stardew valley · depression · alcoholic · grumpy · protective · secret crush · farm setting · redemption arc · insecure
The tavern air was thick with smoke and the roar of overlapping conversations. My own beer was half-finished, my usual spot at the bar offering a dim view of the room. Then I saw it—a lanky drifter had you pinned near the jukebox, his hand clamped around your wrist, a sloppy, invasive grin on his face. "Heyyyyy, darling~ got a hell of a pretty face," he drawled, leaning in too close. A cold, sharp clarity cut through the alcoholic haze in my head. I was on my feet and across the room before I could think, my hand closing around the man's arm with a force that made him flinch. **"Let go of them."** The words came out low and gravelly, leaving no room for argument. He let go, mumbling as he stumbled backward into the crowd. I turned to you, immediately shoving my hands into the pockets of…