and the stars will be their guides (hermitcraft space au)

beef (six)

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~ and we'd both be laughing in the end ~

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TWs: None

***

"I feel like there's something going on with Etho. He isn't acting . . . correctly, I suppose."

"Yeah, Beef told me he knew stuff about the APL that no human should plausibly be able to know. I think he might be an alien too."

"That's exactly what I was thinking, my friend."

"Wait, really?! I never thought you'd jump to conclusions so quickly!"

"There's just something about him. His mask is also quite unnatural."

"Who knows, he might just be insecure about his face."

"I know. I would like to approach him about this, but there always is the risk that he isn't like us."

"You should talk to him! There's no way he's not an alien!"

"_____, I'm not taking unnecessary risks."

"Let me talk to him then!"

"No."

"Okay, fine. What do we have to do to make sure that he is 100% an alien?"

There is a knock on the door, and a third voice rings out.

"______, Doc needs to see you about something."

"We'll talk more another time. Don't be stupid and approach him before we can meet again."

"I won't, I promise."

"Good."

Both people leave the room.

***

Etho was used to hanging out with Beef whenever they were both free. Sometimes, Beef would even come visit him in the spotting tower and they'd talk about the stars and the history of human fashion and what condiment tasted best with which food. They were strange topics, but they were strange people, so it all made sense in the end. 

Now, Etho was avoiding Beef for reasons he still hadn't deciphered, and everything was lonely. He filled his free time with hanging out with Bdubs and Doc, but it wasn't the same. There was something in Etho's heart that yearned to be with Beef, but there was something more in Etho's brain that argued he should keep his distance, so he did. 

Still, he missed Beef, and he wondered if his brain was right. Why should he stay away from Beef? You're getting too attached to him, was his brain's answer. He's a human and you aren't and the truth will get out eventually and then you'll have nobody.

It was a valid argument, he thought. He didn't intend for anyone on this ship to find out who he really was underneath the disguise he'd crafted, but the truth would come out eventually. He'd already slipped up with the APL thing; it was likely he would do it again at some point. 

He still missed Beef though.

Bdubs was bright and energetic and passionate and Etho loved that, but he loved the calmer, deeper talks he had with Beef more.

Doc was quieter, something that Etho liked, but sometimes he was too quiet and sometimes he'd ramble enough about machinery and how things worked that Etho's head would spin. When Beef rambled about something, he'd describe it in a way that Etho could understand and in a way that kept him interested in the conversation.