Chapter Text
You were exhausted.
You moved in about a week ago. You had spent the majority of the day exploring the town and introducing yourself to everyone you could, but talking to so many different people in one day was draining for you. And there were still more people to meet. You wondered if you should just wait until your social battery was charged. No idea when that would be, though. You slumped into your bed and began scrolling through your phone. You told yourself you'd finish unpacking as soon as you got home, but so far all you've done is procrastinate. Who could blame you, though? Back in Zuzu City, you were so overworked constantly, you never got a real chance to relax until now.
Your stomach grumbled. You contemplated ordering dinner, but then remembered there were no chain restaurants anywhere near Pelican Town. There wasn't anything you could cook either besides instant noodles and other junk food. You groaned.
I really need to go grocery shopping at some point... You thought as you rolled on your side.
Money was going to be tight for now, so you could only spend money on things you actually needed. Something dawned on you suddenly. You didn't even really know how to cook. Sure, you had everything you needed in that department besides actual food, but you didn't know the slightest thing about preparing a meal. Not even anything simple. That's something you'd have to learn, but who was going to teach you? Would cooking tutorials on YouTube really be any help?
Then there was the problem of needing to clear out the area surrounding your house. You managed to find some space for your parsnips, but once you got more crops or bought animals you wouldn't be able to find space for them with all the trees, weeds and rocks that littered the property. Getting rid of those trees would be a tall order, as you've never held an axe before in your life. Earlier, you were attempting to cut down a tree that was in your way while Robin was passing through the property. She immediately noticed you were holding the tool wrong. Thank Yoba she was there and took the time to help before you could lob one of your limbs off by accident.
You let out a yawn. You didn't really have a deadline for most of this stuff, at least. You could just... get a lot of it done later when you felt like it. A strong feeling of sleepiness began to seep in. You looked out the window. The sun was setting, it probably wasn't even 7 o'clock yet. You didn't care though as you closed your eyes and attempted to fall into a long (and very much deserved) nap. You thought about going to the saloon later, but you would worry about that after you finished resting. You buried your face in your pillow and began to peacefully drift off...
Until an abrupt ringing noise alerted you.
You let out an agitated sigh and went back on your phone to see one of your friends calling you. You reluctantly answered.
"Hi, Summer."
"Y/n! Do you wanna hang out soon? I can drive by your apartment and pick you up. Lucas was going to go, but he couldn't make it."
"I moved, Summer."
"You did? What's your new address? If it's not too far, I can still pick you up."
"I moved out of town."
"Huh?" Summer seemed shocked at this, which was really odd because you told everyone in your friend group chat a month in advance.
"Yeah, remember? I told you guys back in Winter, in the group chat."
"Huh. Sorry, I must've just not seen~" Ironic because you're one of the most active people... You tiredly rolled your eyes. You desperately wanted to sleep.
"Anyways, let me know when you're visiting, okay? Maybe during the holidays we can all hang out."
"Yeah, maybe. Hey, can I ask something?" You had a question that's been on your mind for a while now.
"Sure, what's up?"
"..Is there a reason you wanted to hang out with me today?"
"Well, yeah, Lucas couldn't so I just thought I'd see if you wanted to."
You were already expecting a response like that but you still couldn't help but be a little hurt by it. You knew she probably didn't mean to come off like that, but it felt like to your friends you were almost just a placeholder. Someone who was there whenever other people couldn't make it, and was rarely spoken to otherwise. If you did attend, you were always talked over and could never even get a word in. You were never listened to, and the fact that Summer didn't even know you were moving was very telling. The way your friends treated you was frustrating, and tanked your self esteem. It also made you worried to start any new friendships because you feared it would turn out the same way. You cleared your throat, trying not to sound too dejected.
"I see. I'm gonna go now, okay? I'll see ya later."
"See you, Y/n!"
After ending the call, you felt a tear stream down your face. You wiped it away and tried to focus on sleeping, but you just couldn't stop thinking about it. You just wanted a distraction. A thought resurfaced, you could check out the saloon, you knew they had food and a few arcade machines. You didn't feel like being around a lot of people, but you didn't think you'd have to talk with anyone that much. You mulled it over for a while until you eventually gave in and rolled out of bed, getting to work on making yourself look presentable before leaving.
Sebastian groaned as he was tugged along to the saloon by his two friends, Sam and Abigail. Before this, he was in the middle of programming something, and made it explicitly clear that he didn't want to be bothered by anyone for the day. As usual though, he felt like what he said went in one ear and out the other. Oh well.
He was grateful for his friends, of course, but he wished they would respect his privacy more. Nobody ever considers if he wants to hang out or not, they just assume. He'd even have people walk right into his room without the idea of knocking even crossing their mind. His friends and family would hand-wave his work as "not a real job" and were quick to disregard it. He felt as if nobody listened to him or understood him. It's why he always had dreams of moving out to the city, leaving everything and everyone behind. He knew he would miss his friends, but he was sure of himself that he'd get over it eventually.
He couldn't have predicted there would be someone to completely wipe out those thoughts from his mind.
Sam and Abigail were chatting a lot during the walk. Sebastian tuned them out, only responding when he heard his name. He found himself looking at the night sky. Clouds were hovering over, somewhat obscuring the stars. He hoped it would rain tomorrow. As the group approached the stairs next to Pierre's, Sam spoke up again.
"By the way, have you guys talked to that girl that moved here at all? I haven't seen her yet." Sebastian gave a shrug as a 'no'.
"I saw her at my dad's shop," Abigail remembered. "I didn't say anything to her though. It's kinda a shame she moved into that property, I really liked exploring it."
All anyone has been talking about the past week is the new girl that moved in. Sebastian heard from the rumors that she had zero experience with farming, but despite that she decided to move to Pelican town and pursue a job as a farmer anyway. He couldn't grasp why she'd move from Zuzu City to some town in the middle of nowhere. In his eyes, there wasn't even anything that interesting about Pelican town.
"That's it. I'm gonna beat that stupid level this time, I know it!" Abigail suddenly declared as she opened the door to the saloon and walked straight to the arcade area. Sam snickered, not really believing her. Abigail's determined expression suddenly dropped when she saw a girl already occupying the Prairie King machine.
You were wearing a beige sweater that was a bit baggy on your form. You looked calm, but you were clearly focused on the game in front of you. The level looked extremely challenging, there were enemies everywhere and they kept spawning constantly. You absolutely eradicated them, however. Sebastian almost found it impressive, but he would never actually say that. Abigail and Sam glanced at each other, not really sure how to approach you. Sam realized you were about to move on to the next level and took the opportunity to tap your shoulder, stopping you from doing so. You slightly flinched at the sudden contact and spun around to face the trio. One of the first things Sebastian took notice of was your vibrant eyes. He somehow just felt.. calm looking at them. He realized he was staring though and tried to avert his attention somewhere else, anywhere else, hoping you didn't notice. You were oblivious to this as you fidgeted with your sleeve, waiting for the blonde in front of you to say something.
"Uh.. hey!" He greeted awkwardly. He stood there after that, trying to think of what else to say but his mind blanked. Sam was naturally an outgoing person and almost always knew what to say to people. Oddly enough, he couldn't find any words to say to you.
"Uh, hey." You slightly laughed uncomfortably, not really knowing what to say either. You internally hoped this interaction would end soon.
Thankfully, the girl with purple hair had enough of watching the awkward conversation play out and decided to interject.
"Uh, hey!" She mocked before laughing, lightly punching the blonde's arm.
"I-I just didn't know what to say, give me a break!" He stammered, face heating up due to embarrassment. "We haven't had anyone new here in a while." He added shortly after, mumbling.
"I'm Abigail and this guys' Sam. What's your name?" Abigail introduced, trying to move things forward. The tension in the room was mostly gone, thank Yoba. You finally allowed your shoulders to relax.
"Oh, I'm Y/n, it's nice to meet you guys. Sorry it took me like, a week to introduce myself. I've just been busy." You explained casually.
"That's fair. Farming sounds like a lot of work." Sam leaned against the wall.
You then turned your attention to the guy with the black hoodie. He hadn't spoken a word yet, so you decided to take initiative.
"What's your name?" You asked.
He was apparently detached from the conversation until you spoke to him. "Uh.. Sebastian." He simply replied. He felt anxiety bubbling up as he spoke.
"He doesn't really talk to people he doesn't know that well, that's all." Sam assured you.
"Nah, that's okay, I get it. I used to be really similar." You said thoughtfully, catching Sebastian's attention. You weren't judging him for it at all, if anything, you were actually trying to be understanding about it. He felt himself relax a bit at this.
"You're really good at Prairie King, by the way." Abigail complimented. "You gotta teach me sometime, I've been stuck on this one level for ages."
"Oh, thanks." You smiled. "I can help right now, if you want. Which level is it?" You returned to the level select screen. Abigail pointed at the level and you began to explain a strategy, as well as tips for beating it easier. You then demonstrated, easily killing all the enemies.
"Wow." Abigail awed. "I didn't really think that much strategy went into it, honestly. I thought it was just aim."
"Aim's a big part of it, but every game has a strategy you can use to get an easy advantage." You explained. "Wanna try now?"
"Sure!" Abigail said with confidence.
She had a way easier time clearing the level after that. You started talking with her about other things on the couch. In the meantime, Sebastian and Sam were playing pool. While you and Abigail talked, you both watched the game play out. Sebastian couldn't help but feel a bit of pressure. It was weird. Abigail watched him and Sam play all the time but he never felt that nervous until now. He shrugged off the feeling. It was probably just because you were new. Whenever it was Sam's turn, Sebastian couldn't help but take quick glances in your direction. You returned them, and he immediately went back to looking at the pool table.
Sam's shoulders slumped in disappointment when he realized he lost. This outcome almost always happens. Sebastian then looked at you once more, gauging your reaction.
"Hey, you're really good." You grinned at him, impressed. A sudden feeling of pride washed over him.
"Thanks."
"Hey, Y/n! Your pizzas ready!" A girl with short hair, you remembered her name to be Emily, was carrying the pizza you ordered earlier on a tray.
"Oh, right! Thanks." You turned to the group you've been talking to. "You guys want some?"
"Awesome, pizza's my favorite!" Sam beamed. Abigail and Sebastian also accepted, and you all moved to sit at one of the booths in the main area. Sebastian contemplated sitting next to you, but took too long to decide. Abigail took the spot next to you, so he sat next to Sam instead.
You took a slice of the pizza. It was delicious, and you found yourself instantly feeling warmer once you bit into it. It was spring, but that didn't mean it wasn't a little chilly for you still.
"So Y/n, what was it like in the city?" Abigail asked curiously.
"Actually, yeah. You did use to live in Zuzu city, right?" Sam added.
You were surprised they already knew that, but it made sense. Rumors probably spread a lot faster in smaller towns like this.
"Honestly? It was kind of depressing, for a lot of reasons. That's kind of a long story, though. I'm really liking it here so far, people are a lot more friendly than they were there."
"Really? I thought there'd be a lot of different stuff to do over there, though. Sounds a lot more fun than being here." Sam said, not expecting your answer. "It just sounds more exciting."
"I guess, but I was busy with my job all the time. I never really got to do that much." You sighed, taking a sip of your drink. "Here I don't really have to worry that much. Where do you guys work, by the way?"
"I work at JojaMart." Sam stated. "It's alright."
"I don't have a job yet." Abigail shrugged.
You glanced at Sebastian, wondering if he would say anything. Sebastian was hesitant to talk about his work. Nobody was understanding of it or considered it to be a real job. You seemed to be really interested in video games, though, and it gave him the confidence to talk about it. Maybe she'll take it seriously...
"I work as a programmer." He said, not elaborating too much.
"Wait, really? Like, for games and stuff?" Curiosity filled you. He nodded.
"Dude, that's so cool. I've always wanted to learn how to code, but it seems too complicated for me." You laughed.
"You think it's cool?" Sebastian asked hopefully. He didn't expect you to take such an interest in it, but he was glad.
"Yeah, it's awesome. You must be really good at it too for it to be your job."
"..Maybe I could teach you sometime." Sebastian offered. Abigail and Sam were shocked that he was talking to you so much, let alone offer to do something like that. They exchanged looks as the conversation continued.
"Wait, really? You sure you don't mind?"
"Yeah."
You were really excited. You've always been interested in video games, and have had ideas for your own games in the past, but the complex parts of coding was too much to wrap your head around at once. Hopefully learning from Sebastian would make it a bit easier.
"I don't even know what to say, just thanks a lot. I'm really looking forward to it." You smiled.
Sebastian's heart fluttered at that. Why do I feel like this? And why do I feel so comfortable around someone I just met? He thought. He almost felt captivated by you. There was just something different about you from everyone else in town. The way you talked, you were so nice, but everything you said felt sincere, like you truly meant it. You seemed to really care about what he had to say and weren't judgmental about any of it. You had such a warm aura about you. And then when he took in your appearance.. he realized you really were an attractive person as well. He enjoyed talking to you, he enjoyed it so much that he forgot Sam and Abigail were even there for a moment. It felt like it was only the two of you, the rest of the world had just faded away as you both talked about each other's hobbies and whatever else. He was fully attentive, taking in everything you said. He had never been so interested by someone before. He was forced to tear his attention away from you when Abigail suddenly spoke.
"It's getting late, I should probably leave." She stood up. "We should hang out though, Y/n."
"I'm gonna go too." Sam also began to get ready to go home. "Was nice meeting you, Y/n. See you later!"
The two exited the saloon. You noticed they were talking about something, but they were too far away for you to understand any of it. You were curious, but it was probably none of your business. You looked back at Sebastian. You had a lot of fun talking with him, but it really was getting late. You were going to need some rest tomorrow so you could do more work on the farm.
"It was really nice to meet you, Seb." You said, but then realized your mistake. You just met, he probably didn't want you calling him by a nickname! "Wait, sorry, I didn't mean to say that, I kinda just heard Sam call you that a few times and-"
"Nah, it's fine, I really don't mind. You can call me that." Sebastian gave a small smile.
"Wait, really?" You relaxed. "Well, if you're sure it's okay, Seb."
He realized he liked it when you called him Seb. Were you getting as comfortable around him as he was with you? He watched you stand up, probably getting ready to leave. This saddened him a little, it probably had been a few hours but time went by so quickly. He still wanted to talk to you about so many different things. He tried to come up with an excuse just to be around you longer.
"Hey, it's pretty dark out, you wanna walk home together?" He asked hopefully. "There's a shortcut to my house through your property, it'd be faster for me to go through there anyways." He added.
"Oh, thank Yoba. I'm still not used to the area at all, that would really help." You said gratefully. "Thanks."
"Mhm." He seemed so collected on the outside, but internally he was almost excited at the prospect of spending more time with you.
The two of you walked to your house. It was quiet for the most part. Sebastian wanted to talk more, but didn't know how to start the conversation. He tried thinking of something to ask you. He remembered he didn't hear you mention any friends in Zuzu city. He waited for a bit before speaking.
"Do you have any friends back in Zuzu?"
You shrugged. "Well, kind of. Not any that I got that close with."
"I don't see why. You're really fun to talk to, honestly." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. He felt like he was saying too much. He looked over at you. His comment seemed to make you happy, and he relaxed a bit.
"Thanks for that." You played with your hair a bit, bashful. "I don't know. I just never felt like any of my friends back home liked talking to me that much... I kinda felt like a second option most of the time."
Before he could say anything, you both stood in front of your house. "Well, I'll see ya later. Message me whenever you wanna talk or hang out." You went to turn the knob, but his voice stopped you.
"Hey, just... Just know you should never feel like a second option, okay? I mean that."
You felt your face heat up. You were genuinely happy that he thought that, and didn't have any idea just how out of character all of this behavior was for him. You turned back around to face him.
"It really means a lot. Thanks, Seb." You gave one last smile, before saying a goodnight and going inside. He noticed your blush almost instantly. The fact that he caused that made his heart skip a beat. He lingered outside your house for a few more moments before he started his walk home. The whole time he only thought about you, the way you looked when you blushed stayed in his mind the whole time. He couldn't stop thinking about it. What was this feeling? Did he really like you? He hadn't even known you for a full day but he felt almost infatuated.
All he knew was he couldn't wait to talk to you again.