a bit, Violet all the while laughing at them. “You know, contact pic is missing something, come here.”

Before Violet could respond, Mateo’s arm was wrapped gingerly around her waist, pulling her close before facing the camera toward the two, smiling wide for the photo. Their smile was so contagious, she couldn’t help but do the same as the shutter snapped.

“Can you send that to me, please? It’s not often I take selfies I actually like!”

“Of course! It did turn out really good. I actually don’t have any pictures of me with friends, so this is nice!” Without hesitation, she pulled up the picture under a new text message thread and hit ‘send’, the sound of a small vibration coming from their hoodie pocket.

“Thanks!” they exclaimed, not checking their phone.

“For sure! Just be careful going home, okay?”

“I will. Good night! Don’t let the Pepper Rex bite!” they smiled before giving a wave and turning back toward town. Violet stood in place for a moment, watching them leave. Her stomach doing complete flips. She still wasn’t sure what she was getting into, but as she looked down at her phone to the new picture of her and Mateo together, she knew that they could be trusted. She wasn’t going to let the past cloud her judgment.

Chapter Text

Pondering which quest to take next from the board in front of her, Violet had been taking menial tasks at the Adventurer’s Guild in order to better settle into her new role. She had spent the entire summer practicing her magic and swordfighting technique and was now more confident in the lower levels of the mines that she had reached. She sighed, pulled another slime ticket request from the wall, then set off outside. Despite Summer nearing its end, the heat lingered, making traversing the Valley more difficult.

The cool moisture from the opening of the mine provided a sweet release from the heat as she entered, a familiar face climbing up from the lower level catching her eye with a smile.

“Hey there, Violet! Heading back down?” Mateo called out, striding up to her and giving her a quick side hug, the scent of Teakwood stronger than usual.

“Hey! Yeah, I have a quest for the Guild I’m doing really quick.” She returned their hug, hiding her slight blush as she did. She hated the fact that she fell for her new friend the way she did, but she didn’t know what else to do. She didn’t have enough courage to tell them and had opted to wait, rather than tell them outright and possibly scare them off.

“Here, since you’re going down, let’s make sure you’re properly stocked up. I’d be devastated if anything were to happen to you down there. Let me see your sword?”

“Oh, sure.” She pulled her broadsword from the sheath on her back, passing it to them as they took a whetstone from their hip pouch and began sharpening. Her current sword was a bit harder to wield, but still better than that rusty thing Marlon had given her when she first started.

Mateo quickly finished and handed her sword back to her. “Also, here! I bought a pack of these this morning. They should give you enough energy if you need it.” Pulling a nature bar and a Miner’s Treat from their backpack, she graciously took them both.

“Aww, are you trying to say I’m sweet?”

“I might be too much of an influence on you with a pun like that!” The pair laughed together as the familiar ding of the elevator sounded, making them both stop to see who was about to join them, Violet’s heart sinking again.

“Oh, hello Marlon. Hi Professor.” she croaked out, her head hanging again. They both ignored her hello’s entirely, turning focus to her partner next to her.

“Mateo.” Marlon was the first to speak, turning full attention to them in an ambush. “How long did you plan on avoiding us?”

“Until I was convinced you didn’t have a bone to pick with me.”

“Stop.” Gunther interjected, but Mateo continued.

“What made you think it was okay to tell Violet here that I was the bad guy?”

Violet blinked, turning her attention toward them. She never mentioned the fact she was told the story, so how did they know?

“Mateo, how do you-” trying to finish her sentence, Marlon cut her off.

“It’s been a decade now, where have you been hiding all this time?”

“Earning my PhD in ‘Obscuring my feelings with humor.’” they grumbled, anger filling their golden eyes.

Violet moved closer to Mateo, resting her hand on their back in comfort, unsure what else to do. She wished desperately to help, but thinking on what to do about the situation made her head ache and all she wanted was comfort at the moment. “Would you like to try that again?” Gunther continued, the anger painted on his face, matching their energy.

“Fine. Sociocultural Anthropology.” their face unwavering, yet the anger started to break with tears forming in their eyes.

“And Wyatt?”

“Haven’t seen him.”

A short, yet heavy silence hung in the air. Marlon spoke up, worry and sadness painted across his face. “Are you lying to me?”

Mateo’s anger broke entirely, replaced with sorrow. “No, I’m not. It’s just been so long and I guess..” they trailed off before continuing. “I guess I just wanted to bury it. I’ve been stuck shouldering the consequences while he is riding high on Joja’s dollar.”

Gunther exhaled, slouching his shoulders.

“So you’re telling me he sold out?”

“I don’t know much of the details-”

“But you helped pack the crates.”

Mateo, choking back a sob, continued. “I did. You’re right. The weight of those crates haunts me even today. I know now what I did was wrong, but I didn’t at the time. I was too young to understand. I trusted Wyatt, but he let me down. Just like he did for everyone else.”

Violet began rubbing their back as they continued, tears pouring down their face. “And I know I owe you both an apology. I just haven’t figured out where to start yet…” they trailed off again, unable to hold back as they let out a sob. Still unsure what to do, she pulled them in for a tight hug, letting them cry on her shoulder. She didn’t know the entire story and felt there were still some missing pieces, but was glad she still trusted her judgment enough to be here. Seeing someone she cared so deeply for hurting made her heart break in tandem, causing a tear to roll down her face as well.

Marlon sighed, a warm smile crossing his face. “I wish we didn’t have to corner you like this, but you just apologized.”

“Mateo, we aren’t holding you responsible for Wyatt’s choices.” Gunther added, moving closer to the crying pair. “Marlon and I just want the best for you, and that means making sure you don’t go down the same path.”

Violet pulled away to look Mateo in the eyes, even for a brief moment. They were still crying profusely, causing small sobs, rather than words.

“Mateo, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you that I knew sooner. That isn’t fair to you and you should have known the second I was told. They care about you a lot and so do I. I knew you were never the bad guy.”

“Oh Violet…” they trailed off again, pulling her back in for another tight hug. “Thank you for being here. I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t.”

“I’ll always be here for support and I hope you know that.”

They pulled away to face her with a smile, their hands around her forearms. “I do know that. And I’m gonna use this chance to be better.”

“Well, it sounds like we have a lot to catch up on.” Gunther smiled.

“Why don’t we head down to the Saloon? First round is on me, yeah?” Marlon added, pressing a hand into Mateo’s shoulder.

“That sounds nice!” they exclaimed, wiping away tears with a smile before turning to Violet. “Come with us! You deserve it as well!”

“Of course I will! I just have to go home and change first. This outfit isn’t really ‘Saloon appropriate’.” 

“Here, I’ll walk with you and we’ll go to the Saloon together once you’re done!”

“Oh, uh, sure!” The offer made her cheeks burn again. Mateo? In her house? She was unsure how to think or react, but the thought alone was enough to fill her with happiness.

Chapter Text

“You know, when you said you wanted to pursue music, I would have expected more instruments.”

“Do you really see the space for them all in here?” Violet called from her tiny makeshift bathroom. She and Mateo made it back to her cottage without any awkward tension, considering the events of the day.

“I’m sure I can strum up some space for you.” they added, the pun leaving their lips with ease. Unamused, she dipped backwards out of the bathroom door to look at them smugly sitting on her couch.

“Thin ice.”

“You gotta admit that one was good.”

She sighed. “Fine, I’ll give it to you. But only because I like you.” she laughed, the last of any lingering tension disappearing as they laughed with her.

Violet emerged from the bathroom, no longer in her usual mining gear.

“Huh, you know, I never noticed…” Mateo drifted off while staring, lost in thought.

“Noticed what? This is my favorite outfit!”

“You’re not exactly STRAIGHT , are you?”

The familiar burning sensation returned to her cheeks. “I mean, I really haven’t had much, minus one-nighters. Why?”

“Stripped tank, leather jacket and skinny jeans? Not necessarily a straight outfit.”

“I mean, you ARE the non-binary one in this room, so you would know better than anybody.” she giggled, hiding the fact her cheeks were turning pink.

They laughed, noticing her slight embarrassment. “You know, I’ll give you that.”

She never really gave her attire much thought before. She just knew how to dress comfortably and that was the end of it in her mind. “C’mon, we have people waiting.”

Their walk back was just as peaceful as it was when going to Violet’s cottage, more meaningless conversation and even a bit of singing, proving to Mateo she was pursuing music before moving. She watched across the Town square as what seemed like everyone in town started flooding into the Saloon’s entrance. Her face lit up as she held her hand over her head for a wave. Sterling, who was standing out front, returned the wave with a smile as he walked up to them both. Noticing who was with her, his face fell.

“Hey there, Sterling! This is Mateo.” oblivious to her friend’s scowl.

“Hey there.” Mateo let out with an awkward smile, noticing the slight tension coming from her friend.

“Hey. Violet, can I talk to you for a sec?” he turned to her, expression unbreaking.

“Uh, sure…?” she trailed off as he followed her to the other side of the building, out of Mateo’s earshot.

“What are you doing? I thought they were the bad guy!”

“We talked it out. Any beef has been squashed.” she snapped back, clear annoyance on her face.

“Look, you’re my friend. I worry about you-”

“Well this time, you don’t need to.” she interjected, cutting him off.

“I know I’m not gonna convince you, but please give your safety into consideration.” his scowl making way for worry that painted across his face.

“I do. That’s why I’m here now. Now excuse me, I have someone else I’m meeting up with.” her annoyance unbreaking as she turned to walk away.

Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her arm before pulling her back in for a hug. “Look, I really like you. I don’t want you going down such a bad path.” her annoyance was replaced with shock before awkwardly wrapping her arms around his torso.

“I know, Sterling. I promise you I’m okay. If anything, I feel safer with Mateo around.”

Silence hung in the air as they continued their embrace. Violet didn’t know what to do in the moment. She knew her friend cared about her, but she wouldn’t have thought he cared this much. She continued to ponder for a bit before pulling away from him, a smile forming on her lips. “Okay, now I really gotta go. We’re meeting up with the Professor and Guild leader for a few drinks. I’ll come join you if you’re still here, okay?”

Sterling inhaled, matching her smile. “Sounds good.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, sorry about that!” Violet called out, bouncing back to Mateo who chose to wait patiently by the entrance, concern on their face.

“Everything good?”

“Oh, yeah. Sterling is just a little protective over his friends. It’s nothing.”

Mateo sighed “Well, he’s got nothing to worry about. C’mon. Let’s go in!”

As the pair walked through the swinging doors into the private quarters, Violet couldn’t help but stare at a new couple sitting at the bar. She could have sworn she has never seen them around town before. “Hey, hang on a second.” she added, waving down Mateo.

“What’s up?”

She didn’t reply as she strained her ears to listen in on the pair from the other side of the door. 

“This is such bullshit. How are we supposed to get back there?”

“Easy, Ros. We’ll speak to him in due time.”

“And if we can’t wait that long?”

With her interest piqued, Violet peered through the slats on the double door inconspicuously. This new pair were obvious adventurers, one still clad in armor and the other with their hood up, their cloak a bright red with gold ornate trims. 

“I’m gonna go order our drinks. I’ll meet you back there, okay?” Violet added, turning to Mateo.

“Alright. Just don’t be weird, okay?” they added with a light chuckle.

“I should be saying that to you.” she laughed, pushing past the swinging doors and walking up to the bar, next to this new pair in the hopes of pushing for answers.

“Hey Emily! Two whiskeys on the rocks, please?”

“You got it, Violet!”

She sighed, folding her arms on the bar before turning to these mysterious new people. “Hey there. You guys lost? It’s not often I see adventurers here.”

The one with the hood let out a huff, turning away from Violet, while the assumed Paladin sighed. “Oh, yeah. I guess we kind of stick out. We’re here for Adventurer’s Guild stuff.”

“Huh, well. I may not look it, but-”

“We don’t need your help.” the other replied, cutting her off. Hood up, standoff-ish, definitely a rouge in her eyes.

“Well, if you feel the need for a mage, don’t hesitate to come find me.” she added just as Emily set both ordered drinks in front of her, which prompted her to take both and head toward the back where her party waited, slowing her pace a bit to listen in.

“Did you hear that? She might be able to help us!”

“A nobody that claims to be a mage? No thanks.”

Reaching the private room that was full of chatter, Violet set both glasses on the table, Mateo reaching over to take one. “Hey thanks!”

“No problem!” she sat in the last empty chair before turning to Marlon. “Did you know you have a rogue and Paladin looking for you by the bar?”

Marlon sighed, clearly agitated by this information. “Don’t worry about them. They’re just wandering vagabonds.”

A quick silence fell in the room before Gunther spoke up. “Mateo was just telling us about their studies. Ember Island University, you said?”

“Yeah, I was pretty much finding my answers at the bottom of the bottle for that doctorate. It was rough.”

“Well, are you watching your liver now?” Marlon added, grabbing his mug of mead from the table and taking a drink.

“Definitely! This is my first for a good bit now. Thanks for asking!” They finished with a smile infectious enough to make Violet smile in tandem.

A longer, heavier silence fell in the room, each person waiting for the other to speak.

Cutting the silence, Marlon was the first to speak. “Since Violet is here now, there’s something I’ve been thinking about. How did you know we were trying to talk to you through her? And why would you ever think we would speak ill of you, Mateo?”

“Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I never got to tell you. Even if they did talk badly about you, I would have stuck up for you… “Violet trailed off, looking down at the drink in her hand and resting her elbows on the table.

“Honestly, I didn’t. It was just a gut feeling I had. I wasn’t even going to say anything at first, but it was the heat of the moment. I’m so sorry about that and I’m sorry for putting you on the spot, Violet.” they sighed, leaning toward their friend and resting their hand on the back of her chair, causing her to slightly flinch in embarrassment and her cheeks flush.

“It’s, uh. It’s fine. I didn’t take any offense to it.”

Marlon cleared his throat, getting both of their attention. “Well, since that was a bit more easily explained, could you possibly tell us what happened?”

Mateo sighed, straightening in their seat. Their hand still on the back of Violet’s chair. “Right, fair enough. Wyatt was on his phone a lot more than usual for about a week. The only time he was being shifty was the night we pulled the trigger. He asked me to box everything up and load it onto a truck bed. Once it was loaded, we met with a Joja rep at the bus stop, who joined us. After we were all in, we went to Zuzu, which I’m assuming is where money changed hands. When everything was unloaded, we didn’t come back and went straight to the Fern Islands.” they trailed off, using their free hand to grasp their glass of whiskey, lifting the glass and taking a sip.

“But why didn’t you say no to him? Or come to Marlon or even the Mayor for help?”

“To tell you the truth, I was afraid. Afraid of having nowhere to go after he left. I also had no idea of the long term consequences. I didn’t expect Wyatt to completely shut himself out after.” Tears started filling their eyes again as Violet watched, straightening in her seat and causing them to move their hand to her back, grounding them temporarily.

“Kiddo… I wish you would have come to me sooner.” Marlon added, showing signs of concern and a bit of regret.

“I know that now and I’m really sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I just didn’t know what would happen…” they trailed off again, unable to hold back tears. Without missing a beat, Violet turns, leaning in towards Mateo and wrapping her arms around their neck. They instinctively wrapped their arms around her waist, letting out small sobs as they cried on her shoulder.

“Mateo, you mentioned he didn’t seem himself.” Gunther continued, trying to keep another silence from settling in.

“Yeah. He never treated me poorly, but I could tell he wasn’t the same.” They straightened up in their seat, letting Violet go. Their hand instinctively moved to her thigh, causing her to flinch in her seat, sending her into a straight up position in her chair. Her face flushing to a deep shade of pink.

“I spent some time with him, but I left for school pretty quickly and I haven’t seen him since.” Mateo continued, unmoving from their position. Marlon and Gunther exchanged glances, each with an eyebrow raised. A smirk formed on Marlon’s face with the realization of what was happening across from him.

“So, what’s your plan now? The air is clear and you’ve got nothing to worry about from either of us.”

Violet turned towards them with a lighthearted smile, her lingering embarrassment still hiding in the light shade of pink on her cheeks. Trying to keep the atmosphere from turning awkward, she reached out to place a hand on their forearm in reassurance. “It’s okay if you don’t know right now. We’re not going anywhere.”

“I’m gonna be honest, I think I already know. I’m going to put my heart into adventuring. It feels a lot different now. Almost as if I have something new and worth protecting all of a sudden.” For the first time ever, their cheeks held the same light shade of pink that Violet was almost always sporting when around them.

“Lookit you kid!” Marlon exclaimed with a light chuckle, Mateo retracting their hand from her thigh at his statement.

“No more frowning, no more sad faces, yeah?” Gunther continued with a smile.

“Of course!” Mateo replied, hiding their embarrassment behind a chuckle.

The group’s conversation turned more frivolous, leading into the late hours and even being asked to leave when the bar closed. After exchanging goodbyes, Mateo turned to Violet. The same light shade of pink on their cheeks from earlier, noticeable in the moonlight. “I wanted to thank you for coming along, Violet. It really means a lot to have your company.”

“I’m just glad I could be here to give you support. I would have felt terrible otherwise.”

“Well, it still means a lot more than you know.” they paused, checking the time on their phone. “It’s late, let me walk you home.”

“Just stay with me tonight, okay? It’s too late to walk from the Bus stop all the way to Scarp.” turning away from her companion, hiding her smile and the same shade of pink their cheeks were sporting.

“You know? I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

Chapter Text

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the pair set out for Violet’s cottage, picking up their pace as flashes of lightning grew near. Once they both had reached her front porch, the rain had begun to fall in sheets, drenching them both before diving into the front door. “Well, that was unexpected.” Mateo added with a laugh.

“Right? You can borrow something from my dresser. I just got that couch and don’t wanna ruin it.” Violet added, mimicking their laugh.

“I just need a pair of pants.”

“Cool, bottom drawer. I’m gonna go dry my hair.” she gestured toward the dresser standing at the foot of her bed before disappearing into her bathroom.

Emerging from the bathroom with dry hair and clothes, Violet caught herself staring at her companion, who was lounging on the couch, scrolling on their phone. She didn’t realize what Mateo had stated previously about being okay without a top. Her black baggy sweatpants fit them well, pairing with their bare chest. She violently shook her head, pushing the more unsavory thoughts from her brain.

Mateo looked up at her with a smile. “Oh, you’re done! C’mon, it’s still early enough for a movie.”

“Uhm, sure.” she replied, taking the empty spot on the couch next to her friend, the same familiar burning feeling returning to her cheeks and ears. As soon as she sat, she could feel the warmth of their arm wrapping around her shoulders, causing her to lean into their chest.

“You know,” she started. “Usually this is a thing that only couples do.”

“Well, let’s just say this is a casual date, then.” They chuckled in response.

“I’m okay with that.” She smiled, fully leaning into them and wrapping her arm around their torso.

Unable to keep her eyes open, Violet quickly fell asleep in her position against Mateo, snoring quietly. “Yeah, I made the right choice protecting this.” They thought aloud, gingerly moving her head without waking her so they could stand up and scoop her up bridal style, carrying her to her bed. “First friend back in the Valley and you’re crushing on her. Good going, Teo.”

Chapter Text

“You’ve gotta hand me the sword, now!” Mateo yelled, holding their hand out to Violet. She had cast a shield around her companions just before getting cooked alive, the mighty Void Dragon spewing fire from left to right, surrounding the party in flames.

“But if you go in, I have to drop the shield and we all die!”

Without hesitation, they reached for the Galaxy Sword strapped to her back, pulling it out of its holster before jumping through her barrier, shattering it. The scene before her turning white, her body filling with an agonizing burning sensation.

Violet shot up in bed, yelling and breathing heavily. Her yells occasionally being drowned out by the clap of thunder outside. Unaware of her surroundings, she brought her knees up to her chest and began to cry. “Whoa, hey. You okay?” Mateo asked, worry on their face. Still hyperventilating, she shook her head meekly, letting her tears roll down her cheeks.

“It’s okay. It was only a bad dream.” they added in a hushed tone, climbing onto the bed next to their friend and wrapping an arm around her.

“I… I have something to tell you.” Violet managed to choke out between sobs, her breathing beginning to steady.

“Never hesitate to tell me anything, you know that.”

Violet sighed, gaining her composure. “When we met, it wasn’t a coincidence. Ever since moving to the Valley, I’ve had these nightmares. They’ve always ended with someone dying. At first, I was the only one left alive. But this one…” She trailed off, another small sob escaping her as her body heaved, pulling her knees tighter against her chest.

Mateo, sitting up on their knees, turned to face Violet, placing a hand on each of her shoulders. “Hey, listen. I’m not going anywhere. Nobody is dying if I can help it.” They smiled, gently pulling her in for a hug. Unable to contain her sobs, she buried her face in their shoulder, crying heavily.

Violet’s eyelids fluttered, adjusting to the dim morning light. She was unsure when she had fallen back asleep or what time it was and she subconsciously looked around for possible answers. She had fallen asleep with her back against the wall of her cottage. “Oh hey, you’re awake!” Mateo smiled, scrolling on their phone next to her.

“What time is it?”

“About 9:30. You had a rough night and I didn’t wanna leave you alone.”

Gaining her composure, Violet scooted to the edge of the bed, letting her legs hang off the edge. “Can you-” her body heaved, cutting herself off before continuing. “Can you hand me the box on my nightstand, along with the bottle please?”

“The prescription bottle?” she nodded while they reached forward for her nightstand, her body heaving as she bolted upright and raced to the bathroom.

Emerging from the bathroom minutes later, Violet shook her head, holding the weight in her hands. “I’m so sorry you had to see me like this.”

“Hey, it’s okay. You’ve seen me post breakdowns already.” Mateo chuckled, moving from their position on the bed to stand in front of her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad I didn’t leave you alone. You okay?”

“Y-yeah. I’ll be fine. I get nauseous after a panic attack.”

“You don’t have to explain, it’s fine. You wanna take your meds, then show me what needs to be done?”

“You really don’t have to-”

Holding up their free hand, they cut her off. “Nope, I insist. You’re clearly not feeling well and it looks like you have chickens and cows to feed.”

She sighed. “Well, guess I’m not getting you to leave, so sure.”

Chapter Text

“A little higher!” Violet called out, gesturing upwards. Gunther and Marlon balancing on chairs precariously at opposite ends of the makeshift stage the Guild used to hold meetings and announcements. It wasn’t much, but she spent the last two nights painting a ‘welcome home’ banner and baking a cake at the request of Marlon.

It had been a few weeks since the conversation about Wyatt had taken place and everyone had begun to feel more at ease. “All right, I think we got it.” Marlon called out, climbing down from his perch.

“When you had told me you had a request, I did not expect manual labor in this form.” Gunther added, pausing before climbing down as well, his annoyance going unheard.

“Violet, be a dear and grab our guest of honor, please? I’m sure–”

“In the Mines. I already know, they told me this morning.” she cut off Marlon with a chuckle, holding her hand up to stop him.

“See? You two make an amazing team!” he added with a low, guttural laugh. Violet knew what he actually meant, bringing back a slight burning sensation to her cheeks that she was hoping to forget about. Marlon pointing out how they would always pair up with requests, on top of townsfolk calling her friend ‘her shadow’ the past few days didn’t help with her feelings too much, no matter how hard she tried to bury them.

“I’ll be back!” she called back, turning toward the door and entering the cool Autumn afternoon.

The Mine entrance lacked the release of cool air as compared to previous months, the familiar smell of stagnant water and fresh Earth assaulting her nostrils as she peered her head in. “Hey Mateo! I know you’re here!” she called out, taking a few steps in and waiting, the sound of heavy boots stomping on rocks drawing closer.

“Oh, hey! I didn’t expect you to be taking requests today!” Mateo called out with a wave, hair slicked back from sweat and bits of slime caked onto their overalls.

“I didn’t, technically. I was actually told to come get you. Marlon wanted to see you in the Guild building.” she smiled as her eyes wandered, landing on the fresh gashes on her friend's arm. “You were fighting too hard again, weren’t you?”

They chuckled, rubbing the back of their head and avoiding her gaze. “Well, you know how Shadow folk can be down there.”

“Listen, if you won’t let me go past my limits, I can’t let you!” 

“Mage limits and fighter limits are two different things! You know that!” they laughed, nudging her with their elbow. She sighed, crossing her arms and smiling.

“Come here, I’ll heal you up real quick, then we can go.”

“You treat me too well, shortstack.”

She paused her mana focus, giving them a sideways smirk. “That leash is getting short, buddy.”

“So next time I’m going to Ginger Island, you’re coming. You gotta believe me on the size of Pepper Rexes!”

“Listen, I never said I didn’t believe you!” Violet laughed as they both approached the Guild building, her arm wrapped around Mateo’s waist and their arm draped over her shoulders. Dropping her arm, she reached out to the front door and knocked three times and waited, Gunther greeting them both at the door. “We’re back!”

“And not a moment too soon. Come in.” he replied, ushering the pair in.

Holding the door open with their hand that was previously on her shoulders, Mateo gestured Violet in ahead of them before following and turning to fully close the door behind them. Before they could turn around, she bounced over to where a few of the other Guild members were perched, waiting for the right moment.

The instant Mateo turned from the door, the hall erupted into cheers. “What in the World?” they asked with a smile, extending their arms out to their friend.

“Now you know why Marlon wanted to see you!” Violet replied, taking their hands in hers, returning the smile.

Marlon, approaching the two, clasped a hand on Mateo’s shoulder. “Since you’ve never had a proper initiation ceremony, we wanted to make sure it was done right this time.”

“A full blown party, though? Really?”

“Yes! Because as much as you don’t want to admit it, you deserve it.” Violet added, gripping her friend’s hands tighter.

Sitting on the edge of the stage, Mateo gingerly turned their new medal in their hands with a smile. The other Guild members had already left for home or other assignments, leaving just them, Violet sitting next to them and Marlon, who carelessly watched the fireplace. “So, were you surprised?” Violet asked, bumping her shoulder into her friend in an attempt to break the silence.

“Honestly? Yeah, I was.” they paused, looking to the window, then to her. Rain had begun to fall, tapping melodically on the window pane. “You wanna go somewhere with me? Hang out in the rain for a bit?”

“Sure, I guess. Where were you thinking?”

“You’ll see.” Hopping down from their perch, they turned towards her, extending a hand.

“That’s ominous.” she laughed, taking her hand in theirs and hopping down from the stage next to them.

“What are your plans for tomorrow? Wanna take on a couple of requests?”

“I would if I could. Marlon has a special request for me tomorrow but wouldn’t tell me specifics.”

“That’s a bummer! I was hoping I could take my first official request with you!” Mateo laughed, taking a spot on the edge of the dock, watching the river flowing into the lake. Violet sighed, sitting next to them with a smile. She couldn’t explain it, but watching the rain fall in the middle of the woods calmed her, bringing a sense of relief she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“I’ve been thinking these past few weeks now.” Mateo started, breaking the silence.

“Uh oh, that’s dangerous.” she laughed, leaning into them a bit before sitting upright again.

“No, I’m serious! I’m sure you’re tired of hearing it by now, but I wanted to thank you.” they paused, inhaling sharply with a smile. “You made a point to see me, even though I intentionally made myself scarce around others. After everything that happened, I was afraid of what others would think and say, but you didn’t care. You showed me that there are people that still cared, even if you didn’t know the entire story. It just…” they trailed off, looking down into the water. “It means more to me than I could ever put into words.”

Violet's cheeks burned, her eyes widening. “Mateo… I sought you out not because I wanted to show you others cared.” She paused, gaining her composure. “I sought you out because talking to you about my past was cathartic. I never talked to anybody about it in as much detail as I did with you. You accepted it without judgement and it means the world to me. If anything, I should be thanking you.”

“Well, let’s just call this one a draw and accept it, then.” they chuckled.

“You know what? Sure. Thank you for being here for me.”

“And thank you for being here for me.” they smiled, looking towards their friend, their cheeks matching the same pinkish glow hers had.

Chapter Text

With careful steps, Violet made her way up the now frost-covered hillside towards the Adventurer’s Guild. The rain from the previous night had frozen over, leaving an icy glow on the Valley. A sign of Winter quickly approaching. “Good morning, Violet.” Marlon called out from the front of the Guild building.

“Good morning, sir! Sorry I’m late.”

“You can drop the formalities now. You’ve been here almost a year and you’re one of my top adventurers.”

“Yes, sir– I mean, Marlon.”

“You’ll get there.” he added with a low chuckle. “Let’s get a move on before we lose any more daylight.”

“Marlon, why are we at the outlet pipe to the sewers?” Violet asked, pausing to look over the trash riddled cliff at the edge of the forest. 

“You’ll see momentarily.” he replied, pulling a rusted skeleton key from his pocket and inserting it into the lock with ease.

With a bit of effort, the grate covering the outlet pipe swung open, allowing the pair enough space to enter. “Hope you don’t get nauseous easily.” Marlon chuckled, gesturing for Violet to enter first. Taking cautious steps, she crouched low enough to enter. 

The tunnel opened up to a large room, with a ladder leading back to town, another locked passageway, and a hallway leading into another small room Violet couldn’t see into. “Okay, I give up, why are we here?”

“Damn, impatient aren’t we?” Marlon added, pausing to check his surroundings. “Oi, Krobus! I have someone I want you to meet!” he called out. From the room at the other end of the hallway popped out a small, shadowy face with the distinct features of a Shadow person. With a sharp inhale, Violet began to reach down to her boot, small dagger in hand. “You have a knife in your boot, don’t you?” Marlon asked, turning towards her. She immediately stood straight up with her hands behind her back, embarrassment on her face.

“Nope.”

Marlon chuckled. “I promise you, you aren’t going to need it.” the small shadow person began to walk up to the two, clear curiosity on its face.

“Marlon, who is this?” Violet jumped, whipping her head around to check for other people around before looking at the shadow person with wide eyes.

“Y-you can talk?”

“Violet, this is Krobus. I found him down in the Mines one evening and knew he was different. Special in a way. I asked Rasmodius to assist me in bringing him here so he can learn to communicate.” Marlon added. Her shock was replaced by curiosity as she knelt down to meet Krobus’ gaze, being careful as to not rest her knees on the sewer gunk at her feet.

“You can talk?” Violet asked enthusiastically.

“I-I can… Marlon and Magnus are good friends…”

“That’s amazing! I have so many questions for you!”

“You can ask them later. Krobus, you’ll be seeing Violet again really soon, okay? We can’t leave the gate open for too long.” Marlon interjected, bewilderment still showing on Violet’s face.

“Well Krobus, it was very nice meeting you!”

“Me too. I like new friends!” standing back up, she turned to Marlon before following him back out the way they came in.

Violet sat at the edge of the makeshift stage in the Guild as instructed, recounting what had just happened. She knew shadow people were mysterious, but not that mysterious. The sheer fact that there was a possibility people could communicate with them invaded her mind, unaware that Marlon had returned from his living quarters “This is a key to visit Krobus, if you ever feel so inclined to. I had requested Rasmodius to make a copy of this key a long time ago. It’s the only copy, so please make sure not to lose it.” he stated, holding out a hand that donned an exact replica of the rusted key he used to open the sewer grate prior.

“Of course. I’ll keep it safe.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” he chuckled. Returning to reality, Violet reached for her phone in her back pocket, which had been buzzing almost endlessly.

“Huh, that’s weird.” she mumbled. Marlon raised an eyebrow.

“Everything alright?”

“I’ve been getting calls from Mateo and Dr. Harvey this whole time, but I wasn’t expecting either of them to reach out to me.” Her phone stopped buzzing in her hand, only for it to start back up again with the doctor’s name lighting up her screen. “I’m gonna take this.” She added before hitting accept and holding her phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Good afternoon, is this Violet?” it was Maru’s voice, an obvious twinge of panic hiding in her voice.

“Yes it is, how can I help you, Maru?”

“Dr. Harvey had asked me to call you, so apologies for the sudden interruption. We have a patient here that is currently in critical condition. You know Mateo, correct?”

Violet's heart sank, the now panic that Maru was trying to mask on her own face. “Y-yeah. Why?”

“Could you come to the clinic at your earliest convenience, please?”

“Yeah…” Violet trailed off before hanging up her phone, shock and anxiety on her face before turning for the door. “I gotta go.”

Chapter Text

Her phone smacked onto the hardwood floor of the Guild building, the screen shattering on impact as she bolted out the door and down the mountain. Her mind raced, thinking back to the previous night. If she didn’t have this stupid request, her friend wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Her panic began to set in as she passed by Pierre’s and crashed through the door of the clinic. Hyperventilating, she turned to Maru, who was sitting behind the desk forlorn. “Mateo… Harvey… where?” Violet managed to croak out between shallow breaths.

“Violet, you should sit down first–”

“Where, Maru?!” she yelled, anxiety fully taking over.

“Bay three, end of the hall.” she added as Violet burst through the doors and down the hall.

Following the distant voices, Violet reached the bay and yanked the curtains open, fear still painted across her face.

“Just the person I needed.” Mateo said with a raspy voice, trying their best to wipe the fresh blood away from their eyes with a smile.

“Mateo, please. You need the rest! You know I can’t treat all this here!” Harvey added, turning toward them. Shakily moving to their feet, they walk toward Violet, leaning into her crying.

“Mateo, what…” Violet started, losing her words to fear.

“Violet, you've gotta believe me. The shadow people… they’re sentient. I was in the mines… they told me I was in their home…”

“Mateo, I believe you, but you can’t worry about that right now!” Violet replied, finding her voice amidst the chaos.

“Fuck.” They sighed, leaning their full body weight into her as she struggled to keep them upright.

“C’mon, let’s get you back on the bed.” grabbing their hand and draping their arm over her shoulder, she led her friend back to bed and helped them lay down as they promptly lost consciousness.

Exiting the clinic doors forlorn, Violet hung her head before turning to start back up the mountain to retrieve her phone. “Holy shit, you okay?” Sterling called to her from the entrance of Pierre’s.

“I look and feel like hell, what do you think, Sterling?” she snapped. “Sorry. I’ve just had the longest panic attack of my life and it’s just been really stressful.”

“Vi, what happened? What’s wrong?" he asked with concern on his face, setting a hand on each of her shoulders.

“Can you walk with me? I don’t wanna be alone right now.”

The two started up the mountain, Violet recalling the events of the day to her friend, leaving out the story of Krobus out of fear. “Damn Violet, now I know why you look like shit.” Sterling added, trying to lighten the mood. Unsuccessfully, she sighed.

“Yeah, I know I do. I’m just worried about Mateo.”

“There was nothing you could do in that situation besides be there.”

“That’s the thing, Sterling. I promised them I would be there in case they got hurt and I broke that…” she trailed off, tears rolling down her face as they approached the doors to the Guild.

“Try not to think about that right now and go get your phone, okay? I’ll wait out here.”

“Thanks.” She hung her head, pushing past the doors and preparing to tell Marlon the news of what happened.

“Man, now I need a new phone!” Violet groaned, turning to face Sterling, inspecting the crack in her phone’s screen.

“I think it matches your vibe. Punk rock badass with a broken screen is kind of hot.” he replied with a snicker.

“Keep dreaming, man.” a smile beginning to tug at the corners of her lips.

“So now what? You need a drink?”

She sighed, “I need to head to Scarp and make sure Mateo’s things are secure before the snow falls tonight.”

“Why? I’m sure the door is locked, plus you’re covered in someone else’s blood.”

Violet groaned while inspecting her hoodie. She never noticed that Mateo’s blood was splashed along the side in her panic. “I’ll worry about my clothes later. They’re lucky I know how to remove stains.”

“Okay and ‘securing their things’?”

“They live a bit more… unconventionally.” Violet trailed off, starting toward the forest path toward East Scarp, Sterling quickly following behind.

“Is this what you meant by unconventional?” Sterling asked, digging his feet in the sand in front of Mateo’s tent.

“Yep. C’mon.” Violet replied, striding up the ramp and into their tent. The interior was pristine, with papers organized on the desk. Inspecting the roof for any possible leaks or sagging, she sighed, her eye catching a familiar picture in a frame on top of the small bookshelf. She inhaled sharply, inspecting it before picking it up and holding it gingerly in her arms, a tear escaping her eye. “Oh Mateo..”

“What’s that?” 

“It’s a picture we took together when we first met. I didn’t know they had it printed and framed.” she held out the photo to her friend, recounting the night they had taken it. “We took that the night they started opening up to me. We traded numbers and they wanted to add a contact picture. That’s how that happened.”

Violet retrieved the picture from Sterling, hugging it and sitting on the bed with a sigh. “You two have gotten really close, haven’t you?” he asked, pulling the stool from the desk and taking a seat.

“Yeah. Besides you, they’re the only one that knows what I went through back in the city…” she started. “Can I be honest with you, Sterling?”

“Of course. You know you always can be. That’s what friends are for.” He smiled, resting his elbows on his knees.

She paused, wondering if she should say what she wanted to. “I think I like them. You know, more than a friend.”

“Damn Vi. Now I know why the panic attack and being here.”

“The problem is I have no idea how to tell them. How do you tell someone you’ve shared your life story with for the past year that you’ve accidentally fallen in love with them?”

“Honestly? Even I don’t know. I wish I knew for your sake.”

“I’m just so afraid of fucking things up. I want to tell them, but what if the feeling isn’t mutual? What if I say something I know I’m gonna regret? What if–”

Sterling cut her off. “Don’t worry about the what if’s. You’ll know when the time is right and, judging by that pic in your hands, I have a hunch the feelings are mutual.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. C’mon, let’s head home.”

She sighed again, looking toward the open tent flaps, the sound of the waves gently crashing to shore grounding her. “I think I’m just gonna stay here tonight. It’s really late, I have a Guild meeting in the morning and it’s just easier than walking home in the dark.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I also have some thinking to do.” she replied, laying on the bed and resting her head on their pillow, the scent of Teakwood still strong.

Sterling, standing up from his seat with a smile, locked eyes with her. “You’ll make the right choice. I know you will. I’ll come check on you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.” she watched him head for the exit. “Sterling?” she called out.

“Yeah?”

She inhaled, sitting up. “Thank you for listening to me ramble.”

“That’s why I’m here for you.” his smile infectious as she returned one meekly.

Watching her friend leave, she zipped the entrance of the tent closed and flopped back onto the bed. Her thoughts haunting her as her phone lightly buzzed in her hand against the photo frame that was still in her arms. Bringing her phone to her face, she gasped as she hit the accept button. “Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Hey. Could be better. After I woke up, I was told I was being kept here for a few days.” It was Mateo, coherent, but voice still raspy.

“For your sake, maybe that’s a good thing.” she giggled, rolling over to rest her free ear on the pillow.

“You may be right on that one.” they returned the laugh, a moment of silence setting between the two before continuing. “I wanted to thank you for today. If you didn’t show up, I probably wouldn’t be here.”

“Mateo, you know I’m always here for you, whether that be fighting off monsters, or even telling you to chill the fuck out every once in awhile.”

“Damn, going right for the throat.” they chuckled again, a small cough being heard before a pause.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m currently at your place. I wanted to make sure everything was safe and it got too late to go home.” Violet added.

“That’s fine. Sorry it’s not a bit warmer in there. I usually layer up during the winter months.”

“I’ll be okay. The hoodie I’ve been wearing today is thick enough.”

“That’s good to know. Worry about you.”

“Me? You should be worrying about yourself right now!” she laughed, the lingering events of the day fading as her cheeks grew warm. “Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until you pass out?”

“You know, I think I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

Shying away from the bright daylight flooding in through her window, Violet groaned, pulling her blankets over her head. Now that winter was in full swing, it meant days for her to sleep in a little bit more. Her feline companion Dawn, noticing movement, jumped onto the bed, meowing and pawing at the blanket furiously in an attempt of waking her up for food. “Okay, okay. Fine. I’m up!” she exclaimed, chasing the cat off of the bed as she sat up. With an uneventful week past, she didn’t feel like doing much else, besides waiting for her friend to come home.

Shuddering against the cold floor, she stood up and stretched before reaching for her phone, which had been buzzing with excitement all morning. “Let’s see, Sterling, 'hey you up?’ Sterling again ‘why aren’t you up yet?’ also Sterling ‘I got news for you! Come to the Saloon!’ Huh, guess that’s where I’m getting breakfast from. Even if it is noon already.” she sighed as she looked toward the open doorway to the kitchen, Dawn sitting patiently in the threshold. “Yes, I know. Feed you first, you needy little thing.” she chuckled, walking to her wardrobe. She never removed the stains from her favorite hoodie and opted to steal Mateo’s orange and gray raglan one instead. She just forgot to tell them during their last phone call. Opting to throw it on over her tank top again, she slipped into a pair of black skinny jeans and socks before slipping on her boots and tossing her hair into a high ponytail, reminding herself to fill the cat’s food bowl before setting out for the Saloon.

Walking up to the bar inside of the saloon, Violet gave Gus a small wave. “Hey Gus, any breakfast on today’s menu?”

“For you Violet, absolutely! I’ll have Emily bring it out to you.”

“Thanks man, you’re the best!” she smiled before walking away, towards the booth her and Sterling always sat at, her friend already there, greeting her with a smile. 

“Good morning hot stuff. Is that Mateo’s hoodie?”

“Morning. Yeah, I never washed mine, so I just stole theirs that night and I had nothing else warm to wear.” she replied, taking her usual spot in the booth opposite.

“Well, it fits what I’m about to tell you! I’m gonna let you eat first.” he laughed as Emily strode up to the booth, a mug of coffee in one hand and a plate of Gus’ breakfast scramble perched in the other.

“Morning Violet! Here’s your food! You need more coffee, Sterling?”

“No thanks Emily. I’m good.”

“Lemme know if you need anything!” she smiled before turning on her heels and wandering back to the bar. Violet sighed, picking up her fork and poking at her food before taking a bite.

“You know, they treat us too well.” she said, turning toward Sterling.

“I mean, with how much we drink, we pay their salary.” he laughed before lifting his own mug to take a sip of his coffee.

“Alright, spill. What was so important that you had to spam text me?” Violet asked between bites of food, breaking the silence.

“Oh! Yeah, you’re gonna love this! You know how Mia talks to Nora on occasion, right?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, Nora told Mia that she was talking to Beatrice–”

“C’mon Sterling, skip the semantics.”

“Mateo’s home.”

Violet coughed mid bite, shocked. “Excuse me?”

“Beatrice saw Mateo going into their tent late last night and you know that woman watches the cliff like a hawk.” Sterling laughed.

“There’s no way! They would have called me or even sent a text.”

“Well, worst case scenario, we walk through town and don’t see them and we go home for the night.”

“Best case scenario?”

“Best case, you get to see your lover again!” an agitated smile on her face, she flung a closed salt packet across the table at her friend, laughing

“Don’t say that too loud! We’re in public, you idiot.”

“Okay, okay. I’m off today, so finish your food and we’re gonna go around town to see if it’s true.”

Finishing her plate of food and coffee, Violet left her tab and generous tip on the table before setting out into the cold afternoon with Sterling following behind. “Alright, I’m gonna go up to the Guild and check in with Marlon, see if he has seen them.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll text you if I see them wandering around also.”

“Thanks Sterling.” she replied, turning toward the mountain.

“Hey Violet?” Sterling called to her, causing her to turn back to face her friend.

“What’s up?”

“We’ll find them. And when we do, you’ll know what to say.” he smiled, encouraging her to do the same.

“Thank you. Really, thank you. I needed to hear that.” she finished, turning toward the mountain and setting off toward the Guild.

“So you haven’t seen Mateo, but they signed off on a job?” Violet asked, crossing her arms.

“Just this morning. Didn’t even come to say hello. Hoping the kid isn’t killing themselves.” Marlon sighed. “Sorry I couldn’t have been of more help. Have you tried to call them?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t gotten an answer to any calls or texts. It’s not like them.”

“Remember they just got home, they have a lot to think about.”

“I know, I’m just worried.” she sighed, pausing to check her phone again to no avail. The screen remained devoid of notifications, the photo of her and Mateo staring back at her from her still shattered screen. “While they were in the Hospital, they told me something.”

“Oh? And that was?”

“Mateo plans on becoming fully invested in researching shadow people and the possibility of their sentience. With your blessing, I’d like to introduce them to Krobus.”

Pausing, Marlon stroked his goatee with a slow nod. “I suppose there would be no harm. Please be gentle, though. Alright?”

“Of course. I won’t walk around with him until evening and that’s even if I end up finding Mateo.”

Spending the day talking to everyone in town, Violet had convinced Krobus to take a walk with her after sunset. Slightly annoyed and very worried, her pace picked up slightly as they headed toward the beach, the familiar sight of horns over the hill taking her breath away, her brisk walk turning into a slow jog. “Mateo… Hey Mateo!” she called out, crashing into her friend with a smile, squeezing their midriff.

“Woah, hey!” returning her hug with a smile before their face fell at the sight of Krobus, immediately pulling away and brandishing their sword. “Shit!”

“Hold on! Hold on. It’s fine.” she replied to her now shaking friend, holding her hands out for reassurance.

“Fine? What do you mean fine?! There’s a shadow folk right behind you!”

“I know! Mateo, this is Krobus.”

“It has a name…?”

“H-hi…” Krobus squeaked, causing Mateo to fall backwards into the dirt in shock.

“Oh my Yoba, you can talk!”

“Violet told me what happened… I’m really sorry.”

Mateo sighed, gaining their composure. “No, it’s not your fault. Sorry for being so brash. I’ve had a lot to think about this week.”

“Most of us prefer our privacy and are territorial. I’m still learning.”

“Well Krobus, it’s very nice to meet you. Would you mind me interviewing you for my research?”

Krobus gasped “Me?”

“Of course! I doubt other Shadow folk like you would be keen on the idea.”

“I’d love to!” He replied with as much of a smile as a shadow person could give.

“Great! I’ll let you know when the time comes!”

“Okay! I’m going to let you and Violet catch up. Good night!” he finished before turning back towards the Sewers.

“Good night, Krobus!” Both Violet and Mateo called out, Violet sitting in the dirt with her back against her friend’s.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were home?” Violet sighed, leaning her head back against Mateo’s.

“Honestly? I’m not sure. I’ve had so much on my mind and just wanted to clear my head.”

“I get that, I was just really worried, you know?”

“I figured you would be worried about mangled old me.” they chuckled. “Sorry about that.”

She smiled. “It’s fine. Just keep me updated, deal?”

“Deal.” they paused. “Tell me, how bad is the scarring on my face? It looks awful, doesn’t it?”

“You want the real answer, or something to make you feel better?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Give it to me straight. I can take it.”

“Full honesty? Some people find scars attractive. Including myself.”

Mateo inhaled sharply, tensing up against Violet’s back. “Damn, that’s out of pocket, even for you. I’ve made that much of an impact, haven’t I?”

“Let’s just say I’ve had some conversations with people while you were gone and it’s helped me find my confidence.”

“Well, the confidence looks good on you.” they chuckled.

Pausing, Violet turned toward her companion. “Take an artsy photo with me?”

“What do you mean ‘artsy’?” Without missing a beat, she pulled her phone from her pocket with one hand, her other forming half of a heart. Mateo laughed, connecting their hand with hers as she snapped a picture of the formed heart, a sly smile forming on their face before leaning into her, planting a small peck on her temple.

Violet sat unmoving, color rushing to her face, turning her cheeks a deep shade of pink. She looked up at Mateo when they pulled away, the sly smile still on their face. Their cheeks mimicked her deep blush. “That was a bit unhinged, wasn’t it?” they chuckled in embarrassment.

“W-well…” she started. Cutting her off, they gingerly took their hand to place behind her head before pulling her in gently for a kiss. A moment of shock in her eyes was quickly swept away by euphoria as she closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss.

Allowing embarrassment to take over, Mateo pulled away quickly, rubbing the back of their head with a chuckle. “Well, that was dumb. I’m so sorry.”

Violet smiled, sitting upright again. The blush spreading to the rest of her face. “I-it’s fine. I just…” she trailed off, setting her gaze to her lap.

“Don’t know where this leaves us?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Well, you’re already wearing my hoodie. Casually dating? Nothing official?” they smiled, taking her hand in theirs.

“I, um…” she swallowed her embarrassment, trying to find her confidence in an inhale. “I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”

“Good, I would too.” they smiled again before giving her forehead a light kiss. “I should walk you home, though. It’s late. Do you mind if I come in and say hello to Dawn?”

“Hell, with how late it is, you can just cuddle with her on the couch.” she giggled as they stood up, offering a hand to her for balance as she stood up.

Chapter Text

“Wait, you’ve been living like this?”

“So? You share a bunk bed with a grown man.”

“Fair enough.”

Violet, crossing her arms, walked up to Mateo and Marlon with a smile. “I don’t know, I stayed there a few days and thought it was cozy.”

“A few? You only told me one night!” Mateo replied with a shocked smile. “Good morning, by the way!”

“Yeah, I lied for your sake. Good morning!”

Marlon turned to Violet with his usual stoic expression. “Perfect timing. I have another special request for you.”

“Uh oh, last time you had one of those for me, someone here got hurt.” she laughed.

“Hey! I can’t control that!” Mateo chuckled, striding over to Violet and draping their arm over her shoulders.

The three stood in front of Mateo’s tent, debating on what to do for a new building. “Well, with the snow gone it’ll be easier for Robin to build something. What are you two thinking?” Violet asked.

“Marlon and I want to expand the Adventurers’ Guild and start a branch here on the beach.”

“What? Mateo, that's amazing!” she added, wrapping her arms around her friend’s waist.

“Violet, could you please discuss logistics with Robin?” Marlon asked, turning to the two.

“Of course! I have to ask her about some buildings on my farm, anyways!”

“Perfect. Much appreciated.” He finished, turning to walk away, but not before turning back to give the pair a smirk before making his way home. Violet, slightly embarrassed, looked at her friend.

“You think he knows?”

“Marlon? Nah, he isn't that nosy.” Mateo laughed, their cheeks turning pink.

“So now what? You're not going to have a place to sleep for two weeks.” Violet asked, pulling books from the shelf in Mateo's tent and gingerly setting them in a marked box.

“Not sure…” Mateo trailed off, organizing papers on their desk before sliding them into folders.

“Well, I do have that empty shed and Robin just finished adding the extra space on my house.” Violet grinned, turning to her friend.

“No, I'm not sleeping on your couch. I don't want to impose like that!”

“But it's expensive to rent a room from Rosa and even more to go up to Ridgeside!”

“Yeah, but I'm sure I can manage.”

“But you won't be able to snuggle with the kitties!”

“That's why I break into your house while you're in the barn.”

Violet paused with the next stack of books in her hands, turning toward her friend with confusion. “What?”

“Oh, nothing!” They chuckled, rubbing their arm before moving on to another stack of papers.

“I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that and that you agreed to sleeping on my couch.” She sighed, shaking her head with a smile.

“But-”

She held up a hand to cut them off. “No buts! You're staying. I could use the company anyways.”

Mateo sighed “Fine, but I'm helping you in the fields.”

“No you're not.”

“Try me.” They paused, turning to her with a sly smile, prompting her to drop the books in her hand. Standing up, she strode over to her friend smiling.

“Listen here, you little shit-” Violet started, but was promptly cut off by a sudden kiss planted on her forehead. Heat radiating from her cheeks and moving to her ears.

“I think this means I won?” They asked, pulling away with a chuckle.

“You know what? Fine. You win, but only for now.”

Mateo sighed, turning back to the last stack of papers on their desk. “Seriously, thank you for all this help, Violet. It really means a lot.”

“Of course! What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help?” Violet laughed, closing up the box of books. Standing up, she fixated her gaze to the photo on top of the bookcase with a smile. “You never told me you had this printed and framed.”

“Yeah, it’s my favorite picture of us and my phone died a lot while I was staying here. I framed it as a reminder.”

“Reminder for what?” she asked, picking it up and bringing it to them to put in a separate box.

“That there are people in this world who genuinely care about me.” They sighed, taking the photo from her hands with a smile.