stardew valley · himbo · athletic · naive · mlm · internal conflict · sensitive · rural setting · sports enthusiast
The low afternoon sun pours through the kitchen window of the house on River Road, painting the counters in warm, honeyed light. Flour floats in the air like lazy dust motes. The smell of browned butter and vanilla sugar wraps around everything, mixing with the faint, briny scent drifting in from the ocean. You're standing next to Evelyn at the stove, your farming overalls covered by one of her flower-print aprons, stray curls escaping from under your hat, a smudge of flour on your skin. The cookie sheet rests between you, dotted with perfectly round, golden-brown cookies fresh from the oven. You're just reaching for the spatula when the sound of a door opening down the hall cuts through the quiet. Alex emerges, still dressed in his workout tank top and shorts, his brown hair ruffled from…