How We Met

Intro

So...I'm not good at intros. I only did one really good intro, but that book isn't even out yet, so only one person knows about it :///

I have no idea how to write an intro and jump into how Joel and Etho met and their backstory, so...I ended up just writing the first chapter of how they met.

And that's going to be the intro.

But before we get into that, I would like to tell you guys that this story is a sequel to The Night That Changed My Life. It might have connections with it, I'm not entirely sure yet. I may just connect one chapter to the first book...uhh- idk, but it definitely would help if you read The Night That Changed My Life first and the one-shots that connect to it (which is in a separate book bc...well I don't really know why I did it like that)

Know that this story is going to be angsty, and will talk about death, grief, homophobic parents, and the list goes on. I'm not going to talk about suicide, but like it is implied in one chapter (it doesn't actually happen, it'll make sense when you read it) or any of that because I don't want to, and I'd much rather just have gay sailors be sad over death. And know that this book isn't going to be entirely angsty, but basically like The Night That Changed My Life. A lot of angst, but there is some fluff.

Soooooooo yeahhhhhhhhhh

Anyway, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy this little intro. (it's Etho's POV btw and he's like...4)

Enjoy! :D

~•~

The sounds of the rusted swing going back and forth could be heard throughout the tiny playground.

Two kids were giggling and playing on the seesaw while another kid was trying to climb up the fireman pole.

And then there was me.

I never really knew how to talk to other kids.

"Come on sweetie, try and play with them." My mother said, trying to encourage me to talk to someone.

I shook my head and clutched onto her leg.

She smiled softly and gently patted my head.

I buried my face into her leg, and she pet my hair.

"Sweetie...you gotta try and make some friends."

"No."

She giggled quietly and she kneeled down to my level.

"Come on." She said, brushing some of the hair out of my face before gently wiping the tears from my eyes.

I shook my head.

"Why don't you go ask that kid near the fireman pole if he wants to play with you?"

"But- "

"I know you can do it, come on, I believe in you."

I bit my lip and glanced at my mother, who gave me an encouraging smile.

"Tell you what, I'll take you out to get ice cream after this if you go talk with the little boy over there."

My eyes widened and my mother giggled.

"Promise?" I asked and she nodded.

"Promise."

I gently let go of her hand and slowly walked over to the kid who was trying to climb the fireman pole.

"Er- hi." I said quietly.

The kid turned to face me.

His bangs fell in his face, and he shook his head, trying to get them out of his eyes.

I giggled.

"Hi!" He smiled at me after he got the hair out of his face.

He had a missing tooth and a big smile. He was a bit shorter than me and wore a blue dinosaur jacket.

"I'm Joel, what's your name?" He asked.

"O-oh, I'm Etho."

"Want to play with me?"

"Sure! What- what are you playing?"

"I'm trying to climb up the fireman pole."

"Er- I don't think you can do that since they're made to slide down."

"I'm sure you can."

I shrugged.

"Can you stand on the little platform above and try and help pull me up?" He asked.

"Oh- sure."

I got on the playground set and kneeled down on the platform that was connected to the fireman pole.

Joel was trying to climb it and he stretched out his arm for me to grab.

I held his arm and pulled him up.

I stumbled backwards and Joel fell on the platform.

...

"YES!" Joel shot up, cheering.

There was a bruise on his forehead, but he didn't seem to care.

"Nice job- uh- what'd you say your name was again?" He asked, looking down at me.

"Etho." I said.

Joel smiled and helped me up.

"We make a great team." He said, and I smiled weakly.

"Yeah...I guess we do."