Double Life/Hermitcraft 10
Joel x Etho (Boat Boys)
Etho grabbed Joel's hand as he spotted the portal back to the overworld, pulling his soulmate forward in excitement. He sighed and started walking faster, glad to get away from the stuffy heat of the nether. Etho turned around to see Joel's face lit up with mischief as he smiled unashamedly at him. Etho blushed softly under his mask as Joel's cocky grin widened. He was secretly glad that his face was covered so that Joel couldn't see his face heat up.
"Do you think the portal's trapped?" Joel said worriedly as they approached the swirling door.
"I don't think so." Etho said, dropping Joel's hand and checking around the frame.
"I don't know what to do." Joel admitted stepping up to the portal.
"I'll go in unison with you." Etho promised, grabbing Joel's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Thanks." Joel said with a smile, standing up on his tippy toes to kiss Etho on the cheek.
The pair walked up to the portal, and Joel rubbed his thumb over Etho's knuckles comfortingly. They exchanged a glance before stepping through the portal. The swirling purple mist accepted them, pulling them back into the overworld.
When Etho arrived, he was greeted by a heat even greater than that of the nether. Etho felt the burns spread over his whole body, scorching up his back and arms, and he let out an involuntary gasp of pain. Etho suddenly felt Joel appear beside him, and he winced as he started to feel Joel's pain as well. His soulmate let out a cry of pain as he fell into Etho's side.
Etho held Joel close, trying to keep his soulmate away from the pressing heat.
"Etho get back through!" Joel yelled, trying to push Etho back through the portal.
"I'm staying with you." Etho promised as another flair of pain burned up his back.
Joel winced and buried deeper into Etho's side. Etho reached out and ran his fingers through Joel's hair, trying to calm him down.
"I love you, Etho." Joel whispered, and Etho could feel the life slipping out of them.
"I'll see you again." Etho promised as the flames burned, if possible, even brighter.
Joel gripped Etho tightly as the fire engulfed them, a bright white light shining on all sides. Etho closed his eyes as the light became too much. Suddenly, he felt a force wrap around him and Joel pulling them up and away from the burning fire. Etho heard Joel sigh as all of the pain left their bodies. All Etho could think about was keeping a hold of Joel. They had just died, and he didn't want to go back to Hermitcraft if Joel didn't come with him. Suddenly everything went dark and quiet.
Etho couldn't see anything. He couldn't hear anything either. In the darkness, he didn't know how much time had passed. All he knew was the feeling of Joel in his arms and the need to keep him there.
Suddenly, Etho felt a strong breeze rush over him and in-between him and his soulmate. The wind began to push them apart, and Etho began to panic. He heard Joel whimper in fear as his arms were pulled away from their rightful place around Joel. Etho fought back, pulling Joel close to him as he was pulled out of the darkness into light.
Etho was suddenly dropped out of a portal and onto the cool grass gasping in pain as it combated his burns. Etho winced as he heard Joel groan in pain and convulse in his arms. Carefully, Etho looked up and squinted as the sunlight burned his eyes.
"Etho?"
Etho groaned and felt a hand lay on his back. He looked beside him in surprise and saw Xisuma kneeling beside him with a concerned look on his face.
"Etho I need you to let go of this man."
Xisuma tried to pry Etho's arms off of Joel to no avail.
"Etho if you want me to help him, you're going to need to let go."
"I've got this X." Another British voice filled Etho's ears, and he immediately relaxed in its presence. "Hey Etho."
Etho grunted to let them know that he was listening and the other person began talking again.
"Etho I want to save Joel." Etho realised that this was Grian. "But you have to let go."
Etho shook his head and gripped Joel tighter.
"Scar, help me with this." Suddenly, Etho felt hands pull at his arms, pulling them away from Joel.
Etho was pulled away, and he felt Joel's warmth slip away from him. Etho gasped and tried to fight Scar and Grian off, but his muscles screamed in protest. He heard Joel's feble protest and wished that he was still holding him.
"It's okay, Etho." The voice came from up above him, and he felt a bucket of water dump on his head.
Etho gasped in surprise, and he sat up quickly, his whole body burning in pain. He panted and looked up to see Scar looking over him with a smile.
"Where's Joel?" He choked out, his voice trembling in exhaustion.
"He's safe. You're back to Hermitcraft again." Scar patted his shoulder gently. "Xisuma is about to get everything going. Joel is with Grian right now. Come on, it's starting."
Etho stood up with Scar's help and walked over to the circle of hermits. Etho gasped when he saw what they were standing around. It was a pool of lava, and he winced at the heat pouring off of it. Scar lay his hand comfortingly on Etho's arm and guided him away from the boiling magma.
Etho started scanning the crowd, looking around for Joel, barely even paying attention to Xisuma.
"Mumbo, how about you start this one?" Xisuma suggested with a laugh.
"Egh- Um, me?" Mumbo asked to much laughter.
"Yes." Xisuma replied easily.
Etho suddenly located Joel on the other side of the lava pool. Joel wasn't looking at his soulmate. His attention was focused on Mumbo.
"Um- yeah, um- Well, hello!" Mumbo laughed, and Grian elbowed him in the stomach. "Uh- Welcome to Hermitcraft season 10!"
After Mumbo finished stuttering his way through the welcome, Xisuma introduced Joel to everyone else. And when Etho's soulmate looked his way and when he smiled, Etho felt his face light up red.
Etho wished he was beside Joel to shield him from the looks of the other hermits. Joel winced under the gaze of some of the most standoffish hermits (Doc), and Etho wanted to run over and hug him.
"Um anyway, everybody can just go off and- Um come and see Ren to hear about a new way of mining." Mumbo stepped behind Grian, and the blond laughed at his friend's embarrassment.
Etho was about to go over to see Joel, but he was pulled away by Tango to go talk to Ren about the group mining thing. Etho looked over to see Grian, Impulse, Scar, and Gem dragging Joel off saying something about a tour.
Etho compromised to talk to his soulmate later, after they'd all set up basses.
*****
Etho looked over all of the materials for his base and once again wondered what Joel was doing. Etho knew he needed to go and see him, but he didn't even know where Joel lived.
"Hey Etho!"
Etho looked over to see Tango walking up to him with Pearl in tow. Tango told Etho that Pearl wanted to live on the cherry mountain across from Etho, and he wanted to ask if that was okay. Etho quickly agreed and wondered where Joel was living.
"Where has Grian settled?" Pearl asked in curiosity.
"He's over on that cherry mountain with a bunch of other people." Tango responded.
"Who else?" Etho asked, trying to sound innocent.
"Um I think Mumbo, Scar, Skizz, Gem, Impulse, and Joel." Tango responded, and Etho's heart skipped a beat when he heard Joel was so close.
Etho was zoned out for the rest of the conversation. All he could think of was the feel of Joel in his arms when they'd the hope to see him again. After Tango and Pearl left, Etho set out to go and see Joel.
Etho walked past Pearl and Tango's bases and Gem and Impulse's. But when he turned the corner by Impulse's base, he looked up to see a small structure at the top of the mountain. Etho smiled as he recognised Joel standing up beside his new build. Etho began the climb, heaving himself up the tall mountain to the plateau at the top.
After a while of climbing, Etho ran the last few steps and stood behind Joel, a small smile forming on his face. Joel was humming to himself as he stitched a funky pattern onto a red banner. He was facing away from Etho, giving the masked hermit the opportunity to quietly observe his soulmate.
Suddenly Joel turned around, like he could see that someone was watching him. Joel's face lit up with surprise as he took in Etho's sheepish figure. Joel let out a cry of happiness, and he raced over, pulling the taller hermit into a tight hug. Etho gasped in surprise before pulling Joel closer with a sigh of content.
Etho pulled off his mask and kissed the top of Joel's head. Joel looked up with a smile, stood on his tippy toes, and kissed Etho's cheek gently. Joel wrapped his arms around Etho's neck, pulling him closer.
"Hey Boat Boy." Etho whispered, leaning down closer to Joel. "Told you I'd see you again."
"I've missed you." Joel sighed lovingly, burying his face into the crook of Etho's neck. "Thank you."
"Well someone's got to put up with you." Etho said with a laugh.
Joel looked up with an offended look on his face, and Etho snickered at his soulmate's expression. Etho leaned even closer and wrapped his arms around Joel, kissing the top of his head. Joel blushed, and Etho smiled.
"I thought I'd lost you in the void." Etho whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of Joel's eyes.
"What happened?" Joel sighed, leaning closer.
"It all got dark, I couldn't see or hear anything. All I could feel was-" Etho stopped, blush redding his cheeks.
"What happened, Etho?" Joel asked sternly.
"All I could feel was you in my arms. And all I wanted to do was keep you safe." Etho admitted quietly. "I was still holding you in the void and-" He broke off with a shiver, remembering how the wind had tried to separate them. "Then there was a wind, and it tried to pull us apart. Then we both arrived at Hermitcraft."
Joel looked up mischievously at Etho and smiled, causing Etho's heart to melt.
"Well I can fill in a few of the gaps then. Grian was there when we arrived, and he saw everything with Xisuma." Joel smiled, and Etho blushed softly. "Grian said we came through the portal, and you had your arms around me and refused to let go."
Joel smirked, and Etho turned, if possible, even redder.
"Love you." Joel said with a smile, pulling Etho down into a kiss.
Etho smiled and held Joel close as his soulmate ran his fingers through his hair. Joel gasped as Etho picked him up and spun him around before setting him gently down on the ground. Etho broke the kiss, and he gently cupped his soulmate's cheek, and it was Joel's turn to go red.
Etho chuckled at Joel's expense, and Joel shut him up with another kiss. Etho buried his hand into Joel's endless hair and wove it through his fingers. Joel laughed quietly, and Etho broke the kiss to jab him softly in his ribs. Joel wiggled out of Etho's hug and grabbed his soulmate's hands, immobilizing him.
Etho laughed, kissing Joel's cheek, perfectly happy to be stuck where he was. Joel blushed again and laughed, and the sound was like music to Etho's ears. Etho chuckled softly and pulled his hands back, dragging Joel with them. Etho wrapped one of his arms around Joel's waist, pulling his soulmate close into his side.
Joel gave up trying to escape and leaded into Etho with a sigh of content. Etho smiled and ruffled Joel's hair, causing the shorter to blush. Etho and Joel turned to look down the mountain with twin looks of calm painted in their faces. They may have lost Double Life, but they didn't lose each other along the way.
I've wanted to write a Boat Boys fanfic for a looong time. I got this idea a few days ago, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Finally, I was able to put thought into words I set out on this story. Turned out even cuter than I'd ever hoped! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the fluff!
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