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The sun was setting at the end of a long session. The sky was burning orange at the horizon, deepening to purple at the edges of the sky. Bdubs watched the colors change for a moment, taking a breather on his doorstep.
The tower Pearl and Mumbo built was silhouetted against the fading light. Bdubs hadn’t been away long, but the mounders base had changed so much it was barely recognizable. Besides the (horrible, ugly) tower, there was also a brand new, equally ugly cobble wall snaking around the perimeter of their bases. Bdubs didn’t like how it penned him in. It made him feel trapped, somehow.
Mumbo and Pearl were laughing outside Pearl’s base, their voices echoing up to him. Bdubs didn’t really feel like joining in. He felt out of sorts, sour like he had been left out intentionally, when really he had been the one out on a mission all session. But… they hadn’t even asked him to help with the tower. And they certainly weren’t calling him down now.
Bdubs ducked back inside to finish sorting through his storage. He still had to empty his pockets of the random crap he had picked up during the session, skeleton bones, chicken eggs, bits of string. The kind of stuff that would be garbage on any other server but was precious here.
There was some kind of kerfuffle outside, Pearl’s voice loud enough Bdubs could hear it even with his door firmly shut. “Hey! This is mounder territory, mister! You get your butt out of here.”
“Don’t mind me,” came the response, voice barely audible but still familiar. Still enough to make Bdubs’ heart skip after all these years.
Bdubs fixed a scowl on his face and threw his front door open. “You think you can just barge into people’s bases any time you please?” he hollered.
“Bdubs!” Etho replied brightly, waving up at him.
Pearl crossed her arms. “Bdubs, I know you guys are engaged, but you gotta tell us before you invite people over!”
“I’m not— we’re not— I didn’t invite him!” Bdubs spluttered. “You—why are you here?” he directed at Etho.
Etho looked between Bdubs and Pearl, rocking back on his heels lazily. “It’s still Be Nice to Bdubs Day.”
Bdubs narrowed his eyes. “Oh, is it? The tasks are over, pal, so I don’t know what you’re really up to.”
Etho sighed. Bdubs could see the smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “I told you, Bdubs, it wasn’t a task.”
“You were still doing it to cover up your other task! It was your lie task!” Bdubs accused.
Etho smoothly ignored him. “Can I have him for the night, Pearl?”
Pearl was watching them, a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. “Go on, then,” she relented.
“Don’t I get a say in this?” Bdubs whined.
“Let’s go, Bdubs,” Etho called. “Your camel awaits.”
Bdubs hopped down the side of his mound, but frowned so Etho and Pearl knew he was going unwillingly. “No way am I getting on that death machine,” he warned Etho. “If I’m going, I’m taking my horse!” He turned to his horse pen, grin expectant, only to find it empty. His face fell. “Right…”
“Don’t worry,” Etho said. “The horse—“
“Climb,” Bdubs interrupted.
“Climb?”
“Actually, it’s called Climb 2,” Bdubs amended.
“Climb 2 is back at our place.” Etho assured. He didn’t have to sound so close to laughter while he said it.
Bdubs sniffed. He didn’t buy the nice guy act for a moment. He brushed past Etho on his way out the gate.
“Have fun, you two!” Pearl called as Etho turned to follow him out. She didn’t have to sound so close to laughter either.
Sure enough, there was a camel kneeling outside the walls, chewing its cud quite calmly. Bdubs didn’t know how the thing was still kicking after enduring multiple sessions of Scar’s negligence and one session of Mumbo’s targeted murderous intent. He supposed Mumbo wasn’t actually that good at murdering. Huh. Maybe he needed better allies.
Etho extended his hand. Bdubs eyed it warily, wondering what the trick was.
“I’ll help you on,” Etho informed him blandly, after the silence started becoming uncomfortable. Bdubs hazarded a glance at Etho’s face, but his expression was neutral. He wasn’t even looking Bdubs’ way. Bdubs tentatively placed his hand in Etho’s.
Bdubs had a split second to admire their hands together, his dark calloused fingers standing in stark contrast to Etho’s slender pale ones, before he was sitting astride the camel and the hand was removed. Bdubs tried to ignore the warmth spreading to his face.
Etho took the front seat, holding the reins like he was practiced, and gave a click with his tongue. The camel rose slowly to its feet and began trudging forward.
“Of course, I get the posterior,” Bdubs griped.
Bdubs couldn’t see Etho’s face but he knew he was smiling. “Let me be your chauffeur tonight, Bdubs.”
“Oh, brother,” Bdubs huffed “I’m just coming with you to get my horse. I don’t think I can take much more of this.”
Etho laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, I’m having too much fun. I really do want to be nice to you for the rest of the day.”
“Well you can start by being a little, uh, slightly meaner.”
“Meaner, got it.”
“Or well, not mean. Just yourself.”
“Be nice to Bdubs by being a bit meaner, by which he means more like myself. Got it.”
“I didn’t mean it like that!”
Etho shook with laughter. “I know, I know,” he soothed. “But what if, when I act like myself, I want to say nice things to you, too?”
Bdubs face was heating up even more. “How are we not there yet?” he groaned. “This thing is so freaking slow.”
“Horses are still the way to go, huh?” Etho mused. “This ride is so bumpy, too. You can hold on to my waist. If you need to.”
Bdubs eyes snapped to the waist in question. Etho was swaying slightly with the camel’s pace. “Uh huh,“ Bdubs gritted out. “Yeah, awesome, thanks. I’m good, we’re almost there anyway.”
But now that Etho had made the offer, Bdubs couldn’t stop thinking about it. He had very few occasions to hug Etho in the past. How would it feel to wrap his arms around him for an extended amount of time?
He eyed the man in front of him, hands practically twitching with the effort it was taking to hold himself back. Be Nice to Bdubs Day was ending soon, Bdubs reminded himself. And then they would go back to business as usual, he was sure. He’d rather not look too clingy before the status quo took hold again.
And then they were arriving at the hill where Etho, Cleo, and now Grian made their base. It was almost full dark now, and up ahead a campfire flickered at the base of the hill, benches set up around it. In the glow of the firelight Bdubs could see Cleo, elbows propped up against the bench back, Grian lying down, his head in her lap. Grian was pointing up at the night sky, probably stargazing. Cleo had their head cocked, listening to him as he pointed out constellations.
Etho clicked his tongue and the camel knelt down with a groan. Cleo glanced over at the noise. “Oh, hello!” she called as Etho dismounted the camel.
Etho stuck his hand out again and Bdubs took it, pulling himself up, determined not to look at their joined hands at all.
“Did you bring me a Bdubs?” Cleo asked.
“I did,” Etho affirmed, and Bdubs followed him to the campfire.
“Good,” Cleo cooed, “I love a Bdubs now and again.”
Etho sat on the empty bench and patted the space next to him. Bdubs lowered himself down cautiously. It was a pleasant enough night, no breeze to blow smoke around or throw up sparks from the fire. The fire itself was at the perfect level, crackling away on only one or two logs. It was… nice. But Bdubs had been through enough of these games to always be a little bit wary.
Grian peered over at him from Cleo’s lap. “Hi, Bdubs,” he said. “I don’t know what these two are up to, but my task is over so I’m not going to be overly nice to you anymore.”
“Oh, thank god,” Bdubs sighed in relief.
Etho laughed.
“Overly nice!” Cleo scoffed, their fingers running through Grian’s hair. “I’m just being honest.”
Etho slouched back, stretching his arm casually along the top of the bench. Bdubs tried to ignore that if he leaned back Etho’s arm would practically be around him. “That’s what Be Nice to Bdubs Day is all about,” Etho nodded. “Honesty.”
“Eugh,” Bdubs squirmed.
Grian’s eyes were drifting closed. “Another session done,” he murmured.
“We should get some rest while we still can,” Cleo said, still smoothing her hand through his hair. “Not too much longer before the reds outnumber us.”
Bdubs felt a pang watching them. He had sat with Cleo in the crastle much the same way, all those worlds ago. He had promised her everything: protection, fealty, devotion. But it had all fallen apart in the end: all his promises broken, all his loyalty bought for a clock. Cleo seemed to feel his gaze on them and looked up, smiling when their eyes met.
Something brushed Bdubs’ shoulder and he flinched, almost jumping out of his skin. But it was just Etho’s hand, lightly tugging at his sleeve.
“You look too sad for Be Nice to Bdubs day,” Etho said softly “I must not be doing a very good job.”
Bdubs tried not to be drawn up into Etho’s gaze, tried not to lean into the hand now cradling his shoulder. “I should head out soon,” he said instead, voice too loud against the quiet of the night. “I gotta grab my horse and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
Etho drew back, expression almost stricken. The hand fell off Bdubs’ shoulder.
Cleo frowned. “We’re not kicking you out, you know. You have a room here and everything. You can stay forever if you want.”
“Oh, well, I have another alliance.” Bdubs replied. All that useless loyalty. “Mounder ’til I die.”
Cleo scoffed. “After they built such an ugly tower? Really, Bdubs, you’re going to ally to that?”
“They’re my day one team! You of all people should know what that means!”
“Day one team? You mean, you happened to build your base near them—“
Grian’s eyes shot open. “You should really join us instead.”
Bdubs was on edge, felt the snare tightening around his ankle “Yeah?” he asked. “And why is that?” He didn’t mean the words to come out so sharp.
Grian put a finger in the the air. “One, because we are so going to win. Like, I don’t know if you’ve seen everything going on here, but there are farms, dude. Farms!” A second finger joined the first. “Two, well.” He gestured vaguely between them. “Wewantyouhere.”
Cleo beamed down at him. “I thought you were done participating in Be Nice to Bdubs Day?”
Grian rolled his eyes passionately. “It’s just true. You love him, Cleo, as you have said many many times today and he—“ Grian pointed across the fire at Etho. “He’s obsessed with you, dude. Like, he talks about you all the time. And I. I suppose I like you too, Bdubs.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bdubs said, unable to think of anything else to say. His gaze was sliding towards Etho without his permission and Bdubs finally relented, turning to look Etho full on. He was shrunk back in on himself, expression frozen. The only outward sign of agitation was his leg swinging, scuffing his foot against the ground.
“Do you want me to join you guys?” Bdubs asked him.
“It’s not about what I want,” Etho replied.
“That’s not really what I asked, is it?” This time, there was a definite heat to Bdubs’ words.
“Well, then, the answer doesn’t seem to matter, because I keep trying—,” Etho’s voice broke and he snapped his mouth closed. He sat back, blinking rapidly, saying nothing more.
Abruptly, all the anger left Bdubs’ body. The night was quiet aside from the crackle of the fire. Grian’s eyes were sliding closed again. Cleo was pretending to look up at the stars but Bdubs could tell she was listening closely.
Bdubs leaned closer to Etho and tried again. “It’s Be Nice to Bdubs Day,” he reminded him.
Etho closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, his expression had cleared slightly. “Bdubs,” he said. His voice wavered but it didn’t break. “You’re— you’re amazing, you know? I tell you all the time.”
“Yeah, like five times today,” Bdubs snorted. “Go on.”
There was a smile growing on Etho’s face. “You’re a great partner. A great ally. A great fighter, even.”
“Killed the dragon, killed a wither,” Bdubs noted. “Keep going.”
“Right, and we’ll ignore the stuff with Skizz. And the, you know. The whiffing.”
“I got him back,” Bdubs growled. “Be nice, remember?”
“Yes, sorry. And— you’re— you’re so funny and so fun to be around.” Etho paused. “I like to be around you, I mean.” He was being so earnest it made Bdubs squirm. “I want to be around you.”
“Okay, now it’s getting pretty sickening,” Bdubs cautioned.
Etho laughed. “And so, I want you to join the alliance. For the above reasons.”
“Aww,” Cleo said.
Bdubs couldn’t help but preen a little, puffing out his chest. “Is that all?” he asked.
Etho groaned. “This is why Be Nice to Bdubs Day is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Your ego’s already too big.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Bdubs agreed. “I’m glad you learned your lesson.”
“So…” Etho prompted.
“So,” Bdubs echoed, grinning as the tension grew. He shrugged, dispelling it. “I’ll join you guys.”
Etho relaxed, expression open and relieved.
Grian gave a quiet cheer, his eyes still closed. “Cast off those mounders! They were probably gonna betray you, anyway.”
Cleo nodded. “Excellent choice,” was all they said.
Bdubs leaned closer to Etho. “Thank you for asking so nicely,” he murmured, voice sickeningly sweet. He was expecting Etho to draw back, for a blush to spread across his face, but instead he leaned forward, matching Bdubs’ energy. “Anything you want,” Etho purred. “It’s your day.”
“I—ugh!” Bdubs stuttered, and Etho chuckled.
“That reminds me,” Etho said, “I have a surprise for you, if you want to come with me.”
“A surprise?” Bdubs asked, mystified.
“Yeah, it’s, uh. In the house.” Etho stood and gestured up the hill.
“Okay…” Bdubs rose uncertainly.
Cleo wiggled her fingers goodbye. “We’ll catch up with you later.” Grian was unmoving in her lap.
Bdubs steadfastly ignored the way that they burst into peals of laughter as soon as he and Etho were out of sight.
They walked through the fields, lit brightly by torches, climbed the stairs to the house in the hill— the staircase that Bdubs had designed. And then they were into the house, up the stairs, and outside Bdubs’ bedroom, eyeing the pressure plates.
“Okay, so here’s where you finally kill me, right?” Bdubs asked.
Etho didn’t even deign his comment with a response, just stepped on the pressure plate himself and opened the doors. On the far wall, there was a painting.
“Oh!” Bdubs exclaimed. “You listened!” He walked into the room without reservations. The painting was crude, not much more than a few colors slapped down on a canvas. It was some sort of landscape, the sun setting or rising over the horizon. There were trees in the foreground, barely recognizable in dark paint. It looked familiar, somehow, and Bdubs struggled to remember where he had seen it before.
Etho drew up beside him. “It’s the view from the fort.”
And of course it was. Bdubs had seen that view many times, building up the snow walls block by block, prowling up and down the soul sand catwalk, patrolling for danger. Sitting beside Etho, dangling their soul speed boots off the side of the wall. Enjoying a brief moment of peace, before everything was destroyed. Etho had remembered the shape of the land, the jagged hills, the pine forest stretching all around them.
“That’s really… that’s really freaking sweet,” Bdubs said, suddenly blinking back tears.
Etho’s arms were around him, and before he knew it, Bdubs was being pulled into a hug. Bdubs froze for a moment, expecting Etho to pull away after a brief embrace, but the arms around him only tightened. Etho’s heart was thundering in his ears.
“I think it’s worth trying again.” Etho spoke into his hair. Bdubs could feel his voice vibrating through his whole body “We have Cleo now—“
“I love her.” Bdubs voice was wet.
“I know, I know. And Grian— he may actually be able to keep us alive.”
Bdubs pressed his face into Etho’s chest. He didn’t want to let go. “And you?” he asked, voice muffled.
“Hm?” Etho asked.
Bdubs lifted his head. Etho ran his hand through Bdubs’ hair, roughly cupped his cheek. “I got you, too?”
Etho had never been the best talker. He had always preferred to be a man of action. And that’s why Bdubs wasn’t too surprised when Etho pulled down his mask in lieu of response, revealing pale lips parted slightly in anticipation, lips that Bdubs had himself only seen a handful of times.
And when Etho tipped Bdubs’ head towards him, when Bdubs pushed himself on to his toes in his eagerness to be closer. Well.
He was still pretty surprised.
Later, Etho pulled his mask back up, like that would disguise the flush burning the tips of his ears.
“This whole be nice to Bdubs thing…” Bdubs was still a little dazed. “Should we extend it a few more sessions?”
Etho hummed thoughtfully, tracing a finger down Bdubs’ jaw. They had relocated to the bed at some point, when being vertical had become too difficult to manage. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
“You wouldn’t believe it, how torn up I was that you wouldn’t come fight the dragon with me. My old pal Etho, betraying me again…”
“Oh, come on,” Etho huffed. “We should have a Be Nice to Etho Day instead.”
“Now there’s an idea,” Bdubs said, pressing himself closer to Etho, watching how Etho shivered as he breathed the words onto his neck. “I have some plans for that one.”
“You—“ Etho said, voice strangled in frustration, and, just like that, the mask was pulled off again. “I’m going to be nice to you a little more,” he threatened.
“Oh no, please,” Bdubs said, letting Etho maneuver over him. There was a gleam in Etho's eyes that sparked something deep in Bdubs’ belly. “You’re too sweet, too kind.”
“I’ll show you,” Etho said. “Show you just how nice I can be.”