#impliedddd

he'd sit until he heard someone else stir, which more often than not happened to be skizzle or tango. he'd hear them inside laughing or whispering to each other in hushed tones, it'd make him roll his eyes and return inside to scold them for being so loud. bdubs needed his sleep, he always got a little grumpy if he didn't get the eight hours he insisted on — and since etho so dearly loved cared for him, he'd oblige and let him sleep.

tango and skizz would always startle at etho's appearance, especially the lack of a mask but over time they'd learn not to say anything. it wasn't often etho would lower it, even less so letting others see. team best had always kind of silently agreed that etho had his reasons for being so secretive, so after the first few days they'd learned to stop pushing.

he'd wave them off and make up an excuse about needing some supplies he left near the bed, and tango would tease him about wanting to go see bdubs — he wasn't wrong, but etho would prefer not to dwell on it. they were in a death game, one where alliances and bonds were supposed to mean nothing when someone turned red. luckily, no one in team best had reached that point yet, but etho had been apart of a game like this before. he knew it as well as everyone else did. it was only inevitable, so feelings were pushed aside and ignored. for the greater good, of course.

he'd slip quietly into the room bdubs slept in, and pretend for a moment to rummage through chests before he'd decide to sit on the edge of the mattress and watch the sleeping form of bdubs. it gave him peace of mind, sometimes, knowing bdubs was safe in bed. it was an assurance that he wasn't off doing something stupid or dangerous, which knowing him, the terms were always synonymous. but he wouldn't change it for the world.

he'd readjust the blanket on him, and press a kiss to the top of his head before raising his mask once more and slipping his jacket on again.

on his favorite nights, bdubs would be half awake and he'd stop etho from leaving the room with a silent tug to his sleeve. etho had learned a long time ago that saying no to him was always hard, he'd always use — what was it, that tango said? puppy dog eyes? — on him. even despite that something told etho he'd stay anyway, and he'd allow himself to get pulled into bed and bdubs would turn and curl into him, hands grasping at etho's jacket as be drifted back off to sleep.

even during the night, bdubs made everything feel ... warm. fuzzy, even, which was always a funny conclusion to reach. the fuzzy mossy time king, or whatever bdubs would call himself, making etho feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

he'd pull him impossibly close and hold on to him like it'd kill him to let go, and maybe it would. not that etho would dare risk that, not that etho would dare risk bdubs.

they'd sleep for a few hours before bdubs would pull etho from bed and they'd get ready for the day. sharpen weapons, strap on armor and prepare plenty of food. sometimes they'd sit around and lounge for a few hours, knowing the other factions were either too preoccupied with things of their own. etho would yawn, and bdubs would glance over to him with a stern expression that he'd never act on. bdubs knew as well as anyone that etho was hyper vigilant to the point where he'd deprive himself of sleep to keep others safe. sure, the phantoms sucked, but he'd live.

on his favorite days, skizz and tango would go off outside to scout for materials or set up traps, and according to bdubs, make out — so etho would be left alone with bdubs and they'd just— sit there. they'd talk about whatever, though always skirting around the darker and more pressing matters of the boogeyman or the game itself, but it was nice regardless. etho could listen to bdubs ramble for hours, especially when he dropped the wild inflictions in his voice and he'd just ... talk. etho would find himself physically close to bdubs, their shoulders pressed together or their fingers brushing together in a way that they weren't quite holding hands, but it was still enough to make etho's heart hammer in his chest.

and oh, on his favorite days, during his favorite moments, bdubs would smile. it would be genuine, not something played up for laughs or what have you, instead — it was the kind of smile that would make his eyes crinkle and etho's face red. they'd sit side by side, backs against the trees and bdubs would smile. his eyes were just as gorgeous, and they'd sit there and talk until the sky was golden and they'd lace their fingers together and say nothing about it.

bdubs would raise a hand to etho's face, fingers brushing sympathetically over the bags under etho's eyes and he'd ask etho to promise to try and get more sleep. etho would laugh it off, as well as laugh off the urge to ask bdubs to promise that he'd never leave etho's side, that they'd be together until the end. it was much too serious a talk to have.