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Nighttime had just settled over Pelican Town, and Jesse found himself wandering the empty streets. He had been working hard on the farm all day, but it was still a little too early for sleep. So after getting cleaned up, he decided to take a walk around town. He didn’t have any particular destination in mind, he just wanted to stretch his legs and maybe clear his head a bit. Most of the other townspeople were already at home, getting ready to turn in for the night, or at the Stardrop Saloon winding down. Even though he’d been living here for a little over a year, it was still strange to see the normally lively streets so empty.
He paused outside the saloon. It had been a few days since he'd visited, a few drinks or some food sounded kind of nice. It was a Friday night too, Abigail, Sam and Sebastian would probably still be in. Those three were good company.
But as he went to step forward, the saloon door creaked open and Sebastian walked out, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. He glanced up at Jesse and paused.
“Hey, Seb.” The young farmer smiled brightly at him.
“Hi.” Sebastian smiled back, a shy little half-smile. “Haven’t seen you in a few days. Looks like you’ve been, uh, busy.” He took note of the pink sunburn on his face and forearms.
“Ah, yeah, just getting ready for fall, y’know how it is.” Jesse rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight. “So, uh, you heading out already? I-I mean, no worries if you are! I can... uh, see you tomorrow… or whenever...”
“Nah, just going for a smoke. Abigail and Sam went home a while ago, no point staying. Shane’s still in, but…” Sebastian hesitated, glancing back toward the saloon door before shrugging. “Eh. Y’know how he is.”
Jesse nodded. He did, in fact, know how Shane was. A gruff man, not really one for small talk, even more so when he was drunk. “Yeah. So, uh, mind if I tag along?” He gestured vaguely toward the pier. “Could use a smoke too.”
Sebastian huffed a quiet laugh as they began walking toward the edge of town. “Since when do you smoke?”
Jesse grinned, kicking a loose pebble down the cobblestone path. “What, a guy can’t have vices?” He nudged Sebastian’s shoulder lightly. “You’re not the only one who can look all cool and mysterious by the water.”
“Right. You. Mysterious. Totally.” Sebastian rolled his eyes and nudged Jesse back.
They fell into a comfortable silence, the only sounds were the chirping of the crickets and the crunch of gravel under their shoes. As they walked, Jesse found himself sneaking glances at Sebastian. When he first moved to Pelican Town, he wasn't sure what to make of the brooding young man. It was rare to see him out and about, and even when he was, it was hard to get more than a few words out of him. Jesse had tried a couple times, only getting awkward and stilted replies in return. No problem, he remembered thinking, some people just took time to warm up to strangers.
And now, a little over a year later, the two were like birds of a feather. Sure, they were polar opposites. Jesse was like a golden retriever: cheerful, extroverted, got along well with just about everyone in town. Sebastian was more like a black cat: introverted, quiet, only comfortable around a select few. But something about them just worked.
And as much as Jesse was afraid to admit it, he had developed a crush on the other boy. He didn’t really remember when his feelings had shifted to simple platonic friendship to something more, just that they kind of… had.
Truthfully, it was hard not to fall for a guy like Sebastian. Underneath that gloomy exterior, he was a smart, gentle, sweet guy. Still awkward and soft-spoken, yeah, but that was part of the charm. And not to mention he was so, so pretty. A little taller than Jesse, black hair that fell over his face and looked so soft, pretty eyes that always looked just a little tired. And his voice… mmm, his voice. Smooth and calm with a nice little rasp. Jesse could listen to him talk for hours.
But he knew it was unlikely to happen. He didn’t even know if Sebastian was into guys. So he stayed quiet, kept those feelings to himself. He enjoyed their friendship, and he wasn’t going to risk ruining it all because of a silly little crush.
Soon they were walking along the beach. It was just as quiet as the town, the only sounds being the water softly lapping at the shore and the soft sand crunching under their shoes giving way to the quiet creak of the wooden pier as they sat down at the far end. It was pretty out tonight. The sky was clear, the moon and stars shone brightly and reflected off the water.
Jesse liked coming out here when he needed a break from working or from people. Not that he didn’t like the other townsfolk of course, he got along with all of them just fine. But even a social butterfly needed some time away now and then. The only other people who usually came out this far were Willy when he was fishing or Elliott when he was trying to get inspiration for whatever he was writing at the moment. Tonight though, it was just him and Sebastian.
He could hear Sebastian rummaging through his pockets, then the soft click of a lighter. Seconds later, a vaguely familiar aroma filled the air. Not the usual cigarette smoke, this was earthier and slightly sweet. Jesse glanced over, a grin creeping onto his face. “Ooh, is that what I think it is?”
“Maybe.” Sebastian blew out a cloud of smoke with a smirk, holding out the joint to Jesse. “It’s not strong, just a lil’ something to take the edge off.”
Jesse took the joint, fingers brushing against Sebastian’s for a half-second longer than necessary. He inhaled deeply, coughing immediately as the smoke hit his lungs. It had been a while since he smoked, the last time he did was when he was still living in the city. Clearly he was out of practice.
“Cool and mysterious by the water.” Sebastian smirked as Jesse coughed into his sleeve, his sunburned cheeks flushing darker. “Totally.”
“Shut up.” Jesse laughed between coughs, wiping his watering eyes. He took another drag, slower this time, letting the warmth settle in his lungs before exhaling smoothly. “See? I know what I’m doing.”
Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head as Jesse passed the joint back. “Sure you do.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, passing the joint back and forth as the waves lapped gently against the pier’s wooden posts. Jesse’s shoulders relaxed, the tension from the week’s labor melting away with each inhale he took. Once the joint had burnt down to nothing, he leaned back on his hands, staring up at the stars through half-lidded eyes. They looked extra bright all of a sudden.
Sebastian found himself watching Jesse more than the stars. His honey-blond hair was tousled from the sea breeze, the little freckles dusting his nose and cheeks just barely visible through his sunburn, his eyes (a beautiful shade of green) soft and dreamy in the moonlight, a small sleepy smile on his lips.
Oh Yoba, he looked really cute like this.
Sebastian was suddenly grateful for the darkness, else the blush rising on his face would have been far too obvious. That was becoming a bit of a problem lately. Whenever Jesse was around him, his face always went warm, his heart started racing, and he felt all flustered and jittery. He tried to ignore it at first, act like it was nothing, but now he had to accept it.
He had caught feelings for that sweet, dorky farmer boy.
It was weird. It wasn’t like he was angsting over being into a guy, he’d figured out he was bi years ago after many late nights and a search history he would die of embarrassment over if anyone ever found it. No, the problem was that Jesse was… well, Jesse. So damn nice, effortlessly charming, liked by literally everyone in town. He could probably pull anyone he wanted. Sebastian, meanwhile, would fully admit that he was too closed-off and awkward to be good boyfriend material.
Sebastian cleared his throat and looked away, stubbing out the joint’s remains on the pier. The silence between them stretched, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just charged, like the air before a thunderstorm. He could feel Jesse’s gaze lingering on him, warm and curious.
“I can hear the gears turning, don’t hurt yourself.” Jesse teased, nudging Sebastian’s knee with his own. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“It’s nothing.” Sebastian muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. But the way his fingers tapped an uneven rhythm against his thigh gave him away. Jesse knew that nervous tic, the other boy only did it when something was really bugging him.
“You’re lying.” Jesse sing-songed, rolling onto his side to face Sebastian fully, propping his head up on one hand. The motion made their knees press together, the contact sending a jolt through Sebastian’s system. “Come on, talk to me. What’s gotcha lookin’ all…” He waved a hand vaguely at Sebastian’s face. “Like that.”
“Like what?” Sebastian scoffed, trying and failing to act offended because damnit, Jesse’s smile was contagious.
“Y’know. All…” Jesse wiggled his fingers near Sebastian’s temple, grinning as Sebastian batted his hand away with a huff. “Thinking too hard. Brooding, even.”
“I’m not brooding.” Sebastian muttered, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward despite himself. He sighed, staring at the rippling reflection of the moon on the water. “Just… I dunno. Waiting for something to happen.”
“Aren’t we all.” Jesse murmured, his voice softer now, almost lost in the sound of the waves. He let his fingers trail absently along the weathered wood of the pier, avoiding Sebastian’s gaze. “But sometimes you gotta make it happen yourself. Easier said than done, I know, but…” He shrugged, suddenly self-conscious. Was that making it too obvious? Would Sebastian think he was being weird? Oh no, now he was overthinking it.
Sebastian glanced at Jesse, his heart suddenly beating faster. Was he hearing him correctly? Was Jesse implying what he thought he was?
“What if you don’t know how?” Sebastian asked, quieter than Jesse had ever heard him. His fingers twitched closer to Jesse’s on the pier, then hesitated, curling back into a fist. “What if you’re… bad at that kinda thing?”
“Depends what ‘that kinda thing’ is.” Jesse sat up fully now, brushing sand from his sleeves. “We talking… oh, I dunno… asking someone out?” He kept his tone light, playful, but his heart hammered in his chest. That was taking a really risky leap. But the way Sebastian tensed, just slightly, told him everything.
“Ooh, you totally are!” Jesse blurted, pointing at Sebastian’s face, the blush on the other boy’s cheeks visible even in the dim light before he huffed and turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. “C’mon, spill. Who is it?”
Sebastian scoffed, trying to play it cool, but the blush deepening across his cheeks betrayed him. “That’s not it.” He lied, staring at the water. “Why would you even assume that?”
“You wouldn’t be blushing if it was something boring.” Jesse countered, shifting closer on the pier so their shoulders brushed. “So who’s got your eye?” No answer came, just Sebastian’s fingers drumming faster against his thigh. “Oh, you’re gonna make me guess? Okay, lemme see…” Jesse tapped his chin, pretending to think. “You and Abigail are close… mm, but so are you and Sam…”
“Shut up, Jess.”
“No, no, I gotta figure this out.” Jesse grinned, knocking their shoulders together as Sebastian huffed and shoved him back lightly. “Is it… um…” He tried to think of anyone else Sebastian interacted with regularly. Which was… well, no one. He, Sam and Abigail were really the only people Sebastian talked to. “Well, crap, I actually don’t have any—”
“Jess.” Sebastian’s voice was firmer now, and that made Jesse shut up instantly. He turned to see Sebastian staring at the ocean with an intensity he’d never seen before, fingers gripping the edge of the pier like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, before Sebastian huffed and shook his head.
“Fuck it… it’s you.”
The words hung in the air between them, sharp and undeniable. Jesse blinked. For a moment, he thought he’d misheard, thought maybe the weed was stronger than Sebastian had let on and he was hallucinating. But no, Sebastian was still staring at the water, jaw clenched, shoulders tense, fingers white-knuckled on the pier’s edge.
Oh…
Oh.
Jesse’s mouth went dry, his heart pounding in so hard he thought Sebastian could hear it. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. Nothing came out.
Jesse exhaled sharply, a sound halfway between a laugh and a choked gasp. “Y-You… what?” His fingers twitched toward Sebastian’s wrist, then froze midair. “I mean… I-I… holy shit.” His brain short-circuited, every coherent thought evaporating.
Sebastian cringed, already regretting everything. “Yeah. Forget I said anything.” He stood, brushing sand from his jeans with jerky movements. Of course he’d misread things, of course Jesse was just being friendly, and now he’d gone and ruined everything. Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid—
“Wha— hey!” Jesse scrambled to his feet, catching Sebastian’s wrist before he could bolt. His grip wasn’t tight, just enough to stop him. “You can’t just drop that on me and walk away!” His voice cracked embarrassingly on the last word.
“Let go.” Sebastian muttered, not pulling away but not looking at Jesse either. “I read this wrong, okay? You don’t have to—”
“I like you too, you idiot.”
The silence between them stretched, neither boy knowing quite what to say next. Sebastian turned slowly, his eyes searching Jesse's face for any hint of a joke. But all he found was the same nervous hope he was feeling himself. “You… really?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Jesse's fingers slid down from Sebastian's wrist to intertwine with his own, warm and solid and trembling just slightly. “Yeah. Really.” His thumb brushed across Sebastian's knuckles. “I’ve been… I mean, f-for a while now, actually. But I didn’t… I didn’t think you were… y’know.”
Sebastian huffed a laugh, shaky with disbelief. “I didn’t think you were… y’know either.” His fingers tightened around Jesse’s, grounding himself. “Thought I was just… I dunno, imagining things? Y-You’re so… you.” He gestured vaguely at Jesse: his easy smile, his stupidly pretty eyes, the way he made everything feel lighter. “And I’m…” He trailed off, shrugging self-consciously.
“You’re you.” Jesse said softly, stepping closer until their bodies were almost touching. “And I like that.” His hands reached up, hesitating for a moment before settling on Sebastian’s shoulders. “A lot.”
Sebastian exhaled shakily, his own hands twitching upward before settling awkwardly on Jesse’s waist and pulling him in. Their bodies pressed together, warm from the summer night and the lingering buzz of the joint. Jesse could feel Sebastian’s heartbeat thrumming fast against his chest, matching his own heart’s frantic rhythm. For a long moment, they just stood there, foreheads touching, neither really sure what to do next.
“S-So!” Jesse blurted, his voice cracking as he pulled back just enough to see Sebastian’s face. His fingers fidgeted with the hem of Sebastian’s hoodie, suddenly hyper-aware of every point of contact between them. “T-This the part where we kiss, or…?”
Sebastian groaned, dropping his forehead against Jesse’s shoulder with a muffled laugh. “Holy shit, you’re terrible at this.”
“Oh, right, because you’re sooo smooth.” Jesse shoved him lightly, grinning when Sebastian stumbled back a step, though he immediately caught himself by gripping Jesse’s waist tighter. “C’mon then, tough guy, show me how it’s done.” He tilted his head up, lips curling into a teasing smirk, but his fingers curled into Sebastian’s hoodie like he was afraid he’d vanish if he let go.
Sebastian hesitated for a second, long enough for Jesse to see a flicker of doubt cross his face, before he took a deep breath and leaned in. Their lips met in a gentle press, awkward and hesitant until Jesse melted into it with a little sigh, hands sliding up to tangle in Sebastian’s hair. Yep, just as soft as he'd always imagined. Sebastian made a quiet noise against his mouth, fingers tightening around Jesse’s waist as he tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss just enough to send sparks skittering down Jesse’s spine.
When they finally pulled apart, breathless and grinning like idiots, Sebastian was the first to speak. “Whoa.” Was all he could manage in his dazed state.
“Yeah… whoa.” Jesse echoed with a breathless laugh. “You okay? Not too much?”
Sebastian swallowed hard. “I’m… yeah.” His voice cracked slightly. He cleared his throat and tried again. “That was, uh… not how I imagined tonight going.”
Jesse opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped when a distant rumble echoed across the water. He glanced over Sebastian's shoulder toward the horizons, where dark clouds were creeping in, blotting out the stars.
“Think that’s our sign to head back.” He murmured, reluctantly pulling away. He shivered as the wind picked up, carrying the scent of rain.
They walked back toward town in silence, fingers brushing every few steps like they were both still testing the boundaries of this new thing between them. The first few raindrops hit Jesse’s arms just as they reached the town square, fat and warm from the summer heat. They paused just before the path to Jesse’s farm, neither boy quite ready to say goodbye.
Sebastian cleared his throat, shifting his weight. “I could, um…” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Walk you home. If you want.”
“Ooh, what a gentleman.” Jesse grinned, rocking back on his heels as the rain began falling faster, soaking into their clothes. “It’s fine, thanks though… unless you want me to walk you home?”
Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head as rain dripped from his bangs. “Nah, s’fine. But if you wanna…” He hesitated, fingers flexing in his pockets before he blurted. “Y-You could stay over! If you want.” The words came out too fast, and he immediately cringed. “I-I mean… only if… shit, n-nevermind, that sounded too—”
Jesse started laughing. “Ooh, one kiss and you’re already trying to get me into bed?” He grinned, laughing harder when Sebastian shoved him lightly, his face burning. “Relax, I’m kidding. I got stuff to do in the morning anyway, I couldn’t if I wanted to. And y’know, we literally just kissed, like, five minutes ago, no rush.”
“Right. Yeah.” Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck, then a soft, almost shy smile tugged at his lips. “We’re… kinda bad at this, huh?”
“Oh yeah, awful. Terrible, even.” Jesse grinned, stepping closer. “But we’ll figure it out.” He hesitated for a second before pressing a quick kiss to Sebastian’s cheek, lingering just long enough to feel the warmth beneath his rain-damp skin. “Text me when you get home?”
“Yeah, yeah. Worrying too much.” Sebastian mumbled, but the warmth in his voice betrayed him as he gave Jesse’s hand one last squeeze before pulling away. “Don’t drown on the way back.”
“You too.” Jesse lingered just to watch Sebastian disappear toward the mountain path before turning toward the farm path, grinning like an idiot. He barely noticed the rain soaking through his shirt as he walked, too caught up in his own buzzing thoughts. His lips still tingled where they’d met Sebastian’s, the memory replaying in his head on a loop.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! He'd kissed Sebastian! Actually kissed him! And he liked him back! Jesse’s mind was racing: Sebastian liked him. Sebastian liked him and they kissed and he’s a good kisser and his lips are soft and… A giddy little squeak escaped Jesse’s throat as he ran the rest of the way home, feeling so damn happy.
This definitely wasn’t what he expected to happen tonight, but Jesse wasn’t complaining. He was already looking forward to seeing where this would go.