Liminal Space | A Stardew Valley FanFiction

Chapter 2

"What are you two doing here?" Sebastian snarled as he emerged, the door creaking behind him. He wore an expression of exasperation that lit my entire body on fire.

"Coming to check on Callie," Sam said with a grin. "...and to see you, of course."

"You seriously walked all the way up the mountain—in a hurricane—to see Callie?"

"Duh," Sam chirped, oblivious to his attempted animosity. "You didn't really think you could have her all to yourself, did you?"

"Please, be my guest. She's all yours," Seb grumbled. "Are you guys crashing here?"

"By popular demand," Sam winked at Robin.

"They'll stay until the storm subsides, at least." Robin chimed in. "Look at us, Sebby! We are just collecting kids like trading cards, huh?" she laughed, earning no reaction from Sebastian. "Alright, let's hash this out. Boys in Maru's room and girls in the basement at night, okay?"

"What?" Sebastian retorted. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would Maru and I switch rooms? Can't the girls sleep in her room?"

"Because it's not your room right now," Robin said coolly. "It's Callie's. Regardless, the girls outnumber you two, so they, by law, get the bigger space."

"But—"

"No buts, okay? You are an adult; you can handle change like one. It's temporary, love. It'll be alright."

"Whatever," he spat, grabbing Sam's wrist and urging him towards the hallway, stealing one last glare at me before disappearing around the corner.

"Are you guys ready to brave The Basement?" Maru giggled as she ran out with a bag, ignoring Sebastian's strive to shoulder check her as he passed. "To be honest, I never thought I would actually be excited to go down there."

"It's scary," I admitted. "Like an alternate dimension or something."

Maru's smile could light up a room, her face a flawless marriage of Demetrius and Robin's best features. Halfway to twenty-one and the human embodiment of charisma, Maru was undoubtedly another victim of Sebastian's never-ending cynicism—if one night of it was bad, I could only imagine two decades.

"So...how has it been?" Abigail questioned as we walked down the stairs.

"Well," I sighed. "I just got in last night, but it already feels like we are sixteen again."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Abigail said, plopping down on the ragged leather couch. "If it helps at all, I don't think it's anything you did. I think it's just...him."

"I don't know," I said. "It hasn't always been like this. It felt like everything changed that night when—"

"I know," she cut me off and signaled for me to sit next to her. "We don't have to talk about it. He will come around."

Maru listened intently, nodding along at Abigail's words of wisdom and inserting an occasional hum of approval. "How was having him as your roommate last night?" I asked her.

"Oh," she said. "It was fine—but I know how you feel. He has a funny way of alienating anyone who disrupts his personal agenda, but it's easy to brush off when you attribute it to his own insecurities. My main problem with him is that he's a slob!" She laughed.

"I'm sorry," I groaned, feeling myself taking the joke to heart. "I keep ending up here, don't I? It isn't fair to you guys that I've infringed on your space twice now."

"What?" Maru asked, joining the two of us on the couch. "Cal, you have never 'infringed' on us. We are lucky to have you around...Don't let Seb get to you."

"What did he say?" Abigail asked. "Don't tell me he's already digging up the past."

"I mean, he hasn't," I said, and it was true. "This morning, he was down here working by the time I woke up, and, of course, made a few snide remarks. I offered to bunk with you again, M, but he said that you already had to deal with the burden when we were teenagers, and that it was his turn. He described it like a custody battle where neither parent wanted the kid."

"What the fuck?" Abigail fumed. "That is so far from the truth,"

"Cal, Abby is right," Maru said quietly, putting her head on my shoulder. "I promise, you've never been a burden—not even to him. I would live it all again in a heartbeat, okay?"

I leaned into her and pulled Abigail into the mix, the three of us toppling onto one another.

"Well lucky for you, looks like you've been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," I laughed, gesturing to the room and our bags littered across the floor. "I'm glad to have you both here. I thought I wasn't going to survive for a second there."

"We are honored to be here," Abigail smiled, smushing her cheek into mine.

"How long do you think it'll take Seb and Sam to kill each other?" I asked.

"I'd give it two nights, tops."

"Perfect."