Pairing: Melissa x reader
Summary: You introduce Melissa to Stardew Valley
โHey, Kid,โ Melissa greets you as you stroll through the teacherโs lounge. You swiftly open the fridge and toss your lunch bag inside, not caring where it lands. Melissa lets out an amused snort before asking, โWe still on for tonight?โ
Sheโs staring at you with those big, green eyes and you know youโre blushing hardโtoo hard, because a wide grin spreads across her face.
โOf course, Mel,โ You mumble, fiddling with the zipper of your fleece jacket. โUnless you wanted to cancel, or something?โ You ask, failing at hiding the disappointment in your face. She must be able to tell because she beckons you forth with a manicured finger.
โSit,โ she says, kicking out the chair next to her with her foot. โAnd no, Y/N. I was askinโ cause I was gonna make you dinner.โ
โOh, shit!โ You hear Ava before you see her. She strolls in, Janine in tow. She throws her head over shoulder to look at her. โMake sure you get this for my live show.โ
โNow, hold on,โ Melissa starts, her previous lighthearted voice turned rough as Avaโs cackles get louder. โJanine, you better not be getting nothinโ and what live show?โ
Ava ignores Melissaโs questioning momentarily. โYou getting this?โ Janine mumbles an incoherent response, awkwardly thrusting an iPhone from her chest. Ava rolls her eyes and returns her smile to look at Melissa. โMy live show, Red. I had to hire Thumpy over here to get my good angles.โ
โUm, Ava, sorry to interrupt,โ ThumpyโJanine laughs, her voice trailing off into a joking tone. โYou donโt pay me.โ
โWell now youโre definitely not getting paid. What did I tell you about interrupting?โ
โAlright, alright,โ Melissa groans. โForget I asked. Just leave us in peace.โ
Your heart flutters for a moment when Melissa says the word โus.โ Itโs pathetic how easily she can give you butterflies. If anything, itโs just further proof of how you feel for her. You sigh at the thought but Melissa thinks you're agreeing with her, so she nods her head.
โFine, Iโll leave you two alone for now,โ Ava mutters, directing Janine to point the camera at you two. โBut for the record,โ She says to the camera, โI got twenty that says they end up together by the end of the week. Whoโs going in on this?โ
End up together by the end of the week. The words echo around in your mind, the thought of you and Melissa ever โending upโ together causing warmth to blossom in your stomach. Itโs a frequent daydream of yours, but for a moment, itโs real.
โAva Coleman, are you gambling online again?โ Your second favorite coworker, Barbara, says when walks in on the conversation.
โNo, Mrs. Howard,โ Ava dismisses, trying to shoo Janine away at the veteran teacherโs arrival. โJust a joke between me and my fans, you know.โ
With that, Ava and Janine are gone. You can still hear Ava as she directs Janine around the school. Melissa clears her throat loudly, drawing you from your thoughts.
โAnyway, hon, I was thinkinโ I can just pick you up from your place?โ
You nod, a light blush rising to your cheeks. โYes, thatโs fine.โ
Barbara pours herself a cup of coffee and sits down with you two, glancing up at the clock on the wall. You almost forgot you only have a few more minutes with Mel before classes start for the day, so you appreciate the subtle reminder.
โDo you two have plans this afternoon?โ Barbara asks, blowing on her coffee.
Youโre about to answer, but Melissa beats you to the punch. โY/Nโs gonna show me how to set up my new gaming system, or whatever.โ
Barbaraโs eyebrows raise, the corner of her lips turning in a knowing smirk. โYou bought a gaming console, Melissa?โ
Now itโs Melissaโs turn to blush. โYes, Barb. I love video games.โ
Your eyebrows furrow. You didnโt know she loved gaming. You sort of just assumed that she was interested in them, not that she loved them. Had you not been paying attention this whole time?
โForgive me, dear. I forgot how much you absolutely love them,โ Barbara says it like an inside joke, her voice dripping with implication.
Before Melissa can respond, the bell rings loudly and all of three of you stand from the table, chairs squealing on the linoleum floor.
โIt was nice chatting with you ladies,โ Barbara says, picking up her mug. She gives you a warm smile and Mel a familiar one. โI hope you both have a wonderful and blessed morning.โ
She turns toward the door and three becomes two, once again.
โDoes 6 work for you, hon?โ Melissa asks you as you slowly walk toward the door, trying to delay leaving her by dragging your feet.
โYeah, Mel, sounds great,โ you pause before saying, โShould I bring anything?โ
She smiles softly. โJust yourself. Iโll see you later, kid.โ
She plants a kiss on your cheek as she passes you on her way to her classroom. Itโs something new sheโs been doing, you noticed. And itโs only been with you. It makes you feel giddy and special, but you act like it doesnโt phase you at all.
You push the butterflies in your stomach down as you try not to think about Melissaโs lips. She is your friend, maybe even your best friend, but your heart seems to think otherwise. You tell yourself that sheโll give you a kiss on the cheek later, too, if you set up her console without issue.
Your day goes by in a blur. It was an easier Fridayโ the kids were calm, everyone did their classwork, and dismissal went by without any real issue. Youโd even managed to avoid Ava all day, which in turn, meant you didnโt talk to Janine much but you didnโt mind. You were too busy thinking about Melissa, as you normally were these days.
You get home quickly, the 15 minute drive from Abbott to your apartment short and sweet. You immediately go to your closet and begin to fret over outfits. It's stupid, you know it is, but you want Melissa to think you dress nice outside of school.
Eventually, you land on a pair of jeans that hug your waist just right and an oversized green sweater. Youโll throw on a pair of old Converse later, but for now, you wait for Mel to pick you up.
You think about the inside of her house while you wait. Youโve been there before, probably more than Barbara at this point, but you still feel nervous. You know youโll end up eating dinner with her, as you always do when you visit, and it brings you momentary comfort.
A knock sounds at your door a few minutes later and you know itโs her.
โHey, hon,โ Melissa greets you when you swing the door open, planting another kiss on the side of your face. She runs her eyes over you for a second, smiling brightly. โYou look cute. Ready to go?โ
โHey, Mel. Let me get my shoes,โ You say.
It isnโt a long drive from your apartment to her house. The entire drive, you and Melissa talk. It starts off about school, then complaints about Ava, and into more personal things like weekend plans or family. Melissa even offers to accompany you on your ritual Sunday trip to the grocery store, and you tell her you might take her up on it.
She guides you into the house with the palm of her hand pressed to your lower back. It sends shivers of delight down your spine, and immediately you feel like your knees might buckle. โMake yourself at home, you know where everything is,โ she says when you step through the front door. She kicks her shoes off in the hallway and you do the same, following her into the living room.
โCan I get you anything to drink? Or a snack?โ
โOh, waterโs fine,โ You reply, going to sit on the edge of the couch. Melissa shoots you a pointed look, a lock of red hair falling in front of her face. She chuckles when you canโt meet her eyes and disappears into the kitchen, a series of muttered curses and clatters filling the moments after. She returns to you quickly with a glass of wine in one hand and a can of Sprite in the other.
Sprite. Your favorite soda. Did she buy this just for you?
โOh, Mel, you donโt have to,โ You say as you take the can from her hands, blushing as your fingers brush past each other. She sits next to you in the couch, angled toward you.
โYeah, yeah. I know you like โemโฆ so,โ she trails off, her face reddening in a blush of her own.
โWellโฆ thank you. Youโre sweet.โ In a moment of boldness, you lean over and quickly kiss her cheek as sheโd done to you so many times. Your lips meet her soft skin, and for a brief moment, you can smell the citrus scent of her shampoo.
Melissa smiles brightly when you pull away, a small hum falling from her mouth. She clears her throat, taking a sip of her red wine. โSo, um,โ she mumbles from under the lip of the glass. โI got this, Playing Station, or whatever.โ
Before you can help it, you snort. โPlayStation, Melissa.โ
โTomato, tomahto,โ she says, playfully rolling her eyes. She points toward the large TV across from you. It sits on a wood entertainment center, taking up most of the space on the surface. There are shelving compartments underneath, some full with DVDs of old movies or books. Thereโs a few pictures of her family, some of whom you recognize. The PlayStation sits in its own compartment, cables stacked on top of it neatly.
โLooks like a PS4,โ You tell her as you stand up to get it. You slide it from the shelf and hold it in your hands, checking the ports for any damage. โI didnโt know you liked to play games though, Mel.โ
โRight,โ You mumble, kneeling down on the carpet to begin plugging it into the TV. Youโve done it a million times before with your own consoles, so it only takes you a couple of minutes to get it hooked up. โAlright, that should do it,โ You say as you brush off your jeans and plot next to her on the couch. She hands you a remote and you turn the TV on, going to the HDMI2 menu option.
โMake sure you go to this one, Mel,โ You explain to her as the PlayStation loading screen comes to life on the TV. You grab one of the controllers on the coffee table and begin setting it up for her.
You go through the language menus, account creation, and put in Melissaโs WiFi password. She asks you questions while you work, mostly โwhatโs this?โ Or โhowโd you do that?โ You jump at any opportunity to talk to her, so you make sure to explain in detail what youโre doing.
Youโre halfway finished with your Sprite when the console is ready for use. โSo,โ You start, taking a sip from the can before returning it to the coffee table. โDo you have a favorite game then?โ
Melissa bites her lip, face flushing from the alcohol. โI like that, uh, shooting game or whatever.โ
โOf course you would,โ You laugh, and you really believe her because that is so very Melissa.
โHey! Whatโs that supposed to mean?โ She slaps your arm playfully, mocking hurt. โWhat do you play?โ
You think for a moment. โLately Iโve been into this one game called Stardew Valley. Itโs cute, you should try it.โ
โOkay. Put it on there,โ She says, completely serious. Sheโs sitting up straighter now, glass of wine discarded and forgotten. Instead, she focuses on the TV with a gaze youโve never seen before.
You giggle, โWell, you have to buy it first, Meli.โ
Meli. You didnโt mean to, but the nickname slipped from your mouth before you could correct yourself. For the umpteenth time that day, a warm blush crossed over your face.
โMeli, huh? I like it,โ she says. She squeezes your knee affectionately as you panic internally. Itโs pathetic how the smallest touch could send you into haywire, you think. Melissa nods her head at the TV. โBuy the game, I want to play it.โ
Before you know it, you and Melissa are playing together on the couch. Sheโs slumped next to you, her thigh pressed against yours as you explain the mechanics of the game. She doesnโt understand at first, occasionally muttering curse words under her breath when she runs out of energy on the game. You play for an hour and have a good start to the farm when Melissa begins asking about the NPCs.
โOkay, so whoโs the dork with the hair?โ
You flick your eyes to her side of the screen and notice sheโs talking to one of the bachelors. โThatโs Elliot,โ You explain as you clear out some debris from your shared farm. Melissa makes a confused noise, so you continue. โHeโs a marriage candidate. I mostly donโt bother with him, though.โ
โMarriage? I thought this was a game.โ
โIt is a game Melissa,โ You laugh, joysticks clicking as you play the game. โItโs kind of a life sim, I guess. You farm, do stuff around the community, and build relationships with the characters. Itโs a cute game.โ You feel silly for a second as you explain all of this to Melissa, but when you look over, she looks completely entranced. The embarrassment is short lived and you feel yourself scooting a little closer to her on the couch.
โWho do you get married to then?โ
โWhat do you mean? You get married to the characters.โ
โCan I marry you then?โ
Itโs an innocent question, but it still knocks the air from your lungs. Can I marry you then? Youโve heard her say it many times in your silly little daydreams, but nothing compared to the real thing. If you could even call it the real thing.
You struggle to answer her for a moment. โWell, technically, you can, but I donโt know if thatโd be very fun.โ
โWhat? I think youโd be a very fun wife.โ She says it in a way that you donโt know if sheโs joking or not, so you just settle for an awkward laugh instead. โRe-lax, hon,โ Melissa drags, bumping your shoulder with her own. โIโm just kiddinโ. Tell me about this marriage stuff now.โ
The night is fun and filled with laughter. You stop playing Stardew after another hour so Melissa can make you dinner. She, of course, makes Italian food and insists on sending you home with a huge tupperware container of leftovers. She drives you home and asks you about other games to play and you tell her a few more of your favorites. When you get out of the car, she gives you another kiss on the cheek and promises to get caught up with the game so you can really play the next time you come over.
Monday morning comes quickly and you find yourself walking back into school. You didnโt get much sleep the night prior, to your own fault. You were up all night playing drunk Minecraft with your friends and it got a little out of hand after one too many whiskey shots. You ended up falling asleep on your couch and if not for Melissaโs text, you probably wouldโve been extremely late to work.
Sheโd asked about your favorite breakfast food and when you answered, she left you on read. You assumed it wasnโt meant for you and went about your day, bringing you to now.
You unlocked your classroom door and pushed it open with your elbow, flipping on the light as you started your morning routine. Arrange all of the chairs, make copies, and do some lesson planning before the kids arrive. As you go to set your bag down on your desk, you stop in your tracks.
A brown paper bag sits in the middle of your desk with a note stapled to the top. It smells like grease and breakfast, and you immediately know it was Melissa.
In Melissaโs loopy handwriting, the note reads:
I hope itโs good! Have a good day, hon.
It makes you swoon, and for a moment you wonder if youโre being pranked. She has to know what she does to you. But then again, maybe not. You go about your morning, completing your routine between bites of your favorite breakfast sandwich.
Tuesday starts out the way it usually does. Nothing particularly exciting, just the same old stuff you do every week. You havenโt really had a lot of time to socialize, so you decide to walk down to the teacherโs lounge during your 45 minute grace period. You should be lesson planning, but youโre a little burnt out from the day.
โHey, everyone,โ you say when you stroll in, opening the fridge to find something to drink. There was usually water or Diet Coke, and sometimes you even stole a bottle of whatever healthy drink Gregory had stashed for the week. The other occupants in the room greet you back as your eyes rake over the refrigerator shelves, landing on a Starbucks drink with your name on it.
โWhatโs this?โ you ask, taking it from the fridge.
โHm?โ Barbara glances toward you from her spot at one of the tables, noticing the drink in your hand. A small smirk graces her lips. โAh, I believe Melissa picked that up on her way to work this morning.โ
You take a sip of it and your eyebrows widen slightly. Itโs a caramel macchiato, and you can swear thereโs extra caramel in it. Exactly like you order it. You didnโt think you ever told Melissa that, though.
You send Melissa a quick text to thank her. It gives you a little more energy throughout the day and on your drive home, you imagine kissing Mel on the cheek again.
When Melissa shows up to work with a potted Orchid on Wednesday, she accidentally catches Barbaraโs attention. She holds her breath as she walks by, praying that she wonโt say anything.
But sheโs Barbara, so of course she does.
โMelissa dear, a minute, if you can,โ she calls in her preaching voice. Groaning, Melissa marches over with the plant tucked carefully in her arms.
She smiles in response, despite Melโs annoyed tone. โI apologize for taking up your time. I was curious why youโve brought that,โ she points toward the pot, โin with you this morning.โ
โOh, so a girl canโt want a frickinโ flower Barbara?โ
โNo, Melissa, a girl can want a flower,โ Barbara says, her voice dripping in sarcasm, โbut you donโt want a flower. I know you. Is it for Ms. Y/LN?โ
A rosy blush rises to her cheeks and she realizes sheโs been caught. โYes, itโs for Y/N. Itโs her favorite flower.โ
โAnd remind me again why you donโt just ask the poor girl out?โ
They are walking toward your classroom now, carrying casual conversation on their way. Melissa replies in a serious voice, โThe game told me to do it like this.โ
Melissa sighs, โIโm supposed to bring her favorite stuff, or whatever. Then Iโll get to ten hearts. Frickenโ plant was like 80 bucks, so I think thatโs at least like, what, 2 hearts? Sheโll get it.โ
Barbara raises her eyebrows, coming to a stop at the door of your room. She pats Melissa on the shoulder, leaning in slightly. โSure she will.โ
On Thursday, Melissa brings you a box of new markers for your whiteboard. Youโd been begging Ava to put the order and were about to give up and buy them yourself. So, naturally, what does Melissa do?
She brings you every dry erase marker ever made.
โMeli, I donโt even know what to say,โ you mumble, blush reddening your cheeks. You glance up at her as you sift through the markers, your hands gliding along the different colors. She smirks at you, her green eyes shimmering mischievously. โWhereโd you even get all of these?โ
โOh, I know a guy. No big deal,โ she shrugs, hands on her hips. โYou like โem?โ
โI love them.โ You stand from your chair and quickly wrap her in a hug, your nose landing in her soft hair. You feel her arms snake around your waist and squeeze. Your heart beats wildly out of your chest, and before you can talk yourself out of it, you give her a lingering kiss on the cheek once more. โSeriously, thank you,โ you say as you pull away.
She waves you off, a large smile plastered across her face. She looks beautiful and for a second you wish you could take a picture.
โAnything for you, babe.โ
Youโre too caught up in your thoughts that you donโt realize Melissaโs absence. For the rest of the day on Thursday, you glance at the box of markers next to your new Orchid.
The following Friday afternoon, Melissa finds herself in a hushed conversation with Barbara.
โI think itโs working,โ she whispers as they watch students play outside. She shoots a glare at a pair of students who start to play too rough and resumes her rambled confessions. โI mean, she hugged me, Barb. I think that was the heart event, you know?โ
โYouโre going to have to remind me what exactly this heart event entails, my dear.โ
Melissa grumbles, โI told you, Barb, the eight heart event. One more event and sheโll marry me.โ
Barbaraโs eyes almost pop out of her head. She angles herself toward Melissa, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder. โMarriage, Melissa? Isnโt that a littleโฆ soon?โ
Melissa shakes her stubborn head. โNo, she told me. Well, the game told me, but Y/N told me about the game, so.โ
Barbara is about to reply, but the bell rings. The kids begin the run inside for dismissal, and Melissa follows. A defeated sigh escapes her lips as she watches her friend usher her students back to the classroom.
You and Melissa are walking out to the parking lot when she stops you from getting into your car.
โWait, Y/N,โ she says, hand on your wrist. โI have something for you.โ
She reaches in her purse and pulls out a small yellow envelope. Your eyebrows tighten in confusion as you open it, revealing two small pieces of paper. You pull it out and are greeted with tickets to an Eagles game.
โI know you donโt watch football,โ Melissa explains as you turn the tickets over in your hand, โbut I do. So I thought I could take you to your first game, teach you about it.โ
Sheโs looking at you expectantly and you realize you forgot to answer. You blush, chuckling softly. โThis is really sweet of you, Melissa. I would love to go with you.โ
โI thought it would be nice,โ she says, reaching for your hand. โYou taught me about your game, Iโll teach you about mine.โ
Itโs dreamy and charming, and you imagine kissing her again. It seemed to plague your mind lately, preventing you from thinking about anything else. You settle for gently squeezing her hand and you send her a warm smile. โIโm excited.โ
โOkay, so is that ten hearts now?โ she asks. She adds in a half-whisper, โor maybe thatโs only nine?โ
She takes a deep breath, leaning closer towards you. โTen hearts and then I can marry you.โ
โY/N,โ Melissa says seriously as you stare at her in confusion. โYou said I had to get ten hearts to get married or whatever. Itโs okay if that was only one heart, but Iโve been keeping track. I should be at like nine, at least. Right?โ
Stardew Valley. Sheโs talking about Stardew Valley. Sheโs talking about marrying you, heart events, and favorite gifts. Unknowingly, Melissa has been dating you all week and you didnโt bat an eye.
