Third Life
Joel x Etho
Etho sighed gently as he moved the oars through the water, pulling his boat forward. He looked around at the swamp and wondered how far it went and if there was any dark oak near it. He patrolled through the water, keeping his eyes peeled for anything interesting when suddenly his left oar snagged on yet another lily pad, halting his progress.
Etho reached over and pulled the roots off of his paddle and discarded the plant into the murky water. Etho lifted his oar back up into the air and continued to row his way through the swamp.
All of a sudden, Etho heard the splash of another boat behind him. His instincts reacted faster than his brain did, and he whipped around with his hand on his sword hilt, ready to strike. But instead of an enemy or even a mob, Etho found himself staring into the light brown eyes of Joel.
“Oh, hello Joel.” Etho said, as a subconscious smile formed under his mask.
“Hey Etho.” Joel said, his accent warping the way he said Etho’s name. Etho found that he actually enjoyed the way Joel said it, despite the fact that he was saying it wrong.
“What are you doing all the way out here?” Etho asked, and Joel smiled stupidly.
“I’m trying to get a monopoly like those two fools.” Joel said, gesturing to a clear-cut area behind him.
“Oh was that dark oak?” Etho asked with a shake of his head.
“Yeah, was as in past tense.” Joel sighed, his smile turning Etho’s stomach.
“What are you trying to get a monopoly on?” Etho asked in curiosity.
Joel laughed softly, and the sound did funny things to Etho’s face. He felt it heat up, and a small smile started to form. Etho was silently glad he was wearing his mask. That way, Joel couldn’t see what was going on.
Joel swung a bag off of his shoulder and opened it up for Etho to see. It was full of lily pads and lily pad flowers.
“I’m trying to get a monopoly on lily pads, but I’ve got a million, and there's still so many left.” Joel sighed and closed up his bag again. “Well I'd best be going then.”
Etho felt himself shrink in disappointment when Joel said he was leaving, and he quickly shook off the feeling.
“Here.” Joel suddenly said, holding up a lily pad flower. “These’ll be a hot commodity soon.”
Etho cupped his hands and carefully held them out to Joel. Joel dropped the flower gentilly into Etho’s hands and backed up, with a sheepish smile on his face.
“Bye Etho.” Joel said quietly before picking up his oars and paddling away.
Etho sat there in his boat for a while. He just stroked the petals of the flower as he desperately tried to calm down his racing heart and thoughts.
He picked up his oars and rowed away with his face burning with no clue as to why.
*****
“Impulse! Impulse! Impulse!” Etho raced into the village and was greeted with Impulse’s worried face.
“Etho?” Impulse grabbed onto Etho’s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. “Are you okay- Why do you have a lily?”
“Joel gave it to me, and I think I’m allergic.” Etho sighed.
“Then why do you still have it?” Impulse asked, confused. “Wait Joel gave it to you?”
“We were in the swamp, and he gave it to me because he said he was getting a monopoly on lily pads.” Etho sighed angrily.
“Wait what makes you think you’re allergic to flowers?” Impulse asked, slowing Etho down.
“Well when he gave it to me, my heart started beating faster, my face heated up, and I couldn’t think properly.” Etho frowned as he looked down at the flower. It was a little wilted from its journey back from the swamp, but other than that, it was perfect.
Impulse suddenly started laughing as he watched Etho.
“What you’re describing is not allergies.” Impulse said between laughs. “It’s called a crush.”
Etho felt his heart skip a beat as Impulse said those words.
“Wh- What do you mean!” He stuttered as Impulse shook with suppressed laughter. “I don’t like Joel!”
“From what you’re describing, I think we can say that’s a lie.” Impulse said, patting Etho on the back. “It’s okay, Joel’s a fine person. This is a normal part of life.”
“Uggghhh.” Etho sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to go and see if I can get any dark oak saplings from Grian and Scar.”
“Be careful.” Impulse warned, “They're not that open about their monopoly.”
“I’ll be fine.” Etho promised, still processing what Impulse had told him.
*****
Etho climbed up the mountain and heaved his way up the last cliff. He was greeted by a hand reaching out to pull him up. Etho grabbed onto Grian’s hand and let himself get pulled up.
“Hello Grian.” Etho laughed, and the blond looked at him worriedly.
“Listen,” Grian whispered quickly as Scar walked up from behind. “He’s going to try and steal your boots. Don’t let him. He's done this to everyone who’s come here. Don’t let him steal your-”
“Hello Etho!” Scar called happily, cutting Grian off. “What brings you to Monopoly Mountain?”
“Oh nothing much, I just heard you might have some dark oak?” Etho asked innocently.
“Why do you want dark oak?” Scar asked, switching into full businessman mode.
“I want to restore the historic landmark that you burnt down.” Etho responded easily.
“He wants your shoes!” Grian cried, and Scar waved him off.
“Grian go over there and sort through our chests.” Grian slunk off defeated, and Etho smiled at his efforts. “Well me and Grian don’t have any, but if we do, I'll make sure to personally give you four saplings. If you give me your shoes.”
Etho gave Scar a look that said ‘you can do better than that’.
“Don't give him your shoes!” Grian yelled from over where he stood.
“And ten reputation points.” Scar quickly added, and Etho smiled.
“I shouldn't do this, but I really want those saplings.” Etho sighed, pulling off his shoes. “Do I get your boots?”
“Yes you can have my boots.” Scar said, quickly pulling off his iron shoes and passing them to Etho.
Etho handed him his shoes, and the deal was complete.
“Oh Etho.” Grian sighed, “Did you give him your shoes?”
“Yes.” Etho laughed, and Grian sighed in disappointment. “I want those dark oak saplings.”
“But we don't have any dark oak saplings!” Grian said meaningfully.
“No, but if we were to come upon said coveted saplings, we would give four to you, Etho.” Scar said convincingly, and Grian sighed again.
“Well I'd better go-” Etho said, but he was interrupted by a bunch of people coming up the mountain.
Etho turned around to see Martyn, Jimmy, Scott, and Joel running up to Grian and Scar. Joel had a sly smile spread over his face, and Etho felt himself blush when Joel looked his way.
“We are a traveling magic act called Soli-Beans-Major-Inthelittlewood.” Martyn announced, and Etho laughed at their terrible name.
“Fantastico!” Jimmy added, making his contribution to the name.
“Yes and fantastico at the end!” Martyn added with a flourish.
“We have one show stopping trick that involves all three of you turning around and facing the other way.” Scott explained, and Etho did not like the sound of that.
“Oh I don't like this.” Grian said uncomfortably, and Scar squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“It'll be fine.” Scar said quietly, and Grian gave him an adoring look.
Etho sighed and wished Joel would look at him even a fraction of the way that Grian was looking at Scar. Etho looked over at the man in question, and Joel gave him a reassuring wink. Etho slowly turned around, and when he did, he could hear digging for some reason.
“Quick now the bonemeal!” Etho heard Joel whisper urgently, and he wondered what was going on.
“ACTIVATE!” Jimmy cried, and Grian, Scar, and Etho turned around to be faced with a dark oak tree.
“Where did you get this!?” Grian yelled, and Scar reacted by throwing lava on it.
“No, not another tree!” Etho yelled as he remembered his historical landmark.
After a lot of shouting and tree burning, the traveling magic act departed with a final cry.
“Fantastico and away we go!” Jimmy cried, and Martyn echoed him.
“Fantastico and away we go!”
“I will murder them.” Scar growled, and Grian started laughing maniacally.
Etho took that as his cue to run away, and he chased after Joel to get dark oak saplings, not because of anything else, and soon reached them. Etho caught up and was quickly surrounded by the laughing group.
“What did they say, what'd they say?” Martyn asked through laughter.
“You're all on Scar's hitlist when he turns red, that's for sure.” Etho laughed, and Martyn clapped him on the back.
“Fantastico!” Jimmy cried in excitement.
Etho laughed along with the others, but he only had eyes for one brit of the group. Joel's head tossed back in laughter, and his eyes were alight with happiness. Etho wanted nothing more than to see that smile every day, but he quickly shook the thoughts from his head.
“Serves them right!” Joel laughed happily. “Scar took my diamond sword in exchange for dark oak saplings, but then he told me he didn't even have any!”
“Idiots trying to have a monopoly on a type of tree.” Scott sighed happily, grabbing onto Jimmy's hand, and he threaded his fingers through Scott's.
Etho sighed and waved goodbye to the group and headed off in the direction of the village. But he was only gone a few moments when he heard someone running up behind him.
“Etho!”
Etho turned around to see Joel behind him with a sweet smile on his face.
“Hey Joel.” Etho greeted and blushed softly under his mask.
“Here.” Joel quickly passed him a bunch of dark oak saplings. “You can replant your historical landmark.”
Etho felt his fingers tingle as Joel's hand contacted his.
“Thanks Joel.” Etho spoke softly, trying not to break the moment. But he subconsciously wrapped his hand around Joel’s, and Joel smiled at him.
“Joel!”
“I've got to go.” Joel said softly, pulling his hand back, and Etho immediately missed the warmth.
“Bye.” Etho whispered.
Joel smiled and walked away, leaving a flabbergasted hermit in his wake.
*****
“Impulse!” Etho cried, running back into the village. “Impulse!”
“Hey Etho.” Impulse greeted from where he stood by a villager house. “Look what's happened!”
Etho looked into the house and saw a little baby villager running around with his parents.
“We have a child!” Impulse cheered, and Etho smiled.
“And we have dark oak!” Etho, head up the saplings Joel gave him, and Impulse looked at them in confusion.
“Where did you get those?” Impulse asked.
“Joel gave them to me after destabilizing Grian's monopoly.” Etho said quickly, explaining what went down up on Monopoly Mountain.
“Wait, Joel gave you another gift?” Impulse asked with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
“Shut up.” Etho sighed, turning red and punching impulse lightly in the shoulder.
“You should get him something!” Impulse suggested.
“That's weird, Impulse.” Etho said with a frown. “It'll be too forward.”
“Dude, he's given you two different plant related gifts. If that's not romantic, I don't know what is.” Impulse noted with a smile.
“He isn't being romantic Impulse, he's just being Joel.” Etho sighed, running his hands through his hair.
“Well how will you know unless you try?” Impulse asked, patting Etho on his shoulder.
“What do I get him then?” Etho asked with a defeated sigh.
“Well what do you think?” Impulse asked.
“I'll think of something.” Etho said with a smile. “Thank you, Impulse.”
Etho walked off to go and see the villagers, and he smiled as he thought about Impulse's comment. Impulse thought that Joel liked him. And he thought that Joel was giving him gifts.
Etho pulled out his sword and gave it a few experimental swings. Suddenly, he thought of something to give Joel. Since Grian and Scar had taken Joel's sword, he was in need of a new one.
“Impulse, do we have any diamonds?” Etho called, and Impulse walked over confused.
“Yeah we have a few- Wait here.” Impulse raced away while Etho fidgeted with his hands.
Impulse came running back and handed Etho the diamonds and grinned.
“Finally doing something about this crush of yours?”
Etho blushed and took the diamonds. “Shut up, but thank you.”
Etho quickly crafted the diamonds into a sword and looked down at it hopefully.
“Anytime, if Joel breaks your heart, you let me know.” Impulse said with a smile.
“I will, thanks, Impy.” Etho said, giving Impulse a rare hug.
“You don't need to thank me, now go get your man.” Impulse laughed, pushing Etho off in the direction of Joel's homestead.
“Bye!” Etho cried, racing off with hope in his heart and a sword in his hands.
*****
“Joel!” Etho called running up the hill to Joel's house.
“Oh hey, Etho!” Joel cried with a smile. “Do you like the spot I've chosen for a house?”
“It's good, got the high ground.” Joel laughed, and the sound warmed Etho's heart.
“What brings you here?” Joel asked, and Etho readied himself to give his gift.
“Well I heard that you don't have a sword anymore. So-” Etho pulled out the diamond sword and held it out to Joel carefully. “I've got you a new one.”
Joel looked down at the sword without saying a word, and Etho immediately took that as a bad sign.
“Oh you don't need it, do you? Sorry, I'll give it to Tango or something. Or I can-”
“Etho, it's perfect. Thank you.” Joel took the sword carefully and gave it a few practice strokes. “I love you.”
“Great I'm glad you like it- Wait, what?” Etho looked up in surprise at Joel, and he immediately felt his heart speed up.
“What, my flower didn't give it away?” Joel laughed, and Etho buried his face in his hands.
“I feel so stupid.” Etho sighed, and Joel cupped Etho's cheek, gently lifting his face up to eye level.
“Hey you're not stupid, I love you.” Joel confessed again easily.
Etho's face lit up red, and he averted his eyes.
“I haven't read the signals wrong, though, right?” Joel asked, “I'm just assuming that you feel the same?”
Etho didn't respond immediately he just lifted his hand up and curled his hand around the one cupping his cheek. Joel blushed, and it was Etho's turn to grin triumphantly.
“Well I should hope you know I feel the same. Otherwise, I'll be doing this all for nothing.” Etho joked, and Joel sighed, leaning closer.
Etho slowly lifted his free hand up to pull down his mask, and Joel gasped at his face. Joel rubbed his thumb over Etho's cheek, tracing the scar that ran over his eye and down near his mouth. Joel smiled, and Etho wished he could bottle this moment and hold it by his heart forever.
“Also by the way, Impulse said that if you break my heart, he's going to kill you.” Etho informed Joel with a small smile.
“Don't worry,” Joel whispered, leaning impossibly closer. “I don't plan on breaking anything.”
Suddenly, Joel pressed his lips to Etho's, causing the Canadian to gasp, pulling him closer. Etho ran his fingers through Joel's hair, and Joel let out a sigh of content. Joel's hand reached up to one of Etho's and wove its way through his fingers, pulling Etho’s reluctant hand away from his hair. Etho tried to protest, but his hand was quickly pulled down to rest on Joel's chest, where he could feel the rapid beats of the Brit's heart. Etho pulled back and smiled softly down at Joel, and Joel grinned back.
“I love you.” Etho laughed, and Joel’s cheeks tinted a light shade of pink.
“Now he says it.” Joel smiled, and Etho kissed his cheek.
Joel laid his head on Etho's chest and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Etho sighed and realized that this feeling Impulse called love wasn't too bad, and he quite enjoyed it after all.
And we're back to our regular scheduled oneshots, Boat Boys, Flower Husbands, and Scarian for all! This one was inspired by Joel and Etho's interaction in the swamp, in Third Life, that would've gone very differently had it been in this day and age.
This is how it went:
Etho- I was thinking of maybe settling in the swamp, becoming Shrek.
Joel- You know that used to be my Minecraft skin. You're coming for my brand there, Etho.
Etho- Sorry.
Joel- No, it's okay, you can be Shrek if you want.
This is how I think it would've gone if it happened today:
Etho- Hello Boat Boy.
Joel- We're in boats again, Etho. we know how this is going to turn out.
Etho- *Laughs*
Joel- Why are you in the swamp Etho?
Etho- I was thinking of becoming Shrek and living in the swamp.
Joel- You know that used to be my Minecraft skin. You're a little bit too obsessed with me, Etho.
Etho- You're the one who's obsessed with me!
Joel- Me!? What about you with your Shrek reference and Joel statues! What about-
And so on and so forth. Anyway. That's my thoughts, you? As always, thanks for reading!
Star