Chapter Text
{Bdubs POV}
It was the start of a new game, but this one had Bdubs feeling weird. This game would be different for him, for everyone actually. Every single hermit was here but Xisuma and Joe. Around the beginning, impulse voiced the thoughts everyone who’s already played, don’t go too harsh on the new guys and keep them close. Everyone knew things could get hectic the moment someone’s red, but now everyone’s a target. Seeing Ren’s death in the chat let him realize things were just getting started.
With that thought in mind, he pushed himself to his feet from his makeshift seat that was a fallen spruce tree. Spruce might be a good place for a base, He’d be hidden away in the corner of the map and able to hide his home in the vast forest. The thoughts and ideas of a base filled his mind, occupying his attention enough for his best friend to sneak up on him. “Bdubs!” Etho said as he hugged him from behind, successfully startling Bdubs. “Etho!” “Sorry! Sorry!” They both knew he wasn’t sorry. “Your lucky it was me, gotta keep your guard up Bdubs.” Etho said as he handed him an iron sword, which Bdubs caught with a nod. “Yeah yeah, I know.” He said with an eye roll, but his friend knew he was thankful.
“So,” Etho looked at him curiously. “Do you have a base yet or are you trying to live off me again?” “It was one time!” Bdubs let out a full belly laugh at the reaction, watching etho fake pout and turn away. “I’m leaving.” “No etho! Im sorry!” Etho knew wasn’t actually sorry, but Bdubs knew he wasnt actually leaving. This was the type of banter he rarely got on Hermitcraft, and it was always a nice change of pace. “Well, wanna team? You and me?” Bdubs asked as he held his hand out, a grin on his face, which his friend returned even if it couldn’t be seen. “You and me.” Etho agreed as he accepted the hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
—
“CREEPER ON YOUR LEFT!!!” “Thanks!” His teammate said as he blocked the explosion with his shield, letting out a sigh of relief. He saw the hole left by the creeper, just narrowly dodging their fort walls. When it comes to bases, it’s really go big or go home, halfway gets you killed. Either go full defense fort, or completely hide away. Some cabin won’t get you much in the long run, he’d seen it happen.
The walls were built up tall, made of cobble with green banners on each post. Not exactly something you’d find on Hermitcraft, but This wasn’t Hermitcraft in the ways that mattered. “How’re those trip wires going?!” Bdubs yelled from his perch on the wall, watching his redstoner friend gently place string that would activate all sorts of things. Bells, arrow dispensers, trenches, you name it, they’ve probably got it. And the brainstorming they went though to make each trap as effective as possible was what made these games as fun as they were. Bdubs had the idea to time the arrows to match that of a skeleton and to have an actual skeleton there to throw people off, Etho did the redstone to make that happen.
While Etho worked on the technical bits and bobs, he decided to build up their house and starting a wheat farm. They’d get animals later. The house wasn’t anything special, not by a long shot. It was a cobblestone tower that was taller than the wall but not too tall that it could be seen from far away. He made sure to use wood sparingly to avoid fires, and made sure there was enough of a height difference between the roof and the wall to give them a good point to aim from.
Everything could always get so technical and grinding was always a bit tedious, but seeing things like this work out better than anticipated was always worth it.
—
“Etho, don’t you do it.” Bdubs warned, slowly getting closer to his friend, standing by the bubbling lava, holding his first Diamond in his hand. He happily tossed his Diamond into the lava, watching it disappear into the red liquid. Bdubs just sighed exasperatedly. “Etho!” He scolded, but Etho didn’t pay it any mind. “What am I gonna do with you…” he said with a sigh, but a fond smile creeped onto his face. Caving was a ‘high risk, high reward’ situation, being in the green made This a bit less risky, but the danger was still there.
He watched his friend fight off a skeleton while mining some iron, noticing that whoever his link was had been losing health, they were at five hearts now. Etho came back from fighting the skeleton and sat down on a rock. “Got any food on ya Bdubs?” His teammate asked as he looked up at him. Bdubs nodded and passed him some cooked beef, which he took with a nod. “How much the get ya too?” He asked with putting the iron in their furnace. “Got me to half health, it was all fine until a second one showed up.” As Etho ate the food, Bdubs saw that his link started to regenerate health and realized the implication of that.
Bdubs got up, almost scared to test his theory. “Hey Ethos, gotta test something really quick.” He said as he gave him a punch on the shoulder, it was only half a heart but his link lost health at the same moment. “What was that for?” Etho asked, turning to look at Bdubs, who has a look of shock on his face, looking at etho like He’s grown a third head before holding his head in his hands. “Oh my goodness…” it sounded muffled through his hands, but etho heard it. “Bdubs?” His teammate, his link, asked as he walked up to him. “Etho. Punch me right now.” He said, looking up at Etho. “What? Why?” “Just do it!” “Uh, alright…” he seemed unsure but punched Bdubs, seeming to catch on as he checked his health bar.
“Oh…” Etho said as he looked at Bdubs, a look of shock on his face. Within seconds Bdubs was in Etho’s embrace. “I got a Bdubs!” He said with a grin hidden underneath his mask, and Bdubs was a sputtering mess as he stuck his head out to breath. “Etho!” He scolded, but didn’t fight his friend’s hold on him.
—
“It’s over Etho! I have the high ground!” Bdubs declared from his position, standing on top of the bed proudly as his teammate watched with an amused smile from the floor, cross crossed by the rim. “Whatever you say Bdubs.” His friend said nonchalantly. “Hey! Whats that supposed to mean!?” He shouted, pointing and accusing finger at him. “Whatever you want it to mean.” He said, an amused glint in his eyes. “Oh you little-“ he was cut off when his foot was pulled out from under him. “Hey!” He saw Etho holding back laughter, standing up with a hand on the bed. Before Etho could even react, he was being tackled by Bdubs and They were play rustling on the floor.
“Etho!” Bdubs yelled from where he was restrained under Etho, his arms and legs pinned down as he tried to fight the hood.“Oh c’mon! Like you didn’t tackle me first!” His link said with an airy laugh. “That doesn’t matter idiot!” He yelled as he continued to struggle, an adrenaline filled grin on his face. “It will soon!” His link said with a mischievous and amused glint in his eyes. “What’s that supposed to m-“ he was cut off by his own laughter, being tickled by Etho like ok Hermitcraft. He was struggling to breath while trying to get Etho off him, their laughter filling the room.
“Do you yield!” Etho asked with a amused smile, having taken his mask off during their tussling. Bdubs took the moment to catch his breath, the grin never leaving his face as he looked at him determinedly. “N-never!” Etho seemed to take this as a challenge. “Alright! You asked for it!”
If their laughter continued to fill the first around them for the next couple hours, only the forest and it’s creatures would know.
—
There was the rubble of fallen building by their foes hands, ashes and blood of of the life and greenery there once was. He was being held in place, a bow aimed for his chest. Words fell on deaf ears as he looked around, seeing someone being held back behind him. They seemed to be trying to get to him, to help him. He cant tell who they are, but they seem safe.
They lock eyes as the mystery player types into their comm while holding an ender pearl in their hand. He didnt know what they were doing, but at the same time, he kind of did, and a pit formed in his stomach. The opposer released the arrow, as him and the other person looked at each other, he felt his eye go wide as they pulled their mask down, when did they have a mask? He gave a soft smile before he was watching from the place of the other person, watching an arrow hit It’s mark as a message went off, it said-
—
“Etho!” Bdubs woke up in cold sweat, memories of what spooked him so much disappearing no matter how hard he tried to hold onto them. He sat up, hands shaking and tears threatening to fall. In his futile attempts to regain his composure, he hadn’t noticed his sleepy roommate sit up to gently move him. He half led Bdubs to a position where he was laying against Etho’s chest. He didn’t fight this, he ley himself calm as his friend rubbed circles into his back, forgetting about the previous moment as he fell asleep once more.