something is different this time
Warnings: implied shipping, death, complete disregard for the bastardized mess of a family tree the limited lifers are playing with currently.
Summary: It’s different this time, Bdubs knows. But he can’t explain why.
A/N: Welp, Limited Life did it to me again. This can sorta be considered a follow-up to my other little Ethubs ficlet, but it can still stand alone. Hope y’all enjoy, pls reblog if you do! I’d appreciate it! <3 - Aqua
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
~
something is different this time
~
“I’ll go first,” Impulse calls over his shoulder, “just in case they trapped it, okay? You do have to-”
“I believe you, I trust you,” Bdubs says readily. The clock Impulse gave him during the first session is still in his pocket, ticking away.
(“How about we don’t do it, this time?” Impulse asks, holding out a clock.)
Clocks have always been important to Bdubs, even before this game put a timer on his wrist. A meaningful gesture from Double Life. A pointed callback from Third Life. It’s different this time, Bdubs knows. But he can’t explain why.
Impulse is waiting for him at the top, chuckling down at him from a cobblestone pillar as he flounders his way up the water elevator. Expression as open and pleasant as always. As Bdubs surfaces, Impulse hops down and through a portal on the other side. It doesn’t even occur to Bdubs to be cautious as he follows his former husband.
Chills race across his skin. Purple swirls fill his vision. The scent of ash chokes the air. A familiar sound pricks at his ears; his dogs, sniffing and whining. Happy to see him, surely-
The world erupts around him. Bdubs respawns back home with the explosions still ringing in his ears. For a second he’s frozen, blinking rapidly as everything falls into place. He pulls up his communicator and stares at the chat.
BdoubleO100 blew up.
He doesn’t have much time to process this by himself. Cleo is rushing over, eyes wide and mouth open in shock. She says nothing as she stops just in front of him at a small lip of stone, looking down at him, her axe hanging limply at her side. He looks back up at her, just as speechless.
They have keep inventory on. Impulse’s clock is still in his pocket.
“That didn’t work out so good.”
His voice is hollow, shell-shocked, even to his own ears.
Cleo crouches at the ledge of stone, resting her arms on her knees. Her axe sticks out at an odd angle. “Nether trap?” she asks quietly, a knowing look in her eyes.
Bdubs nods. “Yeah.”
“Yeah.”
“Didn’t get my dogs back.”
“No, and they killed you.”
“They killed me.”
“Nether boogie.”
“Nether boogie.”
“Okay!” Cleo nods firmly. She straightens up, hefting her axe onto her shoulder. A furious grin splits across her face, pulling at the seams of her patchwork skin. “So, we kill them, right?”
“Yes,” Bdubs breathes. He grips the iron pickaxe in his hand, his knuckles turning white. There’s still a few hours on his timer before he turns red, before he’s technically allowed to kill. He doesn’t care. He’ll kill right now.
Cleo nods again. “Yes, including Etho,” she presses, studying him intently.
“Oh… my… gosh,” Scar gasps as he hurries over to join them, his dogs at his heels, of course. Very freaking funny.
“Every single one of them-” Bdubs breaks off as his mind processes what Cleo said. He pauses for a moment, jaw working soundlessly, before the words start flowing. “Etho wasn’t there, Etho was down in the basement- it was Skizz, Tango, and Impulse, and they all… sabotaged me- Etho was in the basement, he knew nothing about it. As far as I know.”
Cleo exchanges a glance with Scar. “I don’t believe that,” she says bluntly.
“Uh, I was talking to him,” Scar interjects. “He knew.”
“He knew,” Cleo agrees, almost pitying.
Bdubs’ breath catches.
(“Etho,” Bdubs says, “I feel like if this whole thing falls apart, alliances and stuff- it’ll still be you and me. We’ll still stick together.”)
He doesn’t want to believe it. He wants to trust that Etho wouldn’t betray him.
(“I believe you, I trust you.”)
He wants to believe it’s different this time.
Later that evening, Bdubs finds Etho on the stairwell connecting their bases. Almost like Etho was coming to see him at the exact same time. They sidestep around each other, shifting into place across from each other. They almost fall motionless at the exact same time. No matter how many lives and worlds pass, some things never change.
“Alright, so,” Bdubs starts.
“So,” Etho says. He stands with his hands in his pockets, simply watching Bdubs. His expression is impossible to read; seems like it always is, these days.
Bdubs tilts his head. “How much’a that did you know, was happening?”
There’s a pause before Etho answers. “Very little.”
“Very little,” Bdubs echoes, frowning. It’s not as certain as he’d like. He doesn’t know why Etho didn’t leap at the chance to completely, vehemently, deny all knowledge of the plot. It’s what Bdubs would’ve done. “I saw ya in the basement,” he offers, like a life preserver for Etho to latch onto, to claim plausible deniability. “I saw you in the basement, we were all upstairs-”
“You know, Tango, he’s got a poker face!” Etho insists. “I… I had no clue.”
Bdubs’ mouth falls open. “It was Tango, again?”
Etho shrugs. “Was it Tango, or was it Impulse?” he asks, pulling up his communicator. It almost sounds like he wants it to have been Impulse. “I don’t even know. Like, I- I- that’s how out of it I am.”
“I don’t know!” Bdubs runs a hand through his hair. Even if it was Tango who actually set off the trap, Impulse was clearly in on it. Impulse willingly led Bdubs to his death. Etho didn’t know about it. Etho didn’t betray him. Scar must’ve misunderstood something, or else he’s just telling lies again, as always. It’s a relief, to be sure.
Etho puts his communicator away, glancing back towards his base. “I’ve just been-”
“I ha- yeah,” Bdubs blinks, nods, “okay-”
“- I’ve just been buildin’,” Etho hums, “bein’ a good boy.”
Bdubs reads between the lines; ‘I wouldn’t have betrayed you.’ He leans back against the iron railing Etho’s built into the stairwell, exhaling slowly. He takes the opportunity to tease Etho for the railing’s incompleteness, a bit that Etho immediately picks up on with a laugh. And for a moment it’s like nothing’s different, like it’s the old days again.
Then a snickering Tango and Impulse sprint down the stairwell towards them, fleeing from a volley of arrows sent by the mountain.
“Oh hi, Bdubs, how’s it goin’?” Tango jabs as he passes, jumping over the railing. “Gotta go!”
“Bdubs!” Impulse greets him cheerfully.
Both of them are yellow; technically off-limits. Bdubs doesn’t even consider this as he notches an arrow.
“Who was it?” he shouts, letting the arrow fly. Impulse and Tango are laughing as they sprint around him in wide circles, dodging his arrows with varying success, telling him he can go back for his one surviving dog. “Who was- I don’t want no dog!”
“It was Tango!” Impulse defends, still chuckling. He doesn’t seem very apologetic.
Well, there’s Bdubs’ answer.
Etho doesn’t intervene, simply raising his shield and taking a step back from Bdubs. Somehow, that hurts worse. He’s cautious; Bdubs doesn’t blame him. This game has everyone on edge. But he can’t help but feel like Etho should know, despite the game and the alliances and playing the part and the clock in his pocket, that Bdubs would never aim at him.
(“I got your word on that, right?” Etho asks.)
Later that evening, Bdubs dies to a TNT minecart placed by Etho.
BdoubleO100 blew up.
It’s different this time, Bdubs tells himself. But he can’t explain why.
~
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Fic recs!
Searching for YR fic recs in the following categories:
Coffee shop AUs
Wille needs a hug fics
Cheap melodrama
Thirsting after Omar
I also feel like we need a lot more of this kinda stuff in this fandom, so if you're feeling so inclined to write something and need some inspiration, here's a prompt!
"Hi, um... I noticed you've been sitting here all morning, but you haven't ordered anything. Can I get you something? Coffee, pastries? Our chocolate croissants are really good."
Wilhelm looked up to see the barista standing next to his table. His name tag said Simon and he was the most beautiful man Wilhelm had ever seen. Gorgeous dark curls, smooth tan skin, sharp jawline, and the most perfect features which were accentuated by eyeliner and lipgloss. He was wearing a sheer black shirt and one dangly earring. He was hot.
Wilhelm had been watching him all morning as he worked serving customers in the busy Stockholm café. It was a good distraction from the grief. He'd grown tired of moping around the castle and came here for a change of scenery. He must've been too in his own head and distracted by Simon's beauty to order anything.
He took off his sunglasses, which he'd been wearing to disguise himself from the public. "An espresso would be nice. Thanks, Simon."
"Wait, aren't you...? Oh my God, I'm so sorry about what happened to your brother! I can't...I can't imagine."
"Thank you," Wilhelm said before his eyes welled up with tears. "I really miss him."
Simon gently placed his hand on Wilhelm's shoulder and looked deep into his eyes. "Can I... Can I give you a hug?"
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