Chapter Text
Link's Got a Twin Part Five:
Blood Moon Farm 1/2 (Clean)
New Beginnings
By Jl Wolf
{One}
Lee fidgeted in his bus seat next to Link, shimmying around, wringing his hands, tapping his feet, biting his lips nervously.
Moving out of Zuzu City was a big step for the two short Hylian men who had moved there with their parents from Hyrule. Link had pressed the issue of moving, encouraging an adventure knowing Lee needed the breath of fresh air offered to them by their inherited farm from their grandfather.
Link had grown concerned for his twin after watching Lee's sea blue eyes gradually grow dim over the years working for Joja Co. and was well aware of the toll it was taking on his health. On Lee's very soul.
So Link had simply picked Lee up, tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of apples, pocketed the deed to the farm, and bought them two bus tickets to Pelican Town in the beautiful Stardew Valley.
They used to spend warm summer days in their youth with their grandparents on their farm, fond memories fuelling Link's rash actions to not even bother packing. They had five hundred gold between them, so he felt they would be fine to leave immediately with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
They needed this change of pace, even if Lee did not accept it fully yet.
He knew this was a big leap for Lee who was constantly worried about having enough gold to get by; a mental state forced on him by living in a tiny apartment with Joja Co. barely paying them enough to pay rent.
With their heirloom clothes, (green tunics with matching skorts and worn leather shoes,) the twins looked almost completely identical aside from Lee's long blond hair usually kept in a braid against Link's hastily chopped blond mop of hair that looked like it had run into a bought of static from the way it looked fluffed up after Link took their boss’ paper scissors to cut his hair at the ponytail to throw in the man's face to get them both fired, after said boss demanded they both go to the company barber for a uniform cut per a new company policy about hair length on men.
They both liked to joke that they could tell what the other was thinking from knowing how they looked when they were thinking certain things; but Link did not have to look hard to know how severely nervous Lee was this time.
It was blatant.
Link set a hand on Lee's wrist to halt his nervous fidgeting. Lee did not take his eyes off of the scenery passing them by beyond the bus window, but he did calm down substantially at the quiet reassurance that all would be well.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Lee's ears twitched at the sight of the overgrowth covering their farm from years of abandonment. Link used the back of his hand to swat Lee's bicep, signing to him, {Not a problem.} He passed Lee an axe, picking up a pickaxe, “Divide tasks.”
So that is what they did. Working from dawn until they were too exhausted to continue at noon.
Lee picked at the blisters on his palms during their stroll through town greeting everyone they came across.
Link was more outgoing and friendly toward new people than Lee was, so he let his younger twin guide the conversations. He was aware there were a few bachelors and bachelorettes in town; Robin had said as much on the walk from the bus stop to their farm. She even mentioned her own son was a bachelor, her daughter a bachelorette, but Lee noticed how none of them drew him in.
A few even managed to piss him off in the span of a single conversation.
He was not a fan of Shane, though it was apparent the prickly attitude and unkempt sense of self stemmed from deeper issues. Alex was terribly conceited. But Hailey? After she had the gall to call their inherited family heirloom clothing ugly while wearing fashion that screamed store bought instead of hand made like theirs? It was going to be a cold day in oblivion before he gave her the time of day again.
Of everyone they met, Willy was someone Lee absolutely adored. Fishing had always been their favorite pastime when they were younger, and the gifts of fishing poles to them from the older man nearly brought Lee to tears, making him eager to fish straight away.
He was headed to the beach on their first rainy day in Pelican Town with a spring in his step and enough wood in his pack to repair the broken bridge to the tide pools with a plan to get some fishing in when he bumped into the most beautiful man he had ever seen, the rain pelting them making his eyeliner run doing nothing to diminish his beauty.
The man frowned at him in confusion at being accidentally cut off on the bridge leading to the beach. “Can I help you?”
“Oh! Um… I'm Lee. One of the new farmers that took over Blood Moon Farm.”
“Cool to know, I guess. I'm Sebastian.”
Lee blushed and motioned at the beach from their spot, “Heading to enjoy this nice rainy day?”
“Kinda.”
Sensing he was making Sebastian uncomfortable, Lee moved out of his way with a quick apology.
Sebastian studied him curiously, then relaxed minutely. “You're a twin, huh? I think I met your brother a few hours ago headed for the mountain lake.”
Lee nodded with a soft word of thanks, then scurried away toward the broken bridge, stomach in knots and mind buzzing with how awkward he had acted, mentally chastising himself for being so silly over a pretty stranger.
His hammering on the bridge to repair it was a bit more aggressive than he would normally do it. He decided it was an acceptable way of working through his frustrations and chose to not think too deeply on things.
Fishing definitely perked him up. Sure, he was rusty, and tired easily, but the ache in his muscles was just as nostalgic as pulling a fish from the water for the first time from this very pier had been.
He sat on the pier with a happy sigh, closing his eyes. He had a pack full of fish and shells, and a soul that felt like it was gradually stitching itself back together. Tilting his face up to let the rain pelt it, he let the years of strain wash from his skin.
He had barely turned nineteen when he entered a job he hated that crushed him day in and day out for years. Then Link had piled stress on him by yanking him from his old life and everything he knew so they could give a new life a shot.
The cool of the rain, the freshness of clean air, made him feel lighter than he had in years.
Link was right, he usually was, when he said they desperately needed a new start.
For once Lee wanted that more than anything.
A hand settled on his shoulder, startling him with its warmth. He looked up to see Willy puffing on his pipe looking out to sea. “You fixed that ol' bridge up. I'm glad. Some rare fish off this pier.” He looked down at Lee, “Good haul today?”
“Great haul.” Lee agreed with a bright smile.
“Good to hear. C'mon. Yer cold. Let's go to tha saloon and get ya warmed up.”
Lee went with him easily, blushing when they ran into Sebastian on the way there with Willy who found it heartwarming that both young men were drenched just because they wanted to enjoy the sea. Men after his own heart making Willy believe things would get better soon enough.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The saloon was warm. The people just as warm. No longer strangers to him, but neighbors with the potential for friendship.
Everyone greeted him with mostly friendly attitudes, aside from Shane. Sebastian even lightened up over a few rounds of pool, though he was too good at it for Lee to win; effectively beating Sam and Abigail after Lee who took the loss graciously, promising to play again another day.
Before leaving the saloon at nine, he spotted Link chatting with Leah and Elliott looking like he was fully enjoying the conversation.
Lee's heart twisted unpleasantly. He was happy Link was making friends like he himself was, but he was worried they would soon start to drift apart.
He glanced back at laughter and the clack of cue balls, then dropped his head and left the saloon, conflicting emotions twisting around his heart like thorns.