Elliott x Reader One Shots - Stardew Valley

1. Duck Feather

  Getting through my first week on the farm had been rough. I was tired, sore, and a little disheartened by my lack of progress. Of course, I probably should have anticipated that there would be an adjustment period. I had gone from a mind-numbingly mundane office job in the city, to suddenly trying to restore my grandfather's old farmhouse, after all. I was so unmotivated to go on shuffling through my daily chores, it was almost a relief when I checked the mail and found a letter from Willy, the owner of the local bait and tackle shop along the beach -- almost. 

  Since my relocating to Pelican Town, I had been overwhelmed not only by the amount of work I hadn't quite realized I'd be signing up for, but also by having to make introductions with the small flock of townspeople. Don't get me wrong, they were nice enough, and many of them had only the most lovely and respectful things to say about my dear grandfather. But I had never been the most social person, and now I had the added bonus of forcing myself to make polite conversation when all I really wanted to do was buy my tools and seeds and trudge home for a  cup of tea and a nap. 

  But as I turned the letter over in my hands, I found myself caught between two equally uninteresting choices; I could stay home and use my quest to reclaim my severely overgrown land as an excuse to avoid meeting another new person, or I could stop in for a breif visit and put off doing my daily chores for just a little longer. Of course I had become, to my dismay, quite a popular attraction to the other townspeople. And since Pelican Town had such a slight population, I knew it was probably in my best interest to make a good first impression as often as I could. Sighing, I lifted my coffee mug and drank the remaining contents in one long sip. I had made my decision. 

  As I closed the front door behind me, I noticed the grey clouds hanging low in the sky, threatening to spill over. Maybe Pelican Town would be graced by the presense of a summer storm, and I wouldn't have to work on the farm today after all. Stepping off my front porch and heading for the western gate, I began my walk down to the beach. On my way, I couldn't stop thinking about how foolish I had been. I was so tired of the repititon in my life that I had all but abandoned everything I knew in favor of living a 'simpler life' on the farm. Sure, I had considered that it might be challenging, -- especially since I knew next to nothing about how to run a farm -- and I even accounted for some overgrowth, given the fact that Grandpa hadn't been strong enough to tend the land by himself for the last 7 years of his life. But I had no idea just how much work I'd have to do in order to restore it to its former glory. I was in way over my head.

  As I made my way into the town square, I passed a few of the locals I recognized. Harvey, the only doctor in town, was out on his afternoon walk. We exchanged waves as we walked by. I also ran into Mayor Lewis, who briefly asked about my progress. I forced a sheepish smile as I told him I was taking a break for the day. "Well, that's understandable," he tried to assurre me. "I always said your grandfather worked too hard. You take care of yourself, now." 

I continued on through the neighborhood, and eventually reached the entrance to the beach. It was a little smaller than I had imagined, but still lovely, even on such a dismal day. I silently promised myself to come back sometime, when the sun wasn't in hiding. As I scanned the horizon, I noticed a small cabin by the shore, and a pier to my right, upon which sat a small shack. Willy's shop. I made my way across the sand. The wooden planks of the pier gave a small creak as I stepped over them. I rounded the corner, heading for the shop's entrance, when I noticed a man standing by the edge of the dock, about 10 feet away. He was tall and slightly muscular, and his hair was long and red. 

  I tried to avoid eye contact as I reached for the doorknob, but to my disappointment, it was locked. 

"He's not open for another 15 minutes or so," the man called to me. Not wanting to be rude, I closed the gap between us. "Aren't you the one who just moved into the old farm?"