Cobl's Lab... wait no!

Unspoken (ported from my Ao3)

...for some reason the Ao3 people liked this one? So It's going here. 

It's inspired by Well, I walked into your dagger for the last time (in a row) by postmaster_pearlo because it made me really sad. Also that author is on here too, so umm... if you are reading this again, I'm sorry.

Link to fic I got inspired by: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58085650

"Eefo, I don't want to see you right now." He said voice muffled by the blanket. He had clearly been crying.

Etho uncovered his head. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Don't you have to get back to your date with Bdubs." Joel asked, somewhat condescendingly. As if part of him didn't want Etho to go.

"Oh, we just broke up." He noticed Joel relax a bit, but quickly move to comfort him. "No, no don't worry about me. We just decided we were better off as friends. I think I'm in love with someone else anyway."

"You could have told me you were dating. I know you thought it was obvious but I genuinely didn't know until today." He mumbled just loud enough for Etho to hear.

"I thought you knew." He replied.

He half-yelled. "Well, I didn't. Just, please tell me anything big like that just in case. Please."

"I'll try. I promise." He said, taking the shorter man's hand. Yet here he was, keeping his biggest secret that wasn't really a secret.

Etho knew he wasn't the sappy type, but compared to Joel, he was a pine full of it. Of course that didn't mean they didn't care, they very much did, they just didn't like to show it.

Maybe if he'd shown Joel how much he cared, how little the cow really meant to him, things would have ended differently.

Maybe if he hadn't pushed him to be sappy... especially in front of his friends, things would be better.

Joel was grinning, which could be good, really bad, or both. "Wait. You don't have your date anymore. So that means you have no excuse to not watch Tangled with me, right?"

Etho laughed. "Here, I'll tell you what, you go wash your face and I'll make us some soup. Then we can watch it together ok?"

Joel beamed and immediately ran off to the bathroom.

Etho set off to work, chopping up the herbs, stirring lightly, adding just the right amount of spice.

By the time he was done, Joel had finished, having decided to put in some extra effort into looking nice. It definitely did a number on Etho, who couldn't hide his blush without the mask.

They ate dinner in silence, but oddly enough it wasn't awkward at all. It was kind of eerie seeing Joel comfortable enough to not be talking. But also, nice.

"Soup's surprisingly good, what for a washed up guy like you." Joel said, rinsing out his bowl.

"Hey! I'm not washed up! If anything you are, Mr. I-just-washed-my-face"

"That was 30 minutes ago! But still, making soup for me even though you're the one who got dumped, you sure you're not a bit obsessed."

"Why you!" Etho fireman carried Joel to the couch, the shorter man pretending to fight back, but Etho knew he loved it.

Somewhere throughout the movie Joel had started to lean on Etho's shoulder, Etho putting his arm around him.

They reached the scene where Flynn and Rapunzel were watching the lanterns from their boat.

"You know, this reminds me a lot of how we met. Us in boats picking up the lily pads together." Etho chuckled.

"Yeah. You know it's crazy that every time we come together it's always around a boat. When we first met. That time in the pillager tower. The Relationship." He paused.

Instead of watching the iconic movie scene, they were now staring into each other's eyes. "I feel like when it burned, that's when everything started going downhill. I don't know if we could have ever gotten along without it." Joel continued

Etho raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't have to be that way." He had told himself he'd never fall head over heels for his ex again, even going as far as dating others just to try to get over him.

But he was having a hard time right at this moment. Joel looking at him like that again, hand on his face. And all he wanted was to give in.

"I... I-" Joel choked on his words, face red, unable to look him in the eye. Joel was never one to show affection, talk sweet or all that. Etho understood that just fine.

But he could tell Joel was trying. For him. Even though the words were never spoken, Etho knew what he meant.

Etho put a finger to Joel's lips to shut him up. Joel licked it, catching him off guard, causing them to burst into a fit of giggles.

By the end of the movie Joel had fallen asleep head in his lap, Etho running his fingers through his hair. As much as he wanted to stay like this forever, he was getting a bit tired himself.

He carried Joel to his room, the signature green everywhere throughout. He put the man on the bed and gently threw a blanket over him. He brushed the hair out of his face before kissing his forehead.

"Love you too, idiot." He whispered before leaving him to rest. He knew Joel would tease him endlessly if he heard, but he didn't care. At least on his end, he didn't want it to be this unspoken thing anymore.

Joel would be ready when he was ready.
It didn't matter if he ever said the words, Etho knew it was true. He was willing to wait as long as it took. And then it would mean all the more.

Yah, I still kinda hate it. One time when I convinced myself a 9 year old wrote it, I... didn't? But hey, maybe some day I can write something without dying inside every time I read it again.