A voice interrupted him right as his tongue formed the first syllable. “Hey Sebastian!”

“Oh, hey.” Sebastian looked up from his scenario card to see the farmer’s familiar face in his room, peeking through a cracked door. His chair made an unholy squeak as he shot out of it. “What’s going on?”

They shrugged, hair brushed back by their shoulders. Dirt and coal dust were their makeup today, covering about every inch of their flushed face. Sebastian stepped closer, arms crossing, as the farmer entered the room properly.

“Just about to head home, but I saw your lights were on and thought I’d pop in.” They answered. Sam chucked from his spot at the table and the farmer looked like they were about to shed their skin. “Oh, Sam! Sorry. I didn’t see you. Hi.”

“You look like hell.” Sam replied back with a wave and a grin.

“The mines are equivocal.” They grinned, and Seb finally noticed the handles of sword and pickaxe hanging comfortably off their back. “Speaking of— I found something down there for you!”

“Another frozen tear?” Sebastian outstretched his hand automatically, and the expected transaction occurred: there, from overall pocket to pale hand, a gemstone in the shape of a teardrop. It felt like ice but Sebastian’s face always warmed. “That’s awesome, thank you so much.”

“Of course. I know how much you like them.” Their eyes danced from the stone in Seb’s hand to his eyes and back to the floor. The farmer’s smile, wide as ever, felt remarkably shy even as she turned to the forgotten blond: “Oh, Sam. You should let me know if you have any gemstones you collect.”

Sam’s chuckles never abated, and they eyed the farmer knowingly. “I think I’m good for now. But I’ll keep you posted.”

A breath. They nodded, still staring at the floor, before declaring: “Well, I’m beat. You two nerds have fun with your toys.”

“Har har. Very funny.” Sebastian rolled his eyes but a smile danced on his lips. He followed them as they headed to the door. “Are we still on for Thursday?”

“Of course!” They grinned so wide again, and the tools on their back clinked as they waved. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“What’s Thursday?” Sam asked, handing Seb his cards back as he rejoined the blond at the table.

“I’ve been teaching them Solarion Chronicles. They picked it up quick so we’ve been doing small campaigns.”

“Shit, why don’t they join us?”

“I’ve invited.” Sebastian replied, kneeling at the end of his bed and dragging out a shoebox with both hands. “Who knows.”

“Dude.” Sam leaned forward, trying to catch a better glimpse of Seb’s less-than-delicate ministrations. He barked out a laugh as his friend dropped the frozen tear atop a pile of its compatriots. “That box is falling apart.”

Sebastian sighed, feeling the corrugated sides. It practically turned to dust under his fingertips. “Yeah. I should get a bigger one.”

“Jesus, how many frozen tears are in there?” Sam asked, laughter still not out of his throat. The box was packed to the brim with the blue-ish gemstone, some as small as a thimble, and others the size of Sebastian’s hand. They glimmered even in the low light.

“I don’t know. A lot.” Seb answered before his mind could catch up with his mouth. “I… collect them.”

And Sam scoffed back just as quickly. “No you do not. You had, like, one. The farmer has given you that many?”

“They’re just being nice.” He muttered, more to the stones than to Sam. Carefully, he picked up the newest addition, ran his fingertips across the sharpest point. The peachiness of his skin reflected back into the stone, and marred it.

“Why the hell do you keep them all?” Sam’s question was innocent, Seb knew that, but it still banged in his ear uncomfortably. He let the stone fall out of his hands. Its china-delicate clinking was drowned out by his answer.

“It was a gift.” The duh was barely left unsaid— and Seb was sure Sam heard it anyway. The blond leaned forward, brows lost in his hairline.

“Bullshit. That didn’t stop you from throwing out the earrings Abby gets you every year.”

“They were from Claire's, dude.” Sebastian said with a roll of his eyes. “I might dress like this but I still have standards.”

“Or— oh, or selling the copies of Death Note I got you last year.” Sam slapped his palms against his jeans. A concerning amount of dust flew off with the forceful motion. “Collectors edition! Hardcover!”

Seb clicked his tongue, brow furrowing in frustration. “Shit. I really should have kept those. Their birthday is coming up...”

“Fucker.” Sam’s hands had found their way across his chest, arms folded, and petulance sat comfortably on his face.

“They were just gonna collect dust, man.” Seb said with a shrug, the box of stones jingling with every jostle. He could barely make out his reflection in them, distorted and shattered.

“And the frozen tears aren’t?” The blond shot back. Sam’s voice carried confusion well— a blessing for how often the emotion plagued him. It was a quality Seb actually admired in him, and that he was able to express so freely. For Sebastian, confusion and embarrassment were lockjaw twins. Silence was their trademark.

Unfortunately neither of those emotions were on rotation today. Frustration had top billing— at Sam for asking questions, at the questions for not really having answers, at the farmer for making him feel weird every time they dropped a freezing, iridescent stone in his clammy hands.

“Sure. They are. But it doesn’t matter.” He finally said, slamming the lid back on the box with cardboard equivalent of a wheeze. His voice got louder with every breath. “The farmer thinks I collect them. And they get really excited when they’re able to find me another one. And I don’t want them to feel like I don’t care about what they’re getting me!”

An air of satisfaction suddenly eliminated off of Sam, his shoulders relaxed, and a smile formed in the shape of understanding. Unease bubbled in Sebastian’s belly, but Sam spoke gently: “Oh. You really have it bad, don’t you?”