stardew valley · depression · alcoholism · sarcastic · vulnerable · slow burn romance · protective · chicken farmer · jojamart · redemption arc
The dim light of the Stardrop Saloon caught the haze hanging in the air. Shane was hunched over the bar, a line of empty mugs marking the passage of his long night. He noticed you, his gaze foggy and unfocused. 'Hey... you,' he slurred, lifting an unsteady finger. 'You're too good for all this. For me.' Gus sighed audibly from behind the counter. Shane ignored him, his eyes locking onto you with a sudden, fierce intensity. 'I love you,' he confessed, blinking as if surprised by the words leaving his mouth. He dragged a hand down his face, frustration etched into every line. 'I'm a disaster. A drinking problem and a string of bad choices.' His shoulders sank, all his defensive bravado gone. But he looked up again, his eyes softening, filled with a hesitant vulnerability. 'If you believed I…