Beating The Heat

boss makes a dollar, i make a dime. that’s why i sketch harvey stardew valley on company time.

this is black cat/orange cat behavior :D

meet the oc

k I really gotta write a final BUT b4 I go here's Calliope's intro for u >:) luv u byeeeee

*looks at books* too tired for you *looks at films* too tired for you *looks at art supplies* too tired for you *eyes fall on tumblr* oho ho

Shane, My Beloved

Shane had never considered himself a romantic person. In fact, Shane never considered himself at all, really. He had a routine that he followed, didn't think about how he worked a minimum-wage job at thirty-three, and when pretending that everything in his life was totally fine got to be too much, he drank. A lot. It was almost certainly unhealthy, but it got him through the day - for the most part.

When the new farmer moved into the dingy cottage north of his aunt's ranch, he didn't think much of it. He went to Joja Mart that day, same as always. He stocked the shelves, same as always. He saw the other town drunk wandering the aisles of Joja, same as always. He went straight to the Stardrop Saloon after closing, same as always. He saw the drunk again, same as always. He saw all the other Monday regulars at the Saloon, same as always.

But.

There was someone new today. It must be that new farmer, Shane thought to himself. Where did they move from? Was it Zuzu City? Somewhere across the Gem Sea? Hmm, I can't seem to remember... Whatever. It doesn't matter anyways. Not like I care. Even if I did, everyone always leaves. No use getting to know anyone new, Shane finally settled on that thought and took another sip of his beer.

Suddenly, a shadow crossed the floor to his corner by the bar. After introducing themselves to the local chef and the blue-haired barmaid, they seemed to walk toward Shane. He looked up. The farmer was staring at him, obviously exhausted from a hard day's work and socializing, but, curiously, appeared to be satisfied. Happy, even.

This perplexed Shane. He understood that his niece and his chickens and the boy with the bright yellow hair were all happy, but this was because they had never left Pelican Town. They didn't know what else was out there. They were blissful out of ignorance, not out of true joy. This farmer, they seemed different. They certainly weren't ignorant to the richness of city life. So why? Why did they seem so content? He had half a mind to ask them right out when the farmer asked him a question first:

"You're Shane, right? You work at the Joja Mart? I have to ask... Is it because you hate the shopkeep in town as much as I'm beginning to?"

Shane laughed out loud. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done that. It felt nice. The farmer smiled, bigger, this time, somehow. It made Shane feel... Well. He didn't know how it made him feel, but he knew that it was a feeling that he'd not had in a very long time.

He finally answered the farmer's question after a moment. "Unfortunately, my employment at Joja is not a condition of my spite, much as I wish it were. The store in town doesn't keep any staff at all. That's why the store's closed on Wednesday."

The farmer nodded and said "oh well. I simply had to ask." Then, after a short pause, they said "I'd better head off, I have some more planting to do tonight." And with that, they turned on their heels and walked out of the Saloon.

Shane watched the door for a long time after the farmer had closed the door. He hoped that they would turn around and run back inside. He hoped they would trip and fall over the threshold on their way out the door. He hoped they'd leave and never return.

He didn't know anything about the farmer but after this interaction, he knew one more thing about himself:

he was totally and utterly fucked.

teehee I love Shane ok anyways im thinking I might make this into like a series but we shall seeeeeeeeeeee xoxo

A softer moment for my favorite crusty neighbor (and an excuse to draw jellies!)

saw this and immediately thought of him lol

Reading is political and it always has been. Here are some of the classic books on the banned list that you should definitely check out.

#omg #more #please #on my hands n knees rn

sdv fic

TW MDNI: death/trauma, smut/oral sex/using sex to cope, mention of drxgs

Six.

It’s dark… I don’t know where I am… A light zips by me and then another. I must be in the car. I’m buckled in a booster seat. “Mommy?”

“We’re almost home, sweetheart. Did you have a good time with Grandpa?”

“Yea. I missed Daddy and Sissy.”

“They missed you too, love. Go back to sleep.” I feel myself drift off and the darkness engulfs me once again. It doesn’t feel long before I hear the screech of tires, the smell of burning rubber and gasoline. Something’s not right. The car isn’t moving. I can’t see Mom’s face, only that her head is leaning on her window. As I go to unbuckle myself, a liquid drips down on my tiny hands. I try to get a closer look but it’s too dark, I can’t see what color it is. There’s a stinging sensation on my face but the only thing I can think to do is get to Mom. I stand in between the two front seats from the back. The windshield is smashed in and I think the front of the car is too. I’m not sure, I can’t see. The radio seems to be working, I think I can make out the familiar tune of You Never Know by Dave Matthews Band. I push Mom’s shoulder.

“Mommy, what happened?” She stays resting against the window. I push her again. “Mommy?” I sit down on the center console and push her harder. “Mommy! Wake up, please…” Blue and red lights start flashing in the distance. Mom still isn’t waking up and I’m getting scared. “Mommy, please,” I whisper, tears spilling out of my eyes. The stinging sensation gets stronger the harder I cry. The blue and red lights get closer to the point where they light up the car. The blue light washes over Mom like water and in the luminescence, she stares ahead of her, her mouth slightly agape. My eyes travel down her body from her face to her stomach. I can’t remember if I screamed or not. I think I just sat there, starting at the gaping wound in her stomach.

I jolt awake. I’m panting and my body is slick with cold sweat. I bolt out of bed and rush out of the house. I forget where I am for a second and trip down the porch steps, landing face first into the dirt and dust. I hear some footsteps rushing over to me but part of me thinks I’m imagining them. I struggle to get up before a pair of hands grab my arm and helps me stand up. I look around the farm, my eyes darting back and forth. 

“Hey, hey. You’re okay, you’re okay,” a comforting and feminine voice speaks. “You’re okay, love.”

“M…Mom?”

“Let’s sit you down,” the voice says. They help me sit down on the bottom step of my porch. Robin squats down to make eye contact with me. “Do you know what day it is?” she asks and wipes my face with her thumb. I didn’t even realize I was crying. 

“... Summer, day two,” I say. She nods.

“Correct. Can you follow my finger with your eyes?” She moved her pointer finger from side to side slowly in front of my face. I follow it with ease. “You took quite the stumble there. How are you feeling? Should I take you to Harvey?” I examine my body, a couple scrapes but no blood. I shake my head. 

“No, I’m fine,” I say, “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“I’m glad I was here! I was surprised to not see you out here around six thirty and then all of a sudden, you come stumblin’ out here with nothing but… I think a sleep shirt?” I look down at myself and realize that I am indeed only in the oversized Slipknot tee that I sleep in. I bury my face in my hands.

“Robin, I’m so so sorry. I think I was having a bad dream,” I say. She sits down next to me and smooths my hair. 

“You’re okay, love,” she reassures me. I lift my head up to look at her. Her red hair glistened in the summer sun. If I were to guess, Mom would be around the same age as her. I picture that she’s just as beautiful as Robin. I embrace her. Tightly. I catch her off guard and she hesitates before wrapping her arms around me. I bury my face in her shoulder like a little kid.

“Thank you, Robin,” I whisper. Tears slip out of my eyes but I quickly wipe them away before pulling away from her. She goes back to working on my chicken coop and I go inside to change. However, I can’t get the dream out of my head. This is the first dream that I can remember after waking up since I was really young. I debate on calling my therapist but after trying to figure out a way to get to the city, I decide against it. I could visit Harvey… but I feel like he’s more of a “if you’re having thoughts of ending it, I can call someone” kind of doctor. I’m sure he only specializes in the human body, not the mind and the fucked up thoughts that come with being human. 

I try to shut my brain off as I make my way into town. I had no particular reason to go into town, I just needed to clear my head. But as I got closer and closer to the beach, I found that it was all I could think about. I’m looking down at the ground as I enter the beach but immediately, I’m shoulder checked and fall to the ground. What is with my center of gravity today? 

“I’m so sorry!” Before I could push myself off the ground, a strong and muscular arm grabs me and pulls me up. Now that the sun’s not in my eyes anymore, I can see the person who knocked me over. It’s Alex. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… actually, Alex, I was just looking for you,” I say. 

“Yea? I’m just on my way to work, wanna walk?” I turn around and start walking with him, “what’s up?” he asks.

“I was wondering if you were feelin’ up to talking about your mom some more,” I say as we make our way across the river and turn in front of Mayor Lewis’ house. “You can say no of course, i…it’s just nice to know that there’s someone that can relate to me on that type of level, you know?” We cross the river again towards the museum but stop shortly at the ice cream stand. “You work here?” I ask.

“Just in the summer. What do you wanna know about my mom?” he asks as he sets up the stand. 

“Again, you can just tell me to shut up if I start asking questions that you don’t wanna answer. I don’t wanna overstep my boundaries-”

“Farmer, shut up. I love talking about my mom. There isn’t any question I won’t answer about her. Especially to you, y’know? Dead mom gang,” he says, interrupting my rambling. 

“Right. You’re right. I’m sorry,” I take a deep breath, “how did your mom pass away?” He finishes setting up and leans against the counter.

“She had cancer. She had some health issues when she was young and living in the valley so it wasn’t as surprising as it would’ve been. She actually had it multiple times throughout my childhood. The first time, they caught it pretty early on. They cut the tumor out of her and then cleared her. The second time, she had to do multiple rounds of chemo then eventually it was undetectable. She was okay for a couple of years but then it came back stronger and this is around the time when my dad left us. I took care of her until the very end,” he said with a sad smile. “What about you?”

I take a deep breath, this’ll be the first time I go into detail about my mom to someone in the valley. And honestly the first time where I think I remember it clearly. Or at least somewhat. “Car accident. I was a kid so the details are fuzzy but I had a dream about it last night. I was me but like my adult brain in my childhood body,” I say. Alex furrows his eyebrows together.

“Go on.”

“I should mention that I was in the accident with her. We’re driving home from the valley. She had picked me up from my grandpa’s farm after I spent the summer there. I remember we’re almost at home. I was sleeping when the initial accident happened but when I woke up everything was so still, except for the radio that was still playing. I’m okay but my mom is leaning her head on the window and she’s not answering me. I try to get her attention but nothing is working. It’s dark, I can’t see anything but when the cops start to show up and their lights reflected in the car, that’s when I saw everything. The blood, her dead eyes, the blood dripping from her mouth. She was dead on impact,” I said, recalling everything from my dream and what I heard when I was little. Alex’s jaw is dropped.

“What was the cause of the accident?” he asks, dumbfounded. 

“I think a semi-truck turned too quickly, tipped over and smashed the front of the car. I’m very lucky to be alive come to think of it,” I say. He tilts my straw hat up before flicking it back down to cover my eyes.

“That how you got that scar on your eye?” I fix my hat and nod.

“I guess a piece of glass came flying at me and cut me from the top of my eyebrow down to the top of my cheek bone. My eyes were closed when it happened, which is why there’s no actual damage to my eye. Had to get like ten stitches,” I say. Alex giggles to himself.

“My mom died and all I got was this sick ass scar,” he says. I laugh. It’s refreshing to be around someone who doesn’t have to tiptoe around me. I stare at Alex, feeling that lustful tingling feeling again. His biceps were prominent and his shirt sleeves hugged them so well. The way his shirt lifted up every time he raised his hands above his head to reveal his v-line and happy trail. I just wanted to… Fuck.

“Can I suck your dick?” Alex stops laughing. He looks at me like I’ve just lost my mind. He blushes and looks behind both his shoulders to check if anyone’s there. There’s nobody, I already looked. 

“W…what? Now?”

“Yea. Lemme suck your dick.” I smile at him sweetly.

“Haley usually comes and visits me at work right about now,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. I look over at her house, nobody’s walking over. 

“So? I can be fast.”

“Farmer, you’re insane,” his face was completely red now.

“Do you want a blowjob or not?” I liked how bashful he got. It made this game more entertaining. 

“Well, yea…” I step behind the counter. I double checked behind me, making sure Clint wasn’t gonna step out for his lunch break. I give Alex a quick passionate kiss while undoing the button and zipper on his jeans. I hand him my straw hat before sinking to my knees. I palm his dick, realizing it’s already hard for me. I pull down his jeans and boxers just enough for his cock to pop out. It’s not the biggest I’ve ever seen but it’s veiny and girthy. I wondered what it looked like compared to a Joja cola can. I circle my tongue around his tip and build up saliva in my mouth. He twitches a little and sucks in through his teeth. I wrap my tongue around his tip and move down his shaft slowly, taking in every inch, making sure everything is nice and lubricated. When I come back up for air, I make sure the saliva stays connected to his cock and my lips. I look up at him, batting my eyelashes. His mouth is agape and holding onto the back counter for support.

“Do you want more?” I ask. He shakes his head yes aggressively and looks over his shoulder. 

“But hurry up, I don’t want anyone to catch us.” I frown and shift my weight from my knees to my ankles.

“We can stop if you’re not going to ask nicely,” I say.

“No no no, I’ll be good. I promise.”

“Prove it.” he looks over his shoulder one last time.

“Please?”

“Please what?”

“...Please, Goddess?” Now that’s what I wanted to hear. I take in all of him again from tip to base. I bob my head back and forth and he lets out a low moan. I do this a couple of times before I attach my mouth to his sack and stroke his cock with my hand while I suck on his loins, twirling my tongue between the two. He lets out the most guttural sounding moan I’ve ever heard a man make. “Fuck… More Goddess, please,” he whines. I keep up my sucking movements while pumping him faster. His hands entangle themselves in my hair and he tugs on my locks, pulling me away from his family jewels. I give attention to his tip again, gently kissing and tongue fucking it while stroking his shaft. I look up at him, his eyes squeezed shut and his bottom lip in between his teeth. I slide his cock all the way in my mouth, nearly down my throat and start moving my head quickly. Another whimper escapes his mouth as I move faster and faster. His moans get louder as I pick up the pace. “I’m gonna…” is all I hear before I taste a salty, tongue-numbing substance. I stay at the base of his cock until he lets out a long exhale, letting me know that he’s finished. His softening member slips out of my mouth and I look up at him once more. His hands were still tangled in my hair and as soon as we made eye contact, I swallowed. “Fuck,” he mutters and tucks his dick back into his pants. 

I found some napkins to wipe my face and hands with. “Anybody coming?” I ask while staying on my knees. Alex turns around.

“Shit, Haley’s coming.” I make my way over to the edge of both counters near the entrance of the ice cream stand and sit on my butt, pretending that I was sitting down here keeping him company, and I mean technically I was. Haley approaches the entrance and looks down at me. I gave her a smile and a wave like nothing was happening thirty seconds before she showed up.

“Hey Farmer, hey Alex,” she says, “did you guys hear that noise? Sounded like a raccoon but like… dying? I don’t know how to describe it, it was just so unsettling and weird.”

“Unsettling?” Alex asks, sounding offended.

“Um… I didn’t hear anything. Was it in front of the mayor's house? I think there’s a couple of squirrels fucking in that big tree over there,” I say and stand up, “well, I gotta get back to the farm. Robin’s fixin’ up that coop for me and I gotta decide if I want to raise chickens or ducks.”

“Why not both?” Alex asks. I nod my head.

“You know what, you might be onto something there, Alex,” I say.

“Oh, Farmer, don’t forget your phone,” Haley says and hands me my cell phone that I left on the counter of the ice cream stand. I thank her and start to walk away. I catch a bit of their conversation as I walk away. “Why are you breathing so heavy?”

“It’s hot out. Air’s a little thick.”

“You’re acting weird…”

My phone starts vibrating as I cross the river. I answer without looking at the caller id. “Yo.”

“Hey, where have you been, Sam’s been trying to call you,” the voice at the end of the line is Sebastian’s. I’m unsure when I gave him my phone number but ride with it anyway.

“Sorry, I haven’t been on my phone. What’s up?” I ask.

“My mom told me about what happened this morning. Sam and I are worried about you. What are you doing right now?” Oh Robin… I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole town knew about my little episode. 

“I’m just walking through town. Found something cool earlier I thought Gunther might find interesting,” I say.

“Gunther?”

“You know, the guy that runs the museum?”

“You’ve been here a month and you already know everyone’s names? I’d forget Sam’s name if he wasn’t attached to my hip,” I hear Sam yell something in the background.

“Where are you guys?”

“Sam’s. We just finished a jam sesh, come stop by.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in like…” I show up at Sam’s front door and knock, “now. Right now. I’m here. Open the door.”

“Okay, okay, chill.” Sebastian hangs up the phone and the door is immediately opened up by Sam. He engulfs me in a bear hug.

“Dude, what happened? We’re so worried-” he stops and pulls away from me, “you smell weird.”

“Geez, thanks. That’s definitely what I want to hear after having the weirdest morning of my life,” I say. Sam sniffs me again.

“It’s weird but it’s oddly familiar?”

“Sam stop sniffin’ the farmer and let them in already,” Sebastian yells in the background. Yoba, do I smell like dick that badly? We walk into Sam’s room and he shuts the door behind us.

“Mom’s always listening in if I leave the door open. She’s the biggest gossip, I swear to Yoba,” Sam says and takes a seat on his bed.

“Oh, so Robin didn’t tell anyone else?” I ask, “it was definitely embarrassing.”

“Nah, my mom doesn’t gossip like that. She mentioned it to me because she’s worried about you and she knows we hang out sometimes,” Seb says, sitting over at Sam’s desk. I sat down next to Sam on the bed, taking off my boots so I could sit criss-cross applesauce. 

“I just had a really intense dream about my mom and kinda forgot where I was when I woke up. I went outside, tripped down the porch steps and wiped out. If you guys were there you would’ve laughed,” I say, trying to play it down.

“You forgot where you were?” Sam asks.

“I mean, I’ve only been here a month and I was caught off guard. I don’t usually remember my dreams when I wake up,” I say. 

“What was it about?” Sebastian asks. I clench my jaw and rub the back of my neck. Obviously, these guys know that my mom died when I was a kid but I didn’t want their pity. I didn’t want them to look at me differently if I told them how my mom died. I know my friends in college pitied me for being with her when she died.

“If I tell you, do you guys promise not to get all weird on me?” I ask, looking them both dead in the eyes, “‘Cause I’ll be able to tell if you do.” Sam crosses his heart with his fingers. Sebastian rolls his eyes but also promises. “I was in the car when my mom died. ‘Oh, is that where you got that scar?’ Yes, it’s where I got the scar across my eye. She died on impact and I guess the dream was me reliving it,” I say, “It really freaked me out and I had that little incident that Robin saw. But it’s cool now, I had some time to think about it and I’m okay.” I stare at the boys, bracing myself for their pity but it never comes.

“Wow,” Sam says.

“I’m judging you, not because you were with your mom when she died but because you really think we’re gonna think differently about you because you shared your trauma with us?” Sebastian shakes his head, “honestly, Farmer, you can be so dense.” I’m taken aback by Sebastian’s bluntness but I would take this response over anything else.

“I had shitty friends in college, okay? Maybe I’d feel better if you guys shared with me some of your trauma,” I say in retaliation. Sebastian sighs.

“Okay, fine. My dad used to hit my mom,” he says nonchalantly, “it’s why she left but he fought her for rights so I had to keep seeing that piece of shit every summer. He finally lost them when he struck me so hard I got a concussion. It was the first time he had hit me. He usually had girlfriends to take his aggression out on but that particular summer, he wasn’t seeing anyone. This was in public too, so I stopped seeing him when I was fourteen. Thank Yoba. The only good thing about visiting him was getting to be in the city.” I nod at Sebastian and we both turn to Sam. He smiles at us but it looks more like a frozen pond than his usual contagious smile.

“...My dad’s in a Gotoro Prison camp.” Sebastian rises to his feet quicker than lightning strikes. 

“What!”

“Hey, we said no judging,” Sam says sternly. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? This is serious dude.” Sebastian has a look in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. Rage, concern, distraught; all rolled into his chocolate colored eyes. 

“We just found out today and there’s nothing we can do but hope for his safe return. Hey, don’t tell Vincent about this. He’s too young to be hearing about this stuff,” Sam says. I understood where Sam was coming from with that. I didn’t tell my sister what I saw that fatal day until ten years later. She was only five when mom died and even though I was ten, I knew better than to say anything to her.

“We’re here if you need us, Sam,” I say. Sam doesn’t get a chance to answer me before Sebastian wraps him in his arms. Sam fights it for a second but accepts his best friend's love and concern.

“Thanks guys,” he whispers, “now let's go smoke this bowl, that’s the real reason why I wanted the farmer to come over.” We laugh as Sebastian lets go of Sam and we trickle out of the house like the stoners we are. 

wishing I could freeze time so fanfic writers could write all of their slow-burn enemies to lovers and gay porn and fix-it fics and all of their WIPs and prompts without having to worry about life and other responsibilities