#lewis sdv

The last of my Stardew Valley AO3 reposts! This was first a Luau Festival prompt, but next my take on a backstory for Sebastian’s line: “One year Sam put a pound of anchovies in the potluck soup. Ever wondered why Sam leads the town in community service hours?” Personally I like to imagine this story taking place the first summer after Sebastian’s 18th birthday.

Title:Luau Mayhem

Word Count:1,598

Summary: Someone sabotaged the soup! While the governor is being treated at the clinic, Lewis hopes to find out who did it.

The good news: the Luau was stopped abruptly.

The bad news: the mayor was furious.

Sebastian watched as the visiting governor writhed in pain and began to swell upon tasting the potluck soup. His half-sister Maru and Doctor Harvey quickly rushed him to the clinic to treat him, while everyone else who was still on the beach when they left were forced to help with cleaning up the event, all while Mayor Lewis pulled people aside one by one and interrogated them behind the run-down cabin.

Sebastian had wandered all around the beach, picking up litter in an effort to stay low enough on Lewis’s radar that the true culprit would be found before he could reach him. He noticed Abigail doing the same thing. Sam, however, was holding his toddler brother while his mom helped with taking down the decorations. Unfortunately, Sebastian’s efforts were in vain. His desire to hide away from the festival brought him high on the pecking order, and despite Sebastian’s pretending to not hear him as he picked up trash from the ground and rounded behind groups of people, Lewis only got angrier and started shouting his name to the point that everyone else was watching too.

Reluctantly, he followed Lewis behind the cabin. Thankfully his mom didn’t try to clear his name, and trusted that Sebastian could clear his own. Or she thought that he may have done it? Whatever.

Lewis pulled a small notebook from his pocket and clicked a pen. He glared into Sebastian’s eyes, willing them to be intimidating. Joke’s on Lewis; he stopped being intimidating a decade ago.

“Good day, Sebastian.”

“It wasn’t me, old man. And if you have any other questions, just get to the point already.”

Lewis huffed, but flipped through his notebook.

“Right then. So, at what time did you arrive at the Luau?” he asked.

“Same time as my family did, I don’t know. Nine in the morning?”

Lewis hummed as he jotted a note in his book. Probably to keep track of people’s alibis. Ridiculous. “And who did you… hang out… with?”

“No one. I walked on the dock and sat behind the Fish Shop the whole time.”

“Uh huh,” he said skeptically. “Did you ever go back to the beach for refreshments?”

“Twice. Once for some crab cakes and punch, the second time when the governor tried the soup.”

Lewis raised his eyebrow. “Where were you when the governor tried the soup?”

“Edge of the beach, right next to the dock.”

“And how close did you get to the cooking pot?”

“Never touched it.”

“Hmm…” Lewis thought aloud again. “Recite to me the events surrounding when the governor tried the soup. Start at about when you heard me announce the time for soup.”

Lewis was looking for something specific. There was no way he could find it in Sebastian; Sebastian was sure of it. “Alright. I was sitting on the dock when you called for everyone to come in. I sat up, extinguished my cigarette, and walked onto the beach. You said something about hoping everyone put in high-quality ingredients.”

“I’m going to interrupt you–”

“Just get to the point.”

“What did your family put in the communal soup?”

“I believe Mom and Demetrius gathered some of his extra mushroom specimens and added them to the soup.”

“Have you seen what anyone else added to the soup?”

“No sir, I was sitting at the dock, like I’ve said a few times already. Are you already getting forgetful, old man?”

“I’m the one asking the questions here!” Lewis thundered. He glanced into his notebook. “Now, where was I…?” He ignored Sebastian raising his eyebrow. “As you were with the story.”

“Fine. After the last call for putting in ingredients, you took a ladle, filled a bowl, and passed it to the governor. You saw the look on his face, right?” Sebastian couldn’t help but to smirk here. “His face twisted up like he tasted something rank, and so he spilled the broth back into his bowl until he found a fish in his giant spoon. It was the funniest thing I saw all summer.”

“What kind of fish?”

“I heard a buncha folks say it was an anchovy. I never saw it up close though; I was away at the edge of the beach.”

Lewis wrote some notes, and scanned over them.

“Am I clear to go now?”

“One minute.” Lewis wrote for another minute, then finally passed a note to Sebastian. Sebastian raised his eyebrows, appalled. The fine read:

On this day, the 11th of Summer, Sebastian has been sentenced to 15 hours of community service, to be completed by next week, as consequence for putting one pound of anchovies into the potluck soup at the Luau festival.

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve looked over my notes, and you’re the most suspect.” Lewis said matter-of-factly.

“With what proof?”

“You have no witnesses to say where you were, for one.”

“Abby was also on the docks! She’s seen me go to be alone.”

“You have no idea what else was added to the soup.”

“Because I don’t snoop around asking people what they put in.”

“And finally, that empty tin of anchovies in your hand!”

Sebastian was furious. “I was helping pick up the litter on the beach!” He shouted indignantly. “And I can’t give you fifteen hours in the next week. I have a big project to finish up by then.”

“Then you should have thought of that before you put the anchovies in the soup.”

“I never put anchovies in the soup!”

“Mayor Lewis!” The two turned to see Sam walking over with a very guilty look on his face. “It was me. Leave Sebastian out of it, I acted alone.”

“Don’t tell lies to get your own friends out of trouble.”

“It’s not a lie! I have my receipt from Joja Mart right here.” Sam fished his hand in his pocket and handed Lewis a crumpled up Joja blue receipt. Sure enough, it recorded the transaction under Sam’s name.

Lewis grunted. If Sebastian was only suspecting that Lewis had it out for him before, this only confirmed it. He glanced to Sebastian, then to Sam, then took back Sebastian’s fine for community service, and wrote on it again. This time, he crossed out Sebastian’s name and wrote down Sam’s in its place.

“Don’t forget the hours reduction for coming out clean,” Sam said with a muted smug smile. Lewis grimaced as he crossed out 15 hours and wrote 10 in its place.

“Fine. Sam, I expect to see you on the front steps of my manor at eight o’clock sharp in the morning.”

“I’ll be there, sir!”

Lewis huffed. But now that the culprit has been found, he decided his attention was better spent going over to the clinic to check on his beloved governor. And at that point, the beach was already cleaned up. The sun hadn’t even begun setting. Sebastian dared glance at his watch. It was only 2:30 PM.

Sam let the fullness of his cheeky grin shine. “Good work, Sebastian!”

“Hey, you too. Great timing.”

Sebastian suddenly became aware of Abigail walking up to them from behind. “I can’t believe it worked!” she squealed.

For Sebastian especially, the Luau was easily his least favorite town festival. Not only was it always planned on the hottest day of the year, which often was cloudless, but everyone was expected to spend nine to twelve hours sweltering outside on the beach next to a giant cooking fire, all to worship was usually a barely mediocre soup. The best part, though no one ever said so aloud, was Gus’s appetizers. He’d make so many, anyone could easily fill themselves without ever touching the soup.

“Thanks for suggesting to hang on to the receipt, Abby.” Sam said. “Lewis nearly booked Seb anyway despite having no evidence.”

“I honestly thought that he’d accuse me. He’s been looking at me funny ever since I started dying my hair.”

“I’m not surprised.” Sebastian shrugged. “I swear, the old man’s been out to get me ever since I started smoking in public.” He shook his head. “Makes me feel less sorry about this.”

“Yeah. I’m glad you figured out Governor’s aller–”

Sebastian shushed him.

It was pure luck that he was just outside Lewis’s manor when he overheard him talking on the phone with the governor a week ago. But it was Sam’s idea to use the governor’s fish allergy to end the Luau festival early. As long as they don’t mention the allergy itself, they can play off the incident as an honest prank gone wrong rather than malicious. Everyone knew that the vegetarian-friendly requirement Lewis recently established for the soup was suggested by the governor’s wife and not the governor himself. The governor had been seen on several occasions stopping at the Stardrop Saloon during his travels to enjoy a large steak or an occasional crab cake before making his way back home.

“Ten hours later for ten hours now? I’ll take it!” Sam cheered. Sebastian was just relieved his friend the saboteur volunteered to take the fall from him. “Maybe this time Lewis will finally have me start building a skate park.”

Abigail laughed and turned toward the bridge to town. “So, my place, guys?”

Sebastian and Sam nodded, and together, they nabbed more of Gus’s appetizers and made their way to the General Store. With so much more day ahead of them, finally they could enjoy their own Luau traditions of snacks, video games, and movies, all under an air-conditioned roof.

Hot off the press! Based off the prompt: “Write about a Stardew Valley character you never (or barely) write for.” Today I chose Lewis.

AO3 link in the title.

Title:I Was Your Man

Word Count:1,517

Summary: Lewis realizes far too late he lost someone he thought he would have for forever.

The noise was like a siren today.

Lewis stirred awake, enough to shut off his 8:30 AM alarm. His back creaked as he sat up and moved out of his large bed. He tucked the bedsheets and blankets in, as per usual. As the saying goes: if you want to start your day right, make your bed.

His stomach growled, and he made his way to the fridge. He started his coffee maker and moved aside the bowl of beats to reach for the buckwheat waffles Gus prepared for him every Tuesday night. But it didn’t matter what he ate today, even if it was his Wednesday morning tradition; it all tasted bland today.

The waffles were left mostly uneaten, soggy with maple syrup, and the coffee lukewarm. Lewis didn’t even bother emptying the mug, but he did the bare minimum of throwing his waffles into the trash and placing the cleared dish in his sink.

He dressed slowly, but not so slowly as to be late. He wore his most formal outfit: the same tailored suit and bowtie he wore just two weeks ago for the Flower Dance festival.

Finally, Lewis left his manor. He pointedly looked away from the path towards the beach, and began trudging his way up the mountains.

~

In his yard, Lewis worked, concealed by his truck and his wooden fence. He had waited until all was still before working on his secret project. Quietly he sculpted the solid gold stone, until he heard rustling in the bushes. Without thinking, he quickly hid the project under a tarp colored like the bushes, and waited.

“Lewis? Are you out here?”

It was Marnie. He was pleasantly surprised; it had been over a month since they last fought, and their interactions since were limited to his weekly visits for collecting business tax. Marnie would quickly count out the amount due, give it to him, and disappear into her barn, tending to her animals. It was about time she came back to apologize and beg him to take her back. And of course, he would, and they would make love until dawn, and he would force her to leave before anyone else was awake and could suspect anything.

Lewis brushed off leaves and other debris, then made himself just visible enough to beckon her into his backyard. She took a step toward him, but did not enter the yard.

He nodded to her, anticipating her apologies. Instead, she gave him a sum of cash.

“It’s your business tax. I won’t be at the farm for a week.”

For a minute, Lewis was speechless. “Oh. Are you going on vacation?”

“You could say that. You’ll also need to find someone else to stir the Luau soup while I’m gone.”

Patiently Lewis waited for an invitation and apology, but before they could come, Marnie was already leaving. “Good night, Lewis.”

Marnie was already taking off, heading towards her ranch in the Cindersap Forest. Suddenly, Lewis was running after her.

“Wait!”

They were nearly at the bridge to the beach when she stopped and turned around. “Yes?” she asked expectantly.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“For what?”

“Well, we were fighting.”

“Are you going to apologize?”

No, that was not how this worked.

Marnie scowled at his lack of a reply. “Ha! You’re just as arrogant as everyone has been saying you were and you’re not even sorry for it.”

“But–”

“No, no, Lewie. We’re through. Never again will you hear me asking you to take me back. Never again will I invite you to go public with me, only for you to say no because of some garbage reason about possibly marring your reputation.”

Lewis felt his face grow hot with anger. “So you’ll put your pride above what I need to be as a mayor?”

“Just so you’ll put my needs as a human being below your ambitions?”

“Now–”

“Cállate! I never should have to apologize for having honest feelings and my own dreams and desires. Good-bye.”

“Marnie, please!” Lewis grabbed for her hand as she turned around, then let go when he felt a sharp pain in the palm of his hand. Just before Marnie took her hand back, Lewis saw the perpetrator: a square cut diamond ring on her left hand.

Lewis’s mouth dropped. “What is this?” he asked angrily.

Marnie sighed with no sign of regret. “I’m getting married tomorrow, Lewis. To Marlon Ward.”

The smile that grew on Marnie’s face when she said Marlon’s name sickened him. “But I thought–”

“You thought what, exactly?”

That she would come back like she always did, but he knew that wouldn’t be the right thing to say. And he couldn’t argue that they were already together or that she cheated on him; to the public eye, they were never a couple, and even so, she had dumped him. The ill feeling in his stomach grew as he realized that his dream of finally retiring from being mayor, then surprising Marnie with a marriage proposal a week later, would never become reality.

He shook his head. “How could you move on so fast?”

“You make it sound like it was difficult.” Marnie shook her head. “Once I finally accepted that you wouldn’t respect me and what I want, it was easy.”

“Marnie…”

“It’s Marina. Marina Cabrera Armenta. But you never bothered to learn.” She scowled at him before turning away again. “And don’t you dare follow me.”

“Can’t I at least come to the wedding?”

“Only as a guest. It’ll be at the top of the mountains by the train station. I wouldn’t want to mar your reputation as mayor by forcing you to be absent, after all. But if you try to object to the marriage or make a scene, my nephew has permission from the officiant to escort you out with force if necessary. Good night, Lewis. I refuse to waste another minute with you.”

“But I love you!”

“Mentiroso! Vete al diablo!”

The last of Lewis’s hopes vanished with that statement, even without an understanding of her native tongue. She had thought of everything, and there was no persuading her to cancel the wedding. No persuading her to come back to him.

And it was in that defeated stupor in which she bade him good-bye once more, never again to be his lover.

~

Lewis had always imagined that Gilbert Ward would be the one to conduct Marnie’s marriage someday, but never like this.

His heart ached as Marlon stood where he ought to be standing, with Marnie’s nephew and Jodi’s husband Kent as his groomsmen. Jodi’s youngest son carried the ring box, and Marnie’s nephew’s goddaughter (Jess was her name?) threw fairy rose petals down as they walked together down the aisle.

Finally, that delinquent older son of Jodi and his two friends began to play the bridal march. Lewis watched with a painful, very false smile as Marnie walked down the aisle with a beautiful white gown designed by Emily with her bridesmaids Jodi and Leah walking with her to give her away.

Gilbert began the ceremony with a recounting of how Marnie and Marlon began their relationship. He kept the story short and simple, recounting with fondness and his unusual sense of humor when Marlon was hired last spring to tend to a threat in the woods that had wounded many of Marnie’s chickens and left some inches from death. Marnie then requested that Marlon teach her how to fight and defend, and their romance sparked from there.

How had Lewis not seen it when the two danced together at the Flower Dance Festival not so long ago?

Lewis glanced at the people sitting in front of him. When he could see a face, none were unhappy. Even his dearest friend’s grandchild, who had stumbled upon a secret meeting between him and Marnie a year ago, looked genuinely happy for them. He couldn’t help but to feel betrayed.

He couldn’t decide which was more agonizing: watching Marnie marry another, or hearing the town enjoy Gilbert as a wedding officiator more than himself. Even if Lewis didn’t have a history with Marnie, it makes more sense for Marlon’s uncle to conduct his nephew’s wedding, but it made the realization of how little the town valued him all that more torturous.

Finally, the sealing words.

“Do you, Marina Cabrera Armenta, take Marlon Ward, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Marnie didn’t even pause to glance to see him in the crowd. Her eyes were only for Marlon. Without hesitation, she said yes.

“By the power vested in me as Pelican Town’s former mayor by the Ferngill Republic, I hereby declare you, Marlon, and you, Marina, husband and wife. Dear nephew… kiss your bride already.”

The others in town laughed and cheered as Marnie removed her veil and Marlon brought a hand to her cheek and they kissed tenderly. Marnie never looked so happy.

This Marnie was not the one he had known, but had he ever really known her at all?

And now Lewis has his whole empty retirement to ponder this.