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“Hey, Etho,”
Joel spoke softly with Etho quite often, making this moment no different, except this time, they were alone.
”Yes, Joel?”
Etho turned toward Joel, looking into each other’s eyes as the night sky began to watch them instead.
“Let’s promise not to hurt each other, alright?” Joel smiled softly, Etho raising an eyebrow with a smile. “Since when did you get so cheesy?” Etho chuckled, Joel’s protest overlapping his voice.
”I- I am not cheesy! But, promise me, we won’t hurt each other in any way, okay?” Joel exclaimed, Etho continuing to laugh. “Of course, Joel. I would never hurt you,” he smiled, as they held hands together, staring at the night sky and its stars from their ship.
I.
Strike 1 was Limited Life, the season after Double Life.
After Etho.
If it was after Etho Double Life, then why did Joel feel jealous of a bloody cow? Jealous enough, just to mention Double Life to Etho, jealous enough where Etho did the same thing, jealous enough to kill the cow.
Joel wasn’t sure why he did that. But either way, he ran away, Etho still being able to catch up to him? Just to tell him that everything he cares about will be sniped.
(Joel didn’t mention that everything he cares about is Etho).
Joel thought it was nothing; him and Etho were still great boyfriends, it was a death game, after all! There is bound to be drama between alliances and enemies.
His question was answered when Etho killed him.
It was nothing, Joel being chased by team T.I.E.S. He water bucket clutched down the bridge, only to find that Etho followed him down. Joel thought that Etho wouldn’t kill him, he would at least talk to Joel about how he has to do this. But when they got down, he only saw Etho’s joyful and murderous expression, the most obvious smile behind that mask of his.
”You saved me, Joel!” Etho had said, backing Joel up with an axe in his hand. “YOU SAVED ME SO I CAN KILL YOU!” Etho had laughed, slashing the axe on Joel, killing him. Joel respawned, tears threatening to fall.
Why is he crying over someone killing him? It’s a death game!
(Maybe it was because that answered his question).
(Maybe it was because Etho had hurt him).
II.
Strike 2 was Secret Life.
Etho and a bunch of other people came up to Joel at his halter skelter. Joel’s brows furrowed in confusion, their friends bustling with chatter and snickers.
Joel had given up on trying to get back with Etho after Limited Life; it was obvious he hated him. So, when Etho approached Joel, of course he was confused.
”Etho? What are you guys doing here?” Joel asked, pointing at their friends. “Joel!” Etho replied, sort of nervous but hiding it with a chuckle. Joel raised his eyebrow slightly at Etho. “Joel, I love you,” Etho said suddenly, startling Joel.
Etho.. still loved him. Joel’s eyes widened, his face visibly brightened. He felt a smile twitching on his lips, but his eyes lingered on the crowd resting behind Etho. Joel probably deflated. This was an act. Of course it was, there was no way Etho actually loved him. This is probably a task. Maybe his friends asked him to do it, but whatever it was, it was definitely not real.
”Uh ok, Etho, I know you’re obsessed with me,” the words slipped out of Joel’s lips instead of ‘I love you too’, looking away as he put his hands in his hoodie pockets. The ‘ooooh’s and ‘rejected!’ of their friends followed, Joel continuing to look away as the tears were blurring his vision.
He finally looked at Etho, who was looking at him the entire time with furrowed brows. Joel blinked at Etho, a tear accidentally falling, Joel quickly wiping it away with his sleeve as he turned around to run into his halter skelter.
(Maybe in another life would they have said I love you with no shame).
III.
Strike 3 was Hermitcraft 10.
Joel, along with Skizz, were the newest members that season. Joel was nervous and excited at the same time, but was mostly excited to be part of an SMP as big as Hermitcraft.
(Or maybe he was just excited to see Etho outside of the Life Series).
Hermitcraft wasn’t too bad for him and Etho. They flirted lightly, continued on the obsession joke Joel ‘made’ in secret life. They had a good time. No tension.
0 at all.
But even in this nice peace in their relationship, of course Joel had to create a storm in his heart.
”Sorry, Joel, Bdubs wants to go on a date. I’ll see you tomorrow, though,” Etho smiled awkwardly, Joel raising an eyebrow. “Date? Wait a minute, you’re dating Bdubs?” Joel responded, Etho nodding. “Yea, didn’t you know?” Etho replied, chuckling, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
”Well, no. You don’t really tell me anything,” Joel replied quietly, basically a whisper. Joel truly didn’t know Etho and Bdubs were a thing. He didn’t notice in the Life Series. He watched as Etho put his rockets in hand, ready to launch, but Joel quickly stopped him by grabbing his wrist.
They both stared at their contact, Joel slowly looking up at Etho’s eyes. “Yea, Joel?” Etho muttered quietly. Joel opened his mouth but nothing came out.
”I- I’ll see you tomorrow,” Joel stuttered out, shaking his hand off of Etho’s wrist. Etho looked at Joel worriedly, then took off.
I love you, was what he meant to say.
[]
Joel woke up, sitting straight up. He breathed heavily, looking around, realizing he was still in bed. “Joel? Are you good?” He heard a voice ask him. Joel turned his head to face Etho, who had sat up groggily, looking at him tiredly, but paying attention at the same time.
Joel sighed, hugging Etho in their Relation-ship. “It was just a silly nightmare, Etho. Sorry for waking you up,” Joel mumbled, feeling Etho’s arms wrap around him. “Want to tell me about it?” Etho asked quietly, calming Joel down.
Joel took a deep breath, inhaling Etho’s scent. “Sure. I dreamed that you hurt me. But I know you wouldn’t do that,” Joel whispered, Etho humming in response.
”Of course I wouldn’t hurt you, Joel.”
[]
You did anyway.