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

home (eight)

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~ home is whenever i'm with you ~

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TWs: murder and mentions of murder, homophobia and transphobia, child abuse, LOTS of violence, death, mention of suicide, mention of character being strangled, some stuff with imprisonment, probably some other small things I didn't catch that are related to all that

Please stay safe, and feel free to skip some or all of this chapter if you need to (its mostly backstory and story building anyway).

The majority of the TWs take place in the last segment (after 'this was what Etho appreciated about him').

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It's one of those days where Beef and Etho don't talk. These happen every once in a while, when they want to hang out, but would prefer to sit in silence in their own rooms for eternity. 

So, as a compromise, they sit in silence . . . together.

It's one of those things that Etho only does with Beef. Beef's the only one who understands the importance of silence as well as Etho does. 

Etho's used to doing these sorts of things alone, but he's found he likes the company. He never would've dreamed he would find someone to enjoy quiet time with while he was at home. (Though, the Hermit-Craft, at this point, was more of home than Aur C37 had ever been.) Silence wasn't valued there. It was always, "Etho, do your schoolwork. Etho, go find your father. Etho, pay attention. This is important for you to know." There was never time to lay on the floor, look up at the ceiling, and reflect.

That's one of the many reasons Etho likes the Hermit-Craft more than Aur C37. 

"What'cha thinking about?" asks Beef.

Etho considers lying, but ends up saying, "How nice it is to be able to finally sit in silence without being interrupted or seen as weird."

Beef clearly wasn't expecting that, because he says, "Oh," and stares at Etho.

"Yeah."

The formerly comfortable silence is now a bit awkward.

"Care to elaborate?" Beef asks casually, like it doesn't matter to him if Etho continues to talk or not.

Etho just shrugs, which is his way of saying no without actually saying it.

"Okay," Beef responds, and they go back to sitting in silence.

***

What is home?

He'd asked Bdubs, and Bdubs had said that it was his greenhouse whenever it was buzzing with people.

He'd asked Doc, and Doc had said that it was the greenhouse when everyone but he and Bdubs were fast asleep.

He'd asked Xisuma, and Xisuma had said that it was the Hermit-Craft.

He'd asked Scar, and Scar had said that it was the spotting tower on a slow day.

He'd asked Joe, and Joe had said a whole speech that Etho had understood none of.

He'd asked Gem, and Gem had said it was the ship she'd been on before she got kidnapped by frostlings, though the Hermit-Craft felt more like home every day.

He'd asked Pearl, and Pearl had said the same thing as Gem.

He'd asked Zedaph, and Zedaph had said that it was his little workshop in the ship where he created all kinds of inventions.