βX, buddy, pal, do me a solidββ
Etho skidded to a halt behind Xisuma, practically leaping to wedge himself behind the admin like Xisuma was a human (dragon?) shield. Xisuma blinked, halfway through examining a datapack bug on his screen.
βIβm gonna regret asking, but what did you do this time?β
βNo time!β Etho whispered urgently. βJust look casual. Look boring. Youβre good at that.β
βThatβs incredibly rude.β
Before Xisuma could turn fully, he spotted Scar and Skizz rounding the corner, Scar shouting, βETHO! GIVE BACK MY FROG!β and Skizz brandishing a fishing rod like a grappling hook. Etho ducked further behind him.
βDonβt move,β Etho hissed, breath hot against Xisumaβs ear, βIf they donβt see me, I donβt exist. Hermit logic.β
Xisuma sighed. βYou always say that before somethingββ
βXISUMA!β Scar beamed, completely ignoring Ethoβs guilty eyes peeking over his shoulder. βHey, you havenβt seen a suspicious ninja-fox-frog-thief around, have you?β
Xisuma opened his mouth to respond, but Etho acted first.
He grabbed Xisuma by the face, tilted his head a little like he was considering angle of effect instead of, yβknow, social cues, and planted a kiss square on his mouth.
Scar made a sound like a duck swallowing a kazoo. Skizz yelped and physically turned around. βOH, OH NOPE. Didnβt see nothinβ! Letβs give βem some space, Scar!β
Scar blinked. βIβoh. OH. Okay! You two have fun doingβuh, admin things! Orβuhβromance things? Skizz, go faster.β
They ran.
Xisuma stood very, very still.
Etho pulled back, smug and pink in the ears. βSee? Works every time. Awkward people right into a tactical retreat.β
Xisuma raised an eyebrow. β...You kissed me to avoid confrontation.β
βAnd because youβre cute when youβre confused. Double win.β Etho smirked and started walking off like nothing happened. βThanks for the cover, X!β
Xisuma muttered, mostly to himself, βYou owe me three frogs and an explanation.β
From the distance: βNope!β













