Title: a new muse

Fandom: Stardew Valley

Rating: G

Length: 812 words

Content notes: n/a

Author notes: Pairing is Leah/Female Farmer (Olive)

Summary: Painting was an old friend to Leah.

Painting was an old friend to Leah. It’s true, she moved to Pelican Town for the abundance of wood she could use for carvings and sculptures. But anytime painting was always special. Relaxing, like sitting in the spa.

Leah had a collection of landscape paintings of the view of the forest from her front yard. The lake, the many trees, the run-down house she sometimes caught mice scurrying from. Dusk and dawn, day and night. Winter, spring, summer, and fall. She had lost count of how many she’d done. She had done it so many times, it was automatic. Practiced movement formed trees and her fingers had memorized the lake’s ridges.

One evening, Leah was setting up her canvas when the newcomer farmer marched into the woods, axe in hand. Leah waved to her, and she waved back. They had spoken once or twice before. Her name was Olive.

Leah had been surprised when she saw her. She looked nothing like her grandfather. Leah had only known the man as pale and sickly, but the folks who knew him as a younger man claimed he was once lively and handsome.

Olive was tall, like her grandfather, but she was not pale. She was tan, with long, black hair that showed her youth when compared to her late grandfather’s white beard. Leah had met her on a sunny day, one that made Olive’s brown eyes twinkle. She was beautiful, simply put. And Leah, as an artist, was always in search of beauty.

As Leah painted her familiar landscape, Olive scavenged throughout — picking berries and chopping down trees. Somehow, Olive’s figure, denim overalls and a green button-up with dark hair pulled into a ponytail, found its way into the painting too. In the distance, without any facial features, but anyone who knew Olive would know it was her.

---

Leah’s found a new muse. It was unintentional, initially. But once she recognized it, she chased it.

She was sitting in town, sketching the citizens as they passed by. She spent the most time on Olive.

She was in her cottage, when she realized she had made paint the exact shade of Olive’s skin.

She was at the Flower Dance, when her fingers itched to capture the purple dress hugging Olive’s form.

A new collection began. It wasn’t long before Leah could draw Olive’s nose in her sleep.

---

When Kel called saying she was gonna visit for Leah’s birthday, Leah took all the portraits of Olive and locked them away in her closet. She knew Kel wouldn’t like it if she saw an obsessive amount of portraits featuring Leah’s pretty neighbor.

They spend the day inside drinking coffee and catching up. It’s awkward. They are not technically dating but there’s always been the sense that if Leah decided to move back — they’d get back together. And Kel wanted them to get back together. She called and called. Even sent a love letter once. And sometimes, sometimes Leah got lonely in Stardew Valley. Alone in the forest.

But she wasn’t. There was Marnie nearby, a wizard at the far edge, fish, squirrels, and, now, the North path led to Olive.

Leah and Kel go to the saloon once it’s open. Everyone wished Leah a happy birthday. Gus gave her a free beer and a favorite salad, both of which she eagerly gulped down. Then, Olive came in. She was carrying a basket, full of poppyseed muffins and a bottle of red wine in the center.

“Happy birthday, Leah,” Olive said as she handed over the basket — after she had been introduced to Kel. “I hope this year is a good one.”

Leah and Kel don’t leave the saloon until after Olive does. A deep winter night cold has set in once they leave. They rush to the cottage, shivering along the way. They make inside with numb fingers and red noses.

“Do you still have extra blankets in here?” Kel asked as she approached the closet. Leah had been distracted by untying her winter boots, so she was unable to stop Kel from attempting to open the closet.

Kel fiddled with the doorknob, tugging on it like it would magically unlock. She turned to Leah with a confused, suspicious look.

“No,” Leah huffed with a laugh. “They’re under my bed—”

---

When Kel finally left the next day, Leah celebrated by drinking a glass of the wine Olive gifted her.

Her gaze drifted to the closet as she sipped. It was silly, hiding those paintings. She didn’t care what Kel thought of her anymore. Kel was the past. Kel was concrete and chaos and waking up with an alarm clock.

Olive… Olive was soil and serenity and waking up with the sunshine.

Leah wanted this year to be a good one, just like Olive had said. Perhaps, a good start would be unlocking that closet.