Wish you were Sober || Boat Boys

4: Real Sweet

Etho couldn't sleep.

His eyes were wide open, staring at his closed bedroom door. "One time Bubbles told me that if I can't sleep someone's thinking about me." He chuckled to himself, his mind drifting off once more. "If that were true, I'm so sorry Lykos." Etho mumbled.

His thoughts about his coworker varied each night, but they were prevalent. Etho so desperately wanted their easy relationship back. Etho wasn't ingenuous, he knew that if he didn't make the first move, there was never going to be a move.

Lykos had flaws and weaknesses, like with any other human being. Lykos was un-analytical, intentionally annoying, egotistical... but above all else, he was stubborn and often times petty. He apologized for the kiss, and he didn't make much of an attempt to reach back out after. Maybe it was embarrassment, but Etho didn't either at the time because he didn't feel he had to.

He thought the storm would pass and they would be back to 'normal.' After a while, it seemed Lykos grew... bitter? He seemed upset that Etho didn't reach out, and in turn Lykos didn't because he didn't want to be rejected. That's what Etho's concluded, anyway.

6 years ago - age 23

Etho was alright at gatherings, he'd like to think. He was simply observing and occasionally chatting to Blaze as he took incremental sips of his drink (mask down, of course). oh He liked a good Bloody Mary, makes him feel like a good person drinking vegetable juice. "You know the cousin I told you about?" Blaze asked, twirling his martini with his fingers.

"Yeah? The one who wanted to be a superhero when he grew up?" Ender, Nano, Titan, and Blaze were particularly close in age, so the four often hung out together as a group. As a result, Ender was closer to them than he was most the younger or older heros. "Yeah, 'Goodguy?' He came over a week ago and was talking to me about you and whatnot, how come you never told me you took up a brand offer? I thought we 'aren't supposed to be celebrities."

"The society told me to, it'd make me more familiar apparently. I just happened to be the first one asked, I'm surprised they haven't asked you yet." Etho leaned back in his seat, placing his drink down. Blaze laughed at his response, "Me? Really? Besides you and Hotguy, the society couldn't care less about what the rest of us do as long as it's not hitting civilians."

"That's not... true." Etho realized mid-sentence Blaze was very much correct. Sure, all the heros were popular and well-known, Etho hadn't witnessed any other heros with a 'fragrance line.' Etho hadn't taken notice before. "I don't see it as a bad thing, I'd rather work behind the scenes. The pressure is too much." Blaze stood up, he finished his martini.

"Hi... Agent Ender and Blaze. Hotguy wants you guys to join in on a game of spin the bottle, you guys up for it?" Doctor Potato came up to them, eyes on the ground. It was evident to Etho that the younger was nervous, he was fiddling with his bead bracelet. The boy always had it on him, when asked he said it was a good luck charm from a friend of his.

"I am, what about you, Ender?" Blaze was quick, jo hesitation. Etho thought about it, what's the worst that could happen? He kisses Bdubs? Yeah. That's right, they know each other's civilian identities. Not that they were supposed to, nor does anyone else know that they knew. They got... intimate one night and one thing led to another—they made a pact.

An identities pact.

To promise each other they would never tell another soul about each other's identities. In reality, Etho wasn't that against kissing Bdubs, unless Nano had something to say about it (considering Nano was a close friend and he and Bdubs were now dating). "Yeah, why not?" Etho took his drink with him.