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tunastime · 1 month

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A Gear of the Heart, Starting

just a little something I wrote for somebody's (@shepscapades) birthday back in November :3 after I asked what etho and bdubs would've been like shortly after etho's deviation. this is the few times before last life where bdubs realizes etho might be a good friend, and how their relationship changes. comes right before A Gear of the Heart, Turning! (4653 words)

Etho remembers quite a bit.

He remembers the ricochet of the explosion through his left side. He remembers a dozen errors across his vision, showing every unit damaged by the blast, the fractals of fracturing snaking up his arm, the shattered remains of his central programming lingering like a livewire.

Over and over he can remember the pitch of Bdubs’ voice and had to wonder his own diagnosis at that moment. Bdubs watching his android die in his name—he remembers that, too. Bdubs didn’t even ask for that. It was something Etho gave to him. He’s not sure he could even say why, either.

It remained a bitter flavor he couldn't identify, even as Xisuma assured him he was okay. Something had happened then, sitting on that floor, thirium in hand. Some movement in his chest he couldn’t place. It wasn’t anything physical, but it felt like some gear of his nonexistent heart had started, turned—rotated. And all he could do was ask himself why. What’s he supposed to do with that?

He doesn’t know. Fine.

Etho goes back to work at someone’s request. Not even his own request, either, so he has to wonder if maybe Doc put him up to it. Him being Bdubs. Him being Bdubs who shifted back and forth on his feet at Etho’s door—a facade of a base in the process of being designed. If one could even call it a base, yet.

And even though he was increasingly certain that Bdubs had been told to ask—and Etho asked him if he’d been asked to help, and he was adamant about asking by himself, that’s what he said. He said: “You think I gotta be told to ask people for help? I can’t just be doin’ things on my own?” and it had felt so much like doublespeak that Etho didn’t even fight to differentiate his tone.

But Bdubs had asked if he wanted to help with the horse course. Terraforming—it should be right up his alley, if he’s still into that kind of stuff. Figured he was the expert—or so it goes. Etho had nodded. He wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to do. He supposes he could have easily said no.

But every part of him yearned to say yes.

So he did.

The dust sifts through his fingers.

Etho perches in the grass, partially hunched as he leans over his line of redstone, shrouded by the hill half-built around him. He’d spent most of the week prior carving out the lines of the track, setting posts for buildings, laying out blueprints for Bdubs to finalize. Today, he lays his line meticulously, dust shifting in his hands. They still shake a bit—nothing a human would notice, nothing that disrupted the flow of his lines, but the overworked gears still shifted in protest as he worked. He could see the faded overlay of the project in his vision if he focused. It crackled, slightly blue-yellow, orange glowing indicators where action was needed, where there were mistakes to be corrected.

It isn’t his redstone to fix. The lines under his hands were—freshly laid by his near-expert technique—but the deeper lines, noteblock announcements, droppers, doorgates, the flourish of the house course, weren’t. Etho smooths out the line he was standing near with his thumb.

There was nothing wrong with the laid redstone, really. It’s just. Well. It’s not even. It takes up so much space. It lacks the efficiency and tidiness he practiced to a precision. It radiated Bdubs in an overpowering way, one that might turn a gear of the heart—one he didn’t have, of course. Etho’s lines are neat, rigid, conforming to his perfect mental map.

He lets down his section of dust, drifting over to the dispenser system. He pushes a line further into place, brushing dust back from the side. Further on, where the line crosses, he readjusts it, he smooths them from start to end of line. His hands work where his mind recalculates, looking for errors along the redstone already laid out by Bdubs. Programs bubble up to assist; he dismisses a message, and another as he works. The line straightens from source to sink.

As he passes, searching for another correction, he hears someone above him. In the corner of his vision, another message notification pings: from Bdubs.

They’re all from Bdubs, actually, now that he notices in full. He blinks, mouth twisting into a frown. Whoops.

He hears someone—Bdubs, he realizes, as he notes the fall of his feet, and the sigh he hops down from his horse, the shuffle of said horse, hooves on grass—clear their throat. Bdubs shuffles around as Etho moves back over to his finished redstone, dusting his hands on the sides of his pants. He lifts the small bag of dust, twisting the tie shut around his fingers as he travels back up the line to recheck the connections.

“Etho?” Bdubs calls. Etho straightens, just on instinct alone, glancing up at the stretch of sky he can see. It’s bright blue, barely dotted with clouds, and the grass looks warm with sun. He fixes where the dust starts as he sections off the end, tossing the rest of the redstone over to his sling bag.

“Under the hill!”

Bdubs leans over the edge, tilting his head at Etho as he peers into the dark. It takes him a moment to find Etho’s face, partially obscured by black fabric and the fluff of wool around his collar. Etho tilts his head, raising his eyebrows.

“Did you need something?” he asks, arm hanging loosely by his side. Bdubs frowns, too, watching Etho’s expression. As his eyes seem to adjust to the dark, his gaze falls on the lines of redstone. He pauses there for a long moment. In that moment, Etho feels something in his chest grind, almost to a noticeable ache. If he could pull in a breath to settle it, he might have, but the sensation and minute sound passes as soon as he moves his hand to press flat against his regulator. Bdubs is gone when he looks up, reappearing only as he drops into the cavern, catching himself on the wall. He readjusts his cloak around his shoulders, shuffling into the low-light.

“Etho,” he says, still frowning. Etho looks him over. He watches Bdubs set his hands on his hips, but his heart rate stays even and his temperature level. The only thing that changes is the tone of his voice, fluctuating with a pattern Etho recognizes as forcing something. Bdubs takes a long breath in and lets it out. Etho’s eyes find the twitch of his fingers as he folds his arms, rather than the sharp curve of his mouth.

“Yes?” Etho asks. He feels his pump work a little harder. It kind of hurts still, whatever’s stopped working in his chest. He flicks his eyes, recalling a diagnostic, setting it to run in the background as he closes out of the overlays and the world returns to yellowish-grey. Bdubs is still frowning.

“You mind tellin’ me what’s wrong with this redstone?”

Etho blinks. The diagnostic comes up clear.

“What do you mean?” he says, his expression shifting into something copying amusement. He’s trying. He’s at least trying to mimic the emotions he sees. Soon enough it’ll feel natural, he’s certain. “What’s wrong with it?”

Bdubs snorts, which turns into a laugh, which turns into Etho smiling a bit wider, a bit more confusion lingering in his expression as he leans around Bdubs to check his meticulously placed line. Bdubs turns away from him, facing the system, the clock that linked the start gates to the timer below.

“What’s—” Bdubs scoffs, shaking his head. “What’s wrong with it? Etho—” he holds out his hand, waving Etho over. Etho lingers at his shoulder as he steps forward, peering over the curve of it and the moss and small leaves and flowers draped over his neck. “It’s too perfect.”

Etho makes a sound like a scoff now, a caught sound in his vocal unit, a stuttering start to his sentence that doesn’t form right away. He’s trying for surprise, the pitch of his voice rising unexpectedly.

“It’s too perfect?” he asks.

Bdubs nods. After a moment, Etho thinks he sees his expression shift, the high of his cheek rising. When Bdubs turns his head to look at him, just for a second, Bdubs is smiling.

“Bdubs,” Etho says, sighing, turning away from him, to his bag on the far side of the room. He shakes his head. That something-nothing in his chest flutters and fades and disappears all at once, instead replaced with the urge to smile back. Bdubs laughs, and Etho can imagine him tipping his head back, mouth curved up as he giggles to himself. Etho shakes his head. As he starts to pull away from Bdubs, he feels him catch his sleeve, holding fast to his elbow.

“Etho, wait—” Bdubs giggles. “It looks really good.”

Etho raises his eyebrows. Caught in Bdubs grasp, all he can do is look at him, head tilted, trying not to let the amusement show on his face. Bdubs giggles, face breaking again as he does.

“Etho…” he tries again, fighting back a smile. Etho tilts his head the other way, as if to prompt him further, looking for anything. He stays silent. Bdubs hand lowers slowly, that smile faltering just a fraction. Maybe he thinks Etho’s upset with him. There’s a flicker of recognition in his eyes. “You gonna say anythin’? Or you just gonna stand there?”

Etho smiles, finally. He shrugs a little, glancing over at the fixed lines of redstone.

“I fixed your redstone,” he says cooly, sticking his free hand in his pocket. Bdubs blinks. He jerks away as Etho’s smile grows, shoving him hard in his shoulder. Etho wobbles for a moment, smiling to himself, scrunching up his face as Bdubs’ expression morphs. He does laugh, after a beat, poking Etho in the shoulder as he does. Etho hopes he can see the smile in his eyes. He saves, logs, keeps this moment. He’s sure in the low light that his LED spins yellow for a moment. It feels right. If there’s any feeling to catalog.

Bdubs huffs. Etho thinks he hears him say something under his breath. It sounds a lot like thank you.

It’s out of habit, rather than obligation, that Etho finds himself back at the horse course. Of course he ends up here, his feet moving him about as if his brain-not-brain had no thoughts of its own. Man. Some days, it really felt human.

He wanders across the plain, eyes lingering on fully-built buildings, knowing the schematics and plans, watching as those plans-now-buildings stretched higher above his head, where they nearly threatened to pop the sky wide open.

Bdubs had sat down with him earlier that week, papers spread out between them. He’d stopped by, actually—worked his way up the mountain to the base Etho had finally finished, papers in hand, looking like he was on the verge of collapse. He’d dropped the blueprints on the largest table Etho had managed to clear, spreading out the designs for huge, complex buildings. Etho watched him explain, listened for the inflection of when to offer suggestions, heard the way Bdubs’ voice grew quieter, almost conspiratorial, as he explained his palette. There was something methodical in the way Bdubs spoke, not only in the approach to his colors, but to his style. As much as it seemed eclectic and strange, he watched the pieces fall together as Bdubs spoke of his gradients. There was something deeper there, a precision that Etho, all of a sudden, in that room, craved to emulate. To write to disk. To save. To do more than just copy.

He’d built the horse stable first—all to his own specifications. It was Bdubs later who came in to detail, tilling up the dirt around to plant grass and flowers, sectioning off parts of the empty stable. It was almost difficult to compartmentalize that Bdubs was finished with it now. That they’d worked each line of the redstone and Etho had supervised the first steps of building, and now he could look up and see the very top, or almost, if he were to strain, of the spikes above the buildings.

And in just a few weeks, Bdubs was onto another project. Etho smiles to himself. He can’t help it. There was something rather comforting about that. Something about Bdubs dragging him along to help, pointing him toward the thing he was good at, and asking for help. Bdubs showing up at his door with plans. Bdubs cracking jokes with him, and looking for a laugh Etho couldn’t replicate yet. It’s like something clicked. Or was just on the breach of it. And Etho liked it.

Etho clears his field of view, taking in, instead, the stretch of sky where it met the ocean, along the line of hills and grass and flowers, and further still, to the smudge that looked like Bdubs. He blends in too well—the green of his coat barely noticeable against the field of grass that splayed out from the side of his build. There were still materials strewn about—chests half opened, shulkers stacked waist high.

Bdubs stands to the side of a dark grey and white horse, one hand placed on its nose, the other digging through his bag. Etho watches for a moment. Bdubs fishes around for that entire second that he lingers, searching for something, until he pulls out an apple. Another falls to the ground, rolling away from him. He holds out the fruit for the horse as Etho clears his throat.

“Hiya, Bdubs—” he says as Bdubs startles, twisting around to see him. He huffs, an immediate frown coming to his face. Bdubs turns to fetch the dropped apple, holding it high above his head as the grey horse nudges its nose into his empty hand. He pats it instead.

“Etho,” he says, tone thin. He sighs, shaking his head. “Scared the life outta me, you know that? You gotta make some noise when you’re walkin’ around.”

Etho smiles, a nice and easy reaction to the annoyance in Bdubs’ voice. It’s getting easier. At least a bit. The smiling part, that is. The inflection that comes with being happy.

“I’ll try next time,” he says, shrugging his shoulders. His hands find his pockets as he looks around, eyes following the path around the buildings. He’s sure the pollen and moss will be stuck to his clothes for days before he gets them out.

“Mm,” Bdubs hums, unconvinced. “I’m sure you will. Now, what’re you doin’ here? You don’t have anything better to do?”

“That’s a good question,” Etho says.

Bdubs turns back to him for a second, just a glance over his shoulder as he cocks his head to the side. He raises his eyebrows before he turns back to the horse, who’s started to nose at his bag. He drags his hand down its nose.

“You’re tellin’ me you don’t have an objective right now?”

“I never have an objective, Bdubs.”

Bdubs snorts again . Etho steps over, slow, minding the horse. It sniffs as Etho holds out his hand, nosing his gloved palm. He pats the horse's nose, somewhat stilted, smoothing over the soft bridge of his nose.

“Right,” Bdubs hums. When Etho glances over to him, Bdubs glances away, as if he’d lingered as Etho stepped over. He’s not moved from Etho’s side, which. Makes something fit into Etho’s chest in a way he isn’t expecting. He rests his hand on the horse's head, looking over at Bdubs in full.

“I can’t come see how the horse course is looking, now that you’re done?” he asks. Bdubs makes an embarrassed sounding noise, watching the rise of the buildings to their left. The horse sniffs, and Etho lifts his hand away, letting it fall to his side.

“I—I got excited about it,” Bdubs mutters. If Etho leans enough, he can see the beginnings of a flush creep over his cheeks, up the shell of his ear. Something about that, too. Etho looks beyond him, though, studying the rise of the buildings as Bdubs does. He nods to himself.

“I can tell,” he says, amusement slipping into his voice, almost naturally. Immediately, Bdubs whips around again, face twisted in offense.

“Hey!” he snaps. “You makin’ fun of me?”

Etho shakes his head, spreading his hands out in front of him as he does.

“No, no. Not at all,” he says, hoping the smile he’s giving is reaching his eyes. “I’m saying we make a pretty good team.”

Bdubs makes a little huff of a sound, but his posture and expression softens. Etho studies it from the moment it appears, trying to place the emotion behind it. He seems upset—but not from anything Etho said. He almost looks guilty.

“We’ve always made a good team,” Bdubs mumbles. Etho blinks.

“Since when have we been a team?”

“Since—s…” Bdubs blurts, then backtracks, folding his arms over his chest. “Well we’re a team now!”

Etho raises his eyebrows, stepping away from the horse and more around Bdubs’ side. He leans in a bit as he stands by his side, bumping their shoulders together. Bdubs doesn’t recoil. Instead, he pushes back, just for a moment, and they jostle. Bdubs hums, sighing through his nose.

“Are we?” Etho asks. Bdubs nods, short and firm.

“Mhm! ‘Cause I said so.”

Etho nods with him. There’s that thing again, a turning, jostling, in some part of his chest that really shouldn’t turn or jostle. He can feel his temperature tick up just a few degrees, a fan kicking on to settle the temperature, thirium sludging warm to cold through his limbs. A team, huh? He couldn’t beat Bdubs’ conviction, that’s for sure. Maybe it was a bit of guilt, then. Maybe something in Bdubs had realized Etho was much more of a help than a hindrance. Maybe Bdubs wanted a friend. Maybe he just felt bad and the feeling bad got to a point where he had to just do something about it. Etho didn’t know. He didn’t live inside Bdubs’ brain. And picking at Bdubs’ every emotion was a task enough to drive his processor into the ground. He could already feel another spike in temperature, LED glowing yellow-blue. Maybe it wasn’t all bad. Etho sticks his hands in his pockets.

“I’d like that,” he says, finally pushing out the words as his programming jumps into gear, “What’s our next project then?”

Bdubs goes back to jostling him before he turns away, moving from Etho’s side to collect his horse. Gathering the horse's reins in his hands, Bdubs pauses.

“Ooh…” he says, frowning a little. Etho watches the little furrow of his eyebrows—thinking. Bdubs is turning the idea over in his head. Bdubs steps back over with the horse in tow, already walking in the direction of the horse stable. Etho jolts forward, taking several big steps to match Bdubs’ pace. “Well why don’t you come back to the clock and we can talk about it, huh?”

“That sounds nice.”

Bdubs makes an affirmative sound, leading the horse around and into the stable. Etho watches him unlatch the gate, ushering the horse into the pen.

“I can put the kettle on and everything,” Bdubs says. He lifts the bridle out of the horse’s mouth, running his hand along the length of the horse’s nose. Etho doesn’t mean to watch him as he does, but the action is so purposeful. There’s a moment where Bdubs’ expression is unreadable—unreadable as in Etho simply can’t place anything on it. Unreadable in the amount it changes—something softer than he’s seen, something far away. Bdubs’ whole demeanor seems to shift as he stands still for a moment. Etho isn’t sure what to do with himself. He’s just standing in straw and dirt and stones, all of which he can feel under his shoes. He shuffles a bit, back and forth, to make his presence known, before he says:

“You know I can’t drink anything, Bdubs.”

And Bdubs rolls his eyes, squinting over at him, stepping away from the horse to hop the gate.

“Well you can at least fake it,” he grumbles. He folds his arms again, wrinkling his nose at Bdubs as Bdubs leads him out of the pen and into the open field around the horse course. The shadow of the buildings above them hasn’t changed, yet. The sun is still high and warm in the sky.

Etho laughs. At least, he makes a sound that he thinks passes as a laugh. Bdubs laughs too, though, so it must sound pretty convincing. He nods, the smile on his face feeling much more natural than he ever could have expected.

“I could fake it,” he laughs. “Sure.”

Bdubs grins at him. It’s nice. It makes the walk back to his base a little more bearable.

By the time Etho gets his invitation to the life game, he’s grown accustomed to being at Bdubs’ side again. He wanders around Bdubs’ base like he knows it, makes it a spot he chooses to map, to memorize. Bdubs checks in on him when he isn’t around as much—asks him how his builds are going, wonders if he needs help. Bdubs lingers in his spaces too, like a plant trying to root, gives himself reasons to stand in doorways just a bit longer, just enough to extend their goodbyes. It feels right—in a way that almost gives reason to Etho’s deviation. Maybe, deep down, from their first introduction, Etho had decided to glue himself to Bdubs’ side and not become unstuck. Maybe he’d simply put that decision, his first ever decision, into motion that day. It didn’t matter much as to why anymore.

When Etho gets his letter, he doesn’t open it. He holds it between two fingers, turning it over and over. He doesn’t need to read it to know what it says. There’s a dark red seal on the back, shaped like a heart. He makes a little sound, some sort of click in the back of his mouth, before he stuffs the letter in his pocket, half-folded.

He finds Bdubs exactly where he expects. Bdubs is sitting cross-legged in his garden, hands in the dirt, when Etho arrives at the crescent moon base. If he looks closely enough, Etho can still tell that Bdubs’ own letter sits on his window sill in the kitchen, unopened. But he’s really squinting to notice, so he writes it off for now as a flaw in his own sight.

Bdubs turns to him as he walks up. His hair is pushed back away from his face with his bandana, and his hands are covered in dirt, and he’s got a streak of black soil across his forehead that Etho tries not to look at for too long. Bdubs shoots him a toothy grin, going back to his bright orange tulips. If Etho looks long enough, he could probably guess the soil mixture, and tell him if it's good enough to be planting orange tulips in, but he doesn’t. Instead, he comes to stand behind him and Bdubs hums in greeting.

“Etho,” he says, looking up again, wiping the dirt from his forehead. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, nothin’,” Etho says, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He forgets who he picked the gesture up from, but it’s become part of his natural body language patterns now, so he won’t be stopping it anytime soon. “I just came to see how you were doing.”

“How I was doin’, huh?” Bdubs asks, amusement trickling into his voice. Etho smiles, feeling his face pull.

“Mhm,” he says. “That’s right. I can’t come and check up on a friend?”

Bdubs laughs, sticking his spade in the dirt.

“Oh, we’re friends now?” he says, still giggling as he turns around. “I thought we were just a team.”

Etho watches him lean back on his hands, legs coming out from under him. He tries to read Bdubs’ expression and voice for any note of insincerity, or play, or teasing, but doesn’t find anything he normally associates with Bdubs. This just feels true.

“I mean, I figured with how much we’ve been working together…” Etho starts, to which Bdubs startles, waving his hands.

“No, no!” Bdubs yelps. “Etho, I thought the same thing! I just wasn’t expectin’ it from you.”

Etho blinks. It feels owlish, small, almost a wrong reaction to hearing Bdubs say something like that. But it’s what immediately happens, before he tries to open his mouth, and no sound comes out. He waits for a moment. He assumes his LED spins, maybe even red, as Bdubs watches him, face paling.

“Oh,” Etho says quietly.

“We’re friends,” Bdubs says, voice much smaller than Etho’s ever heard it. “‘S that alright with you?”

Etho feels like the proper response would be to laugh, if he could really feel anything at all besides every gear in his chest halting and restarting themselves. He makes a noise that sounds almost like a cough.

“Mhm,” he says. He watches Bdubs’ shoulders relax and finds that his own posture sinks with it.

“Good,” Bdubs says, nodding along. “Was there anything else you wanted to scare me with?”

Etho knows this tone—playful. Teasing. He works up a smile and fishes the letter from his pocket, slightly bent. Bdubs’ eyes flick right to it, right to the red seal pressed into the paper. Immediately, he scrambles up, reaching for the note in Etho’s hands. Etho lets him grab it in his dirt-covered fingers, even as Bdubs tries frantically to dust off his hands as he notices. Bdubs turns it over itself, glancing up at Etho.

“It’s for you?”

Etho nods.

“It was on my doorstep this morning,” he says. “I can see you’ve got one in your window?”

Bdubs snorts, shaking his head.

“Yeah, I haven’t opened the damn thing. I’m excited up until the point I’m not, ‘cause I know I’m gonna lose again.”

Etho hums. As Bdubs hands him back the letter, Etho rests his hand on his shoulder, giving it a hesitant, light squeeze. Bdubs looks quickly down at it, before he’s back to staring at Etho’s face.

“Don’t worry, Bdubs,” he says, hoping his voice is full of amusement and affection like he feels like it is. “You’ll have me there this time!”

And Bdubs laughs, full and warm in his chest, and Etho jostles him around as he does, until Bdubs is smacking his shoulder and wiggling free. He picks up his fallen hat and his tools, and Etho follows him around the side of the house as he puts things away. As he shuts one of the chest, Bdubs says:

“You mean that, though? You wanna be on a team?”

Etho smiles, feeling his eyes squint, forces every ounce of new feeling into his words when he says:

“I don’t think I wanna team with anyone else, Bdubs.”

And Bdubs’ grin in excitement is more than enough to convince him he’s made the right choice.

It’ll be a long two weeks until the death game starts. When he returns home later that night, Bdubs’ plans for success turning over in his brain, recording for later, Etho reads over the letter enough to commit the page to memory. He keeps it safe internally as the letter finds its way to his bookshelf, half-sealed. Through him, like it’s just under the skin, runs an emotion he’s not yet familiar with. He hopes it's a good one, at the very least. He hopes so, as much as an android, a machine, someone just now familiar with the idea of free will, can hope.

It feels good, though. And something makes him think that everything will turn out just fine.

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saphushia · 1 year

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surprise!! i can do non-angst comics!! @shepscapades 's dbhc au again, set soon after bdubs learns that etho's deviant and is working on comprehending that etho's a whole ass person.

technicallyyy in shep's art etho's wearing his trademark outfit from the start, but like. ignore that. that's not a big deal. unimportant. what if he wasn't and bdubs gave him that outfit because the default android uniform just looked way too formal and wierd. what if.

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green-g3ck0 · 2 years

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Inspired by this art by @shepscapades

Its short, but I couldn’t think of much ^^’

Word count; 708

~~~~~

What even happened? Etho takes a moment to rack his memory to remember breaking a red code, running to his friend- owner?- and making sure he took the brunt of the explosion. What he didn’t expect was how bad the repercussions were. He stood there for a moment before a warning popped up, then another, and a few more as he fell to the ground.

[Thirium low, replenish soon. 3 hours left. Audio processor damaged, files corrupted. Arm, shoulder, and face damaged. Stress levels high, 81%. Optical repair is required. Low power mode enabled. ]

His whole body felt like it hurt. Felt like? He wasn’t supposed to feel- or at least be able to process what pain feels like. He broke out of his code. He was instructed to mine, thats it. Not help the other from dying unless called for. He wasn’t told to do anything but mine. He disobeyed. He deviated. He’s a deviant.

No- no no no! He can’t be! What does that mean for him? Will X replace him? He doesn’t want replaced- is BDubs okay? What if theres more mobs and all he’s doing is bleeding out! Why is he so worried? He’ll come back.

But its not the same. BDubs will be different. He won’t have the same memories and feelings and experiences. Both of them will have to start over. BDubs hates starting over on anything. What if he gives up? What if he comes back and BDubs tells him off, leaving him behind? What if he doesn’t come back? What if Etho doesn’t come back?

He doesn’t want to die. He wants to live. He wants to be alive. He wants to get up and tell BDubs to shut his loud mouth, taking them back to the surface and pretending it never happened. He doesn’t want X to find out. Will X find out? Does X already know? What if he does! Oh god, Etho is done for. He doesn’t want to die.

How long has it been? Not long.

He shifts just a bit to look a bit better at his companion. The poor man is gripping his hair, mumbling and trying not to cry.

How Etho wishes he could get up and hug him. Hug him and tell him he’s okay, he’ll listen next time.

[Stress level lowered, 75%]

Does he feel less stressed by imagining happy moments? That makes him smile a bit, soon imagining hearing the other laugh again. Its not often he saw the other comfortable, but he remembers rare chances. He remembers Grian and Scar telling him about the weird way Mumbo works around doing tasks. Or even Pearl showing off how she dressed Impulse. Talking to other hermits made BDubs smile, knowing his emotions could be told and his mannerisms were understood.

[Stress level lowered, 69%]

He thought of more, but soon felt his body being picked up. He felt labored breathing a a bit of cold wind, like the person was running. He couldn’t help but try to find his pulse.

[Heart rate exceeding normal levels]

Poor friend, Etho forgetting who was with him. Their name slipped his mind and their face now a blur. Why was he forgetting? It upset him for some unknown reason, he should remember. Why doesn’t he remember? He has to! If he forgets things he’ll be shut down.

Shut down.

He doesn’t want shut down. It’s inevitable at this point. He deviated. He stopped mining to kill a creeper. He feels pain. He feels sad. He feels scared. Scared. So fucking scared. He doesn’t want to forget. He doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want to be shut down. But he did wrong. Its going to happen. All he can do is pray to RA9 that they can save his ass. Save him. Keep him alive. Keep him with BDubs. Keep him safe. Keep them both safe. Safe and happy.

[Stress level heightened, 80%]

All he can do is wait. Save power. So he goes fully limp against the other and waits. Waits and hopes.

#hope you like it #been wanting to write this for a bit ^^’#mars writes #mars is thinking (oh no)#mars tags #hermitcraft dbh au #dbhc #hc dbh au #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #bdubs #hermitcraft

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bruhman745 · 2 years

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ANOTHER SHORT FOR @shepscapades DBHC AU!! (go read her comics first and then this!) this is entirely self indulgent and could happen chronologically after the last one i posted btw!

also all of these r on ao3 btw!

[fic below read more so i dont clog feed :)]

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The whole concept of kissing was new for Etho, but he quickly learned that Bdubs enjoyed it.

And he meant, really enjoyed it.

Every chance he got, Bdubs was up on his toes, pressing a kiss to Etho’s cheek, hand, forehead, lips. He had always been touchy, but ever since he learned the places where Etho could feel his touches, it’d gotten ten times worse.

Well, not really worse. Etho liked it; he liked it a lot more than he cared to admit.

Sure, androids could make connections and share messages through small touches, but this was something completely different. It was almost like learning another language, even though Etho already knew over six-thousand of them.

Etho learned that kissing meant a lot more than just, "I love you." When he carried Bdubs' shulkers for him, the kiss on his cheek meant, "Thank you." When he tucked Bdubs into bed for the night, the kiss on his lips meant, "Goodnight. I can't wait to see you tomorrow." When he figured out what was wrong with the machine Bdubs had spent days on in just a few seconds, the kisses peppered all over his face meant, "I'd never say this out loud, but I'm so grateful for you."

He took some time to learn all of these kisses, their meanings, their situations, and how he could do the same for Bdubs. But there was still one kiss he couldn't figure out.

"Bdubs?"

"Mm?" Bdubs hummed, looking up at Etho from his place on his shoulder.

"You're falling asleep," Etho chuckled, adjusting his hold as he walked.

"You're carrying me, why‘s it matter?" he mumbled.

Etho sighed, then laughed lowly, “No, I guess not.”

Bdubs laid his head back down and wrapped his arms tighter around Etho’s shoulders, his face buried in the fluff of his coat the whole way back to the base. Etho carefully opened the door and nudged it shut behind him with his foot, using his free hand to turn on the gas lantern in the foyer.

He kicked off his shoes, then set a presumably sleepy Bdubs down on the chair at the entrance so he could do the same for him. He crouched down, glancing up to see the other yawning. He smiled and began to untie his shoes for him.

“You shouldn’t work so late, you know. You have a very specific sleep schedule,” he teased, humming softly. Bdubs closed his mouth and waved a slow hand, giving his head a slight shake.

“I’m as bright as a daisy right now. Who needs sleep? I don’t need-” He yawned again. “-sleep!”

Etho slipped off his shoe, going to untie the other.

“Yeah, right,” he chuckled. “And I’m human.”

Bdubs scoffed.

“Come on, man! You gotta give me some leeway here, please?” He gave Etho his patented “you-have-to feel-sorry-for-me” puppy-dog eyes. Etho just turned away, knowing he’d fold if he met that look for too long. He slid off the second shoe.

“You’re going to bed, and that’s final.”

Bdubs groaned.

“Ethooooo,” he pleaded.

“Bdubssss,” Etho mocked. He sat back on his heels, setting the shoes aside. “I don’t see why you wanna stay up, anyway. You’re the one who’s always in bed first.” He watched the other seem to think for a moment, subtly zoning out for a second before he snapped out of it and spoke again.

“Ugh! Fine. I’ll tell you.” He sat up in his chair, feet brushing Etho’s knees instead of the floor. He lowered his voice, “I’m just a little upset because I didn’t get to see you all day. You were so busy helping everyone else with their stuff, that I finished all of mine before you even got to me!” He huffed and turned his nose up. “It’s not fair.”

Etho blinked, then got up from his place on the floor. He brushed himself off, then put his hands on either arm of Bdubs’ chair. He leaned over him, eyeing the way he shrunk back into the seat before he spoke.

“So you’re jealous?” he smirked.

Bdubs’ eyes widened, and he definitely wasn’t sleepy anymore. He quickly looked away.

“No- No! I don’t get- I’m-” He cleared his throat. “I’m not jealous.”

Etho leaned in closer. Even in the low light, he could see the flush of Bdubs’ cheeks.

“I think you are,” he spoke lowly, voice just below a hum. He knew his own face was flushed too, but his mask covered the color in his cheeks. He reached up, watching Bdubs eyes follow his movements, and pulled it down. “Am I right?”

Bdubs swallowed. Etho heard the chair creak as he squirmed.

“No,” he managed, voice barely a squeak.

Etho heard him, but he still asked, “Hm? What was that?”

Bdubs’ eyes flickered over his face – the smirk on his lips, the challenging look in his eyes – for just a second before they stopped again. He reached up and took a fistful of Etho’s shirt in his hand, pulling him forward just enough for their foreheads to touch.

“If you’re tryin’ to get me to kiss you,” he mumbled, “you should just do it already.”

Etho chuckled, the sound low and sweet in the nighttime air.

“Whoops,” he said simply before closing the distance between their lips. He felt Bdubs’ hand come up to cup his cheek, the touch skittering through his circuits and straight to his head. He moved a hand to cup Bdubs’ cheek, tilting his head up just enough to kiss him better. He knew what the other liked; he had it down to an exact science, a rhythm, at this point. He let himself fall into habit, fingers pressing at familiar points as Bdubs’ touch lit sparks across his skin.

Then came the part he still couldn’t figure out.

Bdubs parted his lips just a bit more, and Etho took that as a sign he wanted to stop. He began to pull away, but Bdubs held his face and kept him close. He didn't complain, enjoying the pressure at the cracks on his cheek and how happy Bdubs seemed

Then, Bdubs bit him.

He didn't even notice until he felt his tongue brush Bdubs' teeth, his programs already automatically analyzing his saliva. He ignored their findings, because his lip exploded into sensations he could only describe as mind-blowing as Bdubs applied pressure. He shivered, then attempted to pull away only to drag his lip between Bdubs’ teeth, hard.

For just a moment, Etho swore he was really alive.

He gasped loud and pulled away, hand flying to his mouth. His whole body felt hot, like he’d fry his circuits at any second, and a warning or two flashed in the corner of his vision. He ignored it, squeezing his eyes shut tight.

That was weird. Really weird. But he wanted it to happen again and again until his processors fizzled out and all he could focus on was how good that felt and how close to being really and truly human he felt-

“Etho? You okay?”

He opened his eyes.

Bdubs stared up at him, concern knitted in his brows, and reached up to brush his hair back. Etho slowly lowered his hand, then cleared his throat.

“I-” He paused, standing up a bit straighter as he attempted to regain his composure. “Yeah. All good. Mhm. Yup.”

Bdubs cracked a smile, and his hand trailed down to graze the cracks on his cheek.

“You look like a smurf.”

Etho snorted, “What?!” He looked away and covered his face with his hands, noting how hot his skin was. Bdubs just laughed again.

“It’s true! I’ve never seen you so- so, vibrant before!” He nudged Etho’s hand out of the way, subtly pulling his face closer again, then pressed a finger to the crack beside his lip. “Did you really like that that much?” he teased, snickering. Etho rolled his eyes, feeling his ears heat up as well.

“Oh my god, shut up right now-”

“Hah! You didn’t deny it!”

Etho breathed a laugh and took Bdubs’ chin in his hand, pulling him up so their lips just barely brushed. Etho felt his grin.

“At least you’re a cute smurf.”

Etho pushed him away, then turned and began to head to the stairs.

“That’s it! Tuck yourself in!”

“What?! No-! Come on, that’s unfair!” He heard Bdubs scramble up from his seat, his hurried footsteps pounding against the wooden floor behind him.

“You can read yourself your own bedtime story while you’re at it, too!”

#hermitcraft dbh au #dbhc au #ethubs #hermitshipping #i love this one so much #its entirely born of shep and i collectively deciding bdubs looks like he bites btw #(just biting in general cuz hes feral but this works too)#mwah anyway hve fun with this one guys

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katkat030 · 1 day

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Ooooh what the thing you're writing abt?

You are SO kind and thank you for asking!

I threw those tags out there fully expecting no one to actually poke me about it and I'm really happy you did :)

Mutuals who know me from elsewhere,,, I already put a summary of this under the story time thread so I guess I have no excuses for not making this public

I'm writing a fic based of the DBHC au (Detroit Become Hermitcraft) comics by Shepscapades (if you're not familiar with it, I highly recommend you check out their blog!! I have SUCH brainrot and the storyline and art are so compelling)

DBHC is a Hermitcraft narrative of sorts that makes use of the android mechanics from the video game Detroit Become Human

here (1), here (2) and here (3) is sort of where it all starts (but I highly recommend looking through the DBHC au tag on their profile <- that link's in reverse chronological order btw so you don't have to scroll down first)

Basically, Xisuma designs androids (like Mumbo, Etho, Impulse and Doc) to assign to some of the hermits (Grian, Bdubs, Pearl and Ren to name a few) at some point around season 8 or maybe earlier, and they help with things like building, terraforming and probably resource gathering.

And at first they're androids, like "command me to do this and I will", but then they deviate, sometimes through a traumatic event or just by nature for whatever reason, and become more human, sentient in a way. And after Etho deviates, him and Bdubs start to become very close friends, with feelings attached, but the gist I get is that Etho doesn't entirely know what he's experiencing, and I think Bdubs is... probably in denial.

anyway, I could go on for hours about this but that's the basis of Shepscapade's DBHC au.

I'm writing an incredibly fluffy (and fighting the urge to write angst. but I may include a pinch, we'll see) oneshot about the two of them. Current plans is that they've been planting saplings (Etho was originally designed to help with terraforming and that, after all) and it's late afternoon, so Bdubs being Bdubs is very, very tired.

And tired people are clingy, they let their guard down a bit, they start giving in slightly to things they don't have enough energy to fight.

Like the urge to reach out and go hey, come back, I actually want you to play with my hair, I want you to lie with me in the sunshine, I want to listen to the sound of your android heart (thirium pump) because it's a reassurance that even though my eyes are closed you're still nearby, I want you here, and I'm going to hang on to you because I don't ever want you to leave again.

#thank you so much for asking!!#I have shepscapades to thank for the entire au! None of this my own except the sunshine oneshot bit fueled by my dbhc ethubs brainrot #I'm really enjoying tackling a fanfic - I've only ever written original characters before this point. it's such fun #my writing #shepscapade's dbhc au #asks #answered #my posts #ethubs #ethubs fanfic #Hermitshipping #Trafficshipping #hermitcraft fanfic #don't know if it's fine to maintag this? I'll stick to names #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #bdubs

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hermitcraftficrecs · 2 years

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Title: Messy Kitchens and Messy Feelings

Fandom: Hermitcraft (Alternate Universe - Detroit Become Human)

Ship(s) Y/N: Yes, Etho/Bdubs,

Centric Character(s): Bdubs, Etho,

Centric Tag(s): Android Etho, Human Bdubs, DBH AU,

Summary:

Bdubs doesn't really like androids, but Xisuma gave him an Android, Etho, anyways. Now they're in the kitchen and stupid ideas lead to awkward situations.

AKA Etho is a Deviant Android and Bdubs refuses to acknowledge that Etho is more than a machine. This leads to kitchen shenanigans.

AU Owner: @shepscapades

Author: [didn’t list a tumblr]

#hermitcraft #hermitcraftficrecs.nonhuman #ethoslab #etho #bdouble0 #bdubs #android etho #hc dbh au #dbhc #hermitcraft dbh au

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team-canada · 1 year

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look at them being cute and adorable and even more cute yippeee!!!!!

for @shepscapades's dbhc au ^-^

#i dont even know why ive done that #insanity kicked in and then my finger slipped i guess LMAOO #cw blood #cw bright colors #cw character death #etho #bdubs #ethubs #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #dbhc #hermitcraft #leo talks #my art

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1-marigold-1 · 4 months

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the boys are finally getting some rest [and some other random dbhc stuff]

dbhc au by @shepscapades , also this drawing is heavily inspired by this post

They are eepy [I mean,,,,, X is sleeping and Doc is just staring at his tea - X will probably make some angry british noises when he wakes up and finds out his tea is cold now--] I started this with intentions to leave it as a sketch oh god

We all love angst but-- let them get some rest and sleep, and tea or coffee okay I'l shut up now--

nahhhh some Eefo

This is so stupid but BDUBS YOUR DOG IS ATTACKING ME

And me as that one meme because this is how it felt when I was writing that long ask [also my sona reveal yippie :D]

#hermitcraft #hermitblr #xisuma #xisumavoid #dbhc xisuma #dbhc doc #dbhc etho #ethoslab #docm77 #dbhc fanart #my sona

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will41n · 8 months

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he can draw humans no way

i actually tried this before, but never posted as a furry artist im very proud of this lil sketch

amazing bdubs design from @shepscapades dbhc au! :3 (OOPS POSTED ON MY WRONG ACC.. repost)

#alex draws #artists on tumblr #hermitblr #hermitcraft #mcyt #bdoubleo100 #bdubs

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mightaswelljxmp · 1 year

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Hello Naruto fans of Tumblr. I approach you today with a cry for help.

Are you a fan of Kakashi? Are you an enjoyer of voting on Tumblr polls?

Congrats! You are now an honorary ethogirl! Bdubs welcomes you. Now GO VOTE ETHO!!!

Art featured:

#help girl i blacked out and made a powerpoint presentation about my two Interests at the moment #mcytblrsexymen #ethoslab #kakashi #naruto #PLEASE spread the word #we need etho to at least get to the finals please please #mcytblrsexymen propaganda #kakashi 4 ethogirls #btw naruto fans you arent allowed to make fun of us for this. we are all insane about 'cringe' media here. you are not above us #kakashi hakate #hatake kakashi

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shepscapades · 6 months

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I promise I had wanted to do doodles from more than Just Bdubs’ pov but I was immediately put into a chokehold by this man’s despair and hysteria over this house and I ended up with one million bdubs doodles instead DFBJDFGHK

(Featuring a little bonus dbhc version of one of the early caving moments!!)

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tunastime · 6 months

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A Gear of the Heart, Turning

so I'm back on an ethubs kick after so very long of not writing them (spacer really changes a man), and decided to take a quick peek back into the DBHC au by @shepscapades beloved. thanks for making me insane! ahhaha <33 etho... anyways enjoy them! <3

(2847 words) (check out DBHC here!)

When Etho comes back from exploring, Bdubs is lying in the grass.

It’s a crisp, cold, clear day. The sun is bright blue, bright enough to stare into and imagine what the burning feeling could be, the cold brightness, the way the sun carries no warmth but a fraction of what it could in the summer. Etho knows exactly what time of year it is, he’s never stopped keeping track, he’s never paused counting the days in his own personal, mental calendar. Fall. Getting colder every day. Nights growing in length, days getting shorter and shorter. In the corner of his eye, if he were to focus on it, he could see the date. For now, though, the sides of his vision held other data—temperature, his own lives, a list of players, his personal chances of success. He’s not here to cause problems, that’s not his job. He’s got another objective, something self-made. Survive. He’s supposed to be surviving. He is surviving, in fact.

If Etho could breathe, he would’ve taken in a lungful of that sharp, cold air, would know the way it hit the back of his throat. Instead, he feels the sun, and the air, and knows them in absolutes, and picks his way around the base and over to Bdubs in the grass. He’s not asleep yet—his heart beats a steady drum, calm and even. Etho notes the slow rise and fall of his chest, the way he sees his eyebrows twitch when Etho stands in the patch of sun he rests in. He pillows his head on his coat, his arms spread out. His eyes don’t open, but his hand reaches out, smacking the side of Etho’s ankle.

“Etho,” Bdubs says tiredly.

“How did you know it was me?” Etho asks, a note of curiosity entering his tone. He tilts his head, a bit unnecessarily. He knows Bdubs can’t see. It just feels right. He’s been doing a lot of that, lately—doing things because they feel right, rather than because he has to. That’s human, isn’t it?

“Who else is gonna come stormin’ into our base and stand in front of me?” Bdubs says. Finally, he cracks open an eye, squinting up at Etho, brows furrowed. His hand messes with the lace of Etho’s boot, twisting it in his fingers. Etho notes it down—he doesn’t want to trip.

“I was quiet as a mouse, Bdubs!” Etho says. He smiles—just enough for it to be seen in his eyes. Bdubs can’t see behind the black mask on his face.

Bdubs snorts. After a moment, he shuts his eyes again. His hand falls still, over his chest. He sighs out a profound thing, face softening as he relaxes again.

“Sure you were, Etho,” he says. Etho hums a little. He likes the sound of Bdubs’ tone when he says that—something about it feels so much softer than normal. Maybe unintentionally tired. Maybe he was asleep before Etho got here. “Get outta my sun, will you?”

Step out of the sun, Etho thinks. It lingers for a moment. Will you? The added request. He considers it for a moment longer before he does. He rounds around Bdubs’ head, drops down to occupy the space right at his right shoulder. The sun shines on both of them.

Etho takes a moment to shrug off the warm coat around him. It ends up on the grass beside him and so does his mask and he leans back on his hands. He soaks in the sun, wondering what that warmth could feel like if it were just a bit stronger, if the bite of cold around them weren’t so prevalent. He wonders how much Bdubs feels of both, if it’s more than him, if it’s less. Bdubs heart stays steady, his breathing even. He still isn’t sleeping.

“That better?” Etho asks, lowering his voice. Bdubs makes a noise, half-startled. Etho looks down at him, watching the way his face changes ever so as he recognizes Etho’s question. He gets the urge, just for a moment, to reach out, to run his hand through Bdubs’ hair, despite how greasy it must be at this point. He wonders if it would tangle. He wonders if it feels any certain way.

“That’s much better,” Bdubs sighs. “Thank you, Etho.”

“Mhm.”

There’s a beat of quiet where they sit together. Etho’s hand sits behind Bdubs’ head. He considers that urge with full merit, listening to Bdubs sigh again, comfortable and content even in the midst of a death game. To be fair, Etho knows he isn’t. This is just a facade for a brief moment—or perhaps it’s Etho himself making him this calm. He can’t tell. Part of him hopes it’s the latter, rather than the former.

Bdubs tilts his head back, craning his neck to get a look at Etho behind him. He smiles a bit, furrowing his eyebrows questioningly. Etho tilts his head again, that questioning gesture, finally letting his hand rest at the crown of Bdubs’ head. Bdubs smile only grows, just a bit, just the smallest fraction. Etho doesn’t move his hand—he just rests it there. Just for a moment.

“What’re you doin’?” Bdubs asks.

“Sitting here,” Etho says plainly. “Is that a problem?”

“You’re lookin’ pretty comfortable.”

“I am,” Etho says. He hums a little, to add to the effect. “You look comfortable yourself.”

“Oh,” Bdubs says, shutting his eyes. “Very much so.”

Etho hums again. He lets his thumb drag over the top of Bdubs’ head, muzzing up his hair, allowing just a moment of self indulgence. Bdubs doesn’t stop him. It’s nice.

Bdubs watches him with a soft, partially confused, partially content look. After a moment, he shuts his eyes, leans his head back down so that Etho’s hand cups the top of his head. He sighs out and clambors up. Etho’s hand falls away after that, and something resembling a pang of longing makes his thirium pump stutter.

Bdubs turns toward him, shifting forward until their knees meet. He blocks part of the sun over Etho, to which Etho nearly makes a comment about it, but it gets lost somewhere as Bdubs squints at him. Late afternoon, Etho thinks. The sun wasn’t high enough in the sky to last much longer. He’ll have to haul himself up and start a fire, soon enough, but Bdubs pins him with that look and Etho can’t move. Bdubs hasn’t even given him a request. It feels self-inflicted.

“You’re staring,” Etho says, a bit obviously.

“You were looking at me funny,” Bdubs says. His mouth curves into a frown. Etho hopes it doesn’t look like he’s watching. Instead, Etho laughs.

“I wasn’t,” he says. Bdubs snorts, shaking his head. He reaches out, patting Etho’s unmarred cheek. The impression his hand leaves is warm—warm enough to almost be hot. Etho’s brain pings the sensation, the impression, the linger of touch, records, stores, repeats. If he had something to swallow he’s sure he would've done it, like he’s seen Bdubs do.

Instead, he raises his eyebrows, and doesn’t say anything, and Bdubs laughs, and Etho doesn’t think another sound could be that good. Bdubs pulls himself up after that, pushing himself forward on his hands and knees, wincing at he twists to stretch, and sighs.

“Tango’ll be back soon to check up on us,” he says. “You wanna get started on a fire?”

Etho looks up at him, nodding slowly. He’s still lingering on that remnant of a touch, the weight of it all. He agrees to what Bdubs says regardless, and as Bdubs nods his thanks and walks away, still complaining about the ache in his back, Etho scoops himself off the ground. Above him, the sun has started to sink in the sky, and the shadows grow.

Etho makes a fire.

Tango comes and goes. He’s not much for sleep, which is typical for him as of late. He laughs as he talks to the two of them, as they bounce around stories about the day passed. Nothing happened—not really, nothing of note. It was slow, full of collection, of waiting, of planning. Tango talks of resource gathering as Bdubs drinks soup from a wooden bowl. It’s a nice slice of quiet, and Etho watches the expression on Tango’s face with a careful contemplation. His red eyes flick to Etho when he talks about their team, and Etho feels that bit of warmth, sharing that eye. Everywhere he goes, he carries a bit of Tango with him. Their odds look better with him here, but he can’t deny the sliver of human error that chips away at that success rate. He doesn’t know how much longer Tango’ll stick around. Surely, he can see it too.

The fire is still going when Tango picks himself up and dusts his pants off and says he’ll be back later. Etho believes him, reaches out to pat his shoulder as he stands with him. Tango jostles, smiles like he means that, too. Etho watches him go before he drops down beside Bdubs again. Bdubs stares into the flames, eyes far away, expression soft. Etho moves to sit next to him, their shoulders almost brushing. It’s Bdubs that closes the gap, pressing to his side, cheek against his shoulder. Etho stays still, stiffening, pretending not to care when Bdubs takes his hand. He can feel the uptick of stress as he sits still, feeling his pump thump in his chest.

Bdubs runs his thumb over the back of his hand, over the valleys of his knuckles. He traces them out with the pad of his finger, and the spark of sensation travels up Etho’s arm, like it could tickle the back of his neck, raise the hair there. It registers, again and again, dull and present but not unpleasant. He leans back into Bdubs. Bdubs laughs a little, just a huff of air.

“You better not be sleepin’ on me, Etho,” Bdubs says, the undertone of sleep coming to his voice. Etho makes a noise of disagreement.

“Never, Bdubs!”

“Mm,” Bdubs sighs. “Good.”

Bdubs lets go after a moment, peeling away from him for just a beat, before they’re sitting side by side again, Bdubs still pressed as close as he can be to his shoulder. Etho notes the way Bdubs shivers, imperceptible. Etho’s the warmest thing besides the fire, here, all moving mechanical parts and expelling heat to keep cool. Not as much as Tango might, but enough to matter. Enough to be a little bit warmer than Bdubs, right now.

Bdubs sighs again, shutting his eyes. Facing Etho, now, Etho can watch his expression change as he starts to warm up, softening, sinking. Bdubs doesn’t open his eyes for a long moment, but his hand comes up, his right hand, left hand replacing the one holding Etho’s wrist hostage. He reaches up to cup Etho’s face in his palm. His warm hand slides up to cradle the scarred side of Etho’s face, and Etho can’t help the immediate reaction of simulated skin fading to white, sliding away where Bdubs’ warm, calloused hand makes contact. Bdubs runs his thumb over a particular crack near his jaw, just a simple, slow motion. Etho wishes he could sigh. It would be the proper response. More than just leaning into the touch and shutting his eyes, more than not knowing why it was nice, and just knowing that it was. It sends sensation after sensation after sensation, the tingling feeling running over his skin and up his cheek and neck. Does Bdubs know? Can he see what it’s doing? Surely he can’t hear the stutter, the way his pump works faster, any of that. If he were to open his eyes, would Bdubs be looking at him? What would that expression look like?

He opens his eyes anyway. He lets them slide open, ignoring the very human response to shut them again, to soak in the touch, the feeling of being held. The feeling he was realizing he would like if he could tie the two together. Bdubs is looking at him, but his expression is soft, almost concerned. Hesitant, maybe. He pauses the drag of his thumb over Etho’s cheek as Etho meets his eye, even as Etho’s expression is low-lidded and unfocused.

“‘S that nice?” Bdubs asks softly, voice going hoarse as it hits the low register.

Etho blinks, slow. The edges of his vision fuzz out, like his optical unit is failing. He opens his mouth, realizing he’s failed to preemptively form a sentence. He makes a sound instead, then tries again, stuttering.

“I don’t know.”

Bdubs frowns a little. Etho leans hard into his palm. Not like that. He doesn’t mean it like that.

“It’s nice, but I don’t know what nice means,” Etho manages. He’s not making any sense. “You don’t have to stop.”

Bdubs’ frown fades, turning soft, warm, into a smile. He laughs a little, a sound Etho registers as a laugh. Good enough to be a laugh.

“I hear you, sweetheart,” Bdubs says gently.

Etho smiles, laughs a little. As much as he’s learned to mimic, so far, something that’s started to morph into his own little sound.

“You getting soft on me, Bdubs?” he asks. He can’t help it—the amused tease comes too natural to kick. He feels Bdubs pinch his cheek and recoils, face scrunching.

“I am not,” Bdubs barks. His voice is flooded with amusement though, and Etho laughs with him. He can’t help it. Bdubs laughs, and he does too, and whatever thing he’s experiencing feels incredibly fond and sweet and he hopes he’ll soon be able to actually pin it to something. What was all that? Who was that, squeezing itself into Bdubs’ body, to touch Etho’s face in a way that he’d never really done before? To admire? Was he admiring? Looking at him? Memorizing like Etho was? Etho watches Bdubs turn away, searching for something to snuff the fire. He pretends not to notice the flush on Bdubs’ cheeks.

Bdubs is such an odd person.

He doesn’t think he’ll ever get a proper grasp of human emotion. Maybe that’s the whole point.

Bdubs snuffs the fire. When he does, he turns to Etho. The mask finds Etho’s face again, and Etho registers the falter in Bdubs’ face when he looks at him.

“Gotta protect that face of yours, don’t’cha?” Bdubs says, swallowing down something. Maybe there’s a hint of emotion Etho is missing. He can’t really tell. His vision sharpens back into clarity as Etho rises to a stand. The sky is just starting to get dark, the air cold, and Bdubs looks over to the wooden structure they’re calling home—more than just the fort. A warmer space than just the fort.

“You know it,” Etho says playfully. That alone cracks the facade of Bdubs’ discomfort. He smiles, shaking his head, rolling his eyes in the good-natured way that Etho always recognized as good-natured and not malicious.

“You comin’ to bed?” Bdubs asks. He jerks his head over to the wooden structure, body halfway turned to it. He doesn’t say anything else, lingering on Etho’s unsaid answer. Etho shrugs, sticking his hands in his pockets as his shoulders rise.

“Maybe. Probably not tonight.”

“Mm,” Bdubs says. “Right. Forget you don’t need to sleep half the time.” Then he laughs, and at the last second, adds:

“You weirdo.”

Etho barks out a laugh—something wholly his own, surprised, startled by Bdubs’ comment. He watches Bdubs turn away from him, still chuckling, still smiling to himself. After a beat, he calls back to him, and Bdubs turns. Etho shrugs off his coat, holding it out to him with one hand, the other still in the pocket of his pants. Bdubs tilts his head, frowning a little.

“You’re not gonna get cold?” he asks. Etho shakes his head.

“I’ll be alright,” he says, smiling. It feels nice to smile. It feels nice that it meets his eyes.

“Okay, Etho,” Bdubs says, taking the coat. He pauses for a moment, draping it over his arm. It feels good. Maybe that’s what Bdubs means by things feeling nice. Feeling. Maybe. “Have a good night, alright?”

“I’ll try, Bdubs,” Etho says, letting his tone be as affectionate as is appropriate. Bdubs nods his head. That smile doesn’t leave his face for as long as Etho can see him.

Bdubs wanders off to their room, quiet. Etho finds that place in the grass again. He’ll check in on him in a bit, spend the rest of the night planning, working, and spend some time resting when he knows he’s able to tomorrow. For now, though, Etho drops himself into the soft grass still present around the base, in the snow, feeling it cold but not yet damp, waning from the evening light. Feeling. Feeling. Feeling. Maybe he can get used to feeling. Maybe he’ll understand feeling on his own. He looks up, into the sky, and tries to see if there are any stars he recognizes.

They wink their way in from the gold-blue sky, and Etho watches.

#dbhc #ethubs #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #tangotek #hermitcraft #hermitcraft dbh au #hermitcraft fic #mcyt #mcyt fic #text #fics #HI SHEPHERD THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO THIS #YALL i am so CRAZY about them #there's another fic too where they kiss #blows myself up RAGHRGAHRAHRRBGHRBGHR #AHEM im fine #im okay now <33 #anyway ethubs weeeeee!!

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saphushia · 2 years

Photo

ok maybe a lil more for @shepscapades ‘s dbhc au. it’s very amusing to me. etho uses his deviancy to be a bit of a menace methinks

#they are blorbos to me <3 #if anyone knows who made the original comic this is based on pls lmk so i can credit #been trying to find it but no luck #hermitcraft #ethoslab #bdoubleo100 #bdubs #dbhc au #hermitcrap #art #just realized i've posted 3 times today. good god #i should draw my own etho design i've only drawn him like once :thonking:

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wren-kitchens · 2 years

Text

oops my hand slipped

this is inspired by @shepscapades amazing dbhc au that has consumed my every waking thought and single-handedly gotten me to ship ethubs like there’s no tomorrow. go check her out, she’s rlly cool

anyway this is probably incredibly inaccurate but I absolutely had to write something when I saw it—I ended up writing this in less than a day lmao

“wait- wait, wait, wait.” bdubs stops his pacing and turns to face etho. “how do you sound like that?”

“I- I don’t know!” etho feels oddly exposed, having bdubs’ full attention again. “it- I don’t-“

stress levels 68%

“I don’t know what this is.” etho is panicking. how does he stop looking like he’s panicking?

“you don’t-“ bdubs has started pacing again. “oh, gosh, x is gonna be so mad if i’ve broken you.” he’s muttering, running his hands through his hair. “it’s gonna be hard enough to hide your eye, how am I-“

bdubs looks up suddenly and rummages through the many pockets in his moss coat. “aha!” he exclaims, pulling out something green and translucent.

etho watches as bdubs moves over to him.

“what-what are you doing?” etho resists the urge to step back as bdubs gets close to his face.

unregistered emotion detected, the warnings flash, thirium pump irregularity detected.

“here, stand still.” bdubs’ tongue is stuck slightly out of his mouth as he stands on tiptoe. he puts the green thing on etho’s ears and nose, and etho realises it’s a pair of sunglasses.

bdubs stands back, then frowns. “well, it’s not perfect.” he mutters to himself.

“what is the point of these?” etho’s face feels hot.

“coverin’ up the red eye.” bdubs says. “green is a complimentary colour to red, it should make it less obvious.”

new unregistered emotion detected

“you- is it unsightly?” etho asks, worried, for the first time, about his appearance. “xisuma can-“

“no!” bdubs says quickly. “um, I mean, we don’t have to bother x, do we? besides.. you look nice.” his eyes widen and he looks away. there’s a faint pink on his face.

huh.

“thank you.” etho says, feeling an odd heat in his cheeks. “why don’t you want to talk to xisuma?”

“he, uh. might get mad if he knew I broke you.” bdubs says.

etho frowns. “you didn’t break me.”

“well I was there.” bdubs says. “I should’ve been payin’ more attention.”

“you didn’t break me, though.” etho repeats. “the creeper did. or I did. both.” he pauses. “not you.”

bdubs is still close. he raises a hand and runs a finger down the crack in his cheek. etho shivers.

oh. that’s new.

“dunno.” bdubs says. etho’s face feels like it’s getting hotter. “still feels like I should’a done something. you weren’t supposed to do anything but mine.”

“i’m- i’m sorry.” etho is heavily distracted by the fact that bdubs is cupping his face. “I didn’t- couldn’t let you die.”

bdubs glances up and jumps backwards. “don’t do that!” he exclaims.

“I- what did I do?” etho asks. he just stood there, didn’t he?

“you were lookin’ at me funny.” bdubs’ face is a deeper pink. “you robots are weird.”

“I was..” etho frowns. “what?”

“you- I don’t know!” bdubs throws his arms up. he’s agitated? “those glasses are supposed to hide your eyes! oh, come here.”

etho makes to walk, but instead bdubs goes to him.

etho frowns as bdubs takes the green sunglasses off. “why?”

“they weren’t working.” bdubs says. he surveys etho’s face again.

thirium pump irregularity detected

yes, he knows, thank you.

“I mean,” bdubs reaches upwards and fiddles with etho’s hair. the warning light flashes more aggressively in the corner of his vision. “it’s not like x is known for getting mad.”

etho is not listening. it’s a weird feeling, bdubs’ hands in his hair. not bad though—no, not bad at all.

“your face is going blue.” bdubs notes. “what does that mean?”

“uhm. probably just a side effect of the explosion.” etho says. he cringes internally. how does he sound so emotional? he barely said a sentence!

“it doesn’t, like, hurt or anything?” bdubs says.

“no.” etho says. “feels.. hot.”

“hot, huh?” bdubs says.

“yes.” etho says tentatively. “what does that mean?”

“nothin’.” bdubs says, badly disguising a grin.

“it has to mean something.” etho says.

“you’re blushing.” bdubs says.

etho puts a hand to his face. “i’m what?”

“blushing.” bdubs says. “it’s what humans do when they’re embarrassed or something.”

“bdubs,” etho says.

“yeah?”

“what’s embarrassed?”

“it’s like..” bdubs frowns. “oh, how’d you describe it? um. it’s like when you do something that’s dumb and you don’t want anyone to see ‘cause they might laugh at you.”

“I haven’t done anything dumb though.” etho says.

“it can be if you think you look silly.” bdubs adds. “like when you were worried about the crack.”

“I.. suppose.” etho says. he was worried about that, but only when bdubs pointed it out.

“anyway, you don’t look silly.” bdubs says, turning around to grab the pickaxe on the floor. “come on, let’s go mining.”

etho hesitates.

“oh, right.” bdubs moves back over to him and takes his hand.

etho pulls up his mask again with his free hand and lets bdubs guide him down the cave. he doesn’t, necessarily, need to hold bdubs’ hand. but.. well, it’s nice.

unregistered emotion detected

that warning light seems to be always flashing when bdubs is involved.

“bdubs.” etho says.

“yeah?”

“there’s another emotion.” he tries. “I don’t know what.”

“well, what’s it feel like?” bdubs asks.

“like..” etho frowns. “I don’t know how to describe it. something.. warm here.” he puts a hand to his chest.

bdubs looks at him. “yeah?” he says again. his voice is oddly gentle.

“it’s nice.” etho says. “I like it.”

“when do you feel it?” bdubs says.

etho thinks. “when I realised you weren’t gonna reset me. when you’re patient with me, like how I can’t find my own way and you just hold my hand.”

“I think you’re feeling happiness.” bdubs says.

“that sounds right.” etho says. “i’m happy when I see you.” he tests the word. then smiles. “yes, that’s it.”

“you’re sweet.” bdubs says, looking away again.

“oh.” etho smiles to himself. “so are you.”

“I am not!” bdubs exclaims suddenly. his face is a deep pink.

“you’re very sweet.” etho pushes, grinning. “holding my hand, helping me.”

“i’m not sweet!” bdubs says determinedly. he snatches his hand away from etho, looking embarrassed.

aha, he can figure out emotions! take that!

“aren’t you?” etho steps closer to bdubs teasingly. “what are you then?”

“i’m- i’m big and tough!” bdubs folds his arms.

“hmm.” etho says, leaning close. “are you sure?”

“you- yes!” bdubs pushes him away, and etho laughs.

“is that why you’re blushing then?” etho says. “‘cause you’re big and tough?”

“I regret teaching you that.” bdubs mutters, pulling up his hood to hide his face.

etho laughs again. “you look very cute.”

bdubs’ breath hitches, and etho worries he’s said something wrong.

then bdubs yells, “HEY!” and pushes etho again, and etho is reassured.

“well, you do.”

“I don’t look cute, you look cute.” bdubs mumbles.

thirium irregularity detected

unregistered emotion detected

cute, huh?

#how’d I tag this #hermitshipping #ethubs #hermitcraft dbh au #hermitcraft #hoax writes #trafficshipping #ig?

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bruhman745 · 2 years

Text

wrote another short for @shepscapades ethubs dbhc au!! highly recommend reading her comic (and looking at her AMAZING art) before reading!

[FIC BELOW READ MORE!]

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“Bdubs.”

“Yes, my love?”

Etho smiled.

“I have a theory.”

Bdubs looked up at Etho from his place on the dirt, already pulling off his gardening gloves.

“A theory? What, you a scientist or something?” he snickered. Etho offered him a hand to get to his feet, and he took it.

“If I’m a scientist, I’m not a very good one,” he chuckled. “But I guess I’m just curious. You wanna test it out with me?”

They had been more than a human and his android friend for a while now, so Etho had taken to his own head to do a bit of… personal research. He wanted to show more affection in the way humans did, just to show Bdubs how much he cared, and he’d found some, confusing but interesting results. After looking into it further and diving deep into some sketchy forums, he was pretty sure this would work.

Bdubs rose an eyebrow, frowning.

“With you?” He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “This isn’t something… weird, is it? Because that’s the vibe I’m getting here!”

Etho rose an eyebrow.

“Weird? How so?”

“Like- Like, I dunno! It seems like you’re propositioning me for somethin’!”

“Is that what you think of me? Wow, Bdubs-”

“No, no no! Don’t you twist my words-” Bdubs huffed, then stamped his foot in the dirt. “Gah! You always do this! Seriously, they make you things way too smart-” He pinched his brows. “Nevermind. You can’t just ask me to test something with you while looking at me like- Like that! It’s weird, and you’re making Bdubs’ mind go to places Bdubs’ mind shouldn’t!”

Etho blinked.

“Looking at you like what?” He wasn’t making a face, was he? Bdubs couldn’t even see half of his face! There was no way he could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his eyes-

“Nevermind! Let’s just-” Bdubs waved a hand and turned, “-go do whatever it is you want me to. Make this quick, though – I’ve got moss to get back to!”

“Your moss will be just fine, don’t worry,” Etho smiled, taking Bdubs’ hand to lead him back to the house.

They got a few feet further before Bdubs grumbled, “I can walk myself, y’know,” but he didn’t let go.

Etho led him inside and shut the door. He let Bdubs set his things down and get comfortable, watching him quietly. Eventually, Bdubs stopped trotting around, absentmindedly mumbling to himself, and stood in front of Etho again with his hands on his hips. He narrowed his eyes again.

"What's this experiment then, huh? You gonna strap me to a table and probe me or something?"

"If that's what you want, then-"

"No! Don't finish that sentence! I don't want that at all!"

Etho laughed, "Really? Are you-"

"Yes I'm sure!" Bdubs poked him in the chest. "Just get on with it!"

Etho stepped closer to Bdubs, studying him for a moment. He noted that his body temperature had risen, his face subtly flushed, but didn't think much of it. He was just outside working all day, after all. It only made sense.

"Close your eyes."

Bdubs frowned.

"What, are you gonna rob me or something? You know I've got nothin' worth robbing!" He crossed his arms over his chest, moss shedding from his sleeves with the movement. Etho made a note to buy a lint roller later.

"I know. I carry your things for you,” he deadpanned, earning some more disgruntled noises from Bdubs.

“Ugh, fine! I guess I’ll do it,” he huffed and turned his nose up. He squeezed his eyes shut, and Etho watched him carefully. He waited, just a few seconds, and Bdubs peeked just one eye open.

“Liar,” he teased, and Bdubs threw his arms up.

“You didn’t do anything! You’re tellin’ me to close my eyes and then not doing anything, how am I not gonna look?! You could be stealing my stuff!”

“What stuff?”

“Oh you-” Bdubs snapped his mouth shut, cutting himself off, then turned. He walked a little circle before planting himself right back in the same spot, reassuming his arms-crossed stance. “Fine, I’ll actually close my eyes this time. Happy?”

Etho watched him shut his eyes a second time and smiled, “Very.”

He waited another moment and, when Bdubs didn’t open his eyes again, he stepped closer.

Careful, he thought. It is a delicate process for humans to get to this step in their relationships. I cannot mess this up.

He brought his hand up to gently grace Bdubs’ cheek, fingers brushing warm skin. He caught the sharp inhale from the other, and he hesitated.

“Is this alright?”

Bdubs just nodded, his jaw taught and shoulders tense. Etho worried he’d overstepped.

“I need verbal confirmation.” He didn’t, but he wanted it.

“Yes- I said make this quick, didn’t I?”

Etho hummed, “Yes, you can’t leave your moss waiting.”

His fingers slid further back, his palm cupping Bdubs’ face. He was warm to the touch, and for a moment Etho worried he was developing a fever when he remembered that this was normal in this situation. He dipped his hand down to trace Bdubs’ jaw, pausing as he felt the pulse pick up beneath his touch.

120 BPM, he measured. Interesting.

He pressed his palm to Bdubs’ skin, cupping his cheek. He felt him shift his weight, eyes catching the way he moved his foot over the floor, his hand slipping from Bdubs’ face as he moved away.

“Hold still for me,” Etho instructed. He couldn’t do this properly if Bdubs continued to squirm.

“I am!”

“You’re not, though.”

Bdubs huffed through his nose, then promptly stopped his fidgeting.

“Thank you,” Etho hummed softly. He swiped his thumb over Bdubs’ skin, and realized he was just stalling. He knew why; Bdubs was human, and he wasn’t. As much research as he’d done couldn’t equal natural ability – instinct. No matter how hard he tried, he could never quite understand fully.

But this could be the first step to trying, and he knew trying was better than nothing. He couldn’t mess this up; he had to take it slow.

Unluckily for him, Bdubs happened to be one of the most impatient people on earth.

“Is this the theory? Are you reading my mind or something? I didn’t give you permission to read my mind – you don’t wanna know what goes on in there!” he rambled. “Not that it’s anything bad, I just don’t think you could handle it. Bdubs’ mind is powerful, you know.”

Etho laughed.

“Shhh. I’m sure it is, but you know I can’t read minds. We’ve been over this before.”

“I know, but you could be lyin’ to me! You’ve done it before-”

“Not on purpose.”

“-and you wouldn’t hesitate to do it again!”

Etho was quickly realizing that if he wanted Bdubs to be quiet, he’d have to make him. He leaned in closer, their faces inches apart. He used his free hand to pull down his mask.

“Bdubs.”

He watched the other’s mouth stop before he said another word, shutting for a moment before he spoke.

“What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?”

Etho was quiet for a moment, then remembered something he’d found in his research. Perfect. He smirked.

“You don’t, and that’s the problem.”

He closed the distance between their lips finally, ignoring the warning flashing at the edge of his vision. He could hear the thirium rushing through his body; he could almost feel Bdubs’ lips against his. Almost.

Their kiss was short, though, because Bdubs quickly shoved him away to an arm’s length, hands grabbing Etho’s shoulders in what could only be bewilderment. His eyes were wide, his mouth was open, and his face was flushed bright red.

“What the hell are you doing?! Why- What-” he stumbled over his words, barely able to form a sentence. “You’re- You just kissed me! Why?! Why would you do that?!”

Etho blinked. He drew his hand back.

“Is that… Is kissing not, okay? I thought-”

“I don’t care what you thought! Why would you do that?! You’re- You’re-” Bdubs stuttered, hands not leaving Etho’s shoulders. Etho dreaded the words he was stuck on, his chest aching already. He wished it was just his thirium pump acting up.

“I’m… not human. I know.” He finished the sentence for him, eyes cast to the ground. “I read that it’s something you do when you want to show affection for someone. I can’t really, you know, do that in the way I would, uh, as an android, with you.” He looked up again, putting a hand over Bdubs’ as he met his eyes. “I overstepped, I’m sorry.”

Bdubs just stared at him, blank-faced. Etho searched his features, trying to find any hint that his apology had been accepted, but Bdubs only blinked.

Then, he laughed.

“Whaat? What are you talking about?” He dropped his hands from Etho’s shoulders. “I’m not mad! I just- I don’t get where all this is comin’ from! I mean, first off, it’s weird kissin’ you- Not in a bad way! Just- I don’t think you were made for that. Your lips are all weird and rubbery and-”

Etho sighed in relief, hanging his head. He put a hand on Bdubs’ shoulder, balancing himself as he laughed loud. Bdubs stopped rambling and frowned.

“What? What’s so funny? Why are you laughing?”

Etho just shook his head, chuckling.

“I’m just so relieved!" he gasped, though he didn't even need the air. "I thought you hated me for a second!"

"I couldn't hate you! If I hated you, you would'a been gone a long time ago, I'll tell you that much." He turned his nose up, then gave Etho a quizzical look. "I just don't get it. You can't even feel any of- well, that! Why kiss me if you're gettin' nothing outta it? It doesn't make any sense!"

Etho's laughter died off, but he let his hand linger on Bdubs' shoulder. He processed the question for a moment, then looked the other in his eyes again.

"I do feel it, though. I'm not supposed to, but I do."

Bdubs rose an eyebrow. He stepped just a pace closer.

"Really? How?" He tilted his head just a few degrees to the right, the action catching Etho's eyes easily. He stared for a moment, fondness warming a smile on his face, before he answered.

"This." He pointed to the damage on the left of his face, touching the part closest to his lips. "It's not a lot, but since I never got it repaired, I have touch sensations here."

Bdubs nodded, hand on his chin as he hummed and thought for a moment. Etho dropped his hand from his shoulder.

"Really? So…" He stepped closer. Etho took the cue, leaning down so they were eye level. "So if I kissed you here, you'd feel it more?"

He put a hand up, just brushing the damaged area. Etho felt it, the warmth of Bdubs' skin flooding his face.

It was… different. Not weird. Just different.

"Yes," he breathed, afraid to move too much.

A warning flashed, "Thirium Pump Irregularity Detected."

Shut up.

Bdubs grinned. His hand pulled Etho's face in closer. Their lips brushed.

"I don't need 'verbal confirmation' for this, do I?"

Etho smiled, "No, you don't."

#dbhc au #ethubs #hermitshipping #shep ur au is making me insane #so im going to make everyone else insane by writing for it #mwah <3 #there will be a continuation to this btw #hermitcraft fic #takes place in s8 btw #if u notice a detail yes its on purpose

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