Nebtho Omegaverse: Plans, meetings and everything wrong
Sunday, September 17th, 2017 10:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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mindcrackloveEtho's side of post-hospital, I know this is late and that is entirely down to me.
Anyway, this has much angst, many thoughts that are more than questionable and a visit to his oldest friend, Ashley.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 3b | 4 | 5 | 6
The morning had been terrible. Every time Etho had tried to read a request the words had warped and blurred; Doc had gotten fed up of reading the text for him. Doc agreed to let Etho go for a walk, alone, provided he came back by lunch and let Doc check he’d not got a potion on him before leaving.
Etho decided he needed to talk to someone, he was too stuck inside his head to see any solution. He was at a loss over how to show Nebris that he would do anything. Talking to anyone inside the pack would be dangerous, Etho didn't want to risk Nebris’ secret. Pause had noticed both Nebris and Etho with Nebris’ omega fragrance. Who knew who else had noticed? Vechs, perhaps? Even the slightest hint to the truth and they might be outed.
Etho decided to go outside the pack, which left only one person he trusted. One that he highly doubted knew Nebris. Ashley. She was his oldest friend, and the only Omega from school that still talked to him after they’d found their bondmate. The fact that she ran a shop that ordinarily he avoided was beside the point, he trusted her completely.
He knew he was alone in the alley outside her store, he had been there for a few minutes and had been glancing up and down to confirm it. One last check and he finally worked up the courage to open the door. It let out a jangling noise, clearly to let anyone inside know there was a customer.
“Welcome, feel free to browse!” Ashley called from somewhere in the back. “I'll be with you in a moment!” When she turned up behind the corner, she looked terribly surprised.
“Hi.” Etho greeted slightly nervously. “Long time, no see.”
“Etho? I never would have thought you'd come to my shop, you always hated our need to submit. What changed?”
“I, well.” Etho hummed for a moment, trying to ignore the whips and chains that were everywhere while thinking of the easiest way to put it. “I guess you could say I found myself an Alpha?”
“Oh, God Etho. Get out of that relationship, Alpha-Alpha never works. They always come in here so happy, they found someone that can keep up with them and can challenge them. It always falls apart when one of them finds their bondmate, if not before.”
“I'm not here for you to judge it, I simply wanted your advice about well, erm.”
“You want her?” Ashley trailed off, her head cocked slightly in question.
“Him.” Etho corrected, feeling more awkward than he thought he would, was that a-? No, he refused to think about it as he tore his eyes away from her stock and looked squarely at her.
“Right, him,” she gave a small soft smile, and he knew she'd already guessed he wasn't straight. “To what? Submit for the first time? Not sure how to broach it?”
“No, erm, I sort of gave into instincts.”
“Etho, honey, that's okay, provided he does consent. He does, doesn't he?” The look she gave him made his stomach sink; she appeared to think the answer was yes, but Etho only asked for consent once; and that had been coerced.
“Not exactly, I already feel guilty. I mean I don't completely dominate him but I can't seem to help it, I only recently thought about my behaviour. These last few months I've been the worst.” Etho had to close his eyes to get away from the pitying look she gave him. “It's my fault, I'm not here for pity.”
“You've always been there for me, every time I see you I have to look at that scar,”
Etho gave a strained smile, opened his eyes and finished her sentence for her. “The one I got for defending you. But if I'm the one causing the issue you should look at me like you did him. Pushy, arrogant, and what was the last thing you said?”
“In dire need of a good thrashing. However, you’re not him. Okay, so you got carried away but the fact that you're even here asking how to not be that person shows why I love you.”
“Don't let Matt hear that.”
“I love all my friends, Matt knows that. He's not the jealous type, why else would I get to run this place? He could employ anyone; but he lets me do it. Have you any idea how many Alphas proposition me? Some are rather intriguing, last week I got one that-”
“Ashley,” Etho stopped her, she smiled at him and shook her head before talking again.
“I would have thought you'd be a little less embarrassed about sex after a good fuck. It was good, wasn't it?”
“I can't believe we're talking about this.” Etho responded, not wanting state that good didn't cover it. Not really ready to discuss it in any detail.
“You were the one that walked into a sex shop wanting advice. I'm proud that you did, but you didn't think it through, did you?” she asked, a smile in her voice.
“Ashley, please? What do I do?”
“Since you're unwilling to end it, all I can offer is communication. Talk to him, tell him what you want, and ask him what he wants. I'd recommend you think about what you want and come here and talk to me about it before you talk to him, if you can't tell me then how will you even broach it?”
“I can't,” Etho began before spotting her biting her lips closed. “You're teasing me?”
“Only about talking to me.” she paused to chuckle at him. “But I'm serious about talking to him, communication should be king of any relationship. If you can't talk to the guy you're shagging about it then neither of you can really get what you want from it. And be careful, don't give him your heart and try to keep him from expecting you to be there. I know you think you'll not be separated by one of you finding your bondmate, but you will be, it's intoxicating.”
Personally, he felt intoxicating was an understatement. It didn’t even begin to cover the way the scent of lavender always seemed to follow him on the breeze, or the way he couldn’t even get to sleep without seeing those vivid violet irises and Nebris’ signature teasing smirk in his mind’s eye. In a near whisper he told her, “I know.”
“You can't possibly conceive how deep it runs until after you feel it.”
Etho sighed. She would never believe Nebris was his bondmate, not without giving away his secret. Besides, he was sure he was at the end of his capacity to talk about mating.
“Thanks for the concern, but I think I should be going.”
She gave him a hard look before conceding. “Okay, but first promise me you'll come visit and tell me how it goes. After all you do know where to find me, I'm open late.” Etho nodded and she took his hand. “One last thing.”
She dragged him towards the back, grabbing a bag in passing at the till. A few minutes passed of her going around and stuffing things from the back room into it. Etho watched from the doorway where she had left him. When she returned, she offered the bag.
“Obviously I don't need to tell you how to use lube, but every time I order more they give me ‘mini testers’ though seeing as most of my customer already know what ones they like, and what they can't have, they usually don't get used. Yeah sometimes they change it up, but way I see it, an Alpha into Alphas can never have enough of the stuff. I know Matt keeps a drawer full if you ever want to shag him, strings free of course.”
“No! How can you even offer that?”
“Well, he likes to submit sometimes and I can't find it in me to dominate. You saw me attempting to lead the debate team, imagine how it is when everything inside me is telling me to be cute and get him to take command. We tried it, a few times, but it always ended poorly. Luckily, for us anyway, one of my regular Alphas lost their fuck buddy and-”
“Goodbye Ashley.” Etho firmly said as soon as he got over his shock, he never ever wanted Ashley to offer her Alpha to him, or tell him with excitement how she'd set-up her bondmate with other Alphas. It was something he wished he'd never found out, he regretted asking her to explain. Sometimes he forgot why he occasionally avoided her.
“I also put in a healing salve, Matt swears blind that it's the best you can get for those nasty Alpha inflicted wounds. And a few condoms, as you should know, never sleep with someone without one till you’re tested for each other. Well then, goodbye, and don't be a stranger.”
The door tinkled lightly as he closed it behind him while he checked the alley, trying not to think about being tested for each other. It was too late in any case, Etho hadn't even considered using condoms. Which was another thing he shouldn't have done as Nebris was at the mercy of his instincts that first time, but Etho had not been. At least not in the same way. He should have at the very least tried to find one, not that Nebris was likely to have them nor had either of them had partners before each other.
The alley was still as empty as when he’d entered, though that hardly seemed to matter now that he had one of her pink bags. At least it had no insignia or name on it, but anyone who saw him leaving the alley with it would possibly know where it came from. He couldn't even think of another shop that used pink bags.
He was thankful that EthoCorp was nearby, and that he didn't run into anyone he knew before he got there. He slipped the bag inside one of the plain ones from his stock cupboard as soon as he entered then hung it up under his coat. Listening to the beginning patters of rain outside, mildly glad he had missed the start of it, he walked to his desk.
He re-checked his special orders, dividing it into ones that would blow up in his face and ones that wouldn't. He was finding it hard to concentrate, a few hours since he'd last seen Nebris and he already felt the pull to stalk him. Another thing that wasn't good.
He set aside the potions he was unwilling to try making. Doc would happily deal with the volatile ones, and had promised to stick around after lunch when Etho expressed his wish to go for a walk.
Etho began making up the safe ones while his mind drifted to Nebris and how he would even start talking about sex. They'd always kind of just done it, other than the times they had begged each other to start it. Though those didn't count as talking about it, only showed that they both wanted it. A little glimmer of hope, Nebris wanted him even if only physically. However, how to prove that he could deserve Nebris was another thing, and more important at present.
His thoughts were interrupted by the back door being shunted. He had left it unlocked after returning from Ashley's, but when he went to open it he found it locked. Nebris had been through, no one else had a key for the door and that was the only spare. Etho unlocked the door, outside was a drenched Doc looking slightly less than pleased.
“You said you'd leave it unlocked.”
“I did.” Etho agreed. “Sorry about that.”
Doc shook his head, spraying Etho with water, hung his coat on top of Etho's dry one and began making potions with little more than a check that it was that pile he was to help with. Etho didn't mind the silence.
He knew Doc wasn't there simply for him, and would probably be going to tell Guude about the visit. He could admit his thoughts weren't completely fair, Doc had volunteered to be Etho’s minder because he cared and wanted to spend time trying to cheer Etho up. Etho knew as Doc had told him, even though Guude had told Doc not too.
But at the moment Doc was annoyed. Once he was drier he’d probably start a conversation, and Etho would have to focus on that. Fortunately until Doc spoke Etho was free to obsess about Nebris, kissing him, talking to him, making it up to him.
Etho fumbled with his house keys, then struggled to find the light switch inside. It was pitch black outside, still cloudy and occasionally raining but thankfully without winds. He lived too far from the closest street lamp to get much help there. He blinked into the light, someone had replaced the bulb. It usually took time to warm up. Then he moved into his living room, caring little for the water he dripped through his house.
He wasn't sure why he moved into the living room, his bedroom was upstairs and he was exhausted. He flipped on the switch to find that bulb was also replaced, far whiter than he remembered.
But that wasn't the only thing wrong with the room, well not wrong just not how he left it. Everything was tidied away. He opened the cupboards, everything was tidied away where it belonged. Nebris must have broken in, there had been a few days where Vechs had said Nebris had been unreachable and untraceable.
He moved room to room, feeling like a ghost in his own house. Every room was the same, new light and missing the mess than he'd left it after finding and removing everything that was Pauses’. That thought made him tear up a little. He wanted it back, he wanted proof of the friendship he had destroyed in his blind obsession over Nebris.
It was when he entered the kitchen that he finally felt real again. A note, short and to the point, hung on the fridge door under a lava bucket magnet he knew he did not own.
-Since I'm not much help in EthoCorp, thought I'd fix your house.
Take your phone with you every time you leave.
Z-
His phone was attached to a charger and sitting beside the fridge. He picked it up as he remembered Zisteau had a spare key, for emergencies. Etho guessed getting himself stuck in hospital counted. He checked the fridge, completely empty. But he doubted there had been anything left in the house that would have been in date anyway. He would have to give thanks, and ask why Zisteau knew where everything belonged, but it was too late for social calls and he wanted to do it in person.
Etho moved to his bedroom, which was tidy and found that his plants had been watered. He nipped off a couple of leaves cursing that he'd thought Nebris had done it; Nebris had never even been here in a friendly capacity. How would Nebris know where anything went in the cupboards and drawers? The fact that Zisteau knew was surprising itself.
Etho had treated his home like a sanctuary, keeping Nebris from it. Was there any aspect of their relationship that wasn’t Etho forcing Nebris to submit in some fashion? They only slept together in places that were not Etho's private space. Even using EthoCorp had been more of a needs thing, as Etho had felt he needed to make the potion and wanted to stop being on the verge of being found out or attacked in Nebris’ home.
He decided that he would get a copy of his house key and somehow offer it to Nebris without forcing him to take it. Or wait until he'd proven himself, then offer it.
Etho arrived in EthoCorp before the sun rose, his night had been restless. Not seeing Nebris was against his hopes to prove that he could be good for Nebris, it only further proved he wasn't. He flicked the lights on before checking the stock. He was at the counter getting yesterday’s special orders when someone knocked on the front door.
“We're closed. Come back later.” Etho called out.
“Even for me?” Ashley shouted in return.
“Especially for you.” He muttered to himself as he went to open the door.
“So?” She asked stepping over the threshold.
“What?”
“How did it go?”
Etho stifled a groan. “It's been half a day.”
“But you seemed so keen yesterday, I'd have thought you were seeing your Alpha last night?”
“You told me to think about it, I am. Anyway I asked for some time to work myself out.”
“You leave it too long and he’ll be off with his mate or someone else.” She chided.
“Can you wait for him to leave me before you go on about it?”
“I want to make sure you expect it. Don't want to hear that you've gotten yourself in hospital again.”
“Who told you?” Doc, Guude or Seth. Probably Seth as they got on well, he reasoned. Pause and Beef were unlikely and he didn't think she’d met anyone else from his pack.
“That would be telling. Needless to say, I don't want you to do something stupid like that again. What did your Alpha think of that?”
“My Alpha,” Etho repeated the phrase in his head.
Nebris spent years being an Alpha, Etho had to show he respected that. He needed to give back Nebris’ pride, and publicly. Which gave him an idea.
“Thank you Ashley. I think I know what I need to do.”
“Care to share?”
“I have to remind him who he is. A little battle should help, I need to get ready.”
“I will never understand why Alphas’ think a fight will solve anything.” Etho glared briefly, she couldn't know how much winning meant to Nebris. She held her hands up in submission. “Okay fine, I don't know him or your relationship. But you will talk to him about everything, what the both of you want from this fling?”
“Yes, I'll talk to him.” Etho wanted to add, well scream at her, that it was not a fling but chose not to have that argument this early after too little sleep.
“And I get to meet him?”
“Only if he wants to meet you, which I doubt.”
“I'm just curious who's gotten you all up in knots. Simply tell me where you'll meet him one day and when, I'll pretend I don't even know you.”
“Don't you have a shop of your own?”
“Subtle, Etho. I'll see you tomorrow then.”
“Next week? I don't think I can handle you turning up every morning.”
“Half a week, that's all I'll give you.”
That was enough of a break, Etho nodded and gave a proper goodbye, and a hug at her insistence, before she left.
“It's good to see you smiling.” Doc said from beside Etho, making him jump. “Happy thought?”
“Thoughts, that's not why you're here though. Someone let slip that I'm back to focusing here, and that I've gotten help. Fifteen orders, for today from yesterday, and half the stock is gone. I'm pretty sure it's Nebris.”
Well, his staff thought that, and it might be true. Etho didn't know. He did ask why they trusted Nebris, they simply called Nebris his Omega, not something Etho wanted Nebris to discover. And because they knew that Nebris was his bondmate they accepted him as Etho’s partner, his equal, and believed he would try to help the business thrive now that he was painfully aware of how inadequate a job Etho had been doing since they got together.
“You know, that ‘nice’ thing he did of expanding my stock? Well, a good portion was stuff he has surplus of, and few other collect. He's done it so I have to go to him, I mean who else keeps an excessive supply of lavender?”
“I'm sure that it's more because he had it to hand than to make you have to ask him to help you restock.”
“This is Nebris where talking about, he thinks about these things and he's hated me for years.” All technically true. He hated himself a little bit for finding it so difficult to lie, and also for being a bit glad he continued to struggle with it.
“I thought you two had stopped fighting.” Doc queried.
“He's giving me a false sense of he's not going to try anything.”
Not honest, but potentially true. They had fought on occasion since getting together, nothing as major as before. Nebris would still use his ‘I'm not going to do anything.’ Then turn around and start a fight, often in the morning while they were still naked after they'd finished having sex together. Though Etho trusted that Nebris would let him make the next move, Nebris had his own sense of honour that Etho still found baffling.
“You haven't started anything with him, wasn't it always mostly you that started it?”
Etho didn't want to think about it. Obviously he had, in his detestable need to dominate phase. Simply fighting Nebris out of the blue like he used to was clearly out of the question, but how else could he start one?
“Etho? ETHO?”
“Huh, what?” Etho inquired as he shook his thoughts from his head.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine, thinking about Nebris.”
“Look, he was trying to do you a favour don't return to thrashing him instead of thanking him.”
“How did you know?”
“I've seen you make that face too many times. You're planning something, just let it be thanks.”
Etho returned to his project, discarding his work. He was determined to reverse his inhibitor. He hoped to make a potion that could grant others Alpha like healing - more specifically, Nebris. It would be worth a fortune if he worked it out, and after experiencing non-alpha healthcare he knew he would pass on the recipe for very little, maybe even free, to healthcare professionals.
Yet another reason to be proud of Nebris, working through injuries far worse than Etho’s poison without painkillers outside of possibly, though probably not knowing Nebris, over the counter ones. But Nebris was a brewer, perhaps he had his own potion for post battle?
“Etho?”
“Hmm?”
“You're mixing the wrong things, perhaps you've been at it too long?” Doc was looking pointedly at the pile of half finished special orders and failed healing potions. Etho sighed and returned to what he was supposed to be doing.
It only took a few dedicated hours, once Doc was away, to reverse his inhibitor. Reversing was far simpler than creating from scratch. Sometimes you applied an inverter, others, like this time, you took the opposing ingredients, a few binding ones, then simply had to work out the mix. When Ashley arrived a few days later he got her to test it. It worked, though she texted him the next morning to inform that it had worn off, so duration was lower than his inhibitors’ two and a bit weeks.
The next thing was to wait for a pack gathering, another couple of days that felt like hell. Etho almost cheered when Guude texted everyone that they were going to do a barbeque, weather permitting, in Anderzel’s backyard. But while he wanted to text back immediately that he was going, he didn't think he could really handle a social thing. Everyone kept treating him as fragile, apart from Doc, Pause and Beef. To the rest of team Canada he was dead, other than Pause screaming at him on the day of his release they had said nothing to him.
Regardless, he needed to know if Nebris was going to the barbeque. He had a feeling Nebris would say yes simply because he wanted to see Etho if asked directly. But Etho had no intention to stay for the food. He wasn't stupid, he was fully aware that Nebris had taken to watching him from a distance, even coming into the back room when Doc was out. Mostly he was too distracted and all he knew of Nebris’ visit was lingering lavender and/or a locked door. He tried not to dwell on why Nebris would come so close but do nothing.
Etho texted Guude. He left it a day, then asked who was going. Not an unusual request, and Etho had his answer. Nebris was going, but so where Pause and Beef. He didn't think he could deal with arriving before Nebris but after Pause. It still hurt that he'd destroyed that relationship beyond repair, but Pause was right not to forgive him. He had been an absentee friend then put Pause into an awful situation; Doc had told Etho that Pause had been the first to raise the alarm that Etho wasn't simply missing.
The night before the barbeque the weather looked promising. Etho snuck into Nebris’ bedroom, long after he would be asleep, and placed the regeneration potion on his beside. The label simply read ‘Drink me, Etho.’ Etho could only hope Nebris did, but he was slightly annoyed with the gesture itself. He was asking Nebris to do something for him with no explanation.
He really couldn't help trying to dominate Nebris’ life, even while trying to prove he could not. But if he explained what it did, then Nebris could work out what he was planning. If Nebris knew he intended to start a fight then Nebris would be better placed to stop it or intercept him before they were amongst friends. And if he explained the whole plan, well, Nebris would know that Etho would be lucky to take on Millbee.
“Etho.” Nebris whined. Etho froze, the silence continued so he double checked Nebris was sleeping. “Etho! Oh god, Etho, I'm sorry, I never meant for this. I-” Etho left. Nebris was having a nightmare, blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault by the sounds of it. Etho was the bad guy. He always had been when it came to Nebris, even if Nebris couldn't see it because he was so used to being the one everyone got angry at.
When Etho got home he downed an inhibitor then went to bed. The night was restless, he was awake worrying about Nebris’ nightmare for hours. Part of him wanted to go back to Nebris and try to soothe his dream, but if Nebris woke Etho knew he wouldn't be able to find an excuse to leave and all his planning would fall apart when Nebris asked what the potion was.
When morning arrived Etho hung around his house, cleaning rooms and caring for his plants. It was cloudy, but didn't look like it was going to rain. Etho settled to thinking about how late he could arrive without causing anyone to panic. If he called to say that he was running late just before the start then he could push it further without any real risk.
A knock interrupted his thoughts, and when he went to see who it was he found Guude in his hallway taking keys out of the already closed door.
“Etho, we should talk.”
Etho frowned as he said “Hello.”
When Guude walked to his living room he followed. He sat and Guude took a seat like he owned it. In a way he did, everything that belonged to a pack member sort of belonged to the leader, which is probably why Zisteau had let Guude have the spare keys. But it still annoyed Etho slightly. Guude didn't come over nearly often enough to look so at home. Guude eyed him for a bit and when Etho went to ask what he wanted to talk about Guude spoke. “I know everything.”
“Everything? What's everything?”
“Right, basically I know Nebris isn't as Alpha as he wants everyone to believe. That you were with Nebris pretty much most of the day everyday, excluding injury time before your hiccup. That you almost died because Pause is easily as big a jerk as Nebris and you'd forgotten the world is bigger than them, but that's easy to do with a new and shaky bond. I know you're still not okay, and you won't be until Nebris stops rejecting you.”
“Nebris isn't-” Etho began as Guude paused, but was stopped by a long suffering sigh.
“Look, I've already talked to him so don't deny any of it.”
“I was the one that told him to stay away.” Etho rephrased.
“Why the fuck would you do that?” Guude demanded as he sprang forwards in his seat, staring at Etho as though he was completely bonkers.
“I needed time to think.”
“I thought Nebris was a big enough idiot in this all, now I find out you are too? You know I used to joke you'd put each other in an early grave, and now you actually seem to be doing a good job of it! Are you coming to the barbeque or what?”
“Yes?” Etho responded, wondering why Guude had suddenly asked that as he knew Etho was going.
“If we don't move now we will be really late, get off your lazy ass!”
“You're not getting up.” Etho pointed out angrily, he was feeling a bit bristly thanks to Guude’s abruptness.
“I'm not the one in pyjamas.”
Etho ran upstairs, if Guude hadn't come round he would have forgotten to get dressed at all. He decided against thinking about how the others would have reacted to him turning up ready for bed as he struggled into the first pieces of clothes he found. His trousers fought back and he ended up sprawling, luckily, on his bed. Guude was back in the hallway as Etho rushed down the stairs.
“Promise me one thing.” Guude told him, face blank but tone commanding. Etho nodded when he realised Guude was expecting acknowledgement. “If you decide to reject Nebs completely, you'll kill him. Don't make him live with it.”
“I would never-”
“Look, I'm not dealing with either of you broken-bonded if I can help it. I hope you'll be together, however I want you to promise because I trust you’ll keep it. It isn't for you, it's for him and everyone else. He was in pieces when we didn't know where you were. I've never seen him like that, and I never want to see him so weak again. So if you want to shatter him, do it with a sword through his heart. Nebris might be a little shit sometimes, but he does deserve dignity.”
“I promise I won't reject him.” Etho tried as he couldn't stomach promising to kill Nebris, regardless of the caveat.
Guude smiled. “That was more than I hoped you'd give.”
“I love him,” Etho stopped his explanation, he began staring forwards unseeingly. “I love him.” He repeated quietly, he'd never really thought it, never named his own emotions, and now he'd said it. “I love Nebris.” He told Guude, who was still smiling but had begun leaning against a wall. He was far too at home but Etho found he didn't care anymore.
He fumbled for his phone, trying to hold back tears over how stupid he had been, how much harm he had unthinkingly caused Nebris by telling him to back off, sort of rejecting him. Thankfully Guude had hammered it home. If he wanted to prove himself good enough and that he was capable of giving up control, he had to let Nebris chose how. Failing that make Nebris take control. Anything Nebris asked for, or wanted, Etho would provide.
“Hello?” Nebris answered, the fraction of cheer in his voice told Etho that Nebris knew it was him but wasn't alone.
“I miss you.” Etho couldn't help it, he knew that it was probably a bad thing to say while Nebris was in unknown company. But he desperately needed Nebris to know he wasn't being rejected. Etho was unsure if the brief silence was surprise or Nebris taking a moment to formulate an un-incriminating response, either way he chose to press on. “I need you. I,” he was going to say it, even if it wasn't to Nebris’ face. “I love you. I'm so sorry for-”
“Damn.” Nebris sounded angry, and a little bit panicked. Etho wanted to continue his apology, but Nebris continued before he had a chance. “Where are you?”
“Home?”
“Don't move a damn muscle, unless it's to get an antidote.” Nebris hung up, leaving Etho wondering why that was his chosen lie and how he thought that would get him away from the others. But Etho quickly got distracted by the fact that Nebris was coming to him, and Etho was determined to make it worth his while.
Etho told Guude that Nebris was coming, Guude was out the door in moments wishing Etho luck. Etho then put the kettle on. If Nebris wanted a hot drink hopefully the kettle would have just boiled when he arrived, or it would take less time to heat. The fridge was still empty, so Etho took the flyers for a couple of local places he thought Nebris might like and moved them into the living room, where he waited.
His phone buzzed, he answered it, smiling at who it was. He didn't even get the chance to say hello before Nebris issued a challenge. “I love you more.” And hung up. Nebris couldn't believe that, surely? Not after the way Etho had belittled him and shown no respect for his wishes. Etho took a few deep breaths, conflicted from returned love, his unwillingness to believe Nebris and determination not to begin crying before Nebris arrived nor after.
Anyway, this has much angst, many thoughts that are more than questionable and a visit to his oldest friend, Ashley.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 3b | 4 | 5 | 6
The morning had been terrible. Every time Etho had tried to read a request the words had warped and blurred; Doc had gotten fed up of reading the text for him. Doc agreed to let Etho go for a walk, alone, provided he came back by lunch and let Doc check he’d not got a potion on him before leaving.
Etho decided he needed to talk to someone, he was too stuck inside his head to see any solution. He was at a loss over how to show Nebris that he would do anything. Talking to anyone inside the pack would be dangerous, Etho didn't want to risk Nebris’ secret. Pause had noticed both Nebris and Etho with Nebris’ omega fragrance. Who knew who else had noticed? Vechs, perhaps? Even the slightest hint to the truth and they might be outed.
Etho decided to go outside the pack, which left only one person he trusted. One that he highly doubted knew Nebris. Ashley. She was his oldest friend, and the only Omega from school that still talked to him after they’d found their bondmate. The fact that she ran a shop that ordinarily he avoided was beside the point, he trusted her completely.
He knew he was alone in the alley outside her store, he had been there for a few minutes and had been glancing up and down to confirm it. One last check and he finally worked up the courage to open the door. It let out a jangling noise, clearly to let anyone inside know there was a customer.
“Welcome, feel free to browse!” Ashley called from somewhere in the back. “I'll be with you in a moment!” When she turned up behind the corner, she looked terribly surprised.
“Hi.” Etho greeted slightly nervously. “Long time, no see.”
“Etho? I never would have thought you'd come to my shop, you always hated our need to submit. What changed?”
“I, well.” Etho hummed for a moment, trying to ignore the whips and chains that were everywhere while thinking of the easiest way to put it. “I guess you could say I found myself an Alpha?”
“Oh, God Etho. Get out of that relationship, Alpha-Alpha never works. They always come in here so happy, they found someone that can keep up with them and can challenge them. It always falls apart when one of them finds their bondmate, if not before.”
“I'm not here for you to judge it, I simply wanted your advice about well, erm.”
“You want her?” Ashley trailed off, her head cocked slightly in question.
“Him.” Etho corrected, feeling more awkward than he thought he would, was that a-? No, he refused to think about it as he tore his eyes away from her stock and looked squarely at her.
“Right, him,” she gave a small soft smile, and he knew she'd already guessed he wasn't straight. “To what? Submit for the first time? Not sure how to broach it?”
“No, erm, I sort of gave into instincts.”
“Etho, honey, that's okay, provided he does consent. He does, doesn't he?” The look she gave him made his stomach sink; she appeared to think the answer was yes, but Etho only asked for consent once; and that had been coerced.
“Not exactly, I already feel guilty. I mean I don't completely dominate him but I can't seem to help it, I only recently thought about my behaviour. These last few months I've been the worst.” Etho had to close his eyes to get away from the pitying look she gave him. “It's my fault, I'm not here for pity.”
“You've always been there for me, every time I see you I have to look at that scar,”
Etho gave a strained smile, opened his eyes and finished her sentence for her. “The one I got for defending you. But if I'm the one causing the issue you should look at me like you did him. Pushy, arrogant, and what was the last thing you said?”
“In dire need of a good thrashing. However, you’re not him. Okay, so you got carried away but the fact that you're even here asking how to not be that person shows why I love you.”
“Don't let Matt hear that.”
“I love all my friends, Matt knows that. He's not the jealous type, why else would I get to run this place? He could employ anyone; but he lets me do it. Have you any idea how many Alphas proposition me? Some are rather intriguing, last week I got one that-”
“Ashley,” Etho stopped her, she smiled at him and shook her head before talking again.
“I would have thought you'd be a little less embarrassed about sex after a good fuck. It was good, wasn't it?”
“I can't believe we're talking about this.” Etho responded, not wanting state that good didn't cover it. Not really ready to discuss it in any detail.
“You were the one that walked into a sex shop wanting advice. I'm proud that you did, but you didn't think it through, did you?” she asked, a smile in her voice.
“Ashley, please? What do I do?”
“Since you're unwilling to end it, all I can offer is communication. Talk to him, tell him what you want, and ask him what he wants. I'd recommend you think about what you want and come here and talk to me about it before you talk to him, if you can't tell me then how will you even broach it?”
“I can't,” Etho began before spotting her biting her lips closed. “You're teasing me?”
“Only about talking to me.” she paused to chuckle at him. “But I'm serious about talking to him, communication should be king of any relationship. If you can't talk to the guy you're shagging about it then neither of you can really get what you want from it. And be careful, don't give him your heart and try to keep him from expecting you to be there. I know you think you'll not be separated by one of you finding your bondmate, but you will be, it's intoxicating.”
Personally, he felt intoxicating was an understatement. It didn’t even begin to cover the way the scent of lavender always seemed to follow him on the breeze, or the way he couldn’t even get to sleep without seeing those vivid violet irises and Nebris’ signature teasing smirk in his mind’s eye. In a near whisper he told her, “I know.”
“You can't possibly conceive how deep it runs until after you feel it.”
Etho sighed. She would never believe Nebris was his bondmate, not without giving away his secret. Besides, he was sure he was at the end of his capacity to talk about mating.
“Thanks for the concern, but I think I should be going.”
She gave him a hard look before conceding. “Okay, but first promise me you'll come visit and tell me how it goes. After all you do know where to find me, I'm open late.” Etho nodded and she took his hand. “One last thing.”
She dragged him towards the back, grabbing a bag in passing at the till. A few minutes passed of her going around and stuffing things from the back room into it. Etho watched from the doorway where she had left him. When she returned, she offered the bag.
“Obviously I don't need to tell you how to use lube, but every time I order more they give me ‘mini testers’ though seeing as most of my customer already know what ones they like, and what they can't have, they usually don't get used. Yeah sometimes they change it up, but way I see it, an Alpha into Alphas can never have enough of the stuff. I know Matt keeps a drawer full if you ever want to shag him, strings free of course.”
“No! How can you even offer that?”
“Well, he likes to submit sometimes and I can't find it in me to dominate. You saw me attempting to lead the debate team, imagine how it is when everything inside me is telling me to be cute and get him to take command. We tried it, a few times, but it always ended poorly. Luckily, for us anyway, one of my regular Alphas lost their fuck buddy and-”
“Goodbye Ashley.” Etho firmly said as soon as he got over his shock, he never ever wanted Ashley to offer her Alpha to him, or tell him with excitement how she'd set-up her bondmate with other Alphas. It was something he wished he'd never found out, he regretted asking her to explain. Sometimes he forgot why he occasionally avoided her.
“I also put in a healing salve, Matt swears blind that it's the best you can get for those nasty Alpha inflicted wounds. And a few condoms, as you should know, never sleep with someone without one till you’re tested for each other. Well then, goodbye, and don't be a stranger.”
The door tinkled lightly as he closed it behind him while he checked the alley, trying not to think about being tested for each other. It was too late in any case, Etho hadn't even considered using condoms. Which was another thing he shouldn't have done as Nebris was at the mercy of his instincts that first time, but Etho had not been. At least not in the same way. He should have at the very least tried to find one, not that Nebris was likely to have them nor had either of them had partners before each other.
The alley was still as empty as when he’d entered, though that hardly seemed to matter now that he had one of her pink bags. At least it had no insignia or name on it, but anyone who saw him leaving the alley with it would possibly know where it came from. He couldn't even think of another shop that used pink bags.
He was thankful that EthoCorp was nearby, and that he didn't run into anyone he knew before he got there. He slipped the bag inside one of the plain ones from his stock cupboard as soon as he entered then hung it up under his coat. Listening to the beginning patters of rain outside, mildly glad he had missed the start of it, he walked to his desk.
He re-checked his special orders, dividing it into ones that would blow up in his face and ones that wouldn't. He was finding it hard to concentrate, a few hours since he'd last seen Nebris and he already felt the pull to stalk him. Another thing that wasn't good.
He set aside the potions he was unwilling to try making. Doc would happily deal with the volatile ones, and had promised to stick around after lunch when Etho expressed his wish to go for a walk.
Etho began making up the safe ones while his mind drifted to Nebris and how he would even start talking about sex. They'd always kind of just done it, other than the times they had begged each other to start it. Though those didn't count as talking about it, only showed that they both wanted it. A little glimmer of hope, Nebris wanted him even if only physically. However, how to prove that he could deserve Nebris was another thing, and more important at present.
His thoughts were interrupted by the back door being shunted. He had left it unlocked after returning from Ashley's, but when he went to open it he found it locked. Nebris had been through, no one else had a key for the door and that was the only spare. Etho unlocked the door, outside was a drenched Doc looking slightly less than pleased.
“You said you'd leave it unlocked.”
“I did.” Etho agreed. “Sorry about that.”
Doc shook his head, spraying Etho with water, hung his coat on top of Etho's dry one and began making potions with little more than a check that it was that pile he was to help with. Etho didn't mind the silence.
He knew Doc wasn't there simply for him, and would probably be going to tell Guude about the visit. He could admit his thoughts weren't completely fair, Doc had volunteered to be Etho’s minder because he cared and wanted to spend time trying to cheer Etho up. Etho knew as Doc had told him, even though Guude had told Doc not too.
But at the moment Doc was annoyed. Once he was drier he’d probably start a conversation, and Etho would have to focus on that. Fortunately until Doc spoke Etho was free to obsess about Nebris, kissing him, talking to him, making it up to him.
Etho fumbled with his house keys, then struggled to find the light switch inside. It was pitch black outside, still cloudy and occasionally raining but thankfully without winds. He lived too far from the closest street lamp to get much help there. He blinked into the light, someone had replaced the bulb. It usually took time to warm up. Then he moved into his living room, caring little for the water he dripped through his house.
He wasn't sure why he moved into the living room, his bedroom was upstairs and he was exhausted. He flipped on the switch to find that bulb was also replaced, far whiter than he remembered.
But that wasn't the only thing wrong with the room, well not wrong just not how he left it. Everything was tidied away. He opened the cupboards, everything was tidied away where it belonged. Nebris must have broken in, there had been a few days where Vechs had said Nebris had been unreachable and untraceable.
He moved room to room, feeling like a ghost in his own house. Every room was the same, new light and missing the mess than he'd left it after finding and removing everything that was Pauses’. That thought made him tear up a little. He wanted it back, he wanted proof of the friendship he had destroyed in his blind obsession over Nebris.
It was when he entered the kitchen that he finally felt real again. A note, short and to the point, hung on the fridge door under a lava bucket magnet he knew he did not own.
-Since I'm not much help in EthoCorp, thought I'd fix your house.
Take your phone with you every time you leave.
Z-
His phone was attached to a charger and sitting beside the fridge. He picked it up as he remembered Zisteau had a spare key, for emergencies. Etho guessed getting himself stuck in hospital counted. He checked the fridge, completely empty. But he doubted there had been anything left in the house that would have been in date anyway. He would have to give thanks, and ask why Zisteau knew where everything belonged, but it was too late for social calls and he wanted to do it in person.
Etho moved to his bedroom, which was tidy and found that his plants had been watered. He nipped off a couple of leaves cursing that he'd thought Nebris had done it; Nebris had never even been here in a friendly capacity. How would Nebris know where anything went in the cupboards and drawers? The fact that Zisteau knew was surprising itself.
Etho had treated his home like a sanctuary, keeping Nebris from it. Was there any aspect of their relationship that wasn’t Etho forcing Nebris to submit in some fashion? They only slept together in places that were not Etho's private space. Even using EthoCorp had been more of a needs thing, as Etho had felt he needed to make the potion and wanted to stop being on the verge of being found out or attacked in Nebris’ home.
He decided that he would get a copy of his house key and somehow offer it to Nebris without forcing him to take it. Or wait until he'd proven himself, then offer it.
Etho arrived in EthoCorp before the sun rose, his night had been restless. Not seeing Nebris was against his hopes to prove that he could be good for Nebris, it only further proved he wasn't. He flicked the lights on before checking the stock. He was at the counter getting yesterday’s special orders when someone knocked on the front door.
“We're closed. Come back later.” Etho called out.
“Even for me?” Ashley shouted in return.
“Especially for you.” He muttered to himself as he went to open the door.
“So?” She asked stepping over the threshold.
“What?”
“How did it go?”
Etho stifled a groan. “It's been half a day.”
“But you seemed so keen yesterday, I'd have thought you were seeing your Alpha last night?”
“You told me to think about it, I am. Anyway I asked for some time to work myself out.”
“You leave it too long and he’ll be off with his mate or someone else.” She chided.
“Can you wait for him to leave me before you go on about it?”
“I want to make sure you expect it. Don't want to hear that you've gotten yourself in hospital again.”
“Who told you?” Doc, Guude or Seth. Probably Seth as they got on well, he reasoned. Pause and Beef were unlikely and he didn't think she’d met anyone else from his pack.
“That would be telling. Needless to say, I don't want you to do something stupid like that again. What did your Alpha think of that?”
“My Alpha,” Etho repeated the phrase in his head.
Nebris spent years being an Alpha, Etho had to show he respected that. He needed to give back Nebris’ pride, and publicly. Which gave him an idea.
“Thank you Ashley. I think I know what I need to do.”
“Care to share?”
“I have to remind him who he is. A little battle should help, I need to get ready.”
“I will never understand why Alphas’ think a fight will solve anything.” Etho glared briefly, she couldn't know how much winning meant to Nebris. She held her hands up in submission. “Okay fine, I don't know him or your relationship. But you will talk to him about everything, what the both of you want from this fling?”
“Yes, I'll talk to him.” Etho wanted to add, well scream at her, that it was not a fling but chose not to have that argument this early after too little sleep.
“And I get to meet him?”
“Only if he wants to meet you, which I doubt.”
“I'm just curious who's gotten you all up in knots. Simply tell me where you'll meet him one day and when, I'll pretend I don't even know you.”
“Don't you have a shop of your own?”
“Subtle, Etho. I'll see you tomorrow then.”
“Next week? I don't think I can handle you turning up every morning.”
“Half a week, that's all I'll give you.”
That was enough of a break, Etho nodded and gave a proper goodbye, and a hug at her insistence, before she left.
“It's good to see you smiling.” Doc said from beside Etho, making him jump. “Happy thought?”
“Thoughts, that's not why you're here though. Someone let slip that I'm back to focusing here, and that I've gotten help. Fifteen orders, for today from yesterday, and half the stock is gone. I'm pretty sure it's Nebris.”
Well, his staff thought that, and it might be true. Etho didn't know. He did ask why they trusted Nebris, they simply called Nebris his Omega, not something Etho wanted Nebris to discover. And because they knew that Nebris was his bondmate they accepted him as Etho’s partner, his equal, and believed he would try to help the business thrive now that he was painfully aware of how inadequate a job Etho had been doing since they got together.
“You know, that ‘nice’ thing he did of expanding my stock? Well, a good portion was stuff he has surplus of, and few other collect. He's done it so I have to go to him, I mean who else keeps an excessive supply of lavender?”
“I'm sure that it's more because he had it to hand than to make you have to ask him to help you restock.”
“This is Nebris where talking about, he thinks about these things and he's hated me for years.” All technically true. He hated himself a little bit for finding it so difficult to lie, and also for being a bit glad he continued to struggle with it.
“I thought you two had stopped fighting.” Doc queried.
“He's giving me a false sense of he's not going to try anything.”
Not honest, but potentially true. They had fought on occasion since getting together, nothing as major as before. Nebris would still use his ‘I'm not going to do anything.’ Then turn around and start a fight, often in the morning while they were still naked after they'd finished having sex together. Though Etho trusted that Nebris would let him make the next move, Nebris had his own sense of honour that Etho still found baffling.
“You haven't started anything with him, wasn't it always mostly you that started it?”
Etho didn't want to think about it. Obviously he had, in his detestable need to dominate phase. Simply fighting Nebris out of the blue like he used to was clearly out of the question, but how else could he start one?
“Etho? ETHO?”
“Huh, what?” Etho inquired as he shook his thoughts from his head.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine, thinking about Nebris.”
“Look, he was trying to do you a favour don't return to thrashing him instead of thanking him.”
“How did you know?”
“I've seen you make that face too many times. You're planning something, just let it be thanks.”
Etho returned to his project, discarding his work. He was determined to reverse his inhibitor. He hoped to make a potion that could grant others Alpha like healing - more specifically, Nebris. It would be worth a fortune if he worked it out, and after experiencing non-alpha healthcare he knew he would pass on the recipe for very little, maybe even free, to healthcare professionals.
Yet another reason to be proud of Nebris, working through injuries far worse than Etho’s poison without painkillers outside of possibly, though probably not knowing Nebris, over the counter ones. But Nebris was a brewer, perhaps he had his own potion for post battle?
“Etho?”
“Hmm?”
“You're mixing the wrong things, perhaps you've been at it too long?” Doc was looking pointedly at the pile of half finished special orders and failed healing potions. Etho sighed and returned to what he was supposed to be doing.
It only took a few dedicated hours, once Doc was away, to reverse his inhibitor. Reversing was far simpler than creating from scratch. Sometimes you applied an inverter, others, like this time, you took the opposing ingredients, a few binding ones, then simply had to work out the mix. When Ashley arrived a few days later he got her to test it. It worked, though she texted him the next morning to inform that it had worn off, so duration was lower than his inhibitors’ two and a bit weeks.
The next thing was to wait for a pack gathering, another couple of days that felt like hell. Etho almost cheered when Guude texted everyone that they were going to do a barbeque, weather permitting, in Anderzel’s backyard. But while he wanted to text back immediately that he was going, he didn't think he could really handle a social thing. Everyone kept treating him as fragile, apart from Doc, Pause and Beef. To the rest of team Canada he was dead, other than Pause screaming at him on the day of his release they had said nothing to him.
Regardless, he needed to know if Nebris was going to the barbeque. He had a feeling Nebris would say yes simply because he wanted to see Etho if asked directly. But Etho had no intention to stay for the food. He wasn't stupid, he was fully aware that Nebris had taken to watching him from a distance, even coming into the back room when Doc was out. Mostly he was too distracted and all he knew of Nebris’ visit was lingering lavender and/or a locked door. He tried not to dwell on why Nebris would come so close but do nothing.
Etho texted Guude. He left it a day, then asked who was going. Not an unusual request, and Etho had his answer. Nebris was going, but so where Pause and Beef. He didn't think he could deal with arriving before Nebris but after Pause. It still hurt that he'd destroyed that relationship beyond repair, but Pause was right not to forgive him. He had been an absentee friend then put Pause into an awful situation; Doc had told Etho that Pause had been the first to raise the alarm that Etho wasn't simply missing.
The night before the barbeque the weather looked promising. Etho snuck into Nebris’ bedroom, long after he would be asleep, and placed the regeneration potion on his beside. The label simply read ‘Drink me, Etho.’ Etho could only hope Nebris did, but he was slightly annoyed with the gesture itself. He was asking Nebris to do something for him with no explanation.
He really couldn't help trying to dominate Nebris’ life, even while trying to prove he could not. But if he explained what it did, then Nebris could work out what he was planning. If Nebris knew he intended to start a fight then Nebris would be better placed to stop it or intercept him before they were amongst friends. And if he explained the whole plan, well, Nebris would know that Etho would be lucky to take on Millbee.
“Etho.” Nebris whined. Etho froze, the silence continued so he double checked Nebris was sleeping. “Etho! Oh god, Etho, I'm sorry, I never meant for this. I-” Etho left. Nebris was having a nightmare, blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault by the sounds of it. Etho was the bad guy. He always had been when it came to Nebris, even if Nebris couldn't see it because he was so used to being the one everyone got angry at.
When Etho got home he downed an inhibitor then went to bed. The night was restless, he was awake worrying about Nebris’ nightmare for hours. Part of him wanted to go back to Nebris and try to soothe his dream, but if Nebris woke Etho knew he wouldn't be able to find an excuse to leave and all his planning would fall apart when Nebris asked what the potion was.
When morning arrived Etho hung around his house, cleaning rooms and caring for his plants. It was cloudy, but didn't look like it was going to rain. Etho settled to thinking about how late he could arrive without causing anyone to panic. If he called to say that he was running late just before the start then he could push it further without any real risk.
A knock interrupted his thoughts, and when he went to see who it was he found Guude in his hallway taking keys out of the already closed door.
“Etho, we should talk.”
Etho frowned as he said “Hello.”
When Guude walked to his living room he followed. He sat and Guude took a seat like he owned it. In a way he did, everything that belonged to a pack member sort of belonged to the leader, which is probably why Zisteau had let Guude have the spare keys. But it still annoyed Etho slightly. Guude didn't come over nearly often enough to look so at home. Guude eyed him for a bit and when Etho went to ask what he wanted to talk about Guude spoke. “I know everything.”
“Everything? What's everything?”
“Right, basically I know Nebris isn't as Alpha as he wants everyone to believe. That you were with Nebris pretty much most of the day everyday, excluding injury time before your hiccup. That you almost died because Pause is easily as big a jerk as Nebris and you'd forgotten the world is bigger than them, but that's easy to do with a new and shaky bond. I know you're still not okay, and you won't be until Nebris stops rejecting you.”
“Nebris isn't-” Etho began as Guude paused, but was stopped by a long suffering sigh.
“Look, I've already talked to him so don't deny any of it.”
“I was the one that told him to stay away.” Etho rephrased.
“Why the fuck would you do that?” Guude demanded as he sprang forwards in his seat, staring at Etho as though he was completely bonkers.
“I needed time to think.”
“I thought Nebris was a big enough idiot in this all, now I find out you are too? You know I used to joke you'd put each other in an early grave, and now you actually seem to be doing a good job of it! Are you coming to the barbeque or what?”
“Yes?” Etho responded, wondering why Guude had suddenly asked that as he knew Etho was going.
“If we don't move now we will be really late, get off your lazy ass!”
“You're not getting up.” Etho pointed out angrily, he was feeling a bit bristly thanks to Guude’s abruptness.
“I'm not the one in pyjamas.”
Etho ran upstairs, if Guude hadn't come round he would have forgotten to get dressed at all. He decided against thinking about how the others would have reacted to him turning up ready for bed as he struggled into the first pieces of clothes he found. His trousers fought back and he ended up sprawling, luckily, on his bed. Guude was back in the hallway as Etho rushed down the stairs.
“Promise me one thing.” Guude told him, face blank but tone commanding. Etho nodded when he realised Guude was expecting acknowledgement. “If you decide to reject Nebs completely, you'll kill him. Don't make him live with it.”
“I would never-”
“Look, I'm not dealing with either of you broken-bonded if I can help it. I hope you'll be together, however I want you to promise because I trust you’ll keep it. It isn't for you, it's for him and everyone else. He was in pieces when we didn't know where you were. I've never seen him like that, and I never want to see him so weak again. So if you want to shatter him, do it with a sword through his heart. Nebris might be a little shit sometimes, but he does deserve dignity.”
“I promise I won't reject him.” Etho tried as he couldn't stomach promising to kill Nebris, regardless of the caveat.
Guude smiled. “That was more than I hoped you'd give.”
“I love him,” Etho stopped his explanation, he began staring forwards unseeingly. “I love him.” He repeated quietly, he'd never really thought it, never named his own emotions, and now he'd said it. “I love Nebris.” He told Guude, who was still smiling but had begun leaning against a wall. He was far too at home but Etho found he didn't care anymore.
He fumbled for his phone, trying to hold back tears over how stupid he had been, how much harm he had unthinkingly caused Nebris by telling him to back off, sort of rejecting him. Thankfully Guude had hammered it home. If he wanted to prove himself good enough and that he was capable of giving up control, he had to let Nebris chose how. Failing that make Nebris take control. Anything Nebris asked for, or wanted, Etho would provide.
“Hello?” Nebris answered, the fraction of cheer in his voice told Etho that Nebris knew it was him but wasn't alone.
“I miss you.” Etho couldn't help it, he knew that it was probably a bad thing to say while Nebris was in unknown company. But he desperately needed Nebris to know he wasn't being rejected. Etho was unsure if the brief silence was surprise or Nebris taking a moment to formulate an un-incriminating response, either way he chose to press on. “I need you. I,” he was going to say it, even if it wasn't to Nebris’ face. “I love you. I'm so sorry for-”
“Damn.” Nebris sounded angry, and a little bit panicked. Etho wanted to continue his apology, but Nebris continued before he had a chance. “Where are you?”
“Home?”
“Don't move a damn muscle, unless it's to get an antidote.” Nebris hung up, leaving Etho wondering why that was his chosen lie and how he thought that would get him away from the others. But Etho quickly got distracted by the fact that Nebris was coming to him, and Etho was determined to make it worth his while.
Etho told Guude that Nebris was coming, Guude was out the door in moments wishing Etho luck. Etho then put the kettle on. If Nebris wanted a hot drink hopefully the kettle would have just boiled when he arrived, or it would take less time to heat. The fridge was still empty, so Etho took the flyers for a couple of local places he thought Nebris might like and moved them into the living room, where he waited.
His phone buzzed, he answered it, smiling at who it was. He didn't even get the chance to say hello before Nebris issued a challenge. “I love you more.” And hung up. Nebris couldn't believe that, surely? Not after the way Etho had belittled him and shown no respect for his wishes. Etho took a few deep breaths, conflicted from returned love, his unwillingness to believe Nebris and determination not to begin crying before Nebris arrived nor after.
