Archive of Our Own

There is a fox sleeping on his welcome mat. A very sad-looking white fox. 

“Awgh, aren’t you a cute little bundle of fluff?” 

Bdubs first met this little creature by nearly stepping on it.

Yep.

Instead, he nearly fell over as he tried to catch himself in the doorway. 

The fox appeared to be curled into a little ball of thick fluff, with a coat coloured a silvery white. Though that struck Bdubs as a bit odd. Isn't it a bit far from any snow biome?

The fox seemed to stir from its dozing, woken up by Bdubs’s extremely graceful entrance. Now standing up and darting its head around to try and spot where the noise came from, eventually turning around. To meet Bdubs’s legs and face, seemingly far too close for comfort, as the fox spooked and jumped back, skidding away into a nearby bush. 

Only to make a pained noise when it ran into a bush full of sharp thorns.

“Oh no no no, don’t be like that” Bdubs stepped out to try to spot the poor creature. The fox seemed to now be pawing at its face, trying to dislodge a thorn that got stuck.

“Buddy…” Bdubs cooed, crouching back down in an effort to make himself as approachable as possible, only to hear a bunch of whines coming from the animal. Opening his arms slowly, he beckoned the creature closer with the aim of getting rid of the thorn. Yet that proved to be unsuccessful, and he eventually gave up and chose to quickly grab the small creature and get it over with.

The fox was clearly not happy with that choice as it spent its time thrashing in his arms, making pained whines and huffs. “Look, I know I know, this is not nice, but would you rather walk around with a thorn in your nose for the rest of the day?” 

The fox just whined in response, but did calm down enough for Bdubs to quickly pull out the thorn. Only to immediately break free and skitter a meter away and crouch down. 

“See that probably feels much nicer now, doesn’t it?” Bdubs questioned, tilting his head animatedly. Only to get a huff in response.

“Whatever you say, bud” Bdubs conceded. Now standing up and turning back to his monolith to grab the stuff he left behind for the garden work he was planning to get done.

He didn’t have much to do, just clear up some of the flowers he’d trampled by accident.

So, grabbing his tools, he quickly got to work. 

Yet while working, he kept spotting the silvery fox, just a short distance away. Either in a non-prickly bush or behind a barrel of some sort. But always there and observing.

By the time he was done, the sun was already at midday, and he had to go do some other chores around the world. 

The fox didn’t seem to ever stop following him. 

Sometimes he would lose track of it in the chaos of the shopping district, or in the leaves, but the creature always found him again.

When he got back to his home, he was greeted by the white creature yet again, just waiting on his doormat. Man, that white fits his home so well. So terribly similar to his best friend. It was always such an iconic trait he had. Bold, and so very him. Just like him. 

Etho hasn’t been around in a while. Not since last season. He must have gone off again, just like he usually does, off on his own adventures whenever he pleased. Who could fault him for that? He’s an adult and can do whatever he wants.

It was just so lonely sometimes without him. The monolith just felt oddly cold without his usual visits to his builds. 

...It really is lonely out here. 

A very huffy sneeze brought him out of where he had zoned out on the path, bringing his attention back to the fluffy figure who appeared to be more surprised than he was.

“Ah, yes, bless you”, Bdubs quickly responded.

“You really love that thing, don’t ya?” he joked, walking up the path. 

As he neared, the fox jumped up into a standing position in favour of letting him pass and enter his home. 

“Oh thank you, kind sir”, Bdubs laughed, letting himself inside, with the door swiftly closing behind him. 

He dreams of Etho that night. Though he wouldn't say that was unusual. 

“Oh, It’s you again”, Bdubs spoke to the Etho that his own traitorous dreams conjured up. Walking over to where dream-Etho was lounging on the patch of grass. The sun seemed to be slowly going down, painting the man in a golden glow, framing his details. God, he looked radiant. He always does, doesn’t he? 

Dream-Etho turned facing him, tilting his head in question. “Again?” The corners of his eyes crinkled, just as they always did. 

“Again”, Bdubs huffed in resolve, sitting himself down just not far from the white-haired man and turning to face him. He took his time taking in the long man, letting his gaze drift over the features he visually knew by heart. It was his dream, who was gonna stop him? 

Etho couldn't leave him in a dream.

Just as Bdubs rolled that thought around in his head, Dream-Etho decided that there was more to be said. 

“So… Is it normal for me to show up here then?” 

Odd, Dream-Etho didn’t usually spend his time questioning him, he just- just existed. Dreams are always changing, though. Did he really feel that lonely that his dreams needed to get Etho to talk to him?

Bdubs blinked at him for a second before responding. “Well… sure, somehow you seem to never leave me alone, sticking to me like a leech. Despite leaving without saying any form of goodbye”, he said, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. Ending it by closing his eyes and sprawling out on the grass. 

Out of his sight, Etho sat up, his eyes widening as Bdubs spoke.

“Oh… I see” Etho turned away “I- I should go, I shouldn’t have come here” he said, voice trailing into a quiet mumble. He stood up

Bdubs’s eyes shot open as he sat up “No- Etho- you know that’s a joke” 

Etho just paused, hesitating before turning away.

Bdubs woke up bathed in a golden light as it ran down the sides of the walls. Feeling his face confirmed a faint feeling of wet tears. 

The fox seemed to be elusive that day. Still there, but just… far out of sight. Never getting too close anymore. Bdubs mentally corrected this line of thought, the fox hadn’t been close to him to begin with. 

Bdubs spent most of his day tinkering away at small details around his base, seeming to get nothing done despite being constantly busy. 

Nearing midday, he went up to get a bite of food, sitting down on the ledge of one of his balconies. Sighing deeply, he gazed down at the forest surrounding him, trees swaying lightly in the breeze. 

As he peered down in between the tight branches, he spotted the familiar coat of fur. Leaning forward with interest, Bdubs observed how the fox trotted around the forest stealthily… as if looking for something. 

Oh. The poor thing must be hungry. These woods are really not the best suited for any type of fox, were they?

Bdubs stood up, making his way back to the kitchen to see if he had any berries. After looking through a couple of chests, he eventually spotted some fresh-looking berries that he gathered when looking for spruce wood. 

Now, with a decent amount of berries on a plate in hand, he made his way down. 

Bdubs placed down the plate just a bit off to the side of the path, just neatly in the open to prevent the furball from missing it. Then went back up to give the fox space.

After waiting for a while, the fox did pad over, apprehensively nibbling on the bright red berries. Bdubs could just about see how part of its fur was stained red, bright against the white fur.

So over the course of the next few days, Bdubs provided the animal with berries, then left to give space. It was… nice. Or, well, Bdubs seemed to think so. While skittish, the creature was decently trusting of him, which felt oddly refreshing. 

And sure, the fox might have reminded him of some of his own friendships, or well… one specific one. But that was nobody's business but his own. The man in question seemed to have even disappeared from his dreams now. Oddly, Bdubs missed them now, even if they ended oddly.

One of these days Bdubs was busy making food, two plates already out when he heard a line of rockets. Distracted by the sound, Bdubs made his way to the window, checking to see who it could be, just in time for the person responsible to land at his door. 

Bdubs sighed, grabbing both plates, one with his sandwich and the other full of the red spheres, and made his way down to meet his visitor.

Down at his door, he set the plates down on the steps before greeting Tango, who seemed far too full of energy. 

“Why hello there, dubs!” Tango greeted enveloping Bdubs in a short but warm side hug, “just popping in to say hi” 

“Well, you’re always welcome, but I have a slight suspicion you have more than that for a reason to pop by today”, Bdubs responded with a slight smile tugging at his features.

“Ah, okay, maybe. You wanna sit down for a sec?” Bdubs nodded, gesturing to the temporary bench he set up outside, despite being likely to remove it in the end. Nothing really stuck recently.

“Bdubs, are you doing okay?” Tango questioned a bit more mutedly, “It's just- I know everyone is still recovering from the way last season ended, but this has been going on for a while.” 

“I can assure you I am perfectly fine, thank you very much” Bdubs swiftly replied, immediately making his way to stand up despite only just sitting down “If that is it then-”

Yet he was stopped by Tango by the arm “Is this about Etho” Bdubs face fell just for a second before he quickly composed himself and yanked his arm out of the hold snapping back at Tango “I don’t know what you’re on about” 

“Bdubs I know you miss him, I can see it on your face. Please just tell us so we can try and help” Tango pleaded “You can’t just isolate yourself… we miss both of you, Bdubs” pausing for a sec before stressing “and we wanna help” 

Bdubs turned away swallowing half of his words “I know, I- I-” interrupting himself to take a deep breath and concluding “I know.”

“Look I can’t force you to speak but please just- at least think about it… any of us will be happy to listen” Tango replied before turning back and flying away from the solitary monolith. Leaving Bdubs standing on his own, fighting any tears that threaten to fall.

With a shaky breath he sat back down raising his knees to his chest laying the side of his face onto his folded arms. Letting himself just gaze into the direction of the ever-growing shopping district as one tear escaped and traced a line down his face. 

They don’t quite understand. The hermits are wonderful and he would be god knows where without them but- Etho is a- different topic.

He's known him for so long, how can it be anything but different?

His spiraling thoughts were interrupted by a wet feeling at his neck. Turning his head in his arms to meet the snout of the snowy white fox. He could only respond by letting out a wet “Oh- hi, you heard that then” then burying his face in his arms. “Pathetic isn’t it” 

As soon as the words left his mouth the fox bumped him more aggressively. 

“What? You also came here to tell me that I am isolating myself? Sure lets go with that. Bdubs has finally lost it and just because he takes everything personally. That's just great isn’t it” Bdubs stated only to receive increasingly insistent bumps and taps with paws. 

“Or you just want food” sighed Bdubs wiping his eyes quickly as he went to grab the plate, leaving his own behind. He didn’t feel like eating now.

Setting the plate down in front of the fox that had its head tilted as if confused, and then turning back to go into the monolith. 

Yet as he slowly walked off he felt something brush his legs, just to look down and discover the snowy creature blocking his path. “Ah, and now you want company don’t you. Fine I can sit, but you don’t get to be whiny about it” rambled Bdubs as he sat back down onto the bench.

Though as soon as he was sat the fox pushed his arm out the way and made its way onto his lap, food forgotten on the opposite end, eyes looking up at the craftsman from where the fox made itself comfortable. So much after being so scared. Bdubs huffed silently amused. “Well you seem comfy mister”

As Bdubs observed the elusive fox at a much closer distance than he was used to he started to pick out some more of its unique traits. Such as how its nose scrunched a bit as if thinking of something unpleasant or its wispy ears, with one of them looking as though it had been slightly battered. Or most importantly the way one of its eyes was dim and discoloured.

“Oh you poor thing, half blind and left out here, how did you manage to make it so far?” Bdubs mumbled, gaining the courage to softly stroke the creature, which in turn started to make a soft purring noise.

Bdubs never quite understood how Etho himself navigated with limited eyesight. Redstone dust took parts of his vision yet he always remained true to it, never stopping building elaborate contraptions. Bdubs had gotten to know the man before any of that happened, and therefore remembered the odd adjustment period. The way it was so easy to accidentally scare the man by approaching from a blind spot. 

“I’m gonna need a name for you. Can’t keep calling to ‘the white fox’ now can I?” Bdubs pointed out bringing himself back into the moment.

“Hm lets think, I don’t really wanna just name you anything white related, feels a bit on the nose don’t you think?”, the only response he got was the fox shifting a bit closer. The purring deepened, soft and steady. Familiar.

“You’re a weird one, you know?” he muttered. The fox flicked its ear, the slightly battered one, and nudged his wrist again, insistent for him.

Bdubs let out a quiet breath through his nose, shoulders easing just a fraction. “Okay more pets got it, high maintenance much” The fox huffed softly, which Bdubs chose to interpret as agreement.

That night Etho was once again back in his dreams. back as if the man never even left.

This time around it appeared to be twilight and Bdubs found himself at the edge of a small lake, looking around he spotted the man skidding pebbles across the calm water surface. Speaking out when Bdubs approached “why did you choose to settle so far this season?”

Bdubs sighed, now sitting down, looking out onto the lake view “Your in my head, you should know why”

“Maybe, but I'd rather hear it from you” The Dream-man simply replied, pausing the repeated throwing motion in favour of facing Bdubs and sitting next to him.

Bdubs just looked out to the last ripples end before laying down, plopping his head in Dream-Etho’s lap, closing his eyes yet again. Allowing himself to indulge while in the clutches of sleep. Then asking his own question “I wonder what worlds you are visiting now, maybe I could beg you to send postcards one day” 

“Bdubs”

“You know, I don’t like the way the world keeps going no matter what, imagine I break a leg. Boom” he shout whispered, “and then time doesn’t pause for you to recover, you know poor Grian managed to twist his-”

“Bdubs”

“Etho” Bdubs responded by opening his eyes just to find a pair already locked onto his face, one just as bright hazel as the day they first met and the other clouded in white. He let his heart dictate his decisions, raising his hand to feel the damaged skin around Dream-Etho’s eye. It always did seem painful.

“Does it still hurt?”

“You're avoiding the question” 

“No. Not really” Bdubs responded, dropping his hand and turning onto his side “I- I don’t like how I can see the world keep going, but you are not there. As if you were never even there, it feels like whatever the opposite of a haunted area is. Being far out means I don’t have to notice it.”

“I’m there” Etho whispered, cupping Bdubs’s face and turning it back to meet his eyes. “Closer than you think”

Bdubs sucked in a breath, afraid to break the moment.

“You just have to find me” Etho reaffirmed  

To which Bdubs shoots back softly “If you’re so close how is it that I didn’t find you yet”

Etho just huffed softly, retracting his hand and glancing away, to look back at the unmoving lake. Bdubs immediately missed the imaginary contact.

“Being there doesn’t always look the way you think it does,” Etho half mumbled 

Bdubs frowned slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Etho shrugged, like it wasn’t anything important. “Could be right in front of you and you wouldn’t even notice,” he muttered. “Could be following you around all day, and you’d still think you were on your own.”

Bdubs snorted. “Yeah? And what, I’m just supposed to magically figure that out?”

Etho’s expression softened, something quieter slipping through. “I think you will after a while”

“I think i’m gonna call you pebble, and I am not taking any other suggestions” Bdubs concluded sitting down next to the fox this time his own lunch with him.

The fox had warmed up to him, now choosing to tail him anywhere he went. Shamelessly. 

The creature even found a way to let itself into the house. How did Bdubs find out, you may wonder? Well Bdubs woke up to a lot of fur, Pebble curled at the bottom of his bed the white was so visible against everything coloured in his house.

The dreams never stopped now, but with every morning the memory of them slipped from his grasp like fine sand. It was there. He knew it, yet there was no way to bring it back together.

It was nice though, having a small companion. It filled a hole that was left in his heart, almost perfect though just too small to be right. 

Throughout the creature kept him company and while not the best conversation partner, Pebble was a wonderful listener. Bdubs got to just talk, no judgement. 

Bdubs didn’t really notice when it first started.

First it was just small things. Offhand comments while he was focused on work muttering pointless complaints about block textures or trees that didn’t seem to cooperate quite right. Just little thoughts that didn’t need answering. Meanwhile the fox would sit nearby, tail wrapped neatly around itself, watching with quiet attentiveness.

But that quickly changed to something more.

“Okay, so you see this?” Bdubs gestured vaguely at the half-finished wall in front of him, chisel still in hand. “This right here? This is why I don’t usually work on engravings on diorite. It never listens and likes to fall apart when it feels like it. Like honestly- it really is not that hard to just behave.”

The fox blinked at him slowly.

“Yeah, exactly,” Bdubs nodded, as if that was a perfectly valid response. “You get it.”

A soft huff came from the little creature, seemingly amused.

“Don’t start,” he pointed the chisel at it accusingly. “I already deal with enough judgement for even attempting this from actual people, I don’t need it from a fox too.”

The fox flicked its ear, entirely unbothered.

Bdubs huffed, turning back to his work. “You remind me of someone, you know that?”

Unbeknownst to dubs, who now turned back, that got a reaction. A Subtle one. The fox’s head tilted just slightly, attention sharpening then letting out a small huff.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t act all innocent,” Bdubs muttered, crouching down to adjust a misplaced block. “Always lurking around, showing up where I don’t expect you, acting like you know something I don’t…”

He paused, fingers stilling against the stone.

“…real pain in my neck, honestly.”

The fox padded closer.

“He used to do that too, you know” he continued, quieter now. “Just showed up randomly. No warning. One second I’m working, next thing I know he’s leaning over my shoulder like ‘hey Bdubs, whatcha doing?’”

A faint smile tugged at his mouth.

“Scared the life outta me most of the time.”

The fox let out a soft noise, something akin to a chirp and nudged his arm.

Bdubs stilled.

“…yeah,” he exhaled, almost laughing. “You’d get along great.”

There was a pause.

“I think you would’ve liked him.”

The fox climbed into his lap like it had done a hundred times before, curling in without hesitation. This time Bdubs didn’t even pretend to protest.

His hand came up automatically, resting against the soft fur, fingers moving in slow, absent strokes.

“He had this way of just… being there,” Bdubs murmured. “It didn't matter how long he disappeared for. Didn’t matter how far he went. He’d just show back up like nothing changed.”

The purring started again. Low. Steady.

Familiar.

Bdubs swallowed.

“…kinda thought he would this time too.”

Silence stretched between them, filled only by the quiet rustle of leaves and the soft sound of breath.

“Guess I got used to it, huh?” he muttered quieter, more to himself than anything else. “Just… waiting around like an idiot.”

The fox shifted, pressing closer.

Bdubs let out a small, shaky laugh. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not that pathetic…okay, maybe a little.”

The fox huffed softly, in disagreement.

Bdubs shook his head, but his hand didn’t stop moving. The fox only tucked itself closer, tail flicking once before going still. Leading to Bdubs leaning back against the nearby wall, gaze drifting somewhere far past the trees.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

The purring deepened.

And for just a moment, the quiet didn’t feel quite so empty.

It was dawn in this dream, the sun seemed to be just starting to crawl out of its shell. Slowly enveloping the shadowy landscape.

Bdubs looked around, instinctively searching for the familiar figure.

Etho was a bit further this night, sitting underneath a very dramatic willow tree which drooped down as if crying onto the hill it grew on. Bdubs walked over to the figure, observing the relaxed posture and closed eyes of the man, as he looked so in tune with nature despite his unique clothing.

“Hello again kind stranger” Bdubs calmly spoke, causing Etho to open his eyes, locking them to where Bdubs was approaching.

“Anything important to say this time around?” he question sitting down a bit to the side 

“Hmm, maybe” 

The pair fell into comfortable silence, the winds rustling the tree like a wind chime as the sun slowly crept towards their feet. Painting the grass a vibrant and warm green contrasting in comparison to the shadowy blue grass that was trying to lean closer to the rays.

“Does it really matter that I’m not there?” Etho’s voice broke the serene image melodic in its own way.

Bdubs looked over noting the way the sun has now dragged itself to Etho’s calves.

“...yeah, people miss you.” he replied after a moment 

That didn’t seem to be the right choice as Etho's head fully turned to him with a more concrete expression on his face.

“No Bdubs, does it matter to you.”

Bdubs avoided those eyes, the same that seem to follow him wherever he goes.

Etho, unhappy with that decision, off to the side stood up going closer to the smaller man, crouching down in front of him. 

“If I was there Bdubs… really there… would you want me to stay?” 

“Do you actually want… me?”

Bdubs broke, visible hurt and confusion painting his face as he looks up to meet Ethos face. 

The very face that was now right in front of him, unguarded, and rid of the mask that always shielded him from external scrutiny. The face with the very same nasty scar carved into his lip as the one that he saw only once so so long ago when it first appeared. Then never again as the man hid from the very world that hurt him. Yet now it was soft and molded to his features in line with his dim eye and tied into the angular yet soft features of his face. 

“Etho- what” Bdubs barely whispers, scared to wake up.

Yet Etho doesn’t move, just keeps looking at his face as if searching for something specific.

Something about the man is different, beyond the features that grew into his face. The air around him is different, more sure, more hopeful. 

The sun which never stopped finally rose about the hillside illuminating Etho’s face highlighting the emotion molded onto his face, igniting the spark in his eyes. 

“Oh- Etho” Bdubs spoke quietly, raising his hands to cup the other man's face, cradling it like a precious and fragile stone, just for the other to melt into the shape of his hands, expectant and still so ever hopeful.

“I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t want you here, you must know that” 

“Why, Bdubs… why”

Bdubs’s head was lost, swimming in disbelief. Words just out of his reach. He has everything right at the palm of his hands and it is so much more than he ever thought of, it’s the first drink of water after being in a drought his whole life. Bdubs heart feels like it's being filled out, a puzzle piece fitting in a slot he didn’t realize was made for this exact reason. And oh it is something so very different, so very them.

“Bdubs… Please, I need you to say It” Etho whispered again raising his head back up with Bdubs immediately grieving the contact. 

The wind around them started to pick up now reaching a distinct and constant breeze. Bringing Bdubs back out of his thoughts. He was being asked something wasn’t he? And what a question it was. The answer so very clear, so simple, yet it takes up his entire heart. 

But the man responsible was looking at him as if he built the world and stars, and how could he keep anything away from those caring eyes.

He could do anything, and so he does. Bdubs closes the gap between them. Pressing his own slightly chapped lips against the others healed ones. 

It felt so real.

It was not the most active kiss he had ever had or even the most fiery. But it was home. Not insistent, not greedy, just forgiving and full of promises for a new day ahead of them. It was the very sun that shone rays of light behind them. 

Finally, after no time had passed yet all the time in the world had, they pulled apart, just for Bdubs to press his forehead against the others for a second “Cause I love you more than I could ever comprehend” 

Looking back up to witness Etho’s expression soften to something beyond relief. A perfect small and slightly crooked smile breaking out on the man's face. 

“Took you long enough” He said, capturing the shorter man's lips one more time.

Bdubs woke up feeling lighter than he had been in a long time, despite the long limbs that were currently tangled around him, too big to comfortably fit in the single bed. Warm hands cradling his torso scaring away any cold the monolith created.

Cracking his eyes open he is met with the familiar shiny white fur, Or well hair now, bathed in the same golden morning light that he remembers seeing long ago. 

The body around him stirs, rising in time with a deep breath. The silver locks lift up just to be replaced with a pair of eyes meeting his gaze and blinking slowly. One a glossy hazel and the other cloudy white. 

Bdubs went to bed with a small fox lounging at his side, but woke up with a very much full-sized Etho right between his arms. 

“Oh” he mumbles a bit dumbly “you were the fox weren’t you?” Dropping his head back onto the pillow.

The response he gets is an undignified snort followed by laughter. At that point Bdubs couldn't think of anything that could sound better, it just sounded so magical after such a long time.

“Oh Etho”

Etho simply rises boxing Bdubs in with his arms, and god were those always so lean. Sure, the man was always wearing a coat but still. When Bdubs looks back up from his internal gay panic, he meets Etho’s face yet again. The very same as the one in his dream. His features still so wonderfully softened with time.

Bdubs brings his hands up, cradling the man's face deja dv hitting him immediately, punching out a breath of relief. It’s real, It is all real.

“You still mean that I hope” 

Bdubs smiled in response “You know I do”

“Maybe, but I'd rather hear it from you” Etho chuckled. 

To which Bdubs responds to by pushing him back, rising to meet him with a soft kiss. Only this time there was no threat of waking up rushing him.

Bdubs smiled into it before pulling back 

“I do, always” 

Etho beamed, before laughing, “ Pebble? You named me Pebble? Bdubs we gotta work on your naming skills i’m sure you can come up with better than a rock for a name” he said before planting a kiss onto Bdubs’s forehead. Then attempting to pepper small kisses on his face as the other turned increasingly red and attempting to hide in the others shoulder. 

“It fit well enough” he grumbled while most of his reply was lost to Etho’s t-shirt. “Hey, so you're the reason my entire house is filled with fur” Bdubs retorted, raising his head in a mock pout.

Etho’s face immediately flushed light pink, mouth opening and closing in bewildered embarrassment. Bdubs just observed the new territory remembering how expressive the man was and how easy it was to read his emotions before he started to wear a mask everywhere he went. 

All that mysterious reputation just for the man to be turning to goo cause of his own gaze. unbelievable. 

Bdubs chuckled before a wave of realization hit him “So you never did leave”

To which Etho shook his head in confirmation “No… never did, though it didn’t matter… no amount of fox noises could be interpreted as ‘Hi, I'm Etho please help, I got cursed by a witch to be a fox and now can’t get out’” he joked self-deprecatingly before noting “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had such a hard time without me” his head dropping in apology. 

“Oh sweetheart, It’s not something you could have controlled” reaching out to gather the man into his arms. “You’re back that is all that matters”.

“Though you are not allowed to leave again, by the way”

“Good, cause I wasn't planning on it” Etho mumbled into the hug.