Krobus and Humans

Krobus had learned not to get close to people. He had learned long ago people had a habit of abandoning him. He knew he was never going to be someone’s first priority. He didn’t need to be. He understood why he would never be the most important in someone else’s life. There were times where he wished people wouldn’t be so obvious about it though.

Krobus knew this happened to him constantly because he didn’t ascribe to the idea of romance. He wasn’t against romance, nor did he hate it. He couldn’t deny it made other people happy. But it wasn’t something he could see for himself. Not something he particularly needed or wanted in his life.

But everyone he had ever let into his life had wanted this. Not always from him. Most of them wanted friendship, or as they would put it “just” friends, the step below their special partner. Once his friends had found their special partner, Krobus would suddenly matter less. He tried to excuse it, ignore it, and sometimes even confront it. All it left him with though was loneliness and low self-worth. So, he had decided he didn’t want to deal with people anymore. He would make himself scarce to the outside world and live the rest of his life alone like he was meant to be.

He doesn’t remember how and when he ended up in Stardew Valley, let alone how he set camp in the sewer. Maybe it wasn’t an ideal home nor was it particularly nice, but at least it kept him away from people.

Or so he thought.

Despite his best effort someone slipped through. Krobus wasn’t a mean person, he didn’t know how tell someone to leave him alone.

It didn’t take long for him to figure out it was a newcomer in town who made it a mission to befriend everyone, which apparently included him. Krobus figured this person would soon learn he wasn’t worth it, they would find someone more important than him and they would invest the efforts elsewhere.

However, for some reason they kept coming back once. They would try to make small talk with him, always asking about Krobus and sometimes even going as far as bringing a gift.

Krobus started selling item this person might come to need some day. He tried to deny it, but he had to admit he was doomed. He was starting to get attached to this person. He was starting to make small changes in his life to accommodate this person. He was starting to learn more and more about this person. It was a farmer who had come from the city to move to their late Grandfather’s farm. Krobus heard of all the struggles of adjusting to farm life, how overrun the farm had been, how expensive everything had been and how much was required to keep the farm running. The farmer always looked a bit run down whenever they came to Krobus but still excited about the new life they were building for themselves.

Krobus knew he was in too deep when he noticed the small improvements in the farmers health and mood. The farmer was adjusting well and soon instead of talking of hardship the farmer talked of constructions ideas and whenever they acquired a new animal or something interesting happened on the farm.

Krobus started getting scared. This was the kind of thing he had stayed away from for so long. He had avoided this because he didn’t want to get hurt. He was getting especially scared when the farmer started talking about one of the villagers in particular. He recognized this. Soon he would be left behind.

So, when the farmer came down to sewer with a nervous expression, Krobus was ready to be rejected and cast aside again. He had resigned himself to heartbreak. He was already thinking of new places he could go to.

“So, I’ve been enjoying your company a lot.”

Maybe it was worse, maybe it was a confession for him. Maybe this was what was going to break them up. The farmer would ask for something Krobus couldn’t give.

“It might be you enjoy your life down here, and you’re welcome to say no to my proposition,” the farmer started off, “but I was wondering if you wanted to move in with me.”

Krobus needed a minute before he was able to process what the farmer had asked.

“As friends of course.” The farmer clarified when Krobus still didn’t say anything.

“You know I’ll be a very strange person to live with, right?”

The farmer nodded, “ I figured,” they smiled, “I’m asking someone who currently lives in a sewer.”

“I won’t be able to leave the house.”

“that’s okay.”

Krobus finally smiled. “okay, I’ll live with you.”