Just The Two Of Us- A Hermitcraft/Ethubs Fantasy AU

Chapter Nine

BDubs stared at the ground, frowning slightly as more memories of the dance last night flooded his brain. The dancing part- that was fine, he wasn't thinking about that too much (apart from the bit where he tripped and literally fell onto Etho, which was mildly embarrassing).

No, no, it's not about the dancing, or the music, or the atmosphere of the room.

It's more about who BDubs danced with.

The prince with messy white hair. The human with odd heterochromic gray and red eyes. The boy who always covered his mouth and nose with a mask and wore a ring on his finger.

Etho.

It was about the way Etho had glanced around with a slightly wary expression before taking BDubs' hand. It was about the warm sound of the prince's laughter as he had helped BDubs gain his balance again. It was the way he danced so elegantly, so prince-like- and yet he was still somehow clumsy and playful at the same time.

It was about... everything about Etho.

BDubs blinked, winding a thin vine between his fingers.

I don't... like Etho, right? Like- not in that way. He paused. Right?

BDubs let go of the vine, burying his head in his hands with a groan and leaning against the stone wall of the gardens. No, no, no, why did it have to be- he's a human! I can't- everyone will literally hate me. Humans are terrible! Humans destroyed our village. And he's the son of the queen! Doc and Ren would never talk to me again!

"Uh... are you okay?" A voice asked with a somewhat skeptical laugh. BDubs looked up, blinking in surprise. Wasn't she... still in the dungeons?

It was a woman not much older than himself. She had long, messy, tangled ginger hair, bright green eyes, and pale green skin with darker patches here and there, and she had a few stitches on her arms and neck. Cleo.

"Aren't you meant to be in jail right now?" He asked with a huff, moving so that his friend could sit next to him.

Cleo shrugged, grinning. "I befriended the guard, and he convinced the queen to let me go. He has a way with his words, it would appear." She added as she sat on the ground next to BDubs, her eyes glittering mischievously. "His name is Joe. He's pretty cool. For a human, anyway." The zombie hybrid said hastily.

Oh? BDubs shrugged. "Some of the humans aren't- well- they're not too bad. I guess." He said warily, looking her up and down.

"'I guess'?" The redhead said mockingly. "Didn't you dance with the human prince the other night?" Cleo added teasingly, nudging him with her elbow. "I bet you thought he was a lot better than 'not too bad'."

BDubs could practically feel his face going bright red, but that didn't stop a slight twinge of relief. She... doesn't mind that I danced with a human? "Well- that's Etho! He's... a lot different." The Floran hybrid finished with a sigh.

"How so?" Cleo asked, smirking slightly.

"I know exactly what you're implying and I would like you to shush." BDubs muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Implying what? That you like him?" The zombie hybrid said, laughing.

"How did you get that from a two minute conversation?" And why were you right?

"Just a guess. Doc and Ren wouldn't stop talking about it- 'it' being you dancing with... 'Etho', not your incredibly obvious crush on him." How did- "I think they might not be too happy with your human prince, though, so... I'd keep an eye on that." Cleo said, humming quietly to herself.

The zombie hybrid's humming was the only sound that disturbed the awkward silence for a few moments until a shout could be heard from somewhere out of sight.

"Cleo? Where did you go? You're meant to stay near me- that was literally the queen's only term- I don't want to lose my job-" Cleo let out a laugh, getting to her feet.

"Sounds like Joe." She muttered to BDubs before turning towards the shout and raising her voice. "Be right there, Joe!"

——

Okay, okay, okay, just act natural-

BDubs opened the door to Etho's room, raising one eyebrow as he spotted the boy lying on his bed and writing in a book. "Writing in your diary again?" He teased, grinning as Etho practically slammed the book closed, turning to the door.

"Not a diary! And oh my- you scared the life out of me, BDubs!" Etho said, laughing- oh god, that laugh- before tucking the book under his pillow and putting the quill and ink on his bedside table. "Did you... want something, or...?"

"Just wanted to- say hi. You know. Am I not allowed to say hi to you now?" BDubs added, rolling his eyes jokingly as he walked into the room and closed the door behind him, sitting down on the bed next to Etho as the human prince sat up.

"Oh, no, of course you are, I was just- slightly startled. That's all." Etho said awkwardly. "Did you have fun at the ball last night?" Oh- how am I meant to act natural now, Etho?

"Oh, yeah, it was- fun, cool, very, very fun, very cool, you know- lots of fun." BDubs finished hastily, wincing slightly. Wow, very natural. He thought sarcastically, rolling his eyes internally at his own stupidity (and terrible acting).

"Ah, I see. I too thought it was... 'fun, cool, very, very fun, very cool'." Etho said somewhat mockingly, laughing as BDubs protested loudly. That laugh again- I swear-

"Well- I was just- shut up!" BDubs finished lamely, letting out a sigh. The two sat in silence for a moment. Uh- what can I say- His gaze flicked to Etho's mask for some reason, and, desperate to break the awkward silence, he impulsively blurted (without thinking), "Why do you always wear a mask?"

Yay BDubs isn't oblivious either :D

And Cleo is very smart, she caught on incredibly quickly haha

Implied/kinda canon Jleo (Joe X Cleo) I guess? Maybe?

Double update because I'm nice /hj