Chapter Text
“Why don’t you open a window or something? It’s getting thick in here.”
Robin’s concern, and slight irritation, is clear in her voice. She waves her hand in front of her face as if to clear away nonexistent smoke. Sure, the room smells heavily of cigarettes, but the smoke has absorbed into the walls. She’s just being dramatic. That’s what Sebastian is thinking as he leans back in his desk chair, anyway.
“I would if I had a window to open,” he deadpans. It’s something he’s brought up several times. If sarcasm and off-putting jokes count as bringing something up, that is.
Robin sighs, glancing around her son’s bedroom. It isn’t dirty, just cluttered. A quick wave of guilt morphs her expression before she just shakes her head. She hated having to move Sebastian’s bedroom into the basement all those years ago after she had Maru. Part of her will forever wonder if she did the right thing.
It’s too late for that, now, though.
After a bit more back and forth, the woman heads back up the stairs, leaving Sebastian alone in his little cave once again. In his school days, sometimes his classmates would speculate about him. Some liked to claim that Sebastian didn’t like being alone so much, or that he was lonely and depressed from the isolation. He could agree with them, but it wouldn’t be true. He always dredged his way through his classes, the only thing getting him through the days being the knowledge of getting to go home at the end. The old computer games and song-ripping websites kept him going. He never viewed it as antisocial or depressing. To him, it was just decompressing after long days. Social situations have never been his strong suit.
So, over time, it just became normal for him. He’d like a window in his room, sure, but it isn’t the end of the world that he doesn’t have one. In a way, the lack of one makes it feel more private, more like his own private piece of the world. The one place where all of the decisions are entirely his own. That’s what’s important.
He assumed that once he got older, people would leave him alone about it. They should all be used to his ways by now.
Not even close.
His mother and stepfather still make comments about it. The townsfolk he hardly remembers the names of, his friends, the shopkeepers—everyone still brings it up. It grates on his nerves even after all of this time. The only person who doesn’t down on him for it is his sister. Maru has always sort of understood him, even if they’ve never had a very close relationship. She likes her space, too. Leave it up to Robin to raise two introverts so different from herself.
Sebastian lets out a heavy breath, tugging on the collar of his hoodie that is starting to suffocate him. He struggles to focus on his work as it is. He finally got in the zone just to be interrupted. The motivation won’t find him easily, he knows, which prompts a huff.
In a smooth motion, he takes off his hoodie and tosses it onto his bed, leaving him in a black band t-shirt and dark jeans.
He stretches and leans back far enough that he can hear the chair squeak and beg for mercy under him. It’s about time to get a new one. He could, too, with the money that no one believes he makes. Or maybe he’ll save it all up and buy a nice house someday, if only just to prove all of them wrong.
Sebastian stands, stretching his shoulders out as he climbs up the stairs. He doesn’t want to get into a brooding or dark mood right now. It takes so much energy to be so mad at the world sometimes. So, instead, he takes a break from his work to get a drink. No one is in the kitchen, thankfully, so he just leans back against the counter, popping open an RC Cola. He never got into the weird blue-can sodas that Sam drinks. He prefers what they grew up with.
Sipping on it, he stares out of the kitchen window. It’s rainy, the thunder distant and the lightning nonexistent. The perfect kind of day. A bit dreary, but not overly so.
He decides to go out and enjoy it, and maybe sit on the boardwalk to attract some frogs. Maru is working today and won't be home for hours. No one else really comes up through the area in this weather. The old homeless man might walk by, but he never bothers Sebastian. So Sebastian has no qualms about sitting outside right now.
He stands by the big tree just down from their house. The wood of the pier is starting to rot and feel too unsteady to put any weight on. A disappointment that makes Sebastian upset, deep down. He doesn't acknowledge it, but he does feel the disappointment in his chest. The feeling matches the weather, he supposes.
He stands for a while, kicking a few stray rocks here and there before finally deciding to sit down. The Earth is muddy and wet under him.
It takes longer than usual for him to get his cigarette lit, as he has to tilt his head down and protect the burning cherry of it from the rain. Once it takes, he leans back, one hand behind him to prop himself up, the other bringing the cigarette to and from his mouth.
For a long time, he sits there alone. He's soaking wet but doesn't seem to care. He'll hate the feeling once he gets home and will immediately jump in the shower. It's always worth it, though, to have moments like these. Moments where he can just ponder and enjoy the weather without jokes being thrown his way about how he's ‘out of the house for once.’
The rain doesn't make it cold, thankfully. He left his hoodie in his room and doesn't feel like trudging back to go get it. Spring has just begun, so the rain is somewhat warm and sweet. He can feel the back of his shirt clinging to his skin. His hair is soaked, sticking to the sides of his face.
He gets about two hours of pure peace before he hears footsteps behind him. He's lost track of time, so he just assumes that it’s Maru coming home. He doesn’t turn around, but he listens. He hears when the footsteps stop for a moment. There’s no sound of any doors opening or closing, no squeak of any hinges, so he knows that whoever this is is still out here near him. He’s more observant than he’s given credit for.
After a moment of hesitation, the footsteps head in his direction. The squish of the wet grass under boots gradually gets louder as they get closer to him.
“Hey! Are you okay?”
Sebastian’s thoughts seem to falter for a moment. Maybe two. He doesn’t recognize the voice, which is odd. That, and the fact that it asked if he was okay? That’s new.
The sun has set halfway already, making the sky an emotional mix of darkness and orange. A few frogs are jumping around at river’s edge. For a moment, he stares at them.
Finally, Sebastian glances back, seeing someone approaching him. It’s someone he doesn’t recognize. Sure, he doesn’t get out too much, but he knows everyone in town. Everyone knows everyone here.
Sebastian’s eyebrows furrow, making him look somewhat mean as he takes the stranger in. They’re wearing denim overalls and work boots.
Oh. Right.
The rumors might have reached him last, but he still heard the talk of a new farmer moving into the valley. His mom helped renovate the old farm down by the bus stop not too long ago. This must be them.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
His voice comes out a bit raspy, a mix of lack of use and the rain. He’s not a friendly person anyway, so he doesn’t care enough to clear his throat and try again. It’s not like he’s mad at this person, and he would admit that if asked. He doesn’t even know them. It’s just that his track record with socializing isn’t stellar. He has two friends, that’s it. Everyone else has always found ways to let him down.
So, he doesn’t get his hopes up with a new person in town.
“Okay, um...” the newcomer starts slowly. An extrovert trying to adjust for an extreme introvert. “I’m Y/N. I just moved here. Today, actually. I just wanted to introduce myself.”
“The new farmer, right?”
“Yeah!” the farmer smiles. Their smile is like a beam of light that’s out of place in this situation.
“Out of all the places you could live, you chose Pelican Town?”
Sebastian’s question makes the farmer hesitate. They hadn’t expected him to say a thing like that. So pessimistic, so depressing. Everyone else has been so eager to meet them, so welcoming. Their smile fades.
“My grandpa owned the farm,” they explain, their voice just a touch quieter. “He left it to me.”
“Mm. Cool, I guess.”
Y/N hesitates, staring at Sebastian as if waiting for something. They introduce themself, but he has yet to do so. It makes the moment somewhat awkward. Should they press or just leave him alone?
“I’m Sebastian. I live right up there.”
He offers his name with a sigh before it can get any more awkward between them. He motions with his head to the large mountain house that’s barely still in their line of sight.
“Oh! So are you Ms. Robin’s husband, then?”
“What? No,” he chokes, his expression tightening. “I’m her son.”
“Oh, okay, okay, cool. Sebastian,” they say, committing his name to memory.
“God, do I really look that old?” he mumbles, half to himself.
The farmer chuckles, shaking their head.
“No. I don’t know Robin’s type. I didn’t know if she was...”
“A cougar?”
Sebastian’s blunt use of the word the farmer trailed off to avoid makes the latter’s eyebrows shoot up. They give a startled laugh, about to launch into a ramble to save themself. Sebastian grins, though, and it makes them falter.
“Well... I was trying to not say that about someone’s mom.”
Sebastian shrugs, grinning to himself as he turns his head back straight, looking at the river and no longer at them.
“I’ll see you around,” he says casually. Cooly. Ending the conversation a bit abruptly but not rudely. It’s clear that he’s not the talkative type. Y/N doesn’t push him. They nod, waving goodbye despite him not being able to see it.
“Sure, see you!”
Y/N runs off, spending some time pilfering around the big rock blocking the old bathhouse. They lose interest quickly and take off down the long path that connects to their farm. Just a bundle of energy.
Sebastian shakes his head to himself. He pushes himself up off of the ground, heading home. A hot shower and dry clothes sound good to him right now. He’ll force himself to down a glass of orange juice in a naive attempt to avoid falling ill after lounging in the rain.
He’ll pick his work back up tomorrow. Probably.